Food or beryllium tweeters for my DeCapo's

Tubegroover:
His system just sounds about as good as I’ve ever heard it and get this, he changed electronics from vintage ARC gear to a Creek Integrated, you wouldn’t believe it and neither would I until you heard it.

Have we grown tired of the De Capo’s? ;)

I’ve read the late Bobby Palkovich of Merlin Music passively (for him) suggest to a customer "a medium powered NAD amp may satisfy you" - regarding his speakers. (I think there were Merlin TSM monitors) I spoke to Bobby on several occasions. For those of you who never had that experience, he was a Type AAA guy. It was a bit like talking to a tornado or a bull. You were just trying to hold on and hopefully remember the answers to what you were calling him about. Strong, Big personality. Big Brain. Obsessed with his product. As a VSM owner for more than a decade, I’d learned that if he gave "official" or even passive approval for another product to be used with his speakers, it was something to take note of.

And then there is what I learned in 1989 in the Wofford College dorm. My "Natural Sound" Yamaha receiver and Boston Acoustics speakers sounded better than anyone else’s stuff (if they even bothered). And the heresy of the "Loudness" dial and "Bass" and "Treble" adjustments seemed to overcome the fact that they were jammed up above midget twin beds and against cinder block walls. Didn’t matter, you could make them make music with those knobs. They did and our door stayed open. Killer.

Then there are the Silverline Minuet Supreme speakers that I snagged on this site. And then last week, Amazon dropped off a brand spankin’ new Yamaha "Natural Sound" integrated amp with my trusted Bass, Treble, and Loudness dials. Does is matter that they are jammed in the office on a TV table? Nope, I can make them make music. I’m not sitting here with my head in a vise *concentrating* on "soundstage" and other such nuisances. Kick Ass! Probably a little like a Creek integrated.

Why buy Silverline? I ran into Alan Yun when my wife and I went to CES in 2001. As far as audio goes, I have 3 strong memories from that trip:

#1 The Merlin Music / Joule room with Bobby, and Jud Barber from Joule. It wasn’t long after that visit that I had a VZN80 amp.

#2 Alan Yun and a wide array of speakers in the Silverline Audio room that just made music.

#3 Reference 3A De Capo speakers driven by an Antique Sound Lab tube amp. I distinctly remember how much I liked these speakers - 15 years ago, with a brief listen.

Yep, here is what I heard... picture from CES 2001... the interweb remembers too:

http://hometheaterhifi.com/volume_8_1/images/ces-2001-day-4-reference3a_speaker.jpg

I suspect many of us know there are "secrets" out there for this stuff, and over the years you pick up on them - like NAD and Creek amps. Whether you are willing to listen to the secrets and take not of them is another matter altogether. A large part of the struggle is the mental game of "what aren’t I experiencing because I don’t have THAT?" "Surely, *that* must be better because it costs more than what I have and everyone says it’s awesome, right?"

I’ve heard a few things about this, that, or the other. The De Capo’s and Berning amps are on the list. So are Joule Electra and Merlin Music. And Yamaha... True, not much of that is cheap. Even so, I’ll bet I can make a pair of De Capo’s sing with my Bass, Treble, and Loudness knobs on my (brand new, yet) trusty Yamaha "Natural Sound" integrated amp. Wanna bet?

And, for what it’s worth Tubeears, Palkovich liked the Audio Analogue stuff with his stuff, so it’s been on my list too... I’m not sure it costs enough though...

"They would gather in a circle, hand in hand (chanting)..Ohm, Ohm,"

Only in NYC and the Northeast US maybe.

elsewhere, the mantra was more likely "OM...". Easy to confuse. :^).

To answer the original question beryllium tweeters are a better long term investment. The food will be gone in an instant.

Tubegroover.

Back in the "upper" Middle Ages of audio.... There were "those" Audiophiles. They were the ones that knew a lot and said little. They were the ones that just..... Knew. They would meet, in the silence of the night... In the moors, behind the audio salons. They would gather in a circle, hand in hand (chanting)..Ohm, Ohm, Oh Me. Then ... slowly opening their dark, hooded robes...they would expose (much like our congressmen now) their vital wares. In the glow of the sim Moon lite (protruding up from their cloaks) could be seen the shimmering Edge of ... the Nad's and the Creek's and the Puccini's. (In the murky background) a Quad of Spica's could be heard howling in a Forest full of Totems. This secret society had touched the sacred Oracle and they were gifted with.... Music. Those chosen Audio Druids had unsheathed their ARC-slayers and Joan could do nothing Manley about it. The giant ARC's and Aragon's were silent in the vacuum of truth and were laid waste in a solid state. Sometimes, only a new nose what a Knu knows and the little Druids were proof... That secret society with the little cheap amps.

Condensed from Readers Digest.

Thanks for the update on cabling Tubeears. I'm having my buddy drop by the Rube Goldberg jobs sometime next week, my 4th listen, it must mean something. His system just sounds about as good as I've ever heard it and get this, he changed electronics from vintage ARC gear to a Creek Integrated, you wouldn't believe it and neither would I until you heard it. He attributes much of what he hears to these cables and cords, who am I to argue, I hear it myself and I need to hear them "One More Time".

I finally got a chance to upgrade my "system" pictures, including my subwOOfer.

Tubegroover,

The "courtin'" stage can be a pain in the butt. I'm still trying to get my cables right. I have some JPS Superconductor Plus (bi-wire) coming in this weekend. That will make for all JPS in my system. That cable seems to work very well in my listening area. During the wait for the JPS, I have been using my older Monster Retro Sigma Gold... And I am really starting to like it. It is a superb Lietz cable with a great design.. I know "Monster Cable" !! Sounds bad just thinking about it.... But before you go running to the toilet with your hands cupped over your mouth.... I have to say that the Retro Sigmas are no joke. The "edge definition" is amazing. Especially with the DeCapos. Small images that were blurred out before are clear and outlined extremely well. Instruments that are on the far edges of the soundstage are very focused and clear. Usually, all of these "happenings" are just Audiophile madness and hi-end Bling, but with the DeCaps, they are absorbed into the musical event... Not just a well focused dog barking in the bedroom cliche .. If I am really in need of hearing a dog in the bedroom, I'll stick a terrier in there. Especially with the BE tweeter, the DeCaps are so amazing with all of the Audiophile trickery .. It is just being able to hear a speaker do all that while maintaining its musical balance is a pure joy to listen to. The dog just doesn't bark... But it sings along as well. Anyway, it is a new found land for me and I will not bitch about it.

I think Truemaineiac is right Shakey. Hey that's not SO bad, I'm sure there are many that have it worse than that. You might want to keep track of the frequency of your changes going forward though, it seems that your heart for the best of the lot didn't beat the average of the rest, you philanderer you! I'm still in the courtin stage, trying to decide between the charismatic beautie or her more suave fleshier big sister who I'm going to do some courtin with tomorrow.

Shakey,

Don't worry, no one will lock you in the Shame room and spit at your feet. I would just be spitting on my ipad anyway. It does have the rectum screen though, so it wipes easier. I drool a lot on it here on A'gon anyway.
Hope Arkansas lost a real Dilly when 'ole Paul passed on. He used to pin a button on his lapel that said.. Bullshi..! Some say he even wore it in church. A real gentleman. I've been down the Khorn, Cornboy, and Hairassy road a long while back. It is a rather fun travel. Mucho DB and they will slap your SET's across their Mothers bulging, glass jowls. The old country pig sticker could really put a box together though. PWK must have taken a Koragami class in his distant youth. I believe that I already know the Khole that you will Diane out of (when you complete your journey).... But it is really worth the adventure riding in the birch and metal Kornacopia. Just remember, The Grand Veena's have the key to the Shame room, and they can't do a llama on your Knu Balance (that is what I've Herd).

The last five years? Not that many.

VS VR 4 Gen III HSE
GMA Callisto with ML Depth subwoofer
GMA Continuum 3HD
Montana EPS-2
Piega P-10
Wilson Sophia
Coincident Technology Super Eclipse (that one lasted ONE day)

Those are in no particular order. But now that I look at the list, the last two really were the worst two.

I will say this with no shame whatsoever. But I am replacing the Grand Veenas with Klipsch Cornwalls. And I really do believe in my heart that the GV was the best of all the ones mentioned above.

Shakey

LOL, now Shakey, how many speakers have you gone through in the last 5 years? Great moniker btw, enjoy your new speakers!

Shakey......

What am I missing here. Wwwhy are u getting rid of the GVeena's ?

Zimwig

Tash will just upgrade them to DeCapo's. ;-)

Well I enjoyed my time with the Grand Veenas, but they will soon be with their new owner.

Shakey

Rebbi that is precisely it, what you say. While the resolution of this speaker is off the charts it isn't the "oh, I never heard or noticed THAT before". That isn't it at all. It is the musical resolution, the connection over any sound. I REALLY believe, at least to me, that it has to do with the near ideal tonality along with the ability to clearly define instruments and vocalists in a soundfield, the better the recording and gear preceding of course the more real it sounds but it isn't limited by the quality of the recordings. There is just this inherent, intrinsic musicality. On a technical note I suspect the real key to the success of this particular design, predating the DeCapo and going back to the MM most likely has to do with the proprietary carbon bass/mid driver being directly connected to the signal being fed without going through any crossover circuit, the DNA of what we hear with this design. I'll bet you could hook up a mediocre receiver to this speaker and still hear this intrinsic "rightness".

I don't believe for a second natural tonality, the real pitch and timbre of voice and instruments can be manipulated upstream. It has to be inherent in a fundamental way that some speakers have and some never will regardless of enclosure, crossovers etc. I find this quality very rare in most of the transducers I've listened to although they may excell in many if not virtually all ways that can initially make them appealing. This speaker doesn't do "audiophile tricks" and technically it might not be impressive to the technically minded observer or measurer but one thing undeniable to me, these gems play back music in a most convincing manner.

One other thing I'm noticing about my De Capo's is that I'm listening to a lot of old vinyl these days and enjoying some of my old LP's more than I'd expect. I'm not talking about the cliché "I'm hearing the lead vocalist scratching himself and never noticed that before." Rather, it's that non-audiophile recordings that I used to love sound more musical and pleasurable than I remember them pre-De Capo's.
For example, Michael Franks' "Sleeping Gypsy" has some wonderful tunes on it, but it's a kind of rolled off, closed in sounding recording. And yet I was struck last night by how enjoyable and musical the chorus of "I Hope It's You" sounded. Nice to rediscover old records in this way!

Hey Decap lovers, I own a pair of Ref3a Veena (love them). I am seriously thinking of having them upgraded by Tash. Any feedback?

Modern OHMs and 80's OHMs are two different beasts, though they look similar. I owned both concurrently for a bit and did a lot of a/b comparisions. Night and day performance differences all around, though both share the ability to go loud and clear and never show any signs of distress.

I believe these are older model Ohms probably from the early to mid 80's I'm sure if not older. The box is quite large.

Tube, take note of what specific model those OHM Walsh speakers are when you hear them. Many since inception back in early eighties look the same but do not sound the same. Sound became cleaner, more refined and detailed over time with different generations, keeping with the trends. Current models are X000 models and 4th generation. Originals were single digit model names. series II and series III in the middle. I own series III currently. Some older models can have upgraded drivers, so cabinet models may no longer apply. IT can be tricky sometimes to know exactly what is inside those "cans".

I was just listening to some Monk last night, "The London Sessions Vol. 1, 24 bit remastered. Just wanted to share how very special and engaging it was, a favorite solo piano recording that revealed his artistry in such a deep way. It just keeps happening, this engagement, the "it" factor, I sit down and listen and can't stop!

The one statement from Art Dudley's Stereophile review of this speaker 10 years ago that sums things up so eloquently is "The Ref 3A Decapo is as memorable as your favorite song", indeed it is!

Mapman I know a guy that has a pair of the OHM Welsh I believe. He had them in a small cottage house when he and his wife moved from Pennsylvania to Daytona Beach. Too small a space to set them up in that place but he moved to a larger house several months back but a few hours away. His new space is considerably larger. I am going to try to encourage him to set them up so myself and another audio friend can pay him a visit. Thanks for reminding me. I just love the MBLs, great for orchestral music in particular. I'd bet those OHMs sound special as well.

Tube,

I've had the big OHM F5s for 3-4 years now.

My apologies Lewis, I found the review. The room size for the review of this almost 6' tall speaker was 15'4"W by 16'3"L by 6'10"H, a perfect transducer choice for such a cavernous space, what was I thinking?

Thanks for the link Mapman. As far as that Buddy Holly tune goes, I bought a recording with it after that listen and often play it, a really great recording it is. I believe it was made the September before the plane crash, his last studio recording. The thing is that no matter how many times I listen to that song, it will never be recaptured the way it was at Bill's place that day. I suppose we all have our special musical memories, I have a ton of them but I'm getting off track here, back to the DeCapos!

Tubegroover,

Talk about reviewers for Stereophile. There was one guy back in the late 80's early 90's that did a review of the B&W 800, a really large speaker in his 10X12 listening room or something that size, what was Atkinson thinking

Atkinson thinking
Oxymoron personified .

Mapman....

I was on my way out the door and I caught your post.. That looks so cool. I will get one. Thak you !

OK.. Guys, go look at Mapmans system. Some kind of nice. Those squeezers on top of the Ohm cabinets are very musical. I would love to hear them next to the berylliums. They are monstrous, and bugs get in them from time to time, but they really can throw a soundstage. I'm impressed at the condition. Nice job, Mapman. How long have you had them ?

I have a Buddy Compilation CD and This which is a fantastic bargain for some truly classic music much of which has quite excellent sound quality to boot.

Talk about reviewers for Stereophile. There was one guy back in the late 80's early 90's that did a review of the B&W 800, a really large speaker in his 10X12 listening room or something that size, what was Atkinson thinking? I have to find it. I believe it is pre '94 before they changed from digest size to magazine and I still have those going back to the mid 80's. Lewis Lipwich or something like that, played Contrabasoon for the National Symphony. That's why you have to be careful in trusting what a musician says. They REALLY do listen and hear things differently.

So far as reviewers I really get a kick out of Bob Harley, always waxing on about the latest and greatest with better seemingly commensurate to more expensive, welcome to Texas! I always feel it incumbent on a reviewer to review different gear across a broad spectrum of prices to keep everything in better perspective. Not everyone can afford a 185K speaker system, not that I don't enjoy reading about them, I do as I find it quite entertaining. How can you take something so expensive seriously UNLESS you can easily afford it?

There are a few large systems I've heard that were quite memorable, like the Infinity Reference V system with completely rebuilt Emitt drivers and woofers, over 500 hours worth of work by a gentleman named Bill Legal in Pennsylvania. His company is Miller Sound named after his father in law I believe and goes way back to the 1930's. I spent an afternoon with Bill in his listening room with those glorious speakers listening to a wide range of music, it was great. There was one recording he played for me that I hadn't heard since I was a kid, Buddy Holly's studio recording of "True Love Ways", my skin rolled over in goosebumps, not just the fact that he was "truly" in the room but the nostalgia and memories of the past. This is what its all about, sharing music and enjoyment, I'll never forget it. Bill and his wife were two of the most wonderful people I've come across in this hobby.

By the way, I am experimenting now with switching between the 20 watt "triode" mode and the 40 watt "ultra linear" mode of my Manley Mahi amps. The jury's still out. They sound "different," but I'm not sure which mode I like better.

If you guys want an amazing "goose bump" listening experience, pick up a copy of Sade's latest album, Soldier Of Love, and play track 3, "Morning Bird." I played it for an audiophile friend of mine on the De Capo's (who has some very good speakers at home) and he was stunned. Just sat there saying "wow" and "my speakers won't do that." :-)

DCaps

Tubegroover,

I'm still chuckling over the Montana experience that you had. I have as well, a friend that lives his life for them.. He is only "half" deaf at this point. I believe that Montana's theory is this... The more deaf you get, you progressively increase the size of the Montana that you buy. Once completly deaf, you are left with only their subwoofers and a giant Krell amp on a rolling pallet. I personally do not like my clothes and body hair removed by air waves produced by a speaker the size of a battleship. Ironically, from what I have heard, the founder of Montana, Peter Norbeak (sorry, I'm not sure of the spelling ) originally got his start working at Cary Audio. He put together the Cary CS 301 (or could be the SP301... Not sure). Anyway, it could be bought as a kit. Those are the ones in my closet. They could also be bought pre-built. They were nice looking, sort of Merlin-like and used the De-appolito driver arrangement using high quality Vifa mid/woofs and A Scan-Speak 9500 series Tweeter. The cabinet is a real nice composite of some kind and was black lacquered. A very good arrangement till Peter found a big bucket of crossover parts. After shoveling them onto a board full of silicone sealent, he turned ... What started as "Nice" to "nasty" ...real fast. I'm going to CYA here a just bit and say that all of what I know about all of this is just folk lore and Is just here-say.... Anyway, the way that I heard it , when Peter left Cary (for whatever reason) he formed the PBN Montana line. To me, it looked like he took the speaker he designed at Cary with him, and re-named it the Montana SP. At that time, Stereophile nailed it for a formal review and it was off to the loudspeaker races for Montana. If you look way back to the Sphile reviews, you will find that one reviewer, in particular, was Very enamored (and again, for whatever reasons) by Montanas speaker line up. I don't believe that there were the Montanasaurus offerings at that time. Anyway, it certainly doesn't hurt to have a lust filled reviewer from a big audio rag slobbering accolades on their keyboard for you. So, anyway, the speakers got bigger and the sound got louder. Some people love them. And as you rightfully say, they can engage you with dynamics like no other and somehow remain coherent. As a side note: I don't pay much attention to the magazine reviews anymore. Much of the reason is because of antics of some of the reviewers, their biases and admiration for their chosen demigods. Their reviews seem to parallel watching them climb the rocky cliffs, to their favorite oracle, just to share some fine wine and a piece of cheese... All the while, sitting with their mentors, starry-eyed listening to their most resent product. I much more enjoy and absorb the the words that continue on in the forums and also from what dedicated and informed salon dealers say. Those dealers that are all that is left to display what we so undyingly seek.. I would still pick the DeCapos over the KAS's, or any other mammoth shrouded in exotic finishes belching out SPL's that would cave my walls in. My loud days are.. quite thankfully, all over and if a speaker can't show me greatness at low volumes.... I don't want it in front of me (or sneaking around behind me either). A scant few speaker can play well at below speaking level, and the DeCapo is at the very-most top of that list.
A little about pianos....
I was actually picking out some of my better piano flavored music as I read your post. Technically speaking, I don't know much about pianos... except, I feel that they are much like hi-end audio componants. The best of brands are very much argued about. Some will say... This piano is better ... That piano is better, and on and on the battle for best goes. Owners or afectionatos of them will throw their favorite picks into the ring like big wooden pit bulls to see who's best. I would think that a piano, whatever the brand, could have a fare amount of trick tuning done to it to give it a sound that the player likes. I can tell a difference in brands, at times, but sorry to say that I haven't chosen a preference. I am fond of both uprights and standard. I like most of the piano sounds that I hear, but it is mainly due to the artist and/or the performance. I can put up with poor recordings (to a point) if the artist/performance are there (in the presentation) for me. One great CD that I can't seem to find tonight is my Holy Cole Trio, with the cut... "I can see clearly now" on it. After a just a few lines of just her singing.... a piano makes its amazingly vibrant introduction and ... Wow. Is it breathtaking. I really want the DeCapos to take a look at that. I don't know the brand of the piano. Then of course there are all,of the old Audiophile standards... Lincoln Mayorga and Amanda McBroom .... Dave Crusin and then on cassette tape, most of the Windom Hill recordings. Windom Hill seems to do piano very well, on their tapes.. and on a good cassette machine (like the Nakamichi MR-1), it is so so pleasing and musically captivating. I really envy you for being able to play one of the things. I would give it a try, but I have too many Vibra-Pods stuck to my fingers.
Back to the DeCapos. So far, what piano that I have listened to has been a real surprise. They present a piano in true life form. I did not think that they could create and hold (with substance) the mass of a piano. They not only engage you with the sound, but the emotion of the performer. They cast an image so wide and deep that it feels as though the piano is sitting in the room along with you ...with all else that is on stage. Usually, the vast majority of speakers reduce the piano to a small, vague and smeared outline of itself, with little or no weight. The DeCapos show the piano for what it is. I am very, very impressed. I also feel very lucky, both for myself and others that own them. We have something that so many others are searching for, I'm sure happy my search is finally over. I love the idea of the Grand Veena's, but I'm afraid that my small listening area dictates the use of the DeCapos. I just could not be happier.

Oh the Montanas, yes I know a few that have them. One set-up isn't so bad and he's had them for years with ARC gear. I couldn't tell you the model number. Certainly not my cup of tea for most music but he is primarily a rocker listens to quite a bit of jazz and some classical, it works for him just fine. I heard a pair of the big KAS many years back at a dealers. He just loved them, their dynamic capability you know. I just didn't get it and couldn't wait for it to end and besides the things were so big they reminded me of two large coffins. Another guy whose large Montana system I only heard once in his huge listening room was all tweaked out with thick slabs of maple under all components, all the cabling with risers keeping them from touching the ground. To me all the tweaking did was highlight all the issues I had with his system. We listened to a lot of old rock and roll that night including Ted Nugent, the Stones etc. and I throughly enjoyed it. But THEN we put on one of my favorite piano recordings of Earl "Fatha" Hines and immediately realized I never knew a piano could sound like that, very interesting. We talked later and I told him how much I enjoyed the evening, which I really did it was a lot of fun listening to rock and roll with the guys. My only regret is I wished I had brought some of my favorite rock recordings. I mentioned I didn't realize he was such a rock fan. He said he wasn't really but was more into light jazz and female vocalists. Now that was a tough one to figure out. Those big Montana's sure could boogie but for female vocals and jazz? As I always say, to each his own. Audiophiles are a real diverse lot but one thing most are not lacking is passion and opinion. I personally find most multi-driver system problematic with a few exceptions. The coherence is generally blown and you end up listening to a speaker instead of music. The older I get the more apparent it becomes.

Now back to the DeCapos. I think the only thing left for me to do is find the right cables. I may have found them after that last session. They don't cost an arm and a leg and they just sound right when used together. The problem is they look like a bad joke, something Rube Goldberg threw together in an afternoon with the ground wires separate from the helix solid cores wrapped something that seems like mylar. The ICs are app. half inch strips of very thin copper wrapped in the mylar type material with unruly ground wires outside the mylar with VERY minimalist connectors that attached to the components rather loosely, not snug like you would expect. The power cords have round plugs that look like they were procured from an electric supply house that went out of business 80 years ago. Remember the old toastmaster toaster with the cloth cord with the wire wrapped in asbestos inside? Well those plugs would be on the end of that cord. I really haven't seen anything like that for years. The power strip looks like the economy model at Wal-mart wired the same as the power cords sitting on a beautiful 6" slab of solid maple. I would hope that it is at least 12 guage, fires you know. I guess I've given it away now. Totally minimilist Tubeers, no fancy leather or solid dovetailed wood cases with thick felt lining with the brand name printed on fancy silk. In any case, before going that route I am going to reconfigure my system, build a new wood equipment rack so if I do decide on these cables, they can't be seen. Besides, too much clutter in the room, its time for a makeover and my wife agrees.

DeCapo

Tubegroover,

It looks as though we are a mirror image of each other. My wife doesn't just like them... She IS in love with them. However, if they were in the Nextel, that love would have vanished and the speakers would have been made to disappear within moments of their arrival.
I am looking strongly at my cables as well. I like them very much, but what I am seeing in the DeCapos is a speaker like you have so correctly described. They are now able to flesh out every nuance of every fine detail. The cables themselves had well be able to do that trick ... or the DeCapos won't be able to see those small details (to be able to transduce them). The changes to the DeCapos were far from minor ones (with the addition of the new tweeter) and they can now compete with the big boys. As was the case before the new beryllium tweeters were installed, the DeCapos demanded the best in equipment to allow them to become the tasty meals that they were. Now, with the upgrades, the DeCapos have went stellar.
I talked with a very knowledgeable dealer, one that has considerable experience with the DeCapos, both new and old and he feels much in the same way. Sooooo.... Here we sit with speakers that demand cable well in excess of what the little speakers cost ! They should have renamed them "De-Lemas"... Well, we will eek our way thru it, I'm sure.
Right now, the JPS cables are just fine and I have a back up pair of Moanster Cable Retro-Sigma Gold. They are quite wonderful sounding, smooth and with a very musical presentation.... Stereophile howled about them and the matching IC's. I have a pair of them as well. The point is.. All the Howling in the world doesn't mean that they are the best choice for the DeCapos. The DeCapos are just too big for their own pants. Anymore, speaker cable only means HYPE to me. The for instance the Munster Cable. The little darlings come with a ( Halliburton style) all aluminum briefcase. OK, if that's that game, the DeCapos should come wrapped in VW Touareg (brown leather and TDI, please). Anyway, pale-ease cable companies, Just put the money into the cables and put the cables into a bag and just gimme da bag. If I need a briefcase, I'll need a job first ( and one that pays enough to buy the stinking cables on and on). Sooo, we are in a pickle. The DeCapos are in another league altogether from their ancestors. They have evolved, and they are driving us to evolve with them... Like it or not.

Lend me some help here and let me know where I stand. Before I jump ears first into some kind of odd review of the beryllium tweeters ( in addition to how the DeCapos sound as a whole). I want to hear some ideas and opinions on the equipment that I thought was just fine, and even purchased targeting the DeCapos...

My set-up as it sits now:
Integrated amp: An Audio Analogue Maestro Setantta rev 2. I had not heard this particular amp. Until I purchased this one ( thru A'gon), The only AA amp that I had owned was an AA Puccini just before the dinosaurs died out, and i loved it. This amp sounds astonishing, looks good and the reviews are solid. It seemed as though it is the perfect match for the DeCapos, even if it is solid state. Get your Google gloves on and take a ride to find out about an amp that is world class and a pure joy to hear. Dig deep enough and you will see some spectacular photos of the insides of this beautiful beast.

I also have a Jolida 202brc that stuffed with premium tubes. The 202brc is a real sleeper in the Jolida lineup. Just a honest, straight forward example of what a good tube amp should be, at a lower price level. There are better tube amps, to be sure, but for the money, this one is very musical and has great pace, authority and responds well to tube change.

Dacs: One is the new Jolida Glass Tube dac. Two 12ax7's drive the out puts. I use either Tung Sols or re issue Mullards. Very well made. Extremely versitel and comes stock with parts that are normally upgrades for other units.

The other is a Michael Yee Dac one. His first but an amazing dac nonetheless. MR. Yee is a master with analog. His head amps are legendary and Dac One is a masterpiece of parts quality and workmanship.

CDP: Jolida JD 100. Very musical, good sounding player/ transport.
Again, two 12ax7's for the output. It has two separate analog outputs and a coax digital. I can switch back and forth between the stock CDP, or thru the upgraded Jolida dac or quickly switch to the Michael Yee.

Tuner. Mcintosh MR-78. I like this tuner better than any that I have ever used or heard. A real chunk of audio candy.

Cassette decks. I have two. A Nakamichi MR-1. It is one of the best. Only balanced ins/outs and every possible function. A spectacular deck.
Number two. Another Nakamichi . A CR-2a. A great sounding piece. Perfect to mate and copy with my MR-1.

Cables. JPS Superconductor plus ic and speaker cable.
Monster Sigma. Ic and speaker cable
Music Metre IC's and Digital cable

Vibro-pods under everything, including me. Also many assorted tweaks, Blue-Tac, bean bags .... Lots of little things that I probably should not have spent money on

Apple TV... I use this a lot for Internet radio. I run the HD channels in to either dac.
It sounds just fine for my casual listening. At time it actually sounds better than I want to believe that it can. I kick my own but every day thinking about all of the money that I wasted on XM Radio ! The Apple cost about a hundred bucks at Bad Buy !

Monster cable HTS 3600 line protection. Nice little inexpensive unit. 10 plug Ins and fairly good protection. A Shunyata is next in line.

Tubegroover, the words in your last post are so exact and so much of what I am finding that I am in hope that everyone can read what we say. It is like there is no need for any other loudspeaker to exist at all. What is ..oh so amazing, is that just about anyone can afford them. Even more so with the new Dulcets. These speakers are really a true gift to the Audiophile community. I rejoice every day that I wasn't born a Newt, blind and deaf in a dark cave with no electricity, my little sticky fingers not able to go around the volume knob on my new amp ( and my body to light to force the buttons down on the remote).
Indeed, I am gifted... I am Newtless and proud of it.

OK... There it is. Blast the hell out of it.

Oh.. Ya, I forgot to add what speakers that I have. Ref. 3a, DeCapo's.
And also a pair of the first PBN Montana SP's. they are in the bedroom closet ( a good place for them IMHO). They are a bit beat up from me throwing various tools and things at them, but they work like they should. Stereophile went GaGa over them. They have a crossover the likes of which I have never seen.... Literally dozens of parts.. All top grade, like Hovland and others. If Tash ever seen the crossover in these, he would have a massive coronary on the spot. It takes a half of a CD for the signal to pass thru all the parts in these things. There are probably still a bunch of words and notes stuck inside them that have to be pryed out. I am giving them to a friend next month.

Hi Tubeears
In keeping with the spirit of this thread and to keep it alive I wanted to add my take on the cable changes with the Decapos. Yesterday my friend brought over his cables. When he first brought them over to hear with the Merlins, I had my doubts that there could be too much improvement over what I had. He insisted I would hear an improvement. He isn't one to go gaga over everything he hears and I DO trust his ears. He insisted and I agreed. After the first time I wasn’t too sure I believed what I heard, so profound was the difference. So we did it again with the same result. Ever the skeptic I was convinced it was real enough to be able to discern the differences in a blind test when listening to the cabling as part of a system.
Included were 3 power cords, to the amp, pre-amp and my Modwright Oppo 95. 1 IC, from source to pre-amp, speaker cables, and a power strip. The IC from the pre to the power amp since I've put the DeCapos in the system is Coincident. As mentioned in a previous post the cabling was replaced my Stereovox 600 sei ics and Studio copper speaker cables. I also have several different power cords that I choose for my system back when I was going through the cable swapping game. The cabling has remained as is since about 2007, no changes. I’ve been happy with the results and I'm not one to continue driving myself nuts with finding the "ultimate" cable. What I have works quite satisfactorily with excellent transparency and no glaring issues. Being the obsessive compulsive lot we are, we all know there’s something better but how far to go in finding it?
Not to get into too many details of the process as it was performed over several hours and with the changes I am hearing in the speakers from day to day resulting IME from the drivers settling in, it can be daunting trying to figure out what is going on REALLY. To cut to the chase first the speaker cables. I didn't notice anything substantive. If you THINK you hear something it just doesn't count. Next we put in the IC from the source to the Pre-amp. At this point we both heard the effect that was realized in the Merlins, a greater sense of coherence and clarity, a bit of the richness from the Stereovox was removed but replaced by a greater sense of the instruments and vocals in front of you, more real. Hard to explain this but I can only attribute it to some type of timing phenomenon, who knows what is REALLY going on with cabling you can only believe what your ears tell you. Next we hooked up all the power cables excepting for the digital into the power strip. I didn't want to replace that just yet. I am using a JPS digital power cord that I have been extremely pleased with. I still remember the first day that I got that cable and the improvement it made. All devices are connected to two dedicated 20 amp circuits with cryoed hospital grade receptacles.
When all was in place, particularly with the last change including the power strip it became completely apparent that what we had heard with the Merlins carried over to the DeCapos. The sound just got larger and more natural. The bass went off the charts. Honestly at the dealer there was nothing I heard that would lead me to believe that these speakers were capable of projecting such dynamic drive and energy. The images became larger, on some recordings seemingly as large as life. Reference music during the process includes Reference Recording of Miles Davis’s "All Blues" a quartet recording with Mike Garson on piano. Bach's "Little Fugue in G Minor" on Telarc with Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops. Seal’s "People Asking Why" and Evgeny Kissin J.S. Bach's Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C.
What was focused on in the Bach "Little Fugue.." is the opening oboe with the bassoon coming in. This is very delicate and demonstrated with either cabling the amazing ability of the DeCapos to reproduce the correct timbre of these instruments so correctly, beyond what I consider typical for most box speakers. It is an example of why they grabbed my attention initially, the believability factor. The differences in the cabling were a greater sense of what you are hearing is in front of you and not coming from a box, not unlike Quads if not quite as believable either but pretty darn amazing and very close. This is the coherence part. How does a cable ADD coherence. I don’t think it does. What I believe is it subtracts what is heard from the Stereovox, the bit of richness. It is difficult to put into words but it is apparent. And so it went . Most notable on the Kissin recording was the decay of the harmonics. and how this was even FURTHER refined and realistic, a deeper view into the performance. I am a huge fan of great pianists whether in the jazz or classical genre so this is just a really big deal to me to hear these artists perform in your living space that almost transcends the recording. I was again so amazed at what I was hearing. I have a 6’ Chickering Grand adjacent to the listening space and know how it projects in my space. To hear one so gifted play seemingly in front of me in my 20’X18’ room was itself a gift.
The second set of cables just made everything more focused and right. The power cables seemingly increased the size of everything, more vivid and dynamic. On the Seal the sound almost pressured the room. The bass was very convincing, never boomy but clearly defined with all the fundamentals AND overtones resolved. This is due in no small part to the Berning amp which is dc coupled and is as good as anything I’ve ever heard in controlling bass and going low. I’ve owned it for 11 years and with an ideal load it is about as clear and transparent as anything I’ve ever heard. The Berning showed me the true mettle of these speakers and conversely the speakers did the same with the amp. Nothing more ideal than a mid/bass driver with no crossover coupled with an OTL type amp operating at almost zero feedback, and 70 watts of power, about ideal. When I first hooked up the speakers I got some serious boom, this with the front baffle 36” from the wall. I don’t know why here, certainly not at the dealers. It was quickly remedied by placing 2 home brewed tube traps behind each of the speakers.
Actually after reading the above it sounds like a review for the unnamed cables. I have left them unnamed because the focus of this thread is the DeCapo, BE tweeters or food. This is a concurrence of what Tubeears is hearing. To me the hobby isn’t about changing out gear to hear something different. I love to hear different systems but would much rather do that and come home to something where I can kick back and really enjoy the music, being engaged without that constant desire to chase what’s missing. These speakers first of all produce music, the timbre, balance and believability are all there. What I don’t think I’ve found out is how much there is there, how deep does this go? What I am left with is an unexpected result alright, but in a way I never imagined. Thanks Tony for your kind words. I am just in awe of how superb and capable these speakers are. Their price is a bargain but is partly understandable because of the simplicity of the design, a simple capacitor, no complex crossover, a great mid/bass driver and those BE tweeters all so well integrated, coherent and seamless. I wonder what the Nextel coating and acoustic lens have a hand in what I’m hearing?

"There is nothing about the company and products that I don't like... Except for the looks of the Nextel."

Hey get this Tubeears, my wife likes them! I never would have guessed that one right. OK I'm not saying she is in "love" with them but at least they aren't objectionable. So that is out of the way. btw, they really aren't so bad once in the room. Actually it doesn't really jump out at you EXCEPT for the white dispersion ring in the center of the main driver. She doesn't even mind that. Was I surprised.

I am in the process of testing a cable system including speaker wires, ics, power cords and conditioner, same set-up as with the Merlins, stay tuned for more coverage on this breaking development.

On a further note to other Reference 3a owners without the latest upgrades. I suspect the improvements in resolution are not small with the new BE tweeter, it is simply amazing what I am hearing with familiar recordings, I mean jawdropping amazing, the musical detail these speakers extract from the recording. My cavaets regarding large scale music are receding as they continue to break-in and the sound just gets larger and more convincing.

Rebbi,

I'm not sure if they are back ordered now. When I ordered mine, I lucked out and got the last pair remaining. I received them in just a few days. The customer service is first rate at Divergent Technologies. Whoever answers the phone will help you, with whatever you need from start to finish. Nobody there will pass you off to someone else just to get rid of you. That is becoming increasing rare in all business now. There is nothing about the company and products that I don't like... Except for the looks of the Nextel. I understand why Tash made that decision, and I feel that (with regards to the accuracy of the musical values) he was courageous to follow his dream. I just wish that there was an option to purchase the nicer form of cabinetry ... WAF is the real deal.. No joke. To many great speakers have met their Waterloo here in this home because of how they looked.

In my next post, I will start on my assessment of the beryllium tweeter and how it sounds with the DeCapo as a whole. 'Bout time..eh

Um, are the BE tweeters really back ordered again? They were when i ordered mine, but it didn't take that long for them to come in. Worth the wait, though!

The DeCapo capers: The man between the Veena's.

A lonely (and very depressed) Audiophile slowly walked out of the sculptured door of a local Hi- end Audio Salon. Rare anymore. Not many Salons left to keep the flames burning. Their roaring fires have been reduced to smoldering coals that twinkle at the edge of the Internet. The few heroic owners, that still kindle the heat of passion (for true Audiophiles) are forced into new and innovative ways to keep the lamp burning. The dim lights that exist still draw the dedicated few, like moths circling a burning bulb.
As he walks, he sees a reflection of himself in the Salon window....the mirrored image of a desperate man in need of beryllium tweeters (For his beloved :DeCapos). His ghostly reflection slowly crosses over a window sticker advertising the logo of... Reference 3a (the only source for his needs). A little sign below says: Grand Veena's now on display and in stock. Real nice, he thinks, but his tweeters were back ordered.... Thinking back, to just moments ago, talking with the Salon owner (a courteous and refined gentleman) who said , " it will be a long, long wait for those tweeters". The old and haggard face of the owner, chiseled by countless bad sales, turned into a wrinkled scowl, as he softly muttered the words,.... " some Internet groupies have bought them all up ... and YOU will just have to wait your turn". He looked up at the Audiophile, and with a curious smile and said........ "I have the new berylliums in the Grand Veena's though". I could give you a great price on them.. There was a long pause in the air... The Audiophile could feel the warm glow from his Visa Card , even through his wallet. The Veena's could be his.... at 26% interest. He quickly shook off the temptation. "I'm sorry" he said, thinking that his wife would be proud... But I just can't today. ...... The salon owner chuckled and said.... "No problem", but we have ways to help you buy them when we are ready...... He turned and was gone, the sound of his sadistic chuckling fading with him.
As the Audiophile walks by the decorated window.... and then onward toward the dark, trash-filled alleyway, there is a dim figure of a large man standing in the shadows. He wears a shabby brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes. The stench of chemical styrofoam and wet cardboard fill your nostrils. You strain your eyes to get a closer look at him. His long, dark trenchcoat hangs loose over his body ... The gentle crunch of packing peanuts are heard as they stick to the bottom of his shoes. He pushes a couple of large, empty speaker boxes to the side as he slowly walks toward you. You can see the anxious look on his leathery face.
As his hands move to open the front of his weather beaten trenchcoat, you have thoughts of a congressman that may be too excited to text. As his coat slowly opens, you see a faint glimmer of what looks like small, bronze colored bumps all over his body. Your mind attacks you ! Oh NO! A lepor !! Don't let him touch you... your mind begs of you. He could make you a lepor too. He reaches into his coat, as if to scratch off one of the small bumps... He pulls a bump off and reaches out with it .. The Audiophile knows immediately what it is. A Beryllium tweeter ! The man in the trenchcoat HAS them ... You WANT them ! No waiting, no hassle. He looks at you and smiles. " I know that you need them, and They are here.. For you. ..( He says with a raspy voice). I charge a little bit more, he mutters, but you can have them both "tonight" !! The light shimmers from the motel sign behind you... The soft glow glimmers upon the dozens of tweeters hanging under his coat, secured by little strings. A voice beacons at you from inside your mind.... the tweeters could be yours ! You reach for your wallet. Suddenly the door of the audio salon swings open... The owner of the Audio Salon lurches out and screams Don't Do It !! He's a Tweeter Pusher !! ... You watch as the dark shape of a trenchcoat, the only hope for your tweeters, quickly disappears into the gloom of the night. No tweeters for YOU, echoes from the Seinfeld in your head. You cringe as the large hair covered hand of the Audio Salon owner gently covers your shoulder.
I'm sorry about HIM... the owner says with a smooth voice, tempered by years of retail experience. Please, come inside for another moment and I will fix you a cup of tea and you can listen to the Grand Veena's. he gently guides you through the door and the gloom of night disappears behind you. He places you into a nice leather chair, directly between a new pair of Grand Veena's. I'll be back in a moment, I will put some music on and make you some tea. That man must have really scared you back in the alley, he says with a more serious tone. I will call the authorities as well. Enjoy the music. You watch the owner turn and and walk away as his short stature and large hands fade into another room. You are alone. The music washes over you... You close your eyes. All around you is gone... Just you and Diane Crawl together........Bliss.
In the other room.... a large hairy hand opens the back door to the alley. The door opens wide and the dark form of a large brimmed hat and a trenchcoat appear from the deep glom of night. All is quiet, until ubruptly the sound of metal hitting the cobblestone path ( in the alley ) breaks the silence. Rats... Mutters the shape in the trenchcoat. That's he second time tonight !! Cheap string... Why can't you buy me better string to tie these cheap tweeters up with ! I'm sorry, the short figure with the big hands softly replies. I bought them from Machina Dynamic, and they are supposed to help the sound... The face under the large hat took on a bewildered look and then he smiled and said..... there are over 20 tweeters under this coat... And none of them are hooked up to an amp...how can they possibly sound good ? You are an idiot ! His gaze fixed upon the Salon owner, the man in the trenchcoat speaks softly. Do you think that he will buy the Veena's now (?), he mumbles as he lights an old darkened meerschaum pipe with his brass Zippo... The edge of his large brimmed hat momentarily catches on fire. It is quickly extinguished by a passing bird. The Salon owner looked up at the figure standing in the gloom and replied with a small chuckle.... He will buy them them later, he hasn't has his TEA yet. I will pay you after he leaves. The sound of the back door closing breaks the silence and the dark figure in the trenchcoat quickly disappears into night once more. Inside the whistling of a boiling teakettle fills the air and small pills can be heard dropping into a teacup. "Your tea is ready" a gleeful voice shouts over the crawling sounds. A short man can be seen, in the dim light of the Salon, Teacup in his hairy hands, waddling toward ... The man between the Veena's .

Episode two ?

The man between the DeCapo's.

Tubegroover

You have a great way of expressing your feelings about the DeCapos. Everything that you have said is the complete truth, as I have found it with my DeCapos. I will continue my findings as the tweeters settle in a bit more. It should not be very long now and I am gong to put them thru some more tests. You know the ones: playing them in the bathroom, the closet, underwater, upside down. Critical listening. Rebbi is finding much of the same. Looking thru this thread, there is a ton of expertise to call upon. All of you are true and knowledgeable Audiophiles. I am sure that we can provide a complete review as the time arises.
We all have different equipment and cables and we are varied in our listening tastes. I think that most of the Audiophiles on this post are very interested in the findings.. But a "review" is what people look for in the "Review" section. That especially holds true for future reference, but I still believe that this thread should continue for us driven mad by tweeks amd upgrades. I really did not think that this thread would blossom the way that it did.
Dirty deeds can be done dirt cheap if we progress beyond the context of this thread and move ahead to a full review. We need to know ...Which forum to do it in ? "How" to do it. Should the New/Old and modified (DeCapo) be all inclusive in the review ? Who of us has the newest and most updated form ? I think that most of the Audiophiles on this post are very interested in all of the findings that can be laid out by the owners of the Decapos and by those who have already done considerable research. We now have a real need for a full and formal review (with regards to a speaker that has morphed itself into a new life form)... It is needed for the future potential DeCapo owners seeking knowledgeable documented advice. So rise up
.... Ready yourselves with your new tweeters and stand firm (at the audio version of Thermopile) and ready yourselves for attack by the evil and immortal Harbeths..! OK, maybe a bit strong, I like Harbeths.
The DeCapo does need a new .... And somehow impartial review. Quite obviously, all of us that own them are wallowing In the wonders of this gorgeous little loudspeaker. ..... does THAT leave us exempt from a fair and impartial review ?

Tubeears

This is one of the best things I have purchased for my system. The HAgerman Cornet II being the other. If you can get a De Capo i used for around 1200.00 do it best money spent.

Tubeears, I see some members have been critical of your thread. I can see a bit of myself in you however. I know what it's like to put a high end audio system together on a modest salary & tight budget. I have made similar choices at times, go without clothes, eating out, even buying budget food in bulk to get through the week because of audio purchases. Most folks would think you're crazy, but they don't understand your passion and drive to follow your audio dream.

Here is my advice, I own a pair of Magico S5's which have a beryllium tweeter. It is an amazing tweeter and imho is better than the Accuton diamond tweeter. I had a quick look at the Reference 3a BE driver. It looks good, but most importantly if the speaker has been matched to that driver, it should blend in seamlessly. If it won't kill you, i'd go for it!

Hi Tubeears, thank you for sharing your joys and triumph, you are a true inspiration and beacon of hope to all that are dealing with adversity, particularly cancer. I have a few friends going through what you have, it is not an easy journey for them or their family. I wish you all the best.

Tubeears has summed things up very well and certainly in a more entertaining manner than I ever could so no need to repeat what he said but AGAIN the one aspect of these speakers that I would like to really get across to those that might be reading this thread with some interest. Yes they image well, good soundstaging front to back etc. dynamics in my space, MUCH better than the dealers' so that was a welcome suprise. Where they grabbed my attention first time and still is the natural tonality and ability to resolve the complex harmonics and nuance of voice and instruments to make it more real, MUSICALITY. They dig deeper into the performance. There is just a rightness that can't be denied regardless of their shortcomings which are getting harder to recognize, oh yeah, they're bookshelfs. While large scale is good it is obvious that a larger speaker is going to be more satisfying especially during very dynamic passages. This is where the larger Reference 3a models might be a bit more convincing but in EVERY other area that is important the DeCapos are just superb and they aren't even broken in and the wire isn't even necessarily ideally suited so there is much to be explored. They are just wonderful speakers and I'm enjoying every moment I spend with them. I REALLY hear you now Tony, enjoy your DeCapos!

Great thread! Keep it silly!! Of course, if your sound is as good as it can get, where you can't imagine how it could sound better, does that mean you are at the end of the line?? No more forward progress? No more drooling over the screen of your 'pad during your morning constitutional?? The Gods forfend!!

Either that, or you can afford to buy pudding cups in bulk.

Great read, thank you!

Tubegroover

What is coming next for me is probably a new CDP. I am sure that it will be an Audio Analogue Maestro. That is the perfect mate to my AA amp. I cannot begin to explain how good it is with the DeCapos. In one of the reviews they used it to drive a pair of Apogee Scintillas. They are a hippo to drive... At one ohm. The amp just locks onto the DeCapo mid/woofers like a giant vice and does not let go. The "grunt" is just fantastic. I love the sound of Cellos, and this amp makes it sound as though I am inside them. As for the mids and highs.... Pure sugar and silk. Much the same as the Genalex Gold Lion re-issue. Just intoxicating.
I am using two different digitals. One the newer Jolida Glass tube dac and the other the Michael Yee Dac one. I like both and there is no need to consider any change right now. The ohmless shelter is already looking at me with suspicious intent. My wife is starting to ask why so much macaroni and cheese... And she is suspicious about all the lint in it. I guess I need to clean my pockets better.

Frogman,

Thank you for the kind words. Going back through your posts, one can certainly say the same for you. I really enjoyed the YouTube inclusion of the sax player, Michael Breck. I will most definitely seek out a CD by him. I just cannot imagine how he will sound on the DeCapos.
I have spent part of the morning trying to figure out what the h... Happened to my ipad to make it "double up" on my post. I actually don't think it was this thing at all, but me pressing " copy" so I could go to the ohmless shelter for some macaroni and cheese. A fine breakfast. Why, oh why, are tweeters so expensive ?
Straying away from tweeters for a moment, but still somewhat in context are my feelings on this silly thing we call can so casually call a hobby. I offer my humble opinion.
Call me old, or call me an idiot... or call me both, it is my personal belief that the term "Audiophile" is an earned title. I always capitalize it. Although there is no specified "right of passage" ( for an Audiophile) it is a privilege that one can anoint upon oneself .. or by others. The rules are simple. Following the Boys or Girl Scouts code of ethics definitely helps, however there is a bit more to it. We all have hopes, some big..some small and perhaps ( for some ) needs. Music is the canvas for one of our oldest needs.... Passion. It lifts our souls and gives us strength. It pulls us deep down into places that we might not like to go, but we still return to explore. We are held tight in its magic to be purely alone, or truly and very closely bonded with others (or loved ones). It can exite us to strengthen our beliefs ... defend them and celebrate us afterward. For some, music is all that they have and for some, it is something to be wished for. After nearly seventy years, I have never met anyone who did not care (for music)... at least in a small way. For those who deem themselves Audiophiles, we have the responsibility to care for the transport of this wonderful canvas. How we help to get it to where it is going is up to our own individual performance. As Audiophiles, we must utilize each of our own unique gifts that we have been granted in life.
So as individuals living our lives as Audiophiles, I feel that we can advance the scope of music reproduction by having respect and compassion for others and their ideals. Dirty deeds have no reason to exist in our little world. As an Audiophile, I have to feel good for those audio companies that advance us in any way, and I have high hopes, for the next time, to those that should fail.
These new beryllium tweeters have flown my musical passion up to a higher branch in my tree of music, and they have set my monkey fingers on fire across this key board. I am in love with this hobby to the fullest.
Being an Audiophile gives me happiness and my hopes will always be that I can give some of it back with my words.

Tubeears
FYI: Some of you that know me already know this but I will throw it in. My life has turned yet another page recently. I just won a bout with cancer. I am now cancer free. I still had to pay for the tweeters. No sympathy.

Rebbie, I'll keep you posted after I get a handle of these DeCapos in room enough to convey the differences. Well there are obvious differences from the get go but these speakers are REALLY fussy with set-up as I'm discovering and I have to get this worked out first. Not plug and play but the main thing that really jumped out at me, which coincides with what I heard first time is the natural tonality and texture of instruments and voices, a first rate midrange that is just stunning with well recorded material.

Tubeears what's coming next? If it turns out I can't let go of these I may just go simpler like you. Love the idea of an integrated solution what with the separate power supply for the pre-amp and digital, too much stuff you know. I have been seriously considering building one component rack and clearing the clutter up a bit, too many tubes!

Tubeears, congrats on the new tweets. I have thouroghly enjoyed your posts and the accounts of your latest audio journey. Its always good to learn of others' rewarding audio experiences. But, its far more rewarding to see an example of someone keeping things, and life in general, in a healthy place and proper perspective. Always good to find the humor in the positive as well as the not so positive. Silly?


Not in my book. And write very well, too. Thanks.

Sorry about that post ! My ipad must be getting bi-polar, or maybe there is an echo in here. here.

FedEx finally showed up around 6pm and the Nakamichi MR-1 arrived in perfect shape. I jumped on it right away and hooked it up with JPS balanced cables direct to my Audio Analogue Maestro Setantta Rev2 (there go my false teeth after saying that). AA'a newer Rev2 line has conveniently placed balanced in's on there integrated amps. Actually meant for their spectacular Maesrto Rev2 CDPFedEx finally showed up around 6pm and the Nakamichi MR-1 arrived in perfect shape. I jumped on it right away and hooked it up with JPS balanced cables direct to my Audio Analogue Maestro Setantta Rev2 (there go my false teeth after saying that). AA'a newer Rev2 line has conveniently placed balanced in's on their integrated amps. Actually meant for their spectacular Maesrto Rev2 CDP... It is a gorgeous combo. The looks and sound about as good as it gets. If you haven't seen the Rev2's ... Google a drool out and look at them. Read the reviews and look at their electronic intestines... Very impressive. I can say this about the amp, that it is the best that I have ever heard. Better than my Rowland... Better than my Edge and an equal to some of my tube monsters. Hey Sounds real Audio.. Perhaps you should think about picking AA up. They would look nice along with your other fine toys. There is not much exposure to the AA lineup here in the US, but in some other countries they are highly rated. For instance, on the Isles of Langerham, in Sullan ( the capital) the Maestro Rev2 is considered the pancrea for fleshing out the sweetness in a amplifier. Nuf bout amps.

Last night i was on my belly hooking up the Nakamichi....fighting the JPS Serpants left me screaming for Beowulf. But.. I "got 'er done" ! I have a lot of very good cassette tapes and the MR-1 is a great performer. But this is really about tweeters isn't it (?)

Mama... MAAmma ..!!! Come N Saa-LLLap my JOWLs.... Wow, does this EVER sound good..!!! So cassettes sound like crap do they ?... come on over. I want you all to HEAR something. They brushes on the cymbals are right there.. Just wonderful and feathery. As though you can pick out each individual strand. The tweeters are doing their job.... Big time. The sound is full and open, wide and deep. No hint of harshness and just a joy to listen to. I switched back to the CD player just to listen for a while. The hi-end still sparkles with amazing politeness ,.. No glare...no harshness, just pure musical involvement. I've heard it before, through a few of the speakers that I have owned. Most were planers, stats or ribbons. Names like Soundlab and Apogee. I wish that I had them all here side by side to compare. I have a pair of speakers in the back that use the Scan Speak Revelator. They are not even close to what the beryllium tweets offer. The real glory is in the system as a whole. The DeCapo had just begged for a unit like this and with it comes musical involvement like it should be. They have been running non stop now for three days. It is stunning now, if it gets any better, I dont know the words to describe it.

... It is a gorgeous combo. The looks and sound about as good as it gets. If you haven't seen the Rev2's Google a drool out and look at them. Read the reviews and look at their electronic intestines... Very impressive. I can say this about the amp, that it is the best that I have ever heard. Better than my Rowland... Better than my Edge and an equal to some of my tube monsters. Hey Sounds real Audio.. Perhaps you should think about picking AA up. They would look nice along with your other fine toys. There is not much exposure to the AA lineup here in the US, but in some other countries they are highly rated. For instance, on the Isles of Langerham, in Sullan ( the capital) the Maestro Rev2 is considered the pancrea for fleshing out the sweetness in a amplifier. Nuf bout amps.

Last night i was on my belly hooking up the Nakamichi and fighting the JPS Serpants left me screaming for Beowulf. But.. I "got 'er done" ! I have a lot of very good cassette tapes and the MR-1 is a great performer. But this us really about tweeters isn't it (?)

Mama... MAAmma ..!!! Come N Saa-LLLap my JOWLs.... Wow, does this EVER sound good..!!! So cassettes sound like crap do they ?... come on over. I want you all to HEAR something. They brushes on the cymbals are right there.. Just wonderful and feathery. As though you can pick out each individual strand. The tweeters are doing their job.... Big time. The sound is full and open, wide and deep. No hint of harshness and just a joy to listen to. I switch back to the CD player just to listen for a while. The hi-end still sparkles with amazing politeness ,.. No glare...no harshness, just pure musical involvement. I've heard it before, through a few of the speakers that I have owned. Most were planers, stats or ribbons. Names like Soundlab and Apogee. I wish that I had them all here side by side to compare. I have a pair of speakers in the back that use the Scan Speak Revelator. They are not even close to what the beryllium tweets offer. The real glory is in the system as a whole. The DeCapo had just begged for a unit like this and with it comes musical involvement like it should be. They have been running non stop now for three days. It is stunning now, if it gets any better, I dont know the words to describe it.

Tubegroover,
I will be very interested to hear your thoughts. As Tubeears said, I have the De Capo with the veneer cabinet and the "acoustic lens" thingie in the main driver. I've been very, very happy with the tweeter upgrade. It's more airy and transparent but not a hint of harshness that I can hear.
I am especially interested because I went from Merlin TSM-mmi's to Dulcets and then De Capo's. Now the VSM goes a lot lower than the TSM, but given the Merlin to Ref 3A journey, I'll be interested to see what you think.
I too did the 3 week trial, btw.

Get the tweeters!, there are homeless shelters that you can eat at all day!, everyday, for free!, I am not playing!

Tubeears ;
Just a true joy to read !!! Even my wife laughed .
Interested in how the tweets will sound . Just as interested in how you write about them . Feelin' good and lovin it .

Happy Tunes & Tokes