Hi- Any one else out there using these Gabriel Gold IC's? I need to know if it is me or if anyone else finds them as good as me. I bought a pair on auction a while back and compared them to my Stealth cables. After about a week of going back and forth I found the Gabriel Golds to have bettered my Stealths and bought more. Is it me? Just wondering what some other folks who bought them think of them. Thanks for the input.
Fiddler. Sorry Ive been away from this post for some time. My GA-0s had the upgraded top of the line Nex Gen RCAs that AM offered. I believed they almost doubled the cost of the cable when I won the auction.
Jimman, I'm not sure they have a website although I certainly could be wrong. Most sales are handled through Audiogon from user name: sts. I think you'll find some information there and of course you can e-mail Steve for more info.
after hearing all the good things about the G.Gs I can not find a website for their products. I am looking for a nice P.C for my McIntosh amp and this might be the ticket as the McIntosh needs speed.
Yep, bobf, eden's look like their coming up, eh? pant pant woof. i have a strange aural pavlovian response to new iterations of the gabriel stuff....and drooling from my ears is unbecoming, but done in the privacy of my own home. steve was kind enough to let me demo the rev II pc a while back and i have been wiping my cheeks continuously since that time.
i have finally been doing some goofy grinned listening to my system since my amp got back late yesterday. yummy, the rapture is pretty damn delicious on it. it's sound is really captivating....i can't stand to keep typing while the tunes are playing.....later!
budburma-I'm using the Revelation II AC cord on the amp and the Rapture on the CD player.I've not had quite the experience with other cords as you,but,I could not ,and still can't believe what these AC cords can do.I have had about 50 different interconnects and speaker wire in systems over the years and have been using the Gabriel Gold stuff for a few years now and love it.I noticed from previous postings that you also are a fan. Check out the new ad, I have a feeling that there may be some new cables coming soon? Eden interconnects coming and who knows maybe some Rapture interconnects and speaker wire - those should be mighty impressive and hopefully not too costly. Thanks for adding your postings and humour to this great thread. bob
OOOPS! I meant I liked the Rev II a bit better on my AMP and the Rapture on my source components. But, the Rapture is still fantastic on my amp as well....sorry for the poor editing.
Here we are. What a lot of passionate whorls of information. Thanks a gabillion! I may be a Marx Brother when i say 'Hooray for Captain Spalding, Horray Horray Hooray!'
I had an all too brief time listening to the Rapture PC's in my system before sparks were litterally flying. My fault. Forgot to turn off my amp while exchanging cords. That was the point though....exchanging cords.... Too bad it fried my amps toroid. But in the end I have a modded preamp, amp, and power condiitioner! So, audiophile life is good. But, I've been away and the thread is thriving!
The Rapture PC unseated many cords for my Plinius P8. Audience, Airsine, BMI's (although the hammerhead is the hands down best for my cary 306/200 and tied for the modded aes ae3 djh sig), ESP Essence, Virtual Dynamics, Stealth Cloude 99 and Dream, etc. It's a long list, but it's a long hobby.
The Rapture's sound aptly follows it name; fully rendered stage and detail, effortless nuance, soft authoratative control, perfect pace, wide extension (my wife says a perfect kick drum and bass), and a kind of release of tremendous energy that you can catch without burning your hand like Ben Franklin did on his key. That said, the Revelation II has a little more energy, and, well, it's a bit more dough, but I miss it....and I wish my wallet had absolutely no sway over my decisions, but...They are both great cords. I like the Rev II in my system a bit better than the Rapture, but the Rapture on source components.
Anyway, your ears are your judge, but I'd give these cords a listen..... if you're listening. It's hard to find the time, but the time is hard to give up aid't it!
Getting back to the Gabriel Gold thread- Just got a Revelation II AC and a Rapture AC into the system.Was using the original Revelation AC and didn't think my system could extract anymore music out of it. I was wrong!Still not sure how changing an AC Cord can make a system image better and bring you closer to the sound of listening to instruments and voices and not electronics.The Running Springs Haley certainly does not hold anything back from the dedicated line coming in.Anyway just wanted to pass on more info to my fellow Gabriel Gold friends out there.I think there are some more special things coming from GG soon.From looking at the ad it looks like the Extreme is going to replaced by a cable called the Eden and there a lot of members using the Extreme who say it was the best cable they ever used.Hopefully the Revelation will not go anywhere and if it does I got hear what replaces it ,as it will be a tough task. happy tunes Bob
I opted for the upgraded NextGen connectors so I can't speak to GA-0's otherwise, but the GA-0's with NextGens are very revealing with incredible tonality and without a hint of brightness in my system.
My point was, how do you know it was the AM cables acting bright, or instead, that they were revealing some aspect of your system that is bright?
This part of the thread discussion has come about from questioning how one OBJECTIVELY evaluates a cable. If we were talking SUBJECTIVELY, i.e., how a cable interacts with one's own system, then I'd have nothing to say. But an objective evaluation of Gabriel's or AM cables isn't so straightforward as putting cables in a system and seeing how things sound.
For example, in my case, I chose every single component of my system for neutrality or warmth, and my interconnects were the last things I chose. I know my DAC, my speakers, my CD player, my amps, and my speaker cables are all neutral or warm . . . and that makes the effects of my ICs quite noticible.
A system whose DAC converts the signal bright, for instance, may not be obvious if someone has ICs that mask that. So if they try a cable that is actually neurtral (and therefore revealing), compared to a less revealing cable they may think the revealing cable is "bright."
As I said earlier, I don't think there is anything wrong with chosing a cable that helps one's system. The issue (for me at least) is all the opinions floating around about some cable that are based solely on how it sounds in one's system. Few people have the same systems, so it isn't all that valuable to hear a cable is bright because "they are bright in my system."
I say, the GA-0s are revealing. Can your system handle it?? :)
it is possible to get gold to sound "bright".It happened in my system during burning-in period.More than 150 hours.I explained it in my previous posts.
I don't suggest that's what happened to the other guy, but it is possible.
P.S. I also thought gold will get big soon, when Nordost, Cardas etc. get into it.But i don't anymore. I don't expect gold to get big in the audio industry, as it not as cost-effective as other cables.Gold = too expensive = highest prices = small quantity sales. Not that there's anything wrong with gold, GG Rev are the best ICs i've ever heard.But after 300 hours.
"Many people seem to enjoy them. I just found them too hard, bright and forward in my system. They may be right in other systems."
I am going to be politically incorrect and question that statement. Personally I think it is impossible for ANY of the gold-silver-copper alloy cables to be terribly harsh or bright. Adding gold seems to impart a "butter" effect to the signal, so I say if anyone is hearing harshness or brightness, it's that the cables are too revealing for some other part of the system. It might be the CD player, the DAC, the amps, the power . . . it might be the CDs themselves. Rock and roll, for example, tends to be two-realmed (high and low) so even one's musical tastes affect things.
That's not to suggest there's anything wrong about ameliorating some system excess by the choice of wires, amp, etc. My point is that as an objective evaluation of a cable, it isn't a sound principle to judge it by one's system unless one understands all the limitations at work in other areas.
I suspect gold alloy cable technology is going to be the hottest thing going in a few years, and I think the magnetic shielding idea will prove to be a brilliant concept that was first attempted by Audio Metallurgy. If it is "too" revealing, well that's not the cables' problem.
Thanks Sherod I got to agree with Priz the Gabriels are the most natural and best sounding cables I've ever owned. I've picked up some of the mega dollars cables uses thru the cable company in the past and the Gabriel Gold's have put them to shame.
"Les3547. Im one of the few that were not impressed with the Audio Metallurgy GA-Os. They sounded hard in the midrange. I used them between an APL modded 3910 and an Accustic Arts Amp II HC. My speakers are Zu Definitions. Im now using the Gabriel Revelations and they sound much more natural to my ears. Im not knocking the GA-Os. In the right system they may be fine. In my system they were unlistenable."
Priz sent Audio Mellurgy not Gabriel Golds back right? I got confused reading that last post I just broke down an ordered a new pair of Gabriel Gold Revelation interconnects and after hearing them at a friends I don't think you're talking about the Gabriels.,they are the most natuaral and musical cables I ever heard.I just wish there were more auctions cause I'm a frugle buyer ,but if i'm going to pay full pop for something these are worth it and more
Facten and Tvad. I sent mine back after the trial period and I dont recall whether they were directionally marked. If they were not, there is a good chance I used them in different directions as I removed them a few times during evaluation.
Many people seem to enjoy them. I just found them too hard, bright and forward in my system. They may be right in other systems.
TVAD - not that I can tell - just changed them both once in the opposite direction - the review on these also indicated that you might need to turn the direction. I've listened for several hours since I got then , both with SS and tube integrateds, and in either case the cables offer a big soundstage and are very musical - clarity and depth.
Priz, I just received the Audio Metallurgy GA Os and on first listen I was un-impressed, however, I turned the direction of the cables around and there was a big difference - much more clarity and presence. I would not have thought much about trying that except I re-called a reviewer mentioning the difference. Not sure if this is a factor with your experience or not; just a thought.
hi donpark1439 I started with an interconnect first between my source and pre and got incredible results ,and this was with the Extreme interconnect"I now use the Revelations'".I'd say start with the interconnects and go to the speaker wire next.The icing on the cake and the rest of the desert comes at the end of the meal with the AC Cords.BTW-I don't think you will see any auctions for Extreme's ,looking at the ad it looks like they're being replaced soon,regardless go with the Revelation interconnect if budget allows.Hope this helps
I've borrowed a pair of the interconnects from a friend and have been trying to win a pair on auction.The interconnect did the same thing in my system.I was told to be surprised when I dropped in the pair but I did not expect to hear what I did.Hopefully I can start putting a few of these cables into my system slowly but surely. Bob,what do you think I should go with first? Interconnects?speaker wire? or an AC cord? I'd like to do them all but looking at the auctions only to save some dough.
I got a chance to listen to the NEW Rapture AC cord and the NEW Revelation II AC cord and gotta tell you "he did it again" Designs keep improving on what I thought was un-improvable. The Revelation II cord made my room sound twice it's size with staging,body,warmth and detail. Man, it's hard to put what I heard into words .How can a single AC Cord do this.
I then tried the Rapture AC cord and heard pace,authority,textures and detail I did not think were possible just by switching out a single AC cord.
I was told that the Revelation II cord uses a blend of Gold,Silver and Copper in the conductors. The cord is fatter than the original Revelation AC Cords that have a yellow jacket and it was designed to go with the Revelation line-up Although the cord is thicker than the original it is just as flexible. The appearance is nicer too with it's Black and Gold jacket.
The Rapture I was told is sort of a Hybrid design using conductors that are silver plated gold and copper along with conductors that are made with a combination of Platinum,Gold,Silver and copper.
The Rapture AC cord has the same thickness and flexibility as the Revelation II with a very cool looking Black/blue jacket.
I need 1 of both!!!!!
Gotta go now and "rob a bank" to pay for some new cords
Les3547. Im one of the few that were not impressed with the Audio Metallurgy GA-Os. They sounded hard in the midrange. I used them between an APL modded 3910 and an Accustic Arts Amp II HC. My speakers are Zu Definitions. Im now using the Gabriel Revelations and they sound much more natural to my ears. Im not knocking the GA-Os. In the right system they may be fine. In my system they were unlistenable.
After reading this thread, I can't find anything said about the GGs that I haven't found to be true for Audio Metallurgy GA-0s, except that I've never heard anyone ever question AM's soundstage, which is truly amazing. I've actually had to check to see if my wife had surrepticiously switched on surround sound because the some instruments seemed so far past my speakers.
Just before I bought the Audio Metallurgy GA-0s I had a chance to try out used Audioquest Cheetah ICs and balanced Audioquest Hawk digital ICs someone was selling locally here. Even used the owner wanted a bit of cash, cash which I hoped to invest in a balanced power conditioner. Yet I really liked the idea of the battery in the Cheetahs to help overcome the effects of insulation. And then I read of Audio Metallurgy's design with magnets . . . I could see right away it was a better idea (in concept at least if not in reality).
The Audioquest Cheetah/Hawk ICs were hands down the best I'd ever heard in my system, though just a tad forward for my tastes. Yet, because I could try out the Audio Metallurgy GA-0s for about $300 (acquired at Audoigon auctions), if they worked I would still have enough for that BPT conditioner I wanted. So I bought the GA-0s.
It took about 10 hours for me to decide I liked the Audio Metallurgy GA-0s at least as much as the Audioquest ICs, and another three days of break in to like them better. The highs were almost equal in detail but without the edge of the Cheetahs, and the midrange was far better. As a whole, the sound seemed more integrated, very natural and at ease, with the sound stage seeming to leap out effortlessly. Bass extension was excellent, with punch and musicality. Maybe Audio Metallurgy should consider patenting their design because I suspect that that huge sound stage is a direct result of the magnetic technology.
I believe the Audio Metallurgy GA-0s must be the best bargain going for ICs (and no, I have absolutely no interest in AM other than what they can do for my system -- McCormack, Proceed, Genesis, Legacy components -- but I admit I am writing this out of gratitude to AM for providing such an awesome product at such a great price). In fact, I have wondered if the bargain aspect is keeping people from trying them.
Are they better than Gabrial Gold ICs? I can't afford to find out (I am ordering the BP-2 conditioner today!! . . . another audiophile bargain?), but I'd love to hear from someone who has tried both comment because it would be good to know if one can cable one's system for hundreds of dollars just as well or better than one might spend thousands to do.
rja-my bi-wire pair sounded great as soon as I plugged them in and kept getting better and better. I'd say they really stabilized at about 250 hours. These things sound so good though that I swear they continue to get better every time I listen to them.
Got a brand new bi-wire set of Revelation speaker cables burning-in as I type this. After just a few hours they sound very good but the suggested burn-in time is 250-300 hours (note from Steve) so we shall see what extended use brings to the sonic table.
So far the difference between AM Zeros and GG Revelations is the width of the soundstage with the GG Revelations. But they're not nearly broken in yet.
Funny you should say that. I have just replaced Zu Varial, preceded by Stealth Indra and Cardas GR with AM Zeros and GG Revelations and I am thrilled, despite the fact that they are both brand-new with less than 50 hours on them. I have just won a second AM Zero on auction. There is, indeed, magic in them gold.............
I am busy upgrading my power cords from EG Epiphanys to Stealth Dreams. And I just installed V-Caps in my DAC and preamp so I have been busy with other things. But I still want to audition the GG Revelations at some point, including the speaker cables.
I am currently using a Stealth Varidig Sextet BNC/BNC digital cable, 2 Audio Metallurgy IC's and Stealth Hybrid MLT speaker cables and my system sounds the best it has ever sounded by a looooong shot.
The Audio Metallurgys were purchased on a lark and I was shocked at the result. I never thought a $200 IC would reside in my system, but I am mightily impressed. That's why I am interested in the GGs. If they significantly improve upon what the AMs do, then I am in. I guess the question will be to what degree, if any, the GGs will better the AMs. Time will tell.
But one thing is for certain. There is magic in that gold alloy wire!
"""""""""Finally, I heard the GG Rev. on my system and was very impressed. These are great cables, I was not surprised with the tonality, in that this is proving to be a common denominator with gold wire. I was most excited to find that we both make very good cables that I feel have raised the bar for interconnects. I think it is important that the early gold cable manufacturers are beyond peoples expectation if the industry is going to join the few pioneers who are trying gold. If we succeed, then the entire industry succeeds because others with much larger R&D budgets can expand on what we are learning.
For me this is not a competition, it is a hobby that many of us are very passionate about. If GG can raise the level of performance, and if I can follow with another excellent product, then I see us all winning."""""""
Jadem6,i must say these words say a lot positive things about you.
I wish i could A/B test your best product against GG rev. in my home system which is still being built. Silverline Sinfonia speakers,Vallhalla speaker cables,6 monoblocks - all custom made etc.
Unfortunatelly,this is impossible as i live in Croatia.Very far away.
I hope both you and Steve will have a lot of success with your products.And your bears are a great touch :)
cool, jd. i hope to hear those goodies along with your cables one day! i checked out your system and i think our sound preference is pretty similar. of course, i have a somewhat pared down version, but it's working well for me now...i just wish i hadn't sold my sa-201....oh well, no problems, no worries. this is a great hobby (like i keep telling my wife when more boxes arrive: 'it's a "hobby" and hobbies don't end until they're no fun anymore.') or as yodi berra sez, it ain't over 'til its ended! enjoy the tunes! best, art
I wanted to post something to this thread, but I own both the Jade Vermeil cable and the GG Revelation so I'm having an argument with myself over which is better....once I defeat myself I'll get back to this thread with more info....
I have been working with Jim Ricketts at tmh Audio (I have no affiliation, just friends) to do exactly what you are suggesting. Neeper speakers (Just introduced to the US market through Jim) will have a signature model using the Jade Audio gold plated silver wire for it's internal wiring. We are also discussing re-wiring a very high end amp with the same wire from the pc board to the speaker terminals.
We hope to have it all available for RMAF in October.
As for the rest of you boys, settle down. It just is not that important , but if anyone has a problem with me having vocal friends and/or clients, I am sorry. Is it wrong for someone who likes something to report on it? No. Is it wrong for someone to be a friend with a manufacturer who works out of a bedroom? I think not. Most of my customers have become good friends over this past eight months, so I guess they all have some type of conflict if that is the measuring stick.
Finally, I heard the GG Rev. on my system and was very impressed. These are great cables, I was not surprised with the tonality, in that this is proving to be a common denominator with gold wire. I was most excited to find that we both make very good cables that I feel have raised the bar for interconnects. I think it is important that the early gold cable manufacturers are beyond peoples expectation if the industry is going to join the few pioneers who are trying gold. If we succeed, then the entire industry succeeds because others with much larger R&D budgets can expand on what we are learning.
For me this is not a competition, it is a hobby that many of us are very passionate about. If GG can raise the level of performance, and if I can follow with another excellent product, then I see us all winning. Two great cables are being made for a fraction of the cost that we will see once the big boys jump in. It will be then that this is less about sharing our passions for music and more about winning.
Please, enjoy what we are all finding. Gold is a great material if used properly. I can also say from my design R&D, gold can be very thick, slow, fat and much too lush. GG and I have cables that have brought to Audiogon the tonality of gold without these long known weaknesses. Enjoy it, this is supposed to be fun.
Wow, a lot of vociferous exchanges. Too bad, but, on the other hand, that's what makes a horse race.
It's true that we all depend on honesty and divulging of associations, etc. and Audiobuzz is way out of line there, Probably something a monitor/moderator should be employed to deal with that issue. John (mcgrogan2) is right....and his word is gold as he is what I would call an ambassador of sound. He shares his experience, knowledge and even equipment so that we all can become richer in knowledge through experience of our own. And, only experience can help us help each other.
Ah, but I wax (or wane).
Clio9/Jafox-I have an older Sound Applications XE-12S and am also interested in cords and the Haley....If you could pass on any info, great!
FWIW-I have no monetary or other connection with any audio manufacturer/dealer or whatever. I really do love music...live and reproduced.
The Gabriels, in my opinion, offer a lot of excellent qualities. Their timber, pace, extension, tonality and detail are exceptional. I find a lot of air in them and no congestion in busy passages with dynamics (micro and micro) that have no flaw....actually damn exciting to me as it is without glare or overemphasis in any portion of range. But, I don't think they are the last word in soundstage. They offer good width, but not great depth to the stage. "Flat" is overstated IMHO and not my experience at all, but interesting that two independent audiobuds would call the same insound (a little coinage on my part from insight). In the end, their strengths are numerous and fantastic while their weaknesses are sparse and negligible (I have never seriously addressed equipment isolation and roon treatments.....another bailiwick).
The best use of this and any forum is difference of opinion. Lambasting each other is useless.
Jafox: Good on ya' (as we say in the south) and thanks! Your opinion is valued and valid. No cable is perfect and, as Joe K. (aren't you the lucky dude to have lumanaries all around!) pointed out (I think), making up for other cables' faults is often perceived as synergy. I have described it as "catching lightning in a bottle": The concept of balancing colorations is an old one and really well described at Bear Labs website as 'complimentay colorations': http://www.bearlabs.com/NEXT/COLORATIONS.html
In the end, I always wonder if a single insightful designer for electonics should also design speakers all augmented by a single cable designer whose goods are used internally for the electronics would be perfect. I used Siltech with older Plinius gear and th esynergy was astounding.
That being said, the Gabriels have really worked well for me relieving those 'complimentary colorations' and are on the rarified permanent list for my gear....Well, changes come much more slowly these days anyway. But, I have no plans for changing or even interviewing for that position at this point in time.
I have never heard and Jade IC's or the Indra (although I have beta tested Stealth Metacarbon and GS 50/50's), but the fact taht they are all mentioned in the same breathe makes them all worth considering if you can afford them........
""""A visit by Joe Kubala (Kubala-Sosna) to my home nearly 2 years ago made it very clear that I was guilty of this with a "balancing act" between a pair of ICs and speaker cables. Ultimately both of these cables had to be replaced at once or any cable replacing either of these would be blamed for being a flawed cable. I learned a lot that day.""""
This is so true.I found myself in these thoughts while GG was bright (while burning-in).My speakers have a metal dome tweeter,which are known to be bright.But it is OK now.
I don´t think there is a perfect cable.Nothing is perfect.My system is not high-end,it´s value is around 5 000 - 7 000 $ alltogether.This is a mid-price system,so my results are limited.But i really reported what i heard.
In my system,GG Rev are not "flat".They throw a huge soundstage,they fill the whole office with sound.I checked with Therion´s track "Lemuria",which was recorded with Prague filharmonic orchestra.At 1min 05 sec it gets HUGE.
BUT - speakers are not placed perfectly,because it is an office.This takes its toll on soundstage. My GG Rev perform excellent.I´m happy to have them,they made the whole system better.But this doesn´t have to be true for everyone.
Eat any ice-cream you want.It´s ok as long as i can choose mine :) The point is to enjoy ice-cream, and i wish you all a lot of it.
As a retailer/distriburor like yourself such a reply surely does reflect well upon your professionalism. Audiobuzz
Ahhhh, so it is money! His secret identity revealed. I knew you had to be in the business or emotionally insecure. For the record, Audiofeil was pretty accurate with his 'Audiobuzzard' handle, in this case it fits. Fot you have no opinions/experiences to share, you simply peruse the threads looking for something to pounce on. You have kept your bias' very well hidden, until now. It really is quite comical reading about you questioning anyone's professionalism. LOL!
My apologies to Bob, who seems like a regular audiophile. This thread isn't the only one in which the Audiobuzzard has tried to feast on. He obviously is not a reputable dealer, or he would not bounce around the forums in a cloak of secrecy. Manufacturers and dealers are supposed to identify themselves when responding in these forums. It is now obvious that HE is the one with the agenda. I have nothing left to say to him, now that his identity has been revealed. Thank you Bill, for helping to 'pull back the curtain' on this fraud.
I'm with Bob, there's much to share without us getting upset with each other.
After I had the GG Rev's for a week, and reported my initial and final findings to Steve at GG, I figured that I would only share this information with a few close friends who were also on the hunt for the next level of refined ICs. But, reading the continued "greatest on earth" comments here was driving me nuts as my experience indicated otherwise. It was time to share an opposing view - 5000 happy customers vs. Jafox.
I was well aware of the backlash to come, especially since my current reference cables were made by a man here in Mpls whom I befriended 2 years ago. The concern for bias is fair, but it does not at all change the sonic results of the cable shootout. The only reason the Jade Hybrid came into the discussion was because this was the cable that I directly compared to the Rev. at 0 hours, approx. 70 hours and then at 155 hours. But the results would have been the same had I used the Indra or Dominus. And I have no friends at Stealth nor Purist.
What's the value of these forums if everyone reports the same thing? Let's just praise the next product as Class A and grab our folding chairs and head to the beach. And how can one component outperform everything else in every sonic attribute? I like a lot of products out there but I am well aware that each one has a weakness that another product conveys in a much more natural manner.
My 7/9/07 "hint" to get further detail on the 3D attributes of the GG cables only resulted in more of "the best cables on the planet" comments. With the repeated comments that the GG Extremes were so far ahead of the Indra, and the Rev's were yet another level of improvement, I simply had to share here that things were quiet different for me.
So why are my results so very different than the rest of the GG users? It has nothing to do with flavors of ice cream, nor synergy. We are not talking about tonality changes here where one person likes a peak in the mids or a valley in the trebles, etc., to compensate for tonal linearity flaws elsewhere.
As for my own taste - I like a chocolate mint; the flavor lingers on for another 2-3 seconds or so rather than immediately being lost.
I have heard many "high end" systems that have incredible resolution but are very flat in presentation. For such systems, nobody will ever hear my reported differences between these cables. For such a system, one can throw in a Cardas Golden Cross IC to bring on a little more mids emphasis but that's about it; no cable here is going to suddenly turn a Yamaha upright into a Steinway Concert Grand and push it 8 feet behind the speakers.
I had taken note of the system components used by some of the GG praisers here. Some of these components I have compared to my own, in my system and at the homes of others. Posting such information is of value as it gives us context for the component under evaluation. The trick is to get an idea as to how that reviewed component might perform in our own system.
If a product gets a high rating in a system that most likely outperforms our own system, will we be able to reap the benefits of the more refined product? ....or will this refined product only show up the flaws in our system that was pieced together to compensate for flaws elsewhere? - what is often referred to as synergy. A visit by Joe Kubala (Kubala-Sosna) to my home nearly 2 years ago made it very clear that I was guilty of this with a "balancing act" between a pair of ICs and speaker cables. Ultimately both of these cables had to be replaced at once or any cable replacing either of these would be blamed for being a flawed cable. I learned a lot that day.
And what if a product gets a high rating in a system that most likely is outperformed by our own system...will that highly praised product take our system to even higher levels of performance? .... or will our system only show the flaws of that product? .... or does the other system simply not allow for differences to be heard that are clearly conveyed in our own system? There's a lot more going on here than simply praising a product as the new King.
Clio - If you're interested in some information on PCs I have used with the Haley, I can email you some pros and cons on some Stealth and Dream State PCs I have been playing with. The sad thing is that these PCs cost more than the Haley itself but what they do is quite impressive.
To all-----If you want to argue please do it outside of this thread.This thread has served as a positive interaction posting for many audiophiles.C'mom let's keep post relevant or at least nice thanks, bobf
jmcgrogan-first of all there is no reason to insult me by questioning my maturity. That is certainly not appropriate in an Audiogon thread.
If we are to review threads one may find something closer to an affiliation or obligation with a manufacturer in this excerpt quoting member jafox to whom defense your response is partially based.
"I am quite surprised that JD has invited me to return to his manufacturing facility. Last time I destroyed an antique table lamp and a few months before I wiped out a mobile hanging down from the ceiling in the back of his room. I suppose he will require me to stand out on the front porch to evaluate his speaker cables so as nothing else ends up in the landfill."
and to respectfully quote Mr jmcgrogan
"Hey JD, any chance of you moving to Pennsylvania so that I can be you guinea pig instead of John Fox (the other John)? 8-) I do find that my tastes run very similar to both of yours, so I'm waiting to 'hear'. I did not realize that John was such a 'clutz' though. Honest JD, if you move to PA I won't break anything."
Some may find cause for bias based on this.
It very well could be that both you and member jafox hear similarly and have the same taste. With the rest of the members hearing pretty much the opposite.
Or it may be something different.
btw-Chocolate is my favorite ice cream and I have no problem if someone prefers another flavor.
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
