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Help me make sense of this - Midfi system sounding better hifi.

   I have a few systems but recently I changed the setup and pleasantly accidentally I came up with a really enjoyable system from midfi gears like Onkyo M-306 power amp, acurus pre, Klipsch kg 1.2 speakers, Topping E-30 DAC, and Ixos cables. 

   My main hifi system consists of Krell pre/power, B&W 802 D speakers, Firestone upstreaming DAC, and Transparent cables.

   The former system is considrably more dynamic and exciting to listen to - why?

   Is the Onkyo power amp M-306 that good? It's 300 watts per ch compared to Krell 200 watts - is that why the difference in dynamic exciting quaility?

 

   Any insight will be greatly appreciated as I am not enjoying my Uber system that costs as much as a luxury car, and getting me upset - I enjoy the midfi system that can be assembled for 1/30th of the cost...alas!

gonglee3
jond's avatar
jond
5,794 posts
 

I'd suggest bring the Klipsch into your main system and see what you think.

au_lait
338 posts
 

Could bi-amp with a class A/B amp on the woofers that can handle your impedance dip, leaving the class A to work its magic on the mid/tops.

audiomaze
128 posts
 

The onkyo m-306 is a preamp not a power amp.do you mean the 506?

rmdmoore
163 posts
 

I agree with @russ69 . My experience is that B&W speakers, while extremely highly resolving, tend to err on the side of brightness. Many people pair them with high powered tube amps for that reason, McIntosh being the classic pairing. The Krell, while it's giving you tons of detail, is probabky just not a good match because now it's all detail but the "music" the "feeling" is all gone. You're getting all of that on spades with the high sensitivity Klipsch being run with lots of power. Listen close and I bet a lot of the clarity and detail is gone though. Find yourself some nice big tube amps and you'll be a happy man I suspect. 

ronboco
839 posts
 

@gonglee3 

Are you using the same room for both systems? If not that could be your answer why the midfi sounds better than the Hifi. The room is the most important component. 

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