How about the McIntosh MA6800? At 150 W/channel it is 50W/channel less than the MA6900. Is it powerful enough to do the Guarneris justice?
I found an MA6800 nearby in excellent condition, and am tempted to take it home based on many recs for the MA6900. The latter is harder to find where I live and much more expensive.
I just got a pair of Guarneris last Friday, and need to find a good amp to drive them quickly. Wifey is unimpressed with their sound, driven temporarily by my 50 W classic Luxman SS amps. I need to change her thinking right away.
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How about the McIntosh MA6800? At 150 W/channel it is 50W/channel less than the MA6900. Is it powerful enough to do the Guarneris justice?
I found an MA6800 nearby in excellent condition, and am tempted to take it home based on many recs for the MA6900. The latter is harder to find where I live and much more expensive.
I just got a pair of Guarneris last Friday, and need to find a good amp to drive them quickly. Wifey is unimpressed with their sound, driven temporarily by my 50 W classic Luxman SS amps. I need to change her thinking right away.
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Sorry about the double post. It was unintended. I only refreshed my browser. |
Lloydelee21, Jman, Egidius...thanks for responding. As for what seems missing in the sound to wifey and I, of course there is the "small speaker" factor as we are used to floor-standers with 12-inch woofers, but that's to be expected. I don't mean to offend, but I'm at a loss of words to for this. The overall sound quality to us sounds "smooth" and "refined" in a way that seems maybe suitable for well-dressed lounge lizards sipping fancy cocktails and discussing the outcome of a polo game, rather than "real" in a way that would appeal to people like us who often travel rough and listen to a wide range of music from around the world for music's sake.
It's hard for me to describe, but I'll try. It seems as though the GHs sort of bundle the sounds together such that the overall presentation is flattened out, as if the musicians are far away, rather than up-close and personal. They sweeten and soften all the sounds and take the "edge" out of them, with an overall "mushy" effect. It seems this way with each of the amps I've tried them with, although all are SS amps only. Jman, yes I would add a tad bit "thin" to that description, and also a bit "dry" with one of my SS amps, but not the McIntosh.
I'm in a mid-sized city in Japan and limited in budget to used gear, so I can't easily find some of the brands and model names thrown around in the 'Gon here. I took home the MA6800 to try the GHs with because the similar MA6900 was recommended more than once on this thread, and the GHs seem very underpowered with my old Luxmans. The Luxman L-550 class A produces lovely sweet sounds that have "oomph" to them through my other speakers, but it sounds somewhat more harsh, dry, and "mushy" through the GHs. The GHs sound less "mushy" with the McIntosh, though there is obviously a loss of detail with that amp.
My wife thinks the problem is just the "style" of their sound not being suitable for our taste, while I still feel they should greatly show-up my old Yamaha NS-100Xs with the right source and amplification, but unfortunately I'm running out of time on my (expensive) trial period on these. In the meantime, while the GHs are obviously smoother with classical strings and woodwinds, overall we still prefer the slightly rougher but much fuller and "open" sounds of the Yamahas for most genres we've compared, and we've been comparing back and forth for two weeks now (unfortunately of course only with my mid-fy equipment).
I greatly appreciate all of your input, and hope this unaudiophilish description might mean something to you ppl, such that maybe you can imagine what I'm hearing and might recognize it as possibly either the actual character of the GHs or the fault of my equipment and/or room acoustics. |
Thank you Loydelee21 for taking so much time, and your consideration and thought on this very big issue with me. I really appreciate this.
Today I invited my old friend who is a Julliard graduate, ex-player for the NY Phil, and now 1st cello in the symphony of the city I live in now in Japan. I would say his ears are pretty good. :) When he arrived, I had a Shostakovich string quartet playing, and before he even entered the room the Gs are in, having heard a few notes, he announced that they are good speakers. He is a critical person when it comes to classical music, as you can imagine, and would not say such a thing meaninglessly. Without listening to genres other than string quartets, he decided that the Gs were best for that area and he guessed he would not enjoy listening to them with, for example, Talking Heads live in concert bootleg uploads on youtube... ahem...Anyways, the first few seconds he was listening to the speakers, but soon afterwords he was listening to the musicians and their music.
After about an hour of listening (and eating the many delicious bribes wifey prepared), with some comparison to the Yamahas (very little, actually, as he had heard them before at my house and knew their character already), his suggestion was that I keep the Gs and use them to study the chamber music of the great composers with, as he claims it is through chamber music that they experimented with their ideas, and once I get better educated in that area we could discuss those areas of interest better.
However, he was also convinced of the Gs being great over a very narrow range, a range more important to him than to me. He did not know about Sonus Faber, and had no biases, and thought they were remarkably good, but suggested I borrow a pair of Rogers LS3/5 from our friend the oboe player and try them side-by-side, because he thinks they are also quite pleasant for chamber music but without the "cluttered extra trappings of Italian fashion overkill all over them."
He then brought one of his cellos into my house from his car, and began to play various bits by Dvorak, Shostokovich, Bach, and on and on...with the result of shockingly awakening me from imagining that the Gs somehow sound "real." Side by side with a live cello in a small room, the difference is so vast that I have to change my idea of what stereo is, and appreciate the Gs, as you said, from a different perspective.
By the way, he plays a real Guarneri cello, owned by the symphony, at concerts, and said its character is having a weak bass, and the mids and highs are tied together more than with most cellos - sounds very familiar, eh? - intentional voicing in the Gs by SF designers?
Having these Gs in my home right now is certainly an interesting exploration. |
About my system:
Source: iMac playing flac or wav files via Toslink to iDecco DAC output to integrated amps: Luxman L-507, L-309 (both starting from 1973), L-550 (1983), or McIntosh MA6800 (all amps SS). Belden Studio 497 Mk2 speaker cables.
My Gs are about 2 m apart, toed-in a bit, and my seat is at the apex of a triangle formed with their separation as a base.
I know this is a low-to-mid-fy system and inadequate to show what the Gs can do, but I think it does tell me in relative terms at least where the strengths of the Gs lie in the spectrum of musical genre in terms of my own taste, and that the Gs for me are exquisitely superior for small acoustic groups but inferior to my lesser speakers for most other genres. |
Loydelee21
I'll toe them in a further as per your suggestion.
The Gs are over 4 feet from a bookshelf in front of the back wall, which is a thin Japanese-style plexiglass sliding door. The first true concrete wall is another 8 feet behind the sliding plexiglass door. I've got some thick cloth hanging between the bookshelf and the plexiglass to reduce reflections. The room is very small, about 10 X 12 feet, 8 ft ceiling. I wonder whether a sub would work in this small space, though I imagine it might. The 12-inch woofers of my Yamahas do fine.
My cables are not special, just what the shop where I bought the Gs uses for all their gear and better than typical K-mart stuff.
Many people recommend a sub, in particular a Rel, which I can't find here and would have to order from the US. The timing is good for me in terms of Yen/Dollar, but impossible in terms of my listening trial period with the Gs.
I've got until the 28th of this month to decide whether to keep these, or face possible long-term disappointment (in terms of diversity of enjoyable genres) and the difficult task of trying to resell them in Japan myself someday. That makes it tough to try other components. In addition, the shops here don't generally allow listening trials. I have to take a loss of 10% on a return within 30 days, even for the Gs. Beyond 30 days the return price drops to joke level.
Do you agree with Daveyf that I am not hearing the G's potential at all yet because of the limited quality of my equipment, and with much better equipment I would probably love these, or feel that perhaps I am hearing the basic character of the Gs at least in a relative sense, which is apparently not well-suited to my tastes, and that with better equipment I will still be "sitting in the middle seats" rather than at the front, and limited to enjoying small ensembles, even with a better amp and sub? |
Definitely Homages, and in beautiful condition and complete with all original packaging and a signed booklet with the serial numbers. |
Maximum toe-in per Lloydelee21 made a huge difference. Such a dumb and simple thing. I think it drastically reduced reflections off side walls that I hadn't realized were so severe, giving me more "near-field" earview. Right now I'm enjoying a collection of jazz recordings (not classic string quartets), and they sound really good. Another thing I'm doing is not comparing to my other speakers, but just listening to these Gs for a change. The total lack of harsh notes, even with trumpets, is certainly soothing...
Next, I'll try to find any cheap subwoofer to try as "test of concept" per Onemug.
Thanks all, and please keep any more suggestions coming. I really hope to make these Guarneris work and keep them. |
Daveyf and everyone when you talk about upgrading the front end of my system first, are you referring specifically to my iDecco DAC? Many people seem to think this DAC is high-end (although not the amp output stage of the iDecco, which I am not using).
Also, many people seem to like their McIntosh integrateds with their Gs. I really like the McIntosh with my other kinds of speakers, and I like it best of my 4 amps with the Gs. I also like it much better than the VERY expensive Krell and Goldmund amps and preamps I tried it with at the shop before I bought the Gs. I can imagine another flavor of amp being better for me with the Gs than the McIntosh, though, as the McIntosh, while warm and bassy, is not the clearest or most detailed around. Two of my Luxman amps are more detailed, and the Gs show all details immaculately, as they did with the Krell and Goldmund stuff. My Luxman amps sound thinner with the Gs, though, and I suspect they are just way underpowered.
I am at a loss as to how to start trying various speaker cables. Is there a relatively common one that you consider a good starting point that I might be able to find over here right away?
Anything that would show me definitely that the cables are one of the components I need to upgrade would be helpful. Once I hear the differences, I could get a better and more permanent set sometime later.
I guess my biggest gripe about the Gs I'm having is the flat and distant presentation I am hearing. For instance, Aretha's voice on "I Never Loved a Man" is quieter than the electric piano through the Gs, whereas with the same equipment/room/placement through 3 other kinds of speakers her voice is dominant. The Gs' presentation is similarly flatter across the spectrum of genre to my ears. I think this is what Lloydelee was describing as a characteristic of the Gs, also. Maybe its just what I am used to, but I prefer a more foreword presentation. Is that "flatness" an aspect that could be changed with another source/preamp/amp/cables? |
Hi Daveyf I agree that the Nova and also iDecco amps sound thin and unimpressive, so that is why I only use the DAC direct output. My music collection is mainly in FLAC and WAV format, fed from an iMac. They are mostly high-rez (24/96) rips and not from iTunes. If not fed from the iMac to iDecco via Toslink, do you suggest USB? technically, the optical link should have the least loss.
I don't see an ARC Vsi60 available in Japan. The only amps from this thread I see here is the McIntosh, which is why I went for that. I would like to try something else, but fear a lot of hit-and-miss at great expense.
As for cables, again, could you recommend some common brands/models that I might be able to find here quickly? I mean something that would show me the difference from my low-end cables right away while I'm testing the Gs.
This is all very frustrating, as I feel I'll probably have to give the Gs up without first knowing how they can sound when matched properly. |
Hi Lloydelee21 and Daveyf
Daveyf - Thanks for your further details on cables and for looking into iDecco connections. I'll try the USB and see if I hear a difference. The iMac doesn't have a coax connection. As for ordering amps and cables online from overseas, please understand that I am under strict time constraint, and also that it is huge risk to buy an amp without listening first, and I would not do so.
Lloydelee21
My wife and I did another extensive listening again last night, and we are increasingly feeling that the "problem" we are having with the sound is a matter of taste and what we are used to. The Gs are small speakers, and have that sort of quality. Yes, we agree that vocals are especially true and wonderful, but it always seems to be at a cost elsewhere in the overall presentation. Maybe I'm just not a "small-speaker-kind-of-guy."
Based on their reputation, I'm willing and eager to try to get more out of them this week. If I can find a sub and better cabling this weekend, I'll definitely do it.
All of this about buying and trying the Gs started with my dissatisfaction with a pair of NS-1000Xs I have in my office room. While they sound great in out tatami room, they have been relatively anemic in here except on a few extra-good recordings.
One thing that has already come of all this is that I discovered I really like the sound of my McIntosh amp with the NS-1000Xs, even in my office. It seems to have solved that initial problem, which I had thought had more to do with placement, cabling, etc.
The NS-1000Xs are very good speakers, and work well over a wide spectrum of genres. They are not the ultimate greatest speakers in any one area, though. They are still basically monitors, and bad recordings sound bad through them, whereas the Gs seem to "repackage" even bad recordings, smoothing things out and making them more listenable.
I've given the Cremonas several listens over the past few years. In fact, a few years ago they were the first floor standers I had heard that drew my attention away from my NS-1000Xs. They were way beyond my budget back then, but not now. The Cremonas cost a little less than the Gs here. By reputation, they are not in the same class as the Gs, though.
I'll keep updating. This thread has been really great for me, and I thank you all.
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A bigger, more difficult issue with the GH's - If you go to the A'gon thread:
"Girlfriends and wifes, how do YOU cope?"
to page 6, and see my post of 06-06-10, you will understand another problem I'm trying to deal with while assessing these. Keep in mind that that post was half a year and several new components ago... |
Daveyf, yes, as I tried to say before, I only use the fixed DAC output from the iDecco, and not the pre-out or amp. Thanks for looking into that for me, though. I think the DAC portion if the unit is decent. Mine was the first unit sold in Japan (certified), and as such I got it at a special low price that made it very worthwhile. BTW, I notice zero jitter with the Toslink, and hear no difference via USB. I'll trust you and keep it hooked by USB for the rest of this test, though.
Off to the shop now to see whether there is any way to try something by way of another amp, a sub, and/or cables for a reasonable price.... |
It's definitely NOT the amp...Test results
I took everyone's advice and tried out some more amps yesterday, in a 3-hour listening test at the shop where I bought the GH's. On recommendation of the owner, I tried the following amps that were in the shop (it's a used audio shop) and heard the general qualities below. I kept everything constant except the amp.
Recordings (in both players):
Wagner e Venezia, Winter & Winter (wonderful outdoor chamber concert, with extremely detailed outdoor audience sounds)
A Solo - P. Pandolfo - Cello suites (a favorite)
Rachmaninov - Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - The USSR Ministry Of Culture Symphony Orchestra
A Window In Time - Rachmaninoff on a Bosendorfer (amazing reproduction from his paper recordings)
Segovia - Suite No. 3, Courante
Ella and Luis - "Summertime"
'Trane and Miles - "Round Midnight"
Nat and Natalie Cole - "Unforgettable" - Capitol Collector's Series
Cassandra Wilson - "Love is Blindness" - New Moon Daughter
Lisa Ekdahl - "Give me that slow knowing smile"
The Beatles - "Can't buy me love" (for fun)
Bits of some others
Sources:
- Njoe Tjoeb CD4000 player with 24/96 upsampler and Siemens 7308 Gold pin tubes (my own unit)
- iDecco playing WAV files from iPod (my own units)
Cabling by "Transparent"
Preamp:
McIntosh C-40
Amps and impressions
1. Luxman B-10 (SS) monoblocks (huge, heavy, 500 W/ch each)
EXTREMELY detailed, something like old Quad electrostics. I could discriminate clearly among among many people talking and feel where they were sitting relative to each other, even a few sparrow chirps, feet shuffling, etc. in the long intro to Wagner e Venezia. The strings were perfectly separated from each other. The overall feeling was "dry" though, and completely lacked lower notes.
2. Jeff Rowland 501 monoblocks (SS) (pleasingly small and light, 500 W/ch)
Nowhere near the detail of the Luxman blocks, but a warmer "wetter" sound and much stronger low notes. A kind of unnatural, "electronic" quality.
3. Luxman MA-88 monoblocks (tube)
Sharp and harsh on high notes. Didn't listen long.
4. Triode 845 Signature monoblocks (tube)
Much nicer sound than the MA-88, above, but something struck me also as "unnatural" about it.
What all of these told me consistently is that the "smallness" of the soundstage, or "being further away in the audience," as Lloydelee21 put it, is a characteristic of the speakers and not related to my amp, sources, or cabling.
It also showed me that in no way is my McIntosh MA6800 underpowered in terms of delivering bass or width of soundstage, as many of us (including me) suspected. The MA6800 is less detailed than the high-powered monoblocks above, or the Krell/Goldmund combinations I listened to before I bought these GH's, but I prefer the overall warmth and balance among instruments the MA6800 provides.
The Jeff Rowland 501 and especially Luxman B-10 showed me weaknesses in the iDecco's reproduction of WAV files from the iPod compared to the same WAV files played on my CD player, as Daveyf pointed out.
The GH's are truly amazing in how detailed they can be and also how revealing of the various characteristics of the amps and recordings played through them. However, as small speakers, they are limited in the "depth" or "width" of the soundstage (I wish I had more accurate audio vocabulary at my disposal) compared to my floor-standers.
As far as I can see, the only thing left that I can test in my last week of test time of the with the GH's (which is costing me about US$1000, by the way) is how they sound with a subwoofer, as others and Lloydelee21 in particular have suggested.
Lloydelee21:
While I was testing, someone brought in and sold a Velodyne DLS-R subwoofer to the shop. I was not allowed to try it, because it was not yet officially "owned" by the shop yet, but I have first dibs on buying it for a home trial or at least trying it (for free) at the shop. In your opinion, is this Velodyne DLS-R a decent unit to match with the GH's?
Failing the subwoofer test will definitely get either me or the GHs thrown out by wifey (read the previous post I had referred to...). |
Hello Loydelee21 - I finally got the sub, but I need some more help with the connections.
The sub has low-pass input and high-pass output RCA jacks.
Connecting the low-pass RCA input on the sub to the pre-out output of the pre-amp section of my integrated amp (McIntosh MA6800) gives me low, rumbly, thumpy bass, the volume and low-crossover point of which I can adjust. This just sounds basically like the GH's as they were, but with some rumbly bass underneath.
I tried the sub connected this way at the shop with some screechy little "Mission" speakers, and it sounded much more integrated than what I'm getting at home with the GH's, so I imagine I need to also connect the high-pass crossover as well.
What I don't get is where on the integrated amp to connect the high-pass output from the sub. Your #2, above says to connect the line-level outputs to the AMP, but the manual says to connect those to the "line-in PRE-AMP input," while my amp has no RCA connection labeled as such.
The amp has the following RCA inputs:
Phono/Aux, CD1, CD2, Tuner, Tape1, Tape2, Tape3, Video.
It also has an "pwr amp in" set of jacks next to the "pre-amp out." Should I connect the high-pass line output to this "pwr amp in" jack instead of the "line-in PRE-AMP input" that the manual cites?
I tried that, but it doesn't seem to make much difference in sound.
As for your suggested wiring #3, since mine is an integrated, I assume I don't need the RCA splitters, am I right?
Sorry to ask such dumb questions, but I certainly don't want to somehow damage my new amp or the GH's.
Getting desparate in terms of time, with just 3 days to go with my trial and wifey adamant that I should send the GH's back. |
Hello Again Lloydelee - I bottle of excellent wine is in order for you!
The lousy quality subwoofer test worked! It took me some emergency tweaking after figuring out the wiring, but I got the sub to blend well enough to convince my ever-so picky wife that the Guarneri is better than the Yamahas, with the sub (which she calls a "bandaid").
I thank you profusely for your patient and clear help. You knew exactly what the priority items were to approach first for my problems with the GH's, and your solutions were economical as well as practical.
If I figure out where in our small and ancient Japanese house to store the three shipping containers (the wooden one for the speakers "will make a nice coffee table," while the one for the stands a "nice coffin" for "someone" as she said when when I first got them home), I'll be able to keep them.
Little does wifey know what long train of equipment upgrades await. Thanks for your help with that aspect, too, Daveyf.
Rachmaninoff on a Bodendorfer on "A Window in Time" sounds rich and full now with the sub, and more like a real piano than through the Yammies, as we tested live against our modest piano here.
Pandolfo's cellos on "A Solo" are really rich and with subtle tonality, much different than I had heard before.
What's not great yet is percussion in general, which is all too soft, and I can't get Cassandra Wilson and her band on "New Moon Daughter" to sound good at all yet. All their rich low sounds come out as dead "thuds." Just getting started...lots to do... |
Thanks Jman. In the process of home-testing the Guarneris, I found that I like the McIntosh house sound with American Jazz recordings, of which I've got thousands. My present McIntosh is a humble MA6800, which I'd like to upgrade away from in stages. I like it's way of soft warmth with power underneath, but it lacks a bit of detail to me.
Right now I'm looking at a McIntosh C2200 Preamp, which is a tubed pre of Stereophile class A1, if that means anything, really. The price is about half of what it normally costs (I'm not as rich as the average GH owner, it seems), with exchange rates and discount, etc. It's new in the unopened box. If I got that or something else nice, I was thinking I'd then find a powerful SS amp. Do any of you have an opinion on the C2200 tube preamp for the GHs or otherwise?
I've also discovered that REL subs aren't available in Japan, so I'll have to try to get one sent over from Hong Kong or elsewhere. The sub I've got now is just a simple, lower-model Velodyne one bought on the great advice of Lloydelee21 as "proof-of-concept." I really don't enjoy the GH's without a sub. It'll be quite a while yet before my GHs do what I hope for in my home. Velodyne is available here but not REL, while it seems everyone in A'gon likes the REL. |
How about a Balanced Audio Technol VK32SE tube preamp?
About the same price as the McIntosh C2200, said to be in excellent condition. |
Daveyf, Onemug, Lloydelee21, anyone else...What are the basic sonic differences (and any other that might be important) between BAT and Mc preamps?
I should be able to try the C2200 soon, but not the BAT. A BAT, CJ ART, Gryphon or most of these mentioned would have to be bought blindly by international mail, which I'm hesitant to do, but unless it is on the bright or harsh side, it will probably be livable for a while I suppose.
I was thinking, since I already have one Mc, albeit just an integrated, which works really well with my other speakers and I intend to keep, it might be nice to have an alternative sound.
I found a Mark Levinson LNP-2L locally, but haven't had a listen yet. It's a bit over what I was planning to spend on a pre, and SS rather than tubes, but some people are telling me its to die for. I don't generally like the Levinson stuff I've heard, feeling it all a bit dry, but people say this one is special an unlike their new stuff.
I'm hoping not to go beyond about US$5K for a used preamp, a budget that both the BAT vk32Kse and McIntosh C2200 I'm looking at fall well within. |
Update - A lot happened the past few weeks. For those interested, to start with, on topic of this thread I got a Luxman 509u integrated, which I adore. This amp is clean, clear, powerful, flat, with punch while bringing out the subtlest tonalities and details of instruments across the spectrum.
Taking mainly Daveyf's advice to work on my source and front-end stuff, I started at my computer by adding Amarra software, which I find noticeably better for playback of higher-resolution files, and I upgraded my DAC to a North Star Designs USB Dac32, which I preferred on listening comparisons over the Bryston BDA-1 and new Luxman DA-200. I also replaced all my interconnects with used Cobalt stuff, and speaker wire with German 12 AWG silver wires. In addition, I put-up sound-absorbing curtains over my thin Japanese sliding plexiglass door-walls, and some foam-rubber absorbers on the reflecting wall facing me. All of these tweaks have made significant improvements, and my system sounds great now.
HOWEVERÂ…and this part might make me lose you all as friends, I finally gave-up on the Guarneris. I came to admit to myself that I am just not a small-speaker kind of guy, and much prefer a large sound that reproduces all genres of music well rather than only certain kinds of instruments. I was hit once and for all with this when I happened on a pair of minty condition Acapella Campaniles on special New Year's clearance sale, and traded-in my G's, old Luxman amp, subwoofer, plus some cash for them, in an amazingly lucky bargain.
These are definitely my sound. No more searching. The problem now is there is no room in my old Japanese house with ceilings high enough or enough room for them, so they are in storage while I look for a new house for them. I've been wanting badly to move, and this gives me greater impetus. I know I face a great deal more tweaking when I finally do find a place where I can install them, but I've learned a lot from this forum and look forward to that challenge.
In the meantime, I'm back again to my old Yamaha NS-1000X's, but now with better sources, interconnects, amp, placement, and room treatment, and the sound is all very livable until I finally find a new home for me and my Acapellas. |
Update - A lot happened the past few weeks. For those interested, to start with, on topic of this thread I got a Luxman 509u integrated, which I adore. This amp is clean, clear, powerful, flat, with punch while bringing out the subtlest tonalities and details of instruments across the spectrum.
Taking mainly Daveyf's advice to work on my source and front-end stuff, I started at my computer by adding Amarra software, which I find noticeably better for playback of higher-resolution files, and I upgraded my DAC to a North Star Designs USB Dac32, which I preferred on listening comparisons over the Bryston BDA-1 and new Luxman DA-200. I also replaced all my interconnects with used Cobalt stuff, and speaker wire with German 12 AWG silver wires. In addition, I put-up sound-absorbing curtains over my thin Japanese sliding plexiglass door-walls, and some foam-rubber absorbers on the reflecting wall facing me. All of these tweaks have made significant improvements, and my system sounds great now.
HOWEVERÂ…and this part might make me lose you all as friends, I finally gave-up on the Guarneris. I came to admit to myself that I am just not a small-speaker kind of guy, and much prefer a large sound that reproduces all genres of music well rather than only certain kinds of instruments. I was hit once and for all with this when I happened on a pair of minty condition Acapella Campaniles on special New Year's clearance sale, and traded-in my G's, old Luxman amp, subwoofer, plus some cash for them, in an amazingly lucky bargain.
These are definitely my sound. No more searching. The problem now is there is no room in my old Japanese house with ceilings high enough or enough room for them, so they are in storage while I look for a new house for them. I've been wanting badly to move, and this gives me greater impetus. I know I face a great deal more tweaking when I finally do find a place where I can install them, but I've learned a lot from this forum and look forward to that challenge.
In the meantime, I'm back again to my old Yamaha NS-1000X's, but now with better sources, interconnects, amp, placement, and room treatment, and the sound is all very livable until I finally find a new home for me and my Acapellas. |
Daveyf,Onemug,Egidius,Lloydelee21, I've been reading and greatly appreciating all your posts, but something's come-up and everything's on hold for me right now in terms of listening, etc. I have been researching online every item you've all put forth. I'll keep you all posted, and please keep the recommendations, tips, and debate coming. I'm sure this is all extremely valuable information to whomever else is out there reading this thread.
Egidius - Wow! That's a huge and funky-looking sub. I put my name on a list for a listen at the shop in case one comes up someday.
Lloydelee21 - Yes, I have found some old ARC preamps here. Are they all generally good, or mainly the Reference III? How about an oldie like SP-3A-1?
Onemug, Daveyf - Home trials of anything cost 10% the price of whatever eqpt from the one shop in town (but that means keep it for 30 days), so I have to try things in the shop until I narrow them down to one or two items. Any tips on how best to listen-test a pre-amp? Things to listen for? Testing techniques, etc.?
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Daveyf- I just found a used CONVERGENT AUDIO SL-1 signature online at the top end of my budget. Is this model a good one in your opinion?
If so, maybe I could arrange a trip to Tokyo to hear it, but then it would only be at the shop with their eqpt. |
Hi Lloydelee - I only have integrated amps right now (Luxman and McIntosh), but I guess I could lug one of those over and just compare the pre-outs, if the shop doesn't have one of the same models. That would be difficult if I take the bullet train to Tokyo or elsewhere, but no problem for testing stuff in the (one) local shop. Thanks for the tip. I should have thought of that! |
Thanks, Lloydelee21! Actually, I am not as dedicated as all that. I've been planning to move for several years, and have a pretty clear idea in my head of what sort of house I want, but the 2.4-meter high Acapellas just add one more requirement of a large room with high ceilings. This is difficult but not impossible to find in the semi-countryside here. This will also give me a chance to move the speakers in before the rest of our stuff, hopefully making them less shocking and more acceptable to wifey, who is historically not happy with my hobby, and whom I haven't yet gone out of my way to inform of the addition of the cute little Acapellas among our audio gear.
I looked-up Audio Exotics, and it should be a lot of fun. A lot of that sort of stuff is over the top for me, for example I personally really can't hear a difference by raising $500,000 speaker wire of the floor intermittently with $1000 little wood blocks, but some people seem to think they can and are willing to spend huge sums on such things. I saw loads of such things at the Tokyo International Audio show last fall, but also many things that really improved my understanding of this hobby, and some very tempting equipment as well. I am sure you will find the same, and have fun doing it. You should have some outstanding excellent meals in HK while you're there, too.
As for DACs, I bought the one that sounded best to me from among what was available locally for listening, but I found the sonic differences among the better DACs to be subtle, and my feeling is that computer audio is very young and like other areas of computer technology we will see huge improvements very fast at ever-lowering prices, so there is no hurry to run out and get one, because like computers and other peripherals, if you wait a few months there will probably be something twice as good for half the price.
I want to thank everyone on this thread again for your advice, which really rounded-out my fundamental understanding of several basic aspects of audio, while providing a means by which I could clarify my own tastes and desires, and launched me on my way to whatever my next level will be. |
