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LS50 Wireless fail, or is old gear that good?

After ready so much positive info on the LS50W, I gave them a try but was massively disappointed compared to my (much) older gear.
I set up the LS50's via Ethernet and WiFi playing HiRes files from NAS and Tidal via Roon, then compared the same tracks via WiFi to Roon on an iPhone>Dragonfly Red>ARC SP9 (1987)>Threshold amp (1980's)>Martin Logan Aerius i (1999). Wasn't even close.
Especially on female vocals, the sense of realism, timbre, air, etc was notably superior on the old system. I played around with the KEF DSP, room placement and even switched rooms.I really wanted the KEF's to work, but no luck.

So, am I missing something with the LS50W, or is the old stuff just that good?

128x128tcbrinkley

Showing 3 responses by tcbrinkley

tcbrinkley's avatar
tcbrinkley OP
20 posts
 
@yakbob, you hit the nail on the head regarding a modern user experience.That's what I was after with the KEF's, not only for myself but to help engage the family.
I expected, especially with all the positive press, that technology had moved on, a lot, in regard to SQ as well as convenience. That's why I'm curious about others' experience with the LS50W.
tcbrinkley's avatar
tcbrinkley OP
20 posts
 
Hmmm, not sure I can say. I adjusted distance from front and side walls, distance apart and distance to listening chair, but didn't move  much from center when listening.
Why do you ask?
tcbrinkley's avatar
tcbrinkley OP
20 posts
 
You make a good point about the difference in speakers. I also tried a pair of Thiel 1.6's in place of the ML's with basically same result. I'm a source first guy, so figured the iPhone as a source for the old gear would level the playing field. And yes, the Threshold is a beast!

It's probably a new thread, but I wonder how the old ARC>Threshold>ML's would compare with similar modern counterparts. Surely the new stuff is better, but by how much?
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