2. amps-preamps
  3. 126624-10101

My Long List of Amplifiers and My Personal Review of Each!

So I have been in a long journey looking to find the best amplifiers for my martin logan montis. As you know, the match between an amplifier and speakers has to be a good "marriage" and needs to be blend exquisitely. Right now, I think I might have found the best sounding amplifier for martin logan. I have gone through approximately 34-36 amplifiers in the past 12 months. Some of these are:

Bryston ST, SST, SST2 series
NAD M25
PARASOUND HALO
PARASOUND CLASSIC
KRELL TAS
KRELL KAV 500
KRELL CHORUS
ROTEL RMB 1095
CLASSE CT 5300
CLASSE CA 2200
CLASSE CA 5200
MCINTOSH MC 205
CARY AUDIO CINEMA 7
OUTLAW AUDIO 755
LEXICON RX7
PASS LABS XA 30.8
BUTLER AUDIO 5150
ATI SIGNATURE SERIES 6005

With all that said, the amplifiers I mentioned above are the ones that in my opinion are worth mentioning. To make a long story short, there is NO 5 CHANNEL POWER AMP that sounds as good as a 3ch and 2ch amplifier combination. i have done both experiments and the truth is that YOU DO lose details and more channel separation,etc when you select a 5 channel power amplifier of any manufacturer.
My recollection of what each amp sounded like is as follows:

ATI SIGNATURE SERIES 6005 (great power and amazing soundstage. Very low noise floor, BUT this amplifiers NEEDS TO BE cranked up in order to fully enjoy it. If you like listening at low volume levels or somewhat moderate, you are wasting your time here. This amp won’t sound any different than many other brands out there at this volume. The bass is great, good highs although they are a bit bright for my taste)

NAD M25 (very smooth, powerful, but somewhat thin sounding as far as bass goes)
Bryston sst2(detailed, good soundstage, good power, but can be a little forward with certain speakers which could make them ear fatiguing at loud volumes)

Krell (fast sounding, nice bass attack, nice highs, but some detail does get lost with certain speakers)

rotel (good amp for the money, but too bright in my opinion)

cary audio (good sound overall, very musical, but it didn’t have enough oomph)

parasound halo (good detail, great bass, but it still holds back some background detail that i can hear in others)

lexicon (very laid back and smooth. huge power, but if you like more detail or crisper highs, this amp will disappoint you)

McIntosh mc205 (probably the worst multichannel amp given its price point. it was too thin sounding, had detail but lacked bass.

butler audio (good amplifier. very warm and smooth sweet sounding. i think for the money, this is a better amp than the parasound a51)

pass labs (very VERY musical with excellent bass control. You can listen to this for hours and hours without getting ear fatigue. however, it DOES NOT do well in home theater applications if all you have is a 2 channel set up for movies. The midrange gets somewhat "muddy" or very weak sounding that you find yourself trying to turn it up.

classe audio (best amplifier for multi channel applications. i simply COULDNT FIND a better multi channel amplifier PERIOD. IT has amazing smoothness, amazing power and good bass control although i would say krell has much better bass control)

Update: The reviews above were done in January 2015. Below is my newest update as of October 2016:



PS AUDIO BHK 300 MONOBLOCKS: Amazing amps. Tons of detail and really amazing midrange. the bass is amazing too, but the one thing i will say is that those of you with speakers efficiency of 87db and below you will not have all the "loudness" that you may want from time to time. These amps go into protection mode when using a speaker such as the Salon, but only at very loud levels. Maybe 97db and above. If you don’t listen to extreme crazy levels, these amps will please you in every way.

Plinius Odeon 7 channel amp: This is THE BEST multichannel amp i have ever owned. Far , but FAR SUPERIOR to any other multichannel amp i have owned. In my opinion it destroyed all of the multichannel amps i mentioned above and below. The Odeon is an amp that is in a different tier group and it is in a league of its own. Amazing bass, treble and it made my center channel sound more articulate than ever before. The voices where never scrambled with the action scenes. It just separated everything very nicely.

Theta Dreadnaught D: Good detailed amp. Looks very elegant, has a pleasant sound, but i found it a tad too bright for my taste. I thought it was also somewhat "thin" sounding lacking body to the music. could be that it is because it is class d?

Krell Duo 300: Good amp. Nice and detailed with enough power to handle most speakers out there. I found that it does have a very nice "3d" sound through my electrostatics. Nothing to fault here on this amp.
Mark Levinson 532H: Great 2 channel amp. Lots of detail, amazing midrange which is what Mark Levinson is known for. It sounds very holographic and will please those of you looking for more detail and a better midrange. As far as bass, it is there, but it is not going to give you the slam of a pass labs 350.5 or JC1s for example. It is great for those that appreciate classical music, instrumental, etc, but not those of you who love tons of deep bass.

 It is articulate sounding too
Krell 7200: Plenty of detail and enough power for most people. i found that my rear speakers contained more information after installed this amp. One thing that i hated is that you must use xlr cables with this amp or else you lose most of its sound performance when using RCA’s.

Krell 402e: Great amp. Very powerful and will handle any speaker you wish. Power is incredible and with great detail. That said, i didn’t get all the bass that most reviewers mentioned. I thought it was "ok" in regards to bass. It was there, but it didn’t slam me to my listening chair.

Bryston 4B3: Good amp with a complete sound. I think this amp is more laid back than the SST2 version. I think those of you who found the SST2 version of this amp a little too forward with your speakers will definitely benefit from this amp’s warmth. Bryston has gone towards the "warm" side in my opinion with their new SST3 series. As always, they are built like tanks. I wouldn’t call this amp tube-like, but rather closer to what the classe audio delta 2 series sound like which is on the warm side of things.

Parasound JC1s: Good powerful amps. Amazing low end punch (far superior bass than the 402e). This amp is the amp that i consider complete from top to bottom in regards to sound. Nothing is lacking other than perhaps a nicer chassis. Parasound needs to rework their external appearance when they introduce new amps. This amp would sell much more if it had a revised external appearance because the sound is a great bang for the money. It made my 800 Nautilus scream and slam. Again, amazing low end punch.

Simaudio W7: Good detailed amp. This amp reminds me a lot of the Mark Levinson 532h. Great detail and very articulate. I think this amp will go well with bookshelves that are ported in order to compensate for what it lacks when it comes to the bass. That doesn’t mean it has no bass, but when it is no Parasound JC1 either.
Pass labs 350.5: Wow, where do i begin? maybe my first time around with the xa30.8 wasn’t as special as it was with this monster 350.5. It is just SPECTACULAR sounding with my electrostatics. The bass was THE BEST BASS i have ever heard from ANY amp period. The only amp that comes close would be the jC1s. It made me check my settings to make sure the bass was not boosted and kept making my jaw drop each time i heard it. It totally destroyed the krell 402e in every regard. The krell sounded too "flat" when compared to this amp. This amp had amazing mirange with great detail up top. In my opinion, this amp is the best bang for the money. i loved this amp so much that i ended up buying the amp that follows below.

Pass labs 250.8: What can i say here. This is THE BEST STEREO AMP i have ever heard. This amp destroys all the amps i have listed above today to include the pass labs 350.5. It is a refined 350.5 amp. It has more 3d sound which is something the 350.5 lacked. It has a level of detail that i really have never experienced before and the bass was amazing as well. I really thought it was the most complete power amplifier i have ever heard HANDS DOWN. To me, this is a benchmark of an amplifier. This is the amp that others should be judged by. NOTHING is lacking and right now it is the #1 amplifier that i have ever owned.

My current amps are Mcintosh MC601s: i decided to give these 601s a try and they don’t disappoint. They have great detail, HUGE soundstage, MASSIVE power and great midrange/highs. The bass is great, but it is no pass labs 250.8 or 350.5. As far as looks, these are the best looking amps i have ever owned. No contest there. i gotta be honest with you all, i never bought mcintosh monos before because i wasn’t really "wowed" by the mc452, but it could have been also because at that time i was using a processor as a preamp which i no longer do. Today, i own the Mcintosh C1100 2 chassis tube preamp which sounds unbelievable. All the amps i just described above have been amps that i auditioned with the C1100 as a preamp. The MC601s sound great without a doubt, but i will say that if you are looking for THE BEST sound for the money, these would not be it. However, Mcintosh remains UNMATCHED when it comes to looks and also resale value. Every other amp above depreciates much faster than Mcintosh.

That said, my future purchase (when i can find a steal of a deal) will be the Pass labs 350.8. I am tempted to make a preliminary statement which is that i feel this amp could be THE BEST stereo amp under 30k dollars. Again, i will be able to say more and confirm once i own it. I hope this update can help you all in your buying decisions!


jays_audio_lab

Showing 26 responses by closenplay

closenplay
54 posts
 
Jeesh, sorry I can't spit it out all in one post. Also please do this once the Boulder is back to normal and Alexx has scurried back into his location of prominence. Not interested in this test if you use Ulfs and Gs. Don't let that be a reason for not doing the comparo.
closenplay
54 posts
 
Just listened to it again.....Lizz's voice is way too hot. It almost sounds like there are some phase issues going on as well. Did you set the levels back on the mic after the live chat?
closenplay
54 posts
 
Wow, 82 db average is quite loud, assuming you are measuring at the listening position.
closenplay
54 posts
 
Spoke with a gentleman at DrVinyl a couple weeks ago. Said that the retail on the Tintoretto was $65,000. We had an enjoyable discussion on speaker pricing/marketing theory. Asked him why with all the good press that Alsyvox had been receiving of late why they would not be in attendance at Axpona.Mentioned I would be in Chicago and would have loved to audition any of the Alsyvox panels. The reason isn't important, but we both agreed it is probably a mistake and missed opportunity. He said they would likely display at Axpona next year (for the many audio lovers like myself that make Axpona their only show). He did mention that pricing will likely be changing in a more consumer friendly direction (my words). Lets hope so. Btw, have enjoyed reading everyones opinions for some time. ( My first post).
closenplay
54 posts
 
Having attended the last few shows, there were a number of rooms that managed really good sound taking into account show condition difficulties, Raidho always left a lasting impression on me. Each time they were using only their small 2 way and Aavik  amplification. Impressive the sound they could produce. Borresen (I believe one of their designers) left to form his own eponymous company. Speakers are similar in appearance but supposedly using newer driver materials. Enjoy your favorites on your list, but try to experience these two companies. No affilation, just my ears talking. Have fun this weekend in Chicago!
closenplay
54 posts
 
I agree with WC, the 13a /Constellation  pairing was special. I have listened to a number of ML models during past shows (Neo included), and have not heard the brand sound better. I believe in large part to the Constellation electronics. Too bad I didn't take note of all the cabling (early senior moment). Equally engaging (perhaps even more) for me was the Burmester room. These were the only rooms that made me forget I was listening to and focusing on gear, thinking/feeling  only.......BEAUTIFUL!  No thinking about "how clear is the midrange?", "bloated or thin bass?", "highs sparkly or rolled off?" Absolutely losing yourself in the music. With that said, I was impressed with the number of rooms that were able to make good (not great) sound (in less than optimal room situations) relative to past shows. I also experienced an inability to make that emotional connection we all love with any of the "big boys" in the too large rooms (too many people, too far from the speakers.They were impressive and had a visceral impact to be sure, but no musical intimacy/engagement. Just very different from how we listen at home. That may seem obvious, but it sure makes evaluating a sound system difficult. As an aside: the gentleman showing both the Pass XA25 and SIT-3 was extremely kind to switch amps to compare the two (yes, both had been on and fully warmed up). Same song on vinyl for each. I hadn't expected that kind of accommodation...fabulous. When I buy, it is his sale for sure!
   WC, sorry our paths didn't cross. Perhaps next year. Journey on!
closenplay
54 posts
 
mrd, you're killing me. lol! Nature abhors a vacuum, thanks for filling in. See.........many of us are feeling a bit malnourished without our daily dose of vitamin "V", all "things" considered.
WC, I'm pushing in a stack of chips (not all in, now) on Constellation. Can't arrive soon enough!
closenplay
54 posts
 
Glad to see (and hear) you switched the port, making the low end couple much better with the room  (at the mic location, anyway). Surprised no one mentioned how poorly the coupling was in the earlier videos. Perhaps not many are listening on their full range rigs. At times, some of your room resonances have been quite pronounced on the videos. Would be interesting to see what people are listening through when watching your videos. Perhaps we can give a quick mention what we are listening through each time someone responds to your thread  if they are giving a detailed listening description. Just a quick one word detail like......Headphones, Phone, Ipad, Bookshelf, Fullrange----no brands or other humble brag info needed (unless you ask). Would have mentioned the port situation earlier but I am not as prolific a poster as some. Takes me awhile....I am a "hunt and peck" typist. Thought someone would have mentioned it a lot earlier. BTW, video #1 came through the clearest on my system. The Boulder preamp is amazing....and now it seems the Boulder amps are as well. I usually  go back and forth between your vids and the Tidal MQA version (if available) to see how they compare. To Jay and all, have a fabulous holiday season!
closenplay
54 posts
 
 I preferred the Boulders' sound to the Gryphons' each time in multiple listening sessions. The Bs were cleaner, tighter, more finely textured, closer to what I hear when playing the song (first one) direct from Tidal, etc...than the Gs (which of course, sound great). Gs were a bit grainy relative to Bs, even a bit confused/hot/disjointed in the treble (in some spots) on songs 2 and 3.
     You mentioned in a recent video (while showing the acoustic treatment in your room) that you have no echo in the room. I read through all (I think) of the responses to videos on Youtube and here on Agon and didn't see anyone mention anything about an echo in your room. I am assuming (perhaps inaccurately) that you saying there is no echo in the room is a response to my talking about a room resonance (at the mic location) being helped/minimized by you switching the port on the Wilsons. Room resonances/modes are not echo/slap echo, mid to high frequency reflections that the panels you have are designed to mitigate. Assuming you have the typical absorption panels (correct me if not), those are most effective at mid and high frequencies. Unfortunately, the nasty room modes (based on your room dimensions) in the range (roughly) from 20hz to 250hz cannot be controlled effectively with 2 to 4 inch absorption panels. Changing speaker/speaker port and/or seating/mic positions  can help but may affect negatively (hopefully not) other aspects like imaging, sound stage depth, etc.....
         Even though the port swap helped, I did notice a pesky resonance at roughly 2:13 and 2:49 of the video (yes, it was there at the same point in the song when the Gs were playing). Didn't have the resonance when I played using Tidal.  Didn't try to listen for resonances on the other two tracks (perhaps with those songs those frequencies were not as pronounced).
        Anyway, not trying to do a treatise on acoustics. Others may take the ball and run with things like DBAs, helmholtz resonators, limp mass absorbers, chunks, superchunks, etc....The company/person that helped you treat your room should have given you a comprehensive analysis and explanation of minimally what your treatments will do but, as importantly, what they won't do. I know years ago people were pushing you to "get a dedicated room". You have a nice room, could be dialed in a bit more. If you like (for a small fee) I can set up a consultation! I am joking, of course!!!! Everything changes once you start getting paid for something, as you know! Keep your skin thick, Jay. Too often you take the bait with others. No response is usually the best response. Depending on one's personality, hard to do.
     A suggestion offered by another that I second is to not tell people which is playing (but don't change the sequence when switching between system one and two). Also from a psych perspective, keeping the lighting intensity and color consistent is important.
      As mentioned previously, I listen through my main system (OB, 3-way, fully active). Headphones, I suppose, are next best but still not desirable in getting the most accurately visceral experience. The best recording/mastering studios use expensive monitors for their work (yes they use phones too, but the product will never go out the door if it doesn't pass the loudspeaker test).
      Only a few have said how they listen to your vids...hmmmmm? Curious the percentage of people that use streamers/computers /(smart tv with quality audio out to speakers?) hooked up to full rangers?
     Great work. Thanks for the effort.
closenplay
54 posts
 
Jay, why are you creating/encouraging an episode of Jerry Springer to breakout here? You don't like it when others have attacked you, and yet you go full out assault mode. What gives?
        Myself and others have taken the time and effort to give you feedback about the latest video and you don't discuss those topics here. Agon is for exchanges of thoughts/ideas/perceptions of all things audio in general and a thread in particular of the OP. Comments on Youtube are just that, comments with no expectation of a dialogue (generally). 
   I found it odd that you asked a few posts back why no one mentioned cables. This was a comparison of Boulder vs. Gryphon, not a cable comparo. If you do a cable comparo we will evaluate that video. Strangely (to me), you phrase some of your questions as if a dealer might want to know the responses---like a consumer survey, if you will. And now you seem to don the cap of audio dealer/audio consumer ombudsman. Please share with us your desire to do this. That topic sounds like it should have a separate thread. 
      Also, some of the audio gear chest pumping in a few of the last number of pages is quite tedious.
       Jay, perhaps the allure of possibly having a huge impact on Youtube (which can as you know bring in 20 to 50 large/mo, according to those with hundreds of videos and tens of millions of views), as well as a particular perceived status as an Expert in a given area has you firmly in its grasp. It is impossible to serve two or more masters. 
     I rarely read the Agon forums a couple of years ago (but have been an audio enthusiast for twenty times as long). I stumbled upon your thread at that point, reading through ( 100 or 120 pages?) and enjoying most of the posters' experiences/knowledge/wisdom that they shared with you on your journey. I joined Agon to be able to post on your thread (onIy if I thought I had something worthwhile to share, hence my small number of posts). Unfortunately, it seems many of the wise and gifted (not all) don't post here anymore. Time/people move on, I guess. Perhaps it is because your raison detre (I own all my gear and I am not compromised in my opinions about gear from advertisers like magazine reviewers are compromised) may have changed. You are now in a similar predicament as the mag reviewers, your opinions/motives potentially compromised by the monetary aspects of your business model. I am only saying that the perception of potential compromise is now real. There is no potential for compromise if you have no potential monetary gain. Now, you could have more integrity than Mother Theresa, but there now exists the potential for bias (covert or overt) in your motives/opinions. 
     If you desire huge Youtube success, I encourage you 100 percent.(you seem to have passion and a fair sized ego(not a knock)-- both can help with success)....but let's talk nuts and bolts audio here on Agon with you sharing your views on what you hear in your room more often and less frat house arm-wrestling.
     While it seems like this wasn't a "Let's all sing Kumbaya! " post, I took the time and effort because the thread has value to me and I would like it to be all the best it can be.
closenplay
54 posts
 
To add distinction to the difference, I think video 2 magnified the differences between the Bs and the Gs. The character/presentation of each was in starker contrast than in video 1. This manifested itself in pushing the two farther apart (not in quality of each, but in personality of each). 
    My impression  was that the the Gs were too technicolor/saturated, with slight compression compared to the Bs less compressed, pure silky, listen all day presentation.
    So, I guess (for me) that leads to the conclusion that under these conditions (whatever changes you made) have lead to an increase in system resolution?
     Just a quick hypothosis: Those listening through less than full range speakers may, on average, prefer the sound of the Gs because they are adding a bit of what they are listening through is lacking. Of course, controlling for the fact that people already have a general preference for the type of presentation of either the Gs or the Bs. Hope that made sense. Reaction, Jay?
     Also, you can share now how these differences played out in your room.....don't worry, you won't cannibalize/hurt your numbers on Youtube.
My preference is the Bs, with overall sound quality on vid 2 edging out sound quality of vid 1.
    
closenplay
54 posts
 
dep14, I said it was loud, not absurdly loud( adjectives and adverbs matter). At 82db avg, and 10db to 20db peaks...........you get the point. I actually have a number of powered studio monitors (that I prefer over Genelec) that are used for specific purposes. My main rig in a purpose built room will do plenty killer impact (quality dynamic range) when I or the music call for it. A system can only show dynamics if the music is dynamic. You don't get dynamics by turning up the volume up, all you get is louder music (nothing wrong with that). Which is a good segue to mentioning that another area in which I thought  Boulder combo did better in was dynamic contrast.
      Jay, you may or may not remember awhile back in the thread there was a discussion of listening levels. The upside of cleaner more accurate sound reproduction is ......duh.... we enjoy it more etc...the downside is it entices us to turn the volume up (another duh). Take care of your hearing while you are young so you can still enjoy the music 30, 40, 50.....years from now. Google the charts for safe listening levels for various lengths of time. Sorry for wet blanket public service announcement.
     Jay, why would you think that me in particular or any of the readers (of course some will want to know) of this thread would be interested in a raw score tallying of how many preferred one over the other? A better question is, what is the value to you? Help at least me understand why. It is not a win/lose competition. You already have all the descriptive data. We have read the responses. And you know all the incredibly sub optimal ways many (perhaps most) are listening.   ????????  And for those that feel motivated enough to say that they would like to see the results, please explain the value that info has to you, not just...."Uh...curious." I am not being flippant, I hope to learn something from someone.
     Hopefully the Tektons will be able to taste the lovely nectar the Boulders dispense before they fly, using the same songs at the same 82 db level (because mic responses can change with level) as you did for the B and G comparo. Too bad if they don't get the opportunity. Please let us know in advance which cables/ancillaries you are using before playing the Tektons ( yes, you are petty good at doing that). Thanks.
closenplay
54 posts
 
That  address one of viber's claims, at least.
closenplay
54 posts
 
Do none of you Einsteins (meant with infinite love, humility, emotional intelligence, and of course humor, dear ricevs) believe in or heard of the scientific method? Jay, All you have to do is fire up the old wcss, drive up to your local Home Depot or Lowe's, put your mask on, and spend less than the shipping cost of most of your gear for the lengths you need of some zip/lamp cord. If you need help sizing, I can consult. Might as well get some romex while you are at it. Now you can do some evals that many, if not all would like to hear. Do the video same as before, 82 db, same songs in the same order as the B and G comparo. Then we can talk about what we heard in a respectful, well reasoned manner. No excuses.  Don't make me start doing videos! Any ideas as to who might/might not want that video to be done, gentlepeople?
     Ps.....I will reimburse you the cost of the wire and gas money as well.
closenplay
54 posts
 
Wow, keeping it real (as you like to say), must be nice to be able to light your cigars with flaming hundred dollar bills (that's called comedy, not haterism). You are truly in a fine situation. Humility is more desirable (usually) than braggadociousness (my sniglet). Jay, I haven't read any post on this thread that was damning you for playing the Tektons (please direct me to it if I missed it). And if someone does......so what?! That is their problem for being intentionally mean spirited. Jay, c'mon, yo put yourself out there in a big, bold way.....and credit goes to you for being in the game (90 % of success is just showing up), but you really need to thicken the skin (repetitive, I know). You constantly respond to the messenger and not the message. 
        If a poster DIRECTLY attacks you personally, ignore them. And no one needs to defend anyone else ( we all should have our big girl/big boy pants on. Respond only to a well reasoned thought/opinion/position with the same. Support thoughts/opinions/positions with as many facts as feasible, speculate where it is warranted. 
        Now, depending on our individual level of sensitivity, one person's flaming attack is another person's hearty banter (can't help that, well you can by asking for clarity in a follow up). Different snowflakes melt at different temperatures (not really, but why spoil a non PC analogy).
       I know that I have offered some well thought out
opinions/critiques/experiments without any response from you in particular or anyone here in general. I have a style of writing that I know is not either appreciated or cared for by some. Correspond with me on substance not style. If I had a 'tube channel, style critiques would be welcomed as well.
       Jay, when I offer any opinion/analysis it is to stimulate, not denigrate.
"I know what I have given, I know not what you received" comes to mind.
I hope you want to be more than an audio "Pied Piper".
    Also......as I am not a slave to my phone I didn't see that I had a notification of someone  referencing me from this thread in time to read before the poster deleted the post. To that poster: PM me if you would like your comments to stay private (whether friendly or not, I can handle it. Actually, I prefer a different opinion...if we are in total agreement/ lockstep, we won't learn a thing, only one of us is needed. Ha!)  
Ps......Why has no one stated their desire/curousity in how value laden wire sounds compared to the cost of a decked out double wide priced set of cables? Jay, you need to know for those times in your consulting gig when a client asks to know the difference.......you will be able to accurately describe (from experience in your specific system only) what the cost/benefits are. Good luck tonight. Differing opinions and quality critiques are productive, groupthink is not.
closenplay
54 posts
 
Yes, dep whole lot of "audio evangelistas" out there, trying to convert others (unsolicited) to their "audio faith", proclaiming "you are an "audio heathen" if you do not accept the "audio grail" as I have so painfully laid it out for you. How dare you enjoy something different than I have prescribed!
closenplay
54 posts
 
Holy mother of Lou ferrigno! Jay, is that you, the muscular guy in between two muscular guys? :)  I have to go on the "moving heavy audio stuff around" workout regimen. Good job! Only saw the picture, don't usually participate in vid chats.
     
We are singing from the same hymnal, Speed (not always the same page).

And yes Ron, absolutely a huge thank you to the Tekton donor. Very, Very Gracious! I didn't give an eval, but thought for the price differential it performed just fine. We don't know how much effort went into finding the best location in the room for them, as well as best location for the mic.  I am assuming Jay made sure the mic was at tweeter height (beryllium). Even though (as it should) the Wilson's overall superiority(state of the art raw drivers, xover components, cab structure/design) came through, the Ts midrange had a bit of interesting hmmmmm going on. When I switched from the Ts to the Ws there was a shrinking of the large fun effect that was going on. Just ignore the flaming critics of the Ts on the 'tube. Many are just "drive-bys".

closenplay
54 posts
 
And the angels wept.
closenplay
54 posts
 
Time to go get some fizzy fermented grape juice. HNY everybody!
closenplay
54 posts
 
Jay. something is just not right with the sound. Obviously, I can't tell if it is the mic position, speaker angle, electronics. I am intimately familiar with "Barley" (listened to it 100 times last couple of years). That song on Tidal MQA if phenomenal. Tremendous clarity, dynamics, impact (as I am sure you know in room). You need to be able to monitor (as you say.....at least with headphones) what the mic is capturing and putting on the video. I am sure you have confidence in what I am able to glean from your vids. There is not much good coming through. No impact at all. Do some kind of double check. I can't imagine the electronics sounding that sub par.
closenplay
54 posts
 
To echo and reinforce accurate points by both goodsource and carey, the main benefit to adding subs (properly, electronically with high and low pass filters in my experienced opinion) is not to add bass (but can be as well), but to relieve the main speakers and amplifiers of low bass responsibilities. The quality of low bass improves with subs and their dedicated amplifiers as well as the quality of mid bass and midrange in your main speakers. Not at all about quantity of bass, it is about the quality of bass........in your specific case.
closenplay
54 posts
 
You are making it difficult to have an intelligent discussion about the topic if you start talking about "feelings". We all know the quality and power of the Boulder. No one said it needs any relief. It is just a fact that if you ask your main speakers and the amps that power them to do less, they will perform what is asked of them better. The concept and reality are quite simple. Please take your balls off the wall, you will ruin the acoustics of your room (unless you have one on one wall and the other symmetrically placed on an opposing wall, perhaps acting like a SR HFT). :)
closenplay
54 posts
 
The Dag vid is tasty yummy like soft butter on a warm fluffy biscuit.........but the whole time listening has me missing that spectacular Boulder juicy prime steak and '90 Latour sound. Auxeses well deserved even considering the sub optimal SQ from y tube.
    Techno.... you have made some fine observations/comments in the past, but a bit more research, understanding, and experience will have you reconsidering the accuracy of your last post.
    Faxer.....Nice speakers (new version), heard the old version at the last AXPONA (when was that, 1958?). Enjoyed a conversation with the designer. The vids sound fine enough.....but difficult to compare/contrast their sound with Jay's (if that is the intent) because obviously everything is different- room, amps, etc...Can never tell anything about absolute SQ on y tube, only relative SQ....so it is imperative to have the speakers you represent in Jay's system or vice versa. Likelihood of either happening is probably low. Often wonder if it does more harm than good presenting a y tube video to the masses when the intent is to impress them ( to assist in sales)  with the SQ of said product....so many variables, not the least of which is......we are listening through our stuff (audiophile technical term). The best any vid of any piece of equipment is going to sound is the ceiling our own system imposes, even if we could watch a vid that has  24/96 and up resolution. Hope sales are better than expected!
closenplay
54 posts
 
Tjassoc.....that add on super tweeter is the Enigma Acoustics Sopranino...very nice driver. The bookshelf speaker (mythology, I believe) that incorporated that driver was very impressive when I heard it a few shows ago.
       
    
closenplay
54 posts
 
Jay, did you read what you wrote before posting to get a feel for how that falls on the ears?
Also, remember Boulder told you not to pet the sweaty issue of whether to use anything under their amps? Of course, you're gunna find out bout dem cords! At worst, what.......you just pay to have them re-terminated?
Vegas prop bet: 10 to 1 kren or speed or both respond before Jay? (well...of course not now!)
BTW where has speed been, as well as viber (seconding a previous inquiry)? Do hope everyone is healthy.
closenplay
54 posts
 
So as not to sound like a "Debbie Downer" ( never an intent, just keeping it real), I'll try to serve up the old good, bad, good sandwich. Good--- good on you if you prefer the T cords over stock. Bad---If you want us to accurately compare the sound of the T cords with the stock, you need to play all the same songs (as before) at the same level, 82 db (as before). Otherwise you're just comparing apples to oranges. Also, there is big time distortion in Liberty, assuming it is the mic overloading. The influence of your room on the sound is also becoming more apparent the higher the sound level. Hard to believe only one or two tubers heard the distortion?!?! Probably speaks to what most are listening through. To Mahgister's (much respect, btw) point........Amazing how most are waxing obsequiously about the sound quality when the same song will sound better by streaming it directly. They act as if the sound is magically better through the tube because of Jay's system...whaaaaa? Good----(sorry, a twofer) Fabulous if you get even more of that Boulder goodness with the T cords!
More to discover