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New to Audiogon. selling my whole system

EVERYTHING. I've never done this before. It's time to start fresh. I'll soon be posting everything as I learn to use this site. I have everything from Proac Supertowers to studio 100's to studio 1 mk2 to Quick silver monos and full function pre with all MIT wire to Stax Lamda's to two Onyx integrateds etc...

Not sure how much I'll fetch for everything, but I've been listening to everything from 15k speakers to the newest integrateds. I have found a few dealers who have been ultra helpful and very nice. Many years ago I met Richard Vandersteen at Stereo Unlimited in SD and fell in love with the 'new' 2's. After a 4 year stint driving the USS Kitty Hawk, I moved back to CT and set out to finally get my new system. I sold off my moscode amp, CJ pre and Polk 10's (Sandy Gross' design) and found a Vandy dealer in RI> I became close friends with the owner and we are still in touch even though he's been closed for years. I walked in with my wife prepared to walk out with Vandy's and a new amp. Instead I walked out with the Supertowers, Quick mono's and his personal pre amp.

I have loved this system for many years and have had new drivers put in and it sounded even better. Problem is, my new wife needs a remote so I had to buy an NAD integrated. I still love the speakers, but I was told to check out the new D series of Proacs. I was led to Audio Connection and John (he posts here). I went in to audition the Pro Ac's and they were nice, but I wasn't blown away as what I have is still pretty darn good. Then John told me to listen to the Vandy's along with the Ayer 7x integrated and a cheap Music Hall DAC.

Keep in mind, I had recently heard the Focal BE line, Paradigm Signatures, B&W (never have liked them), Dynaudio, PSB T I think it was, Wilson, Dali and the list goes on. Nearly all the contenders (I"ve left some out). I have head the NAD Master series and the new NAD 390 digital. I heard the Krell, etc....

I never expected to have one system blow me away, but it did. I was in SHOCK and still am as it's the reverse of the last time. I really wanted to hear the Hegel integrateds as they have a nice DAC built in, but they aren't out yet. That said, the Ayre would be hard to beat. I like John's approach in that he puts systems together and we have similar ears. He carries the lines I have and have had other than the MIT I have been using (770 MH CVT and shotgun etc..) I also didn't think the Audioquest would impress me, but again, I was dead wrong.

I read reviews, but nothing beats listening. NOTHING. I think the Vandy Treo's , ayre 7x integrated, Music Hall DAC and Audioquest with those DBS deals are the way I'm going to go as soon as I'm able to share some great stuff with folks.

I look forward to reading more threads in the forum as it seems like a nice community.

I wonder how many have been in my boat (starting fresh for the first time after all these years)? Any stories to share?
ctsooner

Showing 16 responses by bo1972

bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
The facts are that there is more resolution ( you hear more information), more drive, better blacks, a far better individual focus. This is audible by every person quite easy. I would like to invite Mr M for a comparison. This had nothing to do with personal preference. Tell me why you would choose for less drive, less resolution, less sharo focus and a less palpable image. Just tell me why? Try to convince me and others.......
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
I would like to see MIT vs Audioquest and many others in magazines. Who has the gutts to do it? Or you would like to think you still use and own the best. It depends if you would like to hear what you want to hear or the truth. I would love to see a far more direct comparison in audio all the time. That is what I do!!
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
First of all take all the time you need. Looking for new audio is often so much fun. You can spend your money one time so do it right. Start with the speakers. One option you should try is Monitor Audio Platinum. But audition them with amps which can give a deep and wide stage. Because it can give a wider and deeper stage like Wilson Audio. With the right amps it even can play beside the speakers. These speakers can be played at extreme volumes, most other speakers can't go. Resolution and imaging is stunning. About amps I would listen to Pass Labs. In the past I compared it 2 months with different Ayre amps. The stage is wider and deeper than Ayre can build an image. 3D staging is the essential part for the absolute sound in highend audio. One important part is what I call intimate sound. This is the small and realistic proportion of instruments and voices. Audioquest and Purist Audio are one of the best in this part. The other part is what we call 'blacks'. This is the room between all the instruments and voices which were recorded with there acoustic info at the studio. This part will make the image a lot more palpable and stable. MIT is a brand which I sold and owned for many years. These days Audioquest is a big step further in all the parts you Judge cables at. Have fun and enjoy your way to the absolute sound for you!
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
Who the F....is Bruce?
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
Pass Labs class A can give a very realistic sound in instruments. You can hear the difference easily between 2 different acoustic guitars at the same time. To be honnest I tried this with Ayre, but it does not have the same level in sound realism.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
NAD is in the world of highend not good enough. It is that simple. The same about there new digital amps. I sold Tact in the past. This is the same technique which is used in there new digital amps. It is incomplete. Because some class A amps are superior in sound realism. The other point is that there individual focus of instruments and voices is not sharp enough as the best can do. There stage is also not very deep and wide like the best. It is easy to top this level.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
You are talking about a DAC, this is something different than an amp. For that kind of money NAD made a very good dac. But in general NAD is not a brand in the world of highend. I sold NAD for over 8 years of time. In 2007 I decided to buy it for the shop I run at that moment. In the past I liked NAD a lot. But it was a big misstake of myself. They had many stuff with problems. The company with who I do business still sells NAD. They have still may issues. In many a b comparisons people choose more often for brands like Arcam, Cambridge or Primare.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
The DBS improves the timing and blacks a lot.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
"I have heard many cables and was an MIT guy since day one. I even used Bruce's Monster Cables that he invented in the 70's. I'm selling off all my MIT stuff. I have heard the AQ with DBS vs Nordost, Tara, Kimber (I still have some speaker cables that I have liked), Straight Wire and many others. I always felt AQ was great marketing and not that great, but I've been so impressed."

I am on a mission to do as many a-b comparison as possible between MIT and Audioquest. Since I started this I never had any MIT wins. Why? Because Audioquest wins in every part. People have to learn to look further. Audioquest is better in dynamics, superior in blacks and resolution compared to MIT. And even the sound is much more musical and involving. Stop believing the bullshit stories of some companies who say; you have to use MIT with Avalon and spectral. In the last months I have proven in different a-b battles that it is based on f... nothing. I have a new client with spectral and MIT. I will convince him how much he misses. I was surprised how much is missing what need to be there. And yes it is that easy! Quality sells and rules!!!!
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
I sold MIT for over 6 years of time. And I owned the best powercables the make. Ofcourse they make fine cables. But when I compare the latest Audioquest cables with MIT cables you have to admit that the difference has become too big. I Always Judge cables for many different parts. When you compare the low freq, drive and speed is done a lot better with the Audioquest. The biggest difference is individual focus of instruments and voices. Audioquest is able to let you hear a very precise and small direct focus of all instruments and voices. Voices and instruments are very small in dimension in real. Play it with the MIT and in many cases instruments and voices are played too big. Here you loose the intimate sound what is very important to become one with the music. When instruments and voices are played too big in proportion the distance between you and the music gets bigger. There is less involvement and you are not pulles into the music like it should be. The mid freq are a lot more open and musical with the Audioquest cables. Instruments and voices are a lot more palpable cause of the better blacks of the Audioquest cables. And when you compare how much details you hear, you easily hear much more space, details and different layers. We are not taking about details, but big differences. I think there is a lot of work for MIT to catch up.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
I am Always looking for the best. What I said earlier Audioquest make fine powercables, but by far not good enough for my demands. In this area Purist Audio is superior. I compared them a few times this year. I gave this info to Audioquest and said you have to improve them soon. The Purist Audio Powercabels can bring amps and sources to new levels. That is why I use often 2 different poweramps in different price tags to make people understand how much influence it can have on a poweramp. With sources it is the same thing. The Purist Audio powercabels gives me a much more open and musical mid freq. And it gives me more weight and layers in the lowest freq. The MIT powercabels cannot give the open mid freq. what the Purist Audio powercabels can give, no can the Audioquest powercabels. The new Wild Blue is an expensive cable, stunning cable but I do not think it is the best. For the money it brings a very high level. I love the Audioquest loudspeakercable so much because it has all the different parts I want in a system. In the past I needed many more different brands before i had the sound I wanted. On the other hand it is very easy to compete with many other. Because often my clients try others as well. I never had it this easy to compete since I started with Audioquest again. I am not a brand addict. To be honnest I really don't care. If there is a new brand which is better, this will be the next reference. Because I want the best for my money and for my clients there money. Maybe my words are sometimes direct and people think I provoke. I only want people to look further. Just use your ears and compare. And this you have to do yourself!
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
One of my best friends uses Avalon speakers and all his cables were from MIT. He bought them because people said these are the best cables for your speakers. He believed them, but now he understands that it is based on nothing. It was very easy to make him understand why. The differences are soo big that it is easy to understand what is missing. After you compared you do not want to go back anymore. You would be a fool. My client asked me if copper is not more musical than silver? It can be, in some situations. But when I compare the Audioquest copper and silver interconnects. The more expensive silver interconnects like the Wild Blue Yonder are superior in speed, openness, sound realism and control. It depends about the quality of the silver. There are silver interconnects in many different qualities.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
I play all kinds of music; classical, jazz, pop, rock, dance, electro.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
Janos Starker/ Bach Suites; I use it to demonstrate the sound realism of a cello and also the small proportion and palpable image of the cello.

Diana Krall/The girl in the other room/ Almost blue; again for the sound of the Steinway she uses and for the 3D image of her voice. She is standing in front of you so palpable.

Departure Bay; I can let people hear her lips during singing ( in most sets you do not hear it at all) And again the extreme level of blacks and touchable image.

Kraftwerk/tour the France/La Forme; I use it for the speed and drive. But also for the extreme holographic image in general. You hear the depth, but also like you use surroundspeakers ( Q sound effect)

Bruce Springsteen/Trackscd-4/Brothers under the bridge; articulation of his voice. The way how I use Audyssey with Volume and EQ you hear a lot more details. Bruce is standing in full 3D in front of you. You hear all his words endings so clear. Endings like ssss, ttt or th.

Jacintha/Jacintha is her name/light my fire; this one I use to let people hear the high level in blacks and also for depth. Crossflute is playing about 3-4 metres behind her voice.

I/m in the mood for love from the same album; I use this one to show people that the energy and drive of the Contrabass is coming from the left. My sub is standing on the right side. Almost all subwoofers are not able to let you hear the energy and drive from the left side where the contrabass is recorded. The instruments stay very small in dimension. With many subwoofers who do not integrate like the PLW-15 does the focus of instruments become less sharp and often bigger in proportion.

These are just a few. I use many different numbers to make things clear. Do not forget that my system makes this very easy. When I use this music on many sets, you miss so much. The sound realims, timbre is of another level. Most sets do not have the drive and speed. You hear often a lot les details.

I use my set to make clear what is missing in sets of clients. After this I change parts in there set to get it to a higher level.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
Many sets at shows and also at clients are often incomplete. So I explain them what is missing. When they hear my set at home it is quite easy to understand what is missing. I change part for part in there set to make them understand what it does. For example; first I start with a good conditioner. I compare it with there conditioner. I Always use the best things on the market. For conditioners the same. After this I compare the powercables they own with better ones. I change one for one. With the interconnects the same story. I never change more than one part. Just keep it simple and clear as possible. Always use your own music. Music which you use for comparing parts in audio. I Always use good and nice music at shows. Most common fault at shows is that they use pingping music. Often these people do not have a lot of music themselves. They are seldom music lovers. Music is the essential part for audio. When you are not a music lover it is better for you to look for another job or hobby I Always say.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
He was very old already. Even over 80 years old he still gave lessons to students.
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