I had the ref 2mkII and ref 3..I own the 202 Krell now. When used with the 402 amp in balanced mode, it is just about flawless...almost like being in Boston symphony hall! |
Balanced operation is definately a big deal ultimately, and should be mentioned. As for "the best", it all depends on what your going for...sympnony hall/jazz club or pop/hip-hop..etc... If re-creating the ephemeral nature of live instruments is a standard, then one can limit the field substantialy. If one only needs to have sufficient bass and treble to connect to pointless pulsating rythms or the inconsequential ramblings of the pseudo-musicians so prevalent today...well, you see my point! |
Einstein's "The Tube" preamp is good but ultimately more colored and more difficult to match with a system. It's presentation is forward (ala B&W speakers), soundstaging is OK but not Ref 3 territory, and it's ability to capture the way live music breaths and expands and changes it's dynamic envelope is replaced with a sense of artifice which imbues a presumed quickness...but it misses the beauty that connects all the notes together. A ref 3 needs proper setup and time in a system to be fully appreciated. One must also appreciate exceptional music and have a great reference point (BSO perhaps)! As for Meridian, owned the G6 and demo'd some of the other reference gear. Meridian reminds me of very good Hi Fi, exciting and flashy but missing the soul of a performance (great home theater stuff..if that's your bag). By the way, the ref 3 needs about 500 hours before it shows it's mustard..and it needs a great power cord, the stock one would take it into average land. |
What types of music do you favor Farersre? Cables? Speakers? Placement? Amp(s)? Concert level listening or easy listening? Reviewer...ooops, forget that one, they are like A-- holes, everybody has one ! |
The "best" is discernible in so far as one can reproduce music in the home that delivers the hallmarks of a live performance: Wide dynamic range, undistorted frequency extension, wide deep tall soundstaging, timbral accuracy (a viola sounds like a viola etc...). Instruments have certain identifiable sounds and sonic charachteristics, great halls portray instruments in a certain way...the best audio gear should allow one to enter the moment of creation and suspend belief! This is not ice cream, it is music and should be easily identified as such through a great hi-end system with as few limitations and or artifacts as possible...great gear can do this better than other conventional designs. FM acoustics sounds like a professional brand. It has been my experience that individuals "in the business" of making music are usually the worst judges of hi-fidelity equipment...counter-intuitive I know, but they seem to value aspects of sound re-creation that is askew of us mere mortals who savor their labors! |
I recall FM Acoustics now...it's a swiss boutique manufacturer catering to the exclusive "money is no object/sound is second" club. A tube preamp is a must, amplification is getting better for both camps. |
Atmasphere has a good point, in so much as we all have built in pre-conceptions of what we expect to hear from our home systems. I'll say again however that live music is identifiable as such by even the non-audiophiles among us. The "BEST" gear will allow those "LIVE" characteristics to shine through...micro and macro dynamics, full range extension, large deep airy soundstaging, palpability of solid images, accurate timbre etc... I can appreciate alot of gear, but my ref 3 and HD220 in my system re-creates the live event so well that one can suspend belief that it is in fact a live performance. Reality is of course real and is therefore something we can experience...live music is clearly unique in it's balance of sound and unrestrained nature. Music is clear but not overtly so, it is dynamic as hell but hangs together. it is full of expression and life, it has dimension. Many high end brands try to get it right but most do not pull it all together...they are not the best!! I've gone to the BSO, the Kimmel, the Curtis Institute etc....when I go home I am not totally disappointed. Of course if one has no appreciation of well recorded important music and/or has no live reference point one can find bliss around every corner....ah, ignorance truly is bliss!! |
Atmasphere is more correct as it pertains to divine intervention regarding preamps ... I've had tons of both gear (includng the new Krell Evo rig), musc is not made without a great tube preamp involved! |
The music which resides on the media of choice for home listening should be re-created to it's fullest measure. Comparison can only be made with live music. Getting the most expression of the artists intent will follow....IMHO tubes in at least the preamp stage are required! |
I've heard most of the preamps mentioned in this thread and have owned quite a few others. Also, I've had great results with ARC long term .... not to mention my dealer treats me very nice $$$$$$ SS can sound great on some material but tubes imbue life like no other designs I've experienced. System synergy and musical preferences will drive the results more so than any individual component however...I owned totem forests with a krell 400xi and sony dvd player which sounded freakin amazing in a small room..go figure!! |
Downunder, what is the rest of your system comprised of ? Cables ? CJ seems to be floundering lately...website is not updated, new products come and go in the blink of an eye or they never materialize at all. Balanced connections need not apply as well....value has gone out the window on top of all this. The ART 3 is obviously in response to a failed series of ACT product (1, 2, 3..your out!). ARC is hitting their stride lately and after buying the ref 3 and the hd220 I can understand why. At one time CJ was the new kid on the block, so isn't it ironic that ARC seems to be besting them in design and pricing. |
Yeah, I have great respect for CJ..owned a bit and loved it! I just get the sense that the company is loosing it's focus. |
Dgob, the 268 was impressive but expensive and not better than the ref 3..tubes still complete the picture better for me. Funny, FM stuff is rarely mentioned in high end circles ? |
How many of you have gone to some of the great concert halls around the USA or the world for that matter! 5th row Boston is full, warm, huge, detailed, airy, extended and crazy dynamic with mind blowing dimensionality...the ref 3 re-creates that effect with commensurate components. Also, how far apart do most of you have your speakers ? These things say alot about how and what you listen for !! |
Well Dgob, their are certainly definite hallmarks of "REAL" music played live. Dynamic contrasts/range and lack of distortion are a couple. Accurate tone is obvious, as well as a sense of ease at all volume levels. All instruments are easily picked out without one overcompeting with another. At home one should get as close as possible to re-creating these parameters...the bref 3 allows an enormous amount of these hallmarks through! Most other preamps sound controlled and stunted to some degree or another. |
