Charles: "How does the tonality and timbre differ between the Cortese and the Montille?"
Charles, the Montille was very lively and enjoyable. I love the sound of EL84 tubes (my favorite for guitar amps.) However, it lacked the smoothness of an SET and, while amazing for a 14+14W tube amp, it was no match for the Cortese in the bass.
As a guitar player, the best analogy I can come up for timbre is that the Montille sounded like a single-coil pickup on an electric guitar, while the Cortese sounded like a humbucker. I don't know if this helps you, but the latter is much "creamier" sounding.
Alberto |
Keithr: "so you are trying to solve a problem that isn't on a majority of your music by using tone controls."
Keith, you are right. I wrote this review rather quickly and I should have phrased things differently. A more correct statement would be: "I had treated my room and system to smooth generally smooth the treble (something my ears are particularly sensitive to), and I still had to use tone controls on about 30% of my recordings."
In other words, even with room treatments and warm cables, I felt the need to tame the treble on some recordings - even with the Montille. Not so with the Cortese.
Alberto |
6550c: "Why would someone want an audiophile amp to sound like a humbucker - muddy unclear mids and no highs? Single coils all the way for me for full range clean sound! :)"
6550c, the humbucker vs. single-coil was just an analogy to help answer with words a question about sound -- something that is rather difficult. However, by the same token, I could say: "Who wants an audiophile amp to sound like a single-coil - squacky, biting, etc."
In the end, it all boils down to personal preferences. I love the way the Cortese sounds, there is no preamp mismatch as far as I'm concerned - quite the contrary. As I mentioned in the review, I have the sound I've been dreaming of for years with this combo. |
Aronss: You know that if we lived closer those Kensingtons you are selling would be mine by now :-). I know I said I no longer feel the *need* for bigger Tannoys - but it does not mean that I would not *like* to have them ... they look stunning!
And you are absolutely right about Matt at Pitch Perfect! I am VERY lucky to have him within an hour's drive from my home.
Alberto |
Sbayne: "I've owned a number of Shindo amps and these posts/comments I certainly agree with. Also, there is no doubt guitarists know their amps and tubes!" Interesting comment. Yes, we guitarists care a lot about tone. Over the years, I've invested a lot of time and effort to get a tone I like from my guitar and amp. My quest ended (i.e. no new amp in well over a year) with a low-power, class-A, point-to-point hand-wired amp - very much like the Shindo amp and Shindo sound. http://www.emerysound.com/12%22ComboMic.jpg |
David: "Your over the top endorsement, however does make me curious as to what other SET amps you are comparing the Cortese performance with? Where is your base line? One man's 12 is another man's 5."
Hi David!
My "rating" is purely subjective and not meant to be taken literally or over-analyzed in terms of calibration. As the name "Alberto's Audio Deliciousness Scale" (and the implicit reference to Spinal Tap) should suggest, it was meant to be somewhat humorous and over the top. Just to be clear: I don't actually have a well-defined 1-10 scale, nor have I used the idea of a Deliciousness Scale before with other products.
As a matter of fact, as far as I know, I am the only person I know who has been using deliciousness as an audio adjective with any regularity.
Since I am disclosing stuff, I best admit that I also did not actually measure the twenty steps that I said the Cortese took on the musical side of the analytic vs. musical line before dropping its trouser and mooning everyone and everything on the other side. :-).
My post was motivated by the pure joy and excitement I experienced when I put the Shindo Cortese in my system and room and it not only lived up, but surpassed, many of my expectations in terms of sounding musical and delicious.
I hope, and fully expect, that anyone considering the Cortese will refer to the reviews written by professional reviewers.
I have two pieces of somewhat more objective data to share however:
1) The day after I got the Cortese, I had the longest listening session of my life. Roughly from 10AM to 10PM - with short breaks for lunch and dinner.
2) Before, about 30% of my records did not sound good to me without some form of tone controls to tame harsh highs or thin sound. With the Cortese that number has dropped to - I am guesstimating - less than 1 or 2%. I am rediscovering and playing so many CDs (and a few LPs) I had given up on.
I appreciate you disclosing that you are a dealer and, while I don't know what products you represent, I am fully prepared to believe that they might also rate highly on my subjective delicious scale.
Cheers!
Alberto |
David, I don't feel the *need* to answer your questions but I don't mind doing so - especially since you noted the friendly tone in my reply. We are all here to learn and discuss.
My previous amp+speaker set up for 3+ years was McIntosh MC501s and Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage - thus not SET - but not a Sony receiver either. Over the years, I also built for myself (or bought) a few Bottlehead tube amps and still have a Bottlehead S.E.X. as my headphone amp which I used - before the Cortese - when I needed some deliciousness to make bad recordings sound good - or at least tolerable. I've also auditioned at least a dozen serious SET systems over the years - but I was probably too "young" to really appreciate them and their delicious sound. Although I am sure a few of them would have been rated highly delicious.
As an electric guitar player, I've gone through dozens of amps over the years and slowly (and expensively) converged on low-power, point-to-point wired SET amps and I am currently enjoying the heck out of a Emery Sound where I regularly swap tubes in search of tone. My favorite guitar tube, BTW, is the lowly EL84 driven by a 12AX7 with a 6X5GT rectifier to give it just the right amount of voltage "sag."
Bottom line: I haven't done extensive auditions on multiple SET amps like some professional reviewers, but I know what I like and since I know other people have the same taste as I, I thought it would be valuable to share it. I haven't read much about Audio Note amps, but I know that Art Dudley spoke highly of Audio Note speakers and, if I remember correctly, he used them with Shindo amps with great results.
It's entirely possible that I would have had a similar reaction the Ongaku, but fate led me in the warm and embracing sonic arms of Shindo, and I can only write of what I know - limited as it may be.
I'd like to conclude with three cheers for *all* audio manufacturers who have committed to addressing the tastes and preferences of people like me who value delicious sound.
Alberto |
Interesting how this thread has (d)evolved. Based on some of the replies you might have guessed that my original post said something to the effect of: "I am currently using a Shindo Cortese and I am soliciting suggestions for another amp." Instead of "I've got a Cortese and I'mmma loving' it beyond words!" :-).
Anyhoo ...
It has been about a week since I wrote the original post and, if anything, my initial impressions of the Cortese have been solidified.
Its most endearing trait for me is its ability to make lesser recordings shine and sound delicious. I've gone back to CDs and LPs with music I really liked but that I had all but eliminated from rotation because I did not like the way they sounded (E.g. thin or harsh.)
I also continue to be amazed by the quantity - and QUALITY - of the bass.
Finally, I am blown away by the size (width, height and depth) of the soundstage. It's spectacular. Combined with the Tannoy Sandringhams (gotta give them and the coaxial speaker some credit) and the right recording, the walls and ceiling of the room disappear and I am bathed in delicious music.
My listening sessions are longer. Ending a session to sleep, eat, work, be social, etc., is difficult. What more could I ask from an audio system. If anything, it's possibly TOO addictive and TOO delicious and it's having an impact on other aspects of my life :-).
I don't mind people throwing in their $0.02 on what *they* think would be even better for *me*, *my* system and *my* ears. It's a forum after all; it's kind of entertaining to read, and it's nice to know so many people are so concerned about me having only the best in my system :-).
Fact is, after many years and many $s invested in this hobby of ours, I have developed a VERY solid understanding of what *I* like and what matters most to me in an audio system. I could spend a lifetime and all my money constantly searching for something better - which may or may not exist - or find something I really, REALLY, like, that gives me every ounce of sonic pleasure I could want and spend my time listening to music. Crazy guy that I am, I chose the latter. To quote Genesis (the progressive rock band, not the biblical one): "I know what I like, and I like what I know."
Speaking of Genesis, time to go listen to "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" - I need a refresher on those "errogenous zones" :-).
Ciao!
Alberto |
Pubul57: "Are these 10 watts somehow more capable of driving speakers than the power rating would suggest? or do you really need 93-94db+ sensitive speakers to consider it?"
Pubul, in addition to speaker sensitivity, you need to factor in: room size, typical listening distance and typical listening volume.
If you want to play Mahler at symphony levels in a 30' x 40' x 12' room, even 93-94dbs are not going to cut it.
My listening room is relatively small (14x11x8) and one of the many reasons I chose the Tannoys Sandringhams is that, in addition to slightly better sensitivity (90db) I can listen to them in "near field" ~6' from the drivers. The coaxial speaker make this possible since the sound from both drivers does not need much distance to integrate properly.
With near-field listening, not only do the speakers disappear, but the walls and ceiling seem to disappear as well. The soundstage is huge.
Alberto |
