Maceear, surprisingly, it's the first time, I felt someone coincide 100% of my feeling, you describe Tidal so well, even your is not Diacera or SE, but I 100% second you and know you are very honest to what you heard. |
Argyro, you are right. I don't feel my Contriva Diacera SE is difficult to drive as ATC 20SL, I still can listen at low volume, not like ATC, the sound collapsed when play low volume. |
Ciro71, I was in a very similar situation few days ago, considering a replacement to my current W/P 8.
Magico Q3, Wilson Sasha, Vandy 7, Consensus Conspiracy, and certainly Tidal Contriva Ceracia SE.
I have only auditioned Magico and Sasha in my area, the others are still not available in Taiwan yet. After reading this thread, I took a bold move to buy SE blindly.
It's on the way to my place, I will update my experience when they sit in my living room with Ayre KX-R and MX-R combo. Probably in 2 to 3 weeks.
Forgive my English... |
2 hours already, my Contriva Diacera SE has been set up and tried several toe-in angles.
First impression, it is in total different class from my original W/P 8, much taller, bigger soundstage, diamond tweeter bring more vivid / intimate music flow out from speakers. Can hear more detail, but not in Hifi;ish mode. Very coherent, definitely no fatigue at all especially using Ayre KX-R and MX-R.
Anyone knows where to download user manual or has copy to share with m?, I don't know what those accessories for? |
Tbg, thanks for advises. can you elaborate more about how Stiipoint SS improve sound of SE? And where I can buy them at reasonable price?
My SE is a demo pair, AAudio told me it has 300 hrs already, all I have to do is set-in. |
Tbg and Calloway, I tried different combination, shorting wires don't stay, but port plugs does make my bass tighter, I keep them in. Maybe after I put Stillpoints SS feet, I will try them again.
Tbg, do I have to order optional threaded adapters for Contriva? |
Ciro71, I bought Tidal blindly, I did not hear them at all, no distributor for Tidal. But I did hear Marten, similar in design, ceramic drivers,
Q3 is vert good, too. But I don't like the look,
If you like the speaker can reproduce great details, many can do that, also your electronics, cable and wires all related.
I will update when mine Tidal arrived. |
Ayre KX-R + MX-R already here, Tidal is on the way, arrive airport tomorrow. Hopefully will come in on Thursday............ |
Tbg,have you tried Argento wires to Tidal? are they really that magical? I currently have Tara Labs, should I give Argento a try or not? |
It's the second day with Contriva Diacera SE, they are full of surprise!!
They are very sensitive to positioning, I make a bigger toe-in, around 15 degree today, sound image becomes much better. And I take one inch apart to each end, WOW, I couldn't believe the transformation!!! Only one inch, sound stage is way much wider and brighter.
My friend who has Marten Design Coltrane, thought they would sound similar since both use Accuton units, after he heard Contriva, he told me "no, it is completely different" Contriva is very full in mid-range, the density is close to ATC kind of level. Coltrane is in different school of sounding, clean and airy, I will go to his house to hear them again by myself.
To me, I always miss the mid-range of ATC, but they are difficult to deal with in some aspects. But the mid-range of ATC melt me in if the recording quality is right. Contriva bring me the level of mid-range density again, with more balanced way. ATC is more like studio monitor type of speaker, direct and accurate, but make me fatigue to digest for long hours.
I still don't know how Tidal achieve this, I got all information from the music, very detailed, but the music just flow out nicely, even in high volume, I can still feel calm and comfortable, I can talk to someone without shouting. Not like my all previous speakers. So far, this is the most respectable achievement to me on Tidal/ Contriva.
|
I went to audit Marten Coltrane today, my friend is right, Coltrane and Contriva are two completely different animals even they use similar Accuton units and diamond tweeter. And they are in same price range. Physically, Coltrane is much smaller than Contriva, about 2/3 the size.
My friend use ASR Emitter I integrated amp for Coltrane, I heard Emitter once with other speakers, I don't know how much the electronics affect the sound, what I heard base on the combination, Coltrane is vivd, airy, EXCELLENT image. Contriva has been discuss enough in this thread, high density, a bit conservative in treble, yet all details are there, in its own understated way to interpret musician / singers' elaborations. Maybe sacrifice a bit of pinpointing capability.
If you asked me which one I would choose, haha , you know the answer, Coltrane is an amazing speaker, but it lacks some qualities I considered the most important -- involvement, maybe ASR is not a proper match to Coltrane, or maybe wires are not right, violin sounds awful and piano sounds artificial to me. The vocal and soundstage are defiantly in very high class category, but something is missing,,,..intimacy, yes, it is the word I want to use. |
Bvdiman, I attached them, but I felt the same way as Tbg, I prefer unattached sound better. |
Bvdiman, I guess many factors come to play the better or not issue, room spaces, electronics, wire and cords, positioning, accessories like feet, etc.,
To me, attaching jumpers make sound more noisy, treble is rougher, mid range is leaner, body and weight is slimed, my room is big, but the listening distance is limited to 3.5 meters only, too linear sound maybe not suitable to my environment. |
Bvdiman, I just rec'd Jorn's email, he said attaching jumper is good for well damper space, for house with some reflections, un-attached them is better option.
Is your room well damper? |
Calloway, what's the difference you can tell from FMR to Flow? Have you heard Tara Labs The Zero IC or Cobalt PC before? |
Bvdiman, I tried to remove some reflective materials and add some damper, now I am training my ear to wire plugged sound, with classical music,.....um, I can live with it.
I may jump to your camp soon, sorry, Tbg. |
Maxx1973, I suggest you to put Tara Labs top tier wire into your list, they are describe as "jaw dropping" product.
I had Nordost Valhalla in my system before, never try Odin, once I try Tara Labs, all Nordost can't stay, not even close. The difference is almost night and day. Valhalla is only one level lower than Odin, can you image that!
I heard many Siltech on many systems, they are quite popular in Taiwan, the top tier Siltech is OK, but still can not outperform Tara Labs. I personally think they are over priced. |
Bvdiman, one of the best audition room I have ever seen, congratulation! Where are you located? USA or Europe ? |
Bvdiman, haha, Sunray is very difficult to find in Taiwan, my friend who owns the Marten Coltrane, after he listened my Tidal, he is considering to buy Sunray. He heard one guy has them, but the owner is on business trip, so he can't get an audition appointment now.
Maybe we should organize an audiophile tour to visit Indonesia. I am sure there are many not so "modest" systems over there :) Among those systems you and your friends owned, how do you rate your system especially Tidal vs others?
Could you compare Magico speakers in general, one AudiogoNer asked me via email, but I have only limited experience to answer this question. |
Ciro71, "what could be in the contrivas
more of the focal maerstro"?
Tidal is like Bvdiman said : immersive in music lover ways. Many speakers can give you WOW factor when you first time listen to them, but Tidal is musically superior than most speakers I have ever heard. Don't get me wrong, Tidal provides very high micro detail as well, not "blur" type of musical. Yet it can present the music in gentle and poised way.
It is hard to describe, it's better you can hear by yourself. You can spend only one minute to feel immediate "suck in" music feeling by Tidal. Other than that, it depends on everyone's taste of sonic signature. |
Geopolitis, any idea how "black" ceramic driver different from white one? |
I went to audition Sunray today, I admit Jorn is right, the chance that my Contriva Diacera SE could sound better than Sunray is near zero. Unless you don't have proper space for Sunray. Please be noted that the Sunray I heard today is with upgraded crossover.
By nature, Sunray generates bigger, fuller sound than Contriva due to its physical size. Detail is amazingly, yet still very easy to listen, no pressure, no fatigue. more body, I think Sunray is definitely qualified as the "last" speakers I want to keep for lifetime. I can't image how T1 could be better than Sunray? |
Bostonbean, welcome to Tidalist family, can you describe more your experience of auditioning Tidal speakers versus other speakers? What are special to let you take the jump to Tidal camp? |
Maceear, I also played guitar, years ago, but I know exactly how they sounds in live, I still keep 10 of my guitars in a room.
Wanna share some your favorite music/album ?
And could you describe your system for my reference? |
Maceear, what is ZILPLEX? Can't find any in Google. |
Maceear, neither "Wiebe" nor "ZILPLEX" can be found in search mode. Can you provide any email or contact info for more understanding to this product? |
Wiebe, can you tell me more how ZILPLEX works? I need to know how many of them should be installed on my wall? |
Roysen, I am afraid that not so many people here have heard T1, or Arrakis 2, if you can downgrade your question to Tidal vs Rockport in general, it's easier to get some reply. |
Argyro, how do you think about Tidal's electronics vs others? |
Roysen, after listening to Sunray at my friend's house, I am sure Tidal is very sensitive to any change in a system. My Contriva Diacera SE was a bit warm before. And I switched my BMI Oceanic PC from poweramp to the CD player, and Tara Labs Cobalt PC on CD player to poweramp, then the sound changed dramatically, now it is not warm at all.
But one thing I felt the same, Tidal never show sharp edge like Marten Coltrane. But I consider it is neutral to the source. When did you hear a live music with sharp edge? That is why I can listen to the music without fatigue. |
Bryon, I actually enjoy this thread and your thread for debating neutralnality, I don't think it is hyjecting the Tidal thread. Because as a Tidal owner, all discussions here approve one thing : Tidal is more neutral than most others in the market. Jorn is sticking with what he believe and deliver them in the way the owner can easily recognize.
My friend who own Marten Coltrane Prime, he visited my house to listen Tidal, at the first audition, he told me Tidal is "normal", maybe I did not set up well enough.
Then I went to his house to listen his Coltrane, I finally understand why he comments Tidal as "normal", Then we start to debate the definition of "good speaker". I describe my feeling of good speaker was very very similar to what Jorn described here. But that was months ago, I have not read Jorn's philosophy he posted here just in these two days.
To make long story short. My friend bought a pair of Sunray, and did not want to listen to Coltrane anymore even they are still in his living room . He accepted my listening philosophy and fully appreciate Tidal speakers since then. Hope you can visit Tidal demo soon and reply to us soon, I want to know your listening experience is matching to owners' experiences. |
Tbg, Jorn never disclose the technical spec. But by comparing to my previous speakers, my best guess is around 88 db. |
Tbg, but it is more efficient than ATC 20SL, which is 83 db |
Tbg, good to know, how about the sound from new outlet except 6db louder. |
Shsohis, no hype on Tidal, just very real, coherent and musical, if you like hype, try Wilson or something else. I can hear my Tidal for many hours without hint of fatigue.
Please bring your most familiar CD for audition, if you could hear the difference, please share your feeling with us. |
Elviukai, yes, Tidal is a very honest instrument to reflect setup. Most of speakers may account for 50 to 70% influence to the sound of a system, Tidal may take less than 20%.
I used to own W/P 8, so I know Wilason is also sensitive to setup, but no matter how you change your setup, Tidal is in another class, I think the biggest difference is coherency, I heard new Sasha, big improvement from previous models, much balanced in every way, but Tidal Interpretate music in closer way. |
Elviukai, you are welcome, to debate Wilson or other speakers, it's like to debate Nikon or Canon camera and lenses.
To me, Tidal is like Leica to me, if a guy can't tell the difference in image by his eyes between Leica and others, it is very difficult to say more.
I don't mean to look down to them, I start to appreciate the differences since I owned Leica, and make some test by myself. That is a long learn curve. Before that, I also thought Leica is just a "status" product.
Of course Canon or Nikon or Konica-Minota or etc... does make some outstanding product from time to time. |
Does anyone know which music was played in this YouTube video clip : http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=TW#/watch?v=8SLs4HHbgWQ |
Bostonbean, welcome to Tidalist family, what's rest of your system? |
