I don't doubt the quality of this Tron amplifier but 1/3 the cost of the Discovery amp still could be relatively high price. Isn't the Discovery 300b amp pretty expensive compared to the amplifiers discussed on this thread? I've heard the Tron 211 tube SET amplifier at RMAF and CES and it's was very good driving the Cessaro horn speakers. I haven't heard their 300b SETs. The beauty of the Coincident Dynamo (and Frankenstein) is the very high performance/cost ratio. This isn't an easy accomplishment.
Charles, |
Another option might be a TRON Atlantic, if you are considering buying new. 8W 300B with great build quality. Having heard it, it is every bit as good as Graham Tricker's other valve power amps.
A friend of mine in the UK has just bought one to go with his PMC twenty.24 speakers (90dB/W); he's delighted. It sounds wonderful, almost as good as the TRON top end Discovery 300B, but at a third of the price.
http://www.tron-electric.co.uk/products/view/atlantic |
Mikirob, very interesting. Perhaps it was that early exposure to tubes and shellack that started us down this road.
Music, like beer, is best served in glass. |
Brownsfan,
Your experience mirrors my own. My father, mother, uncle and other relations were musicians. My uncle had a large pre WWII collection of 78s, he lived in the house next door and I too spent hours upon hours listening to them. Between my parents and uncle we always had great music rigs in either house plus live music. My uncle had, beside the 78s, more than a thousand records, my parents perhaps half that many. Boy, I wish that I could have gotten some of those discs and rigs; but sadly it was no to be. |
Charles,
Yup, I'm with you 100% on all your points. |
Mapman,
Your Triangle Titus has a 4 ohm load. My understanding is that the crossover is very simple (one capacitor on the tweeter) so it's likely an easy load and relatively favorable for a SET type amplifier. This speaker is said to be transparent and clear so it should allow the Dynamo's innate character to flourish with little editorialization. It seems as though it could potentially be a very good match. The Dynamo has 4 and 8 ohm speaker taps to experiment with.
Charles, |
Mikirob, Thanks so much for your kind comments. I am just a passive recipient of this sublime beauty.
Today I meet (on the phone) a decedent of JS Bach. This was the first person I have ever run across with the Bach surname, so I had to ask. Made my day, and I think hers too. I take it she doesn't run into many Bach connoisseurs.
I think frequently about my first rig and music collection. It was a bunch of 78s, mostly of pre WWII vintage, and this huge 78 rpm player that sat on the floor of my bedroom. I used to listen for hours at a time.
I cannot imagine life without music. |
Bill,
I purchased the "skinny" bottle Blackburn plant model.
I did come across a "fat"bottle version but they were as you noted much more expensive (double the cost). The skinny tube has impressed you and Israel so I went this route as well. These are new (old stock) according to the reputable Canadian seller and should last for many years.
Charles, |
Mikirob,
I've bought tubes from Andy a few years ago and had no problems with him or his tubes. |
Charles, I try to be careful about excessive exuberance, as you may have noted with my reservations on the WE replica 101D. But this CV387 is really good in my system and room. I did some looking around to try to find CV387s, to no avail. It looks like it is ebay or nothing.
I did find some of the rare fat bottle CV387s from the Mullard Wycombe plant. Those are supposed to be even better than the blackburn skinny bottles I got from Israel, but they are 600 for a pair.
I am eager to get your read on the tubes once you get a little burn in time.
I do hope a supply of the skinny bottle blackburns are out there. This is a tube that so far is pushing all the right buttons for me. |
Charles,
Good luck, let us know how it works out. Have you bought any tube from Andy at Vintage Tube? |
Well, I placed an order on ebay for the Mullards(1960s vintage) and should have them in 7-10 days. I just chose the vender with the highest feedback rating and a long track record. Bill, see what you've done with your enthusiasm for this rectifier.
Thanks,
Charles, |
I'm very tempted to try that amp with my Triangle Titus XS monitors. IF my wife would have it in her sunroom that is. It's a modern Victorian style house and she loves retro, so maybe. |
Brent Jesse doesn't have the Mullard CV 378, so it's off to ebay for a search. |
Mikirob,
Thank you for your kind comments. My frequent partaking of live acoustic music keeps things in good perspective and established the priorities for my home listening enjoyment . Audio systems have to sound natural for me and convey presence and realism. If this isn't achieved then all other sonic or hifi parameter attributes are irrelevant. Having the opportunity to attend numerous CES shows and various special demonstrations it is instructive to hear some touted and expensive equipment that isn't natural but instead canned, sterile and unconvincing. I have no doubt that the Dynamo matched with an appropriate speaker will provide more realism and emotional involvement than a number of more expensive and praised components. Those pure and simple tube circuits are capable of making beautiful music.
Charles, |
Charles,
Yes, our musical tastes are very similar. In fact I started following your threads because you made statements about the quality/type of sound that you like and I stood up and took notice, thinking gee, this Charles person is someone to pay serious attention too; and then between Arthur Salvatore's comments and your own on the Coincident and Mr. Salvator's previous write-ups on the Golden Tube 300B, I knew you guys were on to something truthful about high-end audio that cut through the hype.
The above statement also applies to Brownsfan, whose musical tastes in both equipment and music are sublime. Of course there are some others, but you and Brownsfan epitomize the sound that I seek.
Mapman, definitely a winner. I hope you get to hear it for yourself, the Dynamo is shockingly good. I can't praise Israel Blume enough, he nailed this amp. It truly allows the young budding audiophile/music lover, older ones too, to enter a world of really fine musical reproduction at a nominal cost of entry, 2nd system or main system. Like Tim Smith stated or implied, keep the Dynamo and upgrade build around it, it will do expensive speakers justice provided they are reasonable in sensitivity, say 92db, and an easy 8 ohm load. Same for all other ancillary equipment, including tubes, cables and so forth. This amp will reflect and appreciate the upgrade; but you really don't need to do a thing, this amp will still sing. |
Bill,
Your French horn litmus test is analogous to mine with the trumpet. I grew up playing this instrument and know its sound well. Some components/systems are better than others in approaching the authentic sound. Some components purported to be "accurate" can't reproduce the inherent warmth and full body of instruments(their interpretation is lean and thread bare, lacking the natural color IMO). Given your love of acoustic classical music, tone and timbre are mandatory for satisfactory enjoyment. I'm in the same boat with acoustic jazz music.
Charles, |
JMCgrogan,
I've never had a device with variable feedback.
You indicated the changes affecting bass and detail.
Could the detail be associated with more relative brightness?
I notice with certain good quality headphones that tend towards less of a low end that things sound a lot different in the midrange. I hear things I might not have focused on otherwise, but I am hard pressed to say that they are not there otherwise. ITs more like a different perspective on the music where different things become more prominent, more of a difference in what is emphasized I think, but the result of more emphasis in the midrange might often be perceived as more detail since that is where most music happens.
Then there is the whole bad harmonics rap on NF. I understand this in theory but have difficulty pinpointing it in practice. IT just does not seem to be a big issue to me if the gear is designed well.
I'd like to have adjustable NF in order to experiment more but don't, so I guess I am just looking for the impressions of others in this regard.
Thanks. |
That Coincident definitely looks like a winner. |
Charles, Last night's session included Schubert's Auf dem Storm for tenor, piano, and French horn. It just blew me away. I finally have a system that gets French horns right. I hope you are able to find a good pair and they work as well for you. You just never know what is going to happen with ebay on NOS tubes. |
Brownsfan, Charles,
After the new house is finished (late spring) the first purchase I'm going to make is the franks. Between now and then l'll be having fun with the Dynamo. The Mullard is superb as it stands, but I likely will try some other rectifiers. The NOS Phillips 5R4GYS I firmly believe will substitute/perform wonderfully in some other compatible amp. A bargain at $65 from Upscale. Has anyone used KCA tubes? They seem to have a good supply of NOS RFT Siemens. According to Tim Smith, in his system the Siemens provided a "fatter, warmer sound". My only concern now is, how am I going to get any work done? I keep spacing out on the music. |
Bill,
If Brent Jesse doesn't have the Mullard CV 378 I'll look to the ebay vendors. I value your judgment, so I'm motivated to get this rectifier tube into the Frankenstein based on your very high level of satisfaction with them.
Charles, |
Mikirob,
I can relate to your genuine enthusiasm regarding this amplifier and it seems you and I have very similar listening taste and priorities. At this point in my life I've been fortunate to have experienced quite a large variety of amplifiers. Transistors (high or moderate power, class A and class AB) many push pull tube designs, OTL and class D versions. Within each category there's a hierarchy, some clearly better than the others.
No topology has gotten it as right as a well executed high quality SET IMO, nothing. They have introduced me to a level of natural sound and musical realism unmatched by other amplifier alternatives. Obviously this preference is personal and each person has their own choice to make. I get the sense that the SET genre will emotionally reach your music loving soul more thoroughly than other topologies have done for you. |
Charles, I have had good experiences dealing with brent Jesse. I did not see CV378s on his list the last time I looked, but it is worth giving him a call anyway.
Got some more listening in tonight. These CV387s are really opening up.
Mikirob, I also found the Mullard GZ34/5AR4 to be an outstanding rectifier for the dynamo. I've never really found that tube to be all people make it out to be, but in the dynamo, it really shines. I have to tell you, as much as you like the dynamo, you are going to loose your mind when you hear the franks. |
Charles, I'm fairly certain Brent Jesse has the Mullard CV378. A couple of other thoughts I didn't mention in my comments: The stage was enormous, all instruments were easy to identify, truly coming from black backgrounds. Voices were centered and extremely real. Nothing was syrupy. Totally organic and natural, the music flows as it should. Dynamics are fabulous. This little Dynamo can play anything, large orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Rock, Folk; it gets it all right. This amp is going to be a lot of fun, not only rolling tubes and tweaking, but discovering the music all over again. And I have a great urge to go out and purchase more music because at heart I am a music lover and this little baby delivers the music. |
Hi Mikirob,
It has to be especially satisfying to get such exceptional sound for a very reasonable cost. This amplifier has the foundation (simple circuit, strong power supply and high quality transformers) so better tubes will be very apparent when used. This amplifier has the potential to keep you happy for a long time. You mentioned Brent Jesse and I've not dealt with him. I'll see if he has any Mullard CV 378 rectifiers for my Frankenstein.
Charles, |
Sorry for the delay, but my dinner turned in to a spontaneous trip to Hawk Cay in the Florida Keys with my dinner mates. Hawk Cay is beautiful and dynamic just like the Coincident Dynamo 34se.
The Dynamo is located in my 14x16 home office, so all my top-notch gear is located in the living room and bedroom. As such, beside the Dynamo I've gathered together a bunch of my older cables, interconnects, DAC, transport, and so forth. I mentioned them earlier in this thread. My speakers here are the same Tekton M-Lore Tim Smith used in his outstanding 6 Moons review. Please read Tim's review. It says everything about this amp better than I ever could, it mirrors my experience almost exactly after I changed some tubes. Remember, I bought this model used for eight hundred bucks and I decided I'd spend the $500 dollar difference of its retail price on tube or other upgrades. My used unit came with Gold Lion KT77s with about 200 hours on them and a highly recommended NOS Phillips 5R4GYS which should be compatible with this amp but not recommended by Israel Blume, plus the standard Shuguang Electron EL34 as well as a pair of Shuguang 6SL7.
How did it sound? I thought it sounded very good but knew I could improve it. My wife thought there was something off, she didn't like the bass. I told her not to worry I was calling Brent Jesse and ordering a Mullard 5AR4 rectifier plus installing a matched pair of Sylvania 6SL7WGT 229 that I had in my tube stash. For now the Shuguang EL34s were staying in the unit as I wanted to get a feel for them with the new rectifier and 6SL7s. Once installed in the amp these tubes elevated everything, there was a huge transformation for the better. To borrow from Tim Smith, "purity of tone, the sense if space, PRaT, the inner detail, the fatique-free musicality, the druggingly delicious sweetness that single-ended tube amps provide, life-like vocals, a realistic guitar pluck, the long decay of a single piano key, a realistic double bass arco or banjo hammer-on in our listening room." Yes, the Dynamo does all those things and more. It is stunning, truly amazing.
I am going to purchase NOS RFT Siemens EL34s as well as Black Treasure 6CA7s, the NOS RCA Red Base 5691s for sure, perhaps later different cables, etc. This amp is worth it, it deserves the best; or, leave it stock. It is killer good. A no brainier. It is the best bargain I ever heard. Israel Blume deserves high praise. I could live with this amp forever. It does so much right. Read Tim's review. The best bargain SET to these ears, for once my wife agrees. Perhaps the best bargain in all of audio. |
Not SET but the greatest bargain I've come across in amplification is the Clones 25i integrated. Best amp I've ever had. |
Mikirob,
I look forward to reading about your experiences. I can relate in particularly to Tim's comments on the reproduction of jazz guitar. When I got my Frankenstein 5 years ago I was actually astonished listening to that instrument. I had never heard the beautiful and "complete" expression of chord harmonics and overtones in my system before. It was the closest I have heard to a live jazz guitarist sound by far! Full, juicy, complex and rich, just as they are in an intimate jazz club. I was instantly hooked, by comparison my previous amplifiers were merely good. Their presentation was drier, flatten and couldn't capture the innate harmonic interactions, sustain or note decay. The 1300.00 Dynamo being able to get this elusive quality so well (per reviewer) is impressive.
Charles. |
Charles1Dad,
Thank you for the heads up. I just finished reading the excellently written review by Tim Smith and must wholeheartedly agree with his comments. The Coincident Dynamo 34se is every bit as good as he says it is.
I am going out to dinner with some friends now, but will later add some remarks about various other tubes and ancillary equipment that supplement the 6 Moons review. |
On 6 Moons there's a new review of the Coincident Dynamo by Tim Smith. This is a fairly long review but comprehensive with several amplifier comparisons and the use of several speakers. He has very good taste in his music selections and he has good writing skills as well. The perfectionist Israel Blume was clearly pleased with the reviewer's verdict. High praise.
Charles, |
@Rebbi, I have a VAC push-pull tube amp that has adjustable global feedback from 0-5 dB in 1 dB steps. The manual recommends trying them all as it is simply a means of matching the amp to the speakers. Sort of like trying various output taps or tubes.
I tried all 6 positions and found that my speakers sounded best with the 0 dB feedback. As I increased feedback, I noticed more high frequency detail, but at the expense of rhythmic bass drive. The music became thinner and drier.
Who knows? Maybe if I change speakers some feedback may sound better. It is all about amplifier-speaker interactions. I do think that it is a nice feature to have though, adjustable negative feedback, as it does allow for some wiggle room when matching amp to speakers. I wish more amps had this ability. |
Rebbi,
It's nearly impossible to judge and rate amplifiers without knowing the speaker in question, their linkage is that vital. A fabulous amplifier can sound bad with the wrong speaker choice. The same is true of a wonderful speaker with the "wrong" amplifier. When people use the analogy of a good marriage to stress this point, they aren't kidding. Honestly, NFB can be either desirable or detrimental depending on the circumstances. In my "individual" case, I get along without it very well.
Charles, |
Very helpful and informative, guys, thanks! |
|
Rebbi,
Some level of NFB may be necessary depending on the speaker you choose. NFB will I believe result in a lower output impedance for an amplifier(and likely increase the damping factor, DF). This is advantagous for some speakers.Most SET amplifiers use DHT tubes which are inherently linear and don't require NFB as pentode tubes and transistors often do.Some speakers are designed to mate with the SET amplifier's higher output impedance and thus sound terrific. SET s have very straight forward simple circuits and many of their builders feel NFB will hurt the purity of these simple circuits.Most push pull pentode type amps aren't linear and will gain sonically with "careful" NFB use. It just depends on what you're trying to achieve and proper amp/speaker characteristics matching. In short a KT88 might need a bit of NFB, A 300b or 2A3 can get by without it.
Charles |
I haven't taken the time to read most of this thread, but I believe I can provide some insight into the points raised in Rebbi's post just above. As you no doubt realize, global feedback affects the characteristics of an amplifier in a number of different ways. Everything else being equal, an increase in global feedback will reduce gain (as you observed), output impedance, and total harmonic distortion. It will, to some degree that may or may not be objectionable, increase transient intermodulation distortion, and certain odd-order components of the harmonic distortion to which the ear is particularly sensitive. I suspect that the reason for the changed perspective you described was not due to the effects of feedback on the sonics of the amplifier in itself, but rather to the interaction of the amplifier's differing output impedances, at the different feedback settings, with the impedance characteristics of the particular speakers. Many speakers, including many two-way monitors such as your Reference 3A MM de Capo iA, have substantial impedance rises occurring somewhere in the mid-range. For example, see this impedance plot for the de Capo i, which rises to more than 10 ohms at around 2.5 kHz, while being close to 6 ohms in the mid-bass and much of the treble region. Given that kind of speaker impedance characteristic, and everything else being equal, higher amplifier output impedance (resulting from less feedback) will result in at least a slight increase in emphasis of frequencies around 2.5 kHz, relative to higher and lower frequencies. While lower amplifier output impedance (resulting from more feedback) will not produce that emphasis, at least to the same degree. And from a subjective standpoint greater emphasis of the mid-range and lower treble is typically perceived as a more "forward" presentation. Regarding your concluding question, about how your observations may extrapolate to a SET having no global feedback, I would be hesitant to draw any generalizations. Different zero feedback SET designs may vary dramatically in their output impedances (as well as in many other ways, of course), and will vary in the interactions of those impedances with the impedance characteristics of whatever speakers are being used. In an ideal world an amplifier would be able to achieve zero distortion (of all kinds) using no feedback, and it would have an output impedance whose match to the impedance characteristics of the speaker is consistent with the overall voicing of the speaker that was intended by the designer. But of course in the real world tradeoffs always come into play, and the optimal amount of feedback will inevitably be dependent on some combination of the particular amplifier, speaker, system, room, recording, and listener. On another note, I've been remiss in not yet extending congratulations to Brownsfan on his retirement. It's certainly proven to be a great institution in my (and my wife's) experience :-) And of course best of luck with the new locale. Best regards, -- Al |
|
I have one, additional question for you SET amplifier experts.
What exactly is the deal with so many of these amplifier manufacturers touting the fact that they use "no negative feedback?" How is that supposed to affect the sound of the amplifier?
I'm curious about this because I have been recently, for the first time, actually, playing with the global feedback toggle switches on my Manley Mahi Power Amps. Each one features a three-way toggle switch, with which you can (even while the amp is playing) change the level of feedback: minimum, standard and maximum.
What I have found in playing with these switches confirms something that one of the online reviews of these amplifiers suggested: they have a tendency to shift the perspective on the performance. With "minimum" feedback, the performance is more "upfront" or "in-your-face." Oddly, imaging seems somewhat compromised on my De Capo's in this mode. Also, without messing with the volume control on my preamp, minimum feedback mode seems to make things a bit louder.
With "standard" feedback, it's like you've been moved to the middle of the performance Hall. Oddly, imaging seems to improve quite a bit, or at least, you have the perspective of being far enough away from the stage to hear where the different performers are located, as opposed to being close up or you might just be caught up in the wash of sound. It's actually the setting I have found, for most music, I like the best.
On the "maximum" feedback setting, everything seems a little flat, foreshortened and "squashed" for lack of a better term.
Now, of course, these are push-pull amplifiers, so I'm not sure how much of what I am hearing would be transferable to a single ended amp. But given that I actually like the way these amps sound a little better with moderate feedback, and try to understand how a single ended amplifier with no global feedback might sound.
Does that make any sense?
:-) |
Mrmb, Indiana has been a great place to live, work, and raise a family. People here are friendly and the cost of housing in particular is very favorable. It is not a glamorous location, but there is a lot to like here. I don't feel a compelling desire to leave. It is the draw of the southeastern mountains that motivates me. As long as I am able to hike, I suspect I am going to like my new home. At some point down the road, 10-16 years I hope, I will probably return to some location in the Midwest. Maybe somewhere else.
I have a window of opportunity. My health is good and I have the support of my wife and the financial resources to make the move. It would certainly be easy to stay here, but this is a dream I must chase, or I will regret it once the window of opportunity closes.
It is an experiment for me, much like moving away from Magnepans driven by 1000 WPC ss amps to monitors driven by 8 WPC SETs was an experiment. Hope this experiment turns out as well. |
Hi Mrmb,
Your experience with those amplifiers isn't that unusual.Some speakers sound better with tubes(this includes bass) and others sound better with SS amplifiers. Speaker design and intent are everything. Some SS amps produce over damped bass due to their high damping factor(DF). On the other hand some speakers need this high DF to perform their best. People who suggest higher power amps as the "cure all" for any speaker issues are wrong. There is no universal power amplifier to fit all needs.I believe your son would be very happy with a good quality SET with his speakers.
Charles, |
I really appreciated the discourse contained in this thread, especially the comments of Brownsfan and Chares1dad!
The title caught my attention because of my son's Klipsch Heresy system and our discussions about his need to try SET's vs using my old Aragon 4004 ss amp.
I on the other hand, am in need of some hefty power to drive my Soundlab M1PX speakers. Although my needs are at the opposite end of the SET power spectrum, my amplifier sojourn definitely concurs with the comments about power being an unreliable predictor of the end sonic outcome. In all sonic areas, a rather highly regarded 350 watt/ch SS amp that I owned, was trounced by 100 watt Class A triode monoblocks, especially in the area of bass and control. So, while power is a point of reference, it (as are a lot of other stats. or specs.) is oftentimes not a very reliable or particularly helpful one.
Being from Indiana, but finding the Blue Ridge Parkway decades ago, we too became smitten with that part of our country, but unfortunately remain residing in IN. So, Brownsfan, congrats on your relocation.....enjoy!! |
Pavpet: Had a look. Thanks for the tip, I've never heard of Wyetech before. Problem is, those little mono-blocks are over my budget. |
Wyetech onyx 13 watts , tons of balls |
Brownsfan, Thank you for your well wishes.
I have plans for house hunting next month.
If I can take the heat and find a room for my System (emphasis on system} then I may be the only one wearing blue in a sea of red at football games.
Again all the best
Ed |
Brownsfan how about the Detroit symphony and hearing two great set systems. |
Goldeneraguy,
Thanks for the kind words. I have indeed suffered long. Perhaps things will turn around for both the Browns and the Cavs soon. We will see. Out west, it is a different kind of beauty. The heat would be a show stopper for me, though my wife would love it. I made my first trip to the Smokys at the age of 4, and the beauty left an indelible mark on me. It will be interesting to see how things go. There is certainly a culture shift. I've lived in Ohio and Indiana all my life.
I hope AZ works out for you. Bit more perhaps of a climate and culture change with your move. |
Bill,
That's the beauty of High End audio, variety. Within this small niche there's an abundance of choice among audio equipment to suit many tastes and goals. I know you're as happy to have found yours as I am. The key is you have to know what type of music reproduction you want.
Charles, |
Charles, well said. As I have grown, matured, and become more experienced in the world of music reproduction in the home -- isn't that better terminology than audio? I have noticed that I tended to agree with certain reviewers, tended to like certain "house sounds" and found myself tending to "nod my head and smile in agreement" with certain audiogon posters. I hear as these people hear and I value what they value. These are the people whose ears I trust.
I'd love to get together with about a half dozen or dozen of you guys and do a Cleveleand Orchestra concert in Severence Hall, then do a night in a Jazz venue of similar stature. I would expect extraordinary insight with respect to performance, but I might be most interested in your take on the sound. Stage, timbre, decay etc, as compared to what you hear in your home systems. I'd expect that you and I might find similar attributes of a particular performance notable.
I had a long, long, discussion with a member of my local orchestra once. He was trying to convince me that I should buy tickets in the dress circle, and forget about the main floor 5th row center seats I have loved for so many years. I tried to explain to him that while the dress circle might make sense from the perspective of the composer, a professional musician, or a professor of music theory, I was looking for a different experience. I wanted the upper harmonics of the cello, I wanted to hear the conductor instruct the principle cellist "non troppo, non troppo!" I wanted to watch the drops of sweat fly from the conductors face and see the fatigue in the faces of the violinists as they labored through LvBs unreasonable demands. I explained to him that I could get the dress circle experience at home.
My point is that even amongst those of us that favor acoustical instruments, there is a fairly wide range of preference as to what music reproduction in the home should sound like. It does not surprise me that a jazz aficionado should share a great deal with a lover of chamber music/5th row center guy like me. Accuracy of timbre is essential for lovers of acoustical music, but that is just the first layer. As you peel the onion, the dress circle guys will differentiate from the main floor folks, the main floor front folks from the main floor rear folks, etc. For those who are fans of electronically amplified genres of music, I'm sure the same is true.
The coincident line is going to appeal to a certain value system. As an owner of the Franks, dynamo, CSL, Triumph Extreme IIs, and having auditioned the PREs, I find a remarkable consistency running throughout. As I added more pieces, I got increasingly closer to the listening experience I sought.
Like you, I have walked away from some pretty well regarded and very expensive gear that just didn't do it for me. I could hear far too much that wasn't going to wear well. I'm in a very agreeable place with my system right now, finally, at long last. |
Bill,
I nodded my head in agreement and smiled while reading your comments about true timbre reproduction. Tone,timbre,harmonics and overtones are exactly my litmus test for the truly excellent components. Coincident does nail this crucial area.The Frankenstein MK II on my very first listen exceeded all previous amplifiers I'd heard up to that point. It's interesting when you listen in rooms at CES that many highly touted components don't get this right IMO.There's is a real difference between naturalness, realism and pure musicality vs the ultra detailed hifi "accurate" sound.I have no desire for the latter approach.They really are two different worlds.
Charles, |
