Soulution 700/720 preamp/power stage combo. Stunning. No words to describe. As simply as that. |
Few, but in order of appearance, not a system.
THIEL CS5's Circa 1989
Gryphon Callisto Integrated Amp
Sound Lab A1
Goldman CD player at the 1999 CES
Pipedreams 24's (set up correctly)
John Tucker's CD Player
Larry
|
when first heard viva audio products I shocked with realism and I was in the same company with the musicians.
I have and had many big audio "high-end" machines but viva audio lifted my system to new ground for me. |
In my case, my first inital listen to those "knock-me-out" components lasted most of the afternoon. I was so impressed that I came back many times to have more of those "knock-me-out listening sessions. Thank goodness that the dealer liked me or he probably would have asked me to leave sooner for being a tire-kicker. If I wasn't so broke at the time, I would have bought the entire system in a heart beat. I used to have wonderful dreams about those listening sessions for many years thereafter, and even today, 30 years later, I still have fond memories of those times on occasion. |
Some components will knock you out on the first listen but that is not nearly as good as the component that keeps knocking you out time after time after time... |
Early 1990's....Sound by Singer in downtown NYC...... Wilson/Watt Puppy model 5's with CAT pre-amp and VAC monobloc amps...........Rebecca Pidgeon singing "Rose in Spanish Harlem"........I can still remember the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. |
just iscovered horns i listened to yeasterday were the $36,000 Carfrae Big Hornes. Stunning! |
Most impressing was a comparison of two different rooms with the same equipment & speakers. One untreated and the other was carefully tuned with acoustic treatments and TacT room correction processor.
2. Value/performance speakers - Vandersteen Quatro and Opera-Consonance M-15 speakers (horns), expensive but worth a consideration - Wilson Audio Sophia Series 2.
3. CDP - Rega Apollo, Consonance Droplet and Prima Luna 8.
4. Sonos wireless system for convenience and ease of use. |
System 1. Revel Ultima speakers (not Ultima 2) fed by Mark Levinson CDP, pre and amps, in a stereo shop in Santa Barbara, CA. I have heard a lot of other great speakers (e.g. Wilsons, big Magnepans, Quads, etc.) fed by extremely expensive electronics, but for some reason, this system in that room got it right.
System 2. Rega P5 turntable feeding a Prima Luna integrated tube amp played through Dynaudio Audience 52 SE speakers in a showroom in Austin, Texas. Not at all a high end rig, but just really sounded together and got my toes tapping. Caused me to get my old turntable out and fire it up again at home.
System 3. Musical Fidelity A3.5 CDP and Intergrated combo using modest Audioquest interconnects and speaker cables feeding Totem Arro speakers in a showroom in Portland, OR (I guess I get around a bit). Again, not a fabulously expensive system, and not even close to "full range", but man did it ever swing and throw sound around the room.
I guess I expect to be knocked out by really high end systems and more often than not end up unsatisfied. I do get a big kick when I find a set up below $5K total cost that really sounds like music (like Systems 2 and 3 above). |
Since my post in '03 I have finally found speakers for my room which just exceed all of my expectations and I expect will end my quest, they so especially connect with my subjective expectations......Silverline Boleros, the speakers for audiophiles exhausted by the chase. :-) |
Quad esl57's, Avantgarde Duos, and today i heard Monster horns (and i mean huge) with AER drivers driven by monster old tube set, Shindo pre and Linn deck with Koetsu cart. The first real ly jaw dropping bass i have ever heard - from a single 8" driver! It went way down seamlessly (now i really know what that means), with a power and delicate finness that i must replicate somehow in my 13'x13' lounge.... |
JM Reynaud Concorde Signature speakers, a feeling that is hard to describe. Unlike other statement speakers I auditioned(costing 3 to 15 times more...) that sound "right" and "perfect", this $10,000 speakers are as close to a musical event as it gets. I hope other people can comment on these and put it in better words than I can. |
Shindo Latour field coil speakers. As dynamic as the best horns and as smooht/integrated as the best single driver. As close to an out of body experience as I have had (while fully conscious). |
When i was a kid a friend's Dad had a Linn Sondek,Naim Amps with Large JBL's,he played Dark Side of the Moon up loud and i was hooked.More recently when i first heard Wilson Grand Slamm's with Tube Amps once again i was hooked!! |
Goldmund Studio turntable; still sensually rewarding. |
Agree with F1audio, I didnt really like how they look but boy are they a great value...and the 5A, WOW! |
Vandersteen 1,2,3 speakers and 2WQ sub....first exposure to high end when I was 14 or so.
B&W Silver Signature (with Krell front-end)...I was 16 or 17. The sound seduced me further into the hi-fi world.
Martin Logan Prodigy, with Musical Fidelity gear and a Pro-ject TT spinning the black stuff.
Krell LAT-2...marvelous little monitor
Wilson W/P 7....after helping set them up with the Wilson rep in our room, I was blown away.
Wilson MAXX 2 (Krell FPB700CX, VTL TL7.5, TriVista SACD player)....even better than the W/P 7...
Most recently, Zu Druid, and Ray Kimber's IsoMike demo system....W O W |
Magnaplaners , three panels not sure what model. They needed huge power.
I used them in a room that was long and as a room divider. People couldn't
believe they were speakers. This is what got me into high end audio
Joe |
Lavardin amplification, Avantgarde loudspeakers, and to a lesser extent Totem Model Ones. |
Avantegarde Duo driven by Audiopax Model 88s. I too have been an audiophile since the mid 70's. I have been a fan of Rogers, ESS AMT 1B's, Magnapans, Dalquist, Acoustats, KEFs, Infinity Composition Preludes, Usher AC-10s, ....but they all sounded like stereo. Being the only thing I like better than listening to stereo is listening to live music. The Avantgarde Duos were the first speaker that completely caught me off guard (because I HATED horns) and changed my perception of what a dynamic loudspeaker should sound like...live music. They truly have the ability to touch you on an emotional level. I have, no kidding, seen grown men weep... |
the best system that knocked my socks off was back in 1979-80,I was 19-20 y/o I walked into Northridge audio,northridge ca,and heard for the first time- accustat model 3 with accustat tnt amp/preamp comb.and the kenwood kd5500 (marble base table )I think it had a dynavector cart .From that point on I was hooked ,since then my wife calls be a geekphile instead of a audiophile,lol.My system now is all Mac intosh /w maggies 3.6 ..love it!!!!!!!!!!! harry T |
System-wise - dCS P8i ~ Focus Audio Master 2 ~ Vitus Amps;
Individual Component-wise - Focus Audio FS-888, Magico Model 6, PrimaLuna Prologue 2, Yamamoto HA-02, Zu Definition Pro's, Rogue Audio M150's, Aurum Cantus V3M, REL R505, Pathos ClassicOne |
Passive preamp!
Totally blown away when I first tried a passive pre. It was the reference line preeminence 1b. My jaw dropped.
That and when I started making my own thick solid core cables and interconnects. |
JBL L150A's........ONE OF THE BEST SOUNDING SPEAKERS EVER MADE!........... |
The radio in the fire engine as I responded to my first fire over 23 years ago.
And the job is STILL exciting! |
I had a Classe 400 that Was doing a fine job, until I sat this little Acoustic reality ICE amp down next to it. Way more open on both extremes, much better bass, and a much cleaner sound without being digital. I could not believe all that from 12 lbs monoblocks, crazy. |
I believe a system that has blown me away the most was
probably at a montreal hi-fi exibition in what was called
the audio Center room,here in this huge listening invironment
was a Marklevinson and wilson set up.
First there was one pair of Grand Slamms in the front and a
pair of wilson Maxx in the rear combinded whith a watch-dog
in the middle.Electronics composed of a pair of H33 mono-
blocks by ML,the rest was reference stuff by ML.
The sound was soooo large and awesome even though it was in
a gigantic room still to this day five yrs later I seriously
wonder if Ill ever have the chance to here something as
jaw dropping as that set-up. |
Reply to Albertporter,
No my last name is not Dead ;) But the login, Grateful, is an ole to my younger days -- However, I must confess; 'American Beauty' sounds as stellar as 'Introducing The Elmo Hope Trio' on the Quads.
"...all you have to do is smile, smile, smile" |
|
21 700 wpc Phase linear amps driving six towers and an overhead unit at PF's inaugural Dark Side Of the moon tour, 1973.
In 1990, it was a pair of the biggest maggies being driven by two Mark Levinson 100 wpc monos w/ML pre, and the Sony/phillips transport/DAC... or maybe it was '88.
in 2003 it was an all thor poered VR4 JR sytem with Cary Audio's top tube Cd player. thor 30wpc mono's + the MK II pre.
2006, my own gear. I fall short of the Floyd gear a mite. Not wuite the imaging of the Magggies and ML, but better sonics. flip a coin between this and the thor... thor's more the natural, perhaps... and mine is nearly the weight and much bigger sound stage... and far louder. |
H2O's Fire preamp tops my list now. |
Jeff Rowland 100 Watt Stereo Solid State amplifier and matching Preamplifer. They were hooked up to Vandersteen 3a speakers and were fed by a unknown very high end turntable with a Denon DL-103 cartridge. This was in 1993 while in Hawaii. |
Rogers LS3/5A w/Janis subwoofers. The amps were classic tube designs (I think 70's marantz) with a Linn LP-12 source. My first experience with a true high-performance system and it was absolutely mind blowing at the time. I still have my LS3/5A speakers in my office and hear them everyday - still love 'em!
More recently, the Metronome Kalista transport - reinforces the idea the source component is THE most important. |
Grateful, your last name is not "Dead" is it?
If yes, would you autograph some LP's for me? |
Quad 988.
Klipschorn and many other klipsch speakers were my main stay - but I had been wanting to improve the midrange tone. Heard many other "high end" speakers JM Focal, Tannoy, 801's, and on and on... sorry to all who disagree, but Klipsh's design from the 1940's beats them all. BUT... When I heard the 988 - I thought I had gone to heaven - brought a pair home then very next week. Happily ever after... |
KLH Model 9 electrostatic speakers with Marantz Model 9 and/or Futterman H-3 amp with a Dyanco PAT3 preamp. Turntable was either a Toshiba which had a pencil thin arm with an electret cartridge or it was a Garrard fitted with a Stanton EE. It's been a while (late 60's) but that's a general idea of the set up. |
MIT power conditioning products while evaluating top level Krell and Mark Levinson power amps. Stunning ! |
I first listened to Martin-Logans in 1994 and immediately bought a pair of Aerius-i speakers, since I couldn't afford anything beyond that price point. A number of different speakers followed during the next 12 years (eg, B&W, Tylers, Thiel), but in 2005 I finally found the speakers that I'd been pursuing ... C&C SuperAbbys and Bailey sub. After 15 months, it's still a total thrill to listen to music through these wonderful speakers |
Without a single trace of doubt: Tidal Contriva loudspeakers (the 2005 model with ceramic mid drivers) last May.
I had been looking for "definitive" speakers for over 3 years and auditioned a number of B&W 8 series, Wilson Audio Sophia, Audiodata Avance, etc., and yes, I had also heard Avalons at audio fairs. In the end, I was "sure", it would have be the Sonus Faber Amati Hommage.
And then, I sort of stumbled across the Tidal Audio website. I had never heard of the equipment but was intrigued. It turned out, in Germany there aren't even stores that sell the equipment, so a pair of Contrivas was delivered to our apartment by the Tidal people for auditioning (250 kilos two stores high, poor blokes). They didn't have to worry about lugging them down again: After some Ron Carter, Rosa Passos, Sarah K., Marc Moulin and Glenn Gould both my wife and I knew we had to have these and sat listening to music until very late in the night! 3 years against a half hour to find the Holy Grail of Speakerdom! And, never mind their weight, they look blindingly beautiful on top (look at Audionut2005's system - hope you don't mind Jörg) |
The Aesthetix IO - After 25yrs in the hobby, it blew me away. |
Years ago: Audio Physic Caldera Loudspeakers, the older, three box version. Nothing else ever came close, listening to multiple speakers over a span of several years, until I found Intuitive Design Summits, which I think may be even better. |
Hill Plasmatronics 1A. Still do! One reviewer made an apt comparison. The Plasmatronics are the audio equivalent of an SR-71A Blackbird... everything else is a Cessna 150. When you play back a recording of a telephone ringing on a pair of Hills, everyone in the house walks over to the phone and picks it up. Nothing else even comes close...
For daily listening I use Quad 988's and 63's, Gale GS401A's, and Lecson HL1's... The Gales are best for getting dressed in the morning, the 988's best for sitting down and reading to FM classical music, the HL1's for something a little funky. |
Spica TC-60s. Incredible value. But, they're a bugger to position. Got 'em two weeks ago, and am still trying to find the best arrangement. They don't respond as expected to position changes. They were muddy, flat, and imaged poorly on 26" stands 5' from the front wall and 2' from the side walls, toed-in, in a 12x19 room. At 4' from front wall and 18" from side walls, imaging was great, but bass was still thick. Pushed 'em toward the corners for furniture reasons, expecting bass to get deeper. Nope. At 2' from front wall and 6" (six inches!) from side walls, bass is evened out, lower midrange is no longer congested, and imaging is going gangbusters. Counterintuitive, but furniture-friendly. Still experimenting. The one absolute of positioning these things is that they have to be aimed right at the throne.
Imaging is hot on the heels of $3,000 Gallo Reference 3s and Martin Logan Aeons. |
Magnapan's with Conrad Johnson in 1981. That system got me into High End audio. |
Sound Lab A-1. Big in every way, subtle also.
Supratek Syrah. Fantastique tube line and phono preamp.
Supratek Cabernet. Closer to the truth even then the Syrah.
EMM Labs CDSD transport and DCC2 Digital Control Center. An impressive music machine. |
The Tom Evans Linear A amplifier. Ten minutes after I powered it on I knew it eclipsed any other amp I'd heard. It's hard to convey in words what a transformative audio experience this amplifier has been for me. It's bewilderingly good. |
Mine, Viva Solista integrated amp with any good and easy to drive speaker. It feels you are sitting with Miles and Thelonious. They are so there. In front of you. You feel the bass. It's real. Not disco/club-like-type-of-bass, sort of like wooosh!. No. The type of bass you feel like woomp, right in the stomach. The real velvety sound of bass. Not the electric one. Electric bass makes our ears so distorted (very different from live music.) The Viva was as close to live music as I ever heard. (Also, I would add the latest VTL with the JM Lab Grande Utopia; and I really enjoyed the Wilson Sophia with the T+A; finally the Sonus Faber Grand Piano with the McIntosh 2275. Beautiful sound).
Funny you mentioned the Creek 4040. I was just talking to a very good friend of mine. He is a well-regarded engineer for a high quality audiophile brand. I will not mention his name. He said that the 4040 had something unique, which was lost in later designs, that made it as good as some five figure amps. He got me so intrigued that I bought one used, just to try. I will receive it in a couple of weeks and will let you know. I will try it with Triangle Celius and the Wavelength Audio USB DAC; and will compare it against my Audio Aero Integrated. I look forward to.
Good post.
Josep |
Walked into Innovative Audio here in Brooklyn about 7 years ago. Heard the Wilson Watt/Puppy with VPI TT. don't remember the pre and the amps(all tubes as I remember, could be VTL), but the sound I heard was amazing. Soundstage was so good, I didn't even have to close my eyes to see Nataly Cole standing right there and singing Unforgettable. The best I ever heard... |
In chronological order: Magnepan tympani 1D with Crown electronics (late 1970's), Beveridge electrostatic SW2 (1970's), Hill plasmatronics (early 1980's), dayton wright XG-8 electrostatic with leaf tweeter; threshold and krell electronics (1980's), Apogee Divas and Duetta Signatures (mid 1980's), Innersound Eros (2000). |
I purchased a 1962 Sherwood S-7700 using the 4 7868 output tubes. I hooked it up to my Electro Voice 12-TRX's that were in bass reflex cabs at the time. I will never forget the <25hz bass that was produced with vinyl. My wife said, "My God!" |
