My journey to find a speaker + amp + setup for classical music (piano)


Hello, my small room project is almost done, only left with a few acoustic touches. (Couple pieces from GIK, Vicoustics, maybe)

After leaving this hobby for years, I needed to spend quite a time catching up and got lots of help from the forum. I’d like to briefly share my little experience.


First of all, I don’t think I’m an audiophile who likes equipment... indeed I don’t try to listen to the equipment, I just like music. So sound quality comes first, but I only care about the quality of music I listen to (Classical, primarily Piano based and some Jazz) with my sources. This means that some of speakers I consider as “not really” work wonderfully for pop/rocks etc but somehow lack certain aspect in classical music.

I try to come up with the least amount of BS but a slight touch of personal voodoo too. Still, I only care “how it sounds” to me. - Best sound quality with least amount of money


Initially, I was considering something for a bigger space, but I decide to put something in a small room first. Anyway, here’s the result.


Note:

Contenders mean something almost equivalent. Boulder 866 has very slight edge over these for me. When I think “not really,” it just means that either not my personal taste, the quality isn’t in the same league, or the cost-performance ratio is not satisfactory.


Set up

  • Boulder 866
  • Marten Parker Duo
  • Wireworld Eclipse speaker cable (wouldn’t go for expensive ones; also, I would avoid Jorma trinity and anything Nordost) PAD would be worthy considering but only top line meaning $$$
  • Wireworld Toslink cable
  • I got an Audiolab CDT to play cds. I have
  • Roon, Orbi router
  • Lan cable from Bluejean
  • Dbpowrtamp for cd ripping
  • Some Sacds and Qobuz subscription
  • Butcher acoustic platform
  • Now Playing easel from Daiso


Note. I thought I might need a sub like JL f110 v2, but it turns out I do not need it.


  • Amp Contenders
  • CH Precision I1
  • Gold Mund Telos 590 Next Gen 2 w $17k tag (including tax - 50% deal from a dealer, with full Msrp - nope)
  • Dartzeel LHC 208
  • Vitus sia 025

(Not really)

  • Gryphon Hagel
  • Pass int
  • Jeff Rowland continuum S2
  • Bryston
  • Luxman


  • Speaker Contenders

Honestly, I can’t find any other contenders with a similar price range of $11k - bottom line is I coudln’t find one for reasonable lengthy audition.

(Not really)

  • SF Olympia iii
  • Focal Sopra 2
  • Magico A3 / S1
  • Wilson Sabrina
  • Brodmann VC 2
  • Harbeth / Graham / Tannoy
  • Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby / Liszt
  • Boenicke w8, w11
  • Steinheim alumin 2
  • D&D 8c
  • Avant garde Uno Fino
  • Odeon Helix
  • Genelec
  • B&W 803


Fast, high sensitivity - in my case, ceramic/diamond is the starting point. I couldn’t find something horn for my case. - Matching Boulder is secret for ceramic and any other typically considered metallic sound.


“Depth” with the right amount of detail is the key - all about detailed tonality with the right amount of pressure when music coming out.


  • Dac / Streaming Contenders

Very difficult to find one to compete.

Boulder’s integrated DAC is surprisingly good. Boulder knows something for sure. Streaming is flawless too.


  • Molamola / MSB

Personally, I like MSB DAC but don’t like how this company does business. So If I had to go for separate boxes, I would pick Molamola or Dac from Boulder. (new, more affordable model coming.) Aurender topline product is interesting but a bit too much $.



  • Possible upgrade or sidegrade (under 50k) for a bigger space

Boulder 866

+ Parker Quintet (no diamond)

+ Alumine 3 (it’s tricky one though)

+ Sabrina X


If I won a lottery, I would consider the boulder 1100 series with a bigger house.

Along with the 20% discounted Formation Duo that I picked up years ago for wireless, this setup is very cost effective considering its performance level, mainly boulder 866.

If there’s any question about the specific combo mentioned above, I will try to share my memory.


Have a nice day.


128x128sangbro
Others here have far more experience (and probably better ears) than I do, but I'm listening to a lot of piano with Fritz Carbon 6s and a Primaluna Evo 100 integrated,  VERY happy camper!
Agree with Rauliruegas.  Sub/mains separation is the most significant upgrade I have done in over 20 years on this hobby.  Contrary to popular belief, the sub’s main goal is not to add magic to the low frequencies the mains might not reach to  (when you think about it the lowest note on the piano A0 is 27.5hz) but instead to free up the mains and their amp in reproducing the difficult 20-40Hz range and focus on everything above.  The result is a sense of liberation (low distorsion), detail and balance.  To do this correctly a high quality pre-amp with a well designed output crossover is a must, I use pal nagy’s Icon 4pro se. I have the chance to have several setups at home... best ones with piano reproduction are 
- Ypsilon Phaeton + Lawrence Audio Double Bass + Sub
- First Watt SIT3 + Cube Audio Nenuphars + their 12” Sub 
... with Grimm MU1 streamer and MM Tambaqui DAC
Hope this helps
Good morning gents, reading this thread with great interest; Finding a nice system to listen to classical music. Most mentioned gear is very costly. What about a slightly simpler set-up; Falcon Acoustics ls 3/5a goldbadge, Lavardin Lavardin ISx reference , Duelund speaker cables/ interconnects and a lumin streamer. Very reasonable priced and a very musical sound . Cheers Leon
Yes, +1 Spendor for your programme, at the relatively budget end.

I note you don't list any electrostatics.  Piano is very suited to full range electrostatics giving a very lifelike rendering.  Full range is a real advantage because piano is full-range with homogeneous tonality that can be spoiled by cross-overs.

Piano sounds just great over my Martin Logan CLX Anniversaries.  Yes, by all means add a sub if you want full weight below about 55Hz - bottom B on a Steinway Model D is 31Hz.

How about investing in a good dac using toslink very limited 
and for under $5 k the Holo springs May edition dac, great sounding period ,and beats many much more expensive dacs out there John Atkinson Stereophile one of the lowest distortion dacs ever ,
And much lower in cost then the higher $$ competition .
I am currently saving for one .