jeffreyw
Responses from jeffreyw
| dCS Bartok Apex vs any similar priced DAC Aries Cerat Helene, 40 Kg of sonic nirvana. I was only able to compare to non-Apex DCS. FWIW, DCS was very clinical and digital sounding. The AC Helene sounds like a $50K analog rig—two DACs at the opposite ends of the spectrum. | |
| XLR cables for a reasonable price? Mogami XLR ($125). I directly compared them to my Audioquest Tbirds at $3600. Yes, the Audioquest's are better all around, but you really need to listen intently to ascertain a difference. Jaw-dropping performance on the cheap! | |
| System advice @mrskeptic +1 You forgot to mention shoe size😁 @jhurst I was thinking of recommending any of the McIntosh integrateds, but the clarity may not be up to par with your expectations. The musicality is fantastic, though, and those integrateds ca... | |
| speakers for small room @dbphd #1 I have the REF 1 Metas, and the bass output is incredible for such a small speaker. The caveat is that they need a minimum of 200 W of solid power to bring the bass out. I tried to power them with a Luxman 590AXII, and the little KEFs... | |
| USB Cable - A to B inakustik USB 2.0 Reference Cable. | |
| Amp recommendations for KEF R7 speakers I am powering my KEF Reference 1 Metas with a pair of McIntosh MC 611s and a C2700. They sound outstanding. The KEF tweeters can sound a little brittle with the wrong amplification, as others have stated. I don't think you can go wrong with McInto... | |
| Intg Amps: Hegel 590 vs NAD M33 Masters vs Gryphon Diablo 120 Diablo, hands down. If you can wait a little, there should be some good deals on the Diablo 300 since its replacement is coming. I was in awe as to what the 300 can do, especially in the bass region. I think it is a much better performer than the ... | |
| Best set-up under $20K @gfguimaraes I had a pair of B&W 802D3s which I loved and did not find bright at all. For your large room, the 802s will give you great bass; however, I would suggest pairing it with the McIntosh MA9000. Those big woofers require a lot of po... | |
| KEF LS50 Wireless II vs. Harbeth P3esr This appears to be an apples-to-orange comparison. I know the intent was to simplify the system, but it would have been cool to substitute a pair of LS50 Metas with the Croft system to gauge how good the Harbeths are in comparison. | |
| Amp Recommendations @bhoffy18 I would suggest either McIntosh MC312 or MC462. The 462 is a reference quality amp. Even used, they are above your budget, but these are end-game amps. I have wasted thousands of dollars on audio which I could have saved if I had "boug... | |
| Anthem STR: Why all the hate? @secretguy When I auditioned the Anthem, the Luxman 590AXII was far superior to the the STR. There were others in the room who thought the same. I also take the class A recommendations with a grain of salt, highly based on advertising dollars. T... | |
| Anthem STR: Why all the hate? @mattlathrop Several years ago, I auditioned an Anthem Integrated versus Naim and Luxman. The Anthem was outclassed by both. My dealer had nothing bad to say other than "Let's move on". So I can see why dealers might not like them. Also, a sleep... | |
| Sopra 2 Amp Recommendation @mattlathrop I know you want to keep your Anthem, but a used Gryphon Diablo 300 might suit you very well! It will provide a beautiful soundstage and tremendous punch. When I chose my system, it was between the Diablo and a pair of McIntosh MC611... | |
| KEF R3 Meta's - too much for my Marantz Model 30? @painter24 KEFs require a tremendous amount of power to sound their best. I have a pair of R1 Metas and originally powered them with a Luxman 590AXII. Even the big brother 509X couldn't do it. The speakers ate up both integrateds. Absolutely no ... | |
| Classe vs Luxman any thoughts on the Stereo power amps? I have heard both played on the big brother to the 805s. The Luxman M10x bested the Classe to my ears. |