johnnyb53

Responses from johnnyb53

Best speakers for $1500 or less?
The Magnepan Super MMG (two MMG panels plus a DWM woofer panel) come in at $1295. I'd also take a serious look at the LSA 2.1 floorstanding speakers. LSA has changed their business model from retail network to Internet Direct and has dropped the p... 
Challenge: Best $2K-ish floorstander
Rebbi: I never had Ohms; I have Mirage OMD-15s, which are also mid-sized omnidirectional floorstanders.Zd542: Interesting perspective on the Mag 1.7s. I was much more taken by the 1.7s' soundstage, transparency, and sense of "you are there," while... 
Challenge: Best $2K-ish floorstander
Well, I auditioned 3 speakers on my list today. First was the MartinLogan Motion 40s. That's a nice little speaker, very linear, quick, room-filling dispersion, doesn't take up much room. Then I refreshed my memory on the Sonus Faber Veneres. They... 
Challenge: Best $2K-ish floorstander
10-04-13: ShakeydealI had the Aerial 7B once. I think it lasted about one day in my system, and was sold in less than a week.What didn't you like about them? Were they new or used (broken in)? 
Challenge: Best $2K-ish floorstander
I have a few different amps, all maintained and in good working order. Among them are a Perreaux PFM1150, one or two VSP Labs TransMOS 150's, and a Heathkit AA-1600.The Perreaux is a wide-bandwidth design (out to 3Mhz) with rise times under 1 micr... 
Integrated for B&W PM1
If your Marantz PM8004 is still under warranty, maybe you should get it tested; it may need fixing. Like I said, I heard one of those drive a $10K pair of Sonus Faber Cremona M floorstanders to near perfection, and it is a *heap sight* better than... 
Floorstanding Speakers for Bluesy Rock 5-10k ?
Sonus Faber Liuto Tower or Sonus Faber Cremona M, new or used. I've heard the Cremona M in an extensive audition, and I *know* these would give you what you're looking for in spades.These two have an excellent, transparent midrange that serves bot... 
Where's the talk/reviews on the Emotiva UMC-200?
Some of the Internet-Direct (ID) companies have some serious talent behind their products. When Klipsch dismantled Mirage, Andrew Welker who co-designed the Omnipolar series with Ian Paisley and invented the Omniguide for the next generation of sp... 
Integrated for B&W PM1
Do you mean the Marantz PM8004 (not 8400) integrated amp? I've heard that unit really grab ahold of a pair of SF Cremona Ms and make serious music. I'm a little puzzled that it couldn't work with your PM1s and also suspect that something's wrong w... 
AV Receiver/Separates for under $2K
I just can't get excited about AV receivers, especially any that are north of $1K. Why? Because that's just too much stuff sharing the same chassis, compressing and polluting the sound. The preamp part is very delicate and sensitive, designed to a... 
WireWorld HDMI: Starlight 6 VS Island 6
09-12-13: JafantThanks! for sharing Johnnyb....laughing...that thread is all over the place, a real mess. No wonder the OP got confused? I run into this every once in awhile on various forums. When someone asks whether to get WireWorld or AQ for e... 
Best New Loudspeakers under $5,000. Focal Aria 900
I guess that explains the 40%-off sale prices of several Focal speakers at MusicDirect--making way for the Aria line.According to this article, they should come in at quite a bit less than $5K. The article says that the new flax-composite speaker ... 
Best Speakers for 10' x 12' room?
Mksr: You really need to hear the B&W PV1D sub before committing to the REL. The PV1D is a perfect match with either set of B&W monitors. It's fast, powerful, compact, and goes deep. When I heard it with the PM1's the integration was compl... 
Best Speakers for 10' x 12' room?
B&W PM1 stand-mounts supported by B&W's PV1D subwoofer.I heard this combo right after hearing Wilson Alexandria XLFs powered by ARC reference electronics, and really, the little sat/sub system was not much of a letdown. It has a great sens... 
Buying speakers ten or more years old a good idea?
The L-R speakers that anchor my HT are Mirage M5si's, bought 17 years ago. I have no intention or reason to replace them. Ivan_nosnibor's post has some good advice I need to follow: redo the crossovers and top off the ferrofluid in the tweeters.Cr...