mapman

Responses from mapman

DNM Stereo speaker cables-experiences?
Dunno about the speaker cables ( I would expect some similarities in sound based on similar design principles) but I find the DNM ICs to have a uniquely coherent sound top to bottom and in the midrange in particular that helps musical subtleties s... 
What determines good distortion?
Bombay,I'm with you.Distortion, whether good or bad, is determined in the head of the listener! So it's the listener who makes the only meaningful determination in the end.Avoid clipping distortions though always! Oveer the long term at least, I d... 
What determines good distortion?
For me, distortion is distortion. It is never good. Some are just less offensive than others. SOme might even sound pleasant. But look up the definition of distortion. If your goal is to reproduce the original as accurately as possible, it is NEVE... 
Krell amp with Zu Essence speaker
Probably overkill but definitely should work.I'd be interested in how the results sound compared to the kinds of tube amps often used with those and other high eff. speakers. 
Most forgiving high end speaker 10k-20k?
"This discussion has reminded me of how glad I am to have tone controls."Treason!I bet you have picture quality controls on your HD TV that muck with the pure natural picture quality that would exist otherwise as well!Not to mention all kinds of f... 
Best speaker design for low to mid volume?
Planars like Magnepan are fantastic at low volume. full range electrostatic speakers like the Quads also.Box/dynamic designs that use rigid low mass materials (like paper) for woofer cones can be similarly very good also. Triangle is the line that... 
In defense of quantum products.
I don't see how "quantum" models relate to audio sound quality in any meaningful way. A quantum model to me would infer mostly a different and inherently nebulous way to market a product. A different way to tell the same story in the end essential... 
If you had $2000 to upgrade this system...
Hard to say.Tell us more about the room the gear is in and how that might be affecting the sound and your listening habits? 
Is anyone thinking about building Walsh drivers?
"I think that "stuffing a pillow" behind the driver as Ohm is presently doing is not the way to go."I think this is the standard configuration provided to enable speakers to go closer to rear wall than full omnis otherwise and allow the speaks to ... 
Ohm Walsh Micro Talls: who's actually heard 'em?
Carja, The only way I know is to post a virtual system. 
Looking for opinions on Tannoy Prestige line.
I suspect Manley and Tannoy Prestige would be a very compelling combination, both soundwise and aesthetically, at least for those with some retro-type preferences in how their gear looks and sounds. 
Is anyone thinking about building Walsh drivers?
Glo,Sounds like a rational plan.I suspect many who are fond of the older generation (near) full range Walsh drivers and wide range DDDs in particular tend to be enamored more so with the Walsh driver top end sound.The newer OHM CLS drivers take th... 
SS amps for merlin vsm
For an easy and inexpensive solution that might challenge most any other, I'd search high and low for a pair of the TAD Hibachi 125 monoblocks to try before dropping big bucks on something else, tube or SS, with the Merlins. 
Most forgiving high end speaker 10k-20k?
Detail can't happen without accuracy.Accuracy can be pretty or ugly.An accurate image of a pretty girl is pretty.An accurate image of Medusa ain't so pretty.What happens to the pretty girl if you apply the same tweaks necessary to make Medusa pres... 
And, we keep on searching for speakers, ..
What Newbee said....Definitely cannot know it until you actually hear it.