Choosing a Manufacturer

[nightflier]

There are many people who over the years have come to favor one component manufacturer over another. They buy the products as a first choice and compare everything else to these. They set up websites, discussion forums, and trade technical details about used components. Some popular manufacturers that come to mind are Krell, McIntosh, Levinson, PS Audio, Linn, Bryston, etc. If you had to choose one company who's products you would "specialize" in, which one would it be & why? Any manufacturers to avoid?

[Hyfi]

I have had the chance to hear systems that cost upwards of $500k. Of course us poor people have to draw the line somewhere. All the equipment you mentioned is top notch and you would be well served with most.

My best purchase experience was when I bought my Odysey Stratus Amp. You call and talk to Klaus, the owner. He calls you back if not there. Although I had to wait months for mine to be built, it has been awesome since. I recently spoke to Klause because my LED burnt out and he told me to just send him a check for $20 and he would send all the parts and instructions to upgrade it to a Blue LED.

Odysey products are for the most part assembled in USA. That in itself is a hard to find thing of the past. Their products perform as expected and better. Customer service has been the best of anything I have ever mail ordered. Upgrades offered are not too expensive, he told me for about $350, they would completely replace the guts of my amp to bring it up to snuff with what is sold today.

I also like Hafler gear and have been using it since David Hafler was in Pensauken NJ and my brother was building his kits along with Dynaco and Heathkit. Although I have a Hafler 945 Pre/Tuner that is of Mexican Rockford era that is a bit quirky due to picking up signals from other remotes, my Hafler 9180 amp is Rock Solid and kicks the crap out of the new Harman Kardon AVR I just bought.

For speakers, I have always had Mirage, Infinity, JM Labs and Dynaudio. Not too many speakers out there in the $2500 range that outperform my Audiance 82s. Although most of the non-outrageously priced JMs lack deep bass, they make up for it with speed and clarity.

I also like Onkyo for mass market electronics and have had many Sony TVs including my new Bravia XBR1 40" HD LCD.

My three cents,

Hyfi

[topspeed]

Interesting topic.

I s'pose you're right in that it's human nature to favor one thing over another, regardless of the product. In cars you have your Ford men vs. Chevy guys or BMW over Benz. For me, I really only favor three companies; one is PS Audio, the other ARC, and finally Denon.

PS Audio is like the first love you never forget. A PSA 4.6 pre was my first "real" piece of audio equipment and it served me well for almost 20 years before I had a major brain fart and sold the thing :mad2:. That said, my allegiance isn't blind so I don't automatically proclaim everything Paul makes to be the best and brightest. For example, the GCA series doesn't romance me the way the HCA did. It's more neutral, but honestly I prefer the sweetness of the HCA series. Of course, if someone gave me a new GCA or GCC, I wouldn't exactly throw it in the trash either ;).

The ARC sound is legendary and one that I've always loved. In fact, it's a sound that the HCA reminds me of the most (which is why I bought it). Whenever I hear a statement rig that rearranges my sense of what's possible, it is invariably driven my ARC. Some day when I have more time to kerfutz with tubes, I'll likely get a pair (depending on what speakers I have).

Finally, while Denon is hardly high-end, I do consider their products to offer high value. I've had numerous products from them and in 25 years they have never let me down. Denon always seems to take their design work and parts choices just a step or three above the usual mass market...and yet still sell at very affordable prices.

[nightflier]

How could I forget Odyssey & Klaus. Their components also have that fan-base quality. I've actually been talking to Klaus about the Nightingales and his new on-wall speakers, but I want to focus on components in this thread.

I think one of the things that makes for a fan-base-type-company is personalized service, which invariably is lost with the larger manufacturers (which is why the mention of Sony and Denon seems sort of strange). I once spoke to Mr. Polk directly and two months later I had purchased a complete surround setup when surround was just getting big. My taste is now gravitating towards Paul & PS Audio. While the company isn't the same one it was 10+ years ago, I am still getting excellent personalized responses. I haven't heard the new GCC amps, but I have many pieces of older PS Audio equipment that are phenominal values (like they used to say about IBM - they live well beyond their useful lives). I also have the PCA2 / HCA2 combo and I do like the quality, the sound, as well as the service I have received.

So I suppose what makes for a good selection is if one can name the person with the company. Here are some that come to mind for me:

- John & Ohm
- Paul & PS Audio
- Klaus & Odyssey
- Roy & Music Hall
- Ian & Axiom Audio

I also have regular contact with other companies but typically not the owner. I suppose for the company it's a catch-22, they want to grow, but by doing so they loose that mom & pop quality that makes customers happy. I have to hand it to Klaus at Odyssey for sticking to this despite the growth.

[kexodusc]

I'm partial to Bryston, PS Audio, and McIntosh, in that order - dont' own any though, just spent a lot of time with these 3 brands at some great stores, or lucky friends houses.
I don't really have a favorite speaker company - Focus Audio I guess, but they're small. For the most part, I haven't met many speakers I couldn't find some appeal to, just some that I think offer me more than others.

I think acquring brand loyalty is a crapshoot - I've owned plenty of stereo and A/V receivers. Japanese, European, American, etc. The only ones I didnt' have serious technical problems with are Yamaha and Technics. Funny thing is, Technics isn't known for its quality at all - I wouldn't recommend them to an enemy. My H/K, Marantz, Sony, and NAD (integrated) have all had problems of one sort or another. I'm on my 2nd Yamaha without fail (3rd Yamaha though, one had a small annoying problems that was fixed fast enough). After years of receivers crapping out on me, the Yammies didn't. I owned 2 Marantz receivers prior to switching to Yamaha - they both died horrible smokey deaths. I killed an H/K unit driving 4 Cerwin-Vegas in college to obscene levels. It litteraly melted. Funny thing is, the used, crappy Technics receiver I bought as a fast replacement would drive those 4 CV's and then some every day for 2 years. It would give you a 3rd degree burn if you touched it, but it wouldn't die. I think it was the K-Car of stereo receivers.

I don't pick a brand of receiver for my needs because I think they're so much better sounding, or more feature intensive than the competition (I find them all so similar these days), but mostly because of good experience, comfort, and familiarity. Someone else will have to really impress me at this price point to get me to switch until a Yamaha unit ticks me off.

With Bryston, I dunno, a lot of people I know prefer Krell and PS Audio over Bryston, but to these ears, Bryston comes out on top - I've just always wanted Bryston gear someday, so I think long-term anticipation and coveting has developed a bias of sorts. I love T-line speakers, PMC included, and because a lot of PMC owners use Bryston, and continue to use Bryston after moving on from PMC, some of the nicer systems I've heard had Bryston electronics.

There's some brands I don't care for much, but the past 3 years I've really done a 180 degree turn on Dynaudio. I've repaired 2 different models now, and used a few of their old drivers. They're not really bad, just overpriced IMO. At least on this side of the pond. I've been told their much more affordable in Europe. A local store has comparably priced Revel and Dynaudio setup in the same room - he tells me the Dynaudio's sell more but to me the Revels are just sooo much better. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. But I'm not surprised they got ran out of the DIY market along with Audax. I have a feeling Scan-Speak is going that route as well, unless they start cutting the marketing BS and make high-performance pieces more affordable like the competition (but I digress).

I don't own stock in any of these companies though, and don't consider myself to be a hardcore fanboy of any of these brands. Personally, I like the direction the industry is going - more and more small, regional companies that are offering higher quality and superior worksmanship, packaged with that unbeatable small business service. This is a good thing, IMO.

[Geoffcin]

I would still like to proclaim my enduring commitment to the brand.

Paul's attention to his customers has to set a standard in this indusry. He has not one, but TWO forums where people can post questions about his gear, and get answers directly from him. He also makes returned/reworked gear available on Ebay, some of it at astonishingly low prices.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZps_audioQQhtZ-1

Just recently I lost my mind and nearly bought this one;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&item=190001000191&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEDW%3AIT&rd=1

5000 watts of Ice power?!

[topspeed]

Did you see the new PSA Trio amp? 150wpc into 8 ohms, 300wpc into 4. $995(!) It utilizes the same ICEpower topology as the GCA series, just without the gain cell. I think Paul has been getting some negative feedback on the neutrality of the GCA series because he purposely voiced the new Trio to be sweeter and warmer, IOW more like the previous HCA's. "Tubey" for lack of a better word. For only a grand, this seems like an absolutely killer deal. Might be fun to buy one from audioadvisor just to hear it and then send it back during the 30 day trial period.

http://psaudio.com/products/trio_a100_overview.asp

[Geoffcin]

Did you see the new PSA Trio amp? 150wpc into 8 ohms, 300wpc into 4. $995(!) It utilizes the same ICEpower topology as the GCA series, just without the gain cell. I think Paul has been getting some negative feedback on the neutrality of the GCA series because he purposely voiced the new Trio to be sweeter and warmer, IOW more like the previous HCA's. "Tubey" for lack of a better word. For only a grand, this seems like an absolutely killer deal. Might be fun to buy one from audioadvisor just to hear it and then send it back during the 30 day trial period.

http://psaudio.com/products/trio_a100_overview.asp

Actually the GCA scored another "A" rating from Stereophile, and they appear to be selling quite well. I do agree with you though that the "less then perfect" attributes of the HCA actually ADD to it's appeal. I am interested in what a Trio would bring to my setup, but right now I'm wrestling with another major upgrade to my HT, so it's going to have to wait.

[topspeed]

Spill it, Geoff.

[JoeE SP9]

Unlike some of the responders I have never had any premature failures. It would seem I've been lucky in this respect. Having never owned a receiver I have never experienced any of the problems their owners have. From the first component I purchased (Fisher KX-90 Integrated in 1967) to the present I can't report any failures.
A number of things have simply worn out. A couple of Sony tape decks and several inexpensive CD and DVD players have expired on me. In the case of the Sony cassette decks, I had two that lasted 8 and 10 years respectively. At that point they're not worth repairing. Besides, I think I got my moneys worth. As far as the CD/DVD players go they were all a year or so past warranty. When the warranty period is over they're usually not worth the repair costs even if I do the repairs.


Audio Research Corporation
In the early eighties I started hearing about ARC. It was around that time I started reading Stereophile. I read some reviews of ARC gear and was impressed.
I bought a used ARC SP3-A to replace a worked Dyna PAS-3. It cost me $500 bucks and was worth every penny. It sounded so much better than the Dyna it really was jaw dropping. The only thing it ever needed was a tube change every year or so. Of the 4 ARC preamps I've used, all have always worked perfectly. To this day I've never owned a preamp from another manufacturer. :thumbsup:

[Geoffcin]

Spill it, Geoff.

It has to do with panels. Lots and lots of panels.....

[Mr Peabody]

I like Conrad-Johnson, Krell & Primare, for just what you all mentioned, customer service. Krell and C-J has always answered my email promptly and answered the question without a BS generalization. I'm not as hot on Primare products as the former 2 companies but they have answered my emails and talked with me over the phone on issues I've had with their products. I am a huge Dynaudio fan but in contrast I asked them one time to recommend what series or model would go with an amp and they sent me a reply that any of them would work. Well at the time I had a Krell 300i and I don't think it would be advisable to pair it up with a Confidence or higher. I sent them a reply telling them if they can't answer someone's question don't bother with a reply. I did have another issue at one time where I contacted the North American distributor for Dynaudio and they were more helpful than contacting the factory website.

Topper, one of the better systems I've heard was ARC electronics but I auditioned some ARC gear when I was serious about checking into tubes and I was sorely disappointed in the sound. I dropped the $3,500.00 LS16 and the solid state D150 power amp in my system and I hated it. I then done a lot of research and asking questions because no other tube gear was available in my area, so I'd have to buy through the internet or at least from out of town. My Rogue audition fell through. I ended up bringing in a C-J tube pre and power amp in. It's fabulous. C-J is just what I was looking for. The sound is incredible and musical. So much so, I kept it and moved the Krell out. Actually, it is everything I was looking for but not, just what I was looking for, because I had no idea tube gear could sound like this. I found it a terrific value because the C-J was able to convey micro and macro dynamics I didn't even hear from gear costing many times more.

[topspeed]

Mr. P,

Certainly nothing wrong with CJ! I have a friend that was using CJ's for a awhile (don't remember the model) until he switched to Rowland...which he switched out for Copeland. This is not to say one is better than the other as he goes through equipment like Wilt Chamberlain went through women.

That's the great thing about his hobby, if we all liked the same sound we'd be bragging about our Bose systems :ciappa:.

[Mr Peabody]

Right. I only mentioned my experience with ARC because I was shocked at the sound of the recent gear. I don't know if they have changed their sound or if the older system I heard had other components that gave it a good synergy.

[HAVIC]

I can not comment on some of the higher end brands like ps audio, etc. I have heard many great things about a lot of these companies.

However I am not Brand loyal, I am product loyal. As all companies, not ever product made is top notch. I will look towards certain companies because of there reputation, like I did when I was look for an a/v reciever. I wound up with a Yamaha. However when I look in the future for a second reciever or a replacement for the yamaha I will look at yamaha, denon, seperates perhaps, and others but I will not say it must be a yamaha because it has been good to me so far. Companies change over time some get better, some get worse, especially with the bigger companies. My brother has a Sony rack system from 1985 still works, with no problems. I bought one in the mid 90's because of how great his was (brand loyalty) well I got srewed the reciever started having problems shortly after the warranty experied. I started to get popping noises and static out of it on every source except, video1 and then it finally died. A lot of people I speak with are not as happy with sony today as there were years ago with Sony in general.

But I feel being brand loyal with any type of product can be bad. I bought a VW jetta in 2000 because Consumer Reports was giving it a must buy rating and how great VW is. The very next year it was rated one of the worst 10 cars and the VW company was rated the second worst car company. Talking about a 180.

I guess what I'm saying is don't blindly buy a product because company X makes it. Always do the research. I always amazed at how people will spend hundreds or thousands of dollars and wonder why their product stinks.

[Florian]

Well these are the brands that i love and if nothing better comes along i will stay with

Apogee- Timeless Masterpieces, Eng. Goodness of the highest order and for me the highest expression in musical emotion and correctness

Wadia- Leaders in digital technology and my dream dac and transport comes from Wadia

Come to think of it....i rest my case :)

I also like Pathos, RM-Eng, Usher and Rega, dcs and Accuphase

[drseid]

I tend to go for small, unknown companies that I can build a relationship with the owner/designer...

To that end, Tyler Acoustics, Merlin and Salk Sound are three favorites of mine. On the electronics side, Coda is my brand of choice.

In the case of Tyler, apart from his speakers being of extremely high quality build and sound-wise (not to mention bang for the buck), the guy is just a normal guy who is not at all wealthy. He is just a nice guy who found that a hobby he had a talent for could be turned into a business that makes enough money to allow his family to make ends meet. Ty will sit down and have beer with you (nothing fancy, just some Bud or Miller) and talk audio (or anything else) for hours on end. He makes no boasts about his speakers compared to the competition, letting their performance speak for itself. It is this kind of guy/business that I have no problem parting with my hard earned money to support.

Some of the other larger companies that I also have a preference for are Von Schweikert, McIntosh, Ayon and Sonus Faber.

---Dave

[nightflier]

So what I'm hearing is that a personal relationship, perhaps not with any one in particular, is what makes for a good company. If you can reach someone who's knowledgeable and willing to help, that establishes a positive experience and if repeated (hopefully not because of shoddy products needing constant help), then this builds brand-loyalty. It's interesting that sound (which is what these components are supposed to be for) is quite a bit further down the priority list.

I also wonder about looks. No one has mentioned this, but it seems as if this is pretty much at the bottom of the list. I used to drool over Perreaux amps in the catalogs back when AA was still carrying them - I'm referring to the curved-bezel ones, not the white-front stuff. Recently I've had the opportunity to actually try out one of these, and appart from looks, I was not very impressed (nothing bad, but also nothing to write home about). What was even more vexing was that there are very few people who own them, almost no-one to call/email for assistance, and they have all but disappeared from the American market. Ironically the same is true somewhat for Plinius. Is there some kind of anti-oceanic collusion I'm not aware of?

Anyhow, I know looks are important for speakers, but for components, does it matter? If so, why?

[topspeed]

Hmmm...another good question.

I think it depends on the application. For my office, I bought Cambridge not only because it synergized with my speakers but also because I preferred its elegant aesthetics over NAD, which has looks only a mother could love. Truth be told, I preferred the somewhat ballsier sound of the NAD, but couldn't bare to think of those olive green chunks sitting out in my office where I'd have to stare at it all day, not to mention my clients!

At home, I listen in the dark and usually with my eyes closed so aesthetics aren't nearly as important as sound quality. Now, I am married so this is not to say appearances don't matter! That said, my stack is a discordant mishmash of black, silver, and various shades of polished aluminum so really, all I need now is some CJ gold equipment and I'll really clash!

On the rare occasion you combine great sonics with stunning looks, then you've really got something. I have no idea how this would sound (wildly warm and romantic is my guess), but how cool would it be to have this little Shanling/Hovland rig?
:arf:
Shanling CDT100
http://www.soundlabsgroup.com.au/mm5/graphics/shanling/shanling_cdt100_side.jpg

Hovland Sapphire & Radia
http://www.hovlandcompany.com/img/products/sapphire/sapp_feature.jpg
http://www.hovlandcompany.com/img/products/radia/rad_3v.jpg


BTW,
I didn't mention Von Schweikert, even though I usually throw them into the mix and have found my conversations with Kevin and Albert to be very enjoyable. Like Ty, these are just a couple of ordinary guys that simply love audio and music and are amazingly willing to share their ideas with anybody. That said, VSA's prices have simply gone through the roof this year and as good as Albert's designs are, I can't help but feel some of the value has gone the way of the Packard. A VR4jr at $3999 is a no-brainer. At $5,500...um, not so much.

[Mr Peabody]

As for me, sound quality is my primary concern. Most of my opinions on manufacturers has been formed by contacts after I've had the equipment. For instance, Dynaudio, I was not happy with my reply from them but bought their speakers anyway because I thought they were the best out of the brands I've heard.

I have never bought equipment on looks. Behind the glass of my left row of shelves you'd see the square black face of the shoebox shaped Audio Note DAC, below that is my Krell 280cd in silver, below that is my Conrad-Johnson preamp.

Now.... one time in my early days of audio, and being married, I did compromise and scratch a pair of Electro-Voice 1502's off my speakers to purchase list. The 1502's rocked, a 15" 2-way with a horn driver for the high end. EV had some of the best horn drivers I've heard. Anyway, the 1502's were finished in lovely road resistant carpet. My wife dug her heels in and said, "I don't want those in my living room". "Why not", I protested. "You don't put things like that in a living room". "You don't?" "NO!" Well, I was teetering between those and a pair of Infinity Kappa 7's anyway and since I could employee purchase the Infinity and spend much less money, and keep peace in the house, I went with the Kappa's.

[Feanor]

Did you see the new PSA Trio amp? 150wpc into 8 ohms, 300wpc into 4. $995(!) It utilizes the same ICEpower topology as the GCA series, just without the gain cell. I think Paul has been getting some negative feedback on the neutrality of the GCA series because he purposely voiced the new Trio to be sweeter and warmer, IOW more like the previous HCA's. "Tubey" for lack of a better word. For only a grand, this seems like an absolutely killer deal. Might be fun to buy one from audioadvisor just to hear it and then send it back during the 30 day trial period.

http://psaudio.com/products/trio_a100_overview.asp

The Trio A-100 is unparallel. For its price, nothing comes close. The Bel Canto e.One S300 was looking good to me, but it's another $400.

Is it a whole new era of quality sound for much less money? Could be. :thumbsup:

By the way, they make selling the old stuff you for payed $2000-3000 a pretty dismal prospect.

[hermanv]

Nightflier mentioned them, but no others. Bryston.

Good value, indestructable, responsive to customers, and that 20 year transferable warranty. Now there's confidence in your own stuff.

Besides, they sell to the proffesional community, a community long known for major audio component abuse.

Great reviews and easily found used. nuff said.

[nightflier]

Yes Bryston is one standout company, although they don't score any points on looks. Someone also suggested Classe both for looks (those rounded corners) and performance. PS Audio's new stuff is a little trendy-techy on looks but I suppose it's a matter of taste. Anything with tubes is usually shiny and glowing, but even Cary seems to be toning things down lately and it's actually unfortunate that many manufacturers (Jolida, AR come to mind) are now hiding the tubes inside the components more & more.

But for the solid state camp, I have to say that looks are often an aftertought. While I don't think it should hinder the functionality and interoperability (like with B&O), I do think that if you're going to spend $5000 on a preamp it should look a little different. And I also think that at that price point, an exotic design should have a function as well.

[Feanor]

There are many people who over the years have come to favor one component manufacturer over another. They buy the products as a first choice and compare everything else to these. They set up websites, discussion forums, and trade technical details about used components. Some popular manufacturers that come to mind are Krell, McIntosh, Levinson, PS Audio, Linn, Bryston, etc. If you had to choose one company who's products you would "specialize" in, which one would it be & why? Any manufacturers to avoid?

So does this guy I would say!! :cornut:
...

[hermanv]

Where did he hide the air conditioner?

All the heat at the bottom of the stack?

Damn, you could buy a Ferrari for that much money.

[nightflier]

Ironically, he's using the same $200 HDTV cable box (RCA DTC-100), I used to have.

Personally I don't really care for the Mac look: it's big & bulky, toy-like, and looks like it hasn't evolved since the 50's. I know they perform well, but I just don't think a Mac pre would look good next to a PS Audio GCC amp. I know, I'll probably get flamed for even daring to insult the allmighty Mac, but hey, that's just my opinion. And apparently this guy thinks they look OK as well. To each his own...

[Feanor]

...
Personally I don't really care for the Mac look: it's big & bulky, toy-like, and looks like it hasn't evolved since the 50's. I know they perform well, but I just don't think a Mac pre would look good next to a PS Audio GCC amp. I know, I'll probably get flamed for even daring to insult the allmighty Mac, but hey, that's just my opinion. And apparently this guy thinks they look OK as well. To each his own...

How could you not love Mac? Sure, it won't win any industrial design awards, but looking like the '50s is a lot of the charm.

See my new C712 preamp:
...

[jlcct]

There are many people who over the years have come to favor one component manufacturer over another. They buy the products as a first choice and compare everything else to these. They set up websites, discussion forums, and trade technical details about used components. Some popular manufacturers that come to mind are Krell, McIntosh, Levinson, PS Audio, Linn, Bryston, etc. If you had to choose one company who's products you would "specialize" in, which one would it be & why? Any manufacturers to avoid?

Well I recently picked up a pair of Axiom M80 V2's, an Axiom VP 150V2 and 4 Axiom QS8 V2's. I don't own my own home yet so I did not want to spend to much and these Axiom's come with a trial purchase agreement. I also read about their ability to handle an astounding amount of power and I have an insatiable need to listen loud. I read a bunch of reviews and decided to give it a shot.

When I received the speakers in the mail they seemed to be packed at a ridiculous standard and still there was a tiny scratch on the back of the center channel so I called Axiom. They instantly refunded me 10% of the purchase order. I have gotten 3 follow up e-mails since owning them and they have showed me that they really care about my being happy with their product.

The reviews I had read seem to have been spot on for the most part. Some of them read how bright the highs are. I have amplified them with 2 separate sources and the highs seemed to stand out to much only when they were being under powered. Once I pushed them, everything seemed to come together quite nicely. I don't have the same references that many here have as I am quite young in comparison to most of the posters here but I have done my share of listening. They truly can handle a ridiculous amount of power and although I have a sub, there is no need with the M80 V2's. I am most impressed with the ability of the center channel and the QS8 surrounds. The surrounds are so easy to place. They fire up, down and side to side and make for a sound that bleeds together so well that the room is totally enveloped.

Like I said, I don't have the experience as some but I know what I like. I have had a few relatives and friends come over to listen and everyone smiles instantly. For some who have never had a decent setup, that's an easy task with the most simple components. As for my uncle and a friend who are deeply immersed in the audio hobby it spoke volumes that they were able to appreciate this system as much as myself.

I will start a second setup for another room so I plan on trying some of the aforementioned products so perhaps in the future I will be a more credible point of reference for everyone here. For now I'm impressed and ecstatic with the results of my first "real" setup.

[Geoffcin]

Well I recently picked up a pair of Axiom M80 V2's, an Axiom VP 150V2 and 4 Axiom QS8 V2's. I don't own my own home yet so I did not want to spend to much and these Axiom's come with a trial purchase agreement. I also read about their ability to handle an astounding amount of power and I have an insatiable need to listen loud. I read a bunch of reviews and decided to give it a shot.

When I received the speakers in the mail they seemed to be packed at a ridiculous standard and still there was a tiny scratch on the back of the center channel so I called Axiom. They instantly refunded me 10% of the purchase order. I have gotten 3 follow up e-mails since owning them and they have showed me that they really care about my being happy with their product.

The reviews I had read seem to have been spot on for the most part. Some of them read how bright the highs are. I have amplified them with 2 separate sources and the highs seemed to stand out to much only when they were being under powered. Once I pushed them, everything seemed to come together quite nicely. I don't have the same references that many here have as I am quite young in comparison to most of the posters here but I have done my share of listening. They truly can handle a ridiculous amount of power and although I have a sub, there is no need with the M80 V2's. I am most impressed with the ability of the center channel and the QS8 surrounds. The surrounds are so easy to place. They fire up, down and side to side and make for a sound that bleeds together so well that the room is totally enveloped.

Like I said, I don't have the experience as some but I know what I like. I have had a few relatives and friends come over to listen and everyone smiles instantly. For some who have never had a decent setup, that's an easy task with the most simple components. As for my uncle and a friend who are deeply immersed in the audio hobby it spoke volumes that they were able to appreciate this system as much as myself.

I will start a second setup for another room so I plan on trying some of the aforementioned products so perhaps in the future I will be a more credible point of reference for everyone here. For now I'm impressed and ecstatic with the results of my first "real" setup.

That system is quite a powerhouse for HT. The EPI500 sub should really only be considered if you have your own house, as you will wind up shaking the building down!

[E-Stat]

But I feel being brand loyal with any type of product can be bad. I bought a VW jetta in 2000 because Consumer Reports was giving it a must buy rating and how great VW is. The very next year it was rated one of the worst 10 cars and the VW company was rated the second worst car company.
It works for me when the acclaim has been in place for decades as with Honda. I've been completely satisfied with the eleven my wife and I've had over the past twenty five years.

The Jetta and it's related brethren, the Golf and Scirocco, have experienced reliability problems since the 70s.

rw

[E-Stat]

Personally I don't really care for the Mac look...
I'm not into the light show either. On the other hand, many folks might consider the plain anodized aluminum faceplates of my Audio Research and VTL gear boring. ;)

rw

[Feanor]

I'm not into the light show either. On the other hand, many folks might consider the plain anodized aluminum faceplates of my Audio Research and VTL gear boring. ;)

rw

As an asphalt driverway, to look at at least.:sleep:

[hermanv]

As an asphalt driverway, to look at at least.:sleep:Gee, I listen to my stuff. :cornut:

Sorry, couldn't pass it up, maybe the teen newbies are getting to me.

[Feanor]

Gee, I listen to my stuff. :cornut:

Sorry, couldn't pass it up, maybe the teen newbies are getting to me.

One thing's for sure: I'm no teen!!

Take note: I'm selling the McIntosh C712, (see my picture above), and keeping the Adcom GFP-750. Now, the latter is a really boring thing to look at. :sleep: :sleep:

...

[Geoffcin]

One thing's for sure: I'm no teen!!

Take note: I'm selling the McIntosh C712, (see my picture above), and keeping the Adcom GFP-750. Now, the latter is a really boring thing to look at. :sleep: :sleep:

...

Between the GFP-750 in powered vs. passive mode?

[Worf101]

I'm definately a MidFi man. I've seen and heard some high priced Swag over the years but I really can't say I've spent much time with any of it. As for products I have a personal relationship with... there's a few...

1. HSU Subwoofers - I've bought and used a good many of their subs and found them to be first rate. I've used Velodyne and others over the years but HSU's my brand of choice.

2. Ohm Speakers - Quirky, different and definately on their own is how I describe this brand. American made and a true "love/hate" relationship. I love them and hate them... wouldn't have it any other way...

3. Onkyo Receivers - They just work for me. I'll probably go Yamaha if/when I ever upgrade but for right now, the three Onkyo receivers I use have never failed to give me what I need and everything I want.

Da Worfster

[Feanor]

Between the GFP-750 in powered vs. passive mode?

Geoff, I've been using mostly Passive mode. This works and sounds great!

See my configuration
...

[Geoffcin]

Geoff, I've been using mostly Passive mode. This works and sounds great!

See my configuration
...

That isn't a LAB 400 by any chance.....

[Feanor]

That isn't a LAB 400 by any chance.....

Uhmm, I'm ignorant: what's a LAB 400? :confused5:

[nightflier]

Worf,

You're the first to mention Ohm. I've been talking with John Strohbeen about the Micro Walsh's and have been a bit hesitant to purchase them because of some things I've heard about build-quality. What do you love/hate about the Ohms?

[Geoffcin]

Uhmm, I'm ignorant: what's a LAB 400? :confused5:

Never mind....

[Mr Peabody]

Feanor, forgive me if I missed a post, do you think the 750 sounds better than the Mac?

[Worf101]

Worf,

You're the first to mention Ohm. I've been talking with John Strohbeen about the Micro Walsh's and have been a bit hesitant to purchase them because of some things I've heard about build-quality. What do you love/hate about the Ohms?

You have to understand I don't own any "modern" Ohm Speakers. I have only their vintage speakers. I've Ohm Walsh 2's, 4's and F's that I've rotated in and out of my HT setup over the last 6 years. The build quality of the older speakers is first rate as is their reliabilty in that all of these speakers are over 30 years old! They also look like NO other speaker in the world. I love them... simple as that.

What I don't like is the directionality of their speakers. Due to the down firing woofer and the reflective nature of the tweeter I've found finding a "sweet spot" with Ohms to be problematic. They also seem much more affected by placement and room environment than your standard "box" speaker. Also there's a pronounced increase in bass when go from a seated position to a standing position. Still after all these years I've grown to love and accept Ohm's quirks.

Hope this helps...

Da Worfster

[Feanor]

....

What I don't like is the directionality of their speakers. Due to the down firing woofer and the reflective nature of the tweeter I've found finding a "sweet spot" with Ohms to be problematic. They also seem much more affected by placement and room environment than your standard "box" speaker. Also there's a pronounced increase in bass when go from a seated position to a standing position. Still after all these years I've grown to love and accept Ohm's quirks.

Hope this helps...

Da Worfster

That was many years ago. I always regretted selling them -- for B&W DM7's no less, what a mistake.

I agree placement can be tricky. That's because they are true omindirectional. For a start, keep then at least 2.5 - 3 feet from any wall.