Combos you'd love to audition

[Ajani]

What crazy combos of gear would you love to audition if you had the chance?

Right now I'd most love to try this setup:



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ZU Omen + Wadia 151PowerDAC mini... Looks like a potentially sweet combo for just $2,200... It makes me wish I was in the US, so I could just order it from Musicdirect...

Anyway, I showed you mine... now show me yours

[Feanor]

What crazy combos of gear would you love to audition if you had the chance?
....

Anyway, I showed you mine... now show me yours

Well since you ask ...

A combo I'd like to hear would be Wilson Audio drive by all-Ayre electronics:

SPEAKER: Wilson Audio Alexandria X2


AMPLIFIERS: Ayre MX-R


PREAMP: Ayre KX-R


DAC: Ayre QB-9

[Feanor]

Or another combo: Magico speakers and Pass Labs amps and EMM Labs SACD ...

SPEAKERS: Magico Model 5


AMPLIFIERS: Pass Labs XA200.5


PREAMP: Pass Labs XP-20 (or here pictured, the XP-25 with phono)


EMM Labs XDS1 SACD player

[Feanor]

Or yet another ...

E-Stat might like this combo: Sound Lab speakers with VTL amps

SPEAKERS: Sound Lab Majestic


AMPS: VTL Siegfried Reference


PREAMP: VTL TL 7.5 Series II

[Feanor]

And while we're at it ...

Perigee speakers and TacT digital room correction and amplification

SPEAKERS: Perigee Definitive


PREAMP: TacT RCS 2.2 XP


AMP(S) TacT T2

[harley .guy07]

I will say that I would like to hear VTL amps since they make some of the highest powered tube amps on the planet with possibly some speakers that would sound good with tube gear but just take too much power for them to be logical. Also the Pass labs stuff really has me wanting to hear some of it because I have always thought Nelson could design the hell out of SS components. As far as speakers with them I would love to hear the Magico m5's or possibly some wilson alexandria since they are something I will probably never fathom owning myself.

[RGA]

I would like to hear an all Shindo System at some point around the Shindo Latour Field Coil Speakers

[Ajani]

It's interesting that all of the responses so far are about ultra-expensive gear... Is no one else interested in auditioning gear they can actually afford?

[audio amateur]

I believe the word 'crazy' led them to believe that you meant price. But then the combo you suggested wasn't all that crazily priced... to us geeks anyways.

[Feanor]

It's interesting that all of the responses so far are about ultra-expensive gear... Is no one else interested in auditioning gear they can actually afford?

That would certainly narrow my selection ... to just about nothing.

But getting a little close to what I might afford, I'd like to hear the following system:

SPEAKERS & SUB: NHT Classic Model 3; NHT B-10d


AMP: Cambridge Azur 740A v.2


DAC (I'm no longer interested in CDPs): Cambridge DacMagic

[Poultrygeist]

I am humbled by the mighty $35,000 GM-70 at hornfest each year and yes it sounds like the voice of God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb_TDsXQkPc

[Ajani]

I believe the word 'crazy' led them to believe that you meant price. But then the combo you suggested wasn't all that crazily priced... to us geeks anyways.

Crazy could mean anything... unusual like the system I suggested...or it could mean high price... I just find it interesting that all the earlier responses were about the creme de la creme....

[Ajani]

I am humbled by the mighty $35,000 GM-70 at hornfest each year and yes it sounds like the voice of God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb_TDsXQkPc

$35K for something that looks like a typical DIY project?

[Hyfi]

Several years ago I got to hear some Turntable systems based on BAT Pre-Amp and Proac speakers. I don't remember what TT was used but the sound was some of the best I remember.

I would like to see/hear a similar setup again.

[Feanor]

For lovers of Canadian gear on a medium budget ...

Paradigm plus Simaudio ...

SPEAKERS: Paradigm Signature S2


SUBWOOFER: Paradigm SUB 12


AMPLIFIER: Simaudio Moon i3.3 integrated


DAC: Simaudio Moon 100D

[Ajani]

That would certainly narrow my selection ... to just about nothing.

But getting a little close to what I might afford, I'd like to hear the following system:

SPEAKERS & SUB: NHT Classic Model 3; NHT B-10d

I'd actually like to try that combo with my Emotiva gear... I hear NHT is supposed to be warm, so it could be a good match...

[Feanor]

To appease horn + tube crazies ...

Acapella combined with Atma-Shere

SPEAKERS: Acapella Sphäron "Excalibur"


PREAMP: Atma-Sphere MP-1 Mk.3.1


AMPLIFIER: Atma-Shere M-60 Mk.3.1


VINYL PLAYBACK -- I'm clueless ; somebody else will have to figure this out.

[Feanor]

Slighty weird-but-effective mid-range option ...

Magneplanar + Rythmic + Benchmark + Class-D-Audio

SPEAKERS: Magneplanar MG 12


SUBWOOFER: Rythmic F15


PREAMP + DAC: Benchmark DAC-1 HDR


AMP: Class-D-Audio SDS-254, (semi-DIY)

[RGA]

Crazy could mean anything... unusual like the system I suggested...or it could mean high price... I just find it interesting that all the earlier responses were about the creme de la creme....

Most affordable stuff is easy to audition as most hi-fi shops carry it. And I think it is more valuable to hear the creme de la creme so that you have a base line of knowing what the best is so that when you do audition that which you can afford you can say - hey at least this is somewhere in the ballpark or it gets the main things correct.

I can hear a Paradigm, B&W, Martin Logan, and Sim Audio, Bryston any weekend I want since several dealers and big box chains carry them - I can't however hear a Shindo or Acapella, Trenner & Freidl and most Single Ended amp makers because very few dealers want to carry stuff that people will have to audition because they were not pre-sold before they even walk into the store.

I would like to hear Zu which is affordable and if they present at CAS in the summer I will check them out.

[Ajani]

Most affordable stuff is easy to audition as most hi-fi shops carry it. And I think it is more valuable to hear the creme de la creme so that you have a base line of knowing what the best is so that when you do audition that which you can afford you can say - hey at least this is somewhere in the ballpark or it gets the main things correct.

While I appreciate how nice it can be to have a "benchmark" of how good high end can sound... One can easily argue that "so what?"... Does it really matter how close my Honda Prelude comes to a Ferrari? I will never be able to own anything in a Ferrari price range, so the analysis is not really relevant to me... Knowing how a Prelude compares to other sports-cars/sports-coupes in my price range will actually let me know what to buy... Knowing that it provides 95% of the performance of a Ferrari for a fraction of the price, only provides comfort to my ego. Also it allows me to be the typical clown who claims that rich people are "stupid" for paying the premium on a Ferrari... IMO, the audiophile world would be a much nicer place without all those clowns....

I can hear a Paradigm, B&W, Martin Logan, and Sim Audio, Bryston any weekend I want since several dealers and big box chains carry them - I can't however hear a Shindo or Acapella, Trenner & Freidl and most Single Ended amp makers because very few dealers want to carry stuff that people will have to audition because they were not pre-sold before they even walk into the store.

I would like to hear Zu which is affordable and if they present at CAS in the summer I will check them out.

Affordable doesn't have to mean the stuff you can audition in any major HiFi store... The Zu/Wadia combo I suggested is not going to be available at every major local dealer... In fact it may not be available anywhere other than online...

[E-Stat]

E-Stat might like this combo: Sound Lab speakers with VTL amps...

You betcha!. I've heard those electronics driving Scaena 1.4s using Nordost Odin cabling with either an EMM Labs SACD player or Clearaudio Statement front end, but having a pair of steel framed 990s with U-1B subs would be really nice!

rw

[RGA]

Ajani

While I agree you want to compare things of a certain price range - the car analogy is less useful here because a Ferrari as a sports car has few peers in the $25,000 price range (or no peers more likely). And with cars there is more relevant objective evidence of the superiority of a Ferrari versus a Prelude.

With audio it's not necessarily the case that an affordable $5k speaker is bested by a different maker's $50,000 speaker. I prefer the sound of the Gallo 3.5 for example to a lot of $20,000 speakers that I have heard over the years. So I do agree with you on the "affordable" front in the case of ZU for example which is something you would have to seek out to audition - Gallo and King Sound are arguably also speakers that most would have to seek out as opposed to B&W and Paradigm.

And I don't consider it being a clown to hear a $5k speaker beat a $20k speaker. It is about design not prices in many instances and the design that is tailored to the strengths that you may wish for versus those of another design that may perform admirably with aspects you don't regard as important.

Still in general I want to hear what is possible not necessarily just what I can afford since if I hear a true stunner I have a new frame of reference of what I really love and then try to figure out how close I can get with the budget I have. Without hearing that frame of reference I may not be heading in any real credible direction just bouncing around in upgrade land with every new product that gets a rave by someone.

[Ajani]

Ajani

While I agree you want to compare things of a certain price range - the car analogy is less useful here because a Ferrari as a sports car has few peers in the $25,000 price range (or no peers more likely). And with cars there is more relevant objective evidence of the superiority of a Ferrari versus a Prelude.

With audio it's not necessarily the case that an affordable $5k speaker is bested by a different maker's $50,000 speaker. I prefer the sound of the Gallo 3.5 for example to a lot of $20,000 speakers that I have heard over the years. So I do agree with you on the "affordable" front in the case of ZU for example which is something you would have to seek out to audition - Gallo and King Sound are arguably also speakers that most would have to seek out as opposed to B&W and Paradigm.

And I don't consider it being a clown to hear a $5k speaker beat a $20k speaker. It is about design not prices in many instances and the design that is tailored to the strengths that you may wish for versus those of another design that may perform admirably with aspects you don't regard as important.

Still in general I want to hear what is possible not necessarily just what I can afford since if I hear a true stunner I have a new frame of reference of what I really love and then try to figure out how close I can get with the budget I have. Without hearing that frame of reference I may not be heading in any real credible direction just bouncing around in upgrade land with every new product that gets a rave by someone.

Saying that a $5K speaker sounds better than a $20K speaker is still clownish, as it's just my opinion and tastes... Someone else would hear than combo and think I need to get my hearing checked... So there really is nothing to brag about... It's just stroking my ego to say that my setup beats ones costing 4X as much...

Suppose I audition this setup:

Analog Source: Audio Note TT2 turntable with AN/Vx phono cable, Arm 3 tonearm and IQ cartridge. Custom Skylan 3-layer turntable base.

Amplification: Audio Note OTO Phono SE integrated amplifier

Speakers: Audio Note J/Spe stand-mount

Cables and Interconnects: Ultra-Link speaker cables and Tara Labs Prism 11s interconnects.

And honestly find that my all Emotiva rig sounds better to me... Would it really make sense for me to claim that my system beats the Audio Note rig and that the persons and reviewers who own such a rig are fools for wasting their money. Especially when they could have got my all Emotiva rig for so much less?

Also, you don't need to upgrade with no direction... You upgrade based on whether something sounds good to you...

[RGA]

Suppose I audition this setup:

Analog Source: Audio Note TT2 turntable with AN/Vx phono cable, Arm 3 tonearm and IQ cartridge. Custom Skylan 3-layer turntable base.

Amplification: Audio Note OTO Phono SE integrated amplifier

Speakers: Audio Note J/Spe stand-mount

Cables and Interconnects: Ultra-Link speaker cables and Tara Labs Prism 11s interconnects.

And honestly find that my all Emotiva rig sounds better to me... Would it really make sense for me to claim that my system beats the Audio Note rig and that the persons and reviewers who own such a rig are fools for wasting their money. Especially when they could have got my all Emotiva rig for so much less?

This would still in all likelihood be because you preferred the overriding design.

Vandersteen makes a $45,000 loudspeaker. I can agree that this is the best sounding speaker Vandersteen makes and "IF" you like Vandersteen's house sound then the speaker is well worth the money because it is the "ultimate" in that house sound that you can get. I prefer the sound of the AN E/Spe HE at $7,500 however. I would not say that the Vandersteen is not worth it to those who are infatuated with that kind of sound but I could also make the case that if you like what the AN E does better then regardless of the price difference it would be a better loudspeaker. I liked the Vandy room as well.

I tend, however, to believe that many people fall into certain camps. I looked at the best rooms I heard at CES and then made a best of list. I noted that my fellow reviewers owned speakers from those same companies. That illustrates to me that people tend to hear "most" things similarly. I chose Acapella, Teresonic, Audio Note, King Sound as some of the better rooms and fellow reviewers own speakers from these guys. This also applies to many of the people I talked to at the show and from competing publications. I directed several people to certain rooms that I liked to see what they thought as well. There is a personal taste aspect and room limitation and budget aspect to include but in general I believe that most people will hear it very similarly. As for hypothetical comparisons I try to avoid them because too often I am in debates on forums where people slag my perspective when they have not heard the gear I am comparing it to. If I like the sound of the AN E/Spe HE better than the 20.1 for example at double the price this is not because of price but because I have heard both loudspeakers on several occasions in several locations with appropriate gear. I merely ask that there be an actual comparison before people start slagging.

As for your example - it may very well be the case. Bring home an all Audio Note rig and find out. They will ship for home demo.

[Ajani]

This would still in all likelihood be because you preferred the overriding design.

Vandersteen makes a $45,000 loudspeaker. I can agree that this is the best sounding speaker Vandersteen makes and "IF" you like Vandersteen's house sound then the speaker is well worth the money because it is the "ultimate" in that house sound that you can get. I prefer the sound of the AN E/Spe HE at $7,500 however. I would not say that the Vandersteen is not worth it to those who are infatuated with that kind of sound but I could also make the case that if you like what the AN E does better then regardless of the price difference it would be a better loudspeaker. I liked the Vandy room as well.

Here we agree... I think it's more about preference than whether AN is better than Vandy... Naim fans swear by Naim, yet some other persons will say Naim is overpriced junk... The Maggie fans are probably even more fanatical than the AN fans, yet there are audiophiles who detest Maggies... So I see nothing wrong with stating that I prefer X product to Y, for whatever sonic reasons... But I think that the mistake too often made in our hobby is dissing other persons who bought something else... The guy with the the 5 way towers and 1000 watt mono-blocks might be enjoying his stereo just as much as the guy with the 2 way monitors and 3 watt set...

I tend, however, to believe that many people fall into certain camps. I looked at the best rooms I heard at CES and then made a best of list. I noted that my fellow reviewers owned speakers from those same companies. That illustrates to me that people tend to hear "most" things similarly. I chose Acapella, Teresonic, Audio Note, King Sound as some of the better rooms and fellow reviewers own speakers from these guys. This also applies to many of the people I talked to at the show and from competing publications. I directed several people to certain rooms that I liked to see what they thought as well. There is a personal taste aspect and room limitation and budget aspect to include but in general I believe that most people will hear it very similarly.

I have to disagree with that conclusion... As a simple example, the Revel Ultima Salon 2 driven by Mark Levinson Monoblocks have been rated as some of the best sound at various shows by John Atkinson and a few others at Stereophile... I'm sure you've never put them in your top 10 list at a show... So I don't think that most people will hear it very similarly... If they did, then we'd all own similar brands or a limited range of them... the massive variations in brands we purchase is a clear reflection that we all have varying tastes...

As for hypothetical comparisons I try to avoid them because too often I am in debates on forums where people slag my perspective when they have not heard the gear I am comparing it to. If I like the sound of the AN E/Spe HE better than the 20.1 for example at double the price this is not because of price but because I have heard both loudspeakers on several occasions in several locations with appropriate gear. I merely ask that there be an actual comparison before people start slagging.

As for your example - it may very well be the case. Bring home an all Audio Note rig and find out. They will ship for home demo.

I would actually love to do an in-home audition of Audio Note gear... But shipping to Jamaica is going to be very expensive... So I'd have to be sure I want to buy... One day when I get the chance, AN is on the top of my must audition list...