Ever heard a system better than yours?

[kexodusc]

A friend of mine has a system that is far superior to my HT. He's got a wicked Krell Pre/Pro and multi-channel amp...couldn't tell you the model numbers.
His speakers are DIY, Joe D'Appolito's own Thor and Odin speakes based on some high-end Seas drivers, actually very similar and comparable to Tyler Acoustic's excellent Linbrook models (to give you an idea). Sound quality wise, you'd find these beside a lot of $4000 - $8000 speakers. You can buy the kits at Madisound, but most people who spend this money on DIY speakers just buy the drivers, then select crossover parts and cabinets to higher specs than stores like Madisound can justify selling.

He's got a 100 something inch projector/screen setup, the works. I hate him.
I just can't fit enough time into my schedule to justify going this far...I'd have to take away from some of my other hobbies.

Nice though.

[musicman1999]

not in anybodys home,but in my local high end shop,yes.i do know someone with an all meridian system that is about 10 years old,however i have never heard it,should be very good though.
thanks
bill

[Florian]

A system that is better then mine in instrument texture would be my friends Silvawelds OTL's with the big Acoustats. A very slight difference, but he takes the cake in instrument texture. I take the rest ;-)

Then in terms of resolution, it would be my friends Goldmund T-3 Reference setup with the Audio Research Reference Phono.

Other then that, no. Not even at a show. Systems that i put equal or better in some areas or, just different was the showing of the Martin Organ system, Soundlab U1, Avalon Eidolon Diamond with Passlab X600 Monos.

-Flo

PS: For the record the most memorable systems of my life where all Apogees. Duettas, Scintillas etc..

[RGA]

Yes

This past Sunday I heard a system at a fellow's place in my vicinity that betterred mine and any other system I have ever heard -- I was about to say at any price but I would guess that this fellow's speaker wires cost significantly more than my entire system -- err both my systems.

The way that system revealed the differences in recordings, the bass depth and resolution of always knowing where all instruments were located in space and never becoming muddy or bloated (unless and except for those recordings I brought with me that had such artifacts on the discs). The Vinyl replay truly would I think end the discussion as to whether vinyl loses anything to CD. Bringing some of my LP's over just re-affirmed how mediocre my NAD(Rega Clone) really is.

What I became more important though was not the discussion of imaging, soundstaging, bass, resolution and all those things hobbyists like to discuss but the music and the recording. The best thing though is that I have a half dozen or so new artists that I can go look up and improve my music collection.

[Woochifer]

The way that system revealed the differences in recordings, the bass depth and resolution of always knowing where all instruments were located in space and never becoming muddy or bloated (unless and except for those recordings I brought with me that had such artifacts on the discs). The Vinyl replay truly would I think end the discussion as to whether vinyl loses anything to CD. Bringing some of my LP's over just re-affirmed how mediocre my NAD(Rega Clone) really is.

I'm not sure if the turntable's the culprit here, you might want to look more at the cartridge. The Shure cart that you use is an excellent value, but Shures in general are sometimes considered bland. I think if you try a moving coil cart and/or any cart that uses a fine line or Fritz Geiger elliptical stylus, you'll hear an immediate increase in the amount of detail that comes out of your vinyl. Your Shure cart uses an elliptical stylus, which is pretty much the minimum that you would want to use to properly demonstrate vinyl's virtues.

But, as I've said many times on this board, the best turntable rig isn't going to rescue a bad pressing or poorly mastered record, and that inconsistency is the downfall of vinyl IMO.

What I became more important though was not the discussion of imaging, soundstaging, bass, resolution and all those things hobbyists like to discuss but the music and the recording. The best thing though is that I have a half dozen or so new artists that I can go look up and improve my music collection.

That's why it took me more than a month after buying my SACD player before I posted anything detailed about my listening impressions, because I was too busy enjoying the remastered two-channel and multichannel SACDs to bother with more systematic listenings and A/B comparisons. The multichannel Mahler SACDs from the SF Symphony in particular have taken me further into a live concert than any other two-channel source that I can recall.

[RGA]

I'm not sure if the turntable's the culprit here, you might want to look more at the cartridge. The Shure cart that you use is an excellent value, but Shures in general are sometimes considered bland. I think if you try a moving coil cart and/or any cart that uses a fine line or Fritz Geiger elliptical stylus, you'll hear an immediate increase in the amount of detail that comes out of your vinyl. Your Shure cart uses an elliptical stylus, which is pretty much the minimum that you would want to use to properly demonstrate vinyl's virtues.

But, as I've said many times on this board, the best turntable rig isn't going to rescue a bad pressing or poorly mastered record, and that inconsistency is the downfall of vinyl IMO.

I agree and that goes for CD as well as plenty of them are atrocious. Yes this fellow was using an MC cartridge with a box that powers the cartridge that acts a s a generator so it remains locked in all the way and boy what a difference that made with the LP's I brought over which had "issues" Even one LP which i played recently on a relatively pricey Roksan rig was blown out the door. I have been considering upgrading the cart for a while now but I will hold off until I can get something closer to what this fellow runs. His cartridge set-up cost more than B&W N801s. So yes one should expect better than the Shure M97xE.

Needless to say trying to express what is heard is like trying to describe sunsets to people who are and always have been blind. Words fail.