Update on the system build...

[RGA]

Hyfi

certainly that's my usual advice "system synergy" over components. You can take otherwise great components and get lousy sound (or lousy for the money anyway).

All:

In my last thread I noted that the used shop was very cramped and any real audition is not possible. the store happened to be playing the revolvers in a room with probably 50 pairs of speakers and the Revolvers still managed to sound quite good considering they were on stands at ear height while standing.

Most of the equipment is vacuum wrapped in plastic. It's used gear and they sell to people who know what they want apparently.

There were many many other speakers and amplifiers and CD players: Plenty of Dynaudios, Sonu Faber, Mordaunt Short, MB Quart, Heco, Monitor Audio, Elac, B&W Matrix, 602S2 and 602S3, Canton, ProAc, Spendor, Charo, Mission, Paradigm, Wharfedale, Kef Reference, older Kef 102, Klipsch, JBL, Focal.

And just as many amplifier CD player brands (Tons of McIntosh tube amps, several amps from Jadis, Quad, Arcam, Cambridge Audio, Micro-Omega, Meridian, Cyrus, Threshold, Wadia, Levinson, Krell, Bryston, Cal Labs, Sonic Frontiers, Tanberg Parasound, Adcom, Classe, lots of Musical Fidelity and Nuvista gear, etc. I didn't list largely because I felt the used asking prices were on the high side. The Bryston gear was actually somewhat reasonable - a Bryston 4BST and their preamp of that era for $2k for both. But Bryston preamps are unlistenable to me. Classe had a pre/pro that seemed reasonably priced but Classe doesn't quite do it for me.

The ability to audition is seriously limited so the intent somewhat is to take a chance on it by reputation - the speakers I can audition but the choice of front ends will be limited to their opened displays I think.

I always prefer speakers that allow me to listen to a variety of amplifiers so the LE hard to drive speakers like the ATCs are off the list. Some Harbeths are off the list some are not.

The AudioLab gear I researched somewhat and it seemed to be polarizing - a lot of comments about it being too analytical and bright and that newer versions are better. So I'm largely off that track. CJ is typically described as a little too the other end of the spectrum (which IMO is the better end to be on if you have to choose an end). It's Easter so the Audio Note dealer is close - I was hoping to go there today to try the AX Two standmount - I want to try the Epos 11 as these two are about the same price. The AX Two has been a bit of a giant killer for me for quite awhile.

I will also try the AN K/Spe (which I owned) - it just won loudspeaker of the year in the press here. I find that somewhat amusing since they've been selling it since 1990 - which illustrates the progress of loudspeakers that a 20 year old speaker (30 if you count Snell) wins such an award. But it costs 5 times the money of the AX Two so we'll see if they have an old demo lying around for cheap. It's the perfect size for my apartment and can be driven off of 3 watts but also sounded very good with my Sugden A48b 70 watt SS amp.

The Audio Notes obviously have a strong influence on mere here because HyFi reminded me that it is about synergy - it's important to have the speaker mesh with your front end gear. I did see a K/Spe in Poplar burl with rubber surrounds so it's a bit older. We'll see but they retail for $3k in the U.S. Eesh.