Looking for Bookshelf Speakers $2K-$3K

[anamorphic96]

Thats good to hear the you liked the PSB's. I love the B25's I have. Very impressive for the 380 I paid.

If you goto DMC electronics you can get the M2's in black for 1200.00. Which is Blem-stock. This may turn you off but the blem stock I have seen is so minor you really have to look for it.

Might want to think about this. It could save you 800 or more dollars. I'm thinking of it myself if I can come up with the cash.

Keep us posted.

[PeruvianSkies]

DMC's blem-stock is really amazing. In fact, you need a microscope to find most of the problems and often times it's something so minor like the left speaker is slightly lighter or darker than the right speaker, but you really need to have them side-by-side and in bright light to really even begin to notice and even then it's hard to see. Let's put it this way...the money saved versus the small inperfection is far worth it.

[PeruvianSkies]

By the way...what were they using to drive the PSB M2's and what do you plan to use to drive your new speakers?

[Carl Reid]

By the way...what were they using to drive the PSB M2's and what do you plan to use to drive your new speakers?

I heard the PSBs on a NAD Master's Series M3 Integrated Amp (which is probably overkill for the M2's).

As for what I'll be using to drive them.... no idea yet... I'll probably sell my Rotel Amp/Pre-Amp Combo and rebuild my setup.... I'm a big believer in system synergy, so depending on what speakers I eventually buy, I'll likely get equipment that I heard driving them as well...

[PeruvianSkies]

If you can, try the PSB's driven with either Parasound, Classe, or PS Audio. I have heard the M2's before with any of these 3 and I never felt that anything was comromised. The best was the Classe, which is what I would love to get down the line to replace my Parasound Halo A23 amp. It does the job, but nothing quite like a set of Classe monoblocks. The M2's that I heard were driven by a A21 from Parasound, which was far superior when comparing them to the NAD C272. Hope all goes well for you and we are excited to hear about your final decision!!!

[Carl Reid]

If you can, try the PSB's driven with either Parasound, Classe, or PS Audio. I have heard the M2's before with any of these 3 and I never felt that anything was comromised. The best was the Classe, which is what I would love to get down the line to replace my Parasound Halo A23 amp. It does the job, but nothing quite like a set of Classe monoblocks. The M2's that I heard were driven by a A21 from Parasound, which was far superior when comparing them to the NAD C272. Hope all goes well for you and we are excited to hear about your final decision!!!

How do you find that the M2s compare to the T6s? Unfortunately, I wasn't able to listen to the T6's when I was in the store, since the dealer was being lazy.... But I'd love to know if you found there to be a substantial difference between the two for Mids and Highs (since the T6's will clearly be in a different class when it comes to bass repsonse).... I like bass, but it's not a major requirement for me. So I'm wondering if I really should consider paying double the price of the M2s + Stands for the T6s.

Also,

The NAD I heard with the M2s was a Masters Series and was in a much higher class than the the NAD 272... but that being said, I still wouldn't purchase the NAD, I'm leaning more towards, Classe, Krell or Musical Fidelity. Though in the short term I may go with something cheaper (that I can move to a bedroom system later)...

I'm actually rebuilding my system from scratch at this stage, which is really a lot of fun (though expensive - so I really need to take my time and get things right)....

[PeruvianSkies]

How do you find that the M2s compare to the T6s? Unfortunately, I wasn't able to listen to the T6's when I was in the store, since the dealer was being lazy.... But I'd love to know if you found there to be a substantial difference between the two for Mids and Highs (since the T6's will clearly be in a different class when it comes to bass repsonse).... I like bass, but it's not a major requirement for me. So I'm wondering if I really should consider paying double the price of the M2s + Stands for the T6s.

Also,

The NAD I heard with the M2s was a Masters Series and was in a much higher class than the the NAD 272... but that being said, I still wouldn't purchase the NAD, I'm leaning more towards, Classe, Krell or Musical Fidelity. Though in the short term I may go with something cheaper (that I can move to a bedroom system later)...

I'm actually rebuilding my system from scratch at this stage, which is really a lot of fun (though expensive - so I really need to take my time and get things right)....

When comparing the PSB Platinum series to any other speaker out there it's certainly more obvious to hear differences and to see more of a contrast between things, but where it gets really tough is when you are putting PSB against itself! First off there is hardly anything wrong with going either direction for the M2 or for the T6, but I can tell you why I chose what I did and maybe that can help you out. My first two sets of speakers that I owned were PSB's (the Image 4T and the Image 7PT), and I was always mindful that one day I would eventually climb the ladder and get their flagship speaker, but it took time, money, and patience. I had plenty of time, far less money, and even fewer patience. I finally got to the point where I was ready to make my decision, but before doing so I hit alot of high-end shops, went to a few shows, and auditioned like crazy. In my mind I was sold on the PSB line, but before I threw down the money I at least wanted to see what I was up against. I even checked out the M2's briefly, but I was more set on the floorstander for the bass response, which was important to me simply because I am not always a fan of subwoofer.

My requirements were fairly simple. I wanted a speaker that could serve two needs: HT and 2-channel. Since I started to have a greater love for 2-channel done right I knew that I had to find something that could kick butt in both arenas and under those stipulations the PSB line did not fail. It's competators that I auditioned certainly did great in one area or another, but none of them were able to serve both purposes as well. I firmly believe that the M2 is a much better speaker for just 5.1 application, whereas the T6 is capable of doing both HT application as well as 2-channel. If you are using a sub, than the M2 is perfect as you can set the crossover to a perfectly dialed in range and the M2's will sing like there is no tomorrow. When I first heard them (driven by Classe amps) I was floored! I actually had not heard too many speakers of that size deliver such richness and they sound HUGE!

One other major difference (and this goes for all floorstanders vs monitors) is that it seems like the monitors are more aggressive and in-your-face with their sound, which can often make a person think that they sound superior because you are getting all the mid/hi end sound, but what I prefer about the floorstanding speakers is that it seems like they blend better and have a fuller soundstage, better imaging, and feel more complete to me.

One thing that I would like to point out is that the T6 is not a bass-heavy speaker either. You might think that with all those built in woofers that it would be booming, which is not to say that it can't deliver, it's just a very smooth ride. The low-end presence is incredibly detailed (see my review that I did on this site for the T6 as well). It's highlights as with the rest of the Platinum line is it's incredibly neatral sound, the enormous soundstage, and the fidelity that takes you to a whole new level of musicality.

So I suppose my simple answer would be that if you are looking for just 2-channel power than I would go with the T6, but for HT/5.1 application I might lean towards the M2. Either way you can't go wrong. Once again it also depends on your room size, budget, and preference. If you are in a smaller room than you are limited with where you can place your speakers and from my experience the Platinum line tends to love to have about 3-4 feet between them and the rear wall and about 12-18 inches between them and the nearest side wall, if not more. They also need to be a decent distance away from the listener. I actually was thinking about going with the T8, but my room size was small enough that the T8 was overkill and the T6 was just perfect.

Hope that helps if you need any further assistance or clarification please let me know!

[Carl Reid]

So I finally heard the legendary Quad 22Ls today.

Finish - Impecable. More like polished marble than wood.

Sound - unfortunately they were in a terrible setup in the store front instead of in a nice dedicated listening room and the accompanying equipment was stuff that I really am not a fan of (Cambridge Audio - yes I know that Cambridge Audio and NAD are considered royalty by critics and many consumers in the budget audio world, but I don't fancy the sound, looks and build quality of either. In that price range, I'm a definite fan of Marantz and Rotel... but that's just my preference - no disrespect intended to either NAD or Cambridge fans/owners). Even despite these factors, there was something special about the sound of the Quads.

I could easily buy a pair of 22Ls and be content, actually I may just end up doing that. I'm dying to hear what they will sound like in my own setup... and for just over half the price of my favourite the Monitor Audio GS20s and almost a third of the price of the PSB Platinum T6s, I think they gave me most of what I'm looking for in terms of sound quality... and I think I'd have to buy some seriously expensive supporting equipment to truly appreciate the difference in sound between the Quads and the more expensive brands. However, I will have to hear the Quads again before making any decisions, since initial impressions and excitement over a product can be totally wrong...

My only reservation is that they are so damn short!!!! 31 inches is NOT a good height for a floorstander!

[Dusty Chalk]

(rubs hands together evilly)

Eh-xcellent!

[Carl Reid]

So my updated short list at this point:

Monitor Audio Gold GS20 Floorstanders - $3500 CDN

PSB Platinum M2 Bookshelves + Stands - $$2500 CDN

QUAD 21/22L Floorstanders - $2000 - $2300 CDN (would get a significant discount on those prices, might even be able to snatch the 21L for as low as $1400CDN). Most likely gonna go for the 21L over the 22L due to the fact that my small audio room tends to emphasize bass response.

Monitor Audio Silver RS6 Floorstanders - $1350 CDN (I finally appreciated how good the Silver series were today, when I had a direct comparison between the GS20 and the RS8 in the same room and with the same equipment... once I started listening with my ears instead of my eyes, the differences between the two were fairly subtle). So the the RS6 are now in strong contention for my money... cuz well, they're dirt cheap compared to all the other speakers I'm auditioning and they hold their own sonically.

I've ruled out all the other speakers I've listened to so far for various reasons. The PSB Platinum T6 and Final Sound 400i are off the list due to the fact that I've decided to look for speakers that I can use in a small audio room....

[jrhymeammo]

They are quite small, arent they? I had the same reaction towards the Viennas.

At least they'll be easier to Agon in a near future

[Carl Reid]

They are quite small, arent they? I had the same reaction towards the Viennas.

At least they'll be easier to Agon in a near future

Ridiculously small. It does help to explain (at least partially) why they can afford to have such an amazing finish on such a relatively cheap speaker... smaller speaker means less cost to upgrade the finish....

[Dusty Chalk]

I kind of like them. Puts the tweeters at the right level when I slouch. I think.

[PeruvianSkies]

So my updated short list at this point:

Monitor Audio Gold GS20 Floorstanders - $3500 CDN

PSB Platinum M2 Bookshelves + Stands - $$2500 CDN

QUAD 21/22L Floorstanders - $2000 - $2300 CDN (would get a significant discount on those prices, might even be able to snatch the 21L for as low as $1400CDN). Most likely gonna go for the 21L over the 22L due to the fact that my small audio room tends to emphasize bass response.

Monitor Audio Silver RS6 Floorstanders - $1350 CDN (I finally appreciated how good the Silver series were today, when I had a direct comparison between the GS20 and the RS8 in the same room and with the same equipment... once I started listening with my ears instead of my eyes, the differences between the two were fairly subtle). So the the RS6 are now in strong contention for my money... cuz well, they're dirt cheap compared to all the other speakers I'm auditioning and they hold their own sonically.

I've ruled out all the other speakers I've listened to so far for various reasons. The PSB Platinum T6 and Final Sound 400i are off the list due to the fact that I've decided to look for speakers that I can use in a small audio room....

That would be a really hard decision, although it must be tough picking when you havn't heard them all under the same circumstances.

[Carl Reid]

That would be a really hard decision, although it must be tough picking when you havn't heard them all under the same circumstances.

That is exactly what is making the decision even more challenging. I found one dealer that has PSB, Monitor Audio and Quad... So I was so excited to do a comparison... BUT they don't carry the PSB Platinum range, only the Image and Alpha Lines.... what a dissapointment.

In fact, of 4 PSB dealers I've found in my area, only 1 carries the Platinums... and unfortunately that dealer has no other brands that I'm interested in....

Whereas I've found two dealers who stock Quad and Monitor Audio, so I can do a swap out and compare all three of my Quad and M.A. choices against each other..... and one of those dealers even has a dedicated audio room of a very similar size to my own...

[PeruvianSkies]

That is exactly what is making the decision even more challenging. I found one dealer that has PSB, Monitor Audio and Quad... So I was so excited to do a comparison... BUT they don't carry the PSB Platinum range, only the Image and Alpha Lines.... what a dissapointment.

In fact, of 4 PSB dealers I've found in my area, only 1 carries the Platinums... and unfortunately that dealer has no other brands that I'm interested in....

Whereas I've found two dealers who stock Quad and Monitor Audio, so I can do a swap out and compare all three of my Quad and M.A. choices against each other..... and one of those dealers even has a dedicated audio room of a very similar size to my own...

Wow, although it's a hard decision especially since you are putting the M2's against some very solid floorstanders, I would have a seriously hard time believing that any of these can hold a candle to the M2 if they were all under the same conditions. While these others are very good competition I doublt that they have the level of 'blending in' and accuracy that the M2's have. However, you are the one who knows what you like as far as sound, so I think you'll be able to find a winner among these finalists.

[Carl Reid]

Wow, although it's a hard decision especially since you are putting the M2's against some very solid floorstanders, I would have a seriously hard time believing that any of these can hold a candle to the M2 if they were all under the same conditions. While these others are very good competition I doublt that they have the level of 'blending in' and accuracy that the M2's have. However, you are the one who knows what you like as far as sound, so I think you'll be able to find a winner among these finalists.

I think that under fair conditions the Quads and Monitor Audio Silver Series would clearly be outclassed by the PSB Platinums, since I'd be comparing mid-level to genuine high end speakers... But I'd love to be able to do a real comparison between the Monitor Audio Gold Series GS10 Bookshelves and the PSB Platinum M2 Bookshelves, both of which retail for the same price. And between the PSB Platinum T6 and the Monitor Audio Gold GS60 Floorstanders (both of which retail for the same price)... That would be an interesting comparison.... since both brands present music in very different, yet compelling ways....

My only wish is that PSB would produce a Platinum T4 floorstander to directly compete with the Monitor Audio GS20 on both price and the ability to be used in a small audio room. I think the Gap between the M2 and T6 is too large (both in terms of price and bass performance)... I know that other brands such as B&W (800 Series) have the same Gap, but I wish more companies would realize that there is a market for high-end floorstanders that can function in small to medium sized rooms.

[PeruvianSkies]

I think that under fair conditions the Quads and Monitor Audio Silver Series would clearly be outclassed by the PSB Platinums, since I'd be comparing mid-level to genuine high end speakers... But I'd love to be able to do a real comparison between the Monitor Audio Gold Series GS10 Bookshelves and the PSB Platinum M2 Bookshelves, both of which retail for the same price. And between the PSB Platinum T6 and the Monitor Audio Gold GS60 Floorstanders (both of which retail for the same price)... That would be an interesting comparison.... since both brands present music in very different, yet compelling ways....

My only wish is that PSB would produce a Platinum T4 floorstander to directly compete with the Monitor Audio GS20 on both price and the ability to be used in a small audio room. I think the Gap between the M2 and T6 is too large (both in terms of price and bass performance)... I know that other brands such as B&W (800 Series) have the same Gap, but I wish more companies would realize that there is a market for high-end floorstanders that can function in small to medium sized rooms.

That would be really cool for them to make a speaker of that caliber. Especially since the Image line seems to have 3 floorstanders and 2 monitors, plus the entire line of PSB speakers really jumps it goes...

ALPHA (intro speaker)
IMAGE (affordable mid-level)
STRATUS/G-DESIGN (Upper mid-level/near high-level)
PLATINUM (Superb high-end/lightyears beyond anything else in their line)

[Carl Reid]

First off, thanks again to everyone who has contributed suggestions to this thread. This should be my final update before I make my decision and buy a new audio setup...

After listening to a lot of different speakers... I've narrowed it down to just 2... and despite the name of this thread, both are bookshelves and are below $2K....

But before I get into the two finalists, let me give an update on the 3 speakers I listened to today:

1) Magnepan MG12 (Floorstanders) - Driven by ultra-expensive all McIntosh Gear.... honestly, I was really expecting to be blown away by these planars.... but I discovered today that I'm most definitely not a planar lover... They really did not do it for me at all.... I could imagine them being intoxicating with different tastes in music, but for my musical tastes, they would be a total waste of money....

2) Revel Performa M12 (Bookshelves) - Drvien by Musical Fidelity A3.5 Integrated Amp and CD Player.... SWEET.... very much the way a bookshelf speaker should sound.... I now understand the Revel obssesion that many fans have...

3) Revel Concerta F12 (Floorstanders) - Driven by Cary Audio Receiver and some ultra cheapo Denon DVD player..... Brilliant.... Sounded almost as sweet as the more expensive Perfoma M12's but with solid bass extension....


So with all that in mind, my two finalists are:

1) Monitor Audio RS6 (Floorstander)
2) Revel Concerta F12 (Floorstander)

Now in the US the RS6 go for just 1k while the F12 go for 1.5K, but here I can get either for almost the same price....

Both are very well finished speakers, though the Monitor Audios have superior aesthetics.

The Revels are almost 10 inches taller, which I prefer, since it helps to get the tweeter to a good listening height...

The Monitors arguably have a slightly sweeter mid and high, but the Revels are really full range speakers, with real bass authority.

Both are highly critically acclaimed... The RS6 being What Hi-Fi speaker of the year in England and being listed as a Stereophile Limited Frequency Extension Class B Speaker in the US. While the F12 is a Stereophile Class B Speaker (full frequency) and is budget component of the year for Stereophile...

Looks like I'll have to flip a coin to solve this one.....

I'll post my final decision after I buy one of these two speakers and hopefully a Musical Fidelity A3.5 Integrated Amp to go with it....

[jrhymeammo]

How do you feel about placing a something under your speakers to raise the height? I think that'll make those shorter speakers you like sound better. But if that something you think you'll allow yourself to do after spend all that cash? Why not look great at the same time, no?

Do you feel like you are rushing to get a new pair? I say this it sounded like Revel just kinda came outta nowhere.
Sounds like you've done alot of your listening though. Would love to hear what you ended up doing.

Best Wishes,

JRA

[Carl Reid]

How do you feel about placing a something under your speakers to raise the height? I think that'll make those shorter speakers you like sound better. But if that something you think you'll allow yourself to do after spend all that cash? Why not look great at the same time, no?

Do you feel like you are rushing to get a new pair? I say this it sounded like Revel just kinda came outta nowhere.
Sounds like you've done alot of your listening though. Would love to hear what you ended up doing.

Best Wishes,

JRA

I have considered using small platforms to raise the height of the Monitor Audios... I actually know exactly what I'd use.... look nice and are really cheap... but... still I'd prefer speakers a bit taller (though that isn't a major deciding factor... since I'm not willing to trade good sound for height)....

As for the Revels coming out of nowhere... well, they did...

I've heard a number of really nice speakers that I liked (including Quad, PSB & Final Sound)..... but only the Monitor Audio (more so the Gold than the Silver) and the Revels have really blown me away.... Both work extremely well for my varied musical tastes...

So that's why I've narrowed it down to just those two.... BUT I'm still not in a rush to purchase.... I'll be listening to both the Revels and Monitor Audios a few more times before commiting to either... and if some speaker I haven't heard yet appears, I'll be sure to check it out....

I'll definitely let you guys know what I eventually purchase....

[jrhymeammo]

That's cool, Carl.

Sometimes, great speakers come outta nowhere.

I remember people posting that MA Gold are extremely overpriced considering how great Silvers sound. Have you audiitoned any Thiel? They are made here in Lexington(I think). I should go and see if I can go on a tour.

Have you considered Coincident speakers? You call them directly, and they'll pay for the shipping and receive a discount. No?

[Carl Reid]

That's cool, Carl.

Sometimes, great speakers come outta nowhere.

I remember people posting that MA Gold are extremely overpriced considering how great Silvers sound. Have you audiitoned any Thiel? They are made here in Lexington(I think). I should go and see if I can go on a tour.

Have you considered Coincident speakers? You call them directly, and they'll pay for the shipping and receive a discount. No?

I haven't tried Thiel yet... So I'll see if I can find a local dealer to check them out....

As for the MA Gold being overpriced.... I've heard that before even by two different sales guys.... and to an extent it is true, since you can get most of the performance of the Gold Series with the Silvers. But I find that to be true of many other Speaker companies as well.... including Revel and B&W.... usually the Jump in price between series is really hard to justfiy (unless you have a lot of free cash lying around).....

I've compared the Gold against the Silver series twice... the first time the difference was substantial... but I later realized that I had been 'conned' by the sales guy.... the silvers were setup at the one side of the room on some entry level Cambridge audio gear, while the Golds were setup on another side with far more expensive YBA Gear.... and I was listening at different volume levels... so that was not a fair comparison...

The next comparison was in another dealer, with both Gold and Silver setup up side by side using the same NAD equipment. In that setup I actually had to ask which speaker was playing to tell the difference sometimes...

And that last experience is why I dropped the Gold Series as my top choice and opted for the much, much, much cheaper Silver series....

Thanks again for all your suggestions so far JRH....

P.S. the reason I dropped Quad from my list is because I have only one Quad dealer (all the other dealers seem to have dropped the Quad line) and their setup is so lousy, that even though I can hear that there is something special about the Quads... I can't do a proper audition of them.... and I'm not going to buy anything unless it really sounds right to me....

PSB also got dropped, because like Quad there is only one dealer of the Platinum Series, with a pretty lousy setup.... and the only Platinum Model I can justify buying on price is the M2 (but I want more bass extension than a bookshelf will provide)....

Final Sound got dropped, since I realized that I was more into the look of the speakers and the fact that they are Electrostats than the sound.... for $500 less, the Monitor Audio Golds Sound much better....

B&W CM Series were my original favourites, but I find them too harsh now... as they give me serious listening fatigue...

And I just haven't been really drawn into the music by any of the other speakers I've heard....

So the search will continue.... but for now, there are just two contenders...

[PeruvianSkies]

I haven't tried Thiel yet... So I'll see if I can find a local dealer to check them out....

As for the MA Gold being overpriced.... I've heard that before even by two different sales guys.... and to an extent it is true, since you can get most of the performance of the Gold Series with the Silvers. But I find that to be true of many other Speaker companies as well.... including Revel and B&W.... usually the Jump in price between series is really hard to justfiy (unless you have a lot of free cash lying around).....

I've compared the Gold against the Silver series twice... the first time the difference was substantial... but I later realized that I had been 'conned' by the sales guy.... the silvers were setup at the one side of the room on some entry level Cambridge audio gear, while the Golds were setup on another side with far more expensive YBA Gear.... and I was listening at different volume levels... so that was not a fair comparison...

The next comparison was in another dealer, with both Gold and Silver setup up side by side using the same NAD equipment. In that setup I actually had to ask which speaker was playing to tell the difference sometimes...

And that last experience is why I dropped the Gold Series as my top choice and opted for the much, much, much cheaper Silver series....

Thanks again for all your suggestions so far JRH....

P.S. the reason I dropped Quad from my list is because I have only one Quad dealer (all the other dealers seem to have dropped the Quad line) and their setup is so lousy, that even though I can hear that there is something special about the Quads... I can't do a proper audition of them.... and I'm not going to buy anything unless it really sounds right to me....

PSB also got dropped, because like Quad there is only one dealer of the Platinum Series, with a pretty lousy setup.... and the only Platinum Model I can justify buying on price is the M2 (but I want more bass extension than a bookshelf will provide)....

Final Sound got dropped, since I realized that I was more into the look of the speakers and the fact that they are Electrostats than the sound.... for $500 less, the Monitor Audio Golds Sound much better....

B&W CM Series were my original favourites, but I find them too harsh now... as they give me serious listening fatigue...

And I just haven't been really drawn into the music by any of the other speakers I've heard....

So the search will continue.... but for now, there are just two contenders...

It's a shame that some really great companies were not able to 'represent' themselves well enough, but I think you are making a wise decision by going with the speakers that you were able to accurately test out and demo. It's one of those things where you ultimately wish you could spend about 2 full weeks with all of your speakers of choice in your home setup and do some extensive testing before buying. Personally with the prices of some speakers out there (costing as much as vehicles) that you should be able to test drive them quite a bit before making any decision. Fortunately I knew a guy who also had the Platinum's in my area and was able to test them out at his place before making my decision because all the local shops only carried PSB's lower line of stuff and tons of B&W, which I have never been that impressed with.

[Carl Reid]

It's a shame that some really great companies were not able to 'represent' themselves well enough, but I think you are making a wise decision by going with the speakers that you were able to accurately test out and demo. It's one of those things where you ultimately wish you could spend about 2 full weeks with all of your speakers of choice in your home setup and do some extensive testing before buying. Personally with the prices of some speakers out there (costing as much as vehicles) that you should be able to test drive them quite a bit before making any decision.......

I'm totally in agreement with the need for proper testing... we really should be able to "test drive" audio equipment!

I found out the need for proper testing the hard way... my first serious audio setup was a pair of Mission Volare 63 Floorstanders with a NAD C352 integrated Amp and a NAD C521Bee CD Player... All 3 products were highly critically acclaimed... The Missions were speaker of the year in Europe (EISA awards) and I'm sure just about everybody on this site, probably knows how much reviewers love NAD...

Now all those products are fine in their own right, but I bought them mostly on reputation with only a brief listening test of the individual products but not the entire setup... Which was a mistake....

The setup was totally inoffensive... it didn't really do anything wrong, but for my ears it didn't do anything really special either.... And looking around now, I see that for the same money I could have put together a much more satisfying combo...

So now, I really have to be thoroughly impressed with a setup before I'll part with my cash...