December NEWSLETTER from A.C.A.

Does your mega system do groove and tune as well as neutrality, air and space etc?

I just wanted to know.



Regards,

Steve.

Tom,

The proof of the pudding...



Regards,

Steve.

What a typically uninformed and snippy comment from Mr. Toy. Having never heard this gentleman's system, you have already concluded that it is just expensive round earth hi-fi. What possible grounds do you have to imply that this system is neither enjoyable nor musical?

Bruce

The proof of the pudding...

Uninformed? Yes - that's why I asked the question above and it wasn't rhetorical.

There's a chap in Cheltenham who has a supposedly round-earth system and I said so. He invited me to his place and I've since been there several times and concluded that he's a closet flat-earther.

Obviously, Greece is a bit far, but I'd welcome the guy's honest opinions regarding his own sonic/musical reproduction priorities.

It's a fair question,don't you think? considering that he's chosen to make his announcement here and provide us with a link to the system he's using.

Curiosity may have killed the proverbial cat, but then I'm not a cat...



Regards,

Steve.

Steven,

I perceived a distinct condescending, sarcastic, and insincere edge to your query of a member who is obviously quite proud of what he has assembled. If I was mistaken, then my error, and I am most sorry.

Best,

Bruce

Let's not get too moralistic about a bunch of sistem pictures please! Perhaps it makes me a bad person but I think some of these pictures of these rooms full of equipment in Istambul are pretty hilarious - particularly if you look at the history, i.e. major make-overs every year or so.

And I'm sure my laughing doesn't take away any of their happiness in having such huge toys to play with.

Herman

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Originally posted by herm:
Let's not get too moralistic about a bunch of sistem pictures please! Perhaps it makes me a bad person but I think some of these pictures of these rooms full of equipment in Istambul are pretty hilarious - particularly if you look at the history, i.e. major make-overs every year or so.

And I'm sure my laughing doesn't take away any of their happiness in having such huge toys to play with.

Herman

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negative postings on this topic reflect the "unfriendly", "one dimensional thinking" mentality. Not much good postings on the Naim forum lately and not many people care to post....

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negative postings on this topic reflect the "unfriendly", "one dimensional thinking" mentality. Not much good postings on the Naim forum lately and not many people care to post....

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"one dimensional thinking" should be allowed here.
After all this is the Naim forum.

quote:

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Originally posted by skaloumbakas:
Hi,

Here is http://aca.gr/forum/files/newsletter_dec03.htm from _Audiophile Club of Athens_ with our new files.

From there, you can navigate around our _15 latest entries_ to the http://aca.gr.

This time, the links included drive to the best files of the Year (full coverage of the _Athenian High End Show_, papers of _great analogue designs_, listening to an _extraordinary A.C.A. system_, etc.)


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2004 - the Year of Athens Olympics!
(For any of you interested, you can subscribe in our http://aca.gr/console.htm, to receive it in your mail box every month...)

Christos Skaloumbakas

President of the
Audiophile Club of Athens
__________________
Web: http://aca.gr
Forums: http://aca.gr/forum/index.php
My system: http://aca.gr/pop_skal.htm

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My god, Christos, your system looks like a lab for raising the dead!

-- woody

Thank you all for your kind remarks about the A.C.A Newsletter.

As for my humble system, usually I do not want to compare mine with other...

What I usually do is to close my eyes and try to think if this I hear resembles the real thing (in some way, even if you were not present at the recording session, you will feel it, believe me: size, width, height, depth, ambience atmosphere etc. are things that make you feel it!)

All the upgrades and tweaks and everything that I have made to my gear, follow this path and target to the 'as accurate reproduction as possible' (BTW, I am very proud of my latest tweak regarding my analogue gear - IMHO I certainly got real close...)

I think the phrase 'musical system' is complete nonsense.

A system should be an accurate reproduction of an event. Now, an event, or a recording, or a violin, or a piano, may be musical, or sound musical, or relaxing, or whatever the recording engineer wants to be... but, certainly, these are not properties of audio equipment.

If I hear that this system is musical, I take it as a system that adds some kind of coloration to the real event...

Enjoy the music (through your 'lifeless' system...)

Christos Skaloumbakas

President of the
Audiophile Club of Athens
__________________
Web: http://aca.gr
Forums: http://aca.gr/forum/index.php
My system: http://aca.gr/pop_skal.htm

Hi Christos,

I had another look at your impressive pictures. I especially like the way you have built in those shelves for your classical LPs (some of which I have myself).

These pictures of these massive, room filling sistems always make me wonder about the tax system in a place like Greece. It really looks like Greek audiophiles get a huge rebate just for owning a lot of hifi. I imagine the IRS forms look kinda like this: Just check the box if you have seperates: 10 % off. Your speakers weigh over a 100 lbs: 25 % off. etc

Herman

Good on you Christos!

I'm sure it sounds fantastic. If only my listening room was as grand...

D

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I think the phrase 'musical system' is complete nonsense.

A system should be an accurate reproduction of an event. Now, an event, or a recording, or a violin, or a piano, may be musical, or sound musical, or relaxing, or whatever the recording engineer wants to be... but, certainly, these are not properties of audio equipment.

If I hear that this system is musical, I take it as a system that adds some kind of coloration to the real event...

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...as opposed to - sucks the life out of that "real event..." (?)

Unfortunately, I don't think there is (yet) a system in the world (or should that be earth ) that is both completely and utterly transparent and at the same time conveys life-like dynamics.

If you go for the transparency option you invariably lose some of the dynamics - and vice-versa.

At any given price point there will always be compromises.

I guess most people here would place dynamics and involvement slightly ahead of transparency and neutrality.

Christos obviously doesn't, but then it's a free world (or earth.)



Regards,

Steve.

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Originally posted by Steven Toy:
...as opposed to - sucks the life out of that "real event..." (?)If I hear that this system is musical, I take it as a system that adds some kind of coloration to the real event...

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The term 'musicality' is subjective.
Adding a coloration isn't a bad thing either, imho.

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If you go for the transparency option you invariably lose some of the dynamics - and vice-versa.

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How do you figure?
Better transparency yields better dynamics since fine neuances show through better.

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It will almost certainly be better than 90% of our kit and I for one would love to hear it

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I don't doubt this and I'd also love to hear it.

However, it is unlikely given Christos's stated objectives that he's a flat-earther; closet or otherwise.



Regards,

Steve.

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Better transparency yields better dynamics since fine neuances show through better.

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Better transparency may equate to better micro-dynamics, but I still think it may compromise the ability to reproduce macro-dynamics.



Regards,

Steve.

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Originally posted by Steven Toy:

Better transparency may equate to better micro-dynamics, but I still think it may compromise the ability to reproduce macro-dynamics.

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Steve,

hmm.. maybe..maybe not...
Overall system transparency influence both micro and macro dynamcs. I think it is related not independent from one another.

Having said that, macro dynamics or *bigness* comes from reserve power and better headroom, too. ( like adding XPS2 to the CDX2 was an instant improvement on macro dynamic )