272/250DR a journey

Just plugged in the NACA5 after two days of the 'found in the attic' speaker cable.

From a thin and lifeless playback the NACA5 opens the taps up and provides verve and drive. Chalk and cheese.

These are the DB1i I bought. Punch and drive.

Good for me to know that the cables make a significant difference, I lost myself in the kit a little, but this is such an improvement. The foot is tapping, always a good sign. High frequency response, bass well driven, high/mids/low better balanced, good to re-connect.

Next will be DB1i to Arai 926 and see how that improves matters.

Thanks for starting this new thread - I'll keep an eye out for your thoughts over the next few weeks...

The NACA5 at this stage has made such an improvement to the older found cable, just trying to re-engage the music with the kit. Tonight the 272/250DR with DB1i/NACA5 is what I remember those speakers being before, and good to hear.

The 250DR delivers (out the box, only 3 days in) tremendous presence in this current test build.

Finally home with Aria 926s in their boxes, ready to plug in. Refreshing ears to the DB1i with NACA5. 272/250DR still quite new really.

One thing is the speed of playback. For me if I relate normal at 33 1/3 this feels like 32 2/3 playback speed, just slightly sitting back to what I am used you, anyone else sense or feel this?

I haven't had the pleasure of hearing your system Dan.  I know what you mean though.

Enjoy

Are these the black ones from Audio-T? They looked very nice when I was there last week, though too large and black for me. 

I tried the DB1i once, and know what you mean about the slight slowness, certainly against the nSats I owned at that time. 

The question is, will the Arias give you what you want? Let's hope so!

Compared to the NDS/SN2 it feels slightly slower, but that was compared to iPod which was fast compared to that. When NDS first played back I was struck but the slightly slower playback at that time, but it felt right as if the iPod etc was at 33 7/8 playback speed.

If NDS/SN2 is 33 1/3 this 272/250DR feels slower than that, very measured and laid back if you like, but just slightly slower tempo, it feels very noticeable 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Are these the black ones from Audio-T? They looked very nice when I was there last week, though too large and black for me. 

I tried the DB1i once, and know what you mean about the slight slowness, certainly against the nSats I owned at that time. 

The question is, will the Arias give you what you want? Let's hope so!

No I did demo those mind, these are from Tom Tom. They aren't as heavy as the S400s luckily as this place is up a few stairs.

So the speed/tempo may come back with the Aria? Fingers crossed mind I did want a bit more bass punch. Got a good deal so if they don't work I'll have to go again. DB1i are quite good, but the Aria going on next with the 3m NACA5 from the S400s.

Just unboxed the 926s, of course they look massive in this room :-) Lordy.....

Aria 926s running now. DB1i unplugged 926 have better separation, high, lows and mids nicely balanced overall. More punch to bass, perhaps just a tiny touch too much but that should settle.

Nice high frequency response out the box, ex-demo set so not quite brand spanking new. Reminds of  S400s on the highs, but not quite that sweet spot they had. Vocals nicely placed like 400s.

Bass is full bodied but controlled, a little too full bodied maybe. Mids need to come on though.

Speed is better than the DB1i, much better now more like 33, still feels a bit behind but more urgent and forward, so better.

Tapping foot, good sign. Swapping to longer 3m NACA5 next to place the speakers better in the room, jus wanted an out the box quick listen, now to get them placed properly.

Dan43 posted:

Aria 926s running now. DB1i unplugged 926 have better separation, high, lows and mids nicely balanced overall. More punch to bass, perhaps just a tiny touch too much but that should settle.

Nice high frequency response out the box, ex-demo set so not quite brand spanking new. Reminds of  S400s on the highs, but not quite that sweet spot they had. Vocals nicely placed like 400s.

Bass is full bodied but controlled, a little too full bodied maybe. Mids need to come on though.

Speed is better than the DB1i, much better now more like 33, still feels a bit behind but more urgent and forward, so better.

Tapping foot, good sign. Swapping to longer 3m NACA5 next to place the speakers better in the room, jus wanted an out the box quick listen, now to get them placed properly.

Sounding promising - have a look at the instructions that come with them re placement and management of the bass if you think it's a bit much.

Thanks Penarth will do, bass just a little too much, which for some tracks is ideal but for others just slightly off, so nearly there and this is with very little run in for this room/set up.

Love to test SL SC already on these, bring that high end in a bit more, push the mids through, and better overall hi/mid/low balance.

They could sit forward a little more in their presentation perhaps. Placing them now.

The bass comes in much harder and sharper as you turn them up, so think about the placement for how you'll listen to them day to day.

I've found with the 926s that it's all about the placement and there is a sweet spot away from the back wall on mine that is lost at even an inch in either direction.  I also found that TQ Black gave a brilliant balance with them across the whole tonal range.  Have fun playing with them

Just placing them further apart has made a difference, will be playing to find that sweet spot.

Did anyone find any run in time, 400s took a few weeks to come on song, so far these feel pretty good out the box.

In the demo I did find that at a certain volume the drive and delivery kind of popped out a lot more, quite noticeable in the demo room at the time.

I also found they sounded pretty good from day 1, and yes - when you want them loud they change character and are a lot more aggressive in the drive. They know how to 'play' well - in all senses of the word.

They get more drive as you turn them up but keep control even at crazy volumes.  My demo set took a good while to settle in to my system, the new set settled pretty quickly and sounded better than the demo set straight out of the box.  The character changes with different cables too I found

Really keen to find the set of cables that glues them nicely to the system, really noticing the placement differences as I shift them about. Finding them having a nice and live sound too, foot tapping liveness, finger tapping grooviness, boogie even.

Quick edit : I am partaking in the odd snifter while listening........

I've had Chord Rumour 2 and TQ Blck on mine, the latter are hugely better with my system and rounded the speakers off nicely.  That speaker moving can give you OCD, worth marking out with tape when you find a spot that sounds good and then work from there.

Just having a room shuffle now, while in the mood. Re-dressing cables etc amazing how everything gets a little clogged up.

Good idea with the tape. TQ and SL on the demo list, want to try them out while I'm engaged with the nuances of the sound to my ears but couple that with burning in times too.

now i see that you not only tested the Ovators S400 but you actually replaced them with Aria 926.

a downgrade from any point of view if you ask me... but what matters is if you like them, then ... you like them.

i don't understand how can somebody get some lower class speaker after a better class one, apart from the cases where 1. the better speaker does not fit the room, or 2. there is desperate need for cash.

in Focal range only from Electra range and up you get the level of SQ you find in S400...

this is how i feel about it.

Well that's one opinion at least

Actually, not an unreasonable one at all. 

dayjay posted:

Well that's one opinion at least

It's almost getting desperate, regardless of whether it is correct or not - almost as if he's not sure he's made the right choice in spending all that money on a set of sterile Ovators.

I quite like the rudeness though, and the absolute certainty that he's correct. Oh to be young again!

Anyhow, I'm sat here listening quite happily to my second-rate 926's knowing that there's a guaranteed upgrade route to 400's if I ever want less bass...

Hungryhalibut posted:

Actually, not an unreasonable one at all. 

thank you HH, seems that some still have the ears with them...