Speakers home test > hmmm....

Have fun Adam. Are there many speakers on your demo list? 

Thanks Adam!

I'm demoing each set for 2 weeks. The next ones - Atohm GT3.

I'd love to try something from Trenner & Friedl, possibly Harbeth and ATC - but I'm afraid their designs are far too utilitarian to maintain domestic harmony.
I strongly dislike the look and sound of Focals - they made the Statement (runing with NDS + 555PSDR and Core) sound broken at the Audioshow.

So frustration is starting to creep in....

I have to admit I did drool over a pair of Magico’s at a recent show. The Wilson Alexia 2s also sounded fantastic. 

Surely a nice pair of PMC's would fit the bill for a domestic setting?

Hi Adam,

Sounds like your in for a lot of fun..... don’t dismiss the focals, the problem is they take a long long time to run in....most shows I’ve been too, apart from the occasional exception most speakers perform quite poorly, no doubt for similar reasons....

at one naim demo they Repeatedly said ‘ the boxes and speakers will sound far better in your home environment ‘ this is not a good room...

Anyway enjoy your home demo’s

Try the Dali Epicon 6, they sound tremendous and the look is stunning.

The only T&F speakers I’ve heard were the Pharoahs, and they were wonderful.  Can only imagine how fine the Taliesins sounded.  Good luck with your speaker auditions!

Hook posted:

The only T&F speakers I’ve heard were the Pharoahs, and they were wonderful.  Can only imagine how fine the Taliesins sounded.  Good luck with your speaker auditions!

Very interesting .... I'm in contact with a distributor in Poland. I think I will set up an audition for several speakers...

Thanks for the tip.

Adam,I always wanted to hear Trenner and Friedl Speakers,after reading glowing reviews,I still have the Art monos on my wish list of speakers I want to try.

Adam Zielinski posted:

Thanks Adam!

I'm demoing each set for 2 weeks. The next ones - Atohm GT3.

 

I have been praising these speakers for quite a long time on this forum, I predict they will be your next speaker.

Hi Adam, has been long time, how are you?

You may find the following link interesting: 

However, 10,000 Euro plus for a pair of speakers, would have to be accompanied by equipment of similar value, usually. 

Your preamp I think is fine, yes if could be bettered, but there again, everything could.  Unless you have a Turn Table, you don't know the real sound of an album.  What DAC do you use now?  Most of my music is streamed via N272 / 250DR, but unless I play my LP12 I don't feel fulfilled.  Don't know much about Chord products, but I don't rate the Hugo, for me it is nothing special.  Perhaps the Dave is the equivalent to an LP12 in a digital word.

P.S. I love the SL speaker cables by the way

Adam, one speaker you might want to add to your list is Kef Reference, I heard ref 3 in a store demo. My impression from this was that they do somethings in the mid to high range a bit different to most other speakers in this price range, atleast they triggered my intrest. In the end I picked up a pair of used Magicos before any other auditions was started, so newer got around to any home auditions, but never the less they got my attention...

Adam,

Having recently heard Wilson Benesch Curves (a somewhat dated model) and knowing your love for the S-400s, I'd say give their brand a try, something from the (newer) Geometry series. The carbon fiber cabinets are impressive in looks and sound. Little resonant coloration with extreme clarity and resolution, tight bass and true yet never harsh treble. 

That said, I did find the vocals a tad on the dry side, maybe lacking some heft or coloration.

OTOH, you like the S-400s, so dry vocals might be just the ticket for you .

Paristhea posted:

Hi Adam, has been long time, how are you?

You may find the following link interesting:

However, 10,000 Euro plus for a pair of speakers, would have to be accompanied by equipment of similar value, usually. 

Your preamp I think is fine, yes if could be bettered, but there again, everything could.  Unless you have a Turn Table, you don't know the real sound of an album.  What DAC do you use now?  Most of my music is streamed via N272 / 250DR, but unless I play my LP12 I don't feel fulfilled.  Don't know much about Chord products, but I don't rate the Hugo, for me it is nothing special.  Perhaps the Dave is the equivalent to an LP12 in a digital word.

P.S. I love the SL speaker cables by the way

This set of Naim boxes is paired with the follwig sources:

Digital: NDX + 555PS. I will most likely bring back my nDAC here.

Analogue: Rega RP10 with an Aphelion cartridge.

MAs are improving slowly....

Adam

PS That was one of the reviews that inspired me to test those speakers

Joppe posted:

Adam, one speaker you might want to add to your list is Kef Reference, I heard ref 3 in a store demo. My impression from this was that they do somethings in the mid to high range a bit different to most other speakers in this price range, atleast they triggered my intrest. In the end I picked up a pair of used Magicos before any other auditions was started, so newer got around to any home auditions, but never the less they got my attention...

An interesting tip - KEF never made it to my radar screen. Thanks!

joerand posted:

Adam,

Having recently heard Wilson Benesch Curves (a somewhat dated model) and knowing your love for the S-400s, I'd say give their brand a try, something from the (newer) Geometry series. The carbon fiber cabinets are impressive in looks and sound. Little resonant coloration with extreme clarity and resolution, tight bass and true yet never harsh treble. 

That said, I did find the vocals a tad on the dry side, maybe lacking some heft or coloration.

OTOH, you like the S-400s, so dry vocals might be just the ticket for you .

Joe- thak you! Beautiful speakers. I will give them a try...

Adam Zielinski posted:

Paristhea posted:

Hi Adam, has been long time, how are you?

You may find the following link interesting:

However, 10,000 Euro plus for a pair of speakers, would have to be accompanied by equipment of similar value, usually. 

Your preamp I think is fine, yes if could be bettered, but there again, everything could.  Unless you have a Turn Table, you don't know the real sound of an album.  What DAC do you use now?  Most of my music is streamed via N272 / 250DR, but unless I play my LP12 I don't feel fulfilled.  Don't know much about Chord products, but I don't rate the Hugo, for me it is nothing special.  Perhaps the Dave is the equivalent to an LP12 in a digital word.

P.S. I love the SL speaker cables by the way

This set of Naim boxes is paired with the follwig sources:

Digital: NDX + 555PS. I will most likely bring back my nDAC here.

Analogue: Rega RP10 with an Aphelion cartridge.

MAs are improving slowly....

Adam

PS That was one of the reviews that inspired me to test those speakers

Very good, so your Rega is your reference upon which you should make your decision, I would say.

And perhaps you should let the speakers stay at your place for at least a good two weeks (I would say a month really) with a run-in CD playing, if you can tolerate the noise, or something else playing.  They have to be a really good speakers I would think.

Personally I like the ProAC sound, it is music in my ears, for my style of music.  With Naim equipment it is a match made in heaven (for me)!!! 

Best regards,

Could I remind members here that while discussion of various brands of loudspeaker is just fine, please do not post unauthorised links to either reviews or manufacturer websites.  Thanks.

[@mention:45774755080751174]: indeed . For now I have another 50 hours of burning in to go - painful at times. Radio / NDX is on most of the time now just to get those beasts working.

Do you have an aim for this system different from the other two? It doesn’t seem thet you’re just recycling componentas out of the best system to the second one and so on as you’re looking at a lot of speaker compared to the music room. Is there a flavour you’re looking for? (other than mullet)

I have my main system in my most comfortable room and it gets a lot of use, my system upstairs in the spare room I hardly ever use. I bought the speakers specifically for it but otherwise it’s components from 2 systems ago, my Core and DAC willl join it indue course. My setup in our place in France is my last main system minus the vinyl side, 555ps and the supercap, but they more or less fell into place not least because I hate selling stuff. 

The living room is where the speakers are being auditioned. It’s much larger than my music room (40 sqm vs 18 sqm) so it can benefit from some large boxes.

The living room also houses our surround sound system - rear speakers are also floorstanders (Monitor Audio Gold 200s), and a centr channel us handled by a Monitor Audio Gold 350, powered by a Yamaha Aventage pre-power combo.

Naim handles the front L and R channels. At some stage my trusted SuperNait2 (which now runs with a HiCap DR and Nap 250DR)  may be replaced with a dedicated pre-amp. But I’m not in a hurry as I like the flexibility of connections and it doesn’t exactly sound ‘broken’ .

Sub is from Rel also in piano black.

So both the sound and aesthetics are important.

The test is a bit about checking if I really need to upgrade the speakers at all. Can I achieve a significant uplift in clarity or is it just not worth the hassle? I’m equally prepared to buy new speakers and to stay with what I have now - I was very clear and straight with my dealer before the process started.

Adam - do you have access to Neat, Kudos, Dynaudio, Harbeth?

Adam, good luck with your speaker journey.

I thought I would let you know that my trusty Monitor Audio GX300s (as I know you have a pair) are sounding mighty fine this evening as I am trialling a 555DR on my NDS. I would be interested to hear how the MA Platinum 300IIs pan out.

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Adam - do you have access to Neat, Kudos, Dynaudio, Harbeth?

My dealer can access Neat and Dynaudio quite easily - which models would you recommend I try?

Kudos and Harbeth have a bit of a challenging distribution - available, but I would have to go via a completely unknown (to me) dealer. 

nigelb posted:

Adam, good luck with your speaker journey.

I thought I would let you know that my trusty Monitor Audio GX300s (as I know you have a pair) are sounding mighty fine this evening as I am trialling a 555DR on my NDS. I would be interested to hear how the MA Platinum 300IIs pan out.

Certainly Nigel. I even mounted the Vertere links on the Platinum 300IIs