blakey72 Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 There are so many combinations of loudspeakers, pre/power.integrated amps, digital and analog out there starting from scratch can be mind-blowing. Is there anyone on here that is very near to completely satisfied with their system? Or have you owned one and sadly moved it on only to go 'backwards'. I'd love to hear about some budget though to mega setups that people have regarded as having that true synergy. Cheers Blake.
twwen2 Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) This is an interesting topic. I've had certain setups at various points in time over the last few years where I've thought "You know what? I could probably with with this long term." Redgum Sonofa'GUM + Usher S-520: Speed demons! One of the few budget integrateds that can drive the little Ushers properly. At their price brackets, very hard to beat. Rega Brio-R + Dynaudio Excite X12: Not the last word in cleanliness and transparency, but supremely engaging. Bladelius TYR + Neat Motive 3: The neutral nature of the TYR mates perfectly with the slightly coloured Neats to produce what I consider to be a well-balanced sound. I've used this in my main system for quite a few months now, and only curiosity has led me to change. Having said all that, you know what system I keep coming back to? It's the one I've owned the longest. It was there before all this Hifi stuff, and I still enjoy it every time I listen to it. Every. Single. Time. There's not one thing about it that I dislike. iPhone 3GS + Koss KSC-75 clip-on headphones. Yep, you heard me. $15 heaphones run straight out of the built-in headphone jack. No portable amplifier. No external DAC. Just musical bliss in my pocket that never fails to put a smile on my face and get my head bopping. Edited May 31, 2013 by twwen2
Decky Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) I have two systems that I am "near to completely satisfied" with. 1. SGR CXF4s->Audio GD pre -> Marantz SA-11Mk1 (budget <15K) 2. Dynaudio 2/7 (modded) -> Aaron XX (modded) -> Buffalo II DAC (DIY) -> LiteAudio CD One transport (budget <5K) How do I know that? Firstly, because I am easily pleased guy. Secondly, because I decided to be happy with my systems. Thirdly, because good recordings sound good on both of these systems and crap always sounds like crap - regardless of the music type. Edited May 31, 2013 by Decky 1
betty boop Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 have found some good synergy in my rega p9/jubilee > arc Ph5 tube pre also in musical fidelity/focal in my main system and nad masterseries / focal in the bedroom
THOMO Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 A friend has a system consisting of a Vincent S8 CD player,a Mystrere valve preamp,an Usher 1.5 amp and a pair of Duntech Marquis speakers and it is one system that just all knits together beautifully.One of the very best sounds I have heard.Take the components as individual items and they are all very good but together they are great. He is going through a system change and has dedicated $100,000 towards it but I would be very surprised if he gets a better sound.
daemon d Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 After I bought the Adam Gammas last year, and realised my pre-amp was a spot ordinary, allot of people told me Octave amps have a true synergy with those speakers, and after trying a few things I discovered this to be absolutely true when I received my Octave hp 300 SE valve pre (thanks again Warwick). In the past I seem to remember that my old ARs were particularly sweet with a Roksan Candy and a Systemdek turntable too.
davewantsmoore Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 synergy in their system I will have later this year 3
djb Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 "Synergy" is a term often misused Happily here so far we seem to be talking of systems developed over time to be with out kinks in situ. Well thought out systems tweaked precisely Hard work, good ears, advice sought and taken, mistakes made ,mistakes rectified. Often "synergy" seems to imply alchemy: a magic solution that with 1 cast of the wand pimps/gestalts a system. This is fools gold. 3
Guest Misterioso Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 I am afraid its all very subjective. I really like the NAD M51 - Neumann KH120 combination. Works perfectly well for me. Recently I saw exactly this combination advertised for sale in another Aussie audio forum. What works very well for me seems not to have worked for the person selling this system. Could be a matter of taste or room acoustics or whatever else.
L J T Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 I am happy with my system. Rega Apollo CDP -> NAD M51 -> Adam A7x's. It's the simplest setup I have had in the past few years. Sound is balanced and there is nothing that draws attention to itself or is missing.
Guest Misterioso Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 LJT, looks like we have pretty similar taste. I also could be happy with your system. In fact, I also heard the A7x when I was shopping for a monitor.
Krispy Audio Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 I've heard many very expensive and/or complex system and am glad to know that I can still be completely satisfied with a very simple and relatively inexpensive system too. It's taken me some years but I think I'm getting closer to my audio nirvana.
Nada Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 ....satisfied with a very simple and relatively inexpensive system....... ..... care to share ?
Krispy Audio Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 Well Nada I remember about 18 months ago I had some Verity Sarastro speakers (circa $50k) on loan with Plinius amplification and was enjoying this immensely. When it was time for them to return home, I went straight to my Hoyt-Bedford Type 2s ($1800) and I think it was the Trafomatic Aries 6w EL34 amp ($1900-ish). Although this fell short in many ways to the Veritys, the happiness meter was redlining and I found myself staying up far later at night listening to music. More recently (this week) I went Squeezebox ($300-ish) into Genelec 8040A DSP (mid $6ks) 6" active standmounts and you've never seen me grin so much! This kind of setup would completely de-clutter my living room and gain points with the wife, but where's the fun in that? 2
Nada Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 There is an important theme emerging in this thread: active speakers strongly feature in successful systems. ..... SGR CXF4..... .. Adam Gammas ... ... Neumann KH120 .... .... Adam A7x's.... ..Genelec 8040A DSP .... This is paradoxically on a thread about synergy, given that powered active speakers decrease the variables available to achieve synergy. Gone are all the choices in crossovers/speaker cables/bi-amping/power amps-mono-blocs-integrated options. The take home message is that achieving true synergy in a home system is beyond the ability of most of us and we are much better giving control back to the design experts and having fewer choices. This makes sense. Audio reproduction is such a complex field. Every choice allows far more opportunities to get things wrong then right. So active speakers are very useful in markedly decreasing complexity to the point we can actually have more chance to get things right. Now all we need is the experts to design a great active speaker with included tubed preamp and mono-DAC with a separate server so the only choice we have is using a tablet or smart phone to hit play. 4
daemon d Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 It may not be beyond people's ability, just beyond their means perhaps. Consider how few components you can arrange an in home audition for at one time so that you can AB them. What are the chances of buying a magically good system off the shelf on first or second iteration? How many people can afford to keep swapping out components until they hit the mark (apart from hi fi reviewers who get it for free)? The actives may be making it easier to hit the mark by giving a good speaker design and a good clean power amp, so that the main thing people need to match to get their system to sound the way they like, is a pre-amp (under the theory that most good quality sources will change the character less than the pre amp).
Phantom Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 Hmmm. I should look into some SGR actives at some stage in the future, but right now I am very happy indeed with my GX 300 and M6 500i. After the source upgrade I will be pretty much set and happy for some time to come. 1
RockandorRoll Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 This thread went the way i thought it should. Everyone should be happy with their systems at current, especially the lifers on here. If you havent found it, you will change it and you wont be posting in here, you'll be trying to figure out the new classifieds and find your ideal solution I dont think ive found the system that works the best, but i will say that this Melody SP9 fixes every problem ive had. Bright speakers - fixed, not enough bass - fixed, dull/reserved - fixed I could happily live with the Melody and the B&W 705's for the rest of my life. It does it perfectly for what i need in this room. I really struggle with the VAF's, never enough bass. Well, its there but its outweighed by everything else. Dont know the answer here yet. (I havent tried the problem solving Melody, maybe ill do that tonight) 1
daemon d Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 That's the reason I never like VAFs Rocker; forward. I hope you like your Melody. Never heard one but heard allot of good things about Melody gear in general
Phantom Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 This thread went the way i thought it should. Everyone should be happy with their systems at current, especially the lifers on here. If you havent found it, you will change it and you wont be posting in here, you'll be trying to figure out the new classifieds and find your ideal solution I dont think ive found the system that works the best, but i will say that this Melody SP9 fixes every problem ive had. Bright speakers - fixed, not enough bass - fixed, dull/reserved - fixed I could happily live with the Melody and the B&W 705's for the rest of my life. It does it perfectly for what i need in this room. I really struggle with the VAF's, never enough bass. Well, its there but its outweighed by everything else. Dont know the answer here yet. (I havent tried the problem solving Melody, maybe ill do that tonight) Interesting to read about the VAF speakers from an owner. I heard the i33 and i66 at VAF's showroom about 12 months back and was quite impressed, but not to the point of buying a pair. I experienced a similar subjective reaction to the bass that it seems you are hearing. I think it's a case of their being very strictly accurate and very well damped, maybe too well damped, with a slightly dry presentation. I also got the impression that they would need a huge amount of hours on them before their best was fully realised. Give the Melody a go with them, it really is a great amp
daemon d Posted June 2, 2013 Posted June 2, 2013 Bass on none of the VAFs is as tight and well damped as a 30 year old set of ARs, but ARs were never forward. I think it's more than damping Phantom. I suspect they're just voiced that way. Still, I'm speaking from memory, so I could be full of it...
Decky Posted June 2, 2013 Posted June 2, 2013 Happiness or perceived synergy have noting to do with the quality of the system, it being active or passive, with horns or ribbons. It is a simply decision one has to make - it is a mind set. I was happy with my system even before SGRs, I was happy with my second system when it was fitting in a sub $2K budget. It is not a technical or money question at all. 3
RockandorRoll Posted June 2, 2013 Posted June 2, 2013 Bass on none of the VAFs is as tight and well damped as a 30 year old set of ARs, but ARs were never forward. I think it's more than damping Phantom. I suspect they're just voiced that way. Still, I'm speaking from memory, so I could be full of it... I suspect you are right, they are just voiced that way. Pretty amazing with female acoustic, but that makes up a very small part of my collection. Its sad that when i do indeed need to 'rock' i have to listen to the little brown bookshelves. I think i have derailed this thread enough. Ill post some more thoughts in my showcase thread
The Hun Posted June 2, 2013 Posted June 2, 2013 I think so - ML Summits as the base, played with lots of different amps, and sources but the final bit with a Cary SLP98, seems to get where I think "synergy" has been reached. Found would be presumptive - I dont think the journey ever ends. I also think you can only assess or have a view when you have lived with a system longer term. Mind you one of the most awe inspiring sound experiences was a pair of Triangle Magellans at a Duesseldorf hi fi show in the early 2000s, source no idea, but playing Woody Guthrie and he was in the room! Regards Peter 1
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