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Speakers and Amps

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:54 pm
by rtsyrtsy
Brief Intro

I enjoy music, I enjoy gear that plays good music. My music collection is pretty broad though in between exploring new genres, I always cycle through vocals (but not opera yet), small jazz and classical ensembles, big band jazz, etc.

However, I am not a technical person so don't ask me about impedance curves, room modes, etc.

I listen in the living room (no acoustic treatment, just rough Audio Physic set-up method) on loudspeakers, in the bedroom on full-sized headphones and in between the living room and bedroom on portable headphones.

Speaker-amp combos that I liked are:

Sonus Faber & Conrad Johnson

I started with a Concertino (Pre-Home) and heard it play good music with tube-sounding S/S: Nakamichi, Audio Analogue Puccini, and my fave S/S Pass Aleph. It played well with a Rene Rivo'ed Dynaco ST-70 but I later learned that I'm a 6550 dude, not quite EL34 when I switched to a Sonus Faber Signum.

Then I chanced upon a Premier 11a on the 'Gon and again, my hard earned savings were gone.

I didn't discover this fab combo. The sound of Hyperion's old Electa Amator 2 and Premier 11a (with Kondo cables) is to my ears still a reference. Bogart also threw in his Signum in Hyperion's place and that made me hunt for a Signum (thanks to Edwin in SG).

Joe3rp's Labia horn loudspeakers with Ambel's 300B amps

I won't say much, many of you heard this at the last hi-fi show.

LS3/5a & Dynaco ST70 (heard at VD's old doghouse)

Disclosure: I'm not a big fan of either gear by themselves but when used together, there is a sense of rightness--no bass, no top end sparkle, but imaging and the crucial midband melts all worries away.

B&W & Classe

Borrowed Classe (thanks Rico) and brother in law's ancient B&W = I never thought I could have fun with not so simple crossover networks.

Living Voice & Kondo

Thanks to JR at Soundscape Singapore, I now know why my LV's will never live up to its full potential--because I can never afford a Kegon!

Sennheiser & Musical Fidelity X-Cans w/ X-PSU

While I much prefer the 6550-powered Opera Cyber headphone amp, it was the X-Cans that opened my ears to what music is like without room anomalies.

O, kayo naman!

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:26 pm
by audiostar
Let me just share what I have in my listening room:

Drivers per channel: 2x 15" JBL D-140 (woofers), 1x Altec 290 (midrange), 1x JBL 075 (tweeter), aurum cantus G1 aluminum ribbon (super tweater)

Amps per channel: 1x 180wpc 800MK mono (woofers) 2x Cayin mono SET 28wpc 9084D (midrange, high freq)

Impression: With active xover dividing the networks, i get full frequency playback either from my cds and vinyls. I couldn't ask for more. To my ears, my system plays all genres seamlessly. It gives me the slam when I play dynamic music and soothes me when I listen to soft and nostalgic music.

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 12:23 am
by crisdlr
Von Schwiekert 4sr with BAT BK150 amps is worth every penny thats in and going out of my pockets.

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:25 am
by michael corleone
Klipsch Heresy / Fisher X101B - For Fiesta, New Year's Eve, and Sunday morning listening.
Unico / Opera Prima - For intimate moments listening. :wink:

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:45 am
by rtsyrtsy
Come on, keep 'em coming!

We had a formerly active member gone very quiet. But what heard from his system is to this ears, sublime:

audionote2003's Audio Note UK Speakers (don't remember which model--basta Level 3), Conqueror (or Conquest ba? basta yung 300B set, not PSE). At that point, hindi pa AN yung cabling so arguably, that system had more to give.

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:02 am
by AUDIO8
JMlab electra 1037 and VTL MB185 MKII smart tube autobias.

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:07 am
by JoeyGS
VSA VR1 and Mundorfed Cayin A50T integrated tube amp (EL34, 12AU7, 12AX7) in a 12 square meter room. All audio frequencies from top to bottom are complete without the need for a sub. For me....very sweet sounding and the speakers disappear :D :D :D

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:32 am
by highlander
Coincident Victory driven by ASL 1006 845 monoblocks 8)

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:34 am
by vintage_dog
michael corleone wrote:Klipsch Heresy / Fisher X101B - For Fiesta, New Year's Eve, and Sunday morning listening.
Unico / Opera Prima - For intimate moments listening. :wink:


hey, a fisher x101b. i love that baby too

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:35 am
by vintage_dog
crisdlr wrote:Von Schwiekert 4sr with BAT BK150 amps is worth every penny thats in and going out of my pockets.


that's a truckload of pennies!

hope to listen to the combo tomorrow...

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:36 am
by vintage_dog
Lindsay driven by Ambel-modified 300b monos

Lindsay with a Rivo-modified JElabs 45 amp

Re: Speakers and Amps

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:42 am
by vintage_dog
rtsyrtsy wrote:LS3/5a & Dynaco ST70 (heard at VD's old doghouse)

Disclosure: I'm not a big fan of either gear by themselves but when used together, there is a sense of rightness--no bass, no top end sparkle, but imaging and the crucial midband melts all worries away.


i think this was a combo at my ayala alabang music room.

the st70 used a special board taking a different driver tube. preamp must have been the 12au7 tono.

stands were specially designed/built by mozilla's (grant) craftsman...

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:09 am
by leo
Here is my list:

1. Heard the Cayin 860 monos together with the Aurum Cantus V7F. They
really sounded very, very good.

2. Heard BAT's VK-75 and DALI Euphonia MS4 in the Hi-Fi show before, WOW! I still could not forget the experience.

3. I heard this and fell in love with the combo: (not the guys ha, but the amps and speakers... :? )
Image.

4. Auditioned the VR1 with the Lamm ML2.1s....tulo laway. Kaso speakers lang nai-uwi ko eh. :cry:

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:45 am
by vintage_dog
leo wrote:4. Auditioned the VR1 with the Lamm ML2.1s....tulo laway. Kaso speakers lang nai-uwi ko eh. :cry:


i love those speakers too and the guys :lol:

but i hate those amps....damn, they're way off my budget! :twisted: :(

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:03 am
by JackD201
highlander wrote:Coincident Victory driven by ASL 1006 845 monoblocks 8)


Balita ko hindi na "Burn-out" si Bot. HOT na HOT na raw :twisted:

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:00 pm
by Raf
I was pleasantly surprised at how my parent's Integrated Cayin el84 worked very well with a pair of LSA 1s

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:23 pm
by sinar
halcro dm68 monoblock with dynaudio temptation - not my set up but a friend's former set up. that's where i realized iba talaga pag big speakers specially playing orchestral music. the layering and soundstage is so real.

kaya jack, parinig ng vr9 :twisted:

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:52 pm
by highlander
JackD201 wrote:
highlander wrote:Coincident Victory driven by ASL 1006 845 monoblocks 8)


Balita ko hindi na "Burn-out" si Bot. HOT na HOT na raw :twisted:


Not sure about the 'Hot na Hot' :roll: But I know he's brewing something :roll: ....probably to get out of the 'burn out' mode :lol:
probably a 'hotter' amp? :twisted: :D

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 8:31 pm
by JackD201
vintage_dog wrote:
leo wrote:4. Auditioned the VR1 with the Lamm ML2.1s....tulo laway. Kaso speakers lang nai-uwi ko eh. :cry:


i love those speakers too and the guys :lol:



Ang Po-Pogi! (Sabi ng mga Nanay namin) :lol:

Jean, Say when :D

PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:49 am
by JackD201
Space saving combos I really liked at friends houses, shops and at Shows

BAT VK-75 and Dali Helicon 400 (show stopper) If I wasn't a dealer and had another room I'd own this combo

BAT VK-75 and Usher Tiny Dancer refinement and slam in a small package

BAT VK-60 and Magnepan 1.6QR (show stopper) monster soundstager

Mark Levinson No.332 and VR-4jr Mk.2 big sound to rock the house or listen to full orchestra at low levels

LSA Standard and LSA1 Statement refined and full bodied w/o breaking the bank

B&W 805 Signature and Sonic Frontiers Power 2 silky smooth and warm

LS-3/5a and Quad II what can I say except that with this combo I don't miss the missing bass

Sonus Faber Guarneri and Jadis JA-30 in a word PURE

Dynaudio Focus 140 and Plinius 9200 propulsive. darned fun.

Spendor (BC-1?) and Marantz 9 tonality so satisfying soundstage isn't even important. Can I have another beer?

VR-4jr and Marantz 9 (moderate volumes) first time I fully appreciated the genius of the classics.

VR-1 and Manley Snappers if you're the seloso type your in trouble. Women tend to touch VR-1s with this combo because of the sensuous midband