I really like this forum and every day I look at the new measurement-posts from Amir. The measurements are a valuable addition to the real truth around good-sounding hifi. In my opinion a dac or amplifier MUST measure well before you try to figure out how it sounds. Some think a Topping D10 sounds the same as a D90se, the only difference is the feature set. Well boys, I can tell you that a D90se combined with a PRE90 sounds absolutely stunning and a D10 or D50s certainly does not. I had them all. My conclusion: part of the truth can be found here but don’t stop listening yourself. BTW, my amplifier is a Hypex NCore 500mp box. I really read this forum very well.
Selecting the right speaker is a bit more difficult. Toole recommends a carousel to compare them blind but no-one has a carousel. After a year of trying not-too-expensive speakers of several brands (i.e. Dynaudio Contour 20i, JBL HDI1600) the unbelievable ATC SCM11 V3 was the winner. So I decided to climb up the ATC ladder. Because I’m on pension the next logical step was the SCM19V2, with an ATC C1 subwoofer. I bought the speakers new, in the Netherlands ATC is not that expensive, with some discount 2600 euro. After installing I noticed that the matte finish of one of the speakers was not flawless. I mentioned it to the reseller and he promised me a new pair. They would arrive after 3 months so I had to listen to the first pair for these 3 months. No problem, I thought.
The first week the sound of the SCM19’s was extremely disappointing, I was so desperate that I almost decided to buy the SCM11 again. But there seemed to be some progression. Every night I put on Radio Paradise to keep the speakers running. And step by step the sound grew and I realised that I only had to wait. And indeed, after another week or so I was able to relax and enjoy stunning music, exactly what I hoped for.
After 3 months I received the mail from the reseller that the new speakers had arrived. Next day I drove to the other side of the country (160 km’s), he inspected the old speakers agreeing that the finish was not perfect, and I drove back with 2 new boxes. Back home I saw the the finish was perfect matte white and I mounted the speakers on the stands. Nothing was changed, only the speakers.
It was an interesting experiment… would they sound exactly like the old speakers after 3 months? In that case burning-in would be a myth. With the first tones of Radio Paradise, and later my favourite tracks, I knew: they sounded like shit again. And only now, after weeks of constantly running, I am happy. The music sounds as stunning as I was used to.