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11 Questions for Hi-Fi Enthusiasts.

That's three! I had not heard of this brand before. What's the story? How come you bought all these and regretted them all?
Hello Sir,

Here’s the story,

In 2013, I bought the ATC SCM11. Initially, I paired them with the ATC SIA2 amplifier, but I got Electrocompaniet ECI 5 integrated soon after. Then, I moved on to the ATC SCM40 actives, which I ran with various preamps, DACs, and streamers. Back then, I fell into the narrative pushed by magazines and forums, believing that costly cables produced better results. So, I bought a mid-level line of Wireworld cables.
When my son was about to be born, I needed to childproof the living room, where my system was set up. I wanted to secure the equipment and my son. That’s when I stumbled across a review of AVI speakers. AVI’s solution appealed to me because all the electronics (including dac and preamp) were hidden inside the speaker cabinet. This seemed the perfect way to simplify the setup while making it safer for a child.

Ashley James, the owner of AVI and the former marketing director of ATC, made big claims about AVI speakers being superior to ATC's. Customer reviews online were glowing, and in 2015, I decided to take the plunge. AVI only sold its speakers directly, so I couldn’t audition them unless an owner was willing to host me. Nevertheless, I ordered their cheapest active model, the DM5, a tiny cabinet with 5-inch woofers.

When I received the DM5s, I was underwhelmed. They had hyped mids and limited bass output. (I later discovered that small monitors like the Genelec 8030 and Neumann KH120 can deliver convincing bass.) I wanted to return them, but Ash refused a refund. Instead, he offered to credit the cost toward their next model, the DM10, a larger cabinet with a 6-inch woofer, built-in preamp, and DAC. He assured me that the DM10 would deliver the bass I was missing. An excellent marketer, after all. I wasn’t satisfied with the DM10, but I Invested further and purchased AVI’s 10-inch subwoofer. That combination gave better results, and by that point, I had become an AVI enthusiast, singing their praises on forums.

When AVI announced the DM12 (the same 6-inch driver as the DM10 but in a larger cabinet with a better tweeter and tone controls), I was among the first (if not the first) to order it. But around this time, I started exploring more objective audio communities and questioning some of my choices.

I purchased a UMIK measurement mic and tested the DM10 and DM12. It confirmed my earlier disappointment that they had significantly hyped mids. Other users’ measurements confirmed my findings. When I bought the Genelec 8030C, they sounded fantastic straight out of the box, delivering bass performance that the DM12s couldn’t dream of achieving and for three times less.

At that time I read Amir’s review of the original ATC SCM19s, in which he noted issues with bass bottoming out, a flaw I recognised in all the AVI models I had owned. At that point, I felt duped by AVI’s marketing and realised I had bought into the Hi-Fi hype. Looking back on how much I defended the brand is a bit embarrassing.

Today, I’m a happy Neumann KH150 owner. These speakers sound right, with no gimmicks or overhyped promises. It feels great to have left all the Hi-Fi nonsense behind.
 
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Hello Sir,

Here’s the story,

In 2013, I bought the ATC SCM11. Initially, I paired them with the ATC SIA2 amplifier, but I got Electrocompaniet ECI 5 integrated soon after. Then, I moved on to the ATC SCM40 actives, which I ran with various preamps, DACs, and streamers. Back then, I fell into the narrative pushed by magazines and forums, believing that costly cables produced better results. So, I bought a mid-level line of Wireworld cables.
When my son was about to be born, I needed to childproof the living room, where my system was set up. I wanted to secure the equipment and my son. That’s when I stumbled across a review of AVI speakers. AVI’s solution appealed to me because all the electronics (including dac and preamp) were hidden inside the speaker cabinet. This seemed the perfect way to simplify the setup while making it safer for a child.

Ashley James, the owner of AVI and the former marketing director of ATC, made big claims about AVI speakers being superior to ATC's. Customer reviews online were glowing, and in 2015, I decided to take the plunge. AVI only sold its speakers directly, so I couldn’t audition them unless an owner was willing to host me. Nevertheless, I ordered their cheapest active model, the DM5, a tiny cabinet with 5-inch woofers.

When I received the DM5s, I was underwhelmed. They had hyped mids and limited bass output. (I later discovered that small monitors like the Genelec 8030 and Neumann KH120 can deliver convincing bass.) I wanted to return them, but Ash refused a refund. Instead, he offered to credit the cost toward their next model, the DM10, a larger cabinet with a 6-inch woofer, built-in preamp, and DAC. He assured me that the DM10 would deliver the bass I was missing. An excellent marketer, after all. I wasn’t satisfied with the DM10, but I Invested further and purchased AVI’s 10-inch subwoofer. That combination gave better results, and by that point, I had become an AVI enthusiast, singing their praises on forums.

When AVI announced the DM12 (the same 6-inch driver as the DM10 but in a larger cabinet with a better tweeter and tone controls), I was among the first (if not the first) to order it. But around this time, I started exploring more objective audio communities and questioning some of my choices.

I purchased a UMIK measurement mic and tested the DM10 and DM12. It confirmed my earlier disappointment that they had significantly hyped mids. Other users’ measurements confirmed my findings. When I bought the Genelec 8030C, they sounded fantastic straight out of the box, delivering bass performance that the DM12s couldn’t dream of achieving and for three times less.

At that time I read Amir’s review of the original ATC SCM19s, in which he noted issues with bass bottoming out, a flaw I recognised in all the AVI models I had owned. At that point, I felt duped by AVI’s marketing and realised I had bought into the Hi-Fi hype. Looking back on how much I defended the brand is a bit embarrassing.

Today, I’m a happy Neumann KH150 owner. These speakers sound right, with no gimmicks or overhyped promises. It feels great to have left all the Hi-Fi nonsense behind.
Thanks for overcoming the embarrassment and writing that.

It's really impressive how empowering it is for us consumers to have the performance data that we can find on ASR -- thanks be to @amirm and the other testers! What a difference it makes.

All the same I find I sometimes experience brand loyalty. For example I will come to your home and throw eggs and toilet paper at it if you dis Ascend Acoustics. Another example was when I read this post and watched the video I felt offended and then realized that my offense means I must have feelings towards SL-1200 turntables. :/
 
1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?
My sister's HD40 headphones, though I would have got there in time anyway (edit - a second 0 got in there somehow)

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.
My Marantz SA-10. It's the only piece of electronic equipment in our place that my wife doesn't curse on a regular basis.

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.
When we arrived in Australia, I had to buy a new system from scratch. I bought two source components, a Project 6.9 turntable that went through three motors in four years, and a NAD 541 CD player that broke down just out of warranty. The Project caused me to leave vinyl playback, a decision I don't regret, so I guess the NAD gets the title in the end.

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?
The Chaconne from the suite from Les Indes Galantes as recorded by Le Concert des Nations on Rameau: L'Orchestre de Louis XV.

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?
I honestly don't know, but if money were no issue I would buy a place with a decent room for the system as a start. That's what I really don't have.

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?
Streaming, probably Tidal. I use Qobuz mostly (it pays artists more) but there are some albums missing I wouldn't want to lose.

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?
B&W loudspeakers.

8. What is your next upgrade?
A streamer of some description. I've spent ages looking for something that my wife will only dislike and occasionally curse (see answer to Q2)

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.
No such item.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.
That's never happened. I just keep listening to a wide range of music. My systems haven't really varied that much in sound since the first turntable upgrade in 1983, seriously. Sure, they've become more capable at frequency extremes and I can do higher SPLs now, but I've kept buying similar sound. Not much of an "audiophile journey", I'm afraid.

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?
The only "accessories" I have are a glasses cleaning cloth that I use on CDs, and a duster because of dust.
 
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