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~$20-25k System Poll

Which of the following would you pick (1st & 2nd choice)?

  • Wired JBL M2 System

    Votes: 9 50.0%
  • Wireless Dynaudio Focus XD System

    Votes: 10 55.6%
  • Classic Tubes & Horns

    Votes: 4 22.2%

  • Total voters
    18

watchnerd

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Seriously considering going with one of the following. Details of choices, assume main listening room is 22 x 20 with 15' ceiling.


Wired JBL M2 System:

Sweetwater JBL M2 Package (amps go in hall closet): $20k
Parasound P5 preamp/phono/DAC (run XLR to amps): $1095
Technics SL-1200GR: $1800
Nagaoka MP-500: $750
Raspberry Pi Roon Bridge DAC: $65
Total: $23710

Wireless Dynaudio Focus XD System:

Dynaudio Focus 60 XD: $15k
Dynaudio Connect wireless hub / ADC: $400
Technics SL-1200GR: $1800
Nagaoka MP-500: $750
Hagerman Labs Cornet 3 phono stage: $500
Raspberry Pi Roon Bridge DIGI: $65
2 x pairs of wireless Xeo 2 for other rooms (kitchen, bedroom): $3000
Total: $21515

Classic Tubes & Horns:

Klipschorn, pair: $11000 (list $12k MSRP, assumes street price is less)
McIntosh MC275 tube power amp: $5500
McIntosh C22 tube preamp/phono: $6000
Technics SL-1200GR: $1800
Nagaoka MP-500: $750
Raspberry Pi Roon Bridge DAC: $65
Total: $25515

Explanations as to why you picked what you picked welcome.
 

Purité Audio

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Kii THREEs and a laptop, and save 10k.
Keith
 

Purité Audio

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Why would you ignore the finest sounding / most convenient and far cheapest option ?
Very nice little thread over on CA on the Kii's.
Keith
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Why would you ignore the finest sounding / most convenient and far cheapest option ?
Very nice little thread over on CA on the Kii's.
Keith

Because:

1. I don't find them the most convenient. For lifestyle points, I prefer wireless options.

2. If I go wired, I don't find them the finest sounding. I heard them at AXPONA and found the M2's more impressive.

3. Saving $10k isn't a priority for me.

And that's it on why I don't prefer the Kii Three. They're fine speakers that don't match my needs, but any more forced pimping and I'll thread cop.
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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[Deleted another Kii Three post from Keith who posted again pushing Kii Three despite requests not to do so.]
 

noobie1

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Do the Dynaudio's allow you to maintain an analog path throughout or is there some analog -> digital-> analog conversion going on?
 
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Voted Dynaudio since I've heard various Dynaudio speakers, very, very good speakers. Only reason I bought Gauder Akustik instead of them is I'm a sucker for AMT tweeters.
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Do the Dynaudio's allow you to maintain an analog path throughout or is there some analog -> digital-> analog conversion going on?

Because it has a DSP crossover, there is ADC happening regardless of whether you plug in an RCA analog jack on the back of the Focus XD or if you go wireless...which is true of pretty much every speaker with a DSP crossover.
 

DonH56

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I'm not really competent to vote since I have not heard the M2's (though do have Salon2's) or the Dynaudio and it has been years since I heard Klipschorns. But, since incompetence never seems to stop anyone from spouting off, I voted for M2s and/or Dynaudio...

Those appear to be fairly different systems... The K-horns are impressive speakers but I think the newer M2s or Dynaudios would provide better response based upon reviews and such (flatter frequency response, lower distortion). Those two seem neck and neck in support on other sites (e.g. AVS). As an aside, I also think a SS amp might better handle the K-horn's woofer (horn-loaded but a conventional 15" cone) but YMMV. For whatever reason I have never been a huge fan of the MC275 and its predecessors; I like some other tube amps a bit better, but splitting hairs (from a nearly bald guy, so what's that worth? :) )

There are so many good choices it is hard to pick just one! Luckily I fell into a deal and picked up new speakers before I really had time to dig in to all the research and listening tests, though have been doing background research for several years, and actually miss the listening if not all the legwork (since dealers for these are few in my area).
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Can't every system you want be wired or wireless????

By "wireless" I mean:

"An active, powered speaker with internal amplification that can potentially be run with no physical connections other than a power cord."

So by that definition, no.

Can they all be connected to a streamer? Yes.
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Those appear to be fairly different systems....

What I find really curious is that there are some implications that Dynaudio uses DSP in the XD series to also control directivity.

If true, I have no idea how (and I studied DSP in college)....

All I can think of is gradual adjustment of output as it relates to driver geometry...
 

DonH56

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Hmmm... I don't see how that is generally possible without multiple drivers, but adjusting output level/phase among drivers makes the most sense to me if they are doing it at all. That would only work in the transition bands between (among) drivers, natch. I do not recall reading anything about controlling directivity on their website but I only skimmed briefly.
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Hmmm... I don't see how that is generally possible without multiple drivers, but adjusting output level/phase among drivers makes the most sense to me if they are doing it at all. That would only work in the transition bands between (among) drivers, natch. I do not recall reading anything about controlling directivity on their website but I only skimmed briefly.

The website and data sheets don't mention it, but there is measurement evidence of controlled directivity in both the Stereophile and Mitchco (on CA) reviews...to get the DSP angle you have to watch some of the video interviews with the DSP designers, and they're a bit cagey about it...possibly because Dynaudio doesn't seem to have a strong party line on the topic. But I'm sure the engineers are familiars with Toole & Olive research and factor it in on the higher end designs.
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Hmmm... I don't see how that is generally possible without multiple drivers, but adjusting output level/phase among drivers makes the most sense to me if they are doing it at all. That would only work in the transition bands between (among) drivers, natch. I do not recall reading anything about controlling directivity on their website but I only skimmed briefly.
The website and data sheets don't mention it, but there is measurement evidence of controlled directivity in both the Stereophile and Mitchco (on CA) reviews...to get the DSP angle you have to watch some of the video interviews with the DSP designers, and they're a bit cagey about it...possibly because Dynaudio doesn't seem to have a strong party line on the topic. But I'm sure the engineers are familiars with Toole & Olive research and factor it in on the higher end designs.

A little more detail....they refer to it as DDC, Dynaudio Directivity Control.

Apparently it gets implemented in varying degrees according to price point, with the Evidence having the "full" version and the Excite having a "lite" version (whatever that means).

White paper on it:

https://www.ketos.eu/fs/ceef15d4-4b...-dynaudio-general-info-eng-ddc-technology.pdf
 

DonH56

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OK, the white paper makes sense, and implies it is physical plus crossover tweaks" "This is realized with special physical and acoustical characteristics of the drivers, a special geometric driver arrangement on the front panel, and a new crossover filter technique." By aligning driver overlap physically (acoustically) and by adjusting the crossover you should be able to control directivity, at least to some degree. The paper also alludes to the use of two tweeters, which again makes sense to me, but the XD 60 only has one, so...

An interesting topic!
 

Mivera

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