Does Your System "Wow" or "Amaze" You? Looking to upgrade? Tell Us About It....

[MattHooper]

You may put more importance into the slight differences among the hardware from what I've read. I use a variety of gear, happy with it all rather than get too nerdy with some particular combination.

I hate to break it to you, but anyone with almost 5,000 posts on a technical audio forum (me included) won't be very convincing in claiming not to be "nerdy" over gear. ;-)
We're all nerdy here over audio gear in our own particular way.

The ability to have good gear has been around a long time, too. I'm always interested in what's around for a variety of reasons other than some super quest for "audio quality"

Ok, I guess I'm still puzzled about anyone spending a lot of time on a forum devoted to rigorous evaluation of audio gear...but not really on a quest for "audio quality."

....personally your gear doesn't sound too interesting to me as an example.

Sure, I noticed the dig. Cheers.

I think if you have well recorded music and have a good system to the capabilities you desire and enjoy the results there's not a lot beyond that.

I agree it's ultimately down to what turns each of our crank when listening to music. But that's also what a non-audiophile would say. All my son needs are his laptop speakers to enjoy the result. But what tends to separate us audiophiles from normal folk (who would never think of hanging out on forums like this), is an enthusiasm for great sound and high quality audio gear. But, you seem to want to play down your enthusiasm for exactly what would bring someone here. So I guess I'm not going to really understand, but that's ok. Thanks.

 

[Axo1989]

So mine is a Mac running Sonarworks > exaSound E68 DAC > Krell 2250 > Audio Physic Codex.

There's also some audiophilia: Teddy Pardo power for the DAC and Analysis Plus speaker cables (plus Apple's extra long pro Thunderbolt offering with the woven black fabric sheath) all chosen for aesthetics rather than sonics.

In a roughly 5 x 7 metre space (with raked ceiling 2.5-5 metres).

I particularly enjoy the stereo image (for both scale and holographic image localisation) and the speaker 'disappearing act' and super-nice bass timbres. Some of the credit goes to serendipitous effect of Japanese construction: tatami on slatted floor plus slatted ceiling function to provide absorption and diffusion, and smooth RT60 < 200 ms above 63 Hz. The speaker layout allows for just a touch of sidewall reflection, any more toe-in pretty much eliminates that (I can also open/close the side walls). I listen to studio-assembled music rather than live/acoustic so no preference for added euphonic 'envelopment' (beyond what's in the recording I guess).

I enjoy—and am mildly blown away by—the sound pretty much any time I listen.

Upgrades? Could do with more mid-bass impact for certain rock-adjacent genres (comparing to big Focal Utopias, unfair but still) and the KAV-series amp doesn't have the heatsink capacity of the Evolution-series equivalent when you run it long and hard, on my list. Also a bit more sub-bass and infra bass would be good for some electronic stuff. And I selected the DAC to maybe go multi-channel one day.

Of course I'm sometimes curious about completely different gear, which I may try when I'm older and my general life to-do list is shorter—so valves, turntables, Purifis, electrostats, omnis, monster bass, that sort of thing.

That's it really.

 

[JSmith]

Does it merely satisfy you?

I suppose that can depend on the individual too... personally I can't get no;

I've also been known to demand satisfaction in the form of a duel... on occasion.

Joking aside, yes quite happy with my current main system, it provides me with hours of musical listening joy and solid audio for films.


JSmith

 

[Chrispy]

I hate to break it to you, but anyone with almost 5,000 posts on a technical audio forum (me included) won't be very convincing in claiming not to be "nerdy" over gear. ;-)
We're all nerdy here over audio gear in our own particular way.



Ok, I guess I'm still puzzled about anyone spending a lot of time on a forum devoted to rigorous evaluation of audio gear...but not really on a quest for "audio quality."




Sure, I noticed the dig. Cheers.



I agree it's ultimately down to what turns each of our crank when listening to music. But that's also what a non-audiophile would say. All my son needs are his laptop speakers to enjoy the result. But what tends to separate us audiophiles from normal folk (who would never think of hanging out on forums like this), is an enthusiasm for great sound and high quality audio gear. But, you seem to want to play down your enthusiasm for exactly what would bring someone here. So I guess I'm not going to really understand, but that's ok. Thanks.

I think we're just different, have different interests/approaches. I find the discussion of audio gear interesting generally, not just the technical aspects, but also the psychology of the consuming of such (particularly the bullshit side of audiophilia). Sure, am a nerd for audio gear, more than most I know since I was 16....so that's like 50 years of my friends thinking I'm a bit too much into audio. That isn't saying a lot, we audiophiles (and that term bothers me generally due the nuttiness often associated with such), we're a relatively small fraction of the populace overall. I may be nerd-light around here in some respects, tho....

Your choice of gear is simply not my style/choice, not a dig, I just wouldn't buy/concentrate on what you do. While I still have my vinyl collection, it's just a good basic player (Technics SL1200mk2) with good cartridges/styli that got replaced as needed over the last almost 40 years....but haven't bought new vinyl in 30 years or so now. Never saw any need for monoblocks let alone tubes. Remotes/streaming are better to me than having to fondle knobs or handle discs particularly.

I'm not into the aesthetic side of gear much let alone esoteric stuff. Am more into functionality and convenience side of things. My gear is more multich and combined with video (and have several such systems). Good audio quality in hardware is relatively easy to obtain these days, it's not like its a constant quest to improve that last tenth of a percent at a time, am pretty happy with my various gear and don't see any particular changes/additions down the line....maybe a diy speaker project. It would be a several hour drive to just look at new gear in person generally (outside a meagerly stocked audio section in a Best Buy 45 minutes away), but its been that way for me for a very long time so most of my "looking" is in a forum like this. Am always interested in a good quality recording to collect, tho.

I don't use my laptop or tv speakers or even headphones, but if that's how some prefer to listen it doesn't surprise me, particularly these days with the younger folk....

 

[bodhi]

I have two setups, KEF R5 + 2x KF92 and Genelec 8350s with mostly useless leftover 7350.

I'm not amazed really, but I really like both setups. I'd really like to upgrade the KEFs but after listening to a few pricier alternatives I just can't justify the cost. If anything I might promote Genelecs to main setup and get some cheaper JBL monitors for desktop duty.

 

[SDC]

5.1 to 7.1.4 upgrade. Auro3d and dirac with Revels all together gave me the wow.

A feeling I didn't have for years...

I'm not sure T25d 2ch system will give me the simmilar wow. Upmixing with right speaker and room is just amazing.

 

[computer-audiophile]

(bolding mine)

Just so I understand: When you say it's basically all about the music, do you mean you don't really care about sound quality anymore?

(Because plenty of people love music, but audiophiles are usually distinguished as not only loving music, but having a particular enthusiasm for sound quality).

Good that you asked.

Of course, it was and is always about audiophile sound quality. I am a critical listener, often go to classical concerts, listen to contemporary classic etc. Beeing a member of audiophile associations and also active in an artist's group of sound researchers, I educated my ears so far.

Today, we live in a consumers' audio paradise. You don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money on the equipment, if you make an educated selection.

After all what I have done, I don't have to keep trying to go further, I would go in circles. So I try to dive deeper into music, understand composers, study interpretations. It is also a lot to learn to research and to establish personal contacts. Unfortunately I can't read scores, I'm better at reading schematics and technical papers.

 

[LunaTempesta]

I consider myself fairly new to the hobby and only really started expanding when I got my own place a good 2 years ago. Prior to that most of my listening was done through headphones on a fairly student budget friendly range. I believe my first decent pair of cans was the ATH-M50s, which so many people used. I had some Grado's after and since a few years (and still using) a Philips Fidelio XHR2. This was hooked up to the first SCHIIT stack (which didn't survive long). Now using a Topping DX3pro which does it's job much better.

The first speakers I got were a pair of Q Acoustics 3010i hooked up to a Yamaha HTR .. something. It was fine for my small room and packed a decent punch. After I got my own place these speakers served their purposed and were repositioned to the rear.

My set up now:
Focal Aria 926s fronts
Focal Aria CC900 center
Q Acoustics 3010i rear
Denon X4700h
Rotel RB-1070 (latest addition)

I consider this my first (real) set up. I enjoy listening to it, but I really feel my main problem is not being able to push it, having to deal with neighbors on both sides next to me. Aside from that I barely have any reference points since I have no people in my direct environment which share the same hobby. I've been to a few events, but I always feel like those comparisons are unfair to begin with since there's often thousands of euros of gear hooked up to a set of speakers.

There is definitely room for improvement, so I am always looking around for little things to improve. I like the search 2nd hand websites for that reason.
So I'm still looking for that daily WOW factor.

 

[MattHooper]

I think we're just different, have different interests/approaches. I find the discussion of audio gear interesting generally, not just the technical aspects, but also the psychology of the consuming of such (particularly the bullshit side of audiophilia). Sure, am a nerd for audio gear, more than most I know since I was 16....so that's like 50 years of my friends thinking I'm a bit too much into audio. That isn't saying a lot, we audiophiles (and that term bothers me generally due the nuttiness often associated with such), we're a relatively small fraction of the populace overall. I may be nerd-light around here in some respects, tho....

Your choice of gear is simply not my style/choice, not a dig, I just wouldn't buy/concentrate on what you do. While I still have my vinyl collection, it's just a good basic player (Technics SL1200mk2) with good cartridges/styli that got replaced as needed over the last almost 40 years....but haven't bought new vinyl in 30 years or so now. Never saw any need for monoblocks let alone tubes. Remotes/streaming are better to me than having to fondle knobs or handle discs particularly.

I'm not into the aesthetic side of gear much let alone esoteric stuff. Am more into functionality and convenience side of things. My gear is more multich and combined with video (and have several such systems). Good audio quality in hardware is relatively easy to obtain these days, it's not like its a constant quest to improve that last tenth of a percent at a time, am pretty happy with my various gear and don't see any particular changes/additions down the line....maybe a diy speaker project. It would be a several hour drive to just look at new gear in person generally (outside a meagerly stocked audio section in a Best Buy 45 minutes away), but its been that way for me for a very long time so most of my "looking" is in a forum like this. Am always interested in a good quality recording to collect, tho.

I don't use my laptop or tv speakers or even headphones, but if that's how some prefer to listen it doesn't surprise me, particularly these days with the younger folk....

Ok, thanks for elaborating. I can see your point of view. Cheers.

 

[Holmz]

…. Some of the credit goes to serendipitous effect of Japanese construction: tatami on slatted floor plus slatted ceiling function to provide absorption and diffusion, and smooth RT60 < 200 ms above 63 Hz...

Does the flooring have gaps in the slats?

I was thinking of a wool throw rug coming to about 20” or the walls, but the tatami mats have an allure,
is there a photo?

 

[MattHooper]

I'm wowed and amazed every time I get a session in my room. I've got no plans of upgrading anything as it currently sits, besides replacing carts as they wear. It's been a long 40+ year journey to get to the level of reproduction I currently enjoy now, and I'm happy as hell.

Gear list:

PrimaLuna Evo 300 preamplifier-Vintage Mazda CIFTES in center position

Van Alstine DVA 600 SET monoblock amplifiers-
600w @ 8 ohm

Focal Sopra N°3

REL Acoustics S3/SHO-
Stereo pair subs

Rega RP10-
with Rega Aphelion MC cart and Washi slip mat

Herron Audio VTPH-2A phono stage

Revox B77 MKII reel to reel-
Restored by "Reeltoreeltech.com" in 2022

Nakamichi ZX-7 Cassette deck-
Serviced by Willy Hermann in 2021

Rotel RCD-855 CD player-
With TDA1541 dac chip

Marantz SA8004 Sacd player

Bluesound Node 2i streamer

TeddyPardo MiniTeddy lps-
Linear power supply for Bluesound Node 2i

Rega DAC

Creek Audio T-43 Tuner

Van Alstine DVA R2X-
Single to differential converter (balanced)

Furman Elite-15 PFi-
Power conditioner

Pair of APC voltage regulating transformers for incoming power

Mogami Interconnects-
2497 from the Herron to the Primaluna preamp and out from the Primaluna to the Van Alstine converter
2964 for the remaining interconnects.
Eminence locking connectors
Mogami Gold balanced cables to the monoblocks

Canare 4S11
3 foot speaker cables

Bluejeans Cat 6 cable from gateway/router

GIK Acoustics Bass traps, gobos, clouds

Vito Acoustic Diffusion panels

Herbies audio lab Tube dampers

Isoacoustics Isopucks

Hea Chinese 10 awg power cords

Herbie's Audio Lab Fat Gliders

VPI 16.5 record cleaning machine

Home brew ultrasonic record cleaner
View attachment 283979View attachment 283980

Good Lord!

What a set up!

Hits all my buttons. I love the styling and finish of those Focal speakers, and I'm a sucker for that cream/brown color pallet complementing them in the room. I love
a good rug, feels so cozy. Even the room treatment manages to not be very visually intrusive. Well done!

I went for a sort of similar pallet for my room - brown (thick shag) rug, custom made sofa, and we built down the ceiling using a stretched brown felt fabric (with various room treatment hidden both in the ceiling end elsewhere, all done with help of an acoustician). My stereo speakers share the room with my home theater system - the home theater screen wall (and L/C/R speakers) is covered in black velvet. All my source equipment is in a separate room down the hall.

Here's my current set up, with the Joseph Audio speakers:

Here's my set up when using the Thiel speakers:

 

[antcollinet]

My system is relatively modest:

Mac/RasPi3 with PicorePlayer/Rega P3 as source.
MiniDSP room equalisation.
Aging Sony AVR for amplification.
Dali Oberon 5 speakers.

My listening room is small 3m by 3.5m.

It frequently wows me. If I'd heard it playing a couple of years ago, my thought would have been "I wish i could get a system sounding that great" without much expectation.

We have had a forced separation for 3 weeks due to our travel to USA to "mum sit". Can't wait to get back to it in about a week.

 

[MattHooper]

My system is relatively modest:

Mac/RasPi3 with PicorePlayer/Rega P3 as source.
MiniDSP room equalisation.
Aging Sony AVR for amplification.
Dali Oberon 5 speakers.

My listening room is small 3m by 3.5m.

It frequently wows me. If I'd heard it playing a couple of years ago, my thought would have been "I wish i could get a system sounding that great" without much expectation.

We have had a forced separation for 3 weeks due to our travel to USA to "mum sit". Can't wait to get back to it in about a week.

Wow, Dali speakers make an appearance!

I looked that model up. It's interesting because when I think Dali I immediately think of their ribbon transducers. Yet your model seems to use a standard dome tweeter.
Was it a specific choice of yours to avoid the Dali models with the ribbons, for any reason?

ETA: Ah, the Oberon model is wireless. Was that the reason for getting that model?

 

[antcollinet]

Wow, Dali speakers make an appearance!

I looked that model up. It's interesting because when I think Dali I immediately think of their ribbon transducers. Yet your model seems to use a standard dome tweeter.
Was it a specific choice of yours to avoid the Dali models with the ribbons, for any reason?

ETA: Ah, the Oberon model is wireless. Was that the reason for getting that model?

No, the oberon 5 is not wireless. Wireless models seem to have the C suffix, and are only in the 1 and 7 (as far as I can see)

There was no thought process regarding the tweeters. In fact I bought them just before finding ASR, and the choice was based on (horror) reviews in the mainstream audio press, and youtube reviewers, Decision was significantly based on what was available to audition in a local dealer, and was also budget constrained.

Fortunately, probably more by luck than judgement, it worked out for me.

 

[sq225917]

Never amazes me, the music sometimes does though.

Kuzma benz paradise mac m1 gustard a18 p90 nuerochrome ns1000m

 

[Axo1989]

Does the flooring have gaps in the slats?

I was thinking of a wool throw rug coming to about 20” or the walls, but the tatami mats have an allure,
is there a photo?

Correct. Traditionally, split rather than sawn floor boards. Here just rough sawn recycled 100x20 hardwood with somewhat irregular gaps. The idea is for the tatami to breath and regulate moisture (the 'mats' being 50 mm thick bound rice straw with a fine reed cover). That also means a somewhat less continuous acoustic barrier (and different floor and floor bounce acoustics).

Spoiler: speakers on tatami

Here's one when new speakers were going in, tatami is older than me but holding up ok, timber floor trim is raised to match ... also, no spikes obviously (Audio Physic mag-lev feet in this case).

My dad built—or started —the house before I was born so construction photos are scarce, unfortunately. I'm going to replace/extend (with some more tatami) so I'll do the digital photo thing as it happens (and the audio system will be repositioned eventually). Tatami go ok on a regular floor but depending where you are (humidity-wise) I'd lift them to air/check for mould periodically. In a new section I've laid continuous t&g cypress (which termites dislike) to serve as sub-floor but plan to (use track saw/router to) cut slots before the tatami go in.

Fyi the original tatami (imported obviously) were sourced via Made In Japan in Sydney, they've disappeared so now I'm looking at Japanache in Queensland. No new tatami yet but they've supplied some traditional futon (thinner/lighter than the Oz versions) and fabrics with good service so far. Oddly enough tatami price hasn't changed all that much in 30 years.

 

[PierreV]

I am happy with my systems. I have not purchased anything in the last 4 years or so and don't plan to unless something breaks. Leaving the room aside (you've got to work with what you have) I sit firmly in the camp that thinks that all decent sources and amps sound the same and that the only thing that really matters are speakers.
They "wowed" me when they arrived. Now, thanks to habituation, they usually don't really wow me anymore. They merely sound "good", "normal", "as expected".
It is only if I spend a significant amount of time listening to my office system that, when I switch back to the main systems, I am "wowed" again, but only for a few minutes.
I think that this auditive habituation is one of the main causes of upgradeitis as in "my system doesn't wow me anymore, but I read about that new stuff that lift veils..."
I promised myself I wouldn't fall in that trap, so far so good.

(well, except for the fact that I was insane enough to purchase two systems and install them side-by-side of course).

 

[Doodski]

I am happy with my systems. I have not purchased anything in the last 4 years or so and don't plan to unless something breaks. Leaving the room aside (you've got to work with what you have) I sit firmly in the camp that thinks that all decent sources and amps sound the same and that the only thing that really matters are speakers.
They "wowed" me when they arrived. Now, thanks to habituation, they usually don't really wow me anymore. They merely sound "good", "normal", "as expected".
It is only if I spend a significant amount of time listening to my office system that, when I switch back to the main systems, I am "wowed" again, but only for a few minutes.
I think that this auditive habituation is one of the main causes of upgradeitis as in "my system doesn't wow me anymore, but I read about that new stuff that left veils..."
I promised myself I wouldn't fall in that trap, so far so good.

(well, except for the fact that I was insane enough to purchase two systems and install them side-by-side of course).

View attachment 284076

LoL... I know the feeling. I changed out my system in the 80s and 90s so many times that I barely remember all the amps and speakers that I went through. It costs money and time and at that time I was working without holidays for years because I was so busy with work. I vowed to stop swapping out stereo gear and wasting time and so I made a plan. I decided to go American on the amps and preamp, American or European on the speakers and then I decided to go active tri-amp'd and that made for 3 amps I had to shop for. I ended up with a lot of models in a mish mash system with lotsa wire of course. The end result was a system that satisfied me for about 15 years. Your condition is that you have very nice speakers and to upgrade is going to require a serious purchase to get anything substantial in the form of the upgrade. Have you run both speakers at the same time to see what it sounds like and party-on that way?

 

[MattHooper]

Correct. Traditionally, split rather than sawn floor boards. Here just rough sawn recycled 100x20 hardwood with somewhat irregular gaps. The idea is for the tatami to breath and regulate moisture (the 'mats' being 50 mm thick bound rice straw with a fine reed cover). That also means a somewhat less continuous acoustic barrier (and different floor and floor bounce acoustics).

Spoiler: speakers on tatami

View attachment 284075

Here's one when new speakers were going in, tatami is older than me but holding up ok, timber floor trim is raised to match ... also, no spikes obviously (Audio Physic mag-lev feet in this case).

My dad built—or started —the house before I was born so construction photos are scarce, unfortunately. I'm going to replace/extend (with some more tatami) so I'll do the digital photo thing as it happens (and the audio system will be repositioned eventually). Tatami go ok on a regular floor but depending where you are (humidity-wise) I'd lift them to air/check for mould periodically. In a new section I've laid continuous t&g cypress (which termites dislike) to serve as sub-floor but plan to (use track saw/router to) cut slots before the tatami go in.

Fyi the original tatami (imported obviously) were sourced via Made In Japan in Sydney, they've disappeared so now I'm looking at Japanache in Queensland. No new tatami yet but they've supplied some traditional futon (thinner/lighter than the Oz versions) and fabrics with good service so far. Oddly enough tatami price hasn't change all that much in 40 years.

As I've mentioned before, I am envious of your Audio Physic speakers! They are among my favourite of the "slim/dissapearing/imaging" floor standing school. (I've had the AP Virgo, Libra and Scorpio speakers in my home and enjoyed them all).

 

[MattHooper]

I am happy with my systems. I have not purchased anything in the last 4 years or so and don't plan to unless something breaks. Leaving the room aside (you've got to work with what you have) I sit firmly in the camp that thinks that all decent sources and amps sound the same and that the only thing that really matters are speakers.
They "wowed" me when they arrived. Now, thanks to habituation, they usually don't really wow me anymore. They merely sound "good", "normal", "as expected".
It is only if I spend a significant amount of time listening to my office system that, when I switch back to the main systems, I am "wowed" again, but only for a few minutes.
I think that this auditive habituation is one of the main causes of upgradeitis as in "my system doesn't wow me anymore, but I read about that new stuff that left veils..."
I promised myself I wouldn't fall in that trap, so far so good.

(well, except for the fact that I was insane enough to purchase two systems and install them side-by-side of course).

View attachment 284076

Ok, that's insane.

In a good way

Would you mind giving brief impressions in terms of how those speakers compare? I presume you bought each because one does something better than the other, for you?

As to habituation, yeah that is a thing for sure. I actually have various strategies for ameliorating the problem. It can be as simple as listening to my speakers with the grills on for a period, and when I take the grills off the opening up of the highs a bit more can be a bit more "wow." I also alter the sound via acoustics in my room, including placement of diffusion/absorption, so I can live with a certain sound for a while, then change it.

And of course I also have taken a similar route to yours: I own more than one main set of speakers, which spices things up. (I also have some smaller speakers I thrown in the system sometimes, e.g. Spendor S3/5s, which I love too. But going back to the scale of the floorstanding speakers is a "wow" event).