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

[Liya]

With the arrival of Genelec 8030C, RME dac and Sennheiser HD650
I don't pay attention anymore to the equipment and really enjoy music (something that wasn't possible with the AVI DM10 or AVI DM12 system I had before as I was constantly listening to the system which was very annoying).
Music wows me. Hardware is out of the way. In my view, this is how it should be. This is how I enjoyed music when I was a teenager, on a very modest system, I loved every note played of my favorite music. Now I am
back there.

 

[PierreV]

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?

Now, that's an idea Not practically doable in the current setups. I guess I could split a common source. But either system can go loud enough on its own, so I haven't really been motivated. Plus, I hate parties

 

[Axo1989]

(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

I'm repeating myself, but damn!

 

[PierreV]

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?

That was my initial idea, yes. After extensive in-store comparisons, I formed the impression that the Scalas would be better for punchy stuff and the Giyas would be better for extremely well-recorded pieces. I lived with that belief for a while until I did an informal blind test which I failed. I now consider them to be equivalent. Friends who listened to both were split.

 

[Ron Texas]

I have been running a pair of non meta LS50's and a pair of Rythmik Subs for about 4 years now. After several attempts of tinkering with a relatively high crossover point for the subs I arrived at 160 hz high pass on a Crown 2002 amp and a nominal 120 hz (in room 150 hz) low pass built into the subs. This eliminated the quarter wave drop out at 155 hz and improved the sound massively. It works well enough that I have no interest in changing it.

 

[Axo1989]

That was my initial idea, yes. After extensive in-store comparisons, I formed the impression that the Scalas would be better for punchy stuff and the Giyas would be better for extremely well-recorded pieces. I lived with that belief for a while until I did an informal blind test which I failed. I now consider them to be equivalent. Friends who listened to both were split.

That's pretty interesting. I have the same impression about the Focals (having heard Scala and even bigger ones) but not compared side-by-side with any of mine (and not at my place either) or blind. So as long as people don't keep posting pictures of them, I can relax.

*you can post pictures really, I will be ok

 

[MattHooper]

That was my initial idea, yes. After extensive in-store comparisons, I formed the impression that the Scalas would be better for punchy stuff and the Giyas would be better for extremely well-recorded pieces. I lived with that belief for a while until I did an informal blind test which I failed. I now consider them to be equivalent. Friends who listened to both were split.

Fascinating. (I once did an informal blind test between Quad ESL 63s and a pair of Spendor BC1, and was surprised how similar they sounded).

Given your results, is there any reason you keep both?

 

[dualazmak]

Hello OP @MattHooper and ASR friends,

**************************************************
Edit on August 19, 2023
Jus for your reference,,,
- The latest system setup of my DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active audio rig as of August 3, 2023: #774
- The latest "startup/ignition sequences" and "shutdown sequences" in my DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active audio rig as of August 3, 2023: #776
**************************************************


I thank you so much for launching this nice and enjoyable thread; I fully agree with your point of "the ultimate reason we are all audiophiles is because we care about sound quality, and the experience of listening to music specifically."

I like to say for me this thread was launched at the right time since I believe that recently I could finally reach to the summit of my exploration after about 5-year-long my step-by-step mountain climbing journey/exploration in DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier time-aligned fully active stereo audio project.

You would Please find here (on my project thread) and here (remote independent thread post) the Hyperlink Index of my project thread and some of my related posts in remote threads.

>Does Your System "Wow" or "Amaze" You?
Yes, indeed! Everyday, my system "Wow" and "Amaze" me very much in positive manner, of course.

>Looking to upgrade?
No, not at all at present, even though my SPs are rather old, almost vintage ones. Why?? You will see below in this post.

>how you like your system
Even though I have done (and you may easily find those on my thread) so many intensive objective measurements and tuning, I really would like emphasizing and suggesting that we definitely and always need careful subjective listening to our own consistent "sampler/reference music playlist" throughout our audio exploration. In this perspective, you would please find many of my subjective descriptions/impressions in the post series on "audio sampler/reference playlist" consists of my/our favorite/beloved music tracks, as summarized here and here on my thread.

Let me also refer to only two of my posts here;

- Perfect (0.1 msec precision) time alignment of all the SP drivers greatly contributes to amazing disappearance of SPs, tightness and cleanliness of the sound, and superior 3D sound stage: #520

- Not only the precision (0.1 msec level) time alignment over all the SP drivers but also SP facing directions and sound-deadening space behind the SPs plus behind our listening position would be critically important for effective (perfect?) disappearance of speakers: #687

BTW, my step-by-step exploration has been always based on, as Keith of @Purité Audio kindly wrote here, "You must hear equipment in your own room in your own system, compare unsighted (close your eyes) if there isn’t an immediately apparent difference/improvement. To go further, if there isn’t a significant improvement then don’t change anything; the largest gains are speakers and room."

>and why
At least in my project, let me share here just nine (9) pros points out of the so many major positive factors;

1. Still really wonderful vapor-deposited Yamaha Beryllium midrange driver JA-0801,
2. Still amazingly excellent transient characteristics (fully measured and proved) of Yamaha woofer JA-3058 driven directly by dedicated amp,
3. Rigid heavy thick "sealed" cabinet of Yamaha NS-1000, still excellent YST-SW1000 L&R sub-woofers, wonderful T925A super-tweeters,
4. Direct (no LCR-network no attenuator) and dedicated drive of each SP driver by "Right-Person-In-Right-Place"-selected HiFi amplifier,
5. Precision (0.1 msec level accuracy) time-alignment over all the SP drivers established by fully validated methods of air sound recording,
6. Intensively tuned decided XO Fq, selection of filters, and their slopes, and implementation of safe and flexible relative gain controls,
7. Excellent performance and sound quality of the multichannel (8-CH) DAC, OKTO DAC8PRO,
8. Preferable room acoustic environments, especially enough sound-deadening spaces behind the SPs and behind the listening position,
9. Keeping the single-DAC single-amp "reference audio setup" all the way throughout the exploration project.

I believe that one photo or one schematic diagram would worth 1,000 or more words. Let me share with you here on this thread, therefore, several of the photos and diagrams selected from my project thread for your quick understandings on my latest system setup; I dare not attach any further text captions or explanations to them here.

Your visit to my project thread, and to the Hyperlink Index here or here, will be highly welcome and appreciated.

 

[Waxx]

I also think that the wow factor should be that nothing distrubs you on your system. If you're looking for a magic wow factor that blows you out of your seat, that does not exist. It should be that you're not feeling you miss something and can focus on the music, not your gear. Because the music is what it's about at the end and the gear is just a tool. That is what many audiophools are doing wrong and why they keep swapping and spending to much.

I have a system (actually a few) that do that for me, so when i talk about buying new stuff it's more trying to do new things on diy level, like making an active system (all my systems are passive). I don't expect it to sound better, i'm just a curious nerd who like to experiment with gear, and preferable cheap gear to get there. And i like exploring different speaker systems and design methods as a nerd, so i keep designing and building speakers myself and repairing speakers and installing (and often advicing) total systems for others. But at the end, i'm a cheapskate who don't like to spend money.

But i could live with my old setup of 10 years ago (laptop with JRiver to Steinberg UR22 dac to a Marantz PM5004 integrated amp to a pair of 1976's Goodman Mezzo SL speakers) and enjoy music as much as i can with my new gear. And i still have all the parts of that setup. (configured different now in different systems). That is a cheap setup (total cost under 1K), but does the job. The reason why i keep buying new stuff is just nerdy curiosity, and what i don't like i sell again.

 

[computer-audiophile]

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

View attachment 284064

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

View attachment 284067

View attachment 284068

Very stylish, the wooden columns and fireplace, etc. Nice to see, thanks for the insight.

I know this kind of decor from vacations in Irish manor houses, where I used to vacation often. Here at home it is more modern, with brighter colors and light, we love contemporary design, music and art. Tastes are different and are probably also influenced by which country you live in.

 

[computer-audiophile]

I also think that the wow factor should be that nothing distrubs you on your system. If you're looking for a magic wow factor that blows you out of your seat, that does not exist. It should be that you're not feeling you miss something and can focus on the music, not your gear. Because the music is what it's about at the end and the gear is just a tool. That is what many audiophools are doing wrong and why they keep swapping and spending to much.

I have a system (actually a few) that do that for me, so when i talk about buying new stuff it's more trying to do new things on diy level, like making an active system (all my systems are passive). I don't expect it to sound better, i'm just a curious nerd who like to experiment with gear, and preferable cheap gear to get there. And i like exploring different speaker systems and design methods as a nerd, so i keep designing and building speakers myself and repairing speakers and installing (and often advicing) total systems for others. But at the end, i'm a cheapskate who don't like to spend money.

But i could live with my old setup of 10 years ago (laptop with JRiver to Steinberg UR22 dac to a Marantz PM5004 integrated amp to a pair of 1976's Goodman Mezzo SL speakers) and enjoy music as much as i can with my new gear. And i still have all the parts of that setup. (configured different now in different systems). That is a cheap setup (total cost under 1K), but does the job. The reason why i keep buying new stuff is just nerdy curiosity, and what i don't like i sell again.

I see some similarities in terms of being nerdy and experimenting and DIY. I'm not necessarily thrifty, don't do second hand stuff either. But I do have a blast finding simple and inexpensive solutions that still work great. In this respect I am a minimalist or purist.

For example, sitting in the nearfield in front of my studio monitors is a very simple solution for listening to the music I'm interested in in an almost analytical way. Can it be better? I don't see how. The sound of my system with larger JBL floor-standing speakers in our media room is also imposing, in a completely different way, but not as accurate, not least because of the room influence.

 

[PierreV]

Given your results, is there any reason you keep both?

Well, I don't need to sell, shipping them would be a major/risky job, and I don't like the idea of a stranger coming to the house for a listening test. That means that I am stuck with the consequence of my sub-optimal initial resource allocation. I could move a pair around in the house to replace one of the light systems but the rooms wouldn't be adequate. And I also considered using them as L-R in my home theatre but the current system (Klipsch reference) is very different in tonality.

 

[computer-audiophile]

Well, I don't need to sell, shipping them would be a major/risky job, and I don't like the idea of a stranger coming to the house for a listening test.

I can understand very well. I have had this problem more than once. I generally don't like dealing with buyers I don't know. Fortunately, I have often been able to pass things on among acquaintances. Or I would trade stuff in to the dealer, just like I do when I buy a new car.

 

[Waxx]

I tend to search buyers locally and did go to their home with the gear, it helps also to sell if you do that effort. And if someone comes to my home i need to have some info about them before i tell where i live. I used to trade a lot, but the last years i don't do so much anymore.

For speaker repairs, people still come often to my house, but as i don't advertise, it's friends or friends of friends who hear about me, no total strangers. And if not those repairs come trough my ex (still close friends) who's bussiness is to cater rich people with stuff or services they want. Payment and contracts for those are arranged by her company, and her customers are checked before she does bussiness with them.

 

[Holmz]

...
Music wows me. Hardware is out of the way. In my view, this is how it should be. This is how I enjoyed music when I was a teenager, on a very modest system, I loved every note played of my favorite music. Now I am
back there.

^Well said^ to my thinking.

It is easy for me to focus on the negatives, and less so on the positives.
Once the speakers are disappeared, and there is no hissing and extras like cabinets buzzing, then as long as he distortion is not too high, I am usually good to go.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Hello OP @MattHooper and ASR friends,

I thank you so much for launching this nice and enjoyable thread; I fully agree with your point of "the ultimate reason we are all audiophiles is because we care about sound quality, and the experience of listening to music specifically."

I like to say for me this thread was launched at the right time since I believe that recently I could finally reach to the summit of my exploration after about 5-year-long my step-by-step mountain climbing journey/exploration in DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier time-aligned fully active stereo audio project.

You would Please find here (on my project thread) and here (remote independent thread post) the Hyperlink Index of my project thread and some of my related posts in remote threads.

>Does Your System "Wow" or "Amaze" You?
Yes, indeed! Everyday, my system "Wow" and "Amaze" me very much in positive manner, of course.

>Looking to upgrade?
No, not at all at present, even though my SPs are rather old, almost vintage ones. Why?? You will see below in this post.

>how you like your system
Even though I have done (and you may easily find those on my thread) so many intensive objective measurements and tuning, I really would like emphasizing and suggesting that we definitely and always need careful subjective listening to our own consistent "sampler/reference music playlist" throughout our audio exploration. In this perspective, you would please find many of my subjective descriptions/impressions in the post series on "audio sampler/reference playlist" consists of my/our favorite/beloved music tracks, as summarized here and here on my thread.

Let me also refer to only two of my posts here;

- Perfect (0.1 msec precision) time alignment of all the SP drivers greatly contributes to amazing disappearance of SPs, tightness and cleanliness of the sound, and superior 3D sound stage: #520

- Not only the precision (0.1 msec level) time alignment over all the SP drivers but also SP facing directions and sound-deadening space behind the SPs plus behind our listening position would be critically important for effective (perfect?) disappearance of speakers: #687

BTW, my step-by-step exploration has been always based on, as Keith of @Purité Audio kindly wrote here, "You must hear equipment in your own room in your own system, compare unsighted (close your eyes) if there isn’t an immediately apparent difference/improvement. To go further, if there isn’t a significant improvement then don’t change anything; the largest gains are speakers and room."

>and why
At least in my project, let me share here just nine (9) pros points out of the so many major positive factors;

1. Still really wonderful vapor-deposited Yamaha Beryllium midrange driver JA-0801,
2. Still excellent transient characteristics (fully measured and proved) Yamaha woofer JA-3058 driven directly by dedicated amp,
3. Rigid heavy thick "sealed" cabinet of Yamaha NS-1000, still excellent YST-SW1000 L&R sub-woofers, wonderful T925A super-tweeters,
4. Direct (no LCR-network no attenuator) and dedicated drive of each SP driver by "Right-Person-In-Right-Place"-selected HiFi amplifier,
5. Precision (0.1 msec level accuracy) time-alignment for all the SP drivers established by fully validated methods of air sound recording,
6. Intensively tuned decided XO Fq, selection of filters, and their slopes, and implementation of safe and flexible relative gain controls,
7. Excellent performance and sound quality of the multichannel (8-CH) DAC, OKTO DAC8PRO,
8. Preferable room acoustic environments, especially enough sound-deadening spaces behind the SPs and behind the listening position,
9. Keeping the single-DAC single-amp "reference audio setup" all the way throughout the exploration project.

I believe that one photo or one schematic diagram would worth 1,000 or more words. Let me share with you here on this thread, therefore, several of the photos and diagrams selected from my project thread for your quick understandings on my latest system setup; I dare not attach any further text captions or explanations to them here.

View attachment 284129

View attachment 284130

View attachment 284131

View attachment 284132

View attachment 284133

View attachment 284134

View attachment 284135

View attachment 284142

View attachment 284136

Your visit to my project thread, and to the Hyperlink Index here or here, will be highly welcome and appreciated.

Your posts continue to "Wow" and "Amaze" me.

 

[computer-audiophile]

@dualazmak

Greetings to Japan!

I especially admire your great Denon turntable. Wow & Flutter and S/N are sensationally good with this device. Better than many high-end turntables of today.

If I see it correctly on your poster, you also use a Tascam US-1x2HR. I actually bought this humble device as an interface for my guitars, but now I also use it as a DAC and regulary listen to music with it on my active loudspeakers. I also like that it has a real volume pot. Amazing how good it sounds.

 

[LouB]

With the arrival of Genelec 8030C, RME dac and Sennheiser HD650
I don't pay attention anymore to the equipment and really enjoy music (something that wasn't possible with the AVI DM10 or AVI DM12 system I had before as I was constantly listening to the system which was very annoying).
Music wows me. Hardware is out of the way. In my view, this is how it should be. This is how I enjoyed music when I was a teenager, on a very modest system, I loved every note played of my favorite music. Now I am
back there.

I get that aspect and believe me I tried to get there, but I'm on the other side of coin. I chased tone for a long time as a musician weather it was an acoustic instrument or electric, including mics & PA systems. None of that made me a better musician but the "sound" usually was improved. But most of all it was fun.
I read a post here where someone said they had a "sound in there head" there were trying to get too, that kinda sums up the chasing tone thing.
Obviously for a lot of us with this hobby we like the gear, most of that is because the sound coming from it does something for us that goes beyond just hearing it if that makes any sense at all. I also have a sound in my head I was shooting for with home audio gear & pretty much achieved it. It was much easier than I thought it would be & I'm really really happy with my system, except now I'm tempted to swap out speakers just to see how it "sounds" full well knowing new speakers may or may not make the sound any better. Yeah there is something wrong with me

 

[Doodski]

Hello OP @MattHooper and ASR friends,

I thank you so much for launching this nice and enjoyable thread; I fully agree with your point of "the ultimate reason we are all audiophiles is because we care about sound quality, and the experience of listening to music specifically."

I like to say for me this thread was launched at the right time since I believe that recently I could finally reach to the summit of my exploration after about 5-year-long my step-by-step mountain climbing journey/exploration in DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier time-aligned fully active stereo audio project.

You would Please find here (on my project thread) and here (remote independent thread post) the Hyperlink Index of my project thread and some of my related posts in remote threads.

>Does Your System "Wow" or "Amaze" You?
Yes, indeed! Everyday, my system "Wow" and "Amaze" me very much in positive manner, of course.

>Looking to upgrade?
No, not at all at present, even though my SPs are rather old, almost vintage ones. Why?? You will see below in this post.

>how you like your system
Even though I have done (and you may easily find those on my thread) so many intensive objective measurements and tuning, I really would like emphasizing and suggesting that we definitely and always need careful subjective listening to our own consistent "sampler/reference music playlist" throughout our audio exploration. In this perspective, you would please find many of my subjective descriptions/impressions in the post series on "audio sampler/reference playlist" consists of my/our favorite/beloved music tracks, as summarized here and here on my thread.

Let me also refer to only two of my posts here;

- Perfect (0.1 msec precision) time alignment of all the SP drivers greatly contributes to amazing disappearance of SPs, tightness and cleanliness of the sound, and superior 3D sound stage: #520

- Not only the precision (0.1 msec level) time alignment over all the SP drivers but also SP facing directions and sound-deadening space behind the SPs plus behind our listening position would be critically important for effective (perfect?) disappearance of speakers: #687

BTW, my step-by-step exploration has been always based on, as Keith of @Purité Audio kindly wrote here, "You must hear equipment in your own room in your own system, compare unsighted (close your eyes) if there isn’t an immediately apparent difference/improvement. To go further, if there isn’t a significant improvement then don’t change anything; the largest gains are speakers and room."

>and why
At least in my project, let me share here just nine (9) pros points out of the so many major positive factors;

1. Still really wonderful vapor-deposited Yamaha Beryllium midrange driver JA-0801,
2. Still excellent transient characteristics (fully measured and proved) Yamaha woofer JA-3058 driven directly by dedicated amp,
3. Rigid heavy thick "sealed" cabinet of Yamaha NS-1000, still excellent YST-SW1000 L&R sub-woofers, wonderful T925A super-tweeters,
4. Direct (no LCR-network no attenuator) and dedicated drive of each SP driver by "Right-Person-In-Right-Place"-selected HiFi amplifier,
5. Precision (0.1 msec level accuracy) time-alignment for all the SP drivers established by fully validated methods of air sound recording,
6. Intensively tuned decided XO Fq, selection of filters, and their slopes, and implementation of safe and flexible relative gain controls,
7. Excellent performance and sound quality of the multichannel (8-CH) DAC, OKTO DAC8PRO,
8. Preferable room acoustic environments, especially enough sound-deadening spaces behind the SPs and behind the listening position,
9. Keeping the single-DAC single-amp "reference audio setup" all the way throughout the exploration project.

I believe that one photo or one schematic diagram would worth 1,000 or more words. Let me share with you here on this thread, therefore, several of the photos and diagrams selected from my project thread for your quick understandings on my latest system setup; I dare not attach any further text captions or explanations to them here.

View attachment 284129

View attachment 284130

View attachment 284131

View attachment 284132

View attachment 284133

View attachment 284134

View attachment 284135

View attachment 284142

View attachment 284136

Your visit to my project thread, and to the Hyperlink Index here or here, will be highly welcome and appreciated.

As usual you are a consummate detailer of your system and it's workings. Very nice detailing the system @dualazmak! It's impressive to say the least.

 

[jbattman1016]

For what my system does (provide decent audio for a small living room) I don't think I'd upgrade much. I have thought about changing the center channel a few times, but I'm ok.
Denon 8500H
RSL CG5 (L/R)
RSL CG25 (C)
Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble IV (SL/SR)
Cambridge Soudnworks P1005 (Sub)

It doesn't take too much space and all the channels blend together well and I just love when there is a track that uses the surround channels. Really fills the room. Hoping to move the system to a larger room one day to let is breath some more.