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

[Waxx]

Some speaker systems that i don't own but have a big wow factor for me altough the measurements are probally not that great

the Altec A7 with a 288 compression driver in a 1005 casted and damped horn and a 416 woofer in an 828 cabinet. Bandwith is limited a bit to modern standards and not flat, and it's only fit for big spaces? But in the right conditions everything sounds nice trough these old dinausaurs. The Altec 620 with the 604E driver and Hiagra crossover that i heared more than a few times does the same (but is as flawed probally). Both are these days ridiculous expensive altough.

JBL 4350 is another one like the Altec, but wider frequency range and flatter sounding. It also need a huge space to work altough, and a lot of amp power.

The old Dynaco A25 is also great, good (Seas) drivers in a well studied config that just works. I restored a few (crossover restore) and each time i want to keep it...

My old Goodman Mezzo SL is also great. many speakers passed trough my house, but this one is the only commercial speaker that stayed fixed in place. It uses the same tweeter as the Dynaco A25, the great Seas H087 soft dome tweeter.

I also love the old Klein & Hummel speakers. They are the ancestors of the actual Neumann speakers (Senheiser bought them and rebranded them to Neumann, also a Senheiser brand today) and i see why they don't change much over the years. Hard to find altough as almost nobody who owns them sells them...

 

[Mr. Widget]

JBL 4350 is another one like the Altec, but wider frequency range and flatter sounding. It also need a huge space to work altough, and a lot of amp power.

The 4350/4355 were always good at providing "shock and awe"... oh, wrong thread.

 

[pablolie]

I used to obsess about "getting the max out" and was always thinking about possible "upgrades" and improvements.

I am far more level these days. My current system completely and totally satisfies my ears as it presents my fav music to me. But of course, I'd never sign any commitment to not make any changes going forward.

 

[Mrpinortiner]

My system though not perfect, is much, much better than I'd ever hoped. It wows and amazes me often. Over the years, I've had friends/acquaintances who had spent much more than I, and in my opinion had systems that did not come close to matching what I have now. I chalk this up to industry and technology improvements, and this website and a few others, that guided me to pick my gear. Is there room for improvement? Yes! but only with diminishing returns, and a great deal more money. -- See my signature for a list of equipment.

Definitely agree here, spending a bunch on equipment doesn't automatically make a great sounding system. IMO the room and setup are the number one key to a great sounding rig. I'd take budget equipment, properly setup in a treated room, VS $100k of gear plopped in a "Lifestyles of the rich and famous" living room. The latter I see all the time on another site, and the owners are constantly swapping out gear to get the "perfect sound", and posting about which piece to upgrade next, while completely ignoring the basics. Worse is when the foo comes out and people try using things like miniature magic discs stuck to the walls to try and get away with not treating the room.

My setup is also far from perfect, but is measured in to the nearest 1/8" for symmetry in the space, and provides an expansive and immersive Soundstage. Getting the subwoofers to play nice, and have a smooth even response, took me months of trial and error. After lurking these forums for awhile I've become interested in playing with REW and really getting things dialed in the best they can be. I've even got some foo in my own system, the turntable stack, which isn't needed, my space is on a concrete slab, but I enjoy it for cosmetic reasons(plus I don't have to bend over to change records). I've also got some cork blocks under my cheap Canare speaker cables from the monoblocks, it looks tidy, but don't at all believe it can do anything for sound, or at least I haven't heard it.

So I guess what I'm getting at is it isn't what you spend, but how you use it.

 

[dualazmak]

I use 68 microF 400 VDC Jantzen Audio Standard Z-cap for my gem Beryllium midrange drivers, and 10 microF 400 VDC Jantzen Audio Standard Z-cap for my Be-tweeters and metal horn super-tweeters;

Of course, I carefully measured the line-level Fq response before and after the protection caps confirming their transparency in working Fq zones, as shared in my post here.

This is no joke. Turn on/off thumps are one thing, but I have had amplifiers fail producing high levels of DC and in one case playing 60Hz at full gain.

I use a simple series cap on my Be compression drivers. I use a 51uF cap on my 16Ω drivers. My active crossover is a third order set at 750Hz. I have carefully measured the resulting FR and see no change with and without the cap and have subjectively listened and was unable to tell when it is in the circuit or out.

This is an important message, even an alert, for people who would like to go into fully active multichannel multi-amp audio setup.

I believe the proper use of suitable protection capacitors for midrange, tweeter and super-tweeter is a kind of must in multichannel multi-amp fully active audio system where the SP drivers are directly driven by amps without LCR-network.

You do not need series of protection cap, however, in case if your SP driver (as an electronic device) does have built-in firewall protection mechanism (caps) in it like the case of @keith_W's tweeter Acapella TW-1S (ref. here and here).

Furthermore, understandings and actual practice of "ignition sequences" and "shutdown sequences" of your possible active setup would be also important from safety point of view (ref. here).

 

[melvinjames]

I’m a bit amazed with the sound quality of this system I cobbled together recently:

Bluesound Node
SMSL DO100
SMSL AO200
Omega Super 3i Monitors & DeepHemp 8 Subwoofer

The speakers and sub were purchased about 6 years ago to mate with a Decware SE84UFO, fulfilling a longstanding SET/high-efficiency single-driver speaker curiosity. After living with that system for a few years, curiosity satisfied, I sold the SE84UFO last November. I’m done with tubes. Before selling the Omega’s I decided to have one last listen to them with the SMSL gear. Honestly, I like these speakers despite the inherent shortcomings of this type of speaker. Well, damn, they sound a whole lot better than expected. I’ve experienced quite a few head-shaking moments and am enjoying them now more than ever before!

Obviously my gear isn’t “high-end” but mid-fi at best. What really amazes me these days is how little you have spend to have truly great sound.

 

[izeek]

wiim mini/pc
schiit modi 3e
schiit saga+ w/lisst tube
2-audiosource model 3 amps
jbl i890 towers
jbl l8400 subs(2)

im still often amazed at the sound quality of my modest system.
the level of detail really surprises me. the soundstage width and particularly, depth.
im so enthralled, i listen nearly every day.
i was away on a job for a month and was feenin the whole time. after kissing the wife, first thing i did was turn my baby on.
i dont have much need to upgrade, maybe the wife.

 

[MadMaxx]

I FINALLY found a cure for my acute case of upgrade-itis with my current PC gear.

. dont have much need to upgrade, maybe the wife.

LOL!!

 

[pseudoid]

My days of often replacing audio-hardware stopped like my days of often replacing my dress-shoes for work.
My audio-hardware downgrading also occurred because I also replaced work time with leisure time.

Current Hardware
Rotel RMB1565 (power amp)
BrzHiFi PA10 (powerAmp)
Rotel RSP1576 (preAmp/Proc)
Yamaha WXC50 (streamer/preAmp)
Asus Z790 (home server)
Dante AES-67 (zones audio distro)
Intel NUC10i7 (htpc)
WD EX2Ultra (NAS)
Vandersteen2C
Triad/Polk/Infinity
LG 55CX (OLED)

My leisure time brings tears to my eyes and my audio system just satisfies (no longer vice versa).

 

[Mean & Green]

Yes my system has wowed me many times, but I think I’m just accustomed to it now.

My only recent upgrades have been regarding my vinyl playback. A new TT and pre amp. I’ve been pretty blown away by how good such an inferior and old technology can sound, it’s so full of life and energy with real clarity.

I have been collecting physical media in the form of CDs and LPs for 30 years and don’t intend to stop although I do also stream from my own music library and continue to rip CDs and download some new tracks now and then.

I’m very happy with my equipment it does it’s job as well as can be, I think only room correction would improve things further, but without making major changes to the components or room I don’t see that happening just yet.

 

[wadude]

Constantly amazed by music and love my good sounding room and humble system. At this point I change things as they breakdown.

 

[Keith_W]

With my system the only thing I need to upgrade is the user. More specifically, the user's understanding of Acourate and what to fix and what not to fix. I just created a new filter after gaining some insights from re-reading Toole and WOW.

 

[concorde1]

I am astonished by my audio system. It makes me feel how lucky I am to have it at my young age and how I wish more people were into audio and understood the appeal.

Upgrades: All I intend to do is get a MiniDSP Flex to replace my Topping D90, then get a couple of subs, and do some room treatment.

I love cranking "Tubular Bells" on my speakers with the amp I built.

 

[Holmz]

I am astonished by my audio system. It makes me feel how lucky I am to have it at my young age and how I wish more people were into audio and understood the appeal.

Upgrades: All I intend to do is get a MiniDSP Flex to replace my Topping D90, then get a couple of subs, and do some room treatment.

I love cranking "Tubular Bells" on my speakers with the amp I built.

How are those speakers working out for you cussy-bro?

 

[boxerfan88]

After upgrading to the Neumann KH310, and integrating the Orisun DD+12 subwoofer, and dialing in the room EQ, the system is full range & a huge step up from the Usher Mini Dancer 2.

 

[concorde1]

How are those speakers working out for you cussy-bro?

They are superb to be honest. I apologise again for not getting those dimensions to you, let me know if you still would like them.

 

[Holmz]

They are superb to be honest. I apologise again for not getting those dimensions to you, let me know if you still would like them.

All Good @concorde1 - I have given up on the idea of them.
Still plenty to do making tables etc.

 

[tprevett]

My system sometime's Wow's me. I would like it to amaze me. In the proces of a complete rebuild.. Moved my SVS Ultra towers to my main listening area (From under utilized theater), Orderd a pair of NCx500 Monoblocks from @Buckeye Amps , Picked up a Topping Pre-90 and Eversolo DMP-A6. Hoping the Increase of power from the NCx500s wake up these SVS towers.

 

[MattHooper]

Just signing in to this thread again. Been adjusting my speakers around a bit, including trying different heights on various platforms/footers etc.
At the moment I have the speakers on a "granite sandwich" platform: 1 1/4" thick granite slab, then a layer of car damping material, then another
3/8" slab of quartz, then hockey pucks under the corners on some carpet spikes (to get it all to the height I want). Man that granite contraption feels solid
to the knuckle wrap test (vs the springy wood floor the speakers original sat upon).

At the moment I've hit a really beautiful balance, totally "free of the speaker" sound and the bass is both punchy, dense and so focused and articulate!
With no sense at all of "stuck in the box" bass instruments along with everything else just appear holographically placed with precision. And no matter how dense and frantic the music gets - I love Prog Rock, Fusion, Funk/Dance/Electronica etc - it's just effortless to hear what the bass and kick drum are doing (distinct instead of blurred together). Mids and highs both vivid and smooth, so I can blast the sound loud with zero fatigue factor. Definitely in a happy place, getting a system "how I want it to sound."

(When listening to music I cover the fireplace with a velvet drape to kill those fireplace tile reflections near the R speaker).

 

[pseudoid]

.... "free of the speaker" ...

Yes! Tell us more. Sounds like a wet dream!
Do you recall our conversation in "The Most Beautiful Speakers in the World"?

They are a f eyesore!

What gear are you specifically citing as an eyesore?

I don't think you liked my answer then but I hope you now understand what I was talking about.