The link I added was to a 1980 speaker builder article where Sanders proposed a curved panel. He obviously changed his mind since then.
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Which audio companies have solid engineering chops?
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The link I added was to a 1980 speaker builder article where Sanders proposed a curved panel. He obviously changed his mind since then.
svart-hvitt
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Interesting. I’ve never heard anyone hear a Goldman speaker before. Rare species.
NorthSky
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I have owned Goldmund Epilog 1&2s for 20 years, I am listening to the Rodrigo Guitar concerto on them now.
I chose them over a 2 year period listening to all the well regarded speakers I could get access to back then. I originally went to listen to a used pair of Wilson WAMMs which were for sale used at a dealer near Paris. The dealer was the French importer of Wilson, and it turned out, European distributor of Goldmund. In the same place as the WAMMs he had Goldmund Analog and Apologue speakers, which were less "obvious" in the bass than the multi-box Wilsons but had the best instrumental timbre of any speakers I had heard until then. The Epilog range was due to replace the Apologue so I waited. I preferred the Epilog and my final compare before making a final choice was the B&W Nautilus, which I absolutely love the styling of and wanted very much. Anyway, I preferred the Epilog and still am enjoying them after over 20 years.
They don't look as nice as the B&Ws though...
Particularly without the grilles
I see.
His description seems to describe what he thought impossible to construct, yet MartinLogan went ahead and built.
Assuming the little bit of curve does anything bad (I have no flat panel with which to compare), he went for extremely focused sweet-spot, which I think I like.
My speakers celebrated their 20th birthday last month. I haven't tired of them. Too bad I couldn't measure them in 1998. My feeling is they're good as new. If not, they deteriorated equally. Since they still match well with Stereophile measurements from past and present, I'll guess they didn't wane.
Even so, I'd be tempted to run right out tomorrow and buy a new pair for the next 20 years, if they hadn't jacked the price to $25,000.
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https://www.lynxstudio.com/about/ I have been using their products off and on for 15 years - solid engineering with little hype. Archimago performed some measurements on a Lynx card deign from 2002 in a noisy computer, oh the horror!
http://archimago.blogspot.ca/2017/04/retro-measure-2002-lynx-l22-pci-audio.html
I hope @dallasjustice brings the Hilo over to Amir for some objective measurements. Really a solid product line with a long history in the pro audio market.
http://archimago.blogspot.ca/2017/04/retro-measure-2002-lynx-l22-pci-audio.html
I hope @dallasjustice brings the Hilo over to Amir for some objective measurements. Really a solid product line with a long history in the pro audio market.
Not so rare in Hong Kong or Singapore. If you ever have the good fortune to travel to either place, head to the Adelphi in Singapore or the crazy audio shop building in Mongkok, Kowloon. You're unlikely to hear any good systems, but you'll see a lot of audio bling and have a lot of fun.
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Beauty is in the eye they say. I also gave Thomas crap about the looks of his Giya's.
I don't get it, making em look like a giant music note or snail escargot, that's some wacked out stuff. Cardas has been pitching that snail bit for a long time now, The Golden Ratio or some such schitt he calls it. LOL
At your age you should be.
svart-hvitt
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sofrep811
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I've owned a lot of DACs, TTs, Disc players, Amps, speakers. IMHO--I've found the best buys to be in the pro audio arena. My beloved Benchmark (USB DAC1) was an eye opener after owning a Wavelength (brick), Aune A1, Fio, Schiit (bifrost), and Mtech USB DAC as far as DACs I remember liking that create, patent, and sell the tech or let it trickle down to an economy version. I always stood by that stance. Then I bought my first Chinese SS amp online from an audio site. It was a JungSon and had two knobs with solid construction, and lifting the hood--looked to be real and solid guts. Paid $200 and held it for a year or two--should of kept it as I really enjoyed the sound that integrated amp kicked out with my re-foamed and updated caps Wharfedale E-30. Match made in heaven for me at least and just running a Denon 2910 through it. Had zillions, still do, of DVD-R's with SACD's burnt into them.
My favorite audio companies based outside of the many great Chinese companies that are like a great painter recreating a Picasso. (No offense to anyone, as I've only bought Chinese new once and it was an Aune DAC/AMp. The rest other were two amps: JungSon and old Cayin 300B Set amplifier--both were without a doubt the best SS and Tube amps I've ever owned at my price point. Oppo is the only one listed, but when I bought mine--it came out of the Valley of Silcon.
1. Oppo: For what they've done from phone company to home video/audio reputation and staying relevant in a somewhat dead and difficult market--physical disc player. I only owned one component of theirs and it was the BDP93--bought new and upon delivery in 2010 it was pure class. Then after learning everything about it, and hearing a Sony SCD ES player--I wanted better sound. I tried to make it into a Nuforce version after reading about it on 6 Moons, and I was in over my head. Still worked fine and in 2013...I rented it for $100, selling it for $425.
2. Harmon: Experience galore here from buying old Proceed components or Madrigal on the cheap. But recently reading a review and buying the new JBL 305B MKII powered speakers. 18 days in and they are sounding excellent. Dual D-Amps in each monitor, simple and to some ugly institutional design, but unless something changes my mind in 25 days (Guitar Center 45 day guarantee) I'll keep them. I am planning to check out the new economy version Adams T5V speakers ($100 more total) once they arrive at Guitar Center. My salesman knows me and said all good to swap if I prefer the Adams. Doubt I will. Harmon did their work on these and they work clinically and for leisure.
3. Marantz: Owned DV8400, CD5005/PM5005, and a NA7004--all of which I bought used and under $300, even the amp combo. I don't know the technically info on these lower class Marantz products, but they all pleased me fine. The only one I found an issue with was the economical UD5007. Nothing sounded great through it, no matter how well mastered--even a Steely Dan DVD-A didn't sound right. The NA7004 was the best of all four. I recently sold it for $200 since I only used it for the DAC and head-Amp.
4. Vintage Pioneer Elite and Vintage Sony ES. Wood panels and all. Beautiful in and out. Sad to see Sony step away from audio components and sell gear lacking any stylish 2-chan home audio gear. They're portable gear is overpriced, IMHO, and nothing I'd care to own. They gave up after the SACD's so called failure, never offering any kind of trickle down from all the tanks they built for CDs and initially SCD players. Oppo rightly so filled that void and Sony lost out. Now they play catch up in the hi-rez sector creating amps that Nuforce, Wadia, and many Chinese companies created a few to several years before Sony. Sad. But I will be the first person to haggle or buy a old ES Amp, CD player...and same for the built like tanks old Pioneer Elite components--minus anything that involves a CD magazine.
5. Yamaha: Economical, strong, and up to date on what 2000's and up want to play their Crosley or Pro-Ject turntables. I owned a Yamaha A500s (08 model--no DAC, simple two channel model) and paid $200 for a demo. Loved it, but since I can't afford a lot of gear--I flip and like to try anything and everything. Finally sold to a friend for $100 and some stupid silver nordost clone interconnects-- he still has it, but upgraded around it and added a DIY tube amp to it and backed it with an old Adcom power amp.
If I missed the point on this--my apologies. I don't get much free time to post, so when I do it's in spurts. If I said anything outside of the limits set within the forum guidelines--let me know. I'm a big boy and can take criticism well.
Final opinion--I like trying it all. If I could I would. I also don't think audio has changed too much since the 70's. Digital, for sure. But even digital, and please challenge me to change my mind, was at it's epoch in about 89-92. I only feel this way after reading Lamzitors old write ups on the TDA chip by Philips. Kept an eye out each week at second hand stores and finally came across a Philips CD94 and then a year later a NM Rotel RCD 865BX. Total cost was $5 and $15 for the Rotel. They sounded unlike any CD player I'd heard, only a well mastered SACD was a comparison to the analog-ish sonic quality.
That was a ramble, bed time. If you got this far, bravo.
My favorite audio companies based outside of the many great Chinese companies that are like a great painter recreating a Picasso. (No offense to anyone, as I've only bought Chinese new once and it was an Aune DAC/AMp. The rest other were two amps: JungSon and old Cayin 300B Set amplifier--both were without a doubt the best SS and Tube amps I've ever owned at my price point. Oppo is the only one listed, but when I bought mine--it came out of the Valley of Silcon.
1. Oppo: For what they've done from phone company to home video/audio reputation and staying relevant in a somewhat dead and difficult market--physical disc player. I only owned one component of theirs and it was the BDP93--bought new and upon delivery in 2010 it was pure class. Then after learning everything about it, and hearing a Sony SCD ES player--I wanted better sound. I tried to make it into a Nuforce version after reading about it on 6 Moons, and I was in over my head. Still worked fine and in 2013...I rented it for $100, selling it for $425.
2. Harmon: Experience galore here from buying old Proceed components or Madrigal on the cheap. But recently reading a review and buying the new JBL 305B MKII powered speakers. 18 days in and they are sounding excellent. Dual D-Amps in each monitor, simple and to some ugly institutional design, but unless something changes my mind in 25 days (Guitar Center 45 day guarantee) I'll keep them. I am planning to check out the new economy version Adams T5V speakers ($100 more total) once they arrive at Guitar Center. My salesman knows me and said all good to swap if I prefer the Adams. Doubt I will. Harmon did their work on these and they work clinically and for leisure.
3. Marantz: Owned DV8400, CD5005/PM5005, and a NA7004--all of which I bought used and under $300, even the amp combo. I don't know the technically info on these lower class Marantz products, but they all pleased me fine. The only one I found an issue with was the economical UD5007. Nothing sounded great through it, no matter how well mastered--even a Steely Dan DVD-A didn't sound right. The NA7004 was the best of all four. I recently sold it for $200 since I only used it for the DAC and head-Amp.
4. Vintage Pioneer Elite and Vintage Sony ES. Wood panels and all. Beautiful in and out. Sad to see Sony step away from audio components and sell gear lacking any stylish 2-chan home audio gear. They're portable gear is overpriced, IMHO, and nothing I'd care to own. They gave up after the SACD's so called failure, never offering any kind of trickle down from all the tanks they built for CDs and initially SCD players. Oppo rightly so filled that void and Sony lost out. Now they play catch up in the hi-rez sector creating amps that Nuforce, Wadia, and many Chinese companies created a few to several years before Sony. Sad. But I will be the first person to haggle or buy a old ES Amp, CD player...and same for the built like tanks old Pioneer Elite components--minus anything that involves a CD magazine.
5. Yamaha: Economical, strong, and up to date on what 2000's and up want to play their Crosley or Pro-Ject turntables. I owned a Yamaha A500s (08 model--no DAC, simple two channel model) and paid $200 for a demo. Loved it, but since I can't afford a lot of gear--I flip and like to try anything and everything. Finally sold to a friend for $100 and some stupid silver nordost clone interconnects-- he still has it, but upgraded around it and added a DIY tube amp to it and backed it with an old Adcom power amp.
If I missed the point on this--my apologies. I don't get much free time to post, so when I do it's in spurts. If I said anything outside of the limits set within the forum guidelines--let me know. I'm a big boy and can take criticism well.
Final opinion--I like trying it all. If I could I would. I also don't think audio has changed too much since the 70's. Digital, for sure. But even digital, and please challenge me to change my mind, was at it's epoch in about 89-92. I only feel this way after reading Lamzitors old write ups on the TDA chip by Philips. Kept an eye out each week at second hand stores and finally came across a Philips CD94 and then a year later a NM Rotel RCD 865BX. Total cost was $5 and $15 for the Rotel. They sounded unlike any CD player I'd heard, only a well mastered SACD was a comparison to the analog-ish sonic quality.
That was a ramble, bed time. If you got this far, bravo.
sofrep811
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Yeah, I don't know the appeal of the Dartzeel?
I should of added--Nagra would be a brand I would buy first and foremost had I won the lottery. They're the only high end maker who I believe would be helping NASA with audio gear. haha. Plus they're the coolest looking.
Parasound and John Curl.
Here are a few companies that made/make well engineered products:
From the old days: Aragon and Acurus (Mondial company) - I still use an Aragon Preamp , Phono Stage and DAC in my system. Last year I had them checked by our local tech guru and he marvelled at the quality of the workmanship inside.
Current: Odyssey Audio - fantastic value power amps and built like tanks. I have 4 mono amps running my Apogee Duetta Signatures
Current: Marchand Electronics - analog electronic crossover
All of the above:
MADE IN THE USA!!!
From the old days: Aragon and Acurus (Mondial company) - I still use an Aragon Preamp , Phono Stage and DAC in my system. Last year I had them checked by our local tech guru and he marvelled at the quality of the workmanship inside.
Current: Odyssey Audio - fantastic value power amps and built like tanks. I have 4 mono amps running my Apogee Duetta Signatures
Current: Marchand Electronics - analog electronic crossover
All of the above:
MADE IN THE USA!!!
All the talk of CD player reminds me of my JVC Z1050TN
Build like a tank and weighing almost as much, one of the best CD components of it's time. Well regarded and reviewed, I thought it took my system to a whole nother level when it replaced my entry Magnavox 560. I ran it for many, many years and only sold it after converting over to a ripped file based player. They still pull a premium dollar on the used market.
Several years ago I called Roger Sanders because at the time I was very interested in purchasing his speakers and amps. I told him that I had heard them at the RMAF and was floored by what I heard. I explained that I was wary of committing so much money without hearing them in a non-show environment and I didn't know any dealer or person in the Toronto area who had them.
So Roger did something that shocked me - he invited me to spend a weekend at his home in Conifer Colorado! Well, I took him up on his offer! I bought a plane ticket, flew from Toronto to Denver. Roger picked me up at the airport (which was an hour away) and treated me to a few days that I will never forget. I didn't end up buying the system - I decide to build a home theatre instead. To my ears the system that I heard at Roger's home was the best audio sound I have ever heard - period. I spent 2 days being mentored about the SCIENCE of audio. Although Roger probably doesn't remember me, I consider him to be a mentor.
As for the story about the curved electrostatic, Roger told me the story. He had indeed invented the curved electrostatic speaker and had published his findings in an audio diy magazine back in the 1970's. Years later the design was used in the Martin-Logan speaker. I asked him why he had never patented his work and his answer was that he din't want to spend the money for the patent and also he didn't think that someone would actually take the design and bring it to market.
I'll give a nod to Crown, specifically their XLS 1502 amp. Based on their website it seems intended for PA use, the claimed 300 watts per channel does appear to do so at higher distortion per Crown's specs (0.5 THD, no frequency given). That said, the thing has never failed to just work, no quirks. When I'm in the mood for something like "Mad Max Fury Road" it makes me smile.
Yes Crown,
They've lost their audiophile creds over the years but have always built solidly engineered, reliable gear. I owned the IC150A preamp back in the day and it was lab quality IMO.
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I don't know they never make a bad unit. Some recording interfaces have some bothersome gotchas. Some of their motorcycles have too. But in general they are a solid no BS company making good stuff.
