steph_gaynor
Well-Known Member
wow!
those are so beautiful.
Stephanie
those are so beautiful.
Stephanie
Audiodon's systems
- Thread starter audiodon
- Start date
steph_gaynor
Well-Known Member
if I can help
as an extra set of ears or hands let me know,
Stephanie
as an extra set of ears or hands let me know,
Stephanie
audiodon
Addicted Member
Well, I got a couple SACDs won in an auction for AK benefit and spent about 15 minutes of critical listening as follows:
1. I'll take you there - The Staple Singers on 180Gram vinyl as part of a Thorens 125 year retrospective pressed by acoustic sounds. Vinyl
2. Wrapped around your finger - The Police on SACD
3. Pride and Joy (I think that's the title) - Stevie Ray Vaughn on SACD
These speakers have that classic Spendor sound but are a bit less polite than the older Spendor speakers, meaning they had a bit more mid-treble energy. Very visceral and muscular. If still button-down, they're a button-down shirt on someone who's in very good shape.
Staples on Vinyl - Super dynamic and present. Imaging is incredible.
Police on SACD - I don't know these early SACD pressings -I'd had some other similar early 2-channel (pre-Hybrid) SACDs that I thought were hastily and not thoughtfully mastered. I found the Stuart Copeland's drumming to sound wonderful in that early-mid '80s studio wizardry sense. The applied plate reverb and positioning was very good. The music was never brittle.
SRV on SACD - Having done sound for two musicians who played Strats on Marshalls, one with a head and stack old enough to not have a preamp control and one a Marshall Combo, I'm very familiar with this sound.
When I listened to this song I could not only hear the music, I could smell the smoke, piss, and alcohol steamed into the woodwork from years of club playing. These speakers really transported me there. Part way through the song, the musicians speed up and that transition was more obvious and understandable than I ever recall from radio play of that tune.
So much for rock trio music. More later on more complex music and the resolving power in orchestral environments plus the poise with aged but decent recordings.
1. I'll take you there - The Staple Singers on 180Gram vinyl as part of a Thorens 125 year retrospective pressed by acoustic sounds. Vinyl
2. Wrapped around your finger - The Police on SACD
3. Pride and Joy (I think that's the title) - Stevie Ray Vaughn on SACD
These speakers have that classic Spendor sound but are a bit less polite than the older Spendor speakers, meaning they had a bit more mid-treble energy. Very visceral and muscular. If still button-down, they're a button-down shirt on someone who's in very good shape.
Staples on Vinyl - Super dynamic and present. Imaging is incredible.
Police on SACD - I don't know these early SACD pressings -I'd had some other similar early 2-channel (pre-Hybrid) SACDs that I thought were hastily and not thoughtfully mastered. I found the Stuart Copeland's drumming to sound wonderful in that early-mid '80s studio wizardry sense. The applied plate reverb and positioning was very good. The music was never brittle.
SRV on SACD - Having done sound for two musicians who played Strats on Marshalls, one with a head and stack old enough to not have a preamp control and one a Marshall Combo, I'm very familiar with this sound.
When I listened to this song I could not only hear the music, I could smell the smoke, piss, and alcohol steamed into the woodwork from years of club playing. These speakers really transported me there. Part way through the song, the musicians speed up and that transition was more obvious and understandable than I ever recall from radio play of that tune.
So much for rock trio music. More later on more complex music and the resolving power in orchestral environments plus the poise with aged but decent recordings.
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VINTAGCHRIS
Super Member
Truly a beautiful looking and i bet sounding setup you have there!
audiodon
Addicted Member
Thanks.
I'll be putting a Fisher 500-C back in soon, but with some regrets.
The family knows how to use it and they want me to remove the Fisher X-101-C, which is a nice sounding unit, and put a 500-C back in because it has two switchable speaker outputs and can switch between the reference system and the kitchen speakers.
I'll do it, but that's not where the regret is.
I've gone on an amp kick and I have a number to choose from in various states of restoration.
I have two preamps with remotes to choose from and I'll have to disrupt the system some day and have a preamp smackdown to figure out which preamp with remote will stay.
I think only preamps with remotes are palatable in the family area.
Opinions welcome on these linestage preamps:
Preamp #1: Wyred 4 sound STP-SE.
Preamp #2: Sonic Frontiers SFL-2.
One will stay and one will go.
Comments from someone who's been around both would be most appreciated.
I'll be putting a Fisher 500-C back in soon, but with some regrets.
The family knows how to use it and they want me to remove the Fisher X-101-C, which is a nice sounding unit, and put a 500-C back in because it has two switchable speaker outputs and can switch between the reference system and the kitchen speakers.
I'll do it, but that's not where the regret is.
I've gone on an amp kick and I have a number to choose from in various states of restoration.
I have two preamps with remotes to choose from and I'll have to disrupt the system some day and have a preamp smackdown to figure out which preamp with remote will stay.
I think only preamps with remotes are palatable in the family area.
Opinions welcome on these linestage preamps:
Preamp #1: Wyred 4 sound STP-SE.
Preamp #2: Sonic Frontiers SFL-2.
One will stay and one will go.
Comments from someone who's been around both would be most appreciated.
wash.and.dry
Active Member
Two well regarded preamps that unfortunately I have never heard. I look forward to your comments. The Sonic Frontiers is an older (15 year old?) tube model vs. the more contemporary Wyred SS unit? Not sure if that is correct or not. Does the Sonic Frontiers have that funky round remote control?
audiodon
Addicted Member
Not a lot of difference between preamps:
Wyred-great sound, wide soundstage, doesn't image three dimensionally backwards and forwards as well as the better tube systems I've had, but it's the best non-tube pre I've come across by a long mile.
Sonic Frontiers SFL-2: Also very good. Great dimensionality. A touch sweeter, but I have a feeling it gets congested a bit earlier than the Wyred.
The jury's still out.
I took them both to the latest Sweatfest and had others listen because I wasn't finding a lot of difference between the two. I was successful at getting quite a few thoughtful and balanced opinions on the two, and while the Sonic Frontiers might have had the edge, there was no clear winner, to the point that I could live with either.
That link's here:
Page 10 has my impressions and preamp smackdown pictures.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=455290&page=10
Wyred-great sound, wide soundstage, doesn't image three dimensionally backwards and forwards as well as the better tube systems I've had, but it's the best non-tube pre I've come across by a long mile.
Sonic Frontiers SFL-2: Also very good. Great dimensionality. A touch sweeter, but I have a feeling it gets congested a bit earlier than the Wyred.
The jury's still out.
I took them both to the latest Sweatfest and had others listen because I wasn't finding a lot of difference between the two. I was successful at getting quite a few thoughtful and balanced opinions on the two, and while the Sonic Frontiers might have had the edge, there was no clear winner, to the point that I could live with either.
That link's here:
Page 10 has my impressions and preamp smackdown pictures.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=455290&page=10
I've spent a lot of time with the Sonic Frontiers, mostly pushing Vandersteen 2s or 3s. Never heard it get congested, but it is probably sweeter than real life.
ashok
Active Member
Nice system Don! Do you mean Audirvana, and not Airvana?
