Not having a DAC myself I will be interested in your opinion! I've now raised the W90's 8" off the floor,it seems ideal in my setting.
Crestwood23's W90/Marantz 8b combination must be like resurrecting John and George from the grave
:yes:
Got some quality listening time in last night - this combo continues to leave me speechless. Just got into this dude Hysear Don Walker - picked up two LPs from him that are jam packed with ultra mellow and insanely funky Rhodes licks. This stuff is like butter on the w90s + 8b - the tonality is spooky real. The soundstage is now floor to ceiling and the juicy Rhodes just dangles and dances inside a 3d holograph in the middle of the speakers.
Another recent acquisition is an LP x2 from Italian maestro Piero Umiliani called "Today's Sound". This is another absolute killer with this combo with lots of analog synths, guitars, and other atmospheric groovy goodness. I love funky instrumental jazz and I have never heard it sounding so good in my room!
My big thing all week has been the 5CD collection (6, actually, with the bonus disc) called "Right On: Breakbeats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults". Picture the kind of samples you hear on albums like "Paul's Boutique" and "The Low End Theory". Lots of cool, hard-to-find stuff.
I love that this combo has diverted your attention away from such monumental hi-fi grand champions as the L300 and the AR9. That just kills me. Synergy's a funny thing.
Hopefully I'll end up finding me a semi-battered, yet fully-refurbished 8b for the right price in BT or something (or one that I can have restored myself), 'cause you just KNOW this is gonna' have to happen. :yes:
What have you got in there for tube brands? You like the RCA/Westinghouse thing like I do, so...
I'm listening to "Overnight Sensation" right now. A very-badass 24/96 vinyl-rip that I've had for a couple years.
Yeah, you wouldn't get the real taste of the Bluberry running it through the Fisher, as the Fishers own pre would be influencing the sound too. Best to enjoy your Fisher for a while, it is very sweet especially with all of the resto work you did to it.
I love the vibes of the Leak stuff too (something extra cool about having an all British rig), but from what I've heard the pre that is made to go along with the amps is less than stellar, with just a so-so phono section. My primary format is vinyl (my DAC is a distant second), so I wanted the best phono section I could find. Love the Blueberry, I've used it with various Mac power amps too and it always makes everything sound so much better.
I think most people don't get what makes Wharfedales so great because most people haven't spent a great deal of time actually making real music and experiencing that unique emotional connection to the heart and soul of the performance. I have yet to find another speaker that gets me as close to that experience as these do.
My pots are at about 3:00 all the way around, I find that gives me the best balance overall.
I've never heard Klipschorns, only Cornwalls and Fortes (both heavily upgraded and paired with Fisher gear) and i didn't like either. I much prefer the L300s for a horn sound, but even then I'm not sure a horn can reproduce the tone in the midrange (esp on electric guitar) that I am after. I'm sure the Klipschorns have some BIG dynamics, but I'm never going to have 2 free corners of a room to put them in.
I am curious about quad 57s, as they are apparently the mid range kings. Trade offs seem to be lack of bass, and the need for at least 3ft of space behind them. That's another great thing about the w90s - with the sand filled baffles you pretty much stick them anywhere and get great sound. Plenty of tuneful bass to go around too.
57's are a legendarily synergistic match with an 8b though, going to try to get my hands on some some day to see how they stack up against the w90s.
-my first gush..... i finally got around to hooking up my w70d's this weekend. After sitting for 3 months i paired them with a rebuilt dynaco st-70 tube amp ( purchased from bartertown... love that place!) and a tomcat super 6 preamp. I have an Empire 598 turntable in the works, but i still need to get the shielded cable fixed... - and it looks like it should happen in the next month or so..... anyways, i hooked up a harmon kardon cd player i had laying around.... what i heard was amazing!!! - i describe it as gravy!!! ( and I love gravy... lol ) I threw on the new beck album.... it honestly was a wall of sound! - never heard anything like it before....... all of a sudden, parts of the songs simply 'open up' as you are listening to them... that is my best discription. (and I am in cramped space, I can only imagine how much better they would sound if i had a little more room) I played several other cd's, and sure, some are recorded better then others, but with this preamp and the speakers, i can really enhance the highs, mids and lows.... taylor them to the recordings if necessary. Today, a friend unexpectedly stopped by, my wife sent him out to my office... i was listening to the new Lucinda Williams (on cd)... i put on the second track from the second side and watched his face as he listened to to it.... (you could see his mind working.... ) when the track ended... he simply said.... "that was amazing..... it sounded like the band was playing right in front of me" < that's really all you want to hear or feel when listening to a good set of speakers.... which these are.... extremely pleased with them and my system.... ec : )
That sounds fantastic - reminds of that Rhino comp "What It Is! Funky Soul And Rare Grooves" - that one is literally songs that have been sampled on Paul's Boutique and The Low End Theory. I'll def check it out! EDIT - just noticed that Right On comp contains "Stepping Stones" by Johnny Harris. The record that is from, "Movements", is an all time favorite of mine. Very atmospheric (sorta more L300 territory) - and contains the best version of "Light My Fire" I have ever heard.
Thought I'd post an update on this. I picked up that 4CD "What It Is" set. The nice thing is, there isn't that much overlapping on tracks. A little here and there, but not like I figured. I bet you'd like that "Right On" set. I think that's 5 discs.
Tried to get "movements" too, but I couldn't find it.
:thmbsp:
Definitely going to check out that "Right On" set - trying to get it on vinyl if I can!
PM your email address, I know where you can get a copy of the elusive "Movements" LP... :yes: