I think the system sounding poor due to lack of break - in is just an excuse on the part of the dealer. Anyone who cares about selling a $40-50K+ system will make sure it's broken in.
KeithR's "Dream Speaker" Search
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I totally agree that this statement should be true, but in this case, may not be. I drove 3 hrs to the same dealer's home to hear the Vox987 system probably 3yrs ago. As he was getting everything ready to play, he mentioned that he had only unpacked the speakers the prior day. The speakers sounded like described in the previous posts. So either he hasn't learned his lesson about auditioning these speakers without adequate break in, or he has learned that he has to make excuses for the speakers. In any case, I never went back to listen to them.
The Ampeggio Due works best, in my experience, with push-pull tube triodes. SET does not impose enough discipline on the driver, and solid state is generally not synergistic. There are some exceptions. The Due can be quite good.
Phil
Phil
You seem to be grossly overestimating the competence of dealers, even though there apparently are some that are up to the task.
Wrong quotation on my end. I agreed with this "I think the system sounding poor due to lack of break - in is just an excuse on the part of the dealer."
So Keith, you didn't hear the Animas in an optimised setup. And now these Voxativs likely not fully opened up. Not sure if your other opportunities like the Duos were all as maxxed as they could be. As a serious potential buyer, you can't be happy w this.
It's a joke. The guy has a chance to make $20K or $30K on the sale and won't break them in.... a-huh
Marc, I think this is quite often the case. It is surprising because components not properly set up or broken in can leave lasting impressions on the listener. Often not good, and certainly not good for potential sales. I just don't get it. There should be very few excuses. Dealers can simply leave gear powered on playing some digital music for days to break it in and spend whatever time is required to set up a pair of speakers. With few customers taking up room time, there is plenty of time to work on set up to get it right. Then simply record the position and conditions needed for good sound. Repeat when there is an interested buyer calling for an audition and make sure everything is optimized. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I hear this story more and more these days.
Since @PeterA asked recently, I'll give a short update on what I've learned in the past year.
1) I'm just not a Wilson, YG/Magico, or Rockport kinda dude
In fact, I heard Alexia 2s this past weekend - and while they do some great things, they just don't grab me and sound somewhat mechanical in nature.
2) What grabs me is tone and flow, increasingly more is nuance/texture, and always has been dynamics without restraint
Voxativ recently was a quiet reminder of this. I would also say that soundstage, while originally a key criteria of mine, is less important.
3) My focus will be on efficient speakers with low wattage, PP amp requirements
I will be going to hear the Hommage Cinema again for a full audition in the next few weeks.
4) Devore makes a great loudspeaker for $16k that proves the grass isn't always greener
1) I'm just not a Wilson, YG/Magico, or Rockport kinda dude
In fact, I heard Alexia 2s this past weekend - and while they do some great things, they just don't grab me and sound somewhat mechanical in nature.
2) What grabs me is tone and flow, increasingly more is nuance/texture, and always has been dynamics without restraint
Voxativ recently was a quiet reminder of this. I would also say that soundstage, while originally a key criteria of mine, is less important.
3) My focus will be on efficient speakers with low wattage, PP amp requirements
I will be going to hear the Hommage Cinema again for a full audition in the next few weeks.
4) Devore makes a great loudspeaker for $16k that proves the grass isn't always greener
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Thank you Keith. Your year-long audition period seems to have been a very good learning and confirmation exercise for what you value in speaker presentations. You have put a lot of effort into it and seem satisfied with your current set up in your new home.
What you observed is generally true for all just not realized by others. How many on this forum have actually even made an effort to go and listen to them just to see why, after such a long thread? They won't. Tiny 16k speakers
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Even I have evolved to take a more skeptical view of lower sensitivity dynamic driver speakers with complex crossovers, compared to higher sensitivity dynamic driver speakers with simpler crossovers. But such a view cannot be divorced from the sonic attributes one is seeking. (Meaning that the sonic preferences drive the speaker design preferences. For example, if one is trying to achieve maximum realism from “girl with guitar,” then the great “jump factor” achieved by high sensitivity speakers doesn’t really matter.)
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Could
Couldn't disagree w you more Ron. The high sensitivity minimal crossover Zus are SO suited to that genre. You want dynamics drenched in tone and texture.
I actually think dynamics are important for girl with guitar if you want to really hear the voice nuance, string and body resonances. Don't know about "jump factor", but live music, even small scale, has great dynamics. I learned this lesson with the Master Signature and string quartets. That cartridge is more dynamic than my others and strings, voices, etc really benefit. Some will contend that my speakers choke off dynamics, but still.....
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