A new signature ...

[LL21]

I hardly think when your new equipment arrives you will feel that bad anymore! That said, I would be very interested to find out if you end up keeping the big Piliums (my instinct says yes)...but whether you go back to Wilson or not. I can imagine that would be one potent combination.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I hope and expect it will be, but now I am in process of selling off my ARC and Wilsons. Having some attachment issues.

You're selling your ARC 160M amps?

 

[Bobvin]

Indeed, the one drawback is how deep (shallow) my pockets are. In order to bring in three amazing speakers and the Pilium I need to part with my existing kit. The Minister of Finance allowed X for a budget—I need X+n. It would be so much fun to hear the Pilium with the Wilson because I know the Wilsons are not shy if you offer them more power. And having heard Dagostino many times with Wilson I’d love to compare the Pilium. The Dag stuff, as good as it is, has never given me goosebumps or drawn me in. I would hate to label it sterile, that doesn’t do it justice, but for me it lacked soul.

Everything I have read about the Alsyvox, and my discussions with Bob@Rhapsody, tell me I should be expecting “more” not just different. The Diesis will be interesting. I remember listening to WAR “all day music” on the Diesis when I visited Bob a couple years back and was just amazed how effortless the sound was. and then there will be the BAYZ! None are “box” speakers, which is all I have known, so yes indeed this will be a most interesting and educational adventure.

I do have plans to add an Audio Note “Overture” integrated at some point, to pair up with the Diesis. Not an SET, but will at least give a taste of Audio Note. I’ve only heard really great SET once or twice — one time Rolling Stones “Angie”. I think I almost cried!

 

[Bobvin]

You're selling your ARC 160M amps?

Yep. Will be on the Audiogon now anyday.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Yep. Will be on the Audiogon now anyday.

 

[seriouslyhifi]

I am fairly familiar with all three brands. They all present a different musical presentation imho, as does the 100+ other speaker brands in existence.

You can structure great systems for musical enjoyment with these three mentioned brands as well as the other other 100+ brands.

Great to have so many choices in this day and age. If anything maybe there are too many choices which can make it difficult for many to decide on exactly which speaker they want to purchase and live with.

That makes sense. Thank you. Would the Bayz or the Magico be more alive/transparent and correct. Will the Bayz ever be able to get the bottom end on par with the big Magicos. What about the top end presentation as everyone speaks about the Bayz tweeter being the best in business. Surely the Bayz will sound less boxy than the Magico based on its design.

 

[Rhapsody]

That makes sense. Thank you. Would the Bayz or the Magico be more alive/transparent and correct. Will the Bayz ever be able to get the bottom end on par with the big Magicos. What about the top end presentation as everyone speaks about the Bayz tweeter being the best in business. Surely the Bayz will sound less boxy than the Magico based on its design.

I would like to be able to answer your questions, but I live with both the Bayz and the Magicos and they both sound amazing to me. It has a LOT to do with the room and what electronics/front ends you drive either speaker with. If both speakers/systems/rooms are optimized then if you had 10 people listen to both it probably would be a split of preferences for one or the other. Different strokes for different folks.

The Magicos that I have do NOT sound boxy by any stretch of the imagination. You don't even know the speakers are in the room. They completely disappear as any top performing speaker does. With Bayz the same thing.

Hopefully you can listen to both at some point and give us your preferences.

 

[caesar]

I’ve managed to up my timeframe a little bit and now all my gear will be arriving, most likely, in June: Pilium, Alsyvox, Diesis, and Bayz. It will the west-coast version of the Rhapsody smorgasbord of the finest sounds in audio.

Hi Bobvin,
Sorry I am late to the party - CONGRATS!

Just one thought: as a tube guy, I'd get some Jadis amps to drive your Alsyvox. My understanding is that the Jadis - Alsyvox combination is WORLD CLASS - for those who seek an emotionally-engaging sound. (The guys who seek the audiophile vocabulary - laden sound will not be paying you a visit anyways.) That combo is supposedly so incredible, in fact, that Alsyvox and Jadis are supposed to show together at the next Munich show - not as a marriage of convenience - but a marriage of romantic passion. Rhapsody in NY is a Jadis dealer, I believe.

Best of luck!

 

[Bobvin]

Bob @ Rhapsody says the Pilium is the first SS that has made him feel he could live without tubes, and yes he sells Jadis. (did sell? I think he may have dropped the line) Not that a great SET doesn’t bring the magic, but apparently the Pilium has such a liquid sound it tickles all those ‘tube’ fetish sweet spots.

I am headed to Magico tomorrow to visit with Alon and hear the Pilium magic for the first time — on none other than the M9s. If Alon has set aside CH Precision and Solution in favor of Pilium there must be some real magic in what is coming from the Greeks.

Sadly, it’ll be a little while before all the new kit arrives. In the meantime I can only dream about the new gear.

 

[Rhapsody]

Hi Bobvin,
Sorry I am late to the party - CONGRATS!

Just one thought: as a tube guy, I'd get some Jadis amps to drive your Alsyvox. My understanding is that the Jadis - Alsyvox combination is WORLD CLASS - for those who seek an emotionally-engaging sound. (The guys who seek the audiophile vocabulary - laden sound will not be paying you a visit anyways.) That combo is supposedly so incredible, in fact, that Alsyvox and Jadis are supposed to show together at the next Munich show - not as a marriage of convenience - but a marriage of romantic passion. Rhapsody in NY is a Jadis dealer, I believe.

Best of luck!

HI Caesar,

Sure Jadis sounds great with Alsyvox. Daniele, the designer/owner of Alsyvox actually did all his design work with Alsvyox with a 30 Watt Tube amp. There are a lot of people driving Alsyvox with tubes. Great sound.

Regarding Rhapsody, we had represented Jadis for the last several years. Audio jewelry and great sound.

Rhapsody no longer represents Jadis. Once we started using Pilium on ALL of our speaker lines we stopped demonstrating and using Jadis and other tube brands. We do still represent Kondo for our low power SET offering. We have a LOT of Kondo customers and will always represent Kondo as I am very close with the "Kondo guys". I love them as friends and audio people.

As Bob said personally once I became familiar with Pilium driving all of our speakers, I no longer felt the need to have tubes available to listen to personally or to do demos.

For 20 years regardless of what SS I had at Rhapsody I always had one or two tube lines available, both for myself and for "tube guys". Now regardless whether someone is a "tube guy" or 'SS guy", I just say "listen to this". No one so far, after listening has said do you have any tube amps that I can listen to.

My personal quest is to try to get as close to having the musicians playing in my room delivered through the audio system. Put a set of drums, and organ or piano, and electric guitars in the room and feel the dynamics and the music go through you. The Pilium gear gets me closest to this experience as I have encountered, that is why I am a believer in Pilium.

I do NOT ask anyone to trust what I say. Instead within a few months there will be NINE locations across the US at the Rhapsody Listening Rooms where visitors will be able to audition Pilium and decide for themselves if they like it or not.

I have taken 6 or seven tube amps in on trade for Pilium over the last 18 months. YMMV.

 

[caesar]

Hi Bob, very interesting. I am glad you and customers are happy. And having heard Alsyvox with Solid State, it's excellent.. But I thought one of the biggest selling points of Alsyvox was that it is a benign, moderate-powered-tube friendly load. Anyone you know using tube gear with Alsyvox? If so, which brands?

 

[Rhapsody]

Hi Bob, very interesting. I am glad you and customers are happy. And having heard Alsyvox with Solid State, it's excellent.. But I thought one of the biggest selling points of Alsyvox was that it is a benign, moderate-powered-tube friendly load. Anyone you know using tube gear with Alsyvox? If so, which brands?

Actually all of my customers have now switched over to Pilium or some other SS that they already had to run their Alsyvox speakers.

We have 15+ pairs of Alsvyox around the US now or coming in, I've lost track. Two of our upcoming Rhapsody listening rooms (DFW and Long Island NY) will be able to demonstrate either Botticelli or Tintorettos with the Kondo 50Watt SET Kagura amps. I also usually have a 32 Watt Kondo PP Overture II integrated in house. In a small room the Overture II with Tintorettos is a nice combination for certain listeners. One or two of the RLRs will also eventually have Overture IIs. All of the 7 RLR locations will have Alsyvox speakers available to demonstrate.

As I said prior I've used tubes with the Alsyvox and they sounded great. I especially liked the Jadis I-88 integrated that provide 90 Watts of Class a power.

 

[caesar]

Actually all of my customers have now switched over to Pilium or some other SS that they already had to run their Alsyvox speakers.

We have 15+ pairs of Alsvyox around the US now or coming in, I've lost track. Two of our upcoming Rhapsody listening rooms (DFW and Long Island NY) will be able to demonstrate either Botticelli or Tintorettos with the Kondo 50Watt SET Kagura amps. I also usually have a 32 Watt Kondo PP Overture II integrated in house. In a small room the Overture II with Tintorettos is a nice combination for certain listeners. One or two of the RLRs will also eventually have Overture IIs. All of the 7 RLR locations will have Alsyvox speakers available to demonstrate.

As I said prior I've used tubes with the Alsyvox and they sounded great. I especially liked the Jadis I-88 integrated that provide 90 Watts of Class a power.

Thank you. Can you please possibly share the locations?

 

[Rhapsody]

Thank you. Can you please possibly share the locations?

Sure:

Portland Oregon, Palm Desert, CA, Chicago, DFW, Long Island, NY, Brooklyn NY, West Palm Beach and Miami Fl

The RLR's will be ready for demos by appt. in 2-3 months from now. The Rhapsody.Audio site will have contact information for all RLRs.

 

[Bobvin]

Alsyvox "Botticelli X" ready for pick up in Spain (tomorrow), destined for Oregon City

 

[jeff1225]

@Bobvin the Alsyvox were fantastic at the Long Beach show powered by Vitus. What amp will you be using with them in your system?

 

[Bobvin]

@Bobvin the Alsyvox were fantastic at the Long Beach show powered by Vitus. What amp will you be using with them in your system?

None less than the amazing Pilium… Alexander pre-amp, Achilles power amp.

 

[bonzo75]

Thank you. Can you please possibly share the locations?

Is this the only non controversial question you have posted on this forum?

 

[bazelio]

@Bobvin after hearing Alsyvox in Long Beach, I'd love to hear them again up North when you're ready. Alsyvox and Bayz in the same room, in fact, will be quite a treat.

 

[christoph]

@Bobvin after hearing Alsyvox in Long Beach, I'd love to hear them again up North when you're ready. Alsyvox and Bayz in the same room, in fact, will be quite a treat.

Don't underestimate the Diesis (as I did )
They sounded awesome in Munich 2 and 3 years ago and impressed me big time