Equal parts frustration/elation - mirroring life in general?

[bonzo75]

Blue has already turned down the possibliity of going Golden gate w/his duos because the hum is unacceptable.

Geoffrey Armstrong of Sound Galleries in Monaco runs the Big 7 on Duos without any noise issues. His amps are Audiopax and Tom Evans. He is a dealer for the other components, not for the Lampi. He also has trios with bass horns for his personal home stereo.

Superb dealer, he never oversells, and I found out only at the end of the demo that he knew the conductor, recording, etc of my classical demos. Was impressed.

 

[bonzo75]

Blue, apologies if I quoted you out of context.
Must be the availability of good ale at your place!

No doubt, hum/rush is a truly serious considerations going 101dB/m eff Zus to 107-109+ horns.
My moderately audible Nat 211s rush will effectively double in volume.
That sounds like a step too far.

Nat Magnetostat pre, well this is just to satisfy my curiosity, it will REALLY need to outperform my incumbent Nat Utopia linestage, or provide unique things, to swap for.

Vivid Giya G1s or G2s are homing into view, the buzz on these is so interesting, the inverse horn principle appeals, and alongside the AG Trios/Basshorns G2 these are probably the only two uber spkrs on a final (final final?) shortlist.

The Vivids (or any box speaker) IMO will sound comparable to trios with basshorns only if they are well integrated with external subs using DSP, like Marty's system, and require an extermely fast SS amp like his Spectral to get that dynamic action, while Trios with basshorns is something a dealer/seller can set up more easily. DSP requires a learning curve which from chatting with you, you are not willing to spend time on a computer with. Plus trios can be run with SETs, which you prefer.

Regarding NATs, while they are my favorite pre, and one of my favorite power, I have had the NAT Magnetostat SE and the Magma SE at home for a week. The SE is far superior to the Magnetostat non SE, as per reports. However, their combined effect in my system was nowhere close to adding a B7. Plus too expensive. I will buy the NAT Magnetostat SE pre one day, but lowest on my priority list.

 

[bonzo75]

And don't forget the NEW range of XD Avantgardes are available now. You may not even 'need' Trios when a Mezzo could work very well.

I don't think they are even close. I have heard them both in the same set up in the same room, one are speakers I don't like at all and the other are dream speakers. The difference in bass, scale, width, depth, imaging, precision, dynamics, transience and lack of shoutiness is night and day, one of the biggest, if not the biggest, I have seen in two components of the same family. I heard the non-XD version, and XD is available for both, but that doesn't change the fact that the Mezzo woofer is different.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ron, contentment, an interesting concept, and obv relative up to a point LOL.
I suspect plenty of audiofools, when they get to the much exalted afterlife, will still have plenty to argue about.
My contentment is really borne of a feeling of cognitive ease w/the system. I am not listening "at" the sound anywhere near as much, just enjoying the moment much more.
My continual ocd fiddling w/sub bass settings, almost album to album/day to day in my pre-Nat SETs/pre-ZU sub Lundahl transformer days, was driving me a little insane, now replaced by a single setting and I am not itching for that "next big thing".
But happy to talk about Trios, Giyas, Magnetostat, dedicated lines/Furutech US sockets, Spiers air table, Shun Mooks etc, as ideas to gild the lily/give me something radically more. Just ecstatic the current rig is outperforming.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Bonzo, so here's the rub, that's a Hell of an itinerary of new gear, Giya G1s, eff SOTA non tube amps, top dsp, dedicated subs.
Unlike you, I don't have a nose for a bargain all the time, so £50k+ at least, closer to £70k
Just who is going to do a no quibble trial bringing together pretty much a whole rig, and have the dsp know how to spend a whole day getting it right?
I could certainly use Nick from Brighton, but just this collection of gear/undertaking is daunting.
But I concur the end result could be stupendous and worth the effort.
Btw, Rodney Gold who knows about as much as anyone re Giya G1s/dsp/subs, actually commented to me subs can be overkill, and he uses them primarily for room nodes mangement, often non-sub'd sounds better w/the G1s.
So a solution could be G1s w/judicious dsp w/out subs.
Additionally reports say the Nat Magnetostat is one of the fasstest amps out there, may be possible to envisage a Nat suite w/the G1s.
Ideas to muse on.

 

[Argonaut]

Understood Spirit, For my part were I to bring Horns into the equation my incumbent amplification would prove to be Overkill X Lots
Ergo much would need to change for the sake of disparate transducers.

 

[bonzo75]

Bonzo, so here's the rub, that's a Hell of an itinerary of new gear, Giya G1s, eff SOTA non tube amps, top dsp, dedicated subs.
Unlike you, I don't have a nose for a bargain all the time, so £50k+ at least, closer to £70k
Just who is going to do a no quibble trial bringing together pretty much a whole rig, and have the dsp know how to spend a whole day getting it right?
I could certainly use Nick from Brighton, but just this collection of gear/undertaking is daunting.
But I concur the end result could be stupendous and worth the effort.
Btw, Rodney Gold who knows about as much as anyone re Giya G1s/dsp/subs, actually commented to me subs can be overkill, and he uses them primarily for room nodes mangement, often non-sub'd sounds better w/the G1s.
So a solution could be G1s w/judicious dsp w/out subs.
Additionally reports say the Nat Magnetostat is one of the fasstest amps out there, may be possible to envisage a Nat suite w/the G1s.
Ideas to muse on.

Like I said, one day I will have the Magnetostat SE. Not my priority. Personally, I think knowing you you will be happier with Trios + basshorns much more than Vivids. You even like duos. And you can use SETs.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Agreed, Bonzo. But I will try and get the chance to hear the G1s and G2s at Vivid's showroom South of London

 

[KeithR]

Spirit- Trios w/ basshorns are a great alternative IF you have the room requirement and patience. They really do require a big space and dominate a room aesthetically.

FYI- the Zu Experience will be shown this fall at RMAF around the $30k price level.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Keith R, pray tell, what is the Experience about and how does it relate to the Def 4s?