KeithR's "Dream Speaker" Search

[KeithR]

I’m not sure the Sonja’s are my “dream speaker”, even with appropriate amplification. Both Hailey and Sonja require a steep amplifier investment though.

I’ve been happy with Fyne for a long time now and enjoy playing around with amps. My BAT VK-255SE returns next week.

I would enjoy hearing Cessaro, just like I enjoyed hearing Verity earlier this summer. People seem to enjoy reading my opinions so I’ll continue to provide them.

 

[tobiasrankin]

I’m not sure the Sonja’s are my “dream speaker”, even with appropriate amplification. Both Hailey and Sonja require a steep amplifier investment though.

I’ve been happy with Fyne for a long time now and enjoy playing around with amps. My BAT VK-255SE returns next week.

I would enjoy hearing Cessaro, just like I enjoyed hearing Verity earlier this summer. People seem to enjoy reading my opinions so I’ll continue to provide them.

Have you heard the 30.7s?

Also what about magico m6?

 

[KeithR]

Have you heard the 30.7s?

Also what about magico m6?

I haven’t, but believe I posted my prior experience with 3.7is earlier in the thread.

Haven’t had a non show Magico demo in some time. I almost purchased the old M5 years ago though - that was a great speaker before they changed directions and went Q. The M2/M3 I’ve commented on before and much prefer YG due to a more organic, dynamic sound and Yoevs crossover implementation which I feel bests both Magico and Rockport now. Much better flow. I do admit the other two probably have better bass - particularly Rockport as it’s the best I’ve experienced period.

 

[tobiasrankin]

I haven’t, but believe I posted my prior experience with 3.7is earlier in the thread.

Haven’t had a non show Magico demo in some time. I almost purchased the old M5 years ago though - that was a great speaker before they changed directions and went Q. The M2/M3 I’ve commented on before and much prefer YG due to a more organic, dynamic sound and Yoevs crossover implementation which I feel bests both Magico and Rockport now. Much better flow. I do admit the other two probably have better bass - particularly Rockport as it’s the best I’ve experienced period.

Try to hear m6 if you can.

Also tidal contriva g2. Tidal is insane.

 

[gleeds]

I am a fan of the Tidal G2s. Best sub-100k speaker I have yet to hear, albeit Keith's Fyne F-112 appears to do some of the same things differently (I only heard them for 15-20 minutes. The G2s are precise and coherent but not at all amusical, especially considering their all Accuton driver compliment. Bass is fulsome with excellent texture, a quality many speakers in this class commonly miss. Jorn knows what he is doing, not to mention producing the finest build quality this side of a Bugatti

 

[christoph]

I’m not sure the Sonja’s are my “dream speaker”, even with appropriate amplification. Both Hailey and Sonja require a steep amplifier investment though.

I’ve been happy with Fyne for a long time now and enjoy playing around with amps. My BAT VK-255SE returns next week.

I would enjoy hearing Cessaro, just like I enjoyed hearing Verity earlier this summer. People seem to enjoy reading my opinions so I’ll continue to provide them.

I was massively impressed by the small "cheap" Cessaro this year in Munich.

Normally, I was underwhelmed by Cessaro in Munich but not his year with the small model (sorry, don't know the name of the model).

 

[morricab]

I was massively impressed by the small "cheap" Cessaro this year in Munich.

Normally, I was underwhelmed by Cessaro in Munich but not his year with the small model (sorry, don't know the name of the model).

Its called the Opus-1

 

[chuck]

Both Hailey and Sonja require a steep amplifier investment though.

Probably less steep than I thought. In his Stereophile review, the late Wes Phillips said Parasound JC1 mono blocks were a "match made in heaven" with YG Anat II, the current Parasound JC1+ mono blocks will likely work equally well with the current YGs.

 

[KeithR]

 

[KeithR]

Ron Resnick and I had a very nice trip to see the new Alma Audio store in San Diego - very impressive! The new store has 2 enclosed rooms and a semi enclosed area for a third. All have been treated courtesy of an acoustician from Brazil. The large room was much smaller than previously which imho is better for auditions - as the old mega room was not similar to what most people have at home.

It was really fun to hear the YG Acoustics Sonja 2.2 with MSB Select/Nagra HD preamp/D'agostino amps that I haven't heard in several years. I was reminded very much of why the combination is so synergistic. Just a beautiful musical portrait in front of me at all times, with a very liquid sound that had it all. It was pure, dynamic, with excellent flow. I did feel mid bass was a bit light in the treated room and suggested adjusting the treatment to optimize further. Other than that, just an exceptional system! I know WBF has become tribalistic as it comes to sound but there isn't one way to wonderful music reproduction.

 

[tobiasrankin]

Oh boy look at those XVXs in the background looming over the sonja! Did you hear those too?

 

[MRJAZZ]

Oh boy look at those XVXs in the background looming over the sonja! Did you hear those too?

They are actually ALEXX V, I believe.

 

[tobiasrankin]

Whoops sorry.

 

[cal3713]

Whoops sorry.

10 LASHES!!

 

[KeithR]

some updates on my Fyne amp exploration:

Vitus SIA-25 will be dropped off end of this week by my friend Ken at Cake Audio. He's been burning in his new demo for over a week in advance. So 25 watts, pure class A SS. The SIA-30 is considered the top piece in the line by many, but I didn't want to go that far for now.

Jadis JA-30mkii - I've wanted to try this amp for years, just a rare bird. Well, it ships to my room tomorrow. Should be fascinating to compare with the LTAs and there are a number of tube options to try. I actually don't think it will be my preference but it's an audio bucket list item. Small, single pair of tube monos with stout transformers. EL34/KT88/KT120 with ability to go KT150 with a small internal change.

Westminster Labs REI - I got a taste of this pair of amps in August, but life was hectic/stressful (I got married a few weeks later) and I didn't get the time in with them to focus that they deserve. Gary has graciously offered to drop them off for a longer audition and I will be taking him up on it.

That should about do it honestly. I've also been thinking of a Nagra Classic Pre to drive any of them.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I think this is going to be some serious and wonderful comparative auditioning! Great job on the executive action to get all these amps in-house at the same time!

WEI versus Vitus is going to be extremely interesting.

LTA versus Jadis is going to be extremely interesting.

Comparing the winner of each of those comparisons is going to be extremely interesting!

 

[morricab]

some updates on my Fyne amp exploration:

Vitus SIA-25 will be dropped off end of this week by my friend Ken at Cake Audio. He's been burning in his new demo for over a week in advance. So 25 watts, pure class A SS. The SIA-30 is considered the top piece in the line by many, but I didn't want to go that far for now.

Jadis JA-30mkii - I've wanted to try this amp for years, just a rare bird. Well, it ships to my room tomorrow. Should be fascinating to compare with the LTAs and there are a number of tube options to try. I actually don't think it will be my preference but it's an audio bucket list item. Small, single pair of tube monos with stout transformers. EL34/KT88/KT120 with ability to go KT150 with a small internal change.

Westminster Labs REI - I got a taste of this pair of amps in August, but life was hectic/stressful (I got married a few weeks later) and I didn't get the time in with them to focus that they deserve. Gary has graciously offered to drop them off for a longer audition and I will be taking him up on it.

That should about do it honestly. I've also been thinking of a Nagra Classic Pre to drive any of them.

Nagra Classic is good…just not as good as the Aries Cerat Incito (with 1955 Valvo GZ34 rectifier) we did a compare at my place recently. It does space very well but was a bit lightweight by comparison.

 

[MRJAZZ]

some updates on my Fyne amp exploration:

Vitus SIA-25 will be dropped off end of this week by my friend Ken at Cake Audio. He's been burning in his new demo for over a week in advance. So 25 watts, pure class A SS. The SIA-30 is considered the top piece in the line by many, but I didn't want to go that far for now.

Jadis JA-30mkii - I've wanted to try this amp for years, just a rare bird. Well, it ships to my room tomorrow. Should be fascinating to compare with the LTAs and there are a number of tube options to try. I actually don't think it will be my preference but it's an audio bucket list item. Small, single pair of tube monos with stout transformers. EL34/KT88/KT120 with ability to go KT150 with a small internal change.

Westminster Labs REI - I got a taste of this pair of amps in August, but life was hectic/stressful (I got married a few weeks later) and I didn't get the time in with them to focus that they deserve. Gary has graciously offered to drop them off for a longer audition and I will be taking him up on it.

That should about do it honestly. I've also been thinking of a Nagra Classic Pre to drive any of them.

Another possible audition candidate.....Audio Research REF 80 S.....
Have one......it’s Excellent....
Cheers....

 

[KeithR]

Thanks, I’ve owned a Ref 75SE and had some reliability issues. Jadis honestly is a bucket list piece and likely not to stick around for similar concerns.

 

[MRJAZZ]

Thanks, I’ve owned a Ref 75SE and had some reliability issues. Jadis honestly is a bucket list piece and likely not to stick around for similar concerns.

Got my fingers crossed ( reliability issues), however the latest Gen Ref amps use auto biasing and the output tubes are fuse protected (no longer have to rely on surrounding resistors to act as a fuse, and the attendant hassle of repair, so hopefully the new series will prove to be better in that regard.
Cheers....