I thought that was who you were refering to but I thought he was waiting for his new MK2's to arrive and then they will need many hours for break-in so I don't know how that's going to properly happen.
His speakers being driven with MBL electronics, you know how you feel about analog sources well that's how I feel about my Vac gear in comparison.
I am with Myles with it and this is my main problem with the MBL and actually every omni I have hear and that includes those which predated the MBL aongst them the Shaninian Obleisk of yore ... It is seductive and some may like and as in this case some don't.
So these speakers suck unless used with 80k vac monos (completely overpriced compared to vtl or arc btw) are used on them? Im sure the vacs are great, but that cant be the overwhelming factor.
Today I am disagreeing a lot . One of the best sounds I ever heard was a pair of the old Martin Logan Monoliths in an all Mark Levinson system (ML31.5 -30.5 -380s -20.5 or 20.6) all connected using Transparent Reference XL cables (their top at that time) at a show in London. It was the first time I could listen to a really great sound from a digital based system. Until that day I would swear that digital could not sound so good.
Today I am disagreeing a lot . One of the best sounds I ever heard was a pair of the old Martin Logan Monoliths in an all Mark Levinson system (ML31.5 -30.5 -380s -20.5 or 20.6) all connected using Transparent Reference XL cables (their top at that time) at a show in London. It was the first time I could listen to a really great sound from a digital based system. Until that day I would swear that digital could not sound so good.
I am with Myles with it and this is my main problem with the MBL and actually every omni I have heard and that includes those which predated the MBL amongst them the Shaninian Obleisk of yore ... It is seductive and some may like it and as in this case some don't.
i am "ashamed" to say i was with my girlfriend and the rest of my family in Miami for a few hours and did NOT get up to Sound Experience. Bad audiophile!!! I really wish i had gone. Aida, Zanden, Boulder, and apparently a multitude of other SOTA equipment...that would have been a lot of fun.
Both But I must add this proviso. I would like to hear the speakers with analog. I'm hard pressed to like any system at a show that uses digital. Usually with a few exception, it's how long do I need to stay in the room to be polite And if it's my disc on their machine, I'm stuck for one cut. So always choose a short one first.
First off, my apologies to all for taking this off topic.
Myles,
All I can say is Wow. I can accept, sort of, you feelings about MBL demos. Having said that and having attended the Denver show for the last several years, only last years MBL demo at RMAF was disappointing.
To the best of my knowledge (I do subscribe to TAS and Stereophile and read the show reports), your feelings about RMAF are not shared by any of your professional cohorts who write for these two magazines. In fact, some claim it is one of the best if not the best show out there.
I have only heard MBL once, and it was at the last RMAF. The sound was not good and very disappointing for all the MBL hype I have read over the years. I chalked it up to a bad room.
It must have been speaker placement DEV because you can bet that for $250K it just shouldn't happen. What I also found interesting is that Marty heard the speaker in Berlin at the MBL factory and made the same comment when he heard it there. FWIW I can also tell you that Marty is probably the most astute listener I have ever met
I have heard the X-tremes a couple of times. The last time was in Munich at the High End show last year. That demonstration was clearly the best sound of the show to these ears followed by Magico Q3/Soulution and the curious active French AudioNec speakers and music server. I have yet to hear what Marty is describing from the MBLs, so my conclusion would be that you are correct that the reason must be the room and the setup. My experience with MBL speakers is that they normally really only shine when driven by MBL amplifiers.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to share this with us. SF Aida is an interesting speaker to me. I would approciate opinions on how they compare to other SF speakers.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to share this with us. SF Aida is an interesting speaker to me. I would approciate opinions on how they compare to other SF speakers.
Microstrip - i think you have heard the Sonus Fabers...the limited edition ones for 185K or so...have you heard the Aidas? I have not heard the Aidas yet, but used to own the SF Strads and Gs, so will comment if i get a chance to hear the Aidas.
Lloyd we were in Arizona for 4 hours and you expected us to find our way from Scottsdale into Phoenix to hear the Arrakis. Suffice it to say it didn't happen
Lloyd we were in Arizona for 4 hours and you expected us to find our way from Scottsdale into Phoenix to hear the Arrakis. Suffice it to say it didn't happen
Microstrip - i think you have heard the Sonus Fabers...the limited edition ones for 185K or so...have you heard the Aidas? I have not heard the Aidas yet, but used to own the SF Strads and Gs, so will comment if i get a chance to hear the Aidas.
I have listened to the TheSonusfaber several times. They were easily the best speaker I have ever listened to in their capability of recreating a facsimile as close as I have ever seen (heard, sorry) of a symphonic orchestra either or of a small vocal ensemble. However I listened to them with a really good system, including the best ancillaries that could satisfy my preferences (high power tubes) as we like to say in WBF. The placement of the speakers in the room was not optimum - it seemed to me they need a large room, but there was something dangerously tempting in this system. But, in all fairness, I could not separate what was the part due to the source, amplification and speakers.
The first time I listened to the Aida's they were just taken from the box. I have long experience with Sonus faber speakers and it is my non scientific conviction that Sf speakers need a long time of break-in before we can emit a solid and meaningful opinion. Yesterday I was listening a second time to the same pair, now with one month of hard use in demos, but using solid state amplifiers. For sure I share the opinions that Steve and Marty told about the treble of this speaker. Next weekend the Aida's will land in my listening room and then I will be able to post my very subjective and very biased opinions to this thread.
BTW, while preparing my system to receive the Aida's I am I am listening to the little sister, the Sonus faber Amati Futura. (yes, Jack I have seen Jeremy Irons in Lolita ) Used in an all Audio Research system, it is good enough to make two of my good friends re-think their convictions about hifi.
Yes, DEV is passionate about wonderful and really great sounding Kit. You know those big VAC amplifiers can really control a speaker chassis while delivering the goods.
