We've done a few setups of Carmel 2 with REL subs. They blend in quite well, and it's a great solution for when you need small footprint speakers.
YG Acoustics
- Thread starter Barry2013
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My favorite speaker changes by the hour, depending on how I'm feeling like or the music I want to listen to. I consider myself lucky being able to move between different speakers/amps combinations, as the mood strikes.
But more important than what *I* like, is what my clients and friends like. I use what I've learned going back and forth between my setups to better help my clients, and guide them towards the most appropriate pieces.
YG is garbage in and garbage out. Or whatever you "subjectively " prefer.
YG's have way more resolving power than those PS BHK electronics.
I'd go for Pass Labs if you like a warm solid state sound.
Keith just tried the BHKs on his Haileys, and he didn't like'em much. Seems like the Ampzillas are quite good, though.
I prefer the D'Agostino stuff. Ticks all the boxes.
I prefer the D'Agostino stuff. Ticks all the boxes.
I have heard YG speakers with many amps. The best pairing depends on your goals. YGs are neutral and will sound like the gear in front of them so you can vary the sound of the speakers with the choice of amps. Many, perhaps most, amps have a distinct voicing/sound that the YGs take on and will show up on everything played. This includes the ARC 160M, D'Agostinos and many others, likely including the BHKs.
YGs are also capable of playing everything on a recording if the amp is up to it. If that is the goal, for YG Sonja or XV, IMO Boulder 3000 series are the best and 2100 series next. YG does not voice their speakers, Boulder does not voice their amps.
i don't like the D'Agostino stuff because it doesn't play all the music on the recording when compared to my Boulder 3060.
YGs are also capable of playing everything on a recording if the amp is up to it. If that is the goal, for YG Sonja or XV, IMO Boulder 3000 series are the best and 2100 series next. YG does not voice their speakers, Boulder does not voice their amps.
i don't like the D'Agostino stuff because it doesn't play all the music on the recording when compared to my Boulder 3060.
Ya thats what I told him, the Pass should probably be better than the BHKs because they are very resolving yet musical.
I think this is also the consensus favorite among the YG staff. At least thats what I heard.
For a clean, neutral sound with max detail I doubt you can go wrong with boulder.
I really want YG to come out with a speaker that has more bass drivers but is in the sonja 2.2 or hailey 2.2 form factor. As others have said having to buy the full XV or XV Jr. just to get more pass power, especially in a sealed cabinet is just not good. I really like how magico has done this. With the A3 you got dual 7s (carmel has no dedicated woofer). With the A5 you got 3x 9 inch drivers and its still cheaper than a carmel 2!
Stepping up to the S3 mk2 again 2x 9inch, still cheaper than yg carmel 2.
S5 mk2 you get 2x 10 inch and much cheaper than yg hailey 2.2 which has a single 10.
S7 mk2 you get 3x 10 inch and cheaper than sonja 2.2 which has only a single 10.
Its only when you get into the m series magico does the price get to a higher level than YG.
What am I missing here? I think YG really needs to make a more affordable line... or come out with a new superior line and make their current line more affordable. Magico is really winning when it comes to value right now and I believe bass performance. I like YG designs and their technology but now with Yoav leaving they need a new strategy to compete better with Magico and the rest of the market.
Stepping up to the S3 mk2 again 2x 9inch, still cheaper than yg carmel 2.
S5 mk2 you get 2x 10 inch and much cheaper than yg hailey 2.2 which has a single 10.
S7 mk2 you get 3x 10 inch and cheaper than sonja 2.2 which has only a single 10.
Its only when you get into the m series magico does the price get to a higher level than YG.
What am I missing here? I think YG really needs to make a more affordable line... or come out with a new superior line and make their current line more affordable. Magico is really winning when it comes to value right now and I believe bass performance. I like YG designs and their technology but now with Yoav leaving they need a new strategy to compete better with Magico and the rest of the market.
Quit spitballing and actually go hear all these speakers. Then come back and chat with those of us who have done so.
I admit that if bass is the very top priority, YG is not the very best in that particular area but YG bass being fast and tight you can couple them pretty easily with good sub(s). ( I am personally using REL with great success)
I have heard the YG Sonja 1.3, magico m2 and magico s7, so I am speaking from personal experience.
I know you love your Hailey and thats cool, but there is no question Magico is offering more value by having various lines of speakers that produce more bass impact and quantity compared to more expensive YG models. If YG is offering something for the higher price points then I am open to appreciating that.
I think using subs is very smart and personally would probably do that with nearly any speaker I use.
One must also consider when YG says their speaker hits 20hz on the low end. It does and this is supported by the SAM measurement of Devialet. Please see links below.
We can’t say that for Magico Or many other brands that have been tested by Devialet. Even with “More” drivers. For example, the previous generation YG Hailey (they haven‘t measured the 2.2) hits 20hz WITHOUT their SAM Processing turned on.
We can’t say the same for the more expensive and more LE driver Magico M2. Which is a much higher MSRP than the Hailey 2.2
Let alone the M3 compared to the Sonja 2.2
The Sonja 2.2 is also the closest to perfection of any speaker Devialet has measured to date. So, the main benefit of SAM technology is a moot point with most YG speakers.
https://www.devialet.com/en-us/expert-pro-sam-ready-speakers/magico/m3/
https://www.devialet.com/en-us/expert-pro-sam-ready-speakers/magico/m2/
https://www.devialet.com/en-us/expert-pro-sam-ready-speakers/yg-acoustics/hailey-1.2/
https://www.devialet.com/en-us/expert-pro-sam-ready-speakers/yg-acoustics/sonja_2_2/
This is a testament to YG’s objective technology superiority and 8 key technologies working together as a whole.
We all know this is a subjective hobby and one’s personal tastes might not align with YG‘s design goals.
But, objectively speaking this brand as of today is a hell of speaker manufacturer.
Frankly, I’m looking to forward to the more accessible speakers in their line and what the future brings for the company. As per their press release.
Thanks for that. Definitely interesting. I think the S series magicos are very compelling compared to the YG. I would like to hear the 2.3 Sonjas though as well as the hailey 2.2 and even the carmel 2 just to get a better sense of their latest products. I'm guessing they are a big step up from the .1 series?
Just about any speaker can do 20Hz sacrificing efficiency, Devialet numbers don't mean anything without specifying efficiency (According to JA reviews, YG published efficiency numbers are "optimistic"). One thing you can take away from these measurements that all these SAM corrections on the YG result in substantially lower excursion/extension ratio. For example, the S1 Mk2 can be corrected to 17Hz with 8mm excursion, while the Carmel correction that also leads to the same extension, yield only 6mm excursion (similar idea with the S5 and the Sonia – I am picking similar drivers typologies).
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No actually my local dealer has not even got a pair in yet. What do you think about them? What I am wondering is how the A5 stacks up against the S3 mk2 and maybe even the s5 mk2?
The A5 stacks up to any speaker that I have ever heard. It does certain things, ie, transparency and clarity in the midrange and mid bass that surpasses what I have heard before. Give them a listen if you get a chance. YMMV.
To clarify a bit of what I hear when I say transparency and clarity in the mid-bass and the midrange, which of course most good/great speakers provide to a certain extent, it is small details and harmonics of very slight sounds 15 feet deep in the soundstage. I have never heard clarity/resolution/precicessness of those instruments especially with classical recordings with full orchestra. There is no smear. Each instrument is very clear and again WAY back into the depth of the soundstage. It's uncanny to me.
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