I have remained somewhat quiet since Steve’s original post on our visit largely because my head has been jumping around considering the various permutations and combination for my next system steps. Although I recently bought a Spectral DMC 30-SV and a DMA 300 RS, not to mention about $100k of MIT SHD cables and speaker wire, the Spectral sound has become a bit too analytic for me, leading to a desired shift to a more musical system.
Also, I have to remember that what started this quest was finding a way to remove my JL F113 subs to help reduce feedback to my turntable. I had just bought a new turntable, arm and cartridge, (Triangle Art Reference SE, Rockport Sirrius 6000 tone arm and the new ZYX Ultimate cartridge, but had not yet heard the combo because I was having trouble getting an air line to my tone arm’s air bearing from it’s somewhat industrial and noisy pump.
I have to admit that since I started writing this post last weekend, my next thoughts of the moment have changed at least 5, if not, 10 times, with no confidence that I have come to a conclusion at this point. I have never thought of myself as a shopaholic because I do not like shopping, I have to admit that I am when it comes to making an audio purchase choice. I have been home all day as the fourth snow storm in as many weeks has occurred. While I had many plans for things I would get done, I did nothing but read reviews, called stores and talked to Marty, in whom I have now stimulated his version of the same illness. In fact, I was not sure if I was looking for new speakers, electronics and/or cables
While I had not heard Steve’s system in its current room, I had heard it several times in a previous house. It was in the previous location that I first started my love affair with Lamm SET electronics. Fortunately, for me my speakers at the time could not be powered by any SET amp, nor could I afford the Lamm equipment, so they were not part of my thoughts for future system growth.
After Steve drove over two hours to pick my up at LAX and arriving at his home Friday night, Steve’s better half, Cathy, provided some great homemade soup and veggies, we went to Steve’s man cave a.k.a. his listening room. So it was with great excitement I sat down Friday night at about 2 am my time to listen to his new and improved system (with the addition of Master Built cables and cords and a full CMS rack system which combined cost more than my total system, not to mention total use of Center Stage footers).
Unfortunately, what I heard was not what I expected because it was somewhat sterile without any of the sizzle and romance I had remembered. I was concerned because the sound was similar to the Lamm sound I had just heard in another system, making me wonder if my memory was playing with me. However, there were elements of the cherished sound, but also a great sonic void lateral of each speaker, even on music I know well that goes way beyond my Vivid Giya’s. While I did not like the sound of the overdamping, it was impressive how the sound just stopped lateral of the speakers.
Part of me was relieved because Steve’s system easily costs 3 times mine and as I age I was not keen on spending the extra 2/3’s (about $500k) to get the Lamm sound I loved, plus it meant I would have to unload about $100k of MIT cable at fire sale prices to replace with Master Built for at least as much and then another $50-100k for CMS racks.
Saturday morning we set off to San Diego without so much as a peep from Steve, despite bumper to bumper traffic most of the way. We went to Alma Music, one of, if not the leading audio store in San Diego. One of the owners, Alex, could not have been more accommodating. We listened to a pair of Wilson Alexia series 2’s with D’Agostino Momentum 400 mono blocks and an ARC Ref 10 preamp. The sound was wonderful despite what looked like a very unusual setup with the speakers at least 15, if not 20 feet apart and yet sitting no more than 12-15 feet back. I must admit that caused me to renew my like for the Alexia because I understand that the Series 1 sounds almost the same and is $30k less. At just over $100,000 for the preamp/amp, this wonderful system seemed out of my range if I exclude what I will have to spend on Master Built cables, even after I sell my MIT cables and wire.
The Wilsons further peaked my interest as the weekend progressed and I heard Steve’s system in more detail (Witches Brew on tape and vinyl, Leonard Cohen and Depeche Mode on Steve’s system and on Phillip O’Hanlon’s Vivid Spirits and G1 series 2, powered by a huge Luxman mono block that unfortunately could not transmit the detail of Steve’s Lamm’s. But as Steve mentioned, it was opening his curtains about 18 inches on each side wall in his room that not only made a huge improvement, but probably produced the best sound I have ever heard with the possible exception of John Iverson’s Force Field. Add Steve’s acoustition Bonnie Schnitta to the list and budget.
I was quickly reminded that Steve’s Lamm reference amps, preamp and phono cost $230,000, not counting cabling and racks, way beyond my $50K budget and could not power Alexia’s due to an impedance drop. This however opened up another option, keep my Vivids and use Lamm Hybrid mono blocks and a hybrid preamplifier for a mere $56,000 infusion of cash, not counting the Master Built’s and rack’s. Another option would be to mix tubes with solid state and use a fully tube preamp that could drive the Spectral 300 RS, or maybe a tube amp that could be driven by the Spectral DMC 30SV, very hard scenarios to achieve in a store since they are not supposed to mix Spectral preamps and amps with non-Spectral products.
By this time I was not only confused, but becoming concerned that I had already exceeded my budget of trying to not spend much more than $50k on this upgrade, when I was already $56-105K over budget before cables and racks, because my Spectral electronics would probably sound even more analytic with either Alexia’s or G1 series 2.
Thankfully, we took Sunday morning off from audio and went to a wonderful brunch with Cathy. For a few moments the smoke stopped coming out of my ears. But then we went to Phillip O’Hanlon’s house to hear the Vivid Spirits AND Giya 1 series 2, an A-B comparison that few have had the opportunity to hear because they are rarely in the same location at the same time.
While I was hoping that the Spirit would be my last speaker, it was the least good sounding, at least when powered by Luxman mono blocks, of the then there contenders. Phillip’s room is so big 30’ x 40’ and 24’ tall, that my entire house could almost fit inside of it. Ironically despite it’s enormity, the Spirits had more bass than the room and all of the associated open air spaces could not handle them, and certainly more than my room could handle.
Monday morning we went back to Phillip’s to hear the G1’s after they had settled in. To my surprise, I much preferred the G1’s to the Spirits, despite being 4 1/2 inches taller than the already tall Spirits. Now a new issue, the height of the speakers entered into the mix, not to mention the likelihood that while the Spectral electronics would work, they probably would sound even more analytic with the Vivids and not have sufficient power.
To add to the confusion, Phillip introduced Gryphon electronics and speakers into the equation, but luckily did not have any pieces at his home so I did to have to contemplate another set of variables. He did have a 100 page beautifully done brochure that kept me busy on the plane as I flew cross country.
By the time I got home I needed an audio break to let my head cool down and make some serious decisions about how much money I wanted to spend and in what way so that I would not regret my moves. In the more than week since I got home, my confusion has become worse as more variable have entered the equation and I still do not have an air line to my Rockport arm.
The first thing I did was play with my speaker and subwoofer position to see if I could make any gains on that front and hopefully get back into my $50k upgrade, To my surprise, I improved the sound by moving the Vivids’ about 4 inches in on each side which helped with the midrange and then put the JL’s behind the Vivids and set back more so that the woofs were firing into the back of the Giya’s. Surprisingly this helped tremendously and probably would have been sufficient for the time being had I not heard Steve’s system, the Alexia’s with D’Agostino Momentum 400’s and the Giya 1’s. But then I could not test the acoustic feedback from the JL’s to the turntable because of the lack of an air line.
Now I was not sure what to do because of the likelihood of spending at least $100k on my upgrade, something I could do, but would be smarter to put into my retirement. And then I remembered that all of this was theoretical since I had never heard the combinations I was considering because by this time, this was not really an upgrade, but rather a wholesale system change of electronics, speakers and cables, not to mention racks.
This post is already too long and becoming more confusing with every word. This week I have already explored a pair of Kronzilla DXL mono blocks, Ayon Orthos XS mono blocks, Alexia 1’s and 2’s and plan to go hear Lamm hybrids this weekend.
In about a week I hope that I will have made some decisions and purchases so that my life can return to normal so that I can listen to some music and hopefully finally hear my new turntable, arm and cartridge which hopefully will solve my feedback problem.
A week later I am only added to my confusion by now adding Von Schweikert VR 55's to the mix, an evaluation of VAC tube amps and Master Built Ultra Speaker Cable (ordered).
Best of all about the visit was seeing Steve, Cathy and Meghan.
but we did enjoy a great dinner together and look forward to meeting up again next time I'm in the area. Sometimes change takes time and it requires the help of a good friend to discover the aha moments, in the end all's well that end's well! I feel privileged to be part of your journey and this wonderful forum that you created.
