Nola ko

Gregadd · Nov 18, 2012

ideally we would want to evaluate speakers in the same system and room. Often though we need to let the speaker shine in the best circumstance. That is not always the same environment for every speaker.

MylesBAstor · Nov 18, 2012

rbbert said:
I would think a dealer has more at stake than a reviewer in getting the most out of a piece of gear he is selling?

In any case, based on my experiences so far, NOLA is a speaker brand I will investigate very carefully when I buy new speakers, and VR not so much, despite the fact that I have a liking for ribbons.

That's not been my experience with dealers.

rbbert · Nov 18, 2012

MylesBAstor said:
That's not been my experience with dealers.

Just saying it should be

mep · Nov 18, 2012

Here is what I want to know: Do the NOLA KO speakers sound so good because they are demonstrated with tubes or do they sound so good in spite of using tubes? I asked if anyone has heard the KOs with SS gear and have received zero responses. I don't mean this to be a slam against tube gear because that is not true, I just believe the SS and tubes sound different in spite of what someone on this forum has tried to postulate.

joeinid · Nov 18, 2012

mep said:
Here is what I want to know: Do the NOLA KO speakers sound so good because they are demonstrated with tubes or do they sound so good in spite of using tubes? I asked if anyone has heard the KOs with SS gear and have received zero responses. I don't mean this to be a slam against tube gear because that is not true, I just believe the SS and tubes sound different in spite of what someone on this forum has tried to postulate.

I have no experience with the new NOLA KO speakers but I have owned the Nola Micro Grand Ref's and they were/are stunning. I heard them demonstrated with ARC gear, but used them at home with a stereo Burmester 911mk3, McIntosh MC402 and MC601's, various CJ amps and even Spectron monoblocks. ALL amps sounded great on the Micro Grand Ref's. I could say the Nola Micros made all the amps sound great. The different flavors came through, but these speaker let you hear the music. You don't focus on the gear with Nola. The 911mk3 was particularly awesome and sounded the best I thought. I would not have any reservation using SS gear on Nola speakers. You just may want to try the amp you plan on using with them first.

When I had the Nola Micros, I spent an afternoon listening to Wilson Sasha W/P with Ayre KX-R/MX-R combo. After several hours, I was fatigued and could not enjoy it. I went home to my Nola Micros and was so relieved at how musical and satisfying they sounded. Never a millisecond of fatigue from any of the 3 pairs of Alon/Nola speakers I've owned over the years. One pair, Alon Lotus Sigs I had for 9 years.

A.wayne · Nov 18, 2012

rbbert said:
I for one clearly prefer the KO even to the VR5.

Err , not difficult ......

A.wayne · Nov 18, 2012

mep said:
So here’s a question: Has anyone heard the NOLA KOs with SS gear instead of tube gear? If so, how does it sound? I noticed that HP used the same Nordost $30K speaker cables that Carl used at RMAF this year even though the electronics were different (still all tube though).

There's that 30k speaker wire again .......

A.wayne · Nov 18, 2012

rbbert said:
despite the fact that I have a liking for ribbons.

This is why you like the Nola's , that dipole middle , against the boxy VS sound ....!!!!!

MylesBAstor · Nov 18, 2012

rbbert said:
Just saying it should be

Yeah there's where that expectation/reality paradigm rears its ugly head.

MylesBAstor · Nov 18, 2012

A.wayne said:
This is why you like the Nola's , that dipole middle , against the boxy VS sound ....!!!!!

Well all one has to do is look at Carl's resume to see why!

Gregadd · Nov 18, 2012

I'm not about ti step onto the cable minefield. It appears the KO was inserted into Room #2 Hp is a long time Nordost advocate. I'm sure you can find an adequate cable using the ten percent rule.

MylesBAstor · Nov 18, 2012

Gregadd said:
I'm not about ti step onto the cable minefield. It appears the KO was inserted into Room #2 Hp is a long time Nordost advocate. I'm sure you can find an adequate cable using the ten percent rule.

Don't you mean 10% solution?

A.wayne · Nov 18, 2012

Nothing under 10k for Myles .....

A.wayne · Nov 18, 2012

MylesBAstor said:
Well all one has to do is look at Carl's resume to see why!

Absolutely and IMO it is the best way to go , unless you're have space issues and he has done a much better job with the NOLA 's than when he was doing ALON, the head unit on the early ALON's were much too small ....

MylesBAstor · Nov 18, 2012

A.wayne said:
Absolutely and IMO it is the best way to go , unless you're have space issues and he has done a much better job with the NOLA 's than when he was doing ALON, the head unit on the early ALON's were much too small ....

The Alon Adrianna that I reviewed years ago was a winner in the small speaker sweepstakes. Great combo with the Vac Rennaissance or CJ amps.

Priaptor · Dec 21, 2012

Gregadd said:
I'm not about ti step onto the cable minefield. It appears the KO was inserted into Room #2 Hp is a long time Nordost advocate. I'm sure you can find an adequate cable using the ten percent rule.

I own Baby Grands Series II and can unequivocally state the best cables to date I have used with my Meitner DAC2X, REF5SE, REF 250s to the Babys are MG audio design cables. I found their copper CU2 from Dac to Preamp, their silver from preamp to amp and their Planus IIIs absolutely spectacular at a relatively minimal cost. I try to get Carl to listen BUT......

The point is that paying 10k for a speaker like the KO doesn't require 25k speaker cables.

My system is now as good as I have ever heard.

Anyone considering Carl's speakers at ANY price owes it to themselves to try these cables. I found the combination of copper and silver the way to go as the all silver was too bright.

Gregadd · Dec 26, 2012

Congrats On Baby Grand.

Priaptor · Dec 27, 2012

Gregadd said:
Congrats On Baby Grand.

Thanks. I have had them for awhile now, but just recently changed over to the MG AudioDesign Cables which has made a tremendous difference. Hence the reason for my post as when Carl shows the speakers he often does with cables costing more than the speakers he is showing. These cables range in price from 600-1400 for standard sizes and they are just releasing their CU2 interconnects and PIIIs speaker cables which I got early and are just spectacular.

As good as the Nolas are these cables literally transform the speakers. I couldn't recommend them more highly. The system sounds better than ever. I have no financial interest in any of the companies I named just the desire have my system sound the best it is capable of sounding. Personally I think Carl is not doing himself showing his speakers with wires costing more than what he is showing, but that is me.

mep · Dec 27, 2012

Priaptor said:
Thanks. I have had them for awhile now, but just recently changed over to the MG AudioDesign Cables which has made a tremendous difference. Hence the reason for my post as when Carl shows the speakers he often does with cables costing more than the speakers he is showing. These cables range in price from 600-1400 for standard sizes and they are just releasing their CU2 interconnects and PIIIs speaker cables which I got early and are just spectacular.

As good as the Nolas are these cables literally transform the speakers. I couldn't recommend them more highly. The system sounds better than ever. I have no financial interest in any of the companies I named just the desire have my system sound the best it is capable of sounding. Personally I think Carl is not doing himself showing his speakers with wires costing more than what he is showing, but that is me.

I believe you left out two words after the word "himself" in the above sentence and those two words are "any favors." It sounds real funny as written though.

Priaptor · Dec 27, 2012

mep said:
I believe you left out two words after the word "himself" in the above sentence and those two words are "any favors." It sounds real funny as written though.

You are right!

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