Today a special listening

[JackD201]

Gian if you get the chance, listen to these again but with the P-135 preamp instead of the P-130.

 

[gian60]

This shop haven't P 135

He sold together with the big mono

Also KR are a very special amp,i like

 

[ack]

Thanks Bruce. I agree. If I had a bigger room, I would love to have a pair of the old M5s. I heard them once and they sounded exactly like the Mini II only bigger and more extended. On orchestral music, they were unbelievable. Of course the reviewers skewered them and the Mini II when the Q5 and Q1 were released. Now the M5 can be had for about $20K and the Mini II for about $10K, IF YOU CAN FIND THEM. I don't know if the Q5 or Q1 will be considered classics in years to come.

+1 on the M5 - I would also buy it in a heartbeat

 

[microstrip]

Thanks Bruce. I agree. If I had a bigger room, I would love to have a pair of the old M5s. I heard them once and they sounded exactly like the Mini II only bigger and more extended. On orchestral music, they were unbelievable. Of course the reviewers skewered them and the Mini II when the Q5 and Q1 were released. Now the M5 can be had for about $20K and the Mini II for about $10K, IF YOU CAN FIND THEM. I don't know if the Q5 or Q1 will be considered classics in years to come.

The M5 was a fabulous speaker - there was a continuity in the in the full range that is not possible in the Mini's. But they needed a large room.

BTW, I never saw a trusted M5 going for $ 20k - at that price I only saw the usual scams from time to time... Although I have tried to sell my mint Mini II for 11 keuro (stands and all 4 huge plywood boxes - the prices are higher in Europe due the 23% VAT) and no one wanted them.

 

[bonzo75]

Heard those (M5) on the Italian trip with Gian last year, they had the basis audio work of art as the source

http://zero-distortion.org/the-italian-over-the-top-road-trip/

In the owner's room (he is one of the largest Italian distributor, brands include spectral and boulder and Lyra), I much preferred the Soundlabs with the old spectral gear.

 

[PeterA]

Heard those (M5) on the Italian trip with Gian last year, they had the basis audio work of art as the source

http://zero-distortion.org/the-italian-over-the-top-road-trip/

In the owner's room (he is one of the largest Italian distributor, brands include spectral and boulder and Lyra), I much preferred the Soundlabs with the old spectral gear.

Thanks for the link, Bonzo. I enjoy your reports. A few of your comments stand out to me:

Regarding the topic of this thread, it is telling that the owner had a pair of Magico M5s in his own personal room. "At his home, his own personal system comprised of Magico M5s driven by MBL class A monos, Spectral 30 pre, and the Scarlatti for digital." Are you saying you prefer the Soundlabs to the M5 absent system context, or the system in which the Soundlabs were the speakers to the system in which the M5s were the speakers?

I do not understand how you can consistently isolate the sound of a component from the rest of the components in these unfamiliar system, but in this case you did compare source components in the same revealing system so I think you can attribute some sonic characteristics to the Basis WOA turntable. "The Basis is an extremely clean sounding, dynamic TT that adds to the stage and sounded better than the Scarlatti. The only thing is, the Studer 810 in that room is even better, and for the price you can buy a Studer and many tapes."

And finally, I appreciate this comment, particularly as it relates to this thread about small speakers: "To recommend a general standamount over some exotic giant speaker is the best way to make an article boring, but I cannot stress how much reality disturbed us. I have increased respect for folks like PeterA and Al M over at WBF. How many are fit enough to house a reasonably sized full ranger?"

 

[gian60]

Right!

Dear Ked in next your trip to us,you will listen some change in these 3 system.
In my home M1 alone without A1 on tweeter,some new cable and new carts
From Marco you will listen Pre CH instead Viva and comparison between CH A1 and Viva Aurora
From Carlo you will listen Riviera mono vs. ML 33
and from another friend Vivaldi,Viola Bravo and double reference coincident speaker

 

[BMCG]

Now the M5 can be had for about $20K and the Mini II for about $10K, IF YOU CAN FIND THEM.

Got me curious on the Mini II...and voila: https://www.ebay.com/itm/263379538705?rmvSB=true (Zero affiliation...)

 

[bonzo75]

Thanks for the link, Bonzo. I enjoy your reports. A few of your comments stand out to me:

Regarding the topic of this thread, it is telling that the owner had a pair of Magico M5s in his own personal room. "At his home, his own personal system comprised of Magico M5s driven by MBL class A monos, Spectral 30 pre, and the Scarlatti for digital." Are you saying you prefer the Soundlabs to the M5 absent system context, or the system in which the Soundlabs were the speakers to the system in which the M5s were the speakers?

I do not understand how you can consistently isolate the sound of a component from the rest of the components in these unfamiliar system, but in this case you did compare source components in the same revealing system so I think you can attribute some sonic characteristics to the Basis WOA turntable. "The Basis is an extremely clean sounding, dynamic TT that adds to the stage and sounded better than the Scarlatti. The only thing is, the Studer 810 in that room is even better, and for the price you can buy a Studer and many tapes."

And finally, I appreciate this comment, particularly as it relates to this thread about small speakers: "To recommend a general standamount over some exotic giant speaker is the best way to make an article boring, but I cannot stress how much reality disturbed us. I have increased respect for folks like PeterA and Al M over at WBF. How many are fit enough to house a reasonably sized full ranger?"

Hi Peter, to your first question, not absent system context. The Soundlabs room was much larger, so a different system. That said, having heard different Magico 10+ times and Soundlabs 4 times, I know that Soundlabs in a BIG room will be my preferred speaker. Incidentally, this is the only SL system I have liked of those 4, and it is easy to hear what dipole stats are doing. The speed and cleanliness of the Spectrals was combining well with the clean stat sound plus the decay that is the hallmark of stats, especially if you have Soundlabs in such a big room. If you listen to a few diplole stats, you will know what I mean by that stat decay.

I have heard muddiness in all other Soundlabs midbass and below which I was not hearing here, possibly Spectral was cleaning it up

I never isolate sound of a component from the rest - here I am comparing Basis to the dCS to the Studer in the same system. A lot of it is reading between the lines as well, but I will leave it at that. That said, in general with analog, it is very difficult to do like for like.

 

[Elliot G.]

Giani, maybe they would have sound better if they took the other two pairs of speakers out of the soundfield so you could really hear what the speakers sound like. Those other two pairs are playing passively as well....

 

[Al M.]

Yes, the B&W monitors we heard on the last Italian trip, with Gian and his friend Marco, were among the most impressive of set ups, at 7 feet into the room. The soundstage started behind and the wave came in from as if the speakers did not exist. The guy who set them up, Dimitri, is considered by these Italian guys to be the best set up guy in Italy. Marco went back home and tried to move his Alexandria X2s2 to get a similar stage.

Interesting, my monitors are also 7 feet from the front wall (distance measured from drivers; room is 24 feet long).

 

[Al M.]

Giani, maybe they would have sound better if they took the other two pairs of speakers out of the soundfield so you could really hear what the speakers sound like. Those other two pairs are playing passively as well....

Yes, and the soundstage, something that monitors are so good at, would have been much better.

 

[caliaripaolo]

Heard those (M5) on the Italian trip with Gian last year, they had the basis audio work of art as the source

http://zero-distortion.org/the-italian-over-the-top-road-trip/

In the owner's room (he is one of the largest Italian distributor, brands include spectral and boulder and Lyra), I much preferred the Soundlabs with the old spectral gear.

they just didn't sound!!!! they are too close the rear wall. They sound like the first stereo recordings, no merging image and soundstage.

 

[bonzo75]

they just didn't sound!!!! they are too close the rear wall. They sound like the first stereo recordings, no merging image and soundstage.

I agree they will sound better dream out. I still liked their decay, clean sound, and speed

 

[christoph]

Dear Christoph,

My wife said turntables are like art sculpture. I quickly said back to her she has eyes and vision like top CEO. Then I showed a picture of AS 2000 to her and got down on my knees.

You just have to know what to do at the right time.

Tang

Dear Tang

You are so correct.
Good Timing is very important

Btw. my wife LOVES the hORNS Universums

 

[Ron Resnick]

Excuse me for butting in again.

I would, Ron. Since I already have the main big system, I want a mini monitor for nearfield listening..no space for midsize speakers. I think Gian falls into my category too since he told me his Montagna is the best he ever heard. No reason he wants a another midsize.

Wait until you get your big Gryphon up standing and singing. You may well think like me. Another pair of midsize speakers would have no place in your home.

Kind regards,
Tang

I understand, Tang. What would your answer be if you had only one system and you were selecting the speaker for that one system?

 

[Tango]

I understand, Tang. What would your answer be if you had only one system and you were selecting the speaker for that one system?

If the size of my room allow and mostly me use the room, I would always go with big speaker system. I think they present a true scale lifesize sound a lot more effortlessly than smaller size speakers. If not Cessaro, it would still be a Horn + SET.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[miniguy]

Ken Kessler’s take on the Ex3ma
https://www.absolutesounds.com/pdf/main/press/SF_E3trema_HIFINEws_July14.pdf

 

[LL21]

If the size of my room allow and mostly me use the room, I would always go with big speaker system. I think they present a true scale lifesize sound a lot more effortlessly than smaller size speakers...

Kind regards,
Tang

In our last room, that was certainly true. Big +1. And here now, have no doubts about that as well.

 

[sbo6]

If the size of my room allow and mostly me use the room, I would always go with big speaker system. I think they present a true scale lifesize sound a lot more effortlessly than smaller size speakers. If not Cessaro, it would still be a Horn + SET.

Kind regards,
Tang

Completely agree, bigger is almost always better if set up properly (a little DEQ never hurt). I never understood why some believe monitors throw a huge sound stage, and not in my experience. In almost every case, monitors require sub(s) and don't match the sound stage size and dynamics of floor standers. Not dinging monitors, it just is what it is, smaller and less transducers, physics...