Shoot out at the OK corral!
- Thread starter DaveyF
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actually, not even close to the Marantz players of its day, like the 8260 (when it worked); I think I still have mine around somewhere
I had 1970 Mustang that was the biggest piece of crap I ever owned. Rusted out after 2 years....and I mean RUSTED.
Designed for Southern California (despite being built in Detroit), not Canadian winters
actually, not even close to the Marantz players of its day, like the 8260 (when it worked); I think I still have mine around somewhere
No kidding...
The first Marantz I heard was the SA-11S2 back in 2009. I had not really taken much of an interest in SACD
until then.
In retrospect, I don't think it was that bad a player. It certainly didn't live up to the advanced hype, nor it's cost, and remember that many a reviewer praised it endlessly ... but it just didn't measure up within my system. But it did look cool. I can still remember one individual who came over for a listen comparing pure DSD to my CDP playing HDCD, and although the CD was superior (esp in terms of transparency) ... he still preferred the 777. I asked why, and he said it looked so much better than the Ikemi.
(sigh)
I had it for 6 months, and it just ended up sitting idle most of the time. I can still remember hauling this beast (I can honestly say that it felt heavier (45 pounds IIRC) than my amps which weight 78 pounds each) over to other 'philes systems for evaluation (I also tried to sell it). At that time, the SCD1/777 was the audiophile media's flavor of the month product, so others were curious to hear it first hand, esp since Stereophile gave it a Class A++++ (or something similar).
(sigh#2)
The thing is, it was system dependent to a degree, in some systems it played quite decently. It was never "great" mind you, but it wasn't as bad as I initially figured within my own system. Funny, the systems that it took too, were all moderately priced decent systems. It was being compared favorably to CDPs like the Rega Planets, Naim CD3.5 and Arcam 9s, and a host of transports/dacs. Actually, the person who finally took it from me - replaced it with a 9.
tb1
Actually, by 2002 the 777 was clearly outclassed by cheaper competitors (like the Marantz I mentioned) on CD playback, but especially on SACD's. Listening to SACD's on that Marantz led me to decide that I didn't want to spend the many multiples of its price that it would take to get an LP system (for my tastes) that would consistently better it.
Interesting post.
Funny you talk about Flavors of the Month. I very much find that whole scene amusing.
In some ways, the KEF LS50 is the speaker flavor du jour. Great, speaker, don't get me wrong, but the hysteria
surrounding it is quite amazing. I still recommend it highly, as I did in my review, but the length that some will go to defend
its limitations borders on religious.
Indeed. I also find the obsessive march up the DSD mountain rather single minded...
Interesting times!
Time will tell whether the LS50 will attain something approaching cult status or they will be soon forgotten. The biggest limitation that I see with the LS50 is the lack of a true bottom end which contrary to what you and some others said is easily rectified by using subs. The argument against being able to blend in subs with the LS50s so they retain their magic has now devolved into a cost argument. Now the same people who said you couldn't get a sub or subs to integrate say that you must listen to them in the near field for best results. And of course this comes from guys with very small rooms that must listen in the near field whether they want to or not and haven't had a chance to hear what they can do in a bigger room with subs. Whatever...
Amir-How big is the room that you have the LS50s playing in with the Revel sub? How far away from the speakers are the listening chairs/couch?
Indeed. I also find the obsessive march up the DSD mountain rather single minded...
Interesting times!
Care to elaborate?
I'm just guessing, but probably that there are a good number of listeners who either prefer hires PCM or have no preference between it and DSD. IMHO, there's no reason the two can't coexist peacefully and we would all probably be happier if all our music were avaialable in either format,
I agree that the two formats can and should coexist peacefully. Audiophiles can seldom agree on anything so there will always be arguments over which format is better. I am solidly in the DSD camp because it simply sounds better to me than any PCM format.
Wow, I leave for a few hours and this is what I come back to, LOL.
I have sent mep a PM ( as he requested), we shall see if he bothers to respond.....even with a
To answer the question about the GH stands, they are the original GH stands and they are 35" tall. My listening chair was chosen to put my ears at the tweeter height. My room is very small...it is 10'x9' with a vault ceiling going up to 13'.
Andre and I listened in the near field to both speakers. We did NOT move the speaker stands in any way. I place the speakers into the room about 3'. As Andre mentioned, the room includes acoustic treatment (there are Real Traps Mondo
traps on the wall behind the speakers and a Real Trap Micro trap on the wall behind the listening position.)
I have sent mep a PM ( as he requested), we shall see if he bothers to respond.....even with a
To answer the question about the GH stands, they are the original GH stands and they are 35" tall. My listening chair was chosen to put my ears at the tweeter height. My room is very small...it is 10'x9' with a vault ceiling going up to 13'.
Andre and I listened in the near field to both speakers. We did NOT move the speaker stands in any way. I place the speakers into the room about 3'. As Andre mentioned, the room includes acoustic treatment (there are Real Traps Mondo
traps on the wall behind the speakers and a Real Trap Micro trap on the wall behind the listening position.)
Wow, I leave for a few hours and this is what I come back to, LOL.
I have sent mep a PM ( as he requested), we shall see if he bothers to respond.....even with a
To answer the question about the GH stands, they are the original GH stands and they are 35" tall. My listening chair was chosen to put my ears at the tweeter height. My room is very small...it is 10'x9' with a vault ceiling going up to 13'.
Andre and I listened in the near field to both speakers. We did NOT move the speaker stands in any way. I place the speakers into the room about 3'. As Andre mentioned, the room includes acoustic treatment (there are Real Traps Mondo
traps on the wall behind the speakers and a Real Trap Micro trap on the wall behind the listening position.)
Hey DaveyF, who knew a fun and light hearted comparison would turn into an inquisition...lol..
BTW, exclusive of any comparison to your sublime SFs...what is your synopsis of the KEF LS50 sonically....
It is a pretty small room. I say the width is something like 10 to 11 feet and the depth maybe 13??? Just guesses as I am home right now. The LS50s were maybe 6 to 8 feet away. In this situation we placed the speakers closer to each other. Having them too far apart given the relatively short distance to speakers didn't sound right.
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