The Definitive Solution...

[John57]

Of course, there's no such thing. Indeed from a philosophical perspective, drive for perfection is along with actualisation the top of the motivation hierarchy and keeps us growing, driving us forward in technology skills and aspiration.

And yet here is a commanding review from recent times of one version of the Best...and certainly aspirational. For every maker, to (aspire to...) reach their pinnacle. And this story is actually also a step from one pinnacle to the next...like climbing the worlds seven peaks...

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/art...amplifier-and-725-full-function-preamplifier/

As a result of this review these things happened to me:

1. I decided I'd love to try one of the five series (more affordable esp second hand) ...and immediately I searched and there are some available; I wondered do I need the partner pre-amp/first second or at all and would the difference be palpable with just the stereo amp alone...

2. System matching, I think in my case I'm ok...I have great cables and good mid-fi speakers, I'm sure I'll hear the characteristics spoken so well of, esp looking for the 'control'

3. Searched on YouTube and listened to some systems with series 7's and 5's, they varied but clarity and control featured

4. The review itself has caused me to sharply define a version of the best - product category, price, and understand there is a narrow space at the top of the quality tree. 2-3 key pieces exist at this level...maybe hi fi needs a family tree based around quality. Yes obviously your version may differ from mine.

5. Now with this stamp of a version of the best, this is my new ruler, template and benchmark. Both in absolute terms and relatively, in time, in this moment, in this year...

And this shows me what I aspire too...two things: 1) the best that I can afford and 2) the best there is...I enjoy and am very happy with both experiences, one real and one virtual.

 

[John57]

Today I've traversed a few more peaks with crventura on YouTube. And found apparent choices for amps. He replaced his mono configured Soulution amp with four Mola Mola Kaluga bi amped into his MBL speakers...similar power clarity insight.

 

[John57]

Mola Mola...

Today I've traversed a few more peaks with crventura on YouTube. And found apparent choices for amps. He replaced his mono configured Soulution amp with four Mola Mola Kaluga bi amped into his MBL speakers...similar power clarity insight.

Of course there is a really enjoyable story rich with experience and sharing here on WBF Forum http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...YC-to-hear-CH-Precision-FM-Acoustics-Zellaton

Indeed this was such a wealth and dose of CH Precision beauty as the eyes and ears can behold.

The pricing of one Mola Mola I found yesterday on one website was approx Eu$6K. Which I thought was doable...of course in mono form a pair gets you much more impact and then another marginal leap if you go bi-amped as crventura has done. These seem to be a viable alternative to the stellar price and performance of the CH Precision models...

Peter Breuninger has a YouTube video on the Mola's here: https://youtu.be/WoTCQI5EMaU

So far this has been a really nice discussion...with myself lol.

 

[John57]

Another viable brand for top level, and of course there are many...just by looking at the Stereophile annual A-list...is Tidal. Their speakers and electronics are great looking and sounding from the remote and limited YouTube experience one can have.
They also fit into the pricey bracket against say the Mola's especially second hand. It's worth seeking opportunity to listen and for me to learn more about Tidal products...

 

[John57]

What in mind is emerging in terms of classification of categories...there is a top line, say like the CH Precision line, and very very quickly that Top Line is segmented into sources, amplification, DACS and so on. Then the pursuit of individual Top of Lines continues. One general statement, Source is King for example very quickly diverges into which performance, which recording engineer, which studio, mic set-up, which format/release and so on. Physics which has a universal set of principles, themselves that keep crumbling and replaced with more iterations of complexity and closer to reality, a convergence to truth formula is in process. Here in Hi Fi the number of variables is so large on the hardware side, software side and then room/location and finally human perception that convergence is probably inherently unlikely.

Even the emergence of What's Best Forum as a social gathering point it itself a sign of the maturity of the Hi Fi market.

For me what I enjoyed most about the CH Precision discussion was the presentation of first hand experiences and fluid writing of those sometimes quite poignant. And I seek such experiences too. And finding the Mola Mola's for example as an almost doable alternative was great.

Although I was reminded by crventura to seek the best source possible first.

So let me branch this discussion outwards to discuss sources...analog and digital. Anyone care to chime in? Their favourite source experiences?