by Michael

Musical Chairs or Hot Potato?

Been moving things around some.

We are trying to setup things so that we have two systems we can wire with all Nordost ODIN cables [hopefully here next week], with 2 interconnects and one speaker cable [we are ignoring the Coltrane Surpreme’s bass tower speaker cables, at our own ear’s risk, of course – but our pocketbooks and wallets thank us].


Edge Signature One solid-state amps driven directly by Audio Aero Prestige, with Brinkmann Balance turntable and Lamm LP2 phono plugged in to one of the inputs on the Prestige.


Unfortunately, the limitations of the $14K Prestige’s built-in preamp [linestage] is evident, things being a little muddier than what we are looking for [especially in comparison to the pre in the $85K Audio Note Ongaku we were using before :-)]. The Prestige’s built-in pre is fine for things up to, say, $40-50K speakers, at which point the decision on whether to get an outboard preamp has to be made on a speaker by speaker basis – and the size of one’s wallet. The Kharma Mini Exquisites like a little more oomph of the extra pre, the Marten Coltrane speakers do well with either.

I’m sure the Audio Note M10 linestage on the Kegons would be great, as well as the Lamm L2 linestage on their ML2.1 amps, but then we are talking about 3 interconnects for digital instead of 2, and so no 100% ODIN setup.

Downstairs, we have the Emm Labs CDSA driving the Lamm L2 linestage into the Audio Note Kegon amplifiers. Interesting mix of brands, I know, but it sounds re-e-e-e-al good – and it allows us to swap in different amps for demos.


But, since that demo has been postponed, and in the interest of limiting this system to just 2 interconnects as well, we will setup the Emm Labs CDSA player [and/or Audio Note CDT3 transport and 4.1x Balanced DAC] connected to the Audio Note Ongaku integrated into the Kharma Mini Exquisite loudspeakers.

If we just had ONE more pair of ODIN interconnects… and another speaker cable for the bass towers on the Supremes [probably open up their bass something wonderful], … but, no, we can’t go there. That way lies madness. 🙂


A final shot of the Audio Note amps.

We hope to have an 100% Audio Note Sogon cabled system – with some of their SOTTO thrown in as well 🙂 before too long. I anticipate completely different sounds from these systems using these different cables 🙂 And we already did the 100% Jorma Design Prime system [at the RMAF show].

It will be so much fun hearing all the differences.

This is what life is all about: enjoying the differences this world has to offer, and experiencing the fruits of expert craftspeople in the pursuit of excellence.

in Audio Note / High-end Audio HiFi and Stereo / Nordost / Showroom 1 / Showroom 2 0 comments
 by Michael

Good Sounds at RMAF 2007

While going over what I thought were the better sounding rooms at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, I realized something.

Most of the rooms excelled in one or another particular category of sonic preferences, but were only average, or so, in the others:

Sweet: Intuitive Design + Amber Wave Audio

Impressive: FM Acoustics + Acapella [MBLs, duh, Wilson + BAT and Classic Audio + Atmosphere. have too many problems, but notice how the most easily accessible and impressive rooms garnered most of the attention on the forums?]

Sophisticated: YG Acoustics + Krell + DCS [and Apogee]

Enjoyable: Odyssey

I think this also makes sense from a show reporter’s duty to try and convey what various people would like had they heard everything and were able to rule out the, uh, not so prefect rooms more quickly.

I am trying to get a Linnie to tell me why and how he likes his system – so we can add / understand this category of preference that some people have. Not sure any Linnies will talk to me anymore after the last report, but… we’ll see. It can’t just be about brand loyalty and a few good components… Then again, this is the only thing going for about half [optimistically] of the lines out there, so maybe it is for Linn too. [Hmmmmm…. boy, a lot of lines are popping into my head that this is more than obviously true for….]

————————–

Are we nuts to say nice things about equipment that we do not get free to ‘evaluate’ for 6 months, a year, forever? When these manufacturers do not pay us $500 to $3500 a month to run ads?

You would think so to look at some [but not all!] of the ‘professional’ show reports out there.

We have thought [mostly Neli 🙂 because she thought it was funny. Me, it just did not seem like it was going to help the situations any], over the years, about giving out ‘Q-Tip Awards’ to various rooms because we thought they needed encouragement to improve the sound of their room. You know, a kind of not-all-that-funny Worst Of Show list of rooms. [But you have to admit, many rooms are just going to sound terminally bad because of the way they set them up and the way chose their components. Assuming they care, of course, they could use some honest feedback about what someone else thought they did right and wrong].

But perhaps we should really give them out to various reporters / reviewers, not exhibitors. Of course, we’ll probably get even less coverage of our rooms than we do now.

It still won’t help them be more honest or get better ears… but in the interest of accurate show reporting, perhaps it does make some sense.

[Oh, and I am sure all you industry people are going to speak right up on this one, huh? 🙂 But seriously, the rest of you people, you can comment at any time. Really. Don’t have to register anymore or anything. Easy and Free. We know you are out there 🙂 Do you prefer giant treatises or photos? Never mind, doesn’t matter, we got both – we [me, ugh] just did another component swap workout here and should have new photos up here today or tomorrow.]

in High-end Audio HiFi and Stereo / RMAF 2007 / Show Reports / Sounding Off 0 comments
 by Michael

Lamborghini or Marten Coltrane Supreme, Marten Coltrane Supreme or Lamborghini

Christmas season is almost upon us, and as we make out our Christmas lists, there is one question that many people must face.

That question is whether to ask for a popular Lamborghini automobile or the much more exclusive, much more useful loudspeakers from Marten, the Coltrane Supreme.

Of course, many of you might ask, why not both? Good question. But not everybody can afford both and we are trying, in the spirit of the several recent issues of Stereophile and TAS, to address the needs of the readers with more modest incomes.

On the one hand we have last year’s Murcielago…

2006 Lamborghini Murcielago at $288,000 – $319,100

or Gallardo


2006 Lamborghini Gallardo at $175,000 – $195,000

versus the Marten Coltrane Supremes:


Marten Coltrane Supreme Loudspeakers at $250,000

In the interests of choosing the right choice the first time, we offer the following comparisons:

Problems with the Lamborghini:

1) Paying for gas at $3 a gallon [subtract 10]
2) Expensive periodic repair costs [subtract 5]
3) It pollutes [subtract 1]
4) Can’t use it during Winter in many places [subtract 15]
5) Stupid laws prevent driving it faster than prevailing traffic conditions allow [subtract 50]
6) Attracts cute people with dubious morals and motivations [subtract 5. If married, add 10.^H^H subtract 10].
7) Lots of people have them [subtract 20]
8) Conspicuous consumption is often frowned upon outside L.A. [subtract 5 if outside L.A., add 20 if in L.A.]
9) Traffic tickets [subtract 5]
10) You have to get it washed a lot [subtract 10]

Problems with the Coltrane Supreme speakers:

None.

So, the choice is really easy this year. Cool.

Next: The Lamm ML3 versus a Porsche 911 Turbo [hint: the analysis goes much the same way as that for the Lamborghini]

in High-end Audio HiFi and Stereo / Humor / Marten Design 0 comments