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Food or beryllium tweeters for my DeCapo's

The question is moot. Like any TRUE Audiophile, the speakers must come first. Food is a luxury that I sometimes cannot afford. I have decided to feed the Reference 3a DeCapo-i's the meal that they so much deserve. The new Beryllium tweeters fresh as summer corn from Divergent Technologies. I first decieded to purchase the DCaps about a month ago. Speakers come and go 'round hear like the wind at my rear. It seems that every time I look up there is a new baffle staring at me. Sometimes not even a baffle. Maybe a tootie looking horn or chrome balls with a metal grill. You get tha picture. I'm an addict. Driven by reviews, a few words from other addicts or a half naked cabinet. Yep, that's me and I'm proud of it. I've made so many mistakes that it is a wonder that my ears haven't packed their cochlears up and walked out the door.
So there I sat about a month ago, armed with nothing more than a Jolida 202brc and wad of cash form the last set of flying baffles. What to do what to do...(?). Just as I was starting to itch all over, you know the feeling, slobbering over pictures of the stuff you cannot afford.. You dream about all the speaker candy here on A'gon and elsewhere; like the audio salons that you have been baned from (the owners harsh words still ringing in your ears.... GET OUT ! YOU CHEAP BAS.... ) I still remember hitting "enter" and there they were. Gloss Cherry DeCapos on wonderful Skylan stands. Were they gone yet ? I trembled as I stumble typed the words out to the owned... Do still you them have ?? Please me let know ASPA. The hours seemed like weeks as my fingers dug into the new leather case for my Ipad. You would know the one. The only APP is the one for A'gon. The hours seemed like weeks .... And then ! The reply.. "Yes, I still have them". As the thousand hot pokers left my body, I replied... I'll boy them. He was close. I drove to pick them up, brought them home with a minimum of speeding tickets and let the little Jolida do its work on them. The thousand or so speakers in my memory banks turned dark and left me alone to absorb the wonders of these little cherry boxes. My mind immediately searched its cells for my best amps. Edge, Rowland, Classe, CJ, ARC, Bel Canto, Kora... The list seems endless, and ALWAYS "that" question..... Tu be or not tu be. Nuts. The speakers are soooo good. What to do?... The answer came in the Heavenly form of an Audio Analogue Maestro Settanta Rev 2 integrated amp. It arrived and pure bliss smacked me between the ears. The only thing missing was perhaps the over the top Beryllium tweeter. There was a little food left in the cabinets. A half a gallon of milk, some cheese and small pudding cups. There was enough money to order the tweets.
As I sit on my porch, smoking my pipe, the words "out for delivery" are on FedEx's tracking page. I just looked in my pocket and found a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. It won't be long now. Should I let you know ?

Moron this later.
Tubeears
tubeears
english210
175 posts
 
Great thread! Keep it silly!! Of course, if your sound is as good as it can get, where you can't imagine how it could sound better, does that mean you are at the end of the line?? No more forward progress? No more drooling over the screen of your 'pad during your morning constitutional?? The Gods forfend!!

Either that, or you can afford to buy pudding cups in bulk.

Great read, thank you!
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Hi Tubeears, thank you for sharing your joys and triumph, you are a true inspiration and beacon of hope to all that are dealing with adversity, particularly cancer. I have a few friends going through what you have, it is not an easy journey for them or their family. I wish you all the best.

Tubeears has summed things up very well and certainly in a more entertaining manner than I ever could so no need to repeat what he said but AGAIN the one aspect of these speakers that I would like to really get across to those that might be reading this thread with some interest. Yes they image well, good soundstaging front to back etc. dynamics in my space, MUCH better than the dealers' so that was a welcome suprise. Where they grabbed my attention first time and still is the natural tonality and ability to resolve the complex harmonics and nuance of voice and instruments to make it more real, MUSICALITY. They dig deeper into the performance. There is just a rightness that can't be denied regardless of their shortcomings which are getting harder to recognize, oh yeah, they're bookshelfs. While large scale is good it is obvious that a larger speaker is going to be more satisfying especially during very dynamic passages. This is where the larger Reference 3a models might be a bit more convincing but in EVERY other area that is important the DeCapos are just superb and they aren't even broken in and the wire isn't even necessarily ideally suited so there is much to be explored. They are just wonderful speakers and I'm enjoying every moment I spend with them. I REALLY hear you now Tony, enjoy your DeCapos!
melbguy1
1,438 posts
 
Tubeears, I see some members have been critical of your thread. I can see a bit of myself in you however. I know what it's like to put a high end audio system together on a modest salary & tight budget. I have made similar choices at times, go without clothes, eating out, even buying budget food in bulk to get through the week because of audio purchases. Most folks would think you're crazy, but they don't understand your passion and drive to follow your audio dream.

Here is my advice, I own a pair of Magico S5's which have a beryllium tweeter. It is an amazing tweeter and imho is better than the Accuton diamond tweeter. I had a quick look at the Reference 3a BE driver. It looks good, but most importantly if the speaker has been matched to that driver, it should blend in seamlessly. If it won't kill you, i'd go for it!
grinnell
1,091 posts
 
This is one of the best things I have purchased for my system. The HAgerman Cornet II being the other. If you can get a De Capo i used for around 1200.00 do it best money spent.
tubeears OP
136 posts
 


Tubegroover

You have a great way of expressing your feelings about the DeCapos. Everything that you have said is the complete truth, as I have found it with my DeCapos. I will continue my findings as the tweeters settle in a bit more. It should not be very long now and I am gong to put them thru some more tests. You know the ones: playing them in the bathroom, the closet, underwater, upside down. Critical listening. Rebbi is finding much of the same. Looking thru this thread, there is a ton of expertise to call upon. All of you are true and knowledgeable Audiophiles. I am sure that we can provide a complete review as the time arises.
We all have different equipment and cables and we are varied in our listening tastes. I think that most of the Audiophiles on this post are very interested in the findings.. But a "review" is what people look for in the "Review" section. That especially holds true for future reference, but I still believe that this thread should continue for us driven mad by tweeks amd upgrades. I really did not think that this thread would blossom the way that it did.
Dirty deeds can be done dirt cheap if we progress beyond the context of this thread and move ahead to a full review. We need to know ...Which forum to do it in ? "How" to do it. Should the New/Old and modified (DeCapo) be all inclusive in the review ? Who of us has the newest and most updated form ? I think that most of the Audiophiles on this post are very interested in all of the findings that can be laid out by the owners of the Decapos and by those who have already done considerable research. We now have a real need for a full and formal review (with regards to a speaker that has morphed itself into a new life form)... It is needed for the future potential DeCapo owners seeking knowledgeable documented advice. So rise up
.... Ready yourselves with your new tweeters and stand firm (at the audio version of Thermopile) and ready yourselves for attack by the evil and immortal Harbeths..! OK, maybe a bit strong, I like Harbeths.
The DeCapo does need a new .... And somehow impartial review. Quite obviously, all of us that own them are wallowing In the wonders of this gorgeous little loudspeaker. ..... does THAT leave us exempt from a fair and impartial review ?

Tubeears
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