Upgrading from Kharma 3.2 to Verity Parsifal

Cenline,

I doubt I can try them at my home but what I can do for sure is take my amps to the dealer. Anyway Im ready to invest in this speaker, which means trading an amp for another. Maybe I'll also try the Nagra amps which are said to have great synergy with the Verity. With the 18 W Lamm monoblocks that I heard them they definitely did go low enough. I'll have a few more listening sessions before I decide. Kharma is an excellent speaker and probably does some this things better than the Sarastro but it is a little fatiguing in the higher frequencies.

Fmpnd,

Wow Sarastro must have really impressed you.

Martykl,

thanks for your answer!

jb8312,

Yes verity is an excellent speaker manufacturer. Im happy you consider them very emotional as these are my findings as well, together with an excellent tonality.

Thanks again everyone!

I have only heard the Verity Parsifals once at a show in Montreal a few years ago and it hasn't been the same since. There were also rooms with the Sarastro and the Ovation but the room I am referring to was the Parsifals PRIOR to the Ovation.

I listened to this system over a 3 day period. The early impressions were to say the least not very promising, thin, little bass and closed in. With a lot of adjustments and taking into consideration that the speakers were brand new without any breakin I suppose this could be expected. During the course of the next few days with numerous adjustments and placements the sound improved until finally on Saturday evening I heard the real potential of these amazing speakers. What changed? The soundstage opened up to the point that the speakers truly disappeared, the dynamic capability which was MIA originally was almost live, you are there. Timbres are second to nothing I have ever heard. Last but not least was bass punch, startling to say the least though not the last word in reaching the lower limits.

I feel these speakers while maybe not the best choice for rock will certainly rock with enough amplification and proper set-up but that is not what IMO they do best which is offer a truly believable recreation of a good recording. I only heard the Kharma 3.2 once and was impressed with the soundstage first and foremost. At their price point I felt there really wasn't the value as the bass was not very impressive. The Verity's are a speaker I could easily live with if I could get them to sing like I heard at that show in that quite large room, emotional, absolutely and what they can do with voices! That room was hands down the best of that show and among the very best most involving systems I've had the pleasure of hearing.

While the other Verity rooms were wonderful as well I can only imagine what they might have sounded like in THAT room with THOSE components.

Argyro,

Don't assume that you need to change amps. The Parsifal Encore (don't know about the Ovation) presents a moderately difficult load that rules out 300B and low power OTL amps. However, higher power SETs like the Cary 845/211 models work well, as does my higher power ARC VT130SE tube amp. I've had success with ss amps from Krell, Odyssey and TAD, too. I'd certainly try your Mac amp before I switched.

Good Luck,

Marty

Ι just want to mention that in case I upgrade I'll go for the Sarastro which has a 93 db efficiency. The parsifal is not an option anymore as I heard that it has a 106 db maximum spl and its not full range. So since I want to upgrade I might as well get something that it really worths it!

I know I'm coming in late to this debate, but I auditioned both the Kharma and the Parsifal when deciding on my last speaker. I opted for the Parsifal. I felt that the Kharma 3.2 had a difficult time in translating the weight of the tenor sax on a Coleman Hawkins CD. For me, that killed the deal, though I went into that audition predisposed towards the Kharmas from all the positive press. The Verities have alot more weight in the upper bass and lower midrange.

Whether they are full-range or not depends on your definition of the term. They certainly are full-range enough for my tastes. If I find any fault with the Verities , it is that they are a bit too revealing compared to my previous speaker, Alon Circes, which made just about all music sound good. As other posters have commented, the Verities are on the warm side of neutral, but they are not quite as warm as the Circes or Vandersteen 5A's.

Randy