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Should I upgrade from B&W CDM 7SEs to Quad 22L2s

I have endured my current setup for about a year now. Been in this addiction for about that long. I am driving the B&Ws with a Rotel BB-1080. Source is a CI-Audio VDA-2 fed by a squeezebox, with a Monolithic PA-1 preamp. I am about to upgrade my amp to an Odyssey Stratos Stereo with upgraded caps. Wanted advice as to whether I should change out my speakers for the Quads. Don't know where I can audition the Quads here in Minneapolis, so was hoping to get some input as to the virtues of going ahead with this switch. My main problem the B&Ws is its harsh treble. I am hoping the new amp will smooth it out, but I am pretty pessimistic about that. Will the Quads be less treble heavy, and overall a better speaker. Thanks in advance for all counsel.
adamaley
adamaley OP
50 posts
 
Don't want to be one that starts a thread and leaves it to die. I received an Odyssey Stratos Stereo Extreme SE last week and have been doing some prolonged listening. The improvement has been overwhelming to say the least. Many thanks to Bluelight988 for a wonderful transaction and heaps of good advice. I have the amp bi-wired into my speakers, and I am singularly impressed with the added warmth of the system. It has gone a long way in taming most of the high frequency energy. I still do feel a speaker change is in order. My B&W CDM 7SEs still seem heavily unbalanced to me in spite of the fact that the new amp provides improved bass, more rounded, 3d sound, deeper and wider soundstage and details galore. I do need to say though that I am impressed with what they do with this amp. I would never have believed they could sound this good. Unfortunately, this glimpse of the better life only makes me want to upgrade them. I am looking at the Quad 22l2s and Odyssey Loreleis. So, jdodmead, you might just be getting an email from me. I'll have to be patient though, I dont want to hear how good your's sound before I am ready to take the plunge. In the meantime I am looking to either upgrade my cables from Blue Jeans Speaker cables to the Greg Straley Reality cables. Any thoughts?
goatwuss
877 posts
 
"Any thoughts?"

Save your money for things that matter much, much more, like speakers, front ends, and room treatments.

Until you have an A+ system in a well setup room, I'd leave the Blue Jeans cables in. They are well made, good sounding cables.
iplaynaked
193 posts
 
Whatever you do, if you want to learn how to make great sound from your system, I strongly suggest that you only change one variable out at a time! - otherwise you'll never know where you're really at!
I'd say that the biggest change (besides acoustical upgrades) would be the speaker change. If, overall, you like the sound of your current speakers, then I'd say try another amp, pre, cables, etc, yes. If you're not thrilled, the speakers will be the biggest change. Then, if you like the speakers you're working with, THEN try other associated gear, wires, power-conditioning, etc.
I say, if you got the upgrade itch, and you want to try the Quads, I recommend you follow that seed, and see where it takes you.
good luck
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