Devor - KEF - Vienna Acoustic – Wilson?

Hi!! Thanks for the kind regards.


Irma took a toll. Been involved in the clean up. And its been significant. It ain’t all done yet either.


As well, immediate health concerns have been a morass of incredible incompetence and needless delays.


I think it has come down to one of these four unless something unforeseen but very beneficial occurs. . other more $$$$ options would be the preff, but I’m sold on one not needing incredibly expensive speakers to reveal “Wow!” listening sessions. Besides, $15 to $20K ought to gather up some pretty competent reproducers despite whose name is on them. If a used pr. By a very very well regarded seller arise, all the better. Especially if they are in the state or at least the region

@blindjim,

I most recently heard the Wilson Sabrina's last weekend with the new Nagra Classic Amp (SS) with the Nagra Classic Preamp (tube). The other equipment was Transparent Cables/PCs/power conditioning and the dCS Debussy DAC playing thru Tidal. It was a very good for sure. Very revealing, nice pace, and very non-fatiguing over the four hours the system was in use. I have heard the Sabrina's a number of times and they've mostly been paired with ARC gear, which also sounds very good. I've also heard them with D'Agostino Momentum Monos/Pre a few years back, which I considered very good and have more recently heard them with an Arcam integrated with room correction (not as good as any of the other electronics I've mentioned previously). I very much like the Sabrina's and the Nagra worked very well with them. While I was there the Nagra Classic Amp was compared to the D'Agostino Classic Stereo Amp. I preferred the Nagra Classic Amp for its finesse and tactilness. The Dag was very iron-fisted (read bass controll) and overall less involving. Funny how a 40 lb. amp sounded better to me than a 108 lb behemoth. Weight, implementation, etc are all factors, but for me, the sound is the most important.

The Nagra equipment is not inexpensive. The amp is approximately $20k and the preamp around $16k. The Debussy is about $11k and the cables I have no idea. But I can say that this was a system that played very well for me. Some people deride dCS for it being to sterile. For me, I don’t remember hearing dCS before last weekend but thought that these pieces played complementary roles. It was very musical to me.

Jim, you said "but I’m sold on one not needing incredibly expensive speakers to reveal “Wow!” listening sessions". This is what this Sabrina/Nagra/dCS system did for me. But I've also heard the Sabrina's with ARC and felt the same. I hope to hear them with the T+A HV series integrated and multi source player. I've read that this combo works very well together but have not heard it yet. Hope to do so in November.

@blindjim 

KEF Blade Two comments – Jim, I took part of the following comments from another thread I was in back in June. --I heard the Hegel 360 at the Los Angeles Audio Show and it was very good; considerably better than the Rost although the Rost was pretty good too. They performed comparison tests between the Rost, H360, and their reference separates. The 360 was fairly close to the separates and it and the Rost have built-in DACs; the H360 is also 250 WPC. The demo speaker was the KEF Blade Two. I liked the Hegel sound. –I can also say that of the Blade Two; very even tonally with a bit of pop and sparkle. Though I liked them a lot, I took them off my list because they are $25k. But I also took them off because I like the Sabrina’s better. One observation is I’ve read that the Blade can be tough if you are close to sidewalls because of the side-mounted woofers. I think the Audio Doctor guys in New York have plenty to say about the Blade here in the Agon forums if I remember correctly.

Of course, on my last two comments, your mileage may vary.

@pokey77
RE: ROST Vas is ROST?

…. Nagra Classic Amp (SS) with the Nagra Classic Preamp (tube).


….the H360 is also 250 WPC. The demo speaker was the KEF Blade Two. I liked the Hegel sound. –I can also say that of the Blade Two; very even tonally with a bit of pop and sparkle. Though I liked them a lot, I took them off my list because they are $25k.


….but for me, the sound is the most important.


Extremely cool. Fascinating insights and well artivulated too. Thanks.


It sure would be nice to get something of a handle on the KEF Blade presentation with tubes. VA Listz and Music as well.


I agree, the Blade IIs will really have to have some long legs to overcome the added costs in either case, Sabrinas, or VA Listz.


I’m really liking the idea of the VA speakers, esthetics and flexibilities. Especially the added setup flexibility of the VA Music… albeit, once more, the disparity in added expense from the aforementioned two units (Blade II & VA Music) is yet another obstacle that might be to difficult to justify another either to ten grand or so IMO. Then too, if one eyes the vA Music, they gotta Eyeball the Blade itself, right?


Especially nice would be getting more of a bit of a handle on what the current VAC Sig II pre and 200 IQ amp yield with any of these speakers. Together, their MSRP = $42K setting them well above some other pairings of great interest, and as you just input here, the Nagra SS plus Tube pre combo @ $36K.


Youtube vids show the above VAC pair with Nola metro Grands (?) and a $7 or $8K CDP I don’t recall its brand or model, or the wires… maybe Shunyata? I recall the PLC was the $5K Shunyata.


Although I want a bit of snap. Pop. But hopefully no crackle. And a touch of ‘kick’ from the system with the genres I enjoy most, Nola’s presentation seems to me similar to some dipoles & open baffle speakers I’ve heard which in all were quite satisfying presenters. Consequently given the notion as you stated here it is indeed all about the sound, not the ego or name dropping trips some can get onto with gear.


Neither do I have a penchant for dealing with 100 plus pound amp (s), but I would if they were worth it. Heat too is not something I fancy, but again, if its worth it, then sure. Thankfully I can still lift an amp that heavy and move it about. Depending. I also bought ‘dollies’ for such things.


One big decided plus here is IF I stick to my plan for non uber priced squeakers, there will be more $$$$ for power and a DAC. IMHO, that is a outstanding factor.


I’ll have to look into the nagra SS amp. Didn’t think they made any.


Lastly, the point of side firing bass drivers could be an issue. Initially, ‘whatever’ will sit on the short wall. A bit less than 14 ft. side to side . A tad less than 21 ft. deep, though no real shot at placing them on the side walls at all as the projector and screen arrangement precludes that choice completely.


The distant 'horizon’ thought however is that I plan on moving to a different house. Where, and when is unclear but it will happen. That next joint will have a larger side to side usable dimension for sure. By how much? No clue. It’ll just be wider or I’ll look elsewhere. . 17ft. W seems about right.


This is a sticking point on the Sabrinas. In my current digs, they would be the likely optimum choice. Sizewise. In a larger room? Not so sure.

Naturally too, if any setup issue exists with those side firing drivers, it would be just a temporary thing.

and then, what about the Devore Gibbon Tens? Their specs indicate a far greater list of compatible amps than any of the others on this particular list.


Unquestionably the end result, or the ‘sound’ is indeed the goal, not the gear.

To my mind the VA Lizst's were right down the middle.  They didn't sound forward or recessed, tipped up or bassed down.  Heard them in a medium-sized room.  They certainly didn't overwhelm (volume control) but there was clearly a lot of oomph left there if you so desired.  In short, they checked all the audiophile boxes (imaging, soundstaging, etc.), and they hit them pretty much all on the golden mean.