How about B & W 803S

Hi faust,

     I've been busy exploring the tube world, sorry just catching up now.  I honestly think Contour is outclassed by D3, but I'm surprised how expense it is over in Taiwan.  I think your Taiwan price tag comes out over $10,000 USD.  Contour 30 is only about $7,500 here.  Though to be fair, your poor demo experience is likely due to poor choice of the Audiolab mono-block amplifier.  It's 8ohm (250W) to 4ohm (350W) power ratio is only x1.4 and doesn't even do 2ohm.

    I agree with the store's opinion that new speakers are going the high resolution route.  I'm feeling a bit stupid with the D3 as pairing the D3 with very good tube gives similar sonic quality to the old S with very good solid state.  Here's my dilemma, these new high resolution speakers in theory would work well with SET tube amplifier but they are also current/power hungry so I find using low 8-10W SET amplifier the sound comes out thin.  If I use tube push pull amplifier that produce 40-60W, the sound is very similar to good solid state that there's little incentive to go with tube (maybe tube rolling will change my mind).  So in the end, I might just have to give in and buy a Mcintosh that has the solid state current/power with tube lush warm holographic sound.  sigh, money money money...

Hi, hifineubee,

My topic in Taiwan MyAv has raise up deep discussion between the different opinion group. That is beyond my expectation. It looks like word war.  Opposite opinion persons corssed fire on each other on the subject of audio listening experience......

The 2nd hand audio shop  where I found the 803S has sold out it's 800D and Sonus Faber Guarneri Momento (each pc. weighted about 75Kg with origin speaker stand consists of thick stone.  The shop's selling price is NT$22.5 Wan. (around US$7,500). In the meantime, there is also one same speaker selling on MyAV 2nd hand column which priced at NT$ 190,000 by the original users (not the 3rd or 4th hands.).  But the speaker color of the later is slight dark brown.

I don't know why the expensive one in the shop be able to sell faster than the much cheaper one direct sold by the user. The same model the different is the color.  Generally, the sales through the owner always have better quality and slight cheaper price.  Those sold in the shop usually selling with higher price for the boss need to mark up the profit and some need to send to the expert for fix first before the shop can display for sell.

I also know one 2nd hand shop in the not easy to find inner lane in Taipei. Though the shop's price is slightly cheaper than the above one. But once both shops are sellilng same model, the above one sold out faster even it is selling higher.

I heard some music for comparison in the youtube which there are many combination of audio system and music over there.  The posts showing various tastes the owner have, some are awful, some sounds strange ( agaist your expectation).  If you have time, you can have a try listening. With good pair of headphone you can tell the difference with easy.

Hi faust,

     Hope you're doing well.  Wondering if you've had a chance to further sample Dynaudio's Confidence C1/C2 (I've always liked the C2 exotic look).  I've finalized my new gear to include a cheapie Dared 300B SET tube amp and a ClassDAudio solid state that doubles power from 8ohm to 4ohm.   I went all out on the DAC to buy the latest dual ESS9038pro from Asian.  I guess I'm pretty much qualifying as a chi-fi guy now, shhhh.... don't tell anyone ok.  Originally I had planned to sell the 805S to free up budget but now I think I'll keep both the 805S and 805D3 so I'm stuck with a very frugal budget but still I managed to way over spend, hahaha.  For the same money, I could've just bought a used Mcintosh MAC-6700 but why do it easy if I can do it the hard way right, hahaha?  It'll be another 4-5 days before my new equipment arrive, home is so quiet right now...

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis8gg4b-dynaudio-confidence-c1-mk-ii-w-stands-monitorsEnter your text ...

Holy cow, and I thought the 805D3 was very expensive already...

Dear hifineubee,

I haven't have the chance to listen to the C1 for the consideration of it's high price in Taiwan. It costs US$11,000 here. Many years ago, it costed only half price. It is not easy to find a pair of C1, but there is a 2nd hand imported by the trade house which is C1 Signature with the selling price of US$6,000.   The problem of dynaduio C1 requires big power amp. and the turn up the volume to get the music out of the enclosures.  Big amp. also means big spending....... It is said that the tweeter of C1 has been used in the new Contour 30 which I listen once, but not impressive. Maybe the Amp. is not quite matching.