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My journey to find a speaker + amp + setup for classical music (piano)

Hello, my small room project is almost done, only left with a few acoustic touches. (Couple pieces from GIK, Vicoustics, maybe)

After leaving this hobby for years, I needed to spend quite a time catching up and got lots of help from the forum. I’d like to briefly share my little experience.


First of all, I don’t think I’m an audiophile who likes equipment... indeed I don’t try to listen to the equipment, I just like music. So sound quality comes first, but I only care about the quality of music I listen to (Classical, primarily Piano based and some Jazz) with my sources. This means that some of speakers I consider as “not really” work wonderfully for pop/rocks etc but somehow lack certain aspect in classical music.

I try to come up with the least amount of BS but a slight touch of personal voodoo too. Still, I only care “how it sounds” to me. - Best sound quality with least amount of money


Initially, I was considering something for a bigger space, but I decide to put something in a small room first. Anyway, here’s the result.


Note:

Contenders mean something almost equivalent. Boulder 866 has very slight edge over these for me. When I think “not really,” it just means that either not my personal taste, the quality isn’t in the same league, or the cost-performance ratio is not satisfactory.


Set up

  • Boulder 866
  • Marten Parker Duo
  • Wireworld Eclipse speaker cable (wouldn’t go for expensive ones; also, I would avoid Jorma trinity and anything Nordost) PAD would be worthy considering but only top line meaning $$$
  • Wireworld Toslink cable
  • I got an Audiolab CDT to play cds. I have
  • Roon, Orbi router
  • Lan cable from Bluejean
  • Dbpowrtamp for cd ripping
  • Some Sacds and Qobuz subscription
  • Butcher acoustic platform
  • Now Playing easel from Daiso


Note. I thought I might need a sub like JL f110 v2, but it turns out I do not need it.


  • Amp Contenders
  • CH Precision I1
  • Gold Mund Telos 590 Next Gen 2 w $17k tag (including tax - 50% deal from a dealer, with full Msrp - nope)
  • Dartzeel LHC 208
  • Vitus sia 025

(Not really)

  • Gryphon Hagel
  • Pass int
  • Jeff Rowland continuum S2
  • Bryston
  • Luxman


  • Speaker Contenders

Honestly, I can’t find any other contenders with a similar price range of $11k - bottom line is I coudln’t find one for reasonable lengthy audition.

(Not really)

  • SF Olympia iii
  • Focal Sopra 2
  • Magico A3 / S1
  • Wilson Sabrina
  • Brodmann VC 2
  • Harbeth / Graham / Tannoy
  • Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby / Liszt
  • Boenicke w8, w11
  • Steinheim alumin 2
  • D&D 8c
  • Avant garde Uno Fino
  • Odeon Helix
  • Genelec
  • B&W 803


Fast, high sensitivity - in my case, ceramic/diamond is the starting point. I couldn’t find something horn for my case. - Matching Boulder is secret for ceramic and any other typically considered metallic sound.


“Depth” with the right amount of detail is the key - all about detailed tonality with the right amount of pressure when music coming out.


  • Dac / Streaming Contenders

Very difficult to find one to compete.

Boulder’s integrated DAC is surprisingly good. Boulder knows something for sure. Streaming is flawless too.


  • Molamola / MSB

Personally, I like MSB DAC but don’t like how this company does business. So If I had to go for separate boxes, I would pick Molamola or Dac from Boulder. (new, more affordable model coming.) Aurender topline product is interesting but a bit too much $.



  • Possible upgrade or sidegrade (under 50k) for a bigger space

Boulder 866

+ Parker Quintet (no diamond)

+ Alumine 3 (it’s tricky one though)

+ Sabrina X


If I won a lottery, I would consider the boulder 1100 series with a bigger house.

Along with the 20% discounted Formation Duo that I picked up years ago for wireless, this setup is very cost effective considering its performance level, mainly boulder 866.

If there’s any question about the specific combo mentioned above, I will try to share my memory.


Have a nice day.


128x128sangbro
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,060 posts
 
Dear @sangbro : Normally ( everything the same. ) what makes a true differences for the better or bad are the transducers.

You own very good system and I could think that is well mated to your room with some kind of treatment.

Yes, everything is about MUSIC but  but we want to enjoy that MUSIC at its best is posible and for this we need the " rigth " hardware.

All two way passive transducers as your Marten has a " problem " and this problem is that the mid-bass woofer handeld at the same time frequencies as low as 30hz-35hz and frequencies up to 2.5khz and this fact means that ( no matters what. ) that woofer develops high IMD and adds high THD distortions. The woofer excursion with frequencies at 36hz-40hz impedes a " clean "/accurated reproduction of the up frequencies and is from this fact that comes that InterModulationDistortion that collaborates to increment the TotalHarmonicDistortions.

"  thought I might need a sub...."

Rigth, you need it the MUSIC is crying for. A sub will liberates the Marten from 80hz and below it and will handled the main frequencies above 80-90hz.
When that bass range is reproduced by a dedicated transducer designed for that specific frequencies and that woofer comes with a dedicated amplifer designed to fulfill that woofer needs the overall MUSIC reproduction will be nearer to the recording. 
That piano really will " sing " as better than ever.

Now, the Marten are not the only monitors that could fulfill your MUSIC needs, here 4 options that can work really great for you:

https://www.tidal-audio.com/piano/

https://www.evolutionacoustics.com/loudspeakers/micro-series/microone/

https://www.evolutionacoustics.com/loudspeakers/mini-series/minione/

https://www.kerracoustic.com/k300  ( it does not matters " creamic " does not appears. )

the adequated self powered first rate subwoofers could be for all the alternative including the Marten:

https://www.evolutionacoustics.com/loudspeakers/mini-series/minisub/


For me that could be my first step to improve MUSIC reproduction before to think in new amps or anything else.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.


verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,499 posts
 
I think for piano specifically and classical in general, Vivid is insanely good.  I just spent time listening to a pair of Oval B1 Decades at a customers home driven by MSB Reference DAC and they have an MSB power amp.  First track he played after I set them up was a piano concerto and it was stunning, stop in your tracks kind of sound.  One of those, best system ever type moments.  

You would look at the Giya G4s or Giya G3s in that price range.  They are truly amazing speakers.  Boulder would be a good match for them in terms of amplification.  

Avantgarde is incredible for your preferred type of music.  You are going to probably want to look at different amplification that what you have on your list.  Boulder will be okay with it.  They are typically best with 300B or PX25 SETs.  I am not sure there is an LA based dealer anymore.  I just had a customer tell me he was struggling to hear them in CA.  

Spendor's Classic 200 is another contender you could look at if you are into the BBC style speakers.  Lovely design but a very different animal like Harbeth.  I am reasonably certain you are going to want to change amps as it would probably be a bit laid back with Boulder.  You might find Ayre to be a better choice.  

Finally, check out the Wilson Benesch A.C.T. One Evolution.  The distributor Aaudio is down in Dana Point and I know he has a few models on display.  Again, brilliant for classical.  The only issue I see is that you have a smallish room and the A.C.T. One Evolutions are rear ported and like a little space from the wall.  

Full disclosure, I am a dealer for all of these but I am in NJ so it is not like I can help you audition, etc...  The reality is, I just know and like these brands.  

Once you pick a speaker, then amp and and DAC should follow.  I would not worry about other equipment till you pick speakers you like the look and sound of.  The combo of amp and DAC will alter the sound quite a bit.  

For example, Mola Mola and MSB sound very different and would work better with different amplification and speakers.  Key is thinking about the system holistically.  


jrbirdman333
105 posts
 
I think Sopra 2 would be an excellent choice for piano music. Violin too. 
terry9
2,333 posts
 
Be sure to audition planar speakers. You just can't expect to reproduce the sound of a concert grand and its 20 square feet of soundboard, let alone an orchestra, with 3 or four square feet of speakers. IMO.

I have similar tastes, and use two pairs of electrostatic loudspeakers with Class A solid state mono blocks (vinyl front end). 

Also consider Magnepan. Their 20 and 30 series can fill a big room, but try them in yours. These speakers and Bryston are made for each other; I  speak from experience for that combination, which I used before I changed to ESL's. Good luck!
philiptamarkin
29 posts
 
Others here have far more experience (and probably better ears) than I do, but I'm listening to a lot of piano with Fritz Carbon 6s and a Primaluna Evo 100 integrated,  VERY happy camper!
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