What, pray tell, were the magic unicorn components that you discovered that provided detail without sounding "bright"? |
There’s nothing magical about any of this. Components like this are typically not designed with ideal bench test measurements in mind. They happen when designers purposefully "voice" components to sound like real music, not exaggerated imitations of it. I believe it’s harder (time & $$ cost) to design in that manner A few examples. All are quite resolving, also quite musical w/o exaggerated treble::
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@immatthewj The Benchmark AHB2 is the most detailed amp you can find. No other amp is as close, until maybe the recent SimAudio North Collection. The AHB2 is a bit sterile sounding with neutral and bright gear. It works well with warmer gear. However, the SimAudio seems as detailed and not sterile or fatiguing. I heard it with what I condsider rather bright speakers. This thing is at another level of detail compared to my CODA #16, which is pretty good in that regard. I recently heard a $100k CH Precision amp a few days after the $15k SimAudio 761 and though the speakers were different the details from the Sim were a lot more. Main thing is that it was not fatiguing. The most detailed gear I have ever heard at any price is the new RAAL 1995 Immanis headphones at $10k. Stereophile and TAS will have reviews of them soon. Not fatiguing at all. I would love to hear this with the AHB2 amp. I think the Sim would be too powerful.
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I heard aa system at Audio Alternative in Atlanta GA about 10 years ago - Vandersteen 7 speakers, Audio Research amplifier, Genesis turntable (and it might have been a Lyra cartridge, not sure). The presentation came across as slightly darker than the usual hifi system - but it had detail out the wazoo! I played "Moby Dick" from the then-newly reissued 'Led Zeppelin II' vinyl and you could clearly hear the hand drums moving forward and backward in space. Same with my demo disc, Don Dixon's "Helen" from 'Romeo At Julliard' |
