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Our home system: How good it is?

My music sound philosophy/reference is the live music/event that unfortunately I can’t mimic on my system or in any other audio system that I heard. I always say that the very best we can achieve is to be nearer to the recording and even this target is a little “ elusive “ to get for say the least.

Through my audio life I heard a lot of different audio systems: I heard it on audio shows, on dealer rooms and on home people’s systems.

With out any doubt the best audio system performances that I already experienced were/are on home systems where I learn several subjects ( including the people music sound priorities ) and one-two of them are the in deep care in the SET UP of each link on the whole audio chain ( including room ). Some of high price systems that I heard it are not very good because its “ lesser “ care on the each link SET UP.

I want to share with all of you my latest experiences that I had 2-3 weeks ago when I visit some audio friends on USA.
I was exposed to 7 different home systems and I share with you my thoughts on only 4 of those home audio systems that I consider have nothing less but top/first rate performance and where I really enjoy the music.

First than all I want to say that all those audio friends were very gentle and with a very high sense on hospitality: thank you in deep to every one for that I really appreciate it in every way including your very value time that you take/give me.

The best subject during my visit to each one of those great people was to know/meet them: meet people with an in deep knowledge on music ( music lovers more than hardware lovers.), with in deep audio experiences, with in deep know how on their each priorities, with in deep care on whole room-system SET UP, with a great software, with an open mind to share and to accept different points of view, with in deep understanding that there are no perfect systems, with a “ humility “ attitude that it is a must to have to grow-up and with the enjoy “ feeling “ of music listening.

This was a very rare opportunity that I enjoy it and that I know I was so lucky about: Thank you again to all of you!!!!

In no order of preference here it is:

HOUSTON: Fred’s place with a dedicated audio room. Acapella big Triolon speakers, Einstein front end electronics, Rockport/Titan i analog rig, Nordost, JC-1s amps, etc.

When the first music note comes from this system you know that it is something special and after a few minutes you forgot about the hardware and start to enjoy fully the software ( either analog/digital ).
The system is so easy to transmit the music “ feelings/emotions “ and let that the sound/music flow directly to your mind.

Those Triorlon are really great and my hat off to Acapella people because they blend three different speaker drivers in an almost perfect mix. I don’t like ( but the immediacy ) horns ( I heard many of them ) and the Triorlon’s has two of them in the midrange frequency range and I have to say that these horns are the lower horn-signature that I ever heard, the mid bass/bass are moving coil drivers and the Plasma tweeter is ( probably ) the speaker star but with out saying “ I’m here “, like I say almost perfect driver blend.

BOISE: Steve’s place with a dedicated audio room. MBL 111 speakers, custom made Berning’s monoblock amplifiers, Technics SP10 MK3 with a Steve self design/build gorgeous plinth with Schroeder Reference tonearm and strain gauge cartridge/front end by Soundsmith and Lyra Olimpos.

This was my three time that I heard MBL speakers and my first time on a home system: what a difference!!!!, these system/speakers are so near the real music that, like in Fred’s system, the only think that you want is to hear music and more music: LP after LP and again!!!!

Those custom made amplifiers are very good match to the MBL’s and has the lower coloration of tube-signature amplifier I ever heard. I know that the MBL speakers are not easy/friendly with tube electronics and in this system everything is on target, of course that Steve’s hand on this count a lot for that.

I experienced here two different quality performance sound: the Soundsmith one ( that is good ) and a MC cartridge one. I have to say that the Soundsmith rig was only 20-30 hours from new and even Steve was “ playing “ with the set-up. Anyway IMHO that day the Lyra quality performance was way better and I enjoy it for many hours. With this MC cartridge things ( great things ) come out specially the non-sense audio system: disappear!, I had only the LP music performance: great performances.

DALLAS: Louis’s place with a dedicated audio room. Kharma Exquisite 1A speakers, CAT’s monobloks ( new ones: 30 hours on it. ), Lamm/Aesthetix front end electronics, Garrad 301/Triplanar/Xv-1and Technics SP-10MK3/SME/Air Tight both with a custom made wood plinths and the 301 with a custom made power supply.

First thing you note at Loui’s place is that huge room, the biggest I ever know ( maybe 2.3 times the Steve or Fred ones that are big. ) in a home stereo system.

Here I think that the stars are those 550 pound each speakers and its room good integration ( not an easy task ). Like the other systems this one is different but really good. This is my second time hearing Kharma speakers and I have to say that are very very good performers.

The whole sound is a refined/sophisticated one where you or anyone are asking for more, not more quality but more time to heard/hear and enjoy music. I was surprised by the 301 rig quality performance ( where I know very well the XV-1 quality. ): first rate, I can’t hear any coloration that I can/could say: “ that’s was the 301 “.

As good as I heard that system Louis told me that through his Lamm amplifiers ( SE 15-18 watts ) the quality of the system’s sound is a step higher!!, unfortunately I can’t hear it with these amplifiers. Anyway a pleasure to hear it on the Cats.

SAN DIEGO: Mark’s place with out a dedicated audio room ( the system belongs to the sitting room ). Revel speakers, Threshold amplifier, Hovland front end electronics and Raven/Triplanar/Ruby 2.

It seems the “ modest “ system on the group but a top quality performer where we know immediately the very hard work that Mark made to achieve that high quality performance. I know very well the Ruby 2 and in this system is something to hear.
Here there is no single “ star “ but a very good set up of audio items group that sounds a lot better that some very high price systems that I heard, money means nothing at all with out whole/overall knowledge.

As different as are all these audio system all them share common things: system whole synergy, when you heard it you know everything is there ( soundstage, good tonal balance, inner detail, transparent, fast response, dynamics, etc, etc, ), nothing is telling you “ I’m here “ ( very well balance ), sounds good with different kind of music and at different SPL levels, you can heard it for many hours and enjoy every minute, etc, etc.

Are these audio system “ perfect “ ?, certainly not: nothing is. Their owners ( all of them ) already know that they have “ land “ to improve and more important that this fact is that all them know where to improve.

Something to “ ask “ to these systems?, well as you know I’m for full range ( octave to octave ) audio systems and if I put really exigent then I can say that all these system “ miss “ the last bass octave/half octave. This bass octave is system/room dependent and speaker design specification dependent: non of those speakers were designed to achieve that low bass frequency range with the same high quality of the other frequency ranges.
Anyway I can say that I never feel the necessity of that bass octave during all those many hours of music pleasure hearing all those audio systems.

It is a nice thing to learn, through other home audio system listening experiences, if what we have at home is in the right “ road “ and this fact help all of us to grow up in the quest of home audio music sound reproduction heaven.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Ag insider logo xs@2xrauliruegas
elinor's avatar
elinor
275 posts
 
OK, if we are getting nostalgic over bygone audio days, let me say that a close friend and I have spent many hours over coffee remembering our misspent youth in the mid-1960s during which we spent rainy days at Sam Goody in Philadelphia when it was the only Sam Goody outside of NYC and Paramus, NJ. We sifted through thousands of records, talked about music to the record sales help, and listened to audio names we couldn't afford like KLH, AR, Fisher, Marantz, Garrard, Dual, Shure, Pickering, etc. What a wonderful way to while away a nasty Sunday afternoon. We considered the sales help to be friends and we shared stories about music, recordings, and concerts we had attended. The audio sales people never asked us how soon we were going to make a purchase or how much we were willing to spend. Great memories in an age when recorded music has become nothing more than a laundry list on the internet and equipment something to be looked at and not touched at your local high end dealer.

Mark
lewm
13,142 posts
 
Elinor, Amen to what you wrote above. Home theater and the internet have killed the retail two-channel audio industry and the camaraderie that went with it and are threatening this hobby. I have a couple of 30-year friendships with guys whom I first met because they were salesmen or fellow customers in various audio salons in NYC and Washington, DC. That's not possible any longer, or at least it's very rare.

I also agree that after a session of live music, the home system, much as I love it, is seen to pale by comparison. I'd love to hear any one of the systems that Raul describes above, but I am sure that the same phenomenon applies.
goldeneraguy
442 posts
 
Raul , Oh yes i remember those days well.I also had a Soundcraftsman which I tried in every conceivable position.As soon as the first LP spun I would marvel at how the sound improved.After listening to two or three more LP's I would start to think that it sounded better in the previous hook up.It took about a month to realize it wasn't working for me.Then I heard the DBX.Wow i still remember that Donna Sommer's little known Spring Affair was playing at the time.This thing really worked.
It was fun back in those days we thrilled with each new purchase.I knew nothing about compliance,resistance or even if my cartridge was set up properly.I assumed it was correct because the Audio Dealer himself set it up for me.
I didnt start the learning curve until I read my first TAS.
I guess I'm a slow learner because there are so many things I have yet to learn.Reading these posts from some knowledgeable people like yourself has helped greatly.
What hasn't changed is the arrogance and know it all attitude of some people we deal with.To them I say its never to late to begin Life's Learning Curve.
Enjoy
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rauliruegas OP
13,101 posts
 
Dear Gregm: +++++ " your post makes me nostalgic. I remember it being a time for discovery and very exciting at that! " +++++

It were really exiting times where some of us start to learn in the same way that many other start the audio learning fun today.
Harder times than today where there are a lot of options all over the audio world.

Not only those " old " times are " nostalgic " about hardware but on software too. It happens that I love/like music but I love/like dance music too and those times were great for me, I remember ( I was a cild ) that my father heard all the time the Big Band's recordings like Tommy Dorsey, Gleen Miller, Xavier Cugat, Harry James, Benny Godman and the like, he and my mother were very good dancers on that kind of music and other Mexican/Latin one. I really like all those great music : I like to hear it and to dance it!. In different age: Ray Connif, Paul Muriat, Caravelli, Roger Willams, Percy Faith, etc, etc. and of course: Sinatra, Benett, Aznavour, M. Mattieu, A. Williams, Belafonte, Steissand, Dassin, etc, etc.

During high school I grow up with Rock and Roll: Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fat Domino, Neil Sedaka, etc, etc, too many to name it.
Over the time I enjoy a lot the Disco Music age: Munich Machine, Giorgio Moroder, Love an Kisses, Alec Constandinos, Don Ray, Cerrone, Donna Summer, Salsoul Orchrestra, Simmon Soussan, Alphonse Mouson ( Poussé ), Santa Esmeralda, etc, etc, . Btw, been in Steve's house ( Idaho ) and looking for a recording I found a Santa Esmeralda recording and I ask Steve to hear it and I think that both enjoy it the two tracks that we choose: Glory and Don't let me misunderstood!!, I want to tell you that this kind of recordings are not an easy ones because its heavy equakization specially at high frequencies so it is a real test for any audio system and in the Steve's one everything was right.
Then the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Animals, Kinks, Peter and Gordon, Herman Hermitt's, etc, etc.
Btw,

I enjot all those differents music's age and many others till today, I own almost every recording on it and I'm still enjoy when I hear/heard that music or even when I dance with.

The music is a Universal subject and IMHO as important ( but at different levels ) are the names: Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Wagner, etc, etc or Ellington, Fitzgerald, Rollins, Coltrane, Monk, Davis, etc, etc or Eagles, Foreigner, Metallica, Springsten, etc, etc, as important are the other ones I name it.

I think that all of us know one or some song/music that bring to us great memories and great feelings and that's one music great characteristic where it does not matters which kind of music your hear or remember.

Here in México the people say: " remember is to live "!!!!!

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
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rauliruegas OP
13,101 posts
 
Dear Mark: +++++ " When the Vienna Philharmonic plays in Carnegie Hall and I attend a couple of concerts, it is tough to listen to my audio system the next day... " ++++

well here in México we are not so lucky to attend to hear the Vienna Philarmonic or other of the great Symphonic Orchestras out there.
Anyway, for some time I always switch on my system just when I come back from a concert/live event and try to hear some versions of what I already heard at the Concert Hall and normally ( specially in the more " today " times ) I like what I hear, no I'm not saying that I can recreate ( faithfully) what I heard " live ", no.
Normally I miss ( in my system ) the full attack of the notes ( specially on brass and percussions but on chords too ), the easy/natural " flow " of the music and the greatness of the music dynamic that we can hear/feel only in a live event and that tell us we are hearing live music and not a home recreation.
But there are some areas where my system ( like other systems ) sometimes is better: inner detail, transparency and soundstage , all these factors due ( between other things ) that the recording micros were near to the Orchestra stage that ( normally ) where I'm seating at the Hall .

I attend as much I can to live concerts and not because my audio " passion " but because always I really enjoy it!, nothing compares to a live music event, any live event.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
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