This is a great thread as you can tell what type of sound people gravitate to. I love that as it's a hobby and there are no absolutes...
I was in Audio Connection in Verona, NJ yesterday. He had Richard Vandersteen in to show off his new amps with his 7's....Jonny as always had a great set up for the carbon Treo's, the 5A carbon and the 7's...Lot's of analog as well as digital. Heard Pono for the first time and WOW did it sound great with an Ayre separates and the Treo's....the 5's with AR ref (ref 75 for the amps) was the best I've ever heard them sound. AQ cabling throughout the store. the 5's BLEW us all away...Yes, THEY were THAT great from top to bottom. I'm in awe as they sounded better in that room with the AR gear than most any other 100k plus speaker I've ever heard. Rockports and others included. The 7's were the fastest speaker I've ever heard. Soundlabs, Quads, Maggies, ribbons anything....they are THAT FAST....most folks didn't 'get' the sound. It's the closest to LIVE that I personally have heard. I think it was almost too fast and perfect for most...It's the first time I've ever heard audio NOT sound HI FI...EVER! Again, most won't get it right away, but when you listen you just hear what you are listening for and it all melds together. You can and will sit of hours on end and listen to anything well recorded. It was an AR ref pre, Romulus, AMG table/arm and Richards amps and speakers the cable was WEL from AQ...if you are near Verona, NJ, just got LISTEN...Bring your own records or digital and LISTEN...You will be lost and the hours will melt away. Not saying they will be your favorite, but they rock and play loudly, but it's all about the total emersion into the sound.
I was in Audio Connection in Verona, NJ yesterday. He had Richard Vandersteen in to show off his new amps with his 7's....Jonny as always had a great set up for the carbon Treo's, the 5A carbon and the 7's...Lot's of analog as well as digital. Heard Pono for the first time and WOW did it sound great with an Ayre separates and the Treo's....the 5's with AR ref (ref 75 for the amps) was the best I've ever heard them sound. AQ cabling throughout the store. the 5's BLEW us all away...Yes, THEY were THAT great from top to bottom. I'm in awe as they sounded better in that room with the AR gear than most any other 100k plus speaker I've ever heard. Rockports and others included. The 7's were the fastest speaker I've ever heard. Soundlabs, Quads, Maggies, ribbons anything....they are THAT FAST....most folks didn't 'get' the sound. It's the closest to LIVE that I personally have heard. I think it was almost too fast and perfect for most...It's the first time I've ever heard audio NOT sound HI FI...EVER! Again, most won't get it right away, but when you listen you just hear what you are listening for and it all melds together. You can and will sit of hours on end and listen to anything well recorded. It was an AR ref pre, Romulus, AMG table/arm and Richards amps and speakers the cable was WEL from AQ...if you are near Verona, NJ, just got LISTEN...Bring your own records or digital and LISTEN...You will be lost and the hours will melt away. Not saying they will be your favorite, but they rock and play loudly, but it's all about the total emersion into the sound.