The Perfect Speakers for Jeff Rowland Concerto Int

I've been running the Concerto with JM Labs Micro Utopias, Accupahse DP-77 CDP and Audioquest XLR's (forgot which one, but it has the little battery pack thing at the end that is supposed to do something) for about 5 months. I am extremely pleased with the system and in fact it has changed my attitude about this hobby in many ways. I used to listen to the "system" and obsess about tweaks, cords and cables, equipment, good recording/bad recording etc. Now I just enjoy music. Now I read music reviews rather than equipment reviews, and I buy CD's. Life is much simpler!

The JM Labs/JRG pairing is a very involving musicial experience and I recommend getting to a dealer for an audition.

>>Neilgundel: could you please specify in which aspects
>>the JRDG Concerto was better than the Ayre K-5xe &
>>V-5xe ?

Fair question. My main interest was actually in the Ayre based on reviews, but my dealer had played the concerto back-to-back with the Ayre - since it sounded better to my ears than the Ayre at the time, I took both home for an extended listen in my system. I used Ayre Signature interconnects between the CD - preamp, and between the preamp & power amp.

The amplifiers couldn't have sounded more different in my system: The Ayre had tons of air, but it didn't sound natural at all to my ears - in either my system or the one at the dealers. However, it was very detailed and extended. But especially in my system, the soundstage was unnatural and it sounded very "transistor-like", especially with acoustic music. I have no doubt that many people would really like this sound.

The concerto didn't really sound like tubes, but was much smoother overall, and the individual instruments had a much more believeable relationship to each other.

It's true that everyone hears differently, so it wouldn't surprise me if you like the Ayre better.

Neilgundel: I´m a bit surprised that you call the Ayre stuff sounding solid state like.. I never ever had this impression. I liked the Concentra II - which I had (with a heavy modification) but it couldn´t match the transparency, air, speed and detail retrieval of the Ayre combo. May I ask which components you use ?

Hello! I am from Austria for me the perfect speakers for this amp are the Consensus Audio DINGO! These are the best monitor speakers I have ever heard!! If somebody like to see a foto of them please write an email!

Having gotten to know Jeff a bit through review of his Capri and 501 Monos, I believe he would suggest there is no such thing as "perfect" speakers for any component, which is one reason why he would not make a recommendation. Too many gear combos, too many ears, too many tastes to say one is perfect.

The minute you get "perfect" you can change something and get "more perfect".

See my review of the Legacy Focus HD, which touches on use with both the Capri-501's (similar config./same mfgr. as Concerto) and Pathos Classic One MkIII's in "Pathi" (bridged) configuration. My listening impressions with the JR equipment are in the second half.

http://www.dagogo.com/LegacyFocusHD.html