System edited: Added a BC28 amp to replace my trusty old Bc-22. The midrange is now completeky fleshed out and has that inner glow comboined with impressive dynamics and COMMANDING bass. Another big change was an immersive soundstage. Thing are definitely warmer but by no means a tonal stretch.
System edited: Made some wholesale changes. I wanted a bit more dynamics out and high end extension yet retain the wondeful bc warmth and musicality. I'm pretty happy with the Kimber products as I think they are a fine balance. next upgrade will be the Cd player, but I'm still debating on that. I love my Meridian but again feel it is a bot sedate and *sometimes* bland. Thinking about Sim Eclipse, Lev 390s or Naim CDX II...any thoughts?
They were my second favortie speaker and something I think about even now with my Dyn's in the house. They were less susceptible to placement issues and were a bit more dynamic than the Dyns. I actually preferred the TSM to the big VSM! -Vik
System edited: Finally settled on a pair of speakers. After hearing the Merlin TSM-M, 1,3se, Sonus Faber EA II and Revel M20 I went with the 1.3se. The dirst tim eI heard these speakers I hated them. I thought they were bright, hard, and analytical. That was at a dealer in canada with a Cary CD player and Blue Circle amp, and I can't reclal the pre, I think it may have been a Cary as well. I think my impressions were based on improper positioning in the room. Certainly they were accurate, but they shouldn't have been 5 feet into the room. Floorstanders yes, monitors, I don't think so, Here in DC I heard them at a dealer and they sounded wonderful. The one thing that strcuk me was how tonally accurate they were. I loved the euphonics of the Sonus Faber, but instruments didn't sound as real or as there as on the Dyn's. The SF were spacious and great but I couldn't see purchasing them both with their price and sound. the revel M20 had zip life to it. I liked the accuracey of the Dynaudio but it never sacrificed musicality. The Revel did that. Flat and lifeless, a real disappointment although I'm sure they measure pretty "accurate".
System edited: Finally bit the bullet and upgraded my source. I fell in love with the Meridian, Nice smooth and musical. I compared against the Jupiter 2k and Cary 303. I preferred the meridian, Cary and jupiter in that order although all were great.
Well I tried the amp into the wall directly and have to say I really prefer it that way. I had my buddy switch the power amp cord from the wall to the Power conditioner and the most immediate thing I noticed was the dynamics really were hurt b y running the amp thorough the power conditioner. I even turned the vlume up when using the power conditioner and felt liek I was mssing some authority in the music. I think my next experiment will be trying to plug the amp into a passive conditioner like the one from PS audio, i think its called the ultimate putlet, as opposed to an aactive conditoner liek my blue circle. It woudl be niwe to have the best of both worlds...
Wow, changing rooms is indeed a call for changing speakers.
As you, I also think matching the speakers to the room is very important. And TWO subs, now that should be excellent. Besides "stereo bass" which I'm not sure exists at lower freqs, two subwoofers will allow infinitely more flexible bass loading than one sub. Every room has standing waves, and smaller rooms have more of them at more frequencies. So by wiggling around the two subs, one should be able to reduce many of the problems.
I'm sure you know all of this, as your plan indicates. Just thought I'd mention it in case other folks are reading and wondering, as I did for a very long time, "Should I get one REALLY good sub, or two pretty good subs". Of course, if you can justify/afford two really good subs, then you're the KING!
As for your quest for monitors, here's to hoping you enjoy the hunt and the eventual change. I do think that all of the speakers you mentioned will be a dramatic upgrade in mids and highs.
Oh yeah, you said: "I am going to plug the amp into the wall and not the power conditioner and see if it helps any"
Let us know how that turns out. I think we are all playing with power conditioning these days, so any observations like the above will be helpful.
Thnaks for the response Audiofile9. I am moving my system to my bedroom so monitors are really the only reasonable choice for me. I am thinking two rel subs may be the way to go...I figure its going to take a bunck of fiddling with though. Actually I don't mind that as long as I knwo there is a goal I don't mind workign for it.
Per the cd player I am sooo gun shy on buying another player. I have heard better yes, but for now I think speakers are the best place for me to alot money. The problem with the amp is that it is a little starined at 125 watts and at the volume sI listen to. I am going to plug the amp into the wall and not the power conditioner and see if it helps any. I may look into the BC26 if I go when I go with different speakers. I think the BC has the resolution but the control is not there. Sounds so...limited. Nice and tight though! Thanks for the tips though!
Looks like you've got a pretty well balanced system, and tweaked out very well too. Kind of hard to point to any specific thing, but I would look at the CD player as perhaps not sending everything down the pipe, even though the pipe can handle it. The English certainly know the timing, as you probably heard with the Naim stuff.
Be careful about mating monitors and a subwoofer. In many rooms, it is very difficult to get the sub to blend in seamlessly. The REL's are quite good at blending from what I've heard, but almost all rooms are bad news for bass response, especially when relegated to a single source. If I were in your situation, I would think about CD player and AMP before taking the scary step of speaker change. (besides, the PSB's are quite good). I've heard the BC amp in several systems, and I think the PSB's could use more resolution and control from the amp.
Well, hope that helps. Sometimes, it is tough to find the "next" step, but that is usually a GOOD sign. It means the system is pretty well rounded :)
So I suppose I should write what my system goals etc were and wher i woudl like improvment. I am lookign to gwt into a monitor sub combo first. I am thinking of the following models: Egg Isabel Revel M20 Silverline SR-17 Merlin TSM I have heard the top two so they are at the top of my list. I woudl pair them iwht a REL Starta III sub.
So I love the transparency of this system. Nothing is in the way of the music and my ears and it throws a great soundstage.
The weak links as I seew them are the speakers and the cd player then maybe the amp (depends on what I upgrade to, I might be able to downplay its weaknesses, deep bass, and highlight its strength, sweet mids and highs)
I am always playing wih IC and am lookgn towards Cardas cross stuff now as well as the Acoustic Zen line. I prefer a warm openb sound thats nice and smooth but has a taut bass section. Cardas I think may do this JPS cables are nice, and a serious upgrade from my old DH labs stuff, but i is a little clinical and dr. Some call it netral and that what the wany from a cable but I think it adds a little life and reality when yu have some tube cable warmth thrown in for good measure
PC I have no clue and haven't even looked into experimenting with other brands ALthouhg there were clear differeces when changing to the Power AC over stock
I also love the power conditioner. IT took a signifignat ampunt of glare and haze from the system I have A/B the conditioner and straight into the wall and easily coudl tell the two apart. My power sucks though so yur milage may vary
The cd player has a great deal of detail and the warmth was helped by adding dh cones and squares underneath it. The timing of the piece isn't the best though. Also it throws a bit narrow sounstage. I tried out Naim stuff (CDX) and it was very nice as well as the Sim Audio palyer which was the fines CD player I have ever heard.
