This is a system that brings plenty of detail, speed and energy without loosing any musicality and truth of timbre - I have tried SET, SS, Planars, Ribbons, sealed baffles, ported designs and - IMO this is pretty close to my ideal setup.
Fernando: I listened to many pieces of your actual and past gear (Avantgade, Gamut, Avalon, SF Guarneri, Jadis, Reimyo, Dynavector) but always in different systems, never alltogether! So your set-up looks very interesting to me and all the swapping a little compulsive but...reasonable. Set + Avalon is a fabulous match and also OTL + Avalon can be extremely revealing and satisfying (but not cheap). Nice work, nice travel!
Flg2001, The Viva Solista is an exceptional amp. I am surprised that it`s able to drive your Avalons, I`ve read countless times that those speakers must be matched with high power SS amplifiers. It`s good you`re able to make this combo work to your satisfaction.
System edited: Avalon Ascent Mk II added - incredible how the Viva could manage this large speaker with authority, making a well known for me speaker sound at its best.
What you really need my friend is (and as a proud dane i can say) Gryphon Cantata speakers with Q control. This is the speaker Flemming Rasmussen the founder of Gryphon is( for what i know ) still using to this day.It was the first product with the famous Duelund solution troughout the speaker.The funny thing is that he used the Guarneries to compair the Cantatas while developing them. Happy drooling :_)
System edited: Two pieces added: 1) EAR7Technics TdP RyR deck for Tape Project, the best source I have now. 2) WLM Passiv controller for Lyra speakers, increased bass response
That could be the case Daveyf, the Solista now sings with the WLMs and sounds effortless... I still miss some of the GH magic, OTOH the WLMs are more rounded and complete.... this is a never ending story I'm afraid :)
Hi Fernando, you know I have been thinking about your experiences with the GH's and the Extrema's. At about the time you brought in your Solista, it seems that you began to like your GH's less. Your point about the Extrema's being more power hungry also applies to the GH's. I wander if you were not really driving the GH's correctly with the Solista. Which would lead me to say that the results that you were then hearing with the GH's could easily be attributed to your Solista. Frankly, this would IMHO make a lot of sense, especially as you are now enjoying a speaker that is well suited to a low power SET design. Without doubt, the GH's will not do bass as well as the Extrema's, BUT I think they are frankly much more revealing and refined at all other frequencies,including in the critical mids than the Extrema's. Plus,IMHO the GH's are also far superior in their imaging abilities. So therefore, to sum up, I suspect that unfortunately what occurred in your system was an amp/speaker mismatch ( with both SF models)-- which you have now corrected.
I liked both speakers, the GH were very sophisticated and musical, lacking some very low bass information, the Extremas were more complete and resolving at both extremes, but more power hungry. I could live wi any of them.
Yes, I am very happy with the WLMs, they work great with the Solista.
Did you compare the extremas to guarneris ? witch did you like the best and why. Are you still satisfied with WLM? It looks great. Have you heard Franco Serblins Ktema speakers? Yes i have good eyes .. he he
System edited: I just added the GamuT CD1R as redbook player for the system - while keeping the Oppo for movies and other format playback such as SACD or DVDA . The GamuT is a very musical performer, throwing solid images and better dynamics than the modified Oppo Nuforce.
Thanks Smaj - as said, both are fine speakers really - I have seen your system and I can imagine the great synergy of the Levinson with the G's - congratulations.
I think you are very right regarding coloration, and i only ask you because i think the guarneris sound very special and the WLM must be quite some speaker to take ther place
@Davef - I am very impressed so far with my two days with the CD1 - this is the R version (green led redout) and actually I am playing it both ways to record any differences - with the Reimyo as a transport and standalone.
Initial impressions suggest that I can live without the Reimyo.
@Smaj - not sure if the WLMs are more "honest" to the records really - I think no system is since all have some colorations that might like some and dislike others. The Guarneri's are GREAT speakers in many ways where the WLM fail and vice-versa - at the end I could live happy with any of them.
Having owned the guarneries myself i can commit to your descripsion of the sound . A very seductiv sound. Too get your comment rigt, You mean the WLM are more honest to the records then the Guarneris? Thank you for feedback , and a nice wellthought system you have there regards
Fernando, I have been very interested in the Gamut CD1 for a while now; unfortunately never having a chance to listen to it...so your impressions will be extremely interesting ( the CD1 has great press with my local 'phile group..:0) ). Are you using it as a transport only or as a full player?
HI Fernando. thanks for that. in a word, wow. that is a big statement given the quality of the Reimyo DAC. I have further heard many mods have been done (some of which take the Nuforce much further)...
In any event, i am contemplating a Mac to Empirical Audio Mod to the Zanden via its i2s input. Not yet, but hopefully in 2011 sometime...i would definitely seek to trial the server against a super transport (Zanden, Esoteric, Metronome) first before i invested the money. I will pounce the minute i hear a server that can match one of these.
Meanwhile, look forward to hearing more about the Gamut...sounds extremely promising. Enjoy!
@Smaj - these are different speakers - not better - than the Guarneris I had in the past - the Sonus Faber were very sweet and musical speakers with great craftmanship, the WLMs are more complete, fast, dynamic and recreate the recording ambience faithfully.
@Lloyd - I also have an iMac/Puremusic/Reimyo digital server, the Oppo/Nuforce sounds slightly better (additional depth and resolution) - I am keeping both sources since the user interfase of the digital server is fantastic compared to the old silvery discs. I am now trying a Gamut CD1 as an alternate red book transport and initial findings point out that it outperforms the Oppo in many ways.
congrats on your continuing evoluation! Great to watch it on your posts! Why did you replace your Apple TV with Oppo Transport? (I currently use Oppo BDP-83 as a transport-only too...but was thinking of going to MAC-based server!...possibly with empirical audio Pace Car for jitter reduction.)
Is the sound from transport better? BTW, i found that the Oppo benefited HUGELY from an upgrade to the stock powercable. I normally used PAD Dominus or Ann Contego across my entire system...but for the Oppo, i just bought a new cable from a new group...Sablon Audio. Their Robusto is stunningly good and roughly USD600. A veritable steal (i know the founder but am not affiliated in any way). they have a return/trial policy and mark coles (founder) is super-helpful. Good luck! and let me know please why you switched from MAC to Oppo. Thanks!
