Surely, you must have meant the opposite of what you wrote "...there is no one best of anything that is going to sound better on our own gear." You must have meant to have written: There is no single piece of gear that will synergize with every system. With that statement I completely agree. Anyways, the only sure way to know if something enhances one's stereo is to try it but when you listen to as many different combinations of gear (some more synergistic than others) as I have you start to get a feel for these things; call it a "hunch" or "male intuition." Anyways, it seems as though we aren't on the same wavelength so I'll just stop corresponding with you.

Cheers,

bruce30 May 07, 2009 01:52

The ProAc Response D15's are only $3600 msrp & are on sale throughout their dealer network right now for $3299...comparably priced to your monoblocks. They are only "$6k" in New Zealand because their "dollar" is worth less than ours. I've never heard of the guy whose review you read but Michael Fremer asked Richard Gerberg (of ProAc USA) for a pair of D38's which sound ALMOST IDENTICAL to the D15's - with just slightly lower bass - after hearing them @ my dealer's shop during a local audio event. If you can't trust the internationally recognized analog audio guru Mikey Fremer; then who can you trust? I still stand by both the items I've recommended...they are magical-sounding as well as reasonably priced & aesthetically well-matched. I disagree with the following statement you make: "...there is no one best of anything that is going to sound better on our own gear." That's simply not true. Haven't you ever heard of the concept of synergy?

http://stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/808pro/index.html

bruce30 May 06, 2009 16:31

No need to get defensive; I know your system is nicer than mine (including your phonostage,) I'm just passing along information; I wouldn't expect you'd buy anything sight unseen/sound unheard from anyone. I actually didn't get a chance to audition the Bellari before I bought it; I just bought the Music Hall 2.1 & the Bellari together on a whim as a starter vinyl system to let me buy & listen to records while I save up for something more serious - the same could be said for much of my current system. I've since done a lot of listening to various analog systems & was really taken with a Michell Tecnodec/Dynavector/Phonomena combo on a Manley Labs Shrimp/Snappers driving Gallo Nucleus 3.1's cabled with Nordost & conditioned with Isotek. My dealer very recently told me they have dropped Antique Sound Labs because "they don't generally offer a high performance to value ratio anymore." I, however, own an ASL LH-01 preamp & an AQ 1003 integrated that sound decent but kind of noisy - but I knew that was a real possibility going into it; they are Chinese after all. I just thought the Phonomena unit would be a safe & easy recommendation that also visually enhances your system. That's all I have to say & you can take it or leave it.

bruce30 May 06, 2009 00:31

One more thing...I've heard this unit by Phonomena that would look & and sound really elegant in your system plus it'll give you more flexibility in your upgrade path with cartridges due to it's impedance & gain dialabilty...

"What do you say about a product which you've already given a Golden Ear award when it is improved and it's price is dropped? ...this Nova remains, without apology or serious qualification, my new (affordable) reference - and very satisfyingly so." - Paul Seydor, The Absolute Sound, June/July 2007, Issue 172

bruce30 May 03, 2009 16:42

That's a really great looking (& I'm sure great sounding) system, it looks like you possess a great deal of patience & self control in selecting & acquiring your pieces as well as setting them up. The Wharfedale Diamonds are great speakers but should you decide to upgrade them I'd like to cast my vote for the ProAc Response D15's, I think you'll find they do everything that your Wharfedales do but better, have no crossover-induced soundstage blurring plus are very tube friendly AND float "creepily realistic vocal apparitions" between them. Anyways, great job on the rig!

bruce30 April 28, 2009 00:29