I started with an NAD integrated amp and a denon cd player. In 1994 I started upgrading, listening to various components, and absolutely falling in love with the 804 speakers. I had a fixed budget to work with, so I started with the speakers and then auditioned component after component in my room until I came up with this weird system that somehow all comes together, and 10 years later it still plays music like a champ and throws up a nice deep soundstage that pulls you into the music. I'm starting to get audiophile nervosa :) again, and I want to start upgrading, so any suggestions where I should start are highly welcomed. I'm thinking a DAC to get up to date on the digital front end, but I would love to get a new amp now that solid state is supposedly sounding so good. Where should I start? My goals are soundstage depth and detail without being overly bright. (Longtime readers of Stereophile will note that all this gear was in "recommended components" at one time or another. I use this magazine to make a list of things to audition and audition other gear in comparison to what they have recommended. In my experience shortening the list with reviews is crucial to have a starting point, but it took me a year to eventualy come up with this system. Now that it is time to upgrade, I'm hoping some of you will lend me your ears and tell me about some great gear that you own and love that I should audition.)
A classic at the time when most cd players sounded terrible.
Audio Research LS-3
Wonderfully transparent line stage that was cutting edge a decade ago.
Adcom GFA-555 mkII
A controversial amp at the time. It is a bit bright, but throws up a soundstage that embarrased amps at the time unless you payed 3 or 4 times the price...gets the bass and rhythm right whether you listen to Iron Maiden or Bach.
B&W Matrix 804
Just a great speaker. Both the 805's and the 804's got high praise in their day. Both of them are champs at imaging, but the 804's with more bass extension just sounded better in my room.
Audioquest Emerald
.5 meter between cd and preamp, one meter between preamp and power amp. These cables are so transparent. In some systems could be quite analytical, but in mine they sing.
Audioquest Midnight
This was such a classic cable. Half the wire is the highest grade copper, the other half silver. My speakers are biwired with the silver going to the tweeter and the copper to the bottom. These cables make my system work at playing music and not just sound.
Target Component Stand
A budget 3 shelf stand for components. Not made anymore. Nice for the price. Has spiked feet, and each shelf sits on spikes. Looking for new component stands for more shelves and better looks now that I'm married :) Suggestions welcome. Considering Salamander.
Monster Cable Equipment Feet
Four big ones for the amp and four little ones each for the preamp and cd player. I cannot believe how much this changed the sound of my system. I tried different brands and they all sounded different! I was shocked. These are good in my system. Believe it or not you gotta listen to feet like you listen to cables.
My homegrown speaker stands GFS Mk. IV-2.3jg
This is going to crack you up. The 804's sound best when your ear is on the axis of the very bottom of the midrange cone. So the floorstander needs stands. You guys have heard of blue tack right? Of course. Well that stuff is the same junk you buy at the drugstore to put up posters. My stands are made of 12" by 12" bricks stacked with the blue tacky stuff in between. This makes for a rigid stand that dampens vibrations, and the speakers spikes sit right on top. Underneath are garbage bags, so you can slide them around for optimal placement. Now I'm married, so I had to put a black cloth over them, and my wife is wondering if any of you know of speaker stands that are about six to eight inches high :)
Thank you for your thoughtful response!!!. The reason I like the B&W 805's and 804's is preicesly because they don't have that 12" woofer. My apt. can't handle it, and from what you say, it probably does slow the system down. However, I've noted that electronics that work with the 801's work with my 804's so I'm going to give classe amplification a listen, and when funds permit, look out for the hoveland. Thanks so much for your response.
I loved my LS3B. Wish I would not have sold it. Would have, at least, made a great second system pre. I currently am using a Hovland HP-100 which is the finest piece of audio equipment for my tastes I have ever owned or heard. When I had my LS3B I had a CA-400 Classe powering my B&W 801 series 3 speakers I bought new. I thought it was wonderful marriage (I should add that it still is in my mind, B&W makes super speakers and as important solidly support you their valued customer) and it was till I discovered Talon Audio. I had some non-audiophiles doing some ceramic floor laying in my upper floor several months ago when I had both my 801s and my Talon Peregrine X mark IIs. They said it all "These (the Peregrines) are much more refined, right?". I had to agree. The bass on the 801s plunged deep but like Dick Channey and the energy secretary had a wee bit of a hard time reversing motion once going in one direction. Until the Talons I never knew what ultra fast bass and non-hyped top to bottom could do for the immersion into the musical experience. I thought the Talons sounded withdrawn in the mids and highs at first compared to the new Nautilus B&W 801 and 800 or the Wilson Watt Puppy 7s I friend of mine owns. But the more I have retuned my ears to live acoustic music it seems like most speakers are not as natural in their presentation as the Talons. If you hear Avantgard Duo's properly set up you will be hearing a sound that is even more involving than the Talons in the mids and highs, yet I got the Talons because, for me, the Avantages circa 2003 fell down significantly in the bass integration department to such a degree it detracted in the musical connection. But I hold out hope, and strong hope, that this bass integration thing gets resolved since, for me, nothing comes close to the blinding speed of the Duo's horns to make your skin crawl and heart jump and that says something for this 48yo who is about to celebrate 40 years in hi-end audio following this year.
I know what you mean about the Matrix 801's...I became an audiophile when I heard them in my local shop. My budget nor room could afford them, so I got the 804's. I couldn't afford the gear that was wired to them either, so I tried hard to get sound that sounded like it...well, the strenghths of it...now I'm trying to get more strengths. I'm going to look up some info on the pass gear...what kind of music do you listen to?
Hi Jack, thanks for the kind words. Obviously I am a bit partial to the Pass X150 and that would easily fit your budget nicely, used. I do think the Sony would be a good move as the top Sony CD/SACD players are consistently well thought of.
As for the N803's to my current speakers, it isn't fair for me to comment because I was using, with great success, the Jeff Rowland Concentra II integrated with the N803's and I decided to try the new speakers I have and these didn't match well with the C-II at all, so that led to the switch to the Pass gear.
I have fond memories of the Matrix speakers, 801's; I still remember hearing them in my local shop, I was smitten immediately. Ironically I purchased all the electronics that were wired to them, it was the speakers though, as I learned!
Thanks Brianmgrarcom. I took a look at your "ever evolving system". It must sound good, and boy its pretty! Gave up the Nautilus 803's huh? Wow I love that speaker. How are the new speakers in comparison? Basically my price range for an amp is less than 3k, the less the better of course. There seem to be some good amps now for 1500 to 2000 like Musical Fidelity or PSaudio, but recs on used gear would be highly appreciated. For a cd setup I'm considering Sony's new SACD player, but I'm going to give the Benchmark Media System's DAC1 a listen first...at 850 if it brings cd sound to current standards with upsampling and jitter control, then I think I can wait for SACD. But let me know what you think.
Thanks Timo, I still love the LS3 too! Your reference rig is awesome. As you know I'm shopping for a new amp and new digital source, so since you know the preamp, any suggestions? I heard that Ayre products only work well balanced, but what is your experience with the amp and the unbalanced LS3? Thanks for responding!!!
