Augsburger

Well I understand your point, but for that kind of loot I would expect the 101s to perform superbly in every category. True enough that omnis are probably not a good match for my listening preferences, but I was not in the market for MBLs anyway so my audition wasn't a major disapointment to me. I was expecting that for $21K in amps and $50K in floorstanders there would be nothing that this system couldn't excel at. Pehaps I am a bit unrealistic and niave but the cost return slope seemed to have flattened out at their price point. Again for me the midrange was precise but lacking in emotion. I feel both Thelonius and Bill recorded in those two clubs should create a feeling and atmosphere which the midrange should help convey...... but the whole package was a bit flat. There could have been many reasons why this system disappointed me, ie the HD or MBL source, the room acoustics, the rain outside, so everyone needs to hear for themselves.

Sorry, a long stressful day with way too little sleep. Let me try to expand a little further. By any and all means, visually the MBLs are impressive to look at and their music dispersion is great. We demoed them in a 35 by 25 foot room and in most places the music filled the room very well. As one would guess, sitting on a couch positioned between the two towers and about 10-12 feet away was the best location for soundstage. Again the speed and power was impressive but not at the level I was expecting for what they cost. I have heard multiple versions of the Monk and Bill Evans CDs from MP3 to XRCD to vinyl so I believe I am familiar with the sound of the instruments and how the music plays on different systems. I chose the Monk CD because it is a live club recording at the Five Spot in NY with interesting ambients of the audience in the recording as well as the piano Monk plays has a distinctive texture to it. The Roy Haynes drum work is prominent when it needs to be and subtle otherwise. Most importantly you can hear the drums and bass notes as well as the reverb off the instruments, in short the instruments sound real.... on these recordings and in some home and HF systems. It was just that in the MBLs I was expecting much more for the price and was a bit dissappointed.

Well what can I say? (Rhetorically) They are an impressive system to see, anyone that has them in their home or palace immediately announces to people that they are the big dog. Please do not get me wrong regarding my prior post, the MBLs do sound very good but not awesome. I was expecting for the uber deutch marks they charge for the pair that they would bring Thelonius Monk into the listening room, but they didn't. Granted I had only about an hour and one half to hear the MBLs through a HD system, an MBL CDP, and a pair of the Dali Concept Tens, probably not enough real time to thoroughly evaluate the system but that was not my intention anyway. I really didn't want to demo the MBLs because I knew that I couldn't afford them if I liked them and I might be ruined after the experience. We played Thelonius Monk Misterioso, Dave Bruebeck Take Five (20 bit Remaster) and Bill Evans At Shelley's Manne Hole XRCD. The MBLs just seemed to be one notch away from something, and something was missing. The sound stage filled the room but felt like the band was lined up one next to each other. In short I felt the MBLs had plenty of power and speed but not the detail and texture I was expecting.

Well I auditioned an MBL system last week using a hard drive source ripped to lossless and one with the MBL cdp. The HD system seemed less lively and detailed so of course software protocol in a HD system is paramount and I suspect this retailer may not have had everything ironed out as yet. I just wanted to offer my opinion that HD systems are not a panacea for beautiful music, as with every bit of gear synergy and correct implementation can make a huge difference. I am ashamed to admit that I tried the Auric Illuminator, Zerostat gun, demagnitizers and the famed green pen..... none made as much difference as upgrading to MFSL or XRCD's or a better source. Were there "subtle" differences? Perhaps, but so close it may have been attribitable to placebo to me and I don't bother with them anymore. Now I feel better that I have shared my dark secret with the HC.

It is probably too late, but if it ever happens again try one of these hey are called an ah so...http://www.winestuff1.com/acatalog/AH___SO_Cork_Puller_Double_Prong.html

aerius, you crack me up. ;D

Happy belated birthday! Now go enjoy some of those tunes you have stashed away.

Interesting. I have tried three different HD650's at different times and they all had very similar characteristics, ie. good bass lacking in midrange detail. The difference is always the most noticeable in the amp. to mea anyway.

Don't forget the ALO cable mod mod. "Augs piles on them leaves"

So can you explain to us how you can afford your gear?

Thanks for the amp suggestions guys, but the first part I need some opinions on is whether the TRS outs of the PreSonus, if connected to XLRs on a balanced amp setup will mean I have a true balanced system.

Hi David, Thanks for the FW reco but the amp is a whole differerent issue. In my living room the speakers are 88db Infinity's or 90db Fostex 166es back loaded horns with Fostex T90 tweeters, but the speakers have probably fiftyfive to sixty feet of speeker wire between them and the amps so even though I can used to be able to drive the speakers with my late Flying Mole 18 watt amp, I really think I need 50 to 100 watts to get the umph and detailout of them. Ergo, I need more power.......I think. Thanks anyway.

For primarily budget reasons, I am using a PreSonus Central Station as a pre amp in my living room speaker system. The PCS has a pretty decent built in dac which I am feeding with a modded Onix cdp via spdif. Due to the fact that my Flying Mole custom amp that had been providing amp duties over this past year has suddenly decided to take the vow of silence, I am in the market for a new sub $1.8K amp and perhaps going balanced if that is doable at that price point. The PCS has TRS outputs so I was thinking that if I had a pair of TRS to XLR connectors to a "balanced" amp(s) I would have a true balanced speaker system. Am I right or am I blowing smoke? (Leaves self open for a thrashing)

It is also great for refinishing furniture, it removes varnish and paint with ease. No need to visit Home Depot anymore.

I am always fascinated when "audiophiles" get into these e-brawls. It often times takes hours to figure out who is full of it and who speaks the truth. Makes some of my work annoyances seem trivial....

DigiPete, did you use the Naviships spc? I am putting the finishing touches on Fostex 166 full range BLH cabinets with Purpleheart and quartersawn White Oak trim. Finished last night a DIY Paradize Charlize II amp for the office, so now I will try to determine what went out on my Flying Mole CA-S3. Kind of frustrating, all solder joints are fine, the fuse looks OK, nothing seems fried. It just stopped working two weeks ago so I am without music in my main room.

Daaaaammmmnnnnn! Damn nice and I bet Visa sends their love too.

If you were to snag the Northstar, what were you planning to use as the source? The Esoteric?

Congratulations and good luck on this new venture. Keep your overhead as low as possible, it will make success easier.

DigiPete, since we live near each other and see each other at meets, I will gladly receive and hold your audio deliveries for you anytime. In fact I will provide burn in service free of charge. > The employees here know to accept all my packages and don't touch so deliveries are safe anytime of the day. I know the FedEx, UPS, DHL an USPS Express guys on a first name basis so no prob........

Well I own the Oppo 981HD and have listened to a number of RB CDs that I am very familiar with on the Oppo. I listened to a Denon 3930 for a brief while at the OC/LA/HF mixer meet and to me the Denon unmodded kicks the Oppos butt in the RB playback arena, not even close. Everything Mr. Reimyo CDP777 said is true. Different amps and cans were used on each one of my listening sessions but the sonic differences between the Oppo and Denon were huge to me, too much to be accounted for in the different cans and amps used. I bought the Oppo not for the RB anyway, I bought it as a cheap reasonably good source for HT in a playroom/visiting kids isolation booth.

"Honey everyone knows a cubic zirconium looks just like a real diamond".......honest!

I will be very interested to hear if the P5 eats the Scout (best memory) ...or the other way around. Have Laser TTs fallen off the "to be auditioned" list?

You just had a bad run and you go and post this? Ahh more bad Karma coming your way.....got any other equipment you need smoked?