I mentioned a few days ago that, when I have time later this week, I'll do my best to describe the sound we were getting in Room 526 at Capital AudioFest.
The digital source (Innuos server to Lampizator Amber 3 DAC), was good enough that I didn't pick up on any sonic signatures. Kind of like the AntiCables interconnects & Speaker Wires in that they did their job and got out of the way for the music to flow. It was a digital source that I could easily live with for many years.
The LTA Z10 Integrated amp was typical of the Linear Tube Audio's offerings, in that it combines the best aspects of tubes (palatable presence, great harmonic structure, sweet highs), with the best aspects of SS (low distortion, firm control). The 10 watt per channel was enough power for typical audiophile listening levels.
The new M3 Sapphire speakers were a bit unreal in their two strongest abilities, which I think were midrange resolution and bass:
1) Bass: These OB speakers had the bass weight of a ported box speaker (which usually requires a powered woofer with eq with OB designs), yet did so passively, and of course with no box sound. Usually with a passive OB speaker, one is willing to forgive not getting the bottom end bass weight, for acquiring open tuneful bass. With these you get both. Quite amazing.
2) Midrange: The very first thing that came to mind to me when I first heard the M3 Sapphire speakers, was horn like resolution. Chuck Bottemiller is one of AntiCables design partners. He is a highly talented engineer with skill sets in many aspects of audio, including speaker design. For years, Chuck's system has been my place to go for a sanity check. His system is so resolving, I often go there to take a second listen of what ever I working on. His speakers use the TAD TD-2001 beryllium compression driver into a constant directionality horn from 1kHz on up. I have a hard time thinking of another speaker I've heard that is able to resolve low level information in the midrange better than these. I have to say the M3 Sapphire speakers sounded closer in the midrange to the horn loaded TAD than any other I can think of. Very nice!
Thanks!
Paul Speltz
(AntiCables)