What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?

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ScottTL

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What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« on: 5 Feb 2020, 03:51 am »
I’ve been using a pair of Usher 6391’s with my IDA 8 and the combo is quite musical. A recent move is forcing me to downsize to “bookshelf “ or smaller stand mounts. Curious as to what other folks are using with their IDA 8’s or 16.

Mike-48

Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #1 on: 7 Feb 2020, 02:01 am »
I got the IDA-8 for a vacation system that never panned out. However, I used it at our audio club meeting with a pair of larger Advents (from the 1970s, I believe), and it was a GREAT combination. I've used it briefly with my Harbeth P3ESRs, and I liked that combination, too.
« Last Edit: 2 Apr 2020, 10:52 pm by Mike-48 »

Westerwälder

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #2 on: 7 Feb 2020, 07:14 am »
In 2018 I needed an amplifier to demonstrate my Cabasse Skiff.
My friend gave me the IDA 8.
Until then I had connected a Thule amplifier.
The difference was striking.
The Cabasse found a happy new owner and I chose a larger combination of Nuprime.

Jeff_From_Michigan

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #3 on: 7 Feb 2020, 02:41 pm »
I am running the IDA-8 to Axiom Audio M3's on the desktop and the sound is fantastic. They have deals on refurbished and B-stock speakers as well.

fivestringsdown

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #4 on: 9 Feb 2020, 09:10 pm »
I got the IDA-8 for a vacation system that never panned out. However, I used it at our audio club meeting with a pair of larger Advents (from the 1970s, I believe), and it was a GREAT combination. I've used them very briefly with my Harbeth P3ESRs, and I liked that, too.

Hey Mike,
I see your post about ida8/Harbeth.....
I just ordered some ATC SCM7 v3’s and I am wondering if you think my IDA8 will be enough power for them?
I was also thinking of getting an sta9 to go with the IDA 8 and biamping them?
Any input appreciated!
Thanks in advance....

mresseguie

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #5 on: 11 Feb 2020, 12:05 am »
Hello, Fivestrings.

I owned an IDA-8 for approximately 5 years. I say 'owned' because I handed it down to my son for his starter/house warming audio system this past November. [Yes. I miss it. However, I now own an IDA-16.]

The ATC SCM7 v3 speakers are similar enough to my pair of Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R speakers that I'm pretty confident I can offer useful advice. The SCM7s are rated  84dB, 8 Ohm while my LS/5-R speakers are 83.5dB, 8 Ohm. I drove the LS/5-R speakers with the IDA-8 only to discover that the amp just didn't have enough power to make the speakers 'sing'. Sure, they made music together, but there was a lack of dynamics. [Somewhere in this circle, I've written about this before - likely 4+ years ago??] Anyway, I was not satisfied with the IDA-8/LS/5-R combination, and tried other amplifiers searching for a better pairing.

I tried the ST-10, a Taiwan made tube amp, and an IceEdge 1200as2 amplifier over the course of 3(?) years. I feel the IceEdge amp does a very good job of making the speakers 'sing'. It's not as warm sounding as the IDA-8, but I can modify my system by choosing a warmer sounding DAC (for instance) to tweak the sound. The tube amp sounded great, but it was just too expensive to seriously consider.

Over the years, I tried several speakers with my IDA-8 and discovered that two-way monitors with 87dB (and higher) efficiency tend to sound pretty good. However, bigger, floor standing speakers - even those that are high efficiency - tend to sound a bit thin, and lack dynamics.

I really enjoyed my time with my IDA-8. It's a really cool little package for how much it costs. My sole complaint over the years was that it would be even better if it were 150 to 200 watts/channel. Of course, if the IDA-8 had 200w/ch, there would be little or no need for the IDA-16 to exist.

You haven't mentioned your room size. If you plan to listen in a small room, an IDA-8 may be enough for your needs. If you want dynamics and want your speakers to 'sing', you may wish to explore a more powerful amplifier. YMMV, of course.

Kudos to Jason's engineers for creating such a great little amplifier.

Regards,

Michael

JackD

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #6 on: 11 Feb 2020, 12:21 am »
JA tested those ATC's at 82 db rather than the 84 db spec'd so even less efficient.  I agree with Michael in that they will "make music" but in the end I don't think you will be satisfied unless you are going to be using them near field. But give it a try at least and you might be o.k. with the combo.

Phil A

Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #7 on: 11 Feb 2020, 12:51 am »
I use my IDA-8 in the office system driving a pair of Selah Audio SA-2s



FireGuy

Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #8 on: 11 Feb 2020, 01:59 am »
I am running the IDA-8 to Axiom Audio M3's on the desktop and the sound is fantastic. They have deals on refurbished and B-stock speakers as well.

Nice to hear the pairing of the IDA with Axiom's M3.  Are they the version 4?   And it appears these are not too big of a speaker for the desktop app.

Mike-48

Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #9 on: 11 Feb 2020, 05:07 am »
Hey Mike,
I see your post about ida8/Harbeth.....
I just ordered some ATC SCM7 v3’s and I am wondering if you think my IDA8 will be enough power for them?
I was also thinking of getting an sta9 to go with the IDA 8 and biamping them?
Any input appreciated!
Thanks in advance....
I'm glad that Mike R gave an opinion on your question. I don't have enough experience with the gear involved to be able to comment. All I can do is wish you good luck and a lot of fun.

Well -- I can say that I tend to like high-powered amps myself. I don't think the IDA-8 would be my cup of tea with a large speaker.

Jeff_From_Michigan

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #10 on: 12 Feb 2020, 02:15 pm »
Nice to hear the pairing of the IDA with Axiom's M3.  Are they the version 4?   And it appears these are not too big of a speaker for the desktop app.

No FireGuy, I believe they are the V2's. I've had them for about five or six years. They have some kind of paper or fiber cone, whereas I see on the website that the newer model has an aluminum cone. They are bookshelf speakers, so by nature are quite large compared to a lot of desktop speakers.

FireGuy

Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #11 on: 13 Feb 2020, 02:07 am »
No FireGuy, I believe they are the V2's. I've had them for about five or six years. They have some kind of paper or fiber cone, whereas I see on the website that the newer model has an aluminum cone. They are bookshelf speakers, so by nature are quite large compared to a lot of desktop speakers.

I believe they initiated the use of aluminum mid woofers starting with their "Ti" version.  Newer from this, your V2, they are aluminum.  Moving up to V4 Axiom upgraded their titanium tweeter for better power handling and dispersion.  I don't yet own any V4 units but what I hear it has been an excellent upgrade.  Same tweet BTW used in all of Brystons line up.

Jeff_From_Michigan

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #12 on: 13 Feb 2020, 05:56 pm »
I believe they initiated the use of aluminum mid woofers starting with their "Ti" version.  Newer from this, your V2, they are aluminum.  Moving up to V4 Axiom upgraded their titanium tweeter for better power handling and dispersion.  I don't yet own any V4 units but what I hear it has been an excellent upgrade.  Same tweet BTW used in all of Brystons line up.

Yes, I would assume that the sound with the new drivers is improved.  Axiom always offers very good value, so I'm sure the new V4's are quite the bargain as usual.

If memory serves, doesn't Bryston have (or used to have, I haven't kept up lately) a partnership w/Axiom in building speakers and testing them in Axion's chamber?

Either way, I can say that I would be very happy with these V2's on stands in my small living room if I didn't already have that system sorted out.

swifri

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #13 on: 13 Feb 2020, 07:35 pm »
Im using KEFs R5 with my IDA-16. I love the pace and dryness of the bass  having a nice roll off and giving the mids enough room.
« Last Edit: 25 Feb 2020, 07:05 pm by swifri »

RaphaelM

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #14 on: 24 Feb 2020, 03:56 pm »
First post at AudioCircle!
Figured I would add my two cents... since I own an IDA-8!
They work quite well with Klipsch Heresy 3 (very sensitive speakers anyway).
And they're doing quite ok on my newest speaker acquisition: Raidho XT-1 (rated quite low at 85db).
Volume at 165 is quite ok in small space (14ft x 13ft). Bass is tight and well controlled.
Would love to compare performance with ST-10M though.

Hope this helps.

well

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #15 on: 30 Mar 2020, 09:13 am »
I run with gamut phi-3 speakers (sensitivity 86.5 db, impedance 4 om) The sound is great. The bass is powerful and well controlled.

CHenry

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #16 on: 1 May 2022, 05:13 pm »
Late post/bump, but I have been using my IDA8 a little more than three years in a small library 2.1 system with Martin-Logan 35XT stand-mounted speakers on IsoAcoustics Aperta tabletop stands and with a REL 7Ti sub. I had an Airport II wireless link initially which worked OK but have since replaced that with a Sonos Port for better integration with a household system and because of the ease of use with the Sonos App (understanding the drawbacks also.) This is a very enjoyable system which is excellent in a smaller room but would be very good in a larger space as well.

ljiminez

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #17 on: 2 May 2022, 06:21 pm »
For a year I used an IDA-8 with GoldenEar Aon 3. Later I upgraded the speakers to GoldenEar Triton 7. Currently, I'm not using the IDA-8 at all (hint, hint,  :D).  I switched to Hegel Rost for the convenience of the built in headphone jack.

jjss49

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Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #18 on: 2 May 2022, 09:53 pm »
i have helped three friends set up modest, simple, good sounding systems, all use the ida-8 as the centerpiece (bluesound node streamer in)

they drive   a) spendor sp1's    b) buchardt s400's   and c) harbeth c7 es2's  -- all sound terrific, are in medium size rooms, do not lack dynamics nor nuance

rustydoglim

Re: What speakers are you running with your IDA-8?
« Reply #19 on: 3 May 2022, 02:03 pm »
i have helped three friends set up modest, simple, good sounding systems, all use the ida-8 as the centerpiece (bluesound node streamer in)

Thank you!