It's been 7 and 8 weeks now since the arrival of the new units. The T-8 arrived first and the 550 one week later. Both were ahead of scheduled delivery! Very nice and clean look on the outside and REALLY impressive looking inside. They replaced a Super Pas 3i and Carver TFM-75. HUGE difference in sound, and the 550 sounds more powerful than the 750 watt Carver. They are driving Carver ALS Platinum's. The set is now more dynamic, extended, defined, and quicker, much more open, with more air, much larger soundstage with more focus and a real presence. And..........
I thought in addition to all those terms we use I would give you 3 impressions from people who just love music, they are not audiophiles.
First impression: Close friend and listening buddy for 34 years. He is over to hear the new stuff and as we're listening I notice that he keeps looking from side to side. Finally I ask him what he is looking at and he says that he keeps looking at the speakers because he can usually hear the music coming from each speaker and now it's all just there. The Carvers and similar speakers have such narrow dispersion and so small a "sweet spot", the difference the new units make is really amazing.
Second impression: 20 year old daughter just home from school. Half way into the first song she says "This is way better than your old set." I ask her why? She says "it sounds more real". After a couple of tunes she then said you could really hear it in the drums.
Third impression: Good friend with good ears (doesn't know our vocabulary) and sings in the choir. He said "Usually you can only distinctly hear the lead instrument but I can clearly hear each one and they all have they're own space.
Music brings me alot of joy. Frank, thank you for significantly increasing the amount of joy in my life!
Marty
