M5 Sapphire - All new M design introduction

sockpit · « **Reply #360 on:** 23 Apr 2020, 09:04 pm »

I'm in an 11 x 14 x 8 room, former bedroom, now my office. Received M5s in early January. Then added an LTA Z10, then Anticables. Own an Exogal Comet, so Lampi can wait a while

Speakers are on the long wall, 6.5 feet apart, measuring from centers. Baffle is towed in, 3-4 ft from front wall, and just a couple feet from sides.

I'm finding sitting near field (just 5 feet away from each tweeter) is best overall. It takes more of the room out of it.

Will try to attach a pic.

Am looking forward to hearing your impressions.

sockpit · « **Reply #361 on:** 23 Apr 2020, 09:07 pm »

sorry, duplicate.

uncola · « **Reply #362 on:** 23 Apr 2020, 11:06 pm »

Wow that’s near field for sure!

lcd54222 · « **Reply #363 on:** 24 Apr 2020, 04:42 am »

Sockpit, how are you liking the LTA Z10 amp and anticables? What did they replace? Same combo as one of the audio shows that received many accolades?

sockpit · « **Reply #364 on:** 24 Apr 2020, 05:40 pm »

Am enjoying them very much. LTA amp is, I hope, my last. Has a great phono stage and headphone amp to boot. Nick Tolson at LTA was great to work with, just as Clayton is.

I’m not big into cable voodoo, but found the anticables slightly better than the duelund 12 gauge I also tried. But if you blind tested me, I’m sure I’d flunk.

This little system for my little room replaced Exogal Ion amp and Scansonic 2.5 speakers. I very much liked the Exogal (it’s an add on to my Comet DAC), but I’ve always wanted to give tubes and OB a try. The combination in a small space has taken care of modes and boom in low frequency. And very dark background.

lcd54222 · « **Reply #365 on:** 25 Apr 2020, 04:40 am »

Just curious what made the most sonic change/improvement, the speakers or the amp? Did you put in the Spatial M5 speakers first and then get the amp?

Best, Larry

sockpit · « **Reply #366 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 12:33 am »

Each did its part. The M5s came first and were so different sounding than my scansonics (which I kept around and compared) I was somewhat disoriented. It took lots of burn in of speakers and brain to realize just how dark and muffled and boomy the old speakers were in my tiny room. I did like the ribbon tweeter of the scansonics, and sometimes still find the M5s to be too bright on poor or even avg recordings. The bass is a huge improvement.

The amp was the icing on the cake and a big splurge for me. Trusting Clayton and the trade show buzz, I figured why not give the LTA a 14 day trial. (My wife has an easy answer: $5K

). The speakers sounded good with my old amp, but they sound really special with the LTA. Still can’t believe 12 watts can do this. Also can’t believe how many crappy recordings are out there. The downside to a system this resolving is that you’re at the mercy of the recoding studio ... if you want your entire record collection to sound great, don’t do what I did.

lcd54222 · « **Reply #367 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 05:03 am »

Thanks sockpit - yes, I can relate to having a resolving system and no longer being happy with the production of some recordings, but it's OK with me because well produced recordings just sound phenomenal and the not so good recordings are good for background music.

Larry

aniwolfe · « **Reply #368 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 04:45 pm »

Quote from: lcd54222 on 26 Apr 2020, 05:03 am

Thanks sockpit - yes, I can relate to having a resolving system and no longer being happy with the production of some recordings, but it's OK with me because well produced recordings just sound phenomenal and the not so good recordings are good for background music.

Larry

My opinion is if your system can't play recordings from artists you love, then you got an issue. The trick is to find a happy compromise between resolution and musicality. If Zeppelin or Rush sound like crap then I got to change something.

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #369 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 04:50 pm »

If a speaker can do Tool, Clutch, Screaming Females, Goddamn Gallows, etc. right, it can do "girl with guitar/piano" just fine........

Shakey

sockpit · « **Reply #370 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 05:53 pm »

Quote from: aniwolfe on 29 Apr 2020, 04:45 pm

My opinion is if your system can't play recordings from artists you love, then you got an issue. The trick is to find a happy compromise between resolution and musicality. If Zeppelin or Rush sound like crap then I got to change something.

I'm sympathetic to this sentiment, but I do wonder whether any system can do Zeppelin, Rush, and so much other classic rock in a room as small as mine. Half the fun of such bands is cranking it to concert levels--or at least loud enough to disturb the spouse. But given such bands "wall of sound" and/or dense complexity there is probably only so much any system can do with an 11 by 13.5 ft space? I have been enjoying well-recorded symphonies, which are also in their own way far more demanding than, say, female vocalists and jazz quartets. But with the heavy guns, whether rock or classical, there seems to be a point of diminishing returns on the volume level in a space so small. One wants to turn it up to get the energy intended, but with nowhere for the sound to go, except bouncing around the room, the SQ goes south. If my room were 18 by 25, I think I could have different expectations.

Am a relative newbie; does this sound reasonable?

JTF · « **Reply #371 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 05:57 pm »

Quote from: Shakeydeal on 29 Apr 2020, 04:50 pm

If a speaker can do Tool, Clutch, Screaming Females, Goddamn Gallows, etc. right, it can do "girl with guitar/piano" just fine........

Shakey

Screamales! Nice taste in music Shakey. FWIW, I placed an order with Clayton on Monday for a pair of X5s, I look forward to listening to some good music on them.

lcd54222 · « **Reply #372 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 06:34 pm »

Sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree with aniwolfe. IMHO if a recording has been compressed to the extent that it's flat and one-dimensional - the only system it's going to sound good on is an MP3 file playing on your phone. For example, we enjoyed watching the Prince 4-year commemorative show the other evening, so I pulled up Purple Rain on Qobuz (24/96) for a listen to the album and man was I disappointed in the sonics and how poorly produced the album is - I can still kinda enjoy the music, but not as much as a well recorded, mastered and produced piece.

I checked with Clayton earlier this week - he says he's working on 8 pairs of M3s and M5s! My M5s should ship sometime next week - woot!

Larry

Dsaldivar · « **Reply #373 on:** 30 Apr 2020, 12:54 am »

Hi everyone!
I am in the process of putting together what I assume to be my retirement system. I'd like to have input from members that actually own the new M3 speakers. I'm thinking of pairing my Don Sachs preamplifier with a Quicksilver Mid Monos amps. These amplifiers can use EL34's, KT77's, KT88's, KT120's and KT150's with a maximum output of 50 w/c.
My room dimensions are 12ft by 19ft.
Is this a good system?
Thanks in advance,
Dan
http://quicksilveraudio.com/products/midi-m

uncola · « **Reply #374 on:** 30 Apr 2020, 01:11 am »

That sounds like a good combo to me. That picture you posted is of an old vintage one I think.. this is probably how your newly built amps will appear

sockpit · « **Reply #375 on:** 30 Apr 2020, 03:40 am »

Quote from: lcd54222 on 29 Apr 2020, 06:34 pm

Sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree with aniwolfe. IMHO if a recording has been compressed to the extent that it's flat and one-dimensional - the only system it's going to sound good on is an MP3 file playing on your phone. For example, we enjoyed watching the Prince 4-year commemorative show the other evening, so I pulled up Purple Rain on Qobuz (24/96) for a listen to the album and man was I disappointed in the sonics and how poorly produced the album is - I can still kinda enjoy the music, but not as much as a well recorded, mastered and produced piece.

I checked with Clayton earlier this week - he says he's working on 8 pairs of M3s and M5s! My M5s should ship sometime next week - woot!

Larry

Am listening to Rush, and it sounds pretty tinny and like so many albums of that era (and ours). I’d have to really like them to continue. Some Zeppelin is ok sounding, but a lot of it, meh. I was a teenager in the 70s and early 80s so it’s not like I’m unfamiliar with these bands. Just think so much of it needs to be played at deafening levels to sound like it should. Might just be my age and my room...

I think I’ll switch to girl with guitar soon. Does that mean I’m an audiophile?

Dsaldivar · « **Reply #376 on:** 30 Apr 2020, 04:41 am »

According to this diagram and the instructions manual my photo represents the current model

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #377 on:** 30 Apr 2020, 10:58 am »

Quote from: sockpit on 30 Apr 2020, 03:40 am

Am listening to Rush, and it sounds pretty tinny and like so many albums of that era (and ours). I’d have to really like them to continue. Some Zeppelin is ok sounding, but a lot of it, meh. I was a teenager in the 70s and early 80s so it’s not like I’m unfamiliar with these bands. Just think so much of it needs to be played at deafening levels to sound like it should. Might just be my age and my room...

I think I’ll switch to girl with guitar soon. Does that mean I’m an audiophile?

With the exception of the self titled Rush album, if you are listening to any other Rush album and the sound is not good, you might have a problem. Even if you don't like their music, most of their early stuff was very well recorded. I'm thinking of Moving Pictures, Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, 2112, Fly By Night. All of these are what I would call good to very good recordings. Caress of Steel I'd say is slightly above average.

If Moving Pictures sounds bad, I'd be very concerned..........

Shakey

sockpit · « **Reply #378 on:** 30 Apr 2020, 02:02 pm »

Thanks. My standards might be too high, too. Will listen further!

Jprod · « **Reply #379 on:** 30 Apr 2020, 02:17 pm »

I was also a teen in that era and listen to zep and rush. The zep reissues sound great especially zep II. Agree that rush sounds great too esp moving pictures , signals and hemispheres. When I went from the m3 to x5 I lost some of that low end and I too had to crank it up but then you lose some fidelity. I wasn’t entirely happy so I’m switching to x5 which I should hopefully have next week.