Spatial Audio

Durantl · « **on:** 17 Mar 2020, 02:41 am »

15 ft wide 15 ft high and 15 ft deep is the sound stage my new X5s are giving my small living room. Every instrument top to bottom of the spectrum is jumping out of the whole sound stage. The realism is astonishing. I don’t play them loud and I’m running tubes for amp and preamp. I have been looking for the sound I have now for years with different speakers that cost a lot more. I almost gave up. These X5s are nothing less than brilliant! I talked to Clayton Shaw a lot on the telephone and the X5s are everything he described and more. Bravo Bravo Bravo to Spatial Audio and Clayton Shaw!

musicdre · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Mar 2020, 02:12 pm »

thanks for the report. do you care to share what tube amp(s) you are using with them?

regards -andre

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Mar 2020, 02:24 pm »

Hang on! The best is yet to come........

Shakey

bbybaudio · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Mar 2020, 06:50 pm »

Duranti I am very happy for you. Having the first pair of X5s produced, I still can't get enough time to just enjoy the music they produce. If I had the time, I would listen to them all day and night.

rollo · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Mar 2020, 06:52 pm »

Quote from: Durantl on 17 Mar 2020, 02:41 am

15 ft wide 15 ft high and 15 ft deep is the sound stage my new X5s are giving my small living room. Every instrument top to bottom of the spectrum is jumping out of the whole sound stage. The realism is astonishing. I don’t play them loud and I’m running tubes for amp and preamp. I have been looking for the sound I have now for years with different speakers that cost a lot more. I almost gave up. These X5s are nothing less than brilliant! I talked to Clayton Shaw a lot on the telephone and the X5s are everything he described and more. Bravo Bravo Bravo to Spatial Audio and Clayton Shaw!

Ha ha the ole cuboid. Great choice as you have found out.

charles

Durantl · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Mar 2020, 11:57 pm »

Do you mean “the best is yet to come” when they are played more? I have only played them 10 hours 😜

Durantl · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Mar 2020, 11:58 pm »

I’ll put the amps and a picture for you soon 😎

morganc · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 02:58 am »

Quote from: Durantl on 17 Mar 2020, 02:41 am

15 ft wide 15 ft high and 15 ft deep is the sound stage my new X5s are giving my small living room. Every instrument top to bottom of the spectrum is jumping out of the whole sound stage. The realism is astonishing. I don’t play them loud and I’m running tubes for amp and preamp. I have been looking for the sound I have now for years with different speakers that cost a lot more. I almost gave up. These X5s are nothing less than brilliant! I talked to Clayton Shaw a lot on the telephone and the X5s are everything he described and more. Bravo Bravo Bravo to Spatial Audio and Clayton Shaw!

Agreed! I've had mine for 24 hours and loving them. Would you mind sharing the rest of your system?

dB Cooper · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 03:10 am »

Quote from: Durantl on 17 Mar 2020, 11:57 pm

Do you mean “the best is yet to come” when they are played more? I have only played them 10 hours 😜

Consensus seems to be that break-in works wonders. I have heard Spatials at shows and was very impressed. Shakeydeal is right. You ain't heard nothin' yet.

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 10:55 am »

My X3s continued to improve up until and slightly beyond the 300 hour mark. Bass presence and slam will greatly improve as well as the transition from the lower midrange to upper bass.

Here are mine in room

Shakey

morganc · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 04:02 pm »

Beautiful set up Shakey. Where Do you find the Carver amp excels? Have you compared it to other amps with the X-3's?

I'm not certain mine are broken in yet as the prior owner was driving them with a 2 watt 45 amp and he only had them a few months. Tone and timbre and sound stage is impressive, but bass presence and slam is lacking at times so I'm guessing it's the break-in still happening though it could be the amp as well I guess. I'm currently running the DAC King STM.

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 04:20 pm »

When I got the X3s I had a Decware Torii II. It sounded ok, but just didn't have the balls to drive them. I bought the Carver next and liked it, but also brought in a VTL ST-150 to compare. The VTL was good too, but the Carver has more of a 3 dimensional soundstage that is pretty addictive.

Shakey

morganc · « **Reply #12 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 06:11 pm »

That sounds great Shakey. I'm curious to hear the Carver 275. I'm especially attracted to it as I hear it runs quite cool. Is that your experience too?

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 06:14 pm »

It certainly runs cooler than other tube amps. That's especially true for some of the SET variety.

As far as grabbing an output tube, I could do it and it wouldn't maim me for life, but it's not something I would make a habit of doing.

Shakey

bbybaudio · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 07:08 pm »

Thanks for the pic of your system Shakey, looks great! For Duranti, my X5 system has a Primaluna Dialogue HP Premium Integrated. For digital I use a Cambridge Azur 851c as transport only, feeding Wyred 4 sound DAC 2 DSD, or use a MacBook Pro running Pure Music via USB into Wyred 4 sound. Vinyl is VPI Prime with 3D Printed tonearm and Soundsmith cartridge into Manley Chinook phono pre. All cables are Anticables, 6.2 ICs, 3.1 USB and new ref Digital AES, along with Anticables Ref 3 power cords into Oyaide receptacles. Room is 22.5 X 15.5 X 9 with system on long wall. Speakers are out 40" from rear wall.

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 07:18 pm »

Looks good bbybaudio!

abd1 · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 07:55 pm »

Quote from: bbybaudio on 18 Mar 2020, 07:08 pm

Thanks for the pic of your system Shakey, looks great! For Duranti, my X5 system has a Primaluna Dialogue HP Premium Integrated. For digital I use a Cambridge Azur 851c as transport only, feeding Wyred 4 sound DAC 2 DSD, or use a MacBook Pro running Pure Music via USB into Wyred 4 sound. Vinyl is VPI Prime with 3D Printed tonearm and Soundsmith cartridge into Manley Chinook phono pre. All cables are Anticables, 6.2 ICs, 3.1 USB and new ref Digital AES, along with Anticables Ref 3 power cords into Oyaide receptacles. Room is 22.5 X 15.5 X 9 with system on long wall. Speakers are out 40" from rear wall.

great looking room. Wish I had a space like that. Biggest thing preventing me from getting X-5's is they may be too big for my room.

morganc · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 Mar 2020, 10:36 pm »

Quote from: bbybaudio on 18 Mar 2020, 07:08 pm

Thanks for the pic of your system Shakey, looks great! For Duranti, my X5 system has a Primaluna Dialogue HP Premium Integrated. For digital I use a Cambridge Azur 851c as transport only, feeding Wyred 4 sound DAC 2 DSD, or use a MacBook Pro running Pure Music via USB into Wyred 4 sound. Vinyl is VPI Prime with 3D Printed tonearm and Soundsmith cartridge into Manley Chinook phono pre. All cables are Anticables, 6.2 ICs, 3.1 USB and new ref Digital AES, along with Anticables Ref 3 power cords into Oyaide receptacles. Room is 22.5 X 15.5 X 9 with system on long wall. Speakers are out 40" from rear wall.

Beautiful Room!

jazzman463 · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Mar 2020, 11:45 am »

Wow beautiful, how you liken the Manley ?

bbybaudio · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Mar 2020, 03:12 pm »

Jazzman, really like the Manley. Had a very nice Moon phono pre with separate outboard power supply that I was thrilled with. Once I popped the Manley in there was no going back. I have not tube rolled with this phono pre, but a friend has and as you might expect, said he upped performance considerably.