[abomwell]

Yesterday a friend came over to hear my X5's that now have around 150 hours on them. He has a megabuck system with Tidal speakers, all Tidal electronics and six Rel subwoofers. He hasn't heard open baffle dipoles before. He was absolutely blown away!! Within the first 5 seconds of hearing them his jaw dropped.

I have a close friend, who played principal trombone in the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 30+ years, coming over next week for a listening session. I look forward to his reaction!

[vrao81]

Tidal speakers are amazing but pricy. That must have been a $300k system!

[Chewbacca]

Wow, that's awesome! Really goes to show that a price tag means little to nothing in this industry.

Just think... With a little bit of DIY he could have a system that would probably perform 95% as good as his own (if not better) with maybe $20k invested... Then coulda bought a house in Tahiti... And put another $20k system in that one, and still be ahead!

Tyson's: Audio - It's all a big fake. Yeah... for real.

[abomwell]

Yup, his system is well over $300K. No wife or kids and lots of income. I'm trying to convince him to build an addition on his home for a dedicated room. Honestly I prefer my system to his. Room acoustics are so darned important!

[Early B.]

Yup, his system is well over $300K. No wife or kids and lots of income. I'm trying to convince him to build an addition on his home for a dedicated room. Honestly I prefer my system to his. Room acoustics are so darned important!

This is a perfect example of someone who owns super high-end gear, but isn't an audiophile. Nothing wrong with that, but audiophiles are a different breed. If you had his audio budget, your gear would likely be just as good or better and a lot less expensive, and you'd put your money where it matters most -- in a dedicated room. 

[Tangram]

Yup, his system is well over $300K. No wife or kids and lots of income. I'm trying to convince him to build an addition on his home for a dedicated room. Honestly I prefer my system to his. Room acoustics are so darned important!

No wife and kids should make finding a space to turn into a dedicated listening room a simple task. I also get it when people want their systems in, say, a great room, but they have to accept the sound compromises.

[2bigears]

  the room is the speaker.  I once had a good room and it made all the difference. Nothing fancy needed really.  A few treatments and your system is sounding as good as it gets. I miss that room. 

[SoundSound]

Yesterday a friend came over to hear my X5's that now have around 150 hours on them... He was absolutely blown away!! Within the first 5 seconds of hearing them his jaw dropped.

If I may inquire, what are your upstream components, please? Sure, they play a very important role, along with your room, creating the SOUND your friend enjoyed so much...

[abomwell]

If I may inquire, what are your upstream components, please? Sure, they play a very important role, along with your room, creating the SOUND your friend enjoyed so much...

I have a Sound Science Music Vault which streams Quboz via Roon to a DSPeaker Anti-mode X4 via USB. That feeds a Carver Crimson 275. All electronics are plugged into a PI Audio DigiBuss.
I will be receiving a First Watt J2 today so I can compare it with the Carver and pick the better one. Three of the four corners have floor-to-ceiling 6" bass traps. The front wall reflections are diffused, the rear wall reflections are absorbed. Side wall reflections are deflected. The floor is fully carpeted. There are a lot more things that could be done to improve the room with treatments but it has to pass the WAF.

[SoundSound]

Thank you. Very impressive setup indeed!

[abomwell]

I received the First Watt J2 today and have been comparing it with the Carver Crimson 275. The difference is not subtle in my opinion. The Carver has a bit more warmth with a thicker midrange texture. The J2 sounds more like the LTA ZOTL10 which is a bit leaner than the Carver but slightly cleaner and more detailed. Decisions, decisions!
 

[Mr. Big]

Music and instruments have bodies, as well as vocals, do, this is why people love tubes the music sounds real. Lean and clean is not how music sounds. Unless you listen to a PA system in an arena.

[Daryl Zero]

Is the First Watt amp new or is it already broken in?

[abomwell]

It's new and needs to be broken in for sure.

[Tyson]

Music and instruments have bodies, as well as vocals, do, this is why people love tubes the music sounds real. Lean and clean is not how music sounds. Unless you listen to a PA system in an arena.

I agree.  I am absolutely a tube lover, but I have to hand it to Nelson - there are several of his designs that I could easily live with if I ever had to switch over to SS full time.

[doggie]

I received the First Watt J2 today and have been comparing it with the Carver Crimson 275. The difference is not subtle in my opinion. The Carver has a bit more warmth with a thicker midrange texture. The J2 sounds more like the LTA ZOTL10 which is a bit leaner than the Carver but slightly cleaner and more detailed. Decisions, decisions!

I have owned a J2 and a SIT3. I have also owned an LTA ZOTL10, an Ultralinear amp and now a UL Integrated. I am a restless guy!

I would say that the sound of First Watt and LTA amps are more alike than different but that the LTA amps have a more engaging midrange and are actually quieter than the SS amps.

Let us know how the J2 works out.

[abomwell]

Will do, doggie. I've always loved Nelson Pass' designs having had both a Threshold and large Pass Labs amp. So far I'm enjoying the J2 very much.

I removed a stuffed club chair located against the wall and to the side of my main listening position. The room was a touch on the dead side and its removal opened up the room sound nicely. I have around 200 hours on the X5's now and they are sounding better all the time.

[Tangram]

If I may inquire, what are your upstream components, please? Sure, they play a very important role, along with your room, creating the SOUND your friend enjoyed so much...

SO true. At home I have my system in a basement listening room that has very low ceilings. I have had to do a lot of work (including buying Spatials) to get it to sound good.

Our vacation property is a 160 year old stone farmhouse with plaster walls. The system I have in there is basically the one I put together when I got back into the hobby except all digital (Focal Electra 1008 Be IIs, ancient NHT sub, Hegel H300, Bluesound Node 2i streamer, Marantz CDP). 10 foot ceilings and the room is about 13 X 25. Sounds ridiculously good with zero room treatments.

[abomwell]

It's interesting how different amplifiers do sound. I'm certain that the speakers' frequency response would measure the same with both the J2 and Carver 275. I read an interesting comment recently from a recording engineer. He said not everything important to sound is measurable. And not everything measurable is important.

[SoundSound]

I agree.  I am absolutely a tube lover, but I have to hand it to Nelson - there are several of his designs that I could easily live with if I ever had to switch over to SS full time.

Any pre-amps from PASS Labs you could still recommend (AFAIK, Nelson designs power amps only...), please? The XP-22 looks very tempting, but it is at the very top of my budget, and am wondering if can get something "better" to pair with my XA-30... Should I look elsewhere for a fully balanced, discrete, full time class A SS design? There are not many opportunities to audition quality products in my neck of the woods, and your input will be much appreciated, dear experts!