[jeffreybehr]

......to Sound Lab G7-5Cs.  The 20.7s showed flashes of excellence but not often enough, and knowing how fabulous SoundLabs can sound in my room, I bought these thru USAudioMart.

They might be here by the end of the month.

I still have two pairs of excellent-sounding PS Audio monoamps, both with vacuumtubed frontends--hybrid/class-D M1200s and BHK600s.  Both of these models have sounded excellent with my older SLs, and I expect they will with the G7-5Cs too.  I also have a pair of Atma-Sphere MA-1/3.1/Improveds that I'll be trying for my cool-weather amps. 
.

* the model designation means Grand as in full-size speakers, 7 as in approximately seven feet tall, and 5C meaning five cells wide.. Using that style, my former Majestic 745s are now called the Majestic G7-7Cs.

===============================

Anyone looking for a pair of all-black Magneplanar 20.7s?

[Jon L]

oh my god, already? 

[Charles Xavier]

I follow your posts on all the forums. This is one crazy journey. It's all fun in the end

[Tyson]

Sound Labs also look way cooler than the Maggies.

[SteveFord]

That was quick!
Good thing they're on the ground floor, stairs would be murder.

[glynnw]

I just emailed some local buddies that I have decided I prefer my old Sound Lab A-3s to my Maggie 1.7i.  My old Sound Labs can need TLC, but deliver the heart of the music.

[jeffreybehr]

Arriving tomorrow 2026Apr28!  😁

[jeffreybehr]

The CDA Reds arrived Monday the 27th and the Sound Labs and Bryston poweramps on Tuesday April 28.

1. The entire system sounds excellent to me and better than I expected even after almost a week.. Speakers were demo units, but I've never asked how many hours are on them.. Still have some treble tweaking to do, which is always a bit difficult for me with bad ears and using hearingaids.. The overall rez is astoundingly excellent; did I get used to the 20.7s' slightly lower rez?
2. I'm still using the Class D Audio GaN-FET** amps which still sound excellent.
https://classdaudio.com/product/matched-pair-custom-gan-fet-amplifier/
3. The 5Cs' bass energy is about as great as that of the M745s, which means they have substantial bottom-octave bass at the '0' setting*; they sound a bit too 'thick' for me at the +3 setting.. I then reduced the SWs' level controls to 2 on their 10-scales, which is two numbers lower than I used with the 20.7s.
4. Also received the Bryston 7B3 monoamps, but one's power transformer was loose and sliding a bit about its center-anchor screw and didn't turn on.. Bryston has issued an RA and return-shipping label and has ordered a new, matching, replacement 7B3 to be built ASAP to be sent to me.. Mine is packed and labeled and will be in UPS's hands tomorrow the 4th.. So far the dealer and Bryston have responded quickly and caringly.

I thank Mark DeBiassi of Afton Mntn. Audio for his excellent service.

I'm VERY happy!!!!!!!!!!
.

* The bass control ranges from -6dB thru +3dB in 4 steps.
** hereafter 'CDA Reds'.

[brooklyn]

I can only imagine what they sound like, they look stunning..

Best of luck with your new purchase..

[Statman72]

Congratulations on your new speakers.  I recently heard for the first time a pair of the big Soundlabs and found them to be stunning and quite addictive.  Beautiful! 

Wondering about their WAF (wife approval factor) though...

[jeffreybehr]

Congratulations on your new speakers.  I recently heard for the first time a pair of the big Soundlabs and found them to be stunning and quite addictive.  Beautiful! 

Wondering about their WAF (wife approval factor) though...

Thank you; you described their sounds quite well.

Maybe you are, but I don't have one, only a sister.  🙂

[soundofrockets]

Congratulations on your new speakers.

[SteveFord]

I agree with what everyone else said, they look great in that room.

[jeffreybehr]

I've decided to quit thinking too much about heat output and buy, again, the finest-sounding amps I've EVER heard, a pair of Pass XA60.8s.. I'll be retrieving them from The Music Room and trading in my BHK600s and Atma-Sphere Class Ds.. Will also be consigning more surplus equipment to them.. FINALLY I'll have the amps that sounded so excellent the first-two times I owned them.

I'll end up with only two pairs of monoamps, the XA60.8s and my old, slightly improved PS Audio M1200s, plus the center-and-surrounds Emotiva.

[wgallupe]

Wow, been following your posts. No offense intended and I'm glad you are (apparently) enjoying the journey to audio nirvana, but maybe you should just chill and enjoy the music...

[jeffreybehr]

TY.

🙂 

[jeffreybehr]

We took FOUR pairs of poweramps up (Bryston 7B3s, PSA BHK600s and M1200s, and A-S Class Ds) as trade-ins, and left the A-S MA-1s on consignment along with a 'pair' of AQ Dragon XLR ICs (3M and 5M long)..  Also traded in two pairs of AQ Dragon powercable..

Brought home my third pair of Pass XA60.8 poweramps.   🙂

[jeffreybehr]

After several days of burning in, the amps and the system sound EXCELLENT.. These amps do not run as hot as I recalled--I can hold my hands on the heatsinks for at least a minute even after they've been playing music for hours.. I'm still tweaking the combination of treble balance, 'warmth' in respect of bass level, SW level, and my not-great ears and hearingaids.  Most recently, I upped the treble about an hour of rotation (to about 11 o'clock), lowered the bass one notch to -3dB, and increased the SW level perhaps a couple dB**; I think I could raise the SWs' lo-pass points to maybe 60Hz (from 40) to 'get back' a little warmth while still reducing lower-MR thickness.

Since I have uncurable 'I wants' and I now have the '60s, I've been researching* and looking for a pair of Pass XA100s.8s, but I'm managing to resist the pair on CanuckAudioMart priced at what I think as a bargain price of about US$10,600 plus shipping.

Funny note on the used pair of '60s we brought home--they are the very pair I traded in this spring!  😀

* I find VERY few reviews of that amp compared with those of the '60s.

** That control is not labeled in deciBels.

[SteveFord]

Your old amps came home again?
It was meant to be.