Who thinks their system sounds the best out of all they've heard?

mcullinan · « **on:** 8 Dec 2007, 03:47 am »

For me, after all the raves and various speakers I am very happy. What I'm trying to get to is personal taste. I feel I've created a close to dream spec for me, how personal are your ears? Will you share your listening experience?
mike

Tweaker · « **Reply #1 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 04:16 am »

My stereo is better than anybody's. Just is. You'll just have to take my word for it. And I really would rather not have anyone come over to verify that as I've just vacuumed.

mcullinan · « **Reply #2 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 04:18 am »

Marbles · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 04:19 am »

The two best systems I've heard both had Ridge Street Sason speakers.

Eric Hider has the best room. Combined with the Sason's it is a great experience.

Robert Schult had the best system. If he had Hiders room I don't know if I would have left without police intervention.

My room sucks and won't get much if any better. It limits my system from being it's best.

JP78 · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 05:13 am »

marbles - for all those fancy amps and speakers one would have figured a carpenter would be a cheap fix. those folks at rives do wonders with a couple thousand dollars for blueprints. that being said, i can't fault you. wife had me put the rack in the fireplace to keep it "out of her way"

.

i can't say i have the best room i've heard, unless you're talking the headphone system. that, my friends, is a world-class room on the cheap.

i'm just poking fun... we all love the sounds between our ears, not necessarily to them. to each their own.

twitch54 · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 02:53 pm »

Chad Kassem's listening room @ Acoustic Sounds and Overture's , Wilmington, De (Terry's room, back of the shop right side).

Even alot of equipment mfgs admitt these are the two best listening rooms in the country.

zybar · « **Reply #6 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 03:13 pm »

The best out of all the rooms I have heard...NO

Do I feel my system is one of the better ones out there...YES.

Which is a good thing since I basically listen to it every day.

George

flintstone · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 03:14 pm »

I haven't heard any world class systems (I guess I don't get out much). I have heard some fairly good systems at dealers, none of them sounded better than mine though.

So: "Re: Who thinks their system sounds the best out of all they've heard?"

I do

Dave

TomS · « **Reply #8 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 03:31 pm »

Quote from: Marbles on 8 Dec 2007, 04:19 am

The two best systems I've heard both had Ridge Street Sason speakers.

Eric Hider has the best room. Combined with the Sason's it is a great experience.

Robert Schult had the best system. If he had Hiders room I don't know if I would have left without police intervention.

My room sucks and won't get much if any better. It limits my system from being it's best.

Hah! He's being awfully modest for whatever reason (it's the holidays). If you don't think a full blown Empirical Audio front end, Dodd battery pre, Kraft mono's, and Salk HT3's doesn't produce extra-ordinarily ear pleasing music, even in a difficult room, you'd have to be a stone. Heard this myself several times, loved that, 'nuff said.

Best system I've ever heard was actually about 20+ years ago at a dealer in California, of all places. Mostly equipment no one has heard of. SOTA Star TT, Souther linear tracking tonearm, Clearaudio cartridge with an early VTL tube pre I don't recall, two of the original model Classe DR-3 Class A monsters bridged, and a speaker called the "Trapegon" made by RR Designs (Ron Reznick). http://www.trapagon.com/Audio/History/history.html The original 803s and the Trapegon itself to the right in the pic in piano black. Everything he did has since been widely copied - trapezoid non-parallel shape by Avalon among others, isolated external XO's, isolating the individual drive unit boxes (KEF, B&W, Aerial, ...), huge air core inductors, and fancy film caps of military origin. All his own RR wiring. This system was simply heavenly, such that I couldn't get up out of the chair. Amazing for reproduced sound, especially full range acoustic piano dynamics and nuances. Despite a lot of "progress" (and marketing) since that time, they truly had it figured out way back then.

Second best was a full Ivor's Linny system with Quad ESL63's and Gradient subs, at a dealer in downtown Chicago. Never going to blow your hair back, but oh so real in the midrange. Vocals were absolutely there with you.

Tom

Wayner · « **Reply #9 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 03:32 pm »

I enjoy my main system, but then I enjoy several of my systems. This is darn good for what I can budget at present. Many people love the Matrin-Logan reQuests, and so do I.

It also helps that I have all the comforts of home that make it sound swell.

Wayner

Stu Pitt · « **Reply #10 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 03:49 pm »

My system is by far the best sounding system that I can afford. Some of the stuff was a real stretch for me financially, but more than worth it. I currently saving up for a pair of PMC TB2+. After that I'll start saving for a Rega P5. Then hopefully the madness will end.

I'm also at the mercy of my room. I don't want to affix any acoustic treatments to the walls because I rent. When I buy a house that will change.

Living in the metro NYC area, I've heard some insane systems. One system in particular was a Linn system which consisted of about 8 monoblocks, active XOs, and an LP12 with all the top of the line Linn mods. The turntable/mods/cartridge alone retailed for $30k.

Then there was a similar Bryston/PMC system with monoblocks and actice XOs that cost about $90k without a pre-amp and source.

I tell myself I'd never spend that much money if I had it, but I'm not too sure. If I had Bill Gates type money I'd be very tempted.

Daygloworange · « **Reply #11 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 03:52 pm »

After all the long visits to local dealers listening to my favorite CD's over the last few years, and listening sessions with my favorite CD's again at RMAF this year, has confirmed to me that I have indeed a "world class" sounding system. I'm one happy camper!

Having said that, I've also learned to not take for granted that there is always something that you can do to improve the sound of your system.

Cheers

95bcwh · « **Reply #12 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 03:56 pm »

This is like asking: who thinks their wife is the best out of all wives?

And you know what the answer is likely to be...

BrianM · « **Reply #13 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 11:02 pm »

I'll admit it, I have not encountered a system with better midrange and treble presentation than my own. Haven't heard everything that's out there, have once heard it more or less equaled (by stuff costing five times as much), have often heard worse (by stuff costing 3-5 times as much) but certainly not bettered. Not, at least, as it sounds in my room. The immediacy is electrostatic, detail is maximal, imaging is spooky, and the tone is stupid real. Bass is good but of course could be bettered by bigger speakers. Big speakers aren't right for my room, though, and I suspect a sub would cause more problems than it would "solve." Anyway I never miss having one. So I've come away from more than one showroom rather pleased with myself...

Anyone's welcome to drop by and judge for themselves! Maybe I'm just biased!

Marbles · « **Reply #14 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 11:09 pm »

Quote from: BrianM on 8 Dec 2007, 11:02 pm

I'll admit it, I have not encountered a system with better midrange and treble presentation than my own. Haven't heard everything that's out there, have once heard it more or less equaled (by stuff costing five times as much), have often heard worse (by stuff costing 3-5 times as much) but certainly not bettered. Not, at least, as it sounds in my room. The immediacy is electrostatic, detail is maximal, imaging is spooky, and the tone is stupid real. Bass is good but of course could be bettered by bigger speakers. Big speakers aren't right for my room, though, and I suspect a sub would cause more problems than it would "solve." Anyway I never miss having one. So I've come away from more than one showroom rather pleased with myself... Anyone's welcome to drop by and judge for themselves! Maybe I'm just biased!

You can make your midrange even cleaner by offloading the lower end duties. I have heard the Ellis and liked 'em.

I had a chance to play with Salk HT1's. When I crossed them over to a sub at 70 hz, I thought that was great. Then I got the HT3's which crosses over at 250hz. It cleaned up the midrange even more.

I take it you haven't heard the HT3's in your system yet.

BrianM · « **Reply #15 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 11:36 pm »

Quote from: Marbles on 8 Dec 2007, 11:09 pm

You can make your midrange even cleaner by offloading the lower end duties. I have heard the Ellis and liked 'em.

I agree that I could. But what good is an even cleaner midrange if the bass is booming over it, the theory goes. I can't do a lot of bass traps in my listening room.

Quote

I had a chance to play with Salk HT1's. When I crossed them over to a sub at 70 hz, I thought that was great. Then I got the HT3's which crosses over at 250hz. It cleaned up the midrange even more.

I believe you. However, the midrange as is is anything but dirty. The 1801s play flat to 50 Hz, down 3 at 40, and that about covers things. I would think we're talking about marginal improvements and not night and day improvements. There is always room for improvement, but for the vast majority of music I listen to the midrange is simply crystal clear. And I of course defer to your experience on the matter.

Quote

I take it you haven't heard the HT3's in your system yet.

No, I think the bass would likely overwhelm a small room, but when/if money permits I hope to try the Salk QWs. I've heard some ribbon tweeters but not the one used in the HT1, HT3 or QW.

Marbles · « **Reply #16 on:** 9 Dec 2007, 12:39 am »

The bass of the HT3's did overpower a hotel room I once heard them in.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #17 on:** 9 Dec 2007, 12:43 am »

I'd put mine in the top five I've heard...

I too was very impressed by the setup at Acoustic Sounds, it
was spectacular! Also liked the MBL room at CES last year.

DSK · « **Reply #18 on:** 9 Dec 2007, 09:11 am »

Quote from: 95bcwh on 8 Dec 2007, 03:56 pm

This is like asking: who thinks their wife is the best out of all wives?

And you know what the answer is likely to be...

Depends on how long you have been married!

DSK · « **Reply #19 on:** 9 Dec 2007, 09:32 am »

To me, the acid test of a system is how easily and consistently it draws you into the performance, convincing you that you are actually present in the crowd, studio etc.

I've heard a $60k system consisting of mainly Audio Aero gear, an $80k+ system consisting of JM Labs speakers with MF electronics, a $50k system consisting of B&W speakers with AR electronics, etc etc. All had their good points but none drew me into the performance like my current, modest system.

I'm sure that part of this is due to the fact that we are most relaxed in our own homes and most familiar with our own surroundings, so our senses are not busy processing this extraneous information. Also, there are no other customers or salesmen hovering around. In other words, had I heard these systems in my own home, I'm sure I would have been more impressed.

Regardless, it helps me appreciate that all the years, $$$ and anxiety I have put into this crazy hobby, have ultimately provided me with a system that is world class and probably within a few per centage points of the very best available. The fact that I have managed to do this with such a relatively small investment makes me feel very satisfied and less guilty.

Would you be as impressed with my system/room if you heard it ... probably not .... but this is about MY ears and is the reason that we all have different systems yet can all be equally satisfied with our own system.