SYNERGY

Brown · « **on:** 1 Jan 2009, 05:58 pm »

So what components for you have a synergy we should know about. Say like Maggies and Bryston, Vandersteen and Audio Research. Another favorite is VAC Renaissance pre and Classe DR25 amp. Do tell.

tojman · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Jan 2009, 06:25 pm »

I enjoyed a Blue Circle Audio and Green Mountain Audio combo recommended by Roy Johnson of GMA.

JLM · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Jan 2009, 07:14 pm »

Chip amps with single driver speakers, in my case Channel Island Audio VMB-1 monoblocks (no longer in production) with Fostex F200A.

JIMV · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Jan 2009, 07:24 pm »

Quote from: Brown on 1 Jan 2009, 05:58 pm

So what components for you have a synergy we should know about. Say like Maggies and Bryston, Vandersteen and Audio Research. Another favorite is VAC Renaissance pre and Classe DR25 amp. Do tell.

I can tell you omne that does not work...PrimaLuna Diolog II and Maggie MMG's. Simply not enough power.

Tyson · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 Jan 2009, 07:25 pm »

VMPS Ribbon speakers and VTL Tube amps. The RM speakers from Brian are tricky because they really do need tubes to shine (IMO), but also need a good amount of power and control for the bass, since they truly are full range speakers.

ted_b · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 Jan 2009, 07:41 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 1 Jan 2009, 07:25 pm

VMPS Ribbon speakers and VTL Tube amps. The RM speakers from Brian are tricky because they really do need tubes to shine (IMO), but also need a good amount of power and control for the bass, since they truly are full range speakers.

Tyson,
I couldn't agree more. I had 20+ yrs of VMPS (SuperTower II A/R SE's, then RM/X's with Rm30 center and 626R surrounds) and now realize that they would have shined even more with medium-high powered tube amplification. The ribbons needed taming in my acoustic space, and shame on me I kept feeding them Krell and the like. My only real issue with that setup would be bass response, cuz the RM/X's had more bass drivers than I could ever imagine but never produced anywhere near the prodigious bass I think they should have been capable of. I bet the active RM40 setup will wipe the floor...very nice.

Tyson · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Jan 2009, 09:56 pm »

The VMPS speakers are certainly capable of prodigious bass, but are not tuned that way. That's part of the advantage of going fully active - you are free to retune the speakers to your liking. For example, if you think the planar mids are crossed over too high and the resulting mid-treble beaminess bothers you, it's a simple matter to lower the crossover point a few khz so the midpanel is not producing any sound waves wider than 2 inches (the width of the panel). Same with bass. Because the DCX has 60 memory slots, you can have one memory setting that is "flat", and the next setting could be bass boost of +3db, and a third setting could be a bass boost of +6db, etc. And, the mid-panels have a slight low-treble boost which the DCX lets you take out pretty easily.

Actually, given how much flexibility going active gives you in tailoring the sound (from different EQ's, room correction, and amp swapping for each driver), I'm surprised that active systems are not more popular.

Brown · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 03:54 pm »

A few more. Marantz and Monitor. Mc Intosh and B&W. Vandersteen and Belles. C'mon guys you know thers more.

denjo · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 04:03 pm »

Accuphase or Bryston and Harbeth!
CIAudio D*200 Monos and McCormack ALD-1 Rev A Gold
Cary 300 B and Rogers LS3/5a
Surprisingly Cary 300B and Thiel CS1.6

zybar · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 04:58 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 1 Jan 2009, 09:56 pm

The VMPS speakers are certainly capable of prodigious bass, but are not tuned that way. That's part of the advantage of going fully active - you are free to retune the speakers to your liking. For example, if you think the planar mids are crossed over too high and the resulting mid-treble beaminess bothers you, it's a simple matter to lower the crossover point a few khz so the midpanel is not producing any sound waves wider than 2 inches (the width of the panel). Same with bass. Because the DCX has 60 memory slots, you can have one memory setting that is "flat", and the next setting could be bass boost of +3db, and a third setting could be a bass boost of +6db, etc. And, the mid-panels have a slight low-treble boost which the DCX lets you take out pretty easily.

Actually, given how much flexibility going active gives you in tailoring the sound (from different EQ's, room correction, and amp swapping for each driver), I'm surprised that active systems are not more popular.

It's popular in my house!!

I think there are a couple of reasons why active systems aren't more popular:

For the general public, it is still too technical and difficult to setup an active system.
The perceived extra costs with going active.

George

ted_b · « **Reply #10 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 05:04 pm »

Some of the best sounds in my setups over the years were my active ATC 150's...those monsters just too overpowering for the room in the long-run, though. If active 100's were available for the ridiculous price I got the 150's for I'd likely be 5 x 100's now (no external amps needed) and done.

rydenfan · « **Reply #11 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 05:56 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 3 Jan 2009, 05:04 pm

Some of the best sounds in my setups over the years were my active ATC 150's...those monsters just too overpowering for the room in the long-run, though. If active 100's were available for the ridiculous price I got the 150's for I'd likely be 5 x 100's now (no external amps needed) and done.

No way, you enjoy torturing yourself too much with all of the different auditions

ted_b · « **Reply #12 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 06:06 pm »

Quote from: rydenfan on 3 Jan 2009, 05:56 pm

Quote from: ted_b on 3 Jan 2009, 05:04 pm
Some of the best sounds in my setups over the years were my active ATC 150's...those monsters just too overpowering for the room in the long-run, though. If active 100's were available for the ridiculous price I got the 150's for I'd likely be 5 x 100's now (no external amps needed) and done.
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No way, you enjoy torturing yourself too much with all of the different auditions

LOL. I guess "done" is a pretty stupid word here, huh?

But, boy, active loudspeakers really make a lot of sense. They define what synergy is all about. As a tweaker and constant paranoid audioiphile though, I think the permutations of combinations available to the active crossover network world would have me in an asylum soon...and not the audio asylum. Could you imagine actively crossing over these puppies (includes 3-d physical driver adjustments)

Mariusz · « **Reply #13 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 06:07 pm »

Zu speakers & Melody 2A3 or 300b monos.
SD modified Fostex in Sachiko cabinet and modified Consonance Cyber 800 monos (PP EL34 78wpc) and the same brand SET 211 monos. Melody M300b sounds just as good but stock 300b tubes are junk.

Any suggestions on quality 300b tubes?

..........And Martin Logans with CJ - awesome. I was shocked myself.
Usher Be and CJ also sounds damn good. Better then Ref. Nuforce monos IMO.
That was another surprise.

Mariusz

Mariusz · « **Reply #14 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 06:10 pm »

Almost forgot - Zu and RWA amps as well as First Watt.

satfrat · « **Reply #15 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 06:20 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 3 Jan 2009, 06:06 pm

As a tweaker and constant paranoid audioiphile though, I think the permutations of combinations available to the active crossover network world would have me in an asylum soon...and not the audio asylum.

That's a good thing Ted, means there's still hope for ya.

As for synergy, I really like my Butler tube hybrid amps with my Odyssey Lorelei's. But then again both Butler amps and the Lorelei loudspeakers have been found to be flexible with many component matchups.

I've never heard an Odessey amp tho, hopefully someday I'll have an opportunity to hear Klaus's planned synergy from an all Odyssey system.

Cheers,
Robin

Thebiker · « **Reply #16 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 06:25 pm »

Manley & Focal

Brown · « **Reply #17 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 06:42 pm »

Quote from: satfrat on 3 Jan 2009, 06:20 pm

Quote from: ted_b on 3 Jan 2009, 06:06 pm
As a tweaker and constant paranoid audioiphile though, I think the permutations of combinations available to the active crossover network world would have me in an asylum soon...and not the audio asylum.

That's a good thing Ted, means there's still hope for ya. As for synergy, I really like my Butler tube hybrid amps with my Odyssey Lorelei's. But then again both Butler amps and the Lorelei loudspeakers have been found to be flexible with many component matchups. I've never heard an Odessey amp tho, hopefully someday I'll have an opportunity to hear Klaus's planned synergy from an all Odyssey system.

Cheers,
Robin

You wil be in for a treat. IMO still the most bang for the buck system out there. Klaus has it going on in spades. Bravo!

Brown · « **Reply #18 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 06:45 pm »

A blast from the past Mirage M1si or M3si and Jadi Defy& mk3, transparent speaker cables. Snell and Sonic Frontiers.

rydenfan · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 07:41 pm »

Lamm Industries amps and Wilson Audio speakers have always sounded incredible to me.