£3000 system equal to £50000+ ? Stereophile recommended components say yes!

[altruistic.lemon]

Perusing http://www.stereophile.com/content/2013-recommended-components I was surprised to see that their Class A components, acknowledgedly the best irrespective of price, have a few affordable items among the expensive and esoteric:

Amp - Exposure 2010S2 - around £900

CD Player - Rega Apollo-R around £546

Speakers KEF LS 50 - about £800

These components should be the "Best attainable sound for a component of its kind, almost without practical considerations; "the least musical compromise." A Class A system is one for which you don't have to make a leap of faith to believe that you're hearing the real thing."

So you don't have to spend a fortunes to have a stunning system after all.

 

[chebby]

Interesting that the Arcam Solo-Mini is there. (I got a LOT of flack for owning one when I first came to this forum!)

And they confirm what I knew at the time. (That it sounds better - within it's 25wpc limits - than some more expensive Arcam models.)

Always a bit of a favourite with my first pair of Rega R3s (89dB) at my usual moderate volume levels.

I'd have bought another one by now if only Arcam had brought it up-to-date with optical digital connectivity and AirPlay. (All of which are do-able from Arcam but only with a raft of add on boxes which defeats the point.)

Also a bit of a 'dust sucker' with vents on almost every surface. (A heatsink on the back would have been better.)

 

[richardw42]

I couldn't disagree with those 3 choices. Even if I had a million in the bank, I'd still rather spend 3k then 50,000.

PI had the Arcam Solo Mini too, with some stuff it was brilliant, but with some heavier metal it wasn't all that. I think everybody knows Arcam means good. However , and I've had a few of their things, there's something they do to their kit that I can't get on with.

 

[Macspur]

Not experienced it myself, but heard some great things about the Exposure.

The Harman Cardon HK990 looks like quite an amp too and at a reasonable price.

Mac

 

[Frank Harvey]

8th one down... :rofl:

http://www.stereophile.com/content/2013-recommended-components-miscellaneous

Max will love it...

 

[KidKomet]

8th one down... :rofl:

http://www.stereophile.com/content/2013-recommended-components-miscellaneous

Max will love it...

Aha! surely this is not a serious product?

 

[shadders]

Hi,

The 8th one down is hilarious. I mean - cream on your pre-amp to improve the sound.

I did not see a green marker pen though.

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[DocG]

Hi,

The 8th one down is hilarious. I mean - cream on your pre-amp to improve the sound.

I did not see a green marker pen though.

Regards,

Shadders.

The WAF is questionable, IMO. :?

 

[datay]

The WAF goes through the roof as the cream also doubles as an incredible lube.

 

[lindsayt]

I'd rate the Kef LS50's as a C or a D on the Stereophile scale.

 

[CnoEvil]

I'd rate the Kef LS50's as a C or a D on the Stereophile scale.

You should publish the "Lindsay Scale"......Huge, Large and too Small.

 

[lindsayt]

CnoEvil, how would you rate the KEF LS50's or, any other items in the Stereophile recommended components list, using their scale?

Every component that they rate as Class A, I'd rate as Class C or D or E or K.

 

[Ajani]

CnoEvil, how would you rate the KEF LS50's or, any other items in the Stereophile recommended components list, using their scale?

Every component that they rate as Class A, I'd rate as Class C or D or E or K.

So I assume you've listened to every Stereophile Class A rated item then.

 

[CnoEvil]

CnoEvil, how would you rate the KEF LS50's or, any other items in the Stereophile recommended components list, using their scale?

Every component that they rate as Class A, I'd rate as Class C or D or E or K.

I would rate stuff within its price range and split Standmounts from Floorstanders, like others I could think of.

In this report, where speakers are concerned, I would also be comparing those of a "restricted extreme LF," with each other.

On my rating scale, and within the standmount speakers I've heard, I'd give the LS50s an A+. :shifty:

I see my amp has dropped off the Class A list, as it's not been tested recently.

BTW. I wasn't having a go....just a little Mickey-Take.

 

[lindsayt]

In that case CnoEvil you would have a different rating system to Stereophile and one that's more akin to the What Hi-fi star system. Which is fair enough.

I think the Stereophile definition of Class A is a bit daft because "A Class A system is one for which you don't have to make a leap of faith to believe that you're hearing the real thing." If I applied that then no vinyl nor CD source that I've ever heard and quite likely none ever made would make it into Class A because they all fall short in this area due to limitations in the recording formats. A top end reel to reel playing well recorded master tapes or master tape copies is the only source that I would place in Class A.

Power amplifiers. None that I've heard would get into Class A. You either have the lack of bass grip from SET amplifiers or the lack of naturalness and low level detail in the midrange for solid state.

Speakers. Again none would get into Class A. They all have some compromise or another that results in compromises that require a leap of faith that you're hearing the real thing.

Stereophile have given us a definition of Class A that is really hard for any component to get into and then they put lots of components into it. It's an example of extreme ratings inflation.

 

[CnoEvil]

In that case CnoEvil you would have a different rating system to Stereophile and one that's more akin to the What Hi-fi star system. Which is fair enough.

I suppose it flatters the old Ego to see one's choice in the "Class A" section.

 

[Um]

Also it appears someone has given the Class A speaker list a massive wafting with the UGLY wand. It amazes me these people have jobs.

In my opinion