An audition

[matthewpiano]

Glad to hear you are enjoying the new system Chris. It seems a natural progression from your previous set-up, especially as that seemed to give you so much pleasure.

Enjoy!

 

[Covenanter]

Glad to hear you are enjoying the new system Chris. It seems a natural progression from your previous set-up, especially as that seemed to give you so much pleasure.

Enjoy!

Thank you Matthew. I shall relisten to the "Spem in allium" recordings on the new kit and feedback my impressions.

Chris

 

[CnoEvil]

I agree with MP's sentiment.

You love your music, and this will make it sound considerably more dramatic and realistic.

:cheers:

 

[p_m_brown]

Hi Chris,

Congrats on the new toys! Out of interest, what size is the room you are running the R700s in? Are they in lots of free space etc?

These are on my list of potential floor standers to try out but my room may be a little too small at 4x3.5m.

:cheers:

 

[Covenanter]

Hi Chris,

Congrats on the new toys! Out of interest, what size is the room you are running the R700s in? Are they in lots of free space etc?

These are on my list of potential floor standers to try out but my room may be a little too small at 4x3.5m.

:cheers:

I live in a loft style apartment which is basically one big space of roughly 90 sq m with the main living area being about 8m x 5m. It's a converted office block and the ceiling is double height so it's a big volume.

The room where I did the audition was much smaller and the R700s were excellent there but I have to say they are even better here. I'm listening to the newish Helene Grimauld Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 as I write this and the piano is really three dimensional.

Ok I am enthusiastic about my new toys but I would encourage you to listen to them. If you can arrange a home audition even better.

Chris

 

[Covenanter]

I agree with MP's sentiment. You love your music, and this will make it sound considerably more dramatic and realistic. :cheers:

Many thanks from one music lover to another.

Chris

 

[Covenanter]

I've not said much about the SA8005. I listened late last night on headphones to:

Allegri Miserere - Tallis Scholars

Beatles - Abbey Road

Joan Armadtrading - Love and Affection

Jimi Hendrix - Experience

The player revealed very much more detail than I have ever heard before. The choirs in the Allegri were extremely well defined in the sound stage and individual voices were much more clearly identified than on my previous player. The Armatrading was extremely realistic. I have seen her live many times over some 40 years and this was close to that in my aural memory. In the Hendrix I was hearing detail that I'd never got before. Towards the end of "All along the watchtower" some background guitar notes were revealed. I wouldn't say that Abbey Road was much different but it was very clean and clear.

So I'm very impressed with the SA8005. It's a very solidly built piece of kit and the drawer mechanism is a lovely piece of engineering, it closes like a Rolls Royce door.

Chris

 

[CnoEvil]

.....it closes like a Rolls Royce door.
Chris

Does it have a hidden umbrella in there too. 😉 :twisted:

 

[chrissasfre]

enjoy the kefs they rearly are an excellent speaker ive got mine driven by a perreaux 150 and they never fail to amaze me,any kind of music you throw at them sounds fantastic and the soundstage is spot on with a little toe in on the speakers i was looking at more exspensive speakers but they just rocked my boat with acoustic music they are very realistic

 

[Native_bon]

Very nice review. Oh well looks like I may be looking at doing more auditions on the KEFS R 500 & 700 cause I got my eyes on them in the very near future.

 

[matthewpiano]

Hi Chris,

Congrats on the new toys! Out of interest, what size is the room you are running the R700s in? Are they in lots of free space etc?

These are on my list of potential floor standers to try out but my room may be a little too small at 4x3.5m.

:cheers:

I live in a loft style apartment which is basically one big space of roughly 90 sq m with the main living area being about 8m x 5m. It's a converted office block and the ceiling is double height so it's a big volume.

The room where I did the audition was much smaller and the R700s were excellent there but I have to say they are even better here. I'm listening to the newish Helene Grimauld Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 as I write this and the piano is really three dimensional.

Ok I am enthusiastic about my new toys but I would encourage you to listen to them. If you can arrange a home audition even better.

Chris

Helene Grimaud. One of my favourite musicians. Her playing has real intensity.

 

[matthewpiano]

Having said that I've just reminded myself of the recording of the D Minor Brahms and with headphones Grimaud's heavy breathing is a bit too 3 dimensional in the solo piano passages.....

 

[Tarxman]

Out of interest Chris, did you happen to compare the R700s to the Tannoy Precision range at all? Cheers.

 

[Covenanter]

Out of interest Chris, did you happen to compare the R700s to the Tannoy Precision range at all? Cheers.

No I didn't I'm afraid.

Chris

 

[Covenanter]

Having said that I've just reminded myself of the recording of the D Minor Brahms and with headphones Grimaud's heavy breathing is a bit too 3 dimensional in the solo piano passages.....

I suspect that you have younger ears than me! Is that the recent recording with the Vienna Phil or the earleir one with the Staatksapelle Berlin?

Chris

 

[matthewpiano]

Having said that I've just reminded myself of the recording of the D Minor Brahms and with headphones Grimaud's heavy breathing is a bit too 3 dimensional in the solo piano passages.....

I suspect that you have younger ears than me! Is that the recent recording with the Vienna Phil or the earleir one with the Staatksapelle Berlin?

Chris

The recent one. Wonderful playing though. The Nelson Freire recording with Chailly is still my favourite, but I love Grimaud's interpretation.

My ears are 35 years of age.

 

[Covenanter]

Having said that I've just reminded myself of the recording of the D Minor Brahms and with headphones Grimaud's heavy breathing is a bit too 3 dimensional in the solo piano passages.....

I suspect that you have younger ears than me! Is that the recent recording with the Vienna Phil or the earleir one with the Staatksapelle Berlin?

Chris

The recent one. Wonderful playing though. The Nelson Freire recording with Chailly is still my favourite, but I love Grimaud's interpretation.

My ears are 35 years of age.

I have nearly 30 years on you in the ear department and sadly whilst I'm told my hearing is normal for my age you do lose top end. I'll have to listen to it on phones.

Chris

 

[Covenanter]

Hi Chris,

Congrats on the new toys! Out of interest, what size is the room you are running the R700s in? Are they in lots of free space etc?

These are on my list of potential floor standers to try out but my room may be a little too small at 4x3.5m.

:cheers:

I live in a loft style apartment which is basically one big space of roughly 90 sq m with the main living area being about 8m x 5m. It's a converted office block and the ceiling is double height so it's a big volume.

The room where I did the audition was much smaller and the R700s were excellent there but I have to say they are even better here. I'm listening to the newish Helene Grimauld Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 as I write this and the piano is really three dimensional.

Ok I am enthusiastic about my new toys but I would encourage you to listen to them. If you can arrange a home audition even better.

Chris

Helene Grimaud. One of my favourite musicians. Her playing has real intensity.

Matthew

She is playing a solo concert at Birmingham Town Hall on 14 May 2015 if you can get there.

Chris

 

[matthewpiano]

Chris

Thank you so much for pointing this out. I will definitely make sure I can get to this as she doesn't seem to play in the UK that much. The Bridgewater international season here in Manchester is slightly disappointing (though I'm looking forward to seeing Daniil Trifonov in October), but the opportunity to see Grimaud in recital more than makes up for it!

Many thanks again. I really do appreciate it.

Regards

Matthew

 

[Covenanter]

Matthew

The Birmingham 2014-15 season looks great for piano enthusiasts! As well as Grimauld we have:

Daniil Trifonov - 1 October 14

Marc-Andre Hamelin - 25 October 2014

Aaron Pilsan - 10 November 2014

Igor Levit - 5 December 2014

Benjamin Grosvenor - 21 January 2015

Alexander Panfilov - 25 February 2015

Yundi - 15 April 2015

Lara Melda - 26 May 2015

Maybe you are living in the wrong city!

Chris

 

[Thropplenoggin]

Levit is an exciting performer. I saw him play Beethoven's three last piano sonatas at the QEH last October. He was totally immersed in the works, as tho' it were a battle of wills with the piano to realise this music. He possesses a Richter-like sense of scale. Wonderful performer.

 

[GCE]

x Covenanter

-------------------------------------------------------------

None of the kit reproduced it exactly as I would wish to hear it.

It is fine on my current kit. Make of that what you will

-------------------------------------------------------------

I am getting more detail revealed than from my previous system

-------------------------------------------------------------

Not clear what is my current kit and my previous system :

perhaps Marantz 6005? can you articulate? thanks :?

 

[Covenanter]

x Covenanter

-------------------------------------------------------------

None of the kit reproduced it exactly as I would wish to hear it.

It is fine on my current kit. Make of that what you will

-------------------------------------------------------------

I am getting more detail revealed than from my previous system

-------------------------------------------------------------

Not clear what is my current kit and my previous system :

perhaps Marantz 6005? can you articulate? thanks :?

Previous was PM6004/CD6004/Q500

Current is PM8005/SA8005/R700

Chris

 

[Vladimir]

I wish Marantz could address the fit and finish of their units. They feel cheap and plasticky in real life. I could live with the design but the fit and finish really needs work. When I had the Marantz stack next to the Yamaha stack in the showroom I was stunned how much better the Yamahas were. Like battle ships compared to portable toilets.

And I wasn't alone in this impression. My friend, also an audiophile, was with me and had the same reaction of disappointment. Like looking at the photos of food at McDonalds and then getting the actual food on your tray. :doh:

Soundwise they are OK, nothing to lose sleep over. Marantz is always kinda borring and sweet. There is power but you never feel like its there. I kinda liked my old 90's PM-80 mkII better, not to mention the built like a tank PM-84 or PM-94.

Saul Marantz must be turning in his grave.

 

[Esra]

When I was a lot younger I admired my uncle´s Marantz stuff,they looked so cool and sound was fantastic.I remember they were made in the USA if I am not wrong.