Audition: Different Sort Of Experience

[audipheonix]

Today I went to audition. It was not planed at all just a casual listining. So in I went and saw some new Dynaudio Contour,Sugden A21 series, Plinius Hautonga.So I choose to listen to DSOTM. The Sugden cd player was connected to Plinius running the Dynaudio Contour. "Time" track was playing it was excelent. But it was not the wow factor that one gets or suppose to get from a system like that which costs so much.
Then I hooked up the dali zensor 5 to those it was also a good setup and the rythm was good though it missed the very lower bottom but it was enjoyable.

Then I moved onto a different system it was much lower costing. It comprised of dali zensor3 and zensor 1 being run by sugden a21 series amplifier and the Marantz CD6005 did the cd job.
And to my surprise I liked the the Zensor 1 more than the 3, actually I liked it more than any other speaker I heard there. Yes it does not have the scale or the bass but it surely is
damn musical. THen I tried the Ikon 2, Triangle Comete, Zensor 7 but none were that impressivewith subtle diff here n there. Then I tried a Arcam A28 as the newer model as per the dealers
was not as musical as the older one. It was connected to the Dali Ikon though the speaker were sounding good with the sugden but connected to the arcam to achieve the same level of sound
volume the arcam has to be turned to 55 volume dial.which was surprising . The dealer acknowledge the fact and said that it was not delivering the same amount of current.

And these ended the session . The point I want to make is though I listened to system from high cost to budget . The most musical was the Dali zensor 1 runned by Sugden , it was most musical.
So even very medest setup of dali zensor1 marantz cd6005 and sugden will sound sensationally musical if matched properly. One may thinkm going up the budget will satisfy them ,
but they dont realize that good budget system can sound excellent.

Recollecting from memory I once audition Usher Speaker S520, Diamond DMD series with Exposure Amp and it sounded the best that I ever heard. I mention these because I dont see many recomending
them as they are true great speakers.I wanted so much from the Dynaudio Contour and Dali Ikon speakers but they fell short of my expectations.But the dali zensor 1 and 3 to some extent
satisfied me by there sound.

Its been a odd experience.

 

[CnoEvil]

If you liked the Sugden, you should try to hear it with Proac.

 

[bluebrazil]

great post, its why upgrading scares the pants off me.

 

[NJB]

When it all works then you end up with a sound that is greater than the sum of the parts. I have heard great set ups at various price points, and it is all in the matching. Add to that the obvious answer that everybody has their own preference, and you end up with the modern market of countless companies that you can mix and match in any combination. It's a minefield!

 

[audipheonix]

Yes they are very good but very expensive here.Actually I went there for auditioning a cd player for my system and I liked the marantz selling her @ Rs. 44000 (approx 440 gbp) which above my budget . Then the dealer showed me a Dacmagic 100 and said these can do a good, dont know will try to have some demo with my setup. Can a dac match a cd player albeit at budget end . Dont know have to compare .

 

[moosey]

One may thinkm going up the budget will satisfy them ,but they dont realize that good budget system can sound excellent.

Its been a odd experience.

HI, I found similar results; I set out with a max budget of £3k; looking possibly to split it equally between amp and speakers. The set up that I found to my taste was in total over £1k lower than my max budget. I tried combinations of 6amps with 6 speakers and my favourate was one of the cheaper combinations but to my ears matched the most expensive. I just could justify spending the extra as is didn't make my music any more enjoyable.

or perhaps i have a hearing issue?

as many of the more experienced members keep advising; get out and listen to different systems, and don't assume two 5* products will make a 5*system.

 

[audipheonix]

or perhaps i have a hearing issue?

as many of the more experienced members keep advising; get out and listen to different systems, and don't assume two 5* products will make a 5*system.

Yeh I tihink some over here also will advise u that way. Like you didnt have a reveling system to get the best out of that . or it will take certain kind of amp to get it going all those stuffs. Total BS.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Its also expectations because you think a system costings £3000 is gonna blow the socks off a £1000 system but in a short demo its hard to hear unless your conditioned to what to expect. Hi end amps have lower distortion but will not impress you straight away. But once you have the system in your home over a longer period the differences in sound quality becomes evident

 

[audipheonix]

Its also expectations because you think a system costings £3000 is gonna blow the socks off a £1000 system but in a short demo its hard to hear unless your conditioned to what to expect. Hi end amps have lower distortion but will not impress you straight away. But once you have the system in your home over a longer period the differences in sound quality becomes evident

Or it might be that you r getting use to the system. For almost a period of few months initially I was not satisfied with the sound of my system. But gradually I started to like it .My friend who comes to my home says that it is not perfectly transparent, but they appreciate the midrange. Now I think it sound very good for a budget system . But still I think it is not for rock like linkin park or limpbizkits type of music. I think most of the budget system are good with 70% of all musical genre. To get the next 30% or a system that can be good with all kind of music you either system match properly or b very lucky.

 

[rainsoothe]

Today I went to audition. It was not planed at all just a casual listining. So in I went and saw some new Dynaudio Contour,Sugden A21 series, Plinius Hautonga.So I choose to listen to DSOTM. The Sugden cd player was connected to Plinius running the Dynaudio Contour. "Time" track was playing it was excelent. But it was not the wow factor that one gets or suppose to get from a system like that which costs so much.Then I hooked up the dali zensor 5 to those it was also a good setup and the rythm was good though it missed the very lower bottom but it was enjoyable.

Then I moved onto a different system it was much lower costing. It comprised of dali zensor3 and zensor 1 being run by sugden a21 series amplifier and the Marantz CD6005 did the cd job.And to my surprise I liked the the Zensor 1 more than the 3, actually I liked it more than any other speaker I heard there. Yes it does not have the scale or the bass but it surely isdamn musical. THen I tried the Ikon 2, Triangle Comete, Zensor 7 but none were that impressivewith subtle diff here n there. Then I tried a Arcam A28 as the newer model as per the dealerswas not as musical as the older one. It was connected to the Dali Ikon though the speaker were sounding good with the sugden but connected to the arcam to achieve the same level of soundvolume the arcam has to be turned to 55 volume dial.which was surprising . The dealer acknowledge the fact and said that it was not delivering the same amount of current.

And these ended the session . The point I want to make is though I listened to system from high cost to budget . The most musical was the Dali zensor 1 runned by Sugden , it was most musical.So even very medest setup of dali zensor1 marantz cd6005 and sugden will sound sensationally musical if matched properly. One may thinkm going up the budget will satisfy them ,but they dont realize that good budget system can sound excellent.

Recollecting from memory I once audition Usher Speaker S520, Diamond DMD series with Exposure Amp and it sounded the best that I ever heard. I mention these because I dont see many recomendingthem as they are true great speakers.I wanted so much from the Dynaudio Contour and Dali Ikon speakers but they fell short of my expectations.But the dali zensor 1 and 3 to some extentsatisfied me by there sound.

Its been a odd experience.

Moral of the story: auditions > reviews. Great post.

 

[audipheonix]

As I was looking for a cd player and hence the audition.I was just wondering that wheather going for the dacmagic 100 will satisfy me as i have diff source. In that regard I also found tube magic d2 dac online but no chance for audition . Does anyone here has this or have auditioned it, how it sounds? Prices are almost same . But which one will be sonically better asthe tube magic have a tube output.Or should I only audition dacmagic 100 and buy it.

 

[drummerman]

Its also expectations because you think a system costings £3000 is gonna blow the socks off a £1000 system but in a short demo its hard to hear unless your conditioned to what to expect. Hi end amps have lower distortion but will not impress you straight away. But once you have the system in your home over a longer period the differences in sound quality becomes evident

Mmmh, whilst I totally agree that simple cheaper systems can sound very musical (my local Costa Coffee Shop has one in use and I guess mine somehow fall under that description too) I have never had a problem to tell a decent more expensive one from a decent cheap one.

Thats not to say that a badly matched expensive one will better a well put together cheaper one, nor does it imply that by spending more you always get better but on the whole, spending more will get you better ...

Uuffh, did that make any sense?

 

[audipheonix]

So does anybody has any idea about this dac. And what are your view about the dacmaic 100 CA. At this price point does one dac diff from another in there presentation.

 

[audipheonix]

Does Nobody here who has any idea about tubemagic D2 dac. Or have anybody been demoed this dac?

 

[rainsoothe]

Does Nobody here who has any idea about tubemagic D2 dac. Or have anybody been demoed this dac?

I auditioned the D1 DAC preamp and it sounded pretty good to my ears, but I forget it's characteristics, it wasn't so "inyourface". And I think it's one of the best budget sollutions - getting the Tubemagic D1 + 2 active studio monitors like Yamaha HS5 or HS7 or Adam A5x or A7X - it also has one or two analogue inputs, which you can use with a phonostage etc etc. Haven't heard the D2 though - but I think they're internet based and you can send it back if you don't like it - aren't they?

 

[Andrewjvt]

Drummerman said I have never had a problem to tell a decent more expensive one from a decent cheap one.

Thats not to say that a badly matched expensive one will better a well put together cheaper one, nor does it imply that by spending more you always get better but on the whole, spending more will get you better .
Uuffh, did that make any sense?

I say: yes makes 100% sense to me. What i was trying to get at is that sometime cheaper or budget hifi has more colouration or bass boost/loudness plus more distortion and at first listen in a hifi shop sounds big and bold compared to a higher end neutral system and wont instantly smack you in the face with tricks at first.

But we as hifi people tend not to fall for that (hope and try)

For example: i was using my panasonic bluray as cd player then brought a kandy 111.

Well when i first swapped the kqndy almost seemed less dynamic but the definition on the kandy blew the bluray away. After a few weeks i swapped back only to find the bluray sounded rubbish

Hope that makes sense lol

 

[audipheonix]

The Dynaudio Contour driven by Plinius with Sugden CD was the best in the audition but it was 3 to 4 like the price of the budget system, but did it sounded 3 to 4 time the money. For the time that I spent over there it didnt. But it was the best. May(definitely) be if listen for over a period of time the Dynaudio will beat the budget system. The thing I was pointing out was on the auditioning day they didnt sounded that much diff. I would happily live with the budget system. And if I have the money and space I will be happy with the Dynaudio also. But there is a point of diminishing return, that catches up with You.

One more thing someone buying an expensive system will always have the expectation that it will sound better than a ordinary budget system. Even if it didnt, they dont want to wrong there own dissision, and try to convince themselves that they have the best system.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Double the price in hifi does not equal double the performance. I would to know the actual average (as some equipment puches above price etc)

But if id have a guess if you have an amp worth £1000 an want to upgrade to better aound youd need to spend £2000 and then you might only gain 5 - 10% in sound quality (maybe less???)

Then to improve further would need to double the cost if the last upgrade.

Now of course i know some products are better value than others but its just my theory