Musical fidelity M6i or Naim Nait xs to drive my B&W 683

[Roby]

hello

So the next step in my upgrade is done.....Did I make the right choice....well isn't it the eternal question.....

Let's just say that with all I have learn by now in this world? I can say that I made a pretty good choice.

My doubts if I have them mostly come from the money side.... An that go's quickly away when I listen to it.

So called the dealer this morning saying I'm back from holiday I can come pick up the TT. Afther a while he called me back saying he wanted to come to my place so he could instal it.

So I spend the afthernoon with Alex waiting the dealer to arrive, personaly I was a bit anxious asking my self If I'm making a right choice.....

Than he arrived an half hour late...traffic ;-(

He installed the baby an oh yes what a difference...

The TT looks great it's really a peace of art an it sounds superbly clean (let' be honest for the defence of my old TT I think it soend really good an my father bought it when I was born so 33y old superb performence no?)

He spend an hour explaining everyting to me an good he did because I was not feeling really secure for starters......that will go away afther a few hours I guess....

He also offered me a new reckord of Chet Baker witch is really nice.

I also told him about the Avalons Half the price at the other dealer an he adviced me strongly to go for it....(even if it mean my speakers will not come from his shop)

I say good service an neutral advice here at that something important to me...

So I boocked a demo for the Avalon's for 2 november 14.30 at my other dealer. He told me he have no AMS in stock at the moment but he was giong to try by than otherwise he said he call me an see If I can bring mine in the night before so it can warm up all night.

Source will be the Electrocompagniet cdp So Mac & Electro I will finaly know what you're talking about ;-)

 

[CnoEvil]

hello

So the next step in my upgrade is done.....Did I make the right choice....well isn't it the eternal question.....

How can I possibly tell you that it was the wrong choice, given how much I emphasize the importance of a good source.......especially in the context of the type of system you are putting together,

Source will be the Electrocompagniet cdp So Mac & Electro I will finaly know what you're talking about ;-)

Very nice....and very dangerous!

I think that when you hear the Avalons on the end of your system, it will be even better than are allowing for.....so looking forward to the result.

Good grief, little did you know where this innocent sounding thread would lead!!

 

[Roby]

Source will be the Electrocompagniet cdp So Mac & Electro I will finaly know what you're talking about ;-)

Very nice....and very dangerous!

I think that when you hear the Avalons on the end of your system, it will be even better than are allowing for.....so looking forward to the result.

Good grief, little did you know where this innocent sounding thread would lead!!

[/quote]

Dangerous?....secound choice Would be AMS cd....so even more dangerous......

About where this tread would lead me :? let's see ( Musical fidelity M6i or Naim Nait xs to drive my B&W 683 maybe a concept in a year an change the cdp in 2 matching the chosen amp :rofl: )

I provably should change the title any idear's

I med a friend god bit by the virus ruined my banker had to change job to make him smile again..... :read:

No seriously

To be honest I had no idear.....basicly I tought I was going to by a midle High end system an youwould have never heard from me again.

But than listening to the differend stuff some high end some exotic I started to spot really the differences an started to enjoy the experience...

An started to see if some stuff was possible (witch basicly I tought unatanable an even mad buisness)

I think for me the bigest strugle is the money part, not specialy in a way that you ruin your finances but more in the sense of what is the enyoyement you get for the amount of cash we are spending.....

An yes its part of the game getting the best sound for the smalest budget. What that budget is, is really personal....

Because let's be honest the amound some of us are spending it's quite a lot an will seem mad buisness to most people (even I think some time the system I'm building is a litlle extravagant)

An to be clear even if I think we are lucky , be able to do it...You know sometimes I have my doubts, it go's away when sudenly I feel the smile on my face listening to example Maria Mc Kee like now thinking here voice sound great.

An hey like my dealer said during this year I got a lot of experience in this world an he said I always put my goals really high.

An this automaticly open questions He told me most of his client's are arround 50 an don't even try to build a system like mine...( I'm 33 an I might be deaf by 50 so )

There is one thing I do regret, It's the fact that my parrent's love or loved music....they gave me my musical education who go's from Sex Pistols, Bowie, Cure, spingsteen, Philppe glass, to Jim Croce stones & beatles so really large...

But I can't tell anny of theme what I'm trying to build an what I'm prepared to spend on it... they provably don't spot the difference between the HT & my HIFI

An my father would provably kill me if I tell him the cost, telling me I should buy a 3rd 15000€ motercycle instead (witch I might crash the next week who knows......)

Only a few of my friends can understand (mostly thos with passions)

Let just say I love the world for the posibilty's an experiences you can do an of cours the peaple you meet are mostly realy intresting.

But it's certenly not a passion you can comunicate with all you friend's.

Bottem line I in they end I'm quite happy with what I'm achieving because during this process I feel I get more an more confident with my choices.

I stop here becaus I think I can keep writing al night.....

 

[CnoEvil]

I provably should change the title any idear's

A personal pilgrimage to Hi-Fi Nirvana!

But than listening to the differend stuff some high end some exotic I started to spot really the differences an started to enjoy the experience...

It's almost impossible to get this across in writing, and it's great that you went out and heard for yourself, thus building invaluable experience that's impossible to get any other way.

I think for me the bigest strugle is the money part, not specialy in a way that you ruin your finances but more in the sense of what is the enyoyement you get for the amount of cash we are spending.....

You are dead a long time, so imo there is nothing wrong with spending money that truly gives such enjoyment, provided you only have to live on beans for a month or two....Carpe Diem!

An hey like my dealer said during this year I got a lot of experience in this world an he said I always put my goals really high.

It's very (very) hard to go back!

There is one thing I do regret, It's the fact that my parrent's love or loved music....they gave me my musical education who go's from Sex Pistols, Bowie, Cure, spingsteen, Philppe glass, to Jim Croce stones & beatles so really large...

Explains why you needed a more versatile "amp for all seasons".

Only a few of my friends can understand (mostly thos with passions)

But it's certenly not a passion you can comunicate with all you friend's.

If you'd spent double that money on a car, nobody would have batted an eye - I fully understand, as everyone thinks I'm nuts, and that's the way I like it.

I stop here becaus I think I can keep writing al night.....

Your passion will see you right, my friend....trust your instincts.

Cno

 

[Macspur]

Roby, your going to have one hell of a high end system when you've got those speakers and source in place.

Your passion does you justice and I know I'm not alone when I say how much I've enjoyed following you on your journey.

In my position, not being able to see, so not able to spend money on a nice car, I feel no guilt on spending a few grand on beautiful speakers, amp and CDP.

As long as you're not putting yourself into penury, I see no problem in buying top kit from which you are going to get hours and hours of pleasure.

Cheers

Mac

 

[Electro]

Roby ,

There is nothing wrong with having a dream and the passion to achieve it !

Like you, most of my friends think I am crazy spending so much money on a "stereo " but I have not regretted it for one second because of the enormous amount of pleasure it gives me , I look forward to listening to music every day and I miss it if I can't .

I think that music played on a well balanced Hifi system touches the soul in way that no other man made devices can achieve and is a very special experience , so you are not alone .

I hope you like the Electrocompaniet EMC1UP and I am sure you will instantly understand why Mac and I are so passionate about it .

Perhaps the dealer could slip in an Electro EC4.7 pre and a pair of AW 180 Monoblocks if he has not got an AMS in stock to demo the Avalon's

 

[acalex]

I feel "obliged" to tell my point of view also !
I have been yesterday witnessing the upgrade when the dealer came all the way from Antwerp to install the new TT at Roby's place. It is a great piece of kit...greatly build and a limited series which is also quite nice (like to have "exclusives" pieces of kit).

Sonicly is a "life" away from Rob's old TT but let's by fair that was not even a competition in my opinion. I think the vintage TT you had was perfectly doing the job...just can't compete with state of the art TT with all new technology on board (magnetic bearing, decoupled chassis, separate engine, boron cartridge and so on...)

On the other aspect...you know how I feel. I also sometimes stops and think it is worth all this cash spent on hi-fi...and I always came to the conclusion that gives me a great amount of pleasure, so yes. Especially when it happens to listen to music through any other electronic equipment like TV...than I understand what beautiful and clear sound means.

The only thing I think you should start controlling better is the time you take to upgrade your system! I have been gone for a month and once I was back a new TT was already bought and almost sold on 7500 euro speakers ! It is true you are getting a lot of experience and last year was great...but I think you should take it easy and start appreciating FULLY what you have achieved so far.

It is true...it's a great opportunity...but usually there will always be great opportunities out there, especially if you think those speakers have been there for a while already as there are not many people willing to spend that kind of money so easily. Plus I do not think we have been "listening" to speakers as much as we have done with amplifiers. Yes, we have been demoing so many of them on the road...but never in the same conditions and always with a specific attention on amp as this was the object of the test. Now you should really listen to speakers with your amplification...and start borrowing stuff you have put on your shortlist. And take probably the same amount of time you have taken with amplfier. If you enjoy so much the process as do, why rushing things?

This is what I would do, not jump on speakers you suppose there will be the best just because they are sold at 50% their price...what do you think? Plus a lot of changes are happening in your life...I think it would be wiser and best to manage one big thing at the time and slow down!

Always there to have a chat if you need/want!

See you soon my friend and thanks for coming yesterday to my little birthday party, we have same age for a month now!

 

[Roby]

Hey people just wanted to give a little heads up....

I think now for shure I made a great move.....let me explain....

Saturday as you can imagine I stayed home playing with my new TT I was fully apreciating the music when I got a call from my best friend asking me what I was doing I told him I was home listening to music an that he should come so we open a good bottle of wine. We see each other quite often but rearly in our home's for a nice sit down an chat so this was a nice oportunity.

He knew I spended quite a lot of money on my set but he actualy never seen it or of course listen to it.

I played a few records an I could see on his face he was really impressed an apreciating the expirience. I was playing him Kate Bush, Sade, Maria Mc Kee... certenly the kind of stuff he doesn't listen to normaly he is more rock & techno...

He said to me afther a while it's strange I normaly don't like that kind of music, but here it's just perfect....

Than he said somthing that give me even more confidence in my choices

He told me that if he had the money he would provably buy the same he basacly told me that he can see that I know what I'm doing an if I can do it I should nothing crazy about that. (He also asked me not to show it to his GF because she would be capable to buy it :rofl: )

He told me I did well an that people saying it's just mad are provably a bit stupid or jealous....an I should not give a sh't

Witch was really conforting for me considering it was onlt 1or 2 hours afther my last post...

Beside I might get him in to our wourld one of this days >)

Afther a wile as the whine bottle was getting empty I got a bit scared playing with the TT an we switched to the CDP

witch actualy really fun to

Well for me I have the feeling I fanaly do justice to the ams I know the next step is speakers, but at this point I have the feeling my speakers suddenly oppened up an play more freely. I won a huge amount of detail but more impotanly it got more sprankly an the bass is tighter an more penetrating actualy it wins in every aspect.

Stangly I have the impression in this moment I have more effect on my speakers upgrading the source than when I upgraded the amp but than I'm thinking its provably my memmory playing tricks with me.

I'm actualy more thinking it's combination of the amp+source upgrade ho have this effect, it's a more logical explenation.

I actualy can do the test reconecting the NAD if I ask my friend to bring it for a evening :?

All this to say I had a great music evening

To Electro: Please don't temp me :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Alex:

Demo is 3 weeks from now so we provably will talk about it a few times by then. It's true a lot of things are changing right now. an one of theme is that I start to see more an more in what direction I want to go (witch is provably a good thing)

Let me put it like this If I was in the state of mind of 3month's ago I would have hesitated buying the TT an endup buying it anyway an asking my self if I did well the next 3 month's...This doesn't mean a dessision is taken an I will not rush it. an you shurly are the one I go to for advice

But I think this last weeks opened my eyes an I'm able to take everything a bit calmer....An I think the last experience at the HIFI show made something clear to me one hand the kind of sound I'm afther, well I start to get a pretty good image of the way I want to go....

secound What I want is may be the Avalon's maybe not eitherway I now understand you should not dowsize for the next best thing even if it is an oportunity....So no worry's there we will see what happen at the demo.

I can give you an example now you know a few month ago I wanted to buy the Performance at the same time as my AMS

I had the oppertunity to by one 2nd hand. but I didn't an I'm happy now becaus I would always had the feeling I would have downsized for the next best thing Because

1 it was secound hand

2 it was white

Don't get me wrong the performance would have been on the top of my wish list always (but a new one an black of course)

If I didn't had this opportunity.

 

[Roby]

Hello all,

So sinds my last post I'm enyoing my new TT an honestly it's great. I think it's one of the best moves I made untill now

It's just that I have the feeling it's a close to perfect match with my AMS35i.

Actualy this is ot the reason why I post sind then I constanly thinking about the speakers I will be demoing Friday I know I shouldn't because it will make me have high expectations.

I have a cold for the last week no an have the feeling I hear nothing at all an it's really bugging me because it's gona fals my impressions :-(

Still I'm possitive I will be better by Friday at least I hope....

 

[iceman16]

Hi Cno,

What balance xlr interconnect would you recommend for the EMC1UP to AMS35i? As you know Im using TQ black s/c. IME speaker cable gives significant improvement than interconnects. I used to own a TQ black din with Naim cd to pre, when I compared the TQ din to my Chord Anthem2 din there's not much difference.

But when I compared the Chord Epic s/c to TQ black there's big improvement in sound quality. The TQ black xlr costs around £370.

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi Cno,

What balance xlr interconnect would you recommend for the EMC1UP to AMS35i? As you know Im using TQ black s/c. IME speaker cable gives significant improvement than interconnects. I used to own a TQ black din with Naim cd to pre, when I compared the TQ din to my Chord Anthem2 din there's not much difference.

But when I compared the Chord Epic s/c to TQ black there's big improvement in sound quality. The TQ black xlr costs around £370.

I take it you tried the TQ i/c with the TQ s/c...as that should in theory have better cohesion?

As you saw from my Vertere thread, I liked the Pulse range (prices given in the thread* - and the XLR is the same price as the RCA)....but I don't know how it would mix with TQ.
* (Post 9) http://www.whathifi.com/forum/accessories/an-evening-with-touraj-moghaddam-vertere?page=2

For you, I like Cardas Golden Reference, as it's a little more neutral than the Golden Cross...but it's expensive over here.

I also rate Atlas Mavros.

The above are all expensive, so a trial is vital. If you want to try the Vertere, David from Kronos AV might accommodate you (he also does Atlas), if you ring and say you saw the write up and want to try them...say Cno sent you!

 

[Roby]

Hey

I had an intresting day yesterday.

Unfortunatly my mac crashed today when I wanted to write about my impressions. I'm restaging it now but it takes a while.

As I don't see myself writing a review on my phone this will be for tomorow

sorry keep you waiting

 

[CnoEvil]

Hey

I had an intresting day yesterday.

Unfortunatly my mac crashed today when I wanted to write about my impressions. I'm restaging it now but it takes a while.

As I don't see myself writing a review on my phone this will be for tomorow

sorry keep you waiting

:wall: :wall: :wall: :wall:

 

[Macspur]

Hey

I had an intresting day yesterday.

Unfortunatly my mac crashed today when I wanted to write about my impressions. I'm restaging it now but it takes a while.

As I don't see myself writing a review on my phone this will be for tomorow

sorry keep you waiting

 

[acalex]

I might write a review for you Rob if you want :cheers:

Yes, interesting day, and interesting outcome also :shhh:

This CDP is a great one btw...

Regarding me...also getting closer to new speakers, but that's another story!

 

[CnoEvil]

I might write a review for you Rob if you want :cheers:

Yes, interesting day, and interesting outcome also :shhh:

This CDP is a great one btw...

Regarding me...also getting closer to new speakers, but that's another story!

You'd go far to get a more skilled pair of "wind-up" artists.

 

[acalex]

Well I will try to post some nice pics for now to set the scene....

 

[acalex]

Close up on the tested object

 

[iceman16]

Well I will try to post some nice pics for now to set the scene....

Hi Acalex,

Make it quick please..I can't wait

Thanks

Iceman

 

[CnoEvil]

Well I will try to post some nice pics for now to set the scene....

Looks lovely, but only whets the appetite - as you rightly knew it would!! :twisted:

 

[acalex]

You might also get a few videos

Thats a first on...very loud music :cheers:

http://youtu.be/RkM6Zm7RCYM

 

[acalex]

Ahaha, of course...

 

[acalex]

Here the videos, enjoy

Video 1: http://youtu.be/RkM6Zm7RCYM

Video 2: http://youtu.be/Tt5_gNIeJeY

Video 3: http://youtu.be/l1up0uvnhsE

 

[acalex]

Ok, I say my word on the demo and the Avalon in general.

When we first tried the Avalon Idea with the AMS, I was quite impressed by the transparency and level of detail these speakers can transmit. It's like sitting in the front row of a live venue! Paired with AMS was impressive...a little bit too aggressive for my taste but that's another story.

If you are after a REAL speaker, you need to demo those speakers.

The one we tried were, in my opinion, a big step up from the Idea, still having all qualities of the Ideas but noticed a much nicer bass (round and smooth as I like), a great dynamic and speed, just as much realism as the others...transparent and detailed. A little bit of aggressivity was gone...and I enjoyed those a lot.

The AMS drives those easily, providing enough corrent for punching your stomach when drums kick in, it's stunning what this amplifier can pull out when matched with nice set of speakers. I do think the AMS + Avalon is a great match if you like this kind of presentation...

Now...what do you think Roby thought about it? Was he so impressed to take the deal? :? :silenced: :shifty:

 

[Jambalaya]

You would probably be happier with the M6i, not just because I have one, but because of the power based on the type of music you indicate you prefer. Naim is very dynamic and sophisticated sound, no problem driving any loudspeaker, but for sheer power and control of bass frequency, the M6i is awesome plus it is very dynamic as well. What you feed it is what you'll get back so quality recordings really shine and poor quality recordings...well you can tell they are poor quality.