New system

[drummerman]

As mentioned on a few occasions, its time to replace my system. Budget is around £3000 but my current favorites, AVI's ADM 9.1's mean it does'nt have to go that high necesseraly.

Still, its there and I would like to hear from anyone on the forum what you would buy. I leave it wide open and I gladly consider valve systems too. I would also consider to spend most of it on amplification and speakers, adding just a dac for the intermediate. What I would say is that anything suggested has to be available for auditioning. I know for example that Musical Fidelitys KW550 is available very cheaply now but I still have to try and get in contact with the guy to see if I can listen to it. Without that I simply would'nt consider it.

Others I may try to audition are ATC SIA 2-150/ATC SM11 & DAC, Neat Momentum 3iS plus amplifier (?) & DAC.

I'm fishing a bit in the dark here and my time is limited but if you have any views on the above or anything else I should consider I'd like to hear it.

Room is approx. 4x5m with no real sonic nasties. I listen to everything apart from classical (rarely) and opera (never). The system has to be able to play well quietly as well as loud on the odd occasion. I have a small sub. Transparency, focus and inner detail are important, as are good coherency. I dont like big, overblown soundstages or boomy, diffuse bass.

Thanks for your suggestions

 

[Anonymous]

You could do worse than to arrange a session at www dot hifitradingstation dot com in Peterborough. The chap in there is pretty helpful and has a stack of various used and new valve kit. Last time I was there he had Sonus Faber Concerto Domus and Dynaudio speakers, new. Clearly it depends on your location but might be worth a phone call...

 

[the record spot]

And if you're anywhere near Birmingham, Central Audio has some brilliant looking used kit that's well worth a look. God knows I'd be there in a jump if I wasn't up in Edinburgh!

 

[batonwielder]

Just read your other post about systems that made you happy. If you are really in love with the AVI's, why don't you add a tube preamp? That would be a killer setup, and you can add a DAC if you like or even consider getting a DAC+Pre stuff like the Benchmark.

 

[Anonymous]

I think part of the ADM's party trick is a built in DAC. Still, leaves a lot of options for source if these only take a little of the budget. Get a smooth CDP like a Unison Research and then use a laptop to feed it files when you want something a little sharper. I'm sure you've considered all of the options in this respect anyway!

 

[SHAXOS]

Hey DM did you get round to listening to that kw550? I should get mine before the end of next week. Cant wait!

 

[drummerman]

Thanks guys. Igglebert, unfortunately Peterborough is a little far out of my way, I'm in dorset, county of cows, seaside, night clubs and cool girls. Shaxos, no I haven't yet but I will try to do so. Batonwielder, as Igg pointed out, the AVI's 'tuneability' is limited though not entirely impossible due to its inbuilt pre-amp and dac as well as amplification. I guess thats both a good and bad thing.

Pls keep the suggestions coming.

 

[chebby]

I think Ashley from AVI would tell you that you only need an iMac plus some ADM 9.1s and Apple TV.

I have read his statements (on other forums) to the effect that Apple and AVI provide everything you need and will slay even the finest £10K systems.

If he is right then you are going to have a lot of change from that three grand of yours. I hope you do go for the Apple + ADM 9.1s as I could really do with some dis-interested parties reporting back sensibly on this system. (Especially the whole iMac/Apple TV thing as I already own a one year old iMac 20") Unfortunately I have yet to see anyone outside of the AVI 'orbit' review them properly.

I would also like to know how the ADM 9.1s fare at low-moderate volumes. I don't recall anyone ever mentioning hearing them at less than 'standing behind an Airbus before take-off' volume levels! Also how do they sound with vinyl? (Ashley detests vinyl with a vengeance so again not much feedback on that.)

 

[drummerman]

Hi chebby. I've heard the 9.1's numerous times and reported on them on this forum. I won't put everyone through the agony again so try and trawl back in my postings if you can. If you can't find them I gladly tell you again about their pluses and minuses though.

 

[biggus_1961]

hi DM..i to am interested in the 9.1s at low to medium volume, what was your opinion on that.

 

[chebby]

biggus_1961:hi DM..i to am interested in the 9.1s at low to medium volume, what was your opinion on that.

On this particular question I have researched - as Drummerman suggested earlier - from his review in another thread....

drummerman:So they dont always make for comfortable listening where you just want to be emerged in music though they can easily do that given a decent recording and they still lack (to me) a certain 'loudness' especially at lower levels which happens to be where a lot of my listening takes place but for a near live presentation at volumes capable of rattling floors (without sub) they are amazing. I simply have never heard a system that would come close in that respect for that money or even 2.5 times as much!

I hope he does not mind me pasting that in as it answers our question about low-moderate volume level performance.

 

[drummerman]

Indeed but that's not quite the end of the story. That was at Ashley James's house, in a large relatively sparcely furnished room, pulled out with no rear boundary enforcement on bare floors if I remember correctly. Trawl a bit further chebby and see if you can find my remarks when I had them at my place, correctly positioned, first without then with sub. Not perfect, that would cost a whole lot more (hence this thread) but stunning nevertheless, so much so that I said to the people present I'll buy them which I still plan to do if I dont find anything substantially better at 3k. The joys of selecting.

 

[John Duncan]

DM, I'm not really sure what to suggest - you seem so enamoured with the AVIs that maybe that's just the way you should go? I can certainly see the point of them, and actually can believe the hype, but I'd have an issue with them for one reason, and that's upgradeability - you're kind of stuck with what you've got, short of adding the sub.

To that end, the only thing I can suggest is hearing the Primare i30 with some PMC GB1s and a DAC (can't comment specifically on the DACMagic yet as haven't got it). I take it you'll use PC or modest CDP as a source?

And if that doesn't float your boat, then AVIs it is.........

 

[drummerman]

Cheers Mr Duncan. No problem at all, I got a few more options to try before commiting myself. Yes, the upgrading issue is a fair point but without trying to plug the product again (!) it's neither the point of it nor really necessary. I've tried most well known manufacturers systems and nothing (imo) betters it even at substantially more money. I'm now down to the more unusual options to which I have no easy access (I have to book/drive further for a dem) but thats ok. There's no real time pressure but I have to make my mind up at some stage ...

 

[John Duncan]

drummerman:Cheers Mr Duncan. No problem at all, I got a few more options to try before commiting myself. Yes, the upgrading issue is a fair point but without trying to plug the product again (!) it's neither the point of it nor really necessary. I've tried most well known manufacturers systems and nothing (imo) betters it even at substantially more money. I'm now down to the more unusual options to which I have no easy access (I have to book/drive further for a dem) but thats ok. There's no real time pressure but I have to make my mind up at some stage ...

Yeah understand the upgrading bit, but they'd really have to be perfect for me not to be scared that at the first sign of a flaw, I'd be going "sh-t how do I fix *that*?!?!?!?".

Course, if they really do have no flaws then it's not a problem. Must hear them one day........