System sounds too polite on rock music

[Anonymous]

Hi zekezebra,
Yesterday, I traded-in my Marantz PM-KI Pearl Integrated Amplifier and purchased a Simaudio Moon i-7RS 2-channel Integrated Amplifier.

I owned the PM-KI Pearl for about 7 months, and was very happy with them, powering my Mordaunt-Short Performance 6 loudspeakers, but in the end, decided on more power, and hence I went for the Moon i-7RS.

Dan.

 

[Frank Harvey]

The Onkyo M5000R power amp would be worth try - nice retro looking gutsy performer with plenty of zest and energy. Some might turn their nose up because it's Onkyo, but I'm really liking what it does.

 

[ID.]

the trait of japanese equipments produce kind of sterile sound, more so with their entry level stuff(it's the japanese way of building up their upscale products, better musicality and quality will cost you, but doesn't mean their entry level is badly built). i am currently using esoteric cd player, and have been working really hard to make the sound more involved and warmer,

You obviously haven't listened to much Japanese kit. They tend to run the whole Gamut, but unfortunately you aren't going to get warmth from Esoteric (even though their new CDPs are smoother, maybe a bit sweeter, I wouldn't call them warm). I'd say the issue of house sound is more telling of warmth and musicality than how high up the range you go. In the same way, you get UK kit that is clinical and detailed as well as kit that is lush and warm (and much in between).

 

[Anonymous]

yes i've heard cec, marantz, accuphase, luxman and esoteric, i'd personally go for luxman and accuphase amps, but this guy wants "rock music" to sound good, i just think it's overkill getting those brands for mainly rock, i agree there are clinical british brands, but let me give u one analogy, Japanese food generally has low salt and food flavouring compared to american or european, accuphase might be warm but their sound has this clean feel to it, all i was saying it might be better balanced to have sushi with pizza than burger with fried chicken and pizza, i'm not saying all japanese combo has no synergy in fact i think luxman can really rock, then again if you have all that money to burn, a home audition really is required, high end is sensitive to a lot of factors,cables and stuff, FYI this set of cables i tried actually warmed up my esoteric werid uh? i know esoteric is on the cold side, i feel with the solid presentation even with to their amp cab be for rock, so there you go.

 

[Sonic Dreamer]

Hi All

I have the following system: Marantz Pearl CD and amplifier with Esoteric MG20 speakers wired up with Chord Epic twin speaker cable and Chord Anthem 2 interconnect.

With acoustic, blues, jazz, vocal music etc. I would do the Pepsi challenge with any other system: it has the "it can't get better than this" factor.

But the problem is the system just doesn't rock! Put on some Led Zeppelin or Pearl Jam and it sounds too polite! The dilemma I have is do I add a sub woofer or two or bite the bullet and admit the speakers just don't do it for me. It's quite difficult to hear a selection of speakers here in the Netherlands and it seems home demos are not encouraged.

I would prefer to have speakers (without the problem of subs) that sound good and dynamic at all volumes and on all types of music (maybe impossible?) and would like your thought on something like ATC SCM50SL AT using the Pearl as a pre-amp or the KEF Reference range.

The room is quite large so plenty of room for big floor-standers!

Thanks

Hi Zekezbra,

I have the Pearl CD and Amp too. I auditioned (at Sevenoaks in Holborn, London) the CD first and tried it out on all kinds of rock (which is my music of preference) and was deeply impressed. The CD does have a warmer sound and this does not suit everyone's taste for rock. I then auditioned the Pearl Amp with the CD with a Spendor A5 and Statement speakers. I also tried the combination out with a different amp (Audia Flight 2). The later had a completely different sound, which was "hungrier" and more neutral, but there was not much in it. After much pondering I went with the Pearl Amp, partly as it has a pre-power capability, which allows me to run separate AV system speakers off it and separate stereo speakers.

The most complimentary thing I can say about the Pearl combo is I simply do not get tired listening to it.

Cheers,
SonicD

 

[ID.]

Japanese food generally has low salt and food flavouring compared to american or european, accuphase might be warm but their sound has this clean feel to it, all i was saying it might be better balanced to have sushi with pizza than burger with fried chicken and pizza, i'm not saying all japanese combo has no synergy in fact i think luxman can really rock, then again if you have all that money to burn, a home audition really is required, high end is sensitive to a lot of factors,cables and stuff, FYI this set of cables i tried actually warmed up my esoteric werid uh? i know esoteric is on the cold side, i feel with the solid presentation even with to their amp cab be for rock, so there you go.

Actually, I was talking about you. Buying an Esoteric CDP doesn't seem like the logical way to go if you are looking for warmth and musicality, although I do get what you say about a certain cleanness. I also see it in the production/mastering of Japanese CDs (albums produced in Japan rather than Japanese remasters, etc.)

You obviously haven't eaten much Japanese food (or western food either from the examples you come up with)

. I could also make a poor analogy by cherry picking very rich/oily/salty Japanese food and comparing it to blander examples of western food. I was under the impression that they have very high levels of sodium in their diet (even traditional diets due to soy sauce and pickled vegetables, etc.)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3370141.stm

 

[Anonymous]

first of all, sorry for sidetracking your thread zekezebra.

ID: i didn't expect u to be this clinical on things, my apology for a poor analogy, afterall i only want to make a tiny point, i'm just a lowly musician who went to music college in the UK, and English being my second language, ...i did say "generally japanese"... if u wanna get clinical, u won't get to the end of it i think, u can only say, i.e 6 out of 10 happens this way, for a guy with different background, i'm Taiwanese who used to live in the UK for about 11 years, and waited table in a Japanese restaurant in London before, i'm just gonna say it again, it's not in the food, it's the mind behind the food, what is the chance of a Brit go in a Jap restaurant asking for extra soy sauce compared to a jap?(u r in for infinite possibilities here, my scientist friend, a lot of Einstien's theories were proved wrong, but u can't prove them wrong without him)

FYI i went for esoteric cdp cuz I felt it could bring good balance to my Plinius amp and spendor speakers, but i didn't realise it also mean that my original cables are no longer suitable, i had to re-arrange my cables, moreover i think it's not warm but it's musical in its own right.

good day gentleman

 

[ID.]

My apologies if I've upset you. My point is just that such generalizations are not accurate or helpful. I don't think it is necessary to get into discussions about the basis of your experiences regarding Japanese food and the Japanese mind (and lets avoid getting into 日本人論 (Nihonjinron) in particular), but I know plenty of Japanese people who would ask for more soy and others who wouldn't. The same goes for westerners. Further apologies for derailing the thread.