Hi everyone,
No need to tread lightly with me; I'm not easily offended. I'm well aware I'm a beginner with little experience in audiophilia.
I do take risks in life, and more often than not, I end up losing—though it's never a matter of life and death, just mistakes and financial losses (self esteem is a bit suffering as well). You wouldn’t believe how I bought my apartment. Technically, it’s the bank’s property until 2048. I joke that I’ll probably be gone before then. Anyway that’s not the topic here.
I appreciate Alexandre Chamagne's approach: a 30-day trial period. If the product meets your expectations, great; if not, he arranges the return shipping and refunds your money. He has built his own business, tried to bring new stuff in the business, he has a super customer oriented policy, very close from clients… this guy is really sincere and nice.
Perhaps I expected too much. I’ve never read a bad review about these speakers, and I can’t bring myself to write anything negative either. As usual, the problem lies with me—my expectations, budget (I lost 25% in revenues this year due to a tough client), living space, and, frankly, a lack of self-confidence in my choices. As I’ve mentioned before, if there’s a wrong decision to be made, I’ll find it.
My partner felt the same way—overwhelmed by the speakers. Too much of everything. I don’t believe in a break-in period. I’ve never paid much attention to how my gear evolves over time. She finds the improvement does not worth the financial investment.
- On certain songs and styles, these speakers are incredibly good! Artists like Melanie De Biasio, Youn Sun Nah, Dire Straits, Erik Truffaz, and Avishai Cohen sound stunning.
- However, my other favorites—Tool, Dream Theater, Ne Obliviscaris, and Opeth—sound quite good only on the streamer.
- My favorite Deutsche Grammophon LPs don’t fare well at all. They sound messy, too compact, and overwhelming. I love Mahler’s 2nd Symphony; "Im Tempo des Scherzos" always brings me to tears. But I can’t enjoy it on vinyl now—only through my streamer with Tidal.
What can I conclude? A good source is magnified, and an average one becomes unbearable?
I don’t know. I only know a few things.
Come over, have a seat, pick your beer, and listen with me!