My wife & I are professional musicians/ professors. Our system in its present form is the result of 5 yrs. trial/error. It may not be the end-game yet, but it delivers a beautiful synthesis of clarity, transparency and warmth. As fellow enthusiasts, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.
Acastos - Yes, I did trade out the X-03se for the K-03, although took quite a long audition A/B of them before ultimately deciding. Both are incredibly resolving, dynamic, fast, and great at low-amplitude retrieval. In the end, found the X-03se to be just a touch strident in upper frequencies when compared to the K-03. The K-03 (IMHO) gave a slightly more analog presentation, as well as slightly truer source placement and wider soundstage. If you have SACD's, you'll really hear the difference in these - unbelievable clarity and depth! I also like the five filter settings, although don't really play around with them now that I've settled on a preferred sound. I know you can also use the K-03 as a linestage, but have ours run through the Simaudio Moon P-5 w/ no loss whatsoever.
You list the Esoteric K-03, but the picture is of the X-03SE. You had a post comparing these two. I assume you replaced the X-03SE with the newer version. What were your reasons? I have the older Esoteric, and am thinking about upgrades.
System Update: Replaced the Ridge Street Alethias! pc's with all JPS Aluminata. Also auditioning a Velodyne DD10+ in place of the SPL1000, just to see. The Aluminata pc's are just about the single best upgrade I've ever made, aside from the Daedalus Athena.
System edited: Recently replaced the Herron VTPH-2 with the Zesto Andros. I had been A/B them for a few months now, both offering wonderful and similar traits to the presentation. Ultimately, I favor the load ease & flexibility of the Andros.
Absolutely - For a speaker that has pretty much flown under the radar, it seems to be attracting increasingly more attention, partic. in that Lou has expanded his design offerings recently with the Argos and Orpheus (in keeping with the Greek mythology theme). For my experience, I find the Athena to be the sweet spot in his work. Just a nice full size 3-way, where the mids sit right at ear level. As you've likely read many times on Lou's sound, these are about as organically authentic to the original source as one can imagine. Having had them now for over a year, I've tweaked with moving them in/out, toe, etc., and have found a spot where they literally disappear. I'm incredibly pleased with them, and they have my highest recommendation! Depending on room size and function, you may want to connect with Lou directly on his recommendations. Top-shelf guy!
System edited: Recently replaced the Blackbird cart with the Dyn XV-1s, as well as the Herron VTPH-2 in favor of my EAR 834P Deluxe. Really understand now the romance (for me, an old romance!) of a quality analog rig.
It is not easy to find a spot to put a piano, but have you noticed that the strings vibrate when you play the stereo? You may not realize it when music is playing, but it is easy to identify the problem by shouting in the same room, the piano picks it up and the strings will ring. These sympathetic string vibrations add undesirable noise to reproduced sound. Some kind of soundproofing over the piano, such as a quilt, is probably about all one can do.
Love the gear! You're obviously accomplished and successful musicians - not the starving artist types . . . As bass modes accumulate in the corners, have you considered moving your component pieces to say either side of the piano or side wall? If you haven't already done so, may I suggest you invest in an acoustical measurement tool and room treatments (e.g. Diffusion, Absorption, Reflection)? Dr. Floyd Tooles book is a great read on the physics of small room acoustics which walks you through may concepts that as musicians you will relate to and recognize. Any pictures of the rest of the room? Congrats on a great system.
Rsimms - Indeed, Lou is a rare synthesis of professional musician, speaker designer, and woodwork craftsman, not to mention simply a delight to get to know. His Athena is beautiful to look at, but even more, offers an incredibly accurate presentation of the recorded music. Enjoying these immensely!
Thanks for your advice, Dwhitt. You're absolutely right - as many in prior posts had suggested the same with my former Ospreys. Unfortunately, w/o moving the system to an undedicated room and otherwise vulnerable, we are limited to the piano arrangement in this room. However, since the pics above, I have moved them out 3.5' from the back wall - now well in front of the piano. Still readjusting toe-in, but can already hear the depth/width of stage open up. Indeed dramatic.
please excuse if above....remove the piano between the speakers , will be dramatic change.....depth, width ,clarity, like having a big elephant sitting on your chest to speakers....i have forty years of sound engineering ...
Upgraded the cart to a Dynavector XV-1s. Wow. I understand from posts that upgrading the arm to a JMW 10.5 or better will really reveal what this cart can do, as well as a more sensitive phono pre. For now, I'm auditioning a Dynavector PHA 200 head amp with my current EAR. The improvement in clarity and definition is significant. Such a great head amp - unfortunate it is no longer in production ~
These also include All-Poly Crossovers (absolutely seamless frequency presentation w/ about a .5db gain in system sensitivity), as well as the Soundocity isolation outriggers.
System edited: Update: Traded out our long-standing Ospreys for the relatively new Daedalus Athena. I believe this was Lou's first set, and I am honored to have them in our system. Incredible true-to-source sound, and an ability to see into every detail of the performance with as natural a presentation as I've experienced with recorded music.
It is true, Glenfihi. I've always been guided, consciously or otherwise, by what I experience on the stage or evaluating live performance situations from the seats. I guess that's why its proven particularly difficult finding that next level 'up' with speakers. But, like live performance, much of it comes down to the hall, or in this case, the room/related equipment. I've had some fine speakers in for A/B with the Ospreys, many far more $, but so far have not heard the sound I'm after. Indeed, happy listening to you as well ~!
Being around real music says a lot about your choice in gear. As always let your ears be the judge when it comes to a final pick in speakers. Happy listening.
I think that you ought to try pulling the Ospreys further out into the room first. The Ospreys are a great speaker. I went to buy a set right when Meadowlark went out of business and the local dealer sold his last pair three days before I went in to buy them. The dealer had them in a small room, so being in closer proximity to you will be okay.
I had two friends pull my speakers out from my wall and actually place them 4' from my ears (I have a small room). They are now 7' from the front wall. I freaked out when I saw them (so does eveyone else), but when I sat down the soundstage had become so much deeper it was amazing. The thing that really threw me off was that I assumed that the soundstage would be too close to my face, but it wasn't.
Try it, you don't have anything to lose. Dynaudio make really good speakers, I haven't heard either of the two speakers that you mention, but the Dynaudio C1 is a great monitor.
System edited: System Update 3.18.11: VPI Scoutmaster Signature has replaced my Pro-ject Xperience table (kept the Blackbird). Also added JPS SC3 i/c's for the VPI and EAR 834p. Love this table, and the JPS i/c's just took it over the top. Seems we're listening to LP's almost exclusively these days. Seriously researching upgrades to our Ospreys, and have short listed w/ Focus Audio (FS888 or FP80se), or Dynaudio Focus 360. Any thoughts on these or others within a 5k budget (used or new)?
