Hi all,
Again, I thought it would be better to start a new thread rather than continue in the old one.
Hyderabad
A few days after my hugely enlightening trip to Bangalore and Kochi, I made a hurried one day trip to Hyderabad mainly to audition the Harbeths on sale there.
Started the day with a visit to Sameer Kumar. What a setup! :clapping: Line Magnetic speakers and amp with a Ayon DAC in a well treated dedicated room. Wonderful warm sound. Heard some wonderful music including Jazz, Vocals and Indian pop.
I had taken some of my CDs but he does not have a CD player. Sameer is such a wonderful host too! Had a lovely lunch with him. He had to go somewhere near-by with his family but he chose to stay home with me. Highly indebted to him :signthankspin:
It was to Sidvee's place next. As he led me up to his listening room, I could not help feeling that his home is a mini art gallery! Some wonderful stuff! He too has a superb setup in a dedicated, albeit smallish room. Another Ayon DAC with a Lamm pre and a monstrous Symphonic Line power amp! The Harbeths played really well. Again no CD player. Tried some of my CDs on his Oppo blu ray player. They did Jazz and vocals very well but not so Indian classical which I played from my CD. Could have been that it was played from a blu ray player. Will find it difficult to decide on the Harbeths is what I was thinking as I left. Very knowledgeable and extremely helpful guy, Sidvee.:thumbsup:
Up next was Nikhil. Another great guy who "got off the hifi bandwagon 10 years ago. Now prefer everyday sensible systems" to quote from his signature. I can't describe the amazing decor of his home! So many pieces of art and knick-knacks. Lovely feel.
He's got Acoustic Portrait PM-1 and CPA-3 driving the rather strange looking Green Mountain Audio speakers. Acoustic Portrait, from what I have heard, would definitely be my benchmark for an "everyday sensible system". Alas! They don't make them anymore. It's a real pity.
Heard a range of music. Jazz, Vocals, Indian, Pop. Very good sound in an untreated living room. Couldn't help feeling that these were not really playing to their level. But, then, Nikhil was happy and satisfied and that is what counts. Nikhil hosted me to some of the famous Hyderabadi biryani before dropping me to the train station for my journey back home. Again, a wonderful host!:cheers:
Mumbai
It was to Mumbai that I headed in another few days.
I discovered that I was staying very near Magma's factory. So gave him a visit one morning. He is a great guy doing some great work.
Visited mpw to take a listen to his Merlins. Wonderful, down to earth guy. He has his Merlins driven by Naim. There is a thread on his setup. Played a variety of music and, boy, did they bring a smile to my lips! The hour that mpw had free passed in a jiffy. Now this would be a setup for serious consideration. Possibly unbeatable for the price in my very limited experience.:clapping:
Visited Denom and Satyaki in Navi Mumbai one evening. The Amphion 410 paired with Cambridge Audio Minx Xi was playing at Denom's place. I couldn't believe the sound from these diminutive speakers! They, with the Minx, seemed to be superb for a one box + small speaker setup.
Denom then drove me to Satyaki's place. Little did I anticipate the wonderment that was in store for me! Satyaki is a music lover and serious DIY enthusiast. His DIY speakers which he has named Violoncello, are back loaded horns. Great guy, great host! It was an evening to remember! The speakers were driven by a modded Lyrita pre and power. Superb sound. Met Satyaki's lovely wife and daughter as well. An excellent dinner was sandwiched between listening sessions. Now, Satyaki knows his music and attends live programmes frequently. He has been to numerous auditoriums around the world. He has designed his speakers to sound like live music and they definitely do. Heard Indian classical, Jazz, Vocals. All sounded like they were being performed in the very room!:clapping: There is a thread on the setup.
Visited The Den in Worli. Had expected to hear PMC Twenty.23 and DB1 Gold. It was disappointing to learn that they were not available for audition at the time. Got to hear the much bigger and far more expensive IB1S. Wonderful, neutral sound. Heard Dynaudio Excite floorstanders. As I had experienced earlier with their bookshelves in Bangalore, not really my cup of tea.
Went across to La Kozy to hear PSB and Revel. After a long chat with me to decipher my preferences, Sanjay of La Kozy, suggested PSB Synchrony 2 bookshelves with NAD C390DD digital amp or even the more expensive Master series M2 DD amp.
Since the Revel 206 floorstanders were already connected, we started with these driven by the C390DD. The bass did seem high even for small floorstanders in a large listening room. We soon switched to the PSB bookshelves. Much better! But, still, this did not seem like what I wanted. Heard some Indian fusion, Ghazal, Jazz and Vocals. I left a little disappointed.
A huge disappointment was in store for me when I got to the Mecca of music for this forum, Bhagwan's place. His computer just would not start! Could anything be worse? Oh, I had been so looking forward to this day! But we had to bow to the vagaries of technology. Got to talking instead. He has so many stories to tell and so much advice to give. Amazing! He called me up the day after when his computer was up and running again. Unfortunately I could not go across. Well, the listening will have to wait for another day. But it will definitely happen.
Last in the auditions and visits happened to be Prem and his new Rethm Saadhanaas. Enough has been said of them lately as this has become a popular spot in Mumbai! A great host is Prem.
What can I add to what's been already said! Huge sound, simply amazing! And they are yet in the breaking-in stage.
So, now I had come a full circle. My first listening session after I decided to get a new system back in Feb was Prem's setup with his older Saadhanaas. Was there an omen in that?
Would have also liked to hear Tannoy Precision but they were not available in Mumbai due to change in the distributor. Checked with Joseph Audio. They have discontinued their lowest bookshelf. So at 6 lacs, even their cheapest offering was out of my reach.
Now it was time for the most difficult part of this whole exercise, a decision!
My first requirement was the system had to do Indian classical well. I have seen that AP, Rethm and Satyaki's were the best at this.
Secondly, single drivers and tubes had impressed me very much. The closest I had come to liking SS and multi-drivers was the Merlin/Naim setup of mpw. It would definitely have been my choice had I not so much liked tubes and single drivers. AP, if available, would also have been at the top in the list.
Satyaki 's were a huge contender. The only negative would be a narrower soundstage. But, nonetheless, a steal at their price.
The Line magnetic with Contrast Audio As3 sound had also stayed with me. So had Sameer's LM setup but this was beyond me in size and price. It was also a tad too warm for my liking. The Acoustic Portrait sound has also stayed with me but, like I said earlier, it's a pity they do not make them anymore.
And then there was Rethm. Got into a discussion with Prem and later with Jacob of Rethm and both suggested that I could go with Prem's earlier Saadhanaas. Now, was that true? Could I really do that? Well, if Jacob and Prem thought so, there should be no reason for doubt. My room layout drawing and photos were sent for confirmation. Jacob was altruistic enough to suggest it despite having had to lose a Maarga sale as that would have been my next choice. Simply awesome of him. I am, indeed, indebted to him for that.:thumbsup:
So there it was. Endgame. Whew! Saadhana V2 with the current Rethm amp is being finalised.
All in all it has been a fantastic time spent listening to so many setups in showrooms and in forum members' homes. It has been absolutely worth the trouble and the time and money spent. Have got to meet such wonderful people! I could never have imagined that strangers would welcome me in such a friendly manner. Like Bhagwan said to me, we are connected by that love for music that we are all like friends. I don't have enough words to describe how I feel at the warmth and friendliness I have experienced. There is something about music. It seems to bring about the best in people! Have also got to hear so much music that I had not heard. So much of it I have liked and am trying to acquire.
Is this the end? I would not like it to be. Oh, I don't mean to start thinking of an upgrade right away! I mean I would definitely like to meet with more forum members wherever I go.
Thanks once again to all the members who have made my journey and even my life so much richer with their welcoming and helpful nature. I have not felt the least bit unwelcome or uneasy at anyone's home. It has been sheer pleasure. Thanks also to those who have come up with so many suggestions in my earlier threads and via PM. :clapping::clapping::signthankspin::signthankspin:
Again, I thought it would be better to start a new thread rather than continue in the old one.
Hyderabad
A few days after my hugely enlightening trip to Bangalore and Kochi, I made a hurried one day trip to Hyderabad mainly to audition the Harbeths on sale there.
Started the day with a visit to Sameer Kumar. What a setup! :clapping: Line Magnetic speakers and amp with a Ayon DAC in a well treated dedicated room. Wonderful warm sound. Heard some wonderful music including Jazz, Vocals and Indian pop.
I had taken some of my CDs but he does not have a CD player. Sameer is such a wonderful host too! Had a lovely lunch with him. He had to go somewhere near-by with his family but he chose to stay home with me. Highly indebted to him :signthankspin:
It was to Sidvee's place next. As he led me up to his listening room, I could not help feeling that his home is a mini art gallery! Some wonderful stuff! He too has a superb setup in a dedicated, albeit smallish room. Another Ayon DAC with a Lamm pre and a monstrous Symphonic Line power amp! The Harbeths played really well. Again no CD player. Tried some of my CDs on his Oppo blu ray player. They did Jazz and vocals very well but not so Indian classical which I played from my CD. Could have been that it was played from a blu ray player. Will find it difficult to decide on the Harbeths is what I was thinking as I left. Very knowledgeable and extremely helpful guy, Sidvee.:thumbsup:
Up next was Nikhil. Another great guy who "got off the hifi bandwagon 10 years ago. Now prefer everyday sensible systems" to quote from his signature. I can't describe the amazing decor of his home! So many pieces of art and knick-knacks. Lovely feel.
He's got Acoustic Portrait PM-1 and CPA-3 driving the rather strange looking Green Mountain Audio speakers. Acoustic Portrait, from what I have heard, would definitely be my benchmark for an "everyday sensible system". Alas! They don't make them anymore. It's a real pity.
Heard a range of music. Jazz, Vocals, Indian, Pop. Very good sound in an untreated living room. Couldn't help feeling that these were not really playing to their level. But, then, Nikhil was happy and satisfied and that is what counts. Nikhil hosted me to some of the famous Hyderabadi biryani before dropping me to the train station for my journey back home. Again, a wonderful host!:cheers:
Mumbai
It was to Mumbai that I headed in another few days.
I discovered that I was staying very near Magma's factory. So gave him a visit one morning. He is a great guy doing some great work.
Visited mpw to take a listen to his Merlins. Wonderful, down to earth guy. He has his Merlins driven by Naim. There is a thread on his setup. Played a variety of music and, boy, did they bring a smile to my lips! The hour that mpw had free passed in a jiffy. Now this would be a setup for serious consideration. Possibly unbeatable for the price in my very limited experience.:clapping:
Visited Denom and Satyaki in Navi Mumbai one evening. The Amphion 410 paired with Cambridge Audio Minx Xi was playing at Denom's place. I couldn't believe the sound from these diminutive speakers! They, with the Minx, seemed to be superb for a one box + small speaker setup.
Denom then drove me to Satyaki's place. Little did I anticipate the wonderment that was in store for me! Satyaki is a music lover and serious DIY enthusiast. His DIY speakers which he has named Violoncello, are back loaded horns. Great guy, great host! It was an evening to remember! The speakers were driven by a modded Lyrita pre and power. Superb sound. Met Satyaki's lovely wife and daughter as well. An excellent dinner was sandwiched between listening sessions. Now, Satyaki knows his music and attends live programmes frequently. He has been to numerous auditoriums around the world. He has designed his speakers to sound like live music and they definitely do. Heard Indian classical, Jazz, Vocals. All sounded like they were being performed in the very room!:clapping: There is a thread on the setup.
Visited The Den in Worli. Had expected to hear PMC Twenty.23 and DB1 Gold. It was disappointing to learn that they were not available for audition at the time. Got to hear the much bigger and far more expensive IB1S. Wonderful, neutral sound. Heard Dynaudio Excite floorstanders. As I had experienced earlier with their bookshelves in Bangalore, not really my cup of tea.
Went across to La Kozy to hear PSB and Revel. After a long chat with me to decipher my preferences, Sanjay of La Kozy, suggested PSB Synchrony 2 bookshelves with NAD C390DD digital amp or even the more expensive Master series M2 DD amp.
Since the Revel 206 floorstanders were already connected, we started with these driven by the C390DD. The bass did seem high even for small floorstanders in a large listening room. We soon switched to the PSB bookshelves. Much better! But, still, this did not seem like what I wanted. Heard some Indian fusion, Ghazal, Jazz and Vocals. I left a little disappointed.
A huge disappointment was in store for me when I got to the Mecca of music for this forum, Bhagwan's place. His computer just would not start! Could anything be worse? Oh, I had been so looking forward to this day! But we had to bow to the vagaries of technology. Got to talking instead. He has so many stories to tell and so much advice to give. Amazing! He called me up the day after when his computer was up and running again. Unfortunately I could not go across. Well, the listening will have to wait for another day. But it will definitely happen.
Last in the auditions and visits happened to be Prem and his new Rethm Saadhanaas. Enough has been said of them lately as this has become a popular spot in Mumbai! A great host is Prem.
What can I add to what's been already said! Huge sound, simply amazing! And they are yet in the breaking-in stage.
So, now I had come a full circle. My first listening session after I decided to get a new system back in Feb was Prem's setup with his older Saadhanaas. Was there an omen in that?
Would have also liked to hear Tannoy Precision but they were not available in Mumbai due to change in the distributor. Checked with Joseph Audio. They have discontinued their lowest bookshelf. So at 6 lacs, even their cheapest offering was out of my reach.
Now it was time for the most difficult part of this whole exercise, a decision!
My first requirement was the system had to do Indian classical well. I have seen that AP, Rethm and Satyaki's were the best at this.
Secondly, single drivers and tubes had impressed me very much. The closest I had come to liking SS and multi-drivers was the Merlin/Naim setup of mpw. It would definitely have been my choice had I not so much liked tubes and single drivers. AP, if available, would also have been at the top in the list.
Satyaki 's were a huge contender. The only negative would be a narrower soundstage. But, nonetheless, a steal at their price.
The Line magnetic with Contrast Audio As3 sound had also stayed with me. So had Sameer's LM setup but this was beyond me in size and price. It was also a tad too warm for my liking. The Acoustic Portrait sound has also stayed with me but, like I said earlier, it's a pity they do not make them anymore.
And then there was Rethm. Got into a discussion with Prem and later with Jacob of Rethm and both suggested that I could go with Prem's earlier Saadhanaas. Now, was that true? Could I really do that? Well, if Jacob and Prem thought so, there should be no reason for doubt. My room layout drawing and photos were sent for confirmation. Jacob was altruistic enough to suggest it despite having had to lose a Maarga sale as that would have been my next choice. Simply awesome of him. I am, indeed, indebted to him for that.:thumbsup:
So there it was. Endgame. Whew! Saadhana V2 with the current Rethm amp is being finalised.
All in all it has been a fantastic time spent listening to so many setups in showrooms and in forum members' homes. It has been absolutely worth the trouble and the time and money spent. Have got to meet such wonderful people! I could never have imagined that strangers would welcome me in such a friendly manner. Like Bhagwan said to me, we are connected by that love for music that we are all like friends. I don't have enough words to describe how I feel at the warmth and friendliness I have experienced. There is something about music. It seems to bring about the best in people! Have also got to hear so much music that I had not heard. So much of it I have liked and am trying to acquire.
Is this the end? I would not like it to be. Oh, I don't mean to start thinking of an upgrade right away! I mean I would definitely like to meet with more forum members wherever I go.
Thanks once again to all the members who have made my journey and even my life so much richer with their welcoming and helpful nature. I have not felt the least bit unwelcome or uneasy at anyone's home. It has been sheer pleasure. Thanks also to those who have come up with so many suggestions in my earlier threads and via PM. :clapping::clapping::signthankspin::signthankspin:
