Benefits of a forum like HFV: Make friends, listen and experience varied audio/video gear
- Thread starter raghupb
- Start date
Hi Nitin,
The Quads are good speakers and I don't intend to put them on sale. That was a post in humor.
I am looking forward to listening to them at @aeroash place as the speaker placement is a lot better in his room.
Next time you are in Mangalore, do let us know. We should meet up.
@ssf, on the dot, turned up at my place yesterday with the lovely Quad S2. We quickly set them up, and boy, these smallish boxes filled the room with ease. I will spend time with them this week and come back with a more detailed experience.
We spent less than 30 minutes at my place as both @ssf and I were curious about how my QA 3050i would perform in his abode. We then proceeded to load the carefully and adequately packed towers in his vehicle, and off we zoomed.
Once we reached, the towers were quickly unpacked and set up. @ssf promptly appears with a measuring tape, to ensure both the speakers were equidistant from the wall. Under my breath, I mumbled to have the system fired up immediately, as my anxiety was getting the better of me.
The system lit up, and my jaw dropped, as I had anticipated nothing but trouble, considering how close the left speaker would be to the sidewall. They were perfect! there was no bloat, null, or peak that I could discern. They were effortless in their presentation. The entire frequency range was tight and in control. We then cranked up the volume and proceeded to belt all the classics from Beth Hart, Foreigner, Bee Gees, Queen, Aerosmith, Eagles, Joan Baez, Elton John, to name a few.
In one word, I would describe the QA 3050i as 'Effortless'. They were pleasant to listen to while delivering adequate punch where required. You could listen to them for hours together without being offensive whatsoever.
It took me a great deal of toil and trouble to get the towers to sound just right at my place, as my room had excited modes between 80hz and 100hz. To tame these modes I was forced to get a pair of subwoofers. With PEQ, the modes were contained, albeit with a great deal of time and learning. And these damn things without breaking a sweat, just sing, like they were custom made to suit @ssf place! God Damnit @ssf, God Damnit!
It indeed reinforces the argument on how the room is the ultimate decision-maker with regards to how a speaker would sound. The experience and the experiment were fascinating, to say the least.
It was a delightful evening, as Conversation, Music, Kebab platters and Firewater flowed, thanks again @ssf!
Chain: Tidal - Roon - Marantz SR7010 (AKA Big Ass Amp) - QA 3050i
We spent less than 30 minutes at my place as both @ssf and I were curious about how my QA 3050i would perform in his abode. We then proceeded to load the carefully and adequately packed towers in his vehicle, and off we zoomed.
Once we reached, the towers were quickly unpacked and set up. @ssf promptly appears with a measuring tape, to ensure both the speakers were equidistant from the wall. Under my breath, I mumbled to have the system fired up immediately, as my anxiety was getting the better of me.
The system lit up, and my jaw dropped, as I had anticipated nothing but trouble, considering how close the left speaker would be to the sidewall. They were perfect! there was no bloat, null, or peak that I could discern. They were effortless in their presentation. The entire frequency range was tight and in control. We then cranked up the volume and proceeded to belt all the classics from Beth Hart, Foreigner, Bee Gees, Queen, Aerosmith, Eagles, Joan Baez, Elton John, to name a few.
In one word, I would describe the QA 3050i as 'Effortless'. They were pleasant to listen to while delivering adequate punch where required. You could listen to them for hours together without being offensive whatsoever.
It took me a great deal of toil and trouble to get the towers to sound just right at my place, as my room had excited modes between 80hz and 100hz. To tame these modes I was forced to get a pair of subwoofers. With PEQ, the modes were contained, albeit with a great deal of time and learning. And these damn things without breaking a sweat, just sing, like they were custom made to suit @ssf place! God Damnit @ssf, God Damnit!
It indeed reinforces the argument on how the room is the ultimate decision-maker with regards to how a speaker would sound. The experience and the experiment were fascinating, to say the least.
It was a delightful evening, as Conversation, Music, Kebab platters and Firewater flowed, thanks again @ssf!
Chain: Tidal - Roon - Marantz SR7010 (AKA Big Ass Amp) - QA 3050i
They did sound lovely did they not. I had absolutely no expectations of them behaving in my room.
A big thank you to @aeroash for the efforts. A big thank you to @raghupb too. If not for this thread, this meet would have never happened.
Thinks my 87 year old Mom is on her way to audiophilia. She just would not stop telling me how much better the 3050i look in our room. She was also wanted to know which speaker sounded better to me probably hoping that I will keep the 3050i and move the Quads out.
Edit: @aeroash has placed the Quads on custom built marble stands !!! A peek.
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A casual mention of my upcoming trip to Delhi, and the first thing out of @ssf lips was ‘you should meet @DB1989, and make sure you listen to the Quad S5’. It was an order, which I was compelled to follow, and was I glad I did!
I diligently messaged @DB1989, and he was kind enough to set up a meeting.
The moment you enter his pad, you’re greeted by speakers of varied sizes and brands, sitting pretty to your left, front, right, and also in the back, where a brand new unopened pair of speakers quietly squatted, waiting for its turn to be caressed. He mentioned that they were a gift from him to his best friend.
It was all overwhelming, in the best possible sense, of course. I had no clue where to begin, everything was shiny and intimidating, and I rightly had a stupid smile plastered on my face. Did I mention there was a large safe sitting right in the living room? Further, careful inspection revealed it to be a Mission MS450
As @DB1989 was attending to a telephone call, I pranced along from speaker to speaker, amp to amp, DAC to DAC to figure out the origin and the culmination of the connections. One look behind the entertainment unit and, under my breath I cautioned myself, 'alrighty then, if shredding your hand is not your thing, avoid sticking it in there.'
@DB1989 holsters his gun, walks towards the front wall flanked by the Quads and the RELs, and proceeds to explain in detail the order of the chain. My stupid smile was back as I sensed the Quads were being made ready to fire up. It was like at a power generation facility, where every component had to be turned on, in a proper sequence, one by one. I had my Spotify playlist all set, I pressed play, the Quads roared, I melted.
As I was finding the strength to straighten my knees, @DB1989 nonchalantly mentions that the dual REL T9i were yet to be switched on.
I was ushered to slide onto a La-Z-Boy at the sweet spot, where the whole system is carefully set up to sound its best. @DB1989 is also very particular, meticulous, and organized. There is a method to the madness, after all.
I was able to spend only a couple of hours (I say only a couple of hours because there's so much gear to listen to. You may need to apply for leave for a week to get a sense of all of it) and from my brief listening session, here are a few observations:
The S5 is a beast in its own right; with extending highs that seemed endless, but sweet; the mids sang with authority, albeit a bit lean, and the lows grunting with enough texture and might. There’s a possibility that the mids appeared the way they did because of the striking highs. The Quads held hands with the Cambridge Audio CXA81, RME ADI-2, and Allo. (Apologies, as I’m not familiar with the various Allo devices).
The CXA81 and the Quads with their ribbon tweeter were an interesting pairing. There was a forward-presented holographic image that has to be experienced to be believed. The marriage of Cambridge Audio and the Quads helped to present excellent dynamics at all volumes; that was akin to an 'in-your-face' presentation. It was forward, airy, and tight, with enough space in-between the instruments. It appears that the CXA81 pushes the entire spectrum with uniform energy, there's no getting away; it takes you hostage and makes you listen. Mind you, it's enjoyable and addicting!
The dual RELs tie the sound well by laying a solid foundation for the rest of the frequencies to dance upon.
I had a brief session with the KEF Q350, and all I can say is, I want more! This pair does so many things so well that I can safely recommend them to anyone who wants to set up a 'one-time audio system, set up and forget scenario' (If that's even a thing in here), and just enjoy their music! Driven by the CXA81, they were such a pleasure to listen to, effortless, musical.
I can't wait to be back at @DB1989 to spend more time trying out various components in various combinations. His passion and knowledge are heartwarming. It was not only a privilege but also a pleasure. Thanks again @DB1989.
P.S. I stress again, that it is not easy to audition gear, as proper home-audio showrooms exist in only a few patches in our country. The next best thing would be to call upon a friendly FM, and if willing, have a brief session with the gear they have. You'll not only have an FM to share ideas with face to face but also have a fair assessment of a realistic home setup, unlike demo rooms, that are well-treated to deceive us!
Get a first-hand experience of how the FMs have treated their room or overcome HiFi challenges etc. There's only so much one can absorb from written garble on this forum. Experiencing anything first-hand will always trump all. FMs are so creative that you might find something in there that might stir your pot, or could solve or elevate something in your own setup.
Cheers!
I diligently messaged @DB1989, and he was kind enough to set up a meeting.
The moment you enter his pad, you’re greeted by speakers of varied sizes and brands, sitting pretty to your left, front, right, and also in the back, where a brand new unopened pair of speakers quietly squatted, waiting for its turn to be caressed. He mentioned that they were a gift from him to his best friend.
It was all overwhelming, in the best possible sense, of course. I had no clue where to begin, everything was shiny and intimidating, and I rightly had a stupid smile plastered on my face. Did I mention there was a large safe sitting right in the living room? Further, careful inspection revealed it to be a Mission MS450
As @DB1989 was attending to a telephone call, I pranced along from speaker to speaker, amp to amp, DAC to DAC to figure out the origin and the culmination of the connections. One look behind the entertainment unit and, under my breath I cautioned myself, 'alrighty then, if shredding your hand is not your thing, avoid sticking it in there.'
@DB1989 holsters his gun, walks towards the front wall flanked by the Quads and the RELs, and proceeds to explain in detail the order of the chain. My stupid smile was back as I sensed the Quads were being made ready to fire up. It was like at a power generation facility, where every component had to be turned on, in a proper sequence, one by one. I had my Spotify playlist all set, I pressed play, the Quads roared, I melted.
As I was finding the strength to straighten my knees, @DB1989 nonchalantly mentions that the dual REL T9i were yet to be switched on.
I was ushered to slide onto a La-Z-Boy at the sweet spot, where the whole system is carefully set up to sound its best. @DB1989 is also very particular, meticulous, and organized. There is a method to the madness, after all.
I was able to spend only a couple of hours (I say only a couple of hours because there's so much gear to listen to. You may need to apply for leave for a week to get a sense of all of it) and from my brief listening session, here are a few observations:
The S5 is a beast in its own right; with extending highs that seemed endless, but sweet; the mids sang with authority, albeit a bit lean, and the lows grunting with enough texture and might. There’s a possibility that the mids appeared the way they did because of the striking highs. The Quads held hands with the Cambridge Audio CXA81, RME ADI-2, and Allo. (Apologies, as I’m not familiar with the various Allo devices).
The CXA81 and the Quads with their ribbon tweeter were an interesting pairing. There was a forward-presented holographic image that has to be experienced to be believed. The marriage of Cambridge Audio and the Quads helped to present excellent dynamics at all volumes; that was akin to an 'in-your-face' presentation. It was forward, airy, and tight, with enough space in-between the instruments. It appears that the CXA81 pushes the entire spectrum with uniform energy, there's no getting away; it takes you hostage and makes you listen. Mind you, it's enjoyable and addicting!
The dual RELs tie the sound well by laying a solid foundation for the rest of the frequencies to dance upon.
I had a brief session with the KEF Q350, and all I can say is, I want more! This pair does so many things so well that I can safely recommend them to anyone who wants to set up a 'one-time audio system, set up and forget scenario' (If that's even a thing in here), and just enjoy their music! Driven by the CXA81, they were such a pleasure to listen to, effortless, musical.
I can't wait to be back at @DB1989 to spend more time trying out various components in various combinations. His passion and knowledge are heartwarming. It was not only a privilege but also a pleasure. Thanks again @DB1989.
P.S. I stress again, that it is not easy to audition gear, as proper home-audio showrooms exist in only a few patches in our country. The next best thing would be to call upon a friendly FM, and if willing, have a brief session with the gear they have. You'll not only have an FM to share ideas with face to face but also have a fair assessment of a realistic home setup, unlike demo rooms, that are well-treated to deceive us!
Get a first-hand experience of how the FMs have treated their room or overcome HiFi challenges etc. There's only so much one can absorb from written garble on this forum. Experiencing anything first-hand will always trump all. FMs are so creative that you might find something in there that might stir your pot, or could solve or elevate something in your own setup.
Cheers!
keith_correa
Well-Known Member
Articulate
Indeed, such a long post without a single edit...
And boy, can you write!
Haha!@k-pad and his wife visited last evening. They were on a short trip to Bengaluru.
We ended up listening to a bit of music, but drank beer and talked about lots of other things
It was a pleasure to host you folks.
Cheers,
Raghu
It was lovely evening, so much so that we realised we have not even turned on the system well into the session. Ended up listening to just around three or four songs.
Loved the Kefs. But scene stealers were the tiny MA cubes. They were so alive in what they could do (while of course, needing the sub to get that extra lift)
And for all those who know what a nice man @raghupb is, gotta add that each member of his family is even nicer, if that is even possible, including the two canines
Next visit, definitely a long listening session sir!
liverpool_for_life
Well-Known Member
A screen here, a screen there, a screen everywhere!
Hung out with the genius @Donivlapog last evening.
What lovely choices of screens. For each room. Don't ask how many he has, cos, i lost count in the living room only
The piece de resistence of the house was the 3D-enabled Sony 9300.
We sampled a few scenes of life of Pi BR, and boy was it mind-blowing!
His old pioneer-driven rig of a set of miccas must be the best budget set up i have ever experienced. A wise choice.
On to his second room, driven by a Denon 2700 was, to my ears, sounding better tgan the Miccas.
But the bigger takeaway is that you could do a good 7.2.4 in an untreated room and enjoy it really well.
Thank you for having me over.
And in keeping with my experience of this wonderful forum, nice fm = nicer family.
Lovely folk, and sharp children, who in @Donivlapog 's case means, i can already see future audiophiles and technophiles in the making.
Blessed may our tribe be.
Hung out with the genius @Donivlapog last evening.
What lovely choices of screens. For each room. Don't ask how many he has, cos, i lost count in the living room only
The piece de resistence of the house was the 3D-enabled Sony 9300.
We sampled a few scenes of life of Pi BR, and boy was it mind-blowing!
His old pioneer-driven rig of a set of miccas must be the best budget set up i have ever experienced. A wise choice.
On to his second room, driven by a Denon 2700 was, to my ears, sounding better tgan the Miccas.
But the bigger takeaway is that you could do a good 7.2.4 in an untreated room and enjoy it really well.
Thank you for having me over.
And in keeping with my experience of this wonderful forum, nice fm = nicer family.
Lovely folk, and sharp children, who in @Donivlapog 's case means, i can already see future audiophiles and technophiles in the making.
Blessed may our tribe be.
Hahahaha, you nailed that one for sure.Measure, measure, measure as he was leaving
FMs beware, a huge, wordy post is on its way about Ragu's rig, what a rascal he is, and how rowdy his set up is.
Actually, am saying rowdy only because audacious doesn't do justice to it.
And I don't have words to describe what he has achieved as a family man living in a multi-storey place.
Stay tuned!
Donivlapog
Well-Known Member
Thanks Krishna @k-pad to drop by and electrifying our evening. My kids who are identical twins soon started chatting with you like they have known you all their lives, thanks to your easy going friendly nature. And you could say which one is who in less than 5 minutes addressing them by their exact names! I wish you had stayed more time to show you more ATMOS content. Whenever you come to Chennai, please do take a moment to drop in as time flies and the camaraderie with the kids is nice. Your suggestion to make a roof top theater with a projector has given me a motivation. 2024/25 eta hopefully. Great idea!!A screen here, a screen there, a screen everywhere!
Hung out with the genius @Donivlapog last evening.
What lovely choices of screens. For each room. Don't ask how many he has, cos, i lost count in the living room only
The piece de resistence of the house was the 3D-enabled Sony 9300.
We sampled a few scenes of life of Pi BR, and boy was it mind-blowing!
His old pioneer-driven rig of a set of miccas must be the best budget set up i have ever experienced. A wise choice.
On to his second room, driven by a Denon 2700 was, to my ears, sounding better tgan the Miccas.
But the bigger takeaway is that you could do a good 7.2.4 in an untreated room and enjoy it really well.
Thank you for having me over.
And in keeping with my experience of this wonderful forum, nice fm = nicer family.
Lovely folk, and sharp children, who in @Donivlapog 's case means, i can already see future audiophiles and technophiles in the making.
Blessed may our tribe be.
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