Mini audio meet symphonic line , Naim xs 2 , bryston with b&w

[vijwilso]

Yes indeed , both Bala and naseer are very humble and I was overwhelmed with their hospitality.

Especially Bala and I share a different taste , and the views shared could easily get us out of comfort zone , But throughout the session Bala just listened to all of my naive comments with the open unbiased mind, as you stated it requires a different level of maturity in the hi-fi and it is special personality trait.

Naseer and i have the common liking, actually he triggered the desire to own a BBC monitor again , he just echoed the same view that I experienced when I had the spendor mini monitor , which I did not take it at a that time.

 

[sunder]

I paid 1.6 L a year ago. But with the present exchange rate the price should have gone up. It's a great amp and it's in the same league like the Symphonic Line integrated amp, I would say.
I used Kef Q300 and have just now upgraded to the Blumenhofer Genuin FS5 which is presently on offer at The Listening Room. It's a dream. Very similar to Harbeth and Spendor speakers. Same musicality but more dynamics and punch. Special Price: 6 Pairs Of Genuin Bookshelf Speakers For Sale

Wow! Beaututiful shape! Cherry finish is fantastic! Congratulations.

 

[sunder]

The Sugden cost me ~2.5L.I am looking for speakers.
I am temporarily running them with wharf 9.1.

Happy hunting for speakers.

 

[mohamednaseer]

Hi KillerBrain,

I have spendor LS3/5A .

 

[Her Master's Voice]

Wow! Beaututiful shape! Cherry finish is fantastic! Congratulations.

Thank you, Sunder. My FS5 speakers are also with cherry veneer. They just look wonderful :licklips:

 

[denom]

Thanks killerbrain for the write up. Clears up a lot of loose ends, especially of where you are coming from. Was ilar also there with you for this session??? Am sure he would also have benefited from this experience, since you & he share same amp/speakers or are searching for similar combo.

 

[vijwilso]

Hi KillerBrain,

I have spendor LS3/5A .

Yes naseer , I had s3/5r2 for some time which is the latest iteration of ls3/5a , but later purchased a fs for a bit of additional oomp ... I got nostalgic when you were talking about your musical experience with ls3/5a

 

[sunder]

How the s3/5r2 differs in sound quality from Harbeth P3ESR? Since the specifications of the both almost same,what would be the weak and strong characters of the both breeds? Why Harbeth is expensive? When we go for Spendor instead of Harbeth ,what kind of musicality we will miss? how far worth in spending much money on Harbeth?

 

[CLEARCUT]

For classical listening. The amp should have less damp factor means the less control of drivers. So low frequencies will not be so prominent or mix with the mid. So the mid based audio frequencies like male female voices flute, violin will be more clear. We can feel as if the singer is singing for us. When I auditioned in Naseers home I could feel the Breath of SPB. Every music was so so natural we can say very less distortion. So I had a feeling of stage programme. To obtain 100% of this quality the amp and the interconnect and the speaker wire and the speaker also should be on the same frequency. Moreover the songs also should be that kind. In Naseers home everything is perfect. Everything is because of his R&D.
In Balas home the amplifier and the pre are more dynamic powerful. Wow Bala sir could you lend me The Bryston for some time. Yes this model in Bryston is superb performer. EC Pre has high output and super Hf and mid. No grainery no bright or forward. A little bass sigh. But The more dynamic versatile that particular Bryston makes the whole music dynamic more energetic rethemetic fast. In one song the tower clock movement and the bell sound was awesome. Voice also was so natural. All were fast. When I played melodious songs like Illaya raja and carnatic It lacked behind. It was meant for ARR songs and more instrumental songs. So both systems are entirely different. But both system have been aligned properly with needed ic and speaker wire and speakers. LIke wise We should pick our system according to our taste and be satisfied. To say frankly I was spoon fed by Both Chennai Gentlemen Mr. Bala and Mr. Nasser. Thanks

 

[square_wave]

@ Her Masters voice,

Congratulations on the purchase. Those are fabulous loudspeakers. I have heard them on the Einstein absolute tune couple of times.

 

[square_wave]

For classical listening. The amp should have less damp factor means the less control of drivers.

@ Clearcut,

I am a bit confused by this statement. Can you elaborate a little ?

Thanks

 

[CLEARCUT]

With the symp. We could achieve both type of music. Low noise very low distortion. More musical. Powerful. Dying mid. It can be suitable for both kind of music. But it does not match with B&w which is power hungry. It will be more suitable for my Dali mentor. Which is less power hungry book shelf than B&W speaker which Bala has. LET us see who is going to be the proud owner of this beauty.

 

[sunder]

For classical listening. The amp should have less damp factor means the less control of drivers. So low frequencies will not be so prominent or mix with the mid. So the mid based audio frequencies like male female voices flute, violin will be more clear. We can feel as if the singer is singing for us. When I auditioned in Naseers home I could feel the Breath of SPB. Every music was so so natural we can say very less distortion. So I had a feeling of stage programme. To obtain 100% of this quality the amp and the interconnect and the speaker wire and the speaker also should be on the same frequency. Moreover the songs also should be that kind. In Naseers home everything is perfect. Everything is because of his R&D.
In Balas home the amplifier and the pre are more dynamic powerful. Wow Bala sir could you lend me The Bryston for some time. Yes this model in Bryston is superb performer. EC Pre has high output and super Hf and mid. No grainery no bright or forward. A little bass sigh. But The more dynamic versatile that particular Bryston makes the whole music dynamic more energetic rethemetic fast. In one song the tower clock movement and the bell sound was awesome. Voice also was so natural. All were fast. When I played melodious songs like Illaya raja and carnatic It lacked behind. It was meant for ARR songs and more instrumental songs. So both systems are entirely different. But both system have been aligned properly with needed ic and speaker wire and speakers. LIke wise We should pick our system according to our taste and be satisfied. To say frankly I was spoon fed by Both Chennai Gentlemen Mr. Bala and Mr. Nasser. Thanks

CLEARCUT, My humble opinion,when I see the chain of your system, I feel that all electronics and cables are revealing as little bright. I think, if you replace the (only thing) ic with soft nature, then listening will be fatigue free. Generally it is said that Nordost cables are bright sounding. Sorry, if I am wrong. Thank you.

 

[Her Master's Voice]

@ Clearcut,

I am a bit confused by this statement. Can you elaborate a little ?

Thanks

@ clearcut: I'm confused too. Does that mean less control of drivers, so less accuracy in sound reproduction, makes a certain kind of music sound better?

@ square wave: yes these speakers are awesome. Wonder how they will sound when they are fully broken in.

 

[vijwilso]

Was ilar also there with you for this session??? Am sure he would also have benefited from this experience, since you & he share same amp/speakers or are searching for similar combo.

Ilar and I are audiophile friends who never met before. He did not join for this meet as he is from different city far from here.

 

[denom]

Ilar and I are audiophile friends who never met before. He did not join for this meet as he is from different city far from here.

and i thought you were practically staying next to each other or in same locality!!! I literally thought the 2 of you share the naim/spendors :lol:

Our hobby is strange yet wonderful, as proved yet again with your & ilar's 'connection'

Hope the both of you remain friends for life & even meet up in person soon!

 

[vijwilso]

@ clearcut: I'm confused too. Does that mean less control of drivers, so less accuracy in sound reproduction, makes a certain kind of music sound better?

@ square wave: yes these speakers are awesome. Wonder how they will sound when they are fully broken in.

Clearcut , IMHO I think I need more control over the driver for Both classical and newer electric , rock music . so better damping control should be beneficial for less sensitive speaker to keep the drivers in control. Voice clarity is more of the driver charecterics which are so good in the BBC type mini monitor and also more prominent as bass will be less from these.

The reason I gone for the fs with the drivers from BBC monitor is that I can make it to work for classical and newer dynamic content . it sounded so good for rock with proper electronic with the strong drive and that is the reason for the exploration for the amplifier. Whatever is the case, it can not come close to the musical warmth of the mini monitor, it is just a compromise that I made.

I enjoy the rock type of music better in dark sounding / closed-in type speaker with a really dynamic amplifier with the neutral tone than a very revealing speakers. To me, too much of information become a noice and could not live with that. At the same time , very revealing speakers are good for jazz type of music from good recording , but it works only if the musical preference is limited to those type or all of the music collection is audiophile quality. I listen to all, including less than ideal recording, most of the Indian music are bright and could not live with a revealing system.

 

[vijwilso]

How the s3/5r2 differs in sound quality from Harbeth P3ESR? Since the specifications of the both almost same,what would be the weak and strong characters of the both breeds? Why Harbeth is expensive? When we go for Spendor instead of Harbeth ,what kind of musicality we will miss? how far worth in spending much money on Harbeth?

Here is a comparison , the harbeth is diff model though
harbeth

 

[CLEARCUT]

I am not tech man to elaborate but in classical listening mid segment comes first and hf and then Lf layer by layer when hf and Lf comes at the same level mid clarity will go. On the other hand mid should so natural never bright nor recesses that is what BBC monitor doing. The hf and Lf should be little behind but not the cost of quality. To achieve this kind of result speaker amp ic and speaker wire and source and particular songs with correct environment is necessary that is matching. Which Naseer has achieved. My feel is for rock songs punchy bass smooth mid and detailed highs are necessary which Bala has achieved. The symp is versatile can be used for rock and melodies. Normally class A I mean pure class A amplifiers are less damped high sens speakers and single drive speakers are less damped for the classical kind of music. So everything depends upon matching

 

[ilar]

Hi Denom,

This is for you! Evidence of my rig Please excuse me for the picture quality, as i just used what I had in my mobile.