]eep
Headphoneus Supremus
So continuing...
I didn't buy the highly praised LRS+. It was good, but the enemy of good is better. I could even drive it well with my little 40w translinear current amplifier. Only when driven hard I started to hear compression. And the bass was good but under a certain frequency it was just gone. The sense of space was great. And clarity... This took the longest listen just to set a basins and get to learn the room and simply enjoy the speakers.
Then I switched to the amp set I requested as an option for later; the Nuprime AMG pre+power. Not your average class-D. Yes, it was clear this delivered the power. But it was also very... erm, clear. Not harsh or bright but transparent and clear. Only, again my amp wins in micro dynamics and sounds just a little bit more sweet. The Nuprime set was better, but not more likable and that at more than 10x the price (even with the 25% discount on the demo pre-amp).
Then we switched to the 0.7. I already liked the looks better when it came in. I was not prepared for this. There was the bass. And ease. And space. And no sharpness or anything like they say about the 0.7. Yes the same overwhelming clarity of the Nuprime. But clearly better in all aspects. I was instantly convinced. There's things you just know. This is it! Only... that nagging caveat: you need power for Maggies. The more the better. I brought a butter knife to a tank battle. Does this bigger panel not need more power? So we switched back to my little amp.
And surprise, surprise. It was easier to drive! On both speaker types the VU-meter (or better power meter) finally showed signs of life. At home it rarely budges from the left side. In this heavily damped room with low sensitivity panels and ear damaging volumes the power meter was going at it like a window wiper in a rainstorm. Finally in the red (ie touching on it's dynamic headroom). It never flinched, it never showed any sign of weakness. And I was playing Infected Mushroom and Rammstein and Metallica. Things it's not supposed to do well. (thank you Carl Popper for your theorem)
In cycling terms this wasn't a sprint. This was riding ahead of the group at 47km/h showing off what I'm good at while the rest is gasping for air in my wake. Before the whole panpanic I could keep that up for close to half an hour. It's that same feeling of 'look at me, this is how you do it'. (I have to back on the iron horse.)
So I was laughing all the way home. My tiny amp gave better performance than ever. And it gave better synergy. More dynamic range because of the more extended bottom end, that top I'm never going to need. That bit of sweetness matches well with the 0.7. Clarity, space, drive, speed. With an amp that is specced at 70W@4Ohms.
Now I have them at home in a much less damped room, a concrete box with ample damping and treatment. But more lively than the near dead listening room. Whoops. That bass is REALLY strong. Positioning is easy in an empty room. I now have the snug up to the couch and a lounge chair. The bass is just OK now. My subs only need to fill in the bottom octave 20-40 Hz.
So how does this sound with vinyl? That is the question. I can't equalize that. But it doesn't need to be. I played Apocalyptica, loud symphonic rock with a lot of acoustic instruments in a real space. It was just awesome. The sense of space! And transparency and speed. And the grunt of that bass and cello. You totally forget you are listening to a rock grinding a plastic groove. It's so silent. And natural and rich sounding. Little clicks or pops are totally not disturbing the illusion. They just remind me I'm actually playing an lp.
This is a big step up. And I payed €100 LESS for the as new 0.7 than for the new LRS+ which comes at €1850 here. With a €350 'crappy Chinese' amp. That is the world upside down. But I don't care because I trust my own ears and judgment. But you need to be able to compare.
That's why we need actual stores.
I didn't buy the highly praised LRS+. It was good, but the enemy of good is better. I could even drive it well with my little 40w translinear current amplifier. Only when driven hard I started to hear compression. And the bass was good but under a certain frequency it was just gone. The sense of space was great. And clarity... This took the longest listen just to set a basins and get to learn the room and simply enjoy the speakers.
Then I switched to the amp set I requested as an option for later; the Nuprime AMG pre+power. Not your average class-D. Yes, it was clear this delivered the power. But it was also very... erm, clear. Not harsh or bright but transparent and clear. Only, again my amp wins in micro dynamics and sounds just a little bit more sweet. The Nuprime set was better, but not more likable and that at more than 10x the price (even with the 25% discount on the demo pre-amp).
Then we switched to the 0.7. I already liked the looks better when it came in. I was not prepared for this. There was the bass. And ease. And space. And no sharpness or anything like they say about the 0.7. Yes the same overwhelming clarity of the Nuprime. But clearly better in all aspects. I was instantly convinced. There's things you just know. This is it! Only... that nagging caveat: you need power for Maggies. The more the better. I brought a butter knife to a tank battle. Does this bigger panel not need more power? So we switched back to my little amp.
And surprise, surprise. It was easier to drive! On both speaker types the VU-meter (or better power meter) finally showed signs of life. At home it rarely budges from the left side. In this heavily damped room with low sensitivity panels and ear damaging volumes the power meter was going at it like a window wiper in a rainstorm. Finally in the red (ie touching on it's dynamic headroom). It never flinched, it never showed any sign of weakness. And I was playing Infected Mushroom and Rammstein and Metallica. Things it's not supposed to do well. (thank you Carl Popper for your theorem)
In cycling terms this wasn't a sprint. This was riding ahead of the group at 47km/h showing off what I'm good at while the rest is gasping for air in my wake. Before the whole panpanic I could keep that up for close to half an hour. It's that same feeling of 'look at me, this is how you do it'. (I have to back on the iron horse.)
So I was laughing all the way home. My tiny amp gave better performance than ever. And it gave better synergy. More dynamic range because of the more extended bottom end, that top I'm never going to need. That bit of sweetness matches well with the 0.7. Clarity, space, drive, speed. With an amp that is specced at 70W@4Ohms.
Now I have them at home in a much less damped room, a concrete box with ample damping and treatment. But more lively than the near dead listening room. Whoops. That bass is REALLY strong. Positioning is easy in an empty room. I now have the snug up to the couch and a lounge chair. The bass is just OK now. My subs only need to fill in the bottom octave 20-40 Hz.
So how does this sound with vinyl? That is the question. I can't equalize that. But it doesn't need to be. I played Apocalyptica, loud symphonic rock with a lot of acoustic instruments in a real space. It was just awesome. The sense of space! And transparency and speed. And the grunt of that bass and cello. You totally forget you are listening to a rock grinding a plastic groove. It's so silent. And natural and rich sounding. Little clicks or pops are totally not disturbing the illusion. They just remind me I'm actually playing an lp.
This is a big step up. And I payed €100 LESS for the as new 0.7 than for the new LRS+ which comes at €1850 here. With a €350 'crappy Chinese' amp. That is the world upside down. But I don't care because I trust my own ears and judgment. But you need to be able to compare.
That's why we need actual stores.