Guess it comes down to personal preferences. I have had many multi-driver speakers and none have engaged me in the way that my widebander Rethm Maargas do especially when driven by a quality 300B amp or by the DAVE (current set up). But hey, there is no right or wrong, just what "floats your boat".
Guess it comes down to personal preferences. I have had many multi-driver speakers and none have engaged me in the way that my widebander Rethm Maargas do especially when driven by a quality 300B amp or by the DAVE (current set up). But hey, there is no right or wrong, just what "floats your boat".
Guess it comes down to personal preferences. I have had many multi-driver speakers and none have engaged me in the way that my widebander Rethm Maargas do especially when driven by a quality 300B amp or by the DAVE (current set up). But hey, there is no right or wrong, just what "floats your boat".
A wide bander supplemented at the bass and sub-bass is pretty incredible. I was blown away by what I heard with the Voxativ 9.87's. The bipole bass units were pretty amazingly blended with the main single drivers (I've never heard a separate bass unit be so clean), with a natural acoustic crossover around 100Hz. I was concerned that it would be too high, but with BluDAVE, it was so far beyond what the Omegas could do (which is already phenomenal) that I wasn't going to be able to discern anything during a 6 hour audition.
I have not yet been able to hear the 9.87's side by side with my B&W 802d3's, but the presence and impact on large scale pieces and big "wall of sound" type pieces (areas the Omegas tend not to shine as bright) was pretty damn impressive. Even with 2W from the BluDAVE in a pretty well treated room, the room and house were shaking.
As background, the Voxativ 4D drivers that I was listening to have 103dB sensitivity, and the bass units in the 9.87s each have their own 250W class A/B amp driving 2x 98dB sensitivity drivers = 99dB (!) in a bipole configuration to keep bass tight and controlled. I have not had a chance to hear them yet, but the Voxativ 4F driver has 106dB efficiency(!). You're getting into a range where the speed and dynamics of a widebander are able to deliver a level of control sufficient to easily overcome a lot of the traditional challenges with single driver designs, esp. if you're able to off load the bass and sub bass
Hopefully I'll be able to report on BluDAVE -> Benchmark -> B&Ws vs BluDAVE -> Voxativ's within the next month or so.
I have not heard the Voxativ 9.87's but they sound awesome. My Rethm Maargas have a 97db efficiency and two built-in self-powered bass drivers, housed in the cabinet through a sealed Isobaric chamber. I can dial in volume and crossover point through built-in PEQ. The bass drivers blend seamlessly with the single driver. Works really well with only 2 watts.
Do you think the HUGO 2 direct to Omega ALNICO XRS speakers in near field can be adequate without a sub as an intermediate bridge to CHORD Dave direct until I can afford to buy a DAVE? I am also waiting to see a cheaper upscaler with a CD transport for either HUGO 2 or DAVE.
I have a couple friends that are very happy with Omega Compact Alnico Monitors + Hugo2 in a near field or near near field configuration, and they are currently running without a sub. They're both looking at getting something modest like the Monoprice THX select subs ($500) as a bridge to wherever they go next, but the CAMs will definitely have a more limited low end than the XRS's.
I found the CAMs + Hugo2 to be extremely satisfying at reasonable volume levels, with occasional sound stage blurring with the BluHugo2 during more complex and aggressive passages (large scale orchestral works, etc). The blurring was more prominent with BluHugo2 (very difficult to pick out with Hugo2 alone), mainly because the details and holographic qualities of the soundstage with BluHugo2 are so striking; it is easier to hear limits when your starting point is at that level. My hypothesis (e.g., wild ass guess) is that this is due more to the differences in the power supplies between the Hugo2 (battery) and DAVE (table top) than the 1W vs 2W output power, but that is a theory that will require a Qutest or (in the future) Hugo2TT to test.
I have not yet had a chance to hear the Omega XRS's (just the Super Alnico Moniors and the Compact Alnico Monitors), so I can't comment on how the Hugo2 will drive them direct. From the sensitivity spec that Louis has published, it seems like it would be in the same ballpark as the CAMs and SAMs.
I enjoyed the H2 powering my Omega Super 8XRS directly for more than a week. It is very capable and it sounded great with decent bottom end. Overall it was good especially with vocals and micro details. If you have listened to Dave driving the Omegas, then you realize the limitations of H2. Sound is thinner and lighter bass, but if you have no Dave, then enjoy it by all means!
Very interested reading about Dave/Hugo 2 driving Omega speakers directly. Sounds like a good all-around solution for the ones with limited budget. Watching Netflix with Hugo 2 and Omega speakers will sound good? Large soundstage? Anyone experienced?
I am also waiting for a cheaper upscaler but cannot see the logic in bundling an MScaler with a CD transport. Anything mechanical adds $$$ both upfront costs plus maintenance overhead. My prediction is in the coming years there will be an MScaler and a 2go derived source priced for the Qutest demography. Rob has clearly stated that with current silicon tech, the MScaler requires at least 10A of current so assuming a nominal voltage, that means portable on-the-go solutions are some way out which leaves desktop only solutions.
Regarding the single-driver, multi-driver argument, IMO both have limitations. I've never yet come across a single driver speaker capable of both energy and articulation (together) at the extremes. This means (as others have pointed out) you are limited in the genres you can listen to and will certainly be below live performance levels. Current material tech means we hit limits of physics very quickly. At the other end, there are so called full-range multi driver speakers with multiple crossover points but what most people don't realise is that at each of these crossover points, even with steep order curves, there are shared regions of the audible spectrum where separate drivers with cones having very different properties are expected to react identically to the incoming signal and that is an almost impossible thing to achieve from the point of view of basic physics. Never seen a speaker manufacturer bold enough to publish actual/verified phase distortion characteristics across the audible spectrum. The result is either they image poorly, sound too bright/harsh or too warm altogether and what do we do - desperately go in search of cables and components to balance it out and our dear old hifi dealer friends have found a way to make a living out of this.
I decided to go the Eitr route for my Yggy. It was definitely a noticeable upgrade as I am sure the gen 5 usb upgrade would be.
My Phi connected to Rag/Yggy does sound fantastic with plenty of power. Phi connected to the Dave certainly has the edge on detail and resolution which I prefer. It doesn't sound under driven to me probably because I haven't tried Dave/Rag combo (as the Rag/Yggy are in my office downstairs and the Dave in the bedroom upstairs).
I decided to go the Eitr route for my Yggy. It was definitely a noticeable upgrade as I am sure the gen 5 usb upgrade would be.
My Phi connected to Rag/Yggy does sound fantastic with plenty of power. Phi connected to the Dave certainly has the edge on detail and resolution which I prefer. It doesn't sound under driven to me probably because I haven't tried Dave/Rag combo (as the Rag/Yggy are in my office downstairs and the Dave in the bedroom upstairs).
I think the general consensus is that since all amps add some color, some more than others, you end up losing detail and resolution of the Dave. I know some people who own the Moon Neo and are extremely happy, sounds like you might be one of them, but not one Dave/Abyss owner who likes the Moon Neo. I think their complaint is mainly with the treble. I've heard several Dave/Abyss owners talk very highly of one of Simaudio's speaker amps, don't remember which model, but I remember thinking I will probably electrocute myself. I know one Dave/Abyss owner who swears by the GSX, but I find the Phi already bordering sibilant.
I am quite happy driving my Phi directly out of the Dave so far with plenty of low end and depth. But then, I only know what I know, so...
I think the general consensus is that since all amps add some color, some more than others, you end up losing detail and resolution of the Dave. I know some people who own the Moon Neo and are extremely happy, sounds like you might be one of them, but not one Dave/Abyss owner who likes the Moon Neo. I think their complaint is mainly with the treble. I've heard several Dave/Abyss owners talk very highly of one of Simaudio's speaker amps, don't remember which model, but I remember thinking I will probably electrocute myself. I know one Dave/Abyss owner who swears by the GSX, but I find the Phi already bordering sibilant.
I am quite happy driving my Phi directly out of the Dave so far with plenty of low end and depth. But then, I only know what I know, so...
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