Outlier,
You got a very good system set up. I am sure you must be thoroughly enjoying it. I read your thread on the RWA 30.2. I think maybe your speakers demand a lot more power, and so that amp did not do it for you.
Also you have a really big room for your gear. Lucky you. But do you put a curtain or some "absorber" in front of that big window when you listen to your setup? I found that a reflective surface often hinders the stereo imaging of the system. In my older room this was a big issue. There was a TV between the 2 speakers. A fellow audiogoner suggested me to put a blanket on the screen. And boy, that really made a lot of difference. In my current setup too, I have a window between the 2 speakers. But I have a thick curtain on them when I listen to my music. Makes a whole lot of difference for me.

milpai August 09, 2008 17:44

System edited: System edited - addition of MBL 121 speakers. Very nice. Although, I need to get the right amplifier now.. Will update speaker photos soon.

outlier August 01, 2008 21:37

System edited: Added CRL/FIM Gold Speaker Cable. Shockingly good.

outlier August 14, 2007 15:20

Hi 3tpower, I sold on those Acuhorn horns a few months ago. They were in my system for only about 2 months. Overall I was pretty unhappy with them. I found them way too lean an uninvolving. They were a stunning looking speaker, but really didn't do anything well. These JM Labs really do the trick though.

outlier August 06, 2006 12:40

Hey Outlier,

What happen with the Acuhorn Biancore 155 speakers? Where they go?

3tpower August 03, 2006 22:23

Yes, the Universe is something else. The Jan Allaerts carts are the others that tempt me.

I've heard the Virgos many times, and yes they image quite well. Side firing woofers have never been workable for me. Room placement etc, always seemed problematic. I would say that Audio Physic is one of the better speaker lines from top to bottom. They are tube friendly, as well. Later,
Spencer

sbank May 28, 2006 14:27

Hi Spencer, I know what you mean - the speaker change often the greatest potential to change the character of the sound. I really didn't like the Acuhorn 155 horns I had before (the JM Labs certainly was an even bigger upgrade in that case), but before that I had the Virgo II. Surprisingly, while I do really like my JM Lab Divas, there are things about the Virgo II that I miss. They have an uncanny ability to do most things just right, and the imaging is probably better than the Divas or most other even more expensive speakers, for that matter.

The Universe offered me an upgrade (in my system) in every area of the music, with no cons, shortcomings or tradeoffs - the improvement is so unambiguous. Still, it was a very expensive upgrade, and I was tempted by the VDH Colibri as another, more cost-effective option. Sbank, I see that you have the Airy 3, like I had before. I think you'll find the Universe to be in a completely different league compared to the Airy. Next step for me is some longer ICs, power cords and power conditioner...it never ends...

outlier May 28, 2006 12:07

Outlier,
Congrats on the Universe. Perhaps some lucky day I will join you in making the same change.
Are you saying that the upgrade is making as dramatic an improvement as changing from the horns to the JM Labs? I would have assumed the speaker change would be monumental, relatively speaking. Cheers,
Spencer

sbank May 28, 2006 05:54

System edited: Replaced my ZYX Airy 3x cartridge with a new ZYX Universe S-SB. The difference is pretty huge, as expected. It's really taken my system to a new level, especially compared to other recent upgrades. I hope my tonearm is doing the cartridge justice though - am tempted to get something like a Schroeder, but no funds for that yet.

outlier May 27, 2006 12:24

System edited: Added Elrod speaker cables and Acoustic Zen Absolute RCAs. Sold my Nuforce Ref 9.02.

outlier May 13, 2006 15:14

Anyone who can take on horns and set's impresses me. I am a fan of Jm labs also. Enjoy!

gregadd April 30, 2006 06:04

Adding photos of my new JM Lab Diva Utopia Be speakers. They've been a great addition to the system.

outlier April 29, 2006 21:21

Hi Ecclectique:
Yea, the 842s sound great. It's hard for me to make good a/b comparisons vs the 300bxls I had before, especially so as I've been changing speakers to these new horns, but I believe the 842 was a good direction to go with. I had to get the tubes biased professionally (no automatic bias cathode in the amps) by Nick at Truesound (tsound.com), and he measured the power output at as much as 30wpc, so the tubes seem to be providing more power, beyond the 22wpc that the amps are typically rated at. The tubes look fantastic too, and the packaging and individual warranty cards per tube gave me great confidence in the build quality of the tubes. I trust I'll be enjoying them for at least the 4,000 hour rating on the tubes.

outlier March 01, 2006 11:55

Hey Outlier. How did the new KR 842's work out for you?

ecclectique February 28, 2006 23:32

Paggusset, I was driving the Virgos with a pair of KR Audio 6000s (which I still have). They are rated 22wpc, and to my ears they drove the Virgos just fine. I'm unsure of the ohm setting on my KRs but am guessing they're at 8ohm. I believe the Virgos sould benefit from more power than 22wpc, but I really had no issues. The Virgos (especially mk. II) are amazing value at their used pricepoint.

outlier February 27, 2006 14:53

another question:
how do you find the soundstaging compared to the virgos?
i demod a pair of virgos , and loved them, but i am doubtful on the driving capability of my tube technology unisis, as it is rated at 6-8 ohms, whereas the virgos are 4 ohm nominal.
However, the unisis drove a pair of martin logan arius very well, without strain, even at high volumes.

paggusset February 27, 2006 13:08

Hi Paggusset:
Yea, I was really happy with the AP Virgo II, but was in a position to spend a bit more, so I thought I'd get a bit more speaker by spending more. Yea, the Acuhorns look amazing - the finish is incredible, and they are quite imposing, but somehow have a good WAF factor as while big, their front profile is narrow, making them look quite refined. Am still rearranging and experimenting with speaker placement and support. To complicate matters more, I have an opportunity to get a pair of JM Lab Diva Utopia locally for a good price, so may change speakers again. I think the Divas will mate better with my evolving home theatre direction. Hence, I'll likely sell on these Acuhorns.

outlier February 27, 2006 12:26

why get rid of the physics?
Your New spaekers look lovely

paggusset February 27, 2006 05:31

Outlier,
Perhaps a wall-mounted shelf for the turntable would work for you. I've seen a few ads here from a company called quadraspire, or something like that. They looked pretty nice. Cheers,
Spencer

sbank February 26, 2006 19:39

Hi Gregadd:
Thanks - yea, the speakers look absolutely stunning. I'm still breaking them in and figuring out how to get the best out of them (I may invest in some custom Sound Anchor stands).

Yes, alas, I unfortunately have to put the turntable at the bottom of the rack, because when I had it at the top of the rack, it moved when people walked across the room (there is a basement underneath, so the floor is suspended). I had the stylus skipping now and again. It's such a shame as turntable support was a key requirement when I purchased this rack, so am disappointed that it doesn't support my turntable effectively. I don't think this is a criticism of Adona per se, in that most racks would probably move a littel on my floor, but still - I would have just stayed with concrete blocks had I known I couldn't perch the tt atop the rack.

I'm very happy with the North Star gear too, because I have three digital sources (Transport, Satellite DVR and home theatre PC). The DAC allows easy switching with loads of inputs (I've one to spare), and the combo looks great - the modern look seems to compliment the more old-school look of the Supratek gear.

outlier February 26, 2006 15:32

system is even more beautiful. your tt looks lonely at the bottom of the rack. hope that is temporary.

gregadd February 25, 2006 18:29

System edited: Added photos of my new Acuhorn Grand Biancore 155 horn speakers. Also added photo of new North Star digital front end.

outlier February 25, 2006 17:34

Sbank, thanks for your thoughts on my system. Yes, I've been meaning to look at some room treatments. Challenge is I'm only renting this house, so am weary of making investments that are somewhat specific to this current listening environment. Still, I guess I should consider tube traps and the like - stuff I can move to a new house. Will get photos of the new speakers up this weekend - they look amazing, especially in this room.

outlier February 24, 2006 11:16

Outlier,
Love your system. I'm listening to a friends' Supratek Chenin right now, as an experiment in system. I also have an Airy 3, and love it. The 255 is one of my favorite tables, great both sonically & visually.
Your speaker upgrade post led me here, so I'll post suggestions there...
Ever think about treating your room? Could be better investment than many component upgrades...Cheers,
Spencer

sbank February 23, 2006 21:21

Will be updating photos shortly, with my new Acuhorn speakers.

Cheers,
John.

outlier February 23, 2006 16:50