I have a relatively small room so I wanted to assemble a simple system with good synergy that would let the music flow. I decided to go with Shindo gear, which matches very well with A23 and EMT.
Yeah...I made it myself...It uses a panzerholz armboard. Has plasticine on the underside of its metal chassis and under the aluminum platter. Before doing this if i tapped the platter in rang for a long time now its quite dead.
Hi Lowens, yes inching to all Shindo system is correct :) I didn't use a power conditioner before but I compared it to a Running Springs conditioner at my friend Restock's place (Monbrison and Haute Brion) and we both agreed that the sound was better with the Mr T. I would say its an small incremental improvement and to be honest it has to be a side by side comparison otherwise its very hard to say.
What is your take on the Mr. T? Is it a big improvement over your last power conditioner? Is the fact that it is not spike protected an issue for you? You seem to be inching towards a whole Shindo system.
Good eyes Doc! I did try the Avant Gardes with the Shindo amp, and although I thought they were very nice speakers, the Montille just didn't have enough power to make them sing. I think they were 87 dB sensitivity. I then tried the Devore Super 8s at 90 dB and although they were better, they still didn't have enough balls. I'm quite happy with the Corals though, at 105 dB they are fast, responsive and fairly dynamic.
I had to ask since I have the same amp and pre from Shindo. Did you actually try to play the Gershman Avant Garde, I noticed in the pix with the Harbeth? Great system by the way! DoctorGPZ
Plinko actually I bought them from a friend who had the cabinets built for them. If you can find a pair of Coral drivers (should be about $1,000) and you're handy, there are many plans on the web for building cabinets for them. I highly recommend Corals, I recently auditioned some Solovoxes and Tannoy Kensingtons and although they were marginally better, its hard to justify paying 5-6 x more for speakers that are only slightly better.
Vikvilkhu: the Devores are very nice, but I think they need a more powerful amp to make them sing properly. They were very even handed and had a wonderful tonality but I thought they lacked dynamics in my room. The Corals are a lot more efficient at 101 dB, and have the sweetest midrange I've heard yet. However the Corals being single driver, is lacking in the bottom end, but I think at the price point that I'm in, everything is a compromise and you have to pick the sound that is most important to you.
