Best Canton driver

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by olschl, Mar 25, 2017.

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  1. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    I have a pair of Ergo 1002 DC towers. I listen to 2 channel stereo Rock, Jazz, Country, some Classical.
    I had a Rotel RX-1052 when I got the Ergos and they certainly made it sound better. The 1052 is a 100 WPC class A/B with a reputation of "punching above its weight." Many people compare it to Adcom and Arcam. Of course some do not.
    I was recently advised that my speakers deserve a better amp/pre. I had an opportunity to demo a Creek 5350SE. It is supposed to be in a different league than the Rotel altogether. I was not blown away. Better at some things and others not so much.
    I thought I'd consult any fellow Canton owners as to what integrateds you may be using, especially with Ergos and other towers, that you think brings out the best in them. I need to narrow down my demo list. Right now, I was thinking a Rogue Sphinx may be a match. Bel Canto? I really don't know which way to turn.
     
  2. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    I can't believe there are no Canton owners out there!
     
  3. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Hi olschl...I'm a Canton owner!

    You have to understand Canton is not a very popular speaker in the USA due to no marketing and very hard to find. Those who do hear them are amazed at why these aren't more popular in the States. I had a email discussion with Canton over in Germany and I asked what amps they use to voice their speakers? The reply was they use AudioNet amps to voice all their speakers.

    Now as a Canton owner, I'm sure you know Canton is a German speaker. Germans voice their gear much different from the Brits or the American audio manufacturers. German gear is usually very open, transparent and will not hide the defects in what's down stream.....very true to the music....very romantic.

    I once had a pair of Canton GLE 403's driven by a Rotel amp and preamp. It was a very nice sound but not the best. Its not only the power that Cantons truly love, but what they do love is good clean current! Give them good clean current and they sing......they don't like lots of cheap power either. I mean like a 200 watt amp but its not quality. Don't give them anything that's bright. Give them quality. Cantons also love good clean tube amps as well. Give them some good clean tubes, and you will be rewarded. AudioNet if you heard them, you understand about quality and good clean current. That's one outstanding smooth sounding amp. But its a very expensive amp as well. If you was to get AudioNet amps, I'm sure you'd also have Canton Reference K speakers as well. Let me know what you decide to do.

    Have a great day.
     
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  4. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    Thanks so much for the response, Slippers. I guess it's just you and me here.
    A quick visit to the AudioNet site was quite impressive. Unfortunately, I can not go there figuratively. Literally, I can. The only US distributor is about 1/2 hour from my front door.
    After the Creek, I auditioned a Belles Aria integrated, which was wonderful. Unfortunately, it does not have adjustable R/L balance and I have an intermittent hearing problem in one ear. I read a review of the Belles Soloist, the Aria's big sister, which tried to compare it to the Primare I32. In the end, the comparison came out to a tie with the units sounding more alike than disparate and featuring clarity, transparency, and speed. I hadn't heard much about Primare before that. A short time later I spotted an I32 for sale on Audiomart. I made the best offer I could, and it was accepted. I am now waiting for the Swedish cosin to my German speakers to be delivered.
     
  5. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Sounds great! Let me know how everything goes!
     
  6. RiCat

    RiCat Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT, USA
    What is your price range?
     
  7. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    I'm out of the market for now. Unless someone offers me a lot more for the Primare than what it's worth to me.
     
  8. segue

    segue Psychoacoustic Member

    Location:
    Hawai'i
    [​IMG]
    Best Canton driver
     
    Walter Koehler and olschl like this.
  9. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    Heh heh. Good one.
     
  10. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    I see you got the Pimare. That's a great amp. Now you have to keep in mind, the Primare is a amp that SS which leans twards a more lively presentation. The Tweeter in the Ergos are very transparent and clear. They arn't as refined as well as the Ceramic tweeters in the Vento's. I hope you don't have a mismatch on your hands with speaker and amp that can give you a little to much of a good think in the higher frequencies. Keep me posted. If its too much up top, look for some warm cables. Let me know.
     
  11. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    Canton was sold by Park Avenue Audio for years. Very high quality well made speakers. My neighbor had a pair and they were very revealing. I would describe them as analytical. My neighbor was driving them
    With Bryson which produced tight slamming bass. They definitely benefit from careful system matching and cable selection.

    If you're running solid state try MIT cables. I'd say the right tubes would do the job.
     
    olschl likes this.
  12. McGuy

    McGuy All Mc, all the time...

    Location:
    Chicago
    I have a set of Canton Karat 100s. No idea if they're considering good or even audiophile, etc. They were my mother's when she had a Nakamichi receiver. I'm currently using them to flatten a warped record...
     
    olschl likes this.
  13. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    I'm not familiar with the 100s; but Karat was Canton's top of the line. Which Nakamichi receiver was it? If it was pre-1992 it is probably a little gem.
     
    Sneaky Pete likes this.
  14. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    I only have about 5 hours on the Primare; but it has opened up pretty well. I am hearing some amazing things from recordings I was very familiar with. Some Linda Ronstadt tracks that I felt were lacking in emotion are now sounding much more like she is really feeling the song. Tiny nuances (microdynamics?) have changed the whole presentation. One track that is a good example is "Mean To Me" from Round Midnight with Nelson Riddle. The sound stage hasn't developed the front-to-back depth I heard in the Belles Aria....yet (still getting better); but it totally nails everything else! Each performer is pinned to a location and takes up less space than with the Rotel, so there is less "overlapping" and smooshing together.

    I'm playing Mozart's Requiem at very low volume now, so as to avoid annoying housemates. It still sounds amazingly powerful! The Ergos are very happy!
     
  15. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    I'd say they are audiophile.

    Check out the new Canton Karat.....only about $10k a pair....and only a 100 pair are made and then no more.

    Karat

    Canton - Karat Jubilee 3 - Tower Speakers (Pair)
     
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  16. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Cool! Nice thats its working out and perhaps not a mismatch at all. One thing to not about Cantons....they always seems to have a very wide sound stage, so no toe in is required...that has and continues to be my experience with Canton's and I have two pair.
     
  17. McGuy

    McGuy All Mc, all the time...

    Location:
    Chicago
    definitely pre-1992.
     
  18. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    Mine is a Receiver 2 and I'll never give it up. The RE-2 was not so good. The TAs and SRs were Nelson Pass designs and are very, very good.
     
  19. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    I am using about 5-10 degrees. I just reduced it a bit. I may reduce it more. I can do that now that I have balance control. My left ear doesn't get all the bass sometimes. This is my first preamp with XLR inputs. My BDP-95 has XLR out I don't know if I want to jump into expensive XLRs (for me expensive is over $100), having just spent $110 for some WireWorld Oasis 7 RSCs. Their cheapest XLR is a good leal more than that. Would Cheap "Monoprice" XLRs be better than the Oasis RCA's? If that is worth trying I could see if my system (and my ears) is capable of resolving the difference and upgrade the XLRs If I like the sound. I don't feel like spending $200 on something that makes no audible difference to me for months....again.
     
  20. ghost rider

    ghost rider Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bentonville AR
    Well said I have a set of Canton ergo 122s and last year I got a Rogue ST100 tube power amp and I love how this sounds. It's paired up with a McIntosh C2500 preamp. This amp is only 100w but sounds much better than the 250w Bryston 4b it replaced and that's not a bad amp by any stretch.
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2017
    olschl likes this.
  21. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Try these intereconnects....Oval One Interconnects | Analysis Plus
     
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  22. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    RCA? Really. I'm surprised. I have a lot to learn.
     
  23. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    Slippers-on,

    By the way, which cantons do you presently have?
     
  24. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    check out what the engineer says about those particular cables.... they are designed to take thelace of XLR cables. Ive used those for years.
     
    olschl likes this.
  25. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Canton Vento 830.2 as well as GLE 403
     
    olschl likes this.
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