Let's dream all together now

If you mean the table on the SRA rack in the picture, that's not a LaGrange. It's a Raven Two (Raven One with second arm base) with Raven AC motor unit. With this kind of tunig the Raven One looks a lot like the LaGrange though.

 

"a dream we dream alone is only a dream, a dream we dream together is reality" Yoko Ono

 

Well said.
So another one with the same dream on the AYRE Mono blocks, I do like that Pre amp, too but I am a fan of MF and that PRIMO is a real great Pre amp esp. for it's price under 10 grand..I could live with both.
I dig the DCS stuff and if it wasn't for the LINN this could come close.
Also love the idea of a set based around the Devialet wonder Integrated as the center of attraction.

 

Yeah, I agree, but my post wasn't too serious. Probably the only one I would actually even think about purchasing are the Sophias, but I seriously doubt I would get "spousal approval" for blowing a chunk of change like that on speakers.

Besides, I was thinking about what I could assemble for $50,000-$75,000--some serious, serious dinero to be sure, but nowhere near the price of some of the dream systems out there.

 

Sorry pal, the linn digital stuff doesn't even come close to dCS....

 

so your impression is different from those expressed from about every long standing respectable HiFi test magazine over here, although in small percentages ( 10 resp 13 points off).
Most of them tested both and rave about both; but the term BEST or The Leader is not a term used often and usually changes every few months.
The only items being named Best have been Linn's Klimax streamers.
It is what they use to test the best of the best.


AUDIO just reviewed the DS/1 in this months issue - the brand new KLIMAX, that sounds nothing like theoriginal DS. The electronic look completely different, too. The old had a blue platine and yellow parts, the new is silver and sports 30% more electronic parts.
Owners of the KLIMAX DS can get this DS/1 as an upgrade and put the old electronics into another chassis with WBT outputs and have 2 KLIMAX : one DS and a RENEW
Have you heard the new DS/1 already ?
According to audio it has no resemblance to the old one, but sounds even more musical correct with unknown three dimensional qualities, As if you could hurt yourself from touching a guitar etc.

Of course I can imagine a certain set-up shares a more pleasant synergie with dcs - I guess all Burmester + dcs will sound great.

But with all due respect to your publishing; these guys do it since 30 years and have heard pretty much anything on the market in larger quantities. I bet you heard more US brands and small specialist systems. .

But you know tastes differ. LINN has more research and experience, you should visit their factory ...
I am sure you will be completely flashed out.


I know you guys do not believe in rankings, take it for what it is -
This is the actual AUDIO Top list for
Digital Sources :

CD/SACD
140 / 140
ACCUPHASE DP 840
Moon i 750
CD 135 points (no SACD)
WADIA
AUDIO RESEARCH
Accuphase
130/135
dcs Pucchini Clock (USB/DAC)
TEAC Essence
MacIntosh
AYRE
(sorry so small printed I can't recognize the numbers)

Netzwerk - Spieler (Streamers)
LINN KLIMAX/DS1 148 points !
LINN KLIMAX DS 145
LINN AKURATE 140
various DS/dynamik upgrades follow
LINN MAJIK/DS/Dynamik 130
the followers :
T+A MP 120
YAMAHA NP 120
LINN Sneaky 115
Logitech Transporter 115
Musical Fidelity Clic 113
T+A Music Player 110
---
105
HiFidelio
SONOS
Marantz
Micromega
Restek
-------------------------------------
Logitech Squezebox 100 points

 

You do realize though, that the dCS Puccini is their entry level Player right? Have you ever heard a Paganini or Scarlatti stack?

Also, i wouldn't base my opinion solely on what hifi magazines say. My personal opinion is that while you may or may not be able to adequately describe the sound of a piecee of hifi equipment using words these rating systems using points are downright ridiculous.

Of course, if you have heard both the Klimax and the Scarlatti you are entitled to your own opinion. Me, i haven't heard the Klimax so i'm not saying you are wrong. I just doubt that you are right. I know pricing is not a very good way to determine the quality of a product but the entry level dCS costs about as much as the Linn Klimax DS/1...

 

Not sure if you mean untainted-by-age originals, but One Thing Audio in the UK regularly get Quad ESLs and refurbish them, also Leak Troughline tuners if quality FM is your thing.

http://www.onethingaudio.net/

 

Here is my dream system...only a few of the sources are within my reach.


preamp: David Berning's


Amp: High Power Berning's The Zero-Hysteresis ZH-270


Speakers: Tannoy


Tuner: Marantz 10B


CD player: Sony SCD-777


TT: VPI HRX


Reel to Reel: refurbished Revox G36


Cassette: Studer A-710

 

The TNT HR-X turntable won't work without the three belts.

 

Sorry, the only Linn component that's ever sounded musical to me has been the LP-12. And their LP-12 disc player wasn't bad either.

Your quote is pretty funny.

I'll keep the four box Paganini. You can keep your Linn.

 

From what I've heard of the restored models, I think that would be my choice.

 

And a Lirpa Steamtable

There's all sorts of fantasy objects, sometimes with holes in the configurations because of lack of exposure. I know I want a Blowtorch Preamp with the Tape Loop and Phono Stage, but I don't know what I want for an amp. I know I want the SME 30 turntable but I don't know what sort of cartridge I want. I know I want a Metric Halo ULN-8, that puts digital recording and playback in a whole new frame, one I'd love to play in. And in spite of all the speakers I've heard, other than getting a working pair of Stax' current finest earspeaker/energizer packages, I have no opinion.

However the series of happy accidents that comprises my current, extraordinarily cheap, stereo sound remarkable good. The recent series of upgrades to all the wires going in and out of my HK 630 and upgrading the grounding path to all the stereo gear has made everything sound better, in all formats. So I'm really happy with how the system sounds right now, playing the CD of Allison Krauss' beautifully produced Forget About It.

Oh yeah, I'd want a lot of really good old tube microphones and matching accessories. No use wasting all the feature of the Metric Halo.

 

You should have been at the BBC research facility last year when they closed. Lots of tube mics and other goodies that were disposed of.

 

I am sure youn would like these points/rankings, too if you had the same experience with the way they are used as I do.
It is not the goal to choose an overall leader and they never stop telling readers not to take points as the main reason to purchase a system. The way these sound together, personal taste and of course system synergie can make or break a chain as we say over her. I like the idea of the chain-always as strong as the weakest link etc.

The LINN KLIMAX DS/1 is ranked with the NAIM NDX with added PSU.
Anyway I haven't heard any of those reference items. There is a reason why they are at the top of the rankings. They are built with extreme precision and cost a fortune.
Way out of my region.

The idea of points is not that ridiculous once you go to the real world levels. I watch them since 2007 and depending on the various points in the mags I can say that a good HiFi sound starts around 42 to 45 points in Stereoplay - B&W mm1 speakers, NAD C 355BEE or a REGA BRIO old or 85 points in AUDIO.
STEREO gives 100% in each category, so cross references are difficult.

The Sumiko BPS EVO III gets 85% in Audio and 45 points in Stereoplay, the NAD C 515BEE Cd player 95 points in audio etc. speakers and turn tables get overa

 

Good grief.

Anyhow, I see dCS mentioned quite a bit. I suppose I need to break down and seek out an audiophile show so that I can hear some of this fantasy gear. It's a good idea to hear what's possible and I really haven't done that.

My "dream system" is limited to my current five year plan, which is to upgrade to Cary Audio's top tube pre-amp and then switch to their mono block SA-500 solid state amps. I haven't thought about which speakers to shoot for. I'll also need a front end upgrade at that point. Of course, any fantasy system would include a turntable for the vinyl I don't yet own!

 

You really need to base your opinions on gear you own and use, rather than what you read in magazines, mine or otherwise.

 

That's some kind of sad. My first microphones were Schoeps 221 B's from the ORTF. Wimpy little things, at least in the condition as received. Really lovely with anything that doesn't go over FF, like a string quartet, harpsichord, viol or lute. They would be in my dream kit [along with a passel of other classic designs] once my ship comes in.

 

NOthing wrong with the ratings, once you are used to them you will agree with me.
Yióu still get a 'real' and complete review with measurements, pix explantions, infos and a lot of emotional feedback about what he listened to and how he liked it.
The ony difference to any UK or US review is that after extended testing they seartrch their huge stock of audio gear for a unit that might be in the same performance class and then they do a direct shoot out, if the tested new unit sounds as good as the old it gets the same points, if it is better it gets more. And for a while one has the overall most points and that happens to be LINN with Turntables and Streamers- although the NAIM NDX with additional PSU gets the same amount of sound quality points.
The AUDIO RESEARCH Q8 USB DAC gets even more points, though...
So everything is just for a while

Once you reach the reference rankings it doesn't matter much if your gear gets 65, 66 or 68 points. It will be among the very best sounding and personal taste is more important than points given by a magazine.

After all no one spends so much money without demoing the gear ...
I always tried to get at least 45 points overall.
The SUMIKO BPS EVO III gets 45 points as a reference.
The REGA RP 1 39 points, the Technics Mk2 even less.
The P3-24 gets 45 points etc. pp
the LINN LP12 SE 61

Enough of that
A new task - build a dream system for 10 grand (only new gear, imagine you buy on credit)

Mine
Musical Fidelity CD-T and CLIC
(CD Transport and Network Streamer / Analog PRE-amp) 2.350
MacIntosh MC 275 Power amp 4.800
T+A Criterion TS 300 Speakers 2.900
----------------------------------------------------------------------

what do you think - how many points will this system get ?
My guess around 55 average = 165 all together

 

Oops double post

@ Tonepub
That is what I do
Since I got the SUMIKO EVO III cart I know what 45 points sound like quality wise.

I never said imo the LINN DS is better than the Puccini.

No use testdriving a KLIMAX DS/1 when I couldn't even buy a Sneaky.lol..

 

You would have flipped. They really had some amazing history there and the sad part is that they were tearing down this historic facility to build luxury condos!

 

I don't see the point in arguing about high end gear. It all pretty much sounds great. You're really just picking based on personal taste and component matching when you've got an unlimited budget.

That being said, I could go for the Audeze LCD-2 or maybe some high end Stax.

 

Good Grief INDEED!!

it's a great feeling to be satisfied with something.
it's an EXTREMELY difficult goal to attain.

there are, of course, a couple modifications that i wouldn't mind
making to my system, largely the replacement of my CT-S800 cassette deck
with it's ELITE series clone, the CT-91,
the substitution of the CS-G503 4-ways with a pair of DSS-9 3-ways,
the CLD-3030 LD player swapped in for an LD-S1,
and the VSX-D1S stereo receiver for a C-91/M-91 PRE/POWER AMP set.

still, the only ACTUAL changes likely to be made to my system
are the addition of either a BDP-05 or -09FD BD player,
the replacement of my TOSHIBA CRT with a HD monitor,
and maybe that LD-S1 LD player.

outside that, i am quite happy with what i've got, believe it or not,
an can happily live with it until the day the components conk out
and can no longer be serviced...

 

Some B-D Design speakers driven by the Moth 45 SET amp I sold of a couple years ago, Shindo Garrard 301 and just about any solid CDP. Heck, this is all not even expensive by some standards so I'll add a $20K Acoustic Sounds gift card for new LP's

 

Check my profile....