the best sound (system) you ever heard

Best sound system I've ever heard was a pristine 1940s Wurlitzer jukebox playing a mint Charlie Christian 78 about two years ago. I can't describe it...but it was absolutely stunning...the presence, the tonality,...pure magic. Astounding. I've never heard anything like it.


This should give you a pretty good idea of my general philosophy about hi-fi and where I am coming from. It is like a beautiful woman. You could hand me a photo taken in bright light where I could see with ultra-vivid clarity the structure of her face, the lines, the bone structure, the dimensions, the colors,....look at it over and over again...and remember it forever in exquisite recollection. But I would much rather skip the photo. I would rather close my eyes and experience the emotion, feel the warmth of her flesh, the smell of her hair.....even if I don't catch all the subtle details.

 

The mastering suite at Chesky Records has a 6.0 setup (L-R, elevated L-R, Rear L-R) that sound incredible...forget the exact components but it used to have Melos tube amps plus Verity Audio Parsifal speakers.

Playing the Bucky Pizzarelli Swing Live disc you were immersed in a jazz club with waitresses passing by with glasses clinking. Very hypnotic!

 

tell me about it :-(

only got £600 for them - incredible value for money. But when I run off with Winona Ryder I'll get some more, and 63's and 989's and Avantguarde Unos!! so there!
Tim

 

Hi Tim,

Don't be so sure about that...... Winona's gonna have a real hard time fitting those speaks into her purse!

Take care,
Jeffrey

 

A third vote for the legendary "wall of sound" system.
About 10 years ago I was walking up Fifth Ave. here in NYC, heard what I was sure was a piano eminating from a store in longer in business. I walked inside, made my way towards the source of this sound and found my path blocked by 25 gawking 'philes. All I know was the amplification - AirTight. I've never been fooled like that since.

 

I had a similar experience at the Stereophile HiFi show back in 2004 (or was it sooner?)...Bruce Candy was there with his Halcro monster amps and they were driving I think B&Ws...superbly clean and natural sounding.

Too bad I left my Amex Centurion card at home.

 

Sorry to briefly hi-jack the thread, but did any of the "Dead-spinoff" bands featuring former members of the Dead utilize the same legendary sound system, or engineers (Healy and his assistant, whose name I can't remember)? Or did they go more conventional? Thanks.

P.S. Okay, back to the thread. My granddad had a system consisting of a huge Technics receiver and a pair of Thiel CS speakers, an early model. This was fed via a Sansui turntable with a MM cart, can't remember, maybe a Stanton. Not all audiophile stuff, but a magical combination when it came to a seductive midrange, of all things. Another time, I heard some electrostatic speakers that pulled a disappearing act. It was difficult, until I saw the membrane of the speaker vibrating, to believe they were producing the sound I was hearing. I'm going to the Rocky Mountain Music Fest 2, so perhaps I'll have new tales to tell, when I return.

 

Sorry for the threadcrap, but can you discuss the difference between the 57s and 63s according to your ears?

 

Avantgarde horn speakers make my ears bleed. Heard them with $100K+ of electronics at the last Stereophile show. Absolutely horrid.

 

Horns are rarely pleasant, IMO. They shout and bark....no matter what. They can be loads of fun at low volume, but the minute you turn them up...they'll clear the room.

 

Agreed.

 

Hi,

Dan Healy is Bobby's sound engineer. Seriously, Dan hasn't worked w/ any members of the band since '92.

IMO, the best sound people hooked up, after '95, w/ Phil. In some cases, it didn't work out. Things change, i dug the good ole' daze.

Take care,
Jeffrey

 

It is a Model 5.

 

I agree Lee. My local dealer had a pair driven with Nagra amps I believe, excruciatingly shrill sound.

 

Oh yeah, these Avantgarde Meta duos($55,000!) made my ears bleed at this year's CES:

 

Kinda

I've heard a number of great systems, but the most moved I've ever been was hearing John Lee Hooker on my buddies Quad ESL 63's. Driven by a Cary amps and a obscure and expensive subwoofer that for the life of me cant' remember the name (I think it started with an E). I just remember being 100% mismerized by the sound. I could close my eyes and virtually see Hooker sitting in front of me playing and tapping his foot. Hookers voice was just haunting. Was the system as impressive with other type of music? Well not really, but in this instance it was the best I've heard.

 

My own. Does that mean I haven't heard very many good systems? Or, does it mean I've got a good system? Check out my profile, and judge for yourself!

 

I don't know Keim...I hear the Superwhamodyne speakers lack in the top end.

 

anyone ever hear some really really amazing electrostatics?

 

Other than the Quads we've been discussing over the last several posts....no. Never.

 

They hold their own in that department.