TP-028, Nat Adderley's Work Song is now available

Author Topic: CES reports  (Read 15924 times)

Offline Ki Choi

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Re: CES reports
« Reply #15 on: February 12, 2009, 01:01:31 PM »
Hi Joel:

Any updates on release date and prices for the mini-maggie system you know of?

Ki
Ki Choi

Offline joeljoel1947

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Re: CES reports
« Reply #16 on: February 12, 2009, 01:33:18 PM »
Hi Ki,
Nope, nothing and I checked everywhere Monday.  Did you see this yet?  Looks like I wasn't alone in what I heard.  Even the "golden ears" signed off on it:
http://www.avguide.com/blog/tas-editors-and-writers-pick-the-biggest-surprises-ces-2009
Joel
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Joel Kozlowski

Offline Ki Choi

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Re: CES reports
« Reply #17 on: February 13, 2009, 06:14:18 PM »
Hi Joel:
Thanks for the link.
I feel uneasy keep bringing this un-tape related tread up but since it is a General Discussion section...

Here's the link of what Simon had said.  It's in Korean but ...the photos of the Bryston stuff are nice.

The title of the thread is The Magnepan Speaker(s) Shocking Reality

http://www.aprilmusic.co.kr/freeboard/view.asp?part=freeboard&idx=5412&gopage=2

Let me know if I should translate what he said.

In short, regardless of what Simon does for living, as an audio lover, he was completely floored & taken by the sound.  He's been dreaming of such a sound and just heard it.  He said at the end - it's time from him to sell all of his audio gear...

Ki
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Offline joeljoel1947

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Re: CES reports
« Reply #18 on: February 14, 2009, 06:37:27 AM »
Hi Ki,
Thanks for the link!  My Korean is not so hot, but maybe I can find one of those translator programs online.

I sort of agree with Simon.  I too thought that if they sound THAT good, then there is no need to continue the search for audio nirvana.  Its game over.  I was sort of on the cusp of starting up a loudspeaker company but ever since I heard THAT demo, its almost like, "why bother"?

The only thing is whether they will sound THAT good when they come out and people actually get them into their homes.  I read one blurb online that said that even the Magnepan guys said it NEVER sounded that good before the show/demo.  They said it was the new Bryston gear (which they used for the 1st time at the show) that was the root cause of it sounding so good.  So, who knows?  When they come out, people might get them home, hook them up to their $600 Adcom amp and they could sound horrible!  Should be interesting when they debut.

Joel
Regards,
Joel Kozlowski

Offline ironbut

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Re: CES reports
« Reply #19 on: February 14, 2009, 11:24:17 AM »
Magnepan has been demoing their speakers with Bryston for a real long time. I think that they're very impressive with a good solid state amp (with the stock xovers). I used to drive mine with a Pass X350 and it was great for when folks would come over and visit. But in the long run, I much prefer the sound of a good tube amp. This is totally a personal preference thing of course and maybe something like a Wolcott or a couple of Rodger Majeskie's hybrids would be a best of both worlds but I've never heard them with the latest Maggie line up( I've heard the RM10's with a pair of 2.6r and that sounded pretty nice). So far, the best tube amps I've heard with the 1.6qr's are the Manley Neo Classic 250 with Ei KT90's. They were a few thousand more than my CJ 140 so I just wasn't able to swing it at the time. Now that the Ei's are pretty much unobtainium, I may be better off anyway. I'm going to biamp my 1.6's one of these days (I already have a nice ss amp for the bottom to go with the CJ on top) but a high efficiency system is competing for the next speaker upgrade.
steve koto
 Sony scd 777es(R. Kern mods)> Vpi Aires>Dynavector XX-2mkll>Bent mu>CAT ultimate>CJ premeir 140>Magnepan 1.6qr(Jensen xover)Headphone Eddie Current Zana Deux>AT ad2000,HD800 ,Metric Halo ULN-2 (battery powered),
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Offline joeljoel1947

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Re: CES reports
« Reply #20 on: February 14, 2009, 03:09:20 PM »
Hi Steve,
I worded that sort of vague.  What I should of said is that Magnepan had never used those PARTICULAR Bryston amps before.  They are the new 1000 watt monoblocks but into the 4 ohm load of the Maggies it was more like 1800 watts per side!  THAT's some serious power.  I know they have used Bryston to demo stuff the last few years, and before that it was generally Audio Research stuff.

I agree tubes are the way to go on the top and then go solid state on the bottom.  I am biamped just that way myself in my main rig.  Works great cause you get the "control" of SS on the bass and the warmth of tubes on the mids and top.

Joel
Regards,
Joel Kozlowski