Audio Epiphanies

[RichTeer]

We went out to dinner last night to celebrate my birthday, and invited a few friends back to our place afterwards. Most of them have seen my system, but one guy hadn't since I upgraded to my MartinLogan Spires and Nordost Frey cabling. So I invited him downstairs to have a quick listen and he politely obliged, saying that he never really listened to music as an activity: it was usually something he played in the background while doing something else.

I can't remember what the first we played was, but when it finished and the light went up, he had this huge grin on his face. He couldn't believe that such quality was possible from a home stereo, so instead of just listening to a couple of tracks to humour his host (me), he ended spending almost 3 hours listening to different pieces of music! He would have stayed longer but had to get home to his dog.

He concluded that the reason why he never listened to music before was because all the systems he'd heard to date sounded like crap, and that maybe he should start saving for a decent high end system. I said that I'd be more than glad to help him on his journey!

This experience got me thinking: how many of you guys have given your guests similar epiphanies? I think the only way to really convince people what a real high end system can do is play it for them. My friend certainly got the bug after just a couple of hours!

 

[Brian Walsh]

I'm probably casting myself as an old timer by this, but here are a few I've experienced: (off topic but I suggest relevant)

• Dayton Wright XG-8s driven by a Dunlap-Clarke Dreadnaught 1000 amp.
• Magneplanar Tympani IIIAs, triamped with ARC tube gear. OMG! Magic at the time.
• The first time I heard Quad ESLs (57s). Whoa. So natural, with obvious limitations.
• Beveridge 2s. Also very natural, with some limitations.
• Hill Plasmatronic Type 1 speakers. A tweeter to die for. Supertramp "School" was scary, even though the cone drivers couldn't keep up.

Very little since then, except for my current rig that doesn't make me yearn for any of the above.

 

[risabet]

• Hill Plasmatronic Type 1 speakers. A tweeter to die for. Supertramp "School" was scary, even though the cone drivers couldn't keep up.

Or to die from, the ozone that speaker made made many people sick. No tweeter before or since has had the speed and resolution of the Hill. If they could have only solved the ozone issue, and the fact that no driver made could keep up with the tweeter. Stunning!

 

[tonepub]

I'd say a pretty long list over the years.

The first magnepans were a substantial epiphany, later followed by Tympanis.

Then the Acoustat 2+2s

The Oracle turntable

The ARC D-79

Next in line the ML CLS...

The Naim 555

The Aesthetix IO and the Naim Superline/supercap phono preamps

The Spiral Groove table

The Lyra Olympos and Dynavector XV-1s cartridges

All of the Running Springs power products.

CJ's ACT2 series 2 and Premier 350.

The Gamut S-9's and the YG Acoustics Anats.

Of course the current CLX!

Lot's of pretty high marks out there. I'm always amazed they can keep making it better

 

[Duane Rogers]

Happy Birthday Rich! D.R.

 

[twich54]

how many of you guys have given your guests similar epiphanies?

Most think I / we are certifiably nuts !

BTW Rich....Happy be-lated birthday !

 

[Brian Walsh]

Or to die from

:ROFL: Point taken. Nelson Pass once built a pair of full range plasma speakers which he quickly dismantled because they were so dangerous. A French company (Tolteque AHL) showed some huge prototype full range cold air plasma speakers at WCES '92.

And then there's the infamous John Iverson, whose "Neutral density bombardiers" were described by a friend here. Now, that is something to tell your grandkids about, if you live that long!

 

[RichTeer]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, guys! I got some cash for my birthday, so I think I'll be treating myself to some black pizza very soon.

 

[tonepub]

This experience got me thinking: how many of you guys have given your guests similar epiphanies? I think the only way to really convince people what a real high end system can do is play it for them. My friend certainly got the bug after just a couple of hours!

First off, happy B-day...

I've been doing it for 30 years now and have introduced a lot of people into the world of high end audio. Most haven't gone as crazy as I have, but quite a few have made 10 - 50 thousand dollar purchases. I know three guys last year that bought Naim 555's after listening to mine and I know about a dozen people that bought Vantage, Spire, Summit or CLX's after hanging out here.

It's always fun to see people get enthused about something I enjoy so much.

 

[Jeff Zaret]

Rich,
Happy belated b'day. I know there is some vinyl out there with your name on it!

Jeff

 

[sleepysurf]

I've had a few similar audio epiphanies, the most moving of which was playing a recording of a (now deceased) mutual friend, who played clarinet and sang in a local Klezmer band. Our visitors, who had been close friends of the performer, sat spellbound for an hour with tears streaming down their faces. I asked them if they'd rather I play something else, and they said "absolutely not, it's like he's right here in the room with us again."

Also, the cabinetmaker who built my "acoustic bookshelves" spent over an hour demo'ing my system after finishing his installation. He said it was the most impressive soundstage he'd ever heard, and was blown away when he found out I was only playing two-channel stereo. He had thought I was also using my NHT sub and Motif center channel! Now that I've (nearly ) optimized my setup, I need to bring him back for a real listening session!

 

[repman]

My first real taste of high end audio was the ESS with Heil air motion driver AMD1 I loved those speakers

 

[David Matz]

Rich,

Thanks for starting the thread and Happy Birthday.

I have had 3 or so transformational audio experiences. The very first time I heard a high end speaker it was the ML Vantage. The salesman at Tweeter popped in an SACD of Layla and Assorted songs with Eric Clapton and Duane Allman on guitar. Life has never been the same.

The second time was when I finally found the most amazing amp for my Vantages after auditioning a dozen others - CJ Premier 350.

The last time it was hearing Brian Walsh's Soundlabs for the very first time.

 

[RichTeer]

Thanks again for the well wishes everyone!

I htink the first big audio epiphany I had personally was many years ago at a hifi show in the UK. It was my first hifi show and I attended it soon after I got my first CD. It was in the Abolute Sounds room (Absolute Sounds is the UK distributor of such fine brands as Krell, ARC, Koetsu, Goldmund, and MartinLogan), and they were explaining that they were going to alternate between tracks from Krell's current CD player and a Goldmund Studio TT, played through Krell amps and Apogee Diva speakers.

I remember thinking to myself "why are they bother with vinyl when the future is so obviously with CD"? That was, until they played the first track from the vinyl. To my untrained ears (and bearing in mind show conditions) they sounded as good as each other. I knew that I had to investigate vinyl further--and was very glad that I hadn't disposed of my 60-or so record collection.

Skip forward a few months: a local dealer lent me a Michell Synchro TT. One of the records I listened to was one that I also had on CD. I could clearly hear details on this entry-level TT that I couldn't on the CD player. That was it: I was hooked on vinyl, and have been so ever since. Six or so months after that demo, I bought my first serious TT: a piano lacquer Roksan Xerxes, with a Rega RB300 arm and an Audio Technica MC cartridge. Vinyl has been the cornerstone of my system ever since. :music:

 

[sleepysurf]

My personal audio epiphany occurred early July 1984, at a party, where I heard my first ever high-end setup, comprised of some very large Magnepan speakers with a vinyl rig and a "big amp" (it was all greek to me). That sound haunted me ever since, but I had to wait until 1986, when I finally had some disposable income to start throwing into audio. I've been throwing $$ into the hobby ever since!

 

[aliveatfive]

DQ 10s driven by an Ampzilla
Magnapans driven by ARC
B & W DM 6 and 7 driven by Conrad Johnson
Sequel II driven by ARC Classic 60

 

[DDPres]

Jon Iverson - the mystery

Does anybody really know what happened to Jon Iverson? We presume he is now deceased, but his mysterious disappearance questioned whether he went into hiding or something tragic was his fate. I know that there were industry people in the know. Any information?


[And then there's the infamous John Iverson, whose "Neutral density bombardiers" were described by a friend here. Now, that is something to tell your grandkids about, if you live that long![/QUOTE]

 

[Brian Walsh]

No one who can speak knows. "Des", who posted that message, doesn't know. John Curl, who knew him, doesn't know. I am led to believe the FBI and others doing secret surveillance of individuals will go so far as giving someone a completely new identity and I suppose having mandatory plastic surgery performed to change the person's appearance, including fingerprints and maybe even teeth (dental records). Anyone in such a situation, and I think Iverson was one, can either comply or be done away with.

As a minor correction, it's John Iverson. Jon Iverson is a web guy with Stereophile.

Does anybody really know what happened to Jon Iverson? We presume he is now deceased, but his mysterious disappearance questioned whether he went into hiding or something tragic was his fate. I know that there were industry people in the know. Any information?


[And then there's the infamous John Iverson, whose "Neutral density bombardiers" were described by a friend here. Now, that is something to tell your grandkids about, if you live that long!

[/QUOTE]