Planning to buy Spires - need your input

[tonepub]

That's the problem with the state of the current hifi world....

If there were more dealers that could offer in-home auditions,
especially of speakers, it would be so much easier for the end
users to make informed decisions.

 

[Feltran]

That's the problem with the state of the current hifi world....

If there were more dealers that could offer in-home auditions,
especially of speakers, it would be so much easier for the end
users to make informed decisions.

Part of the problem is just a lack of dealers simpliciter, for some of us. Martin Logan is pretty big, as far as Hi-Fi companies go, and Colorado is a large state, geographically, with nearly 5 million people. Still, there's only one ESL dealer in the state, and that dealer doesn't have a very good range of ML products in store.

 

[DrJRapp]

That's the problem with the state of the current hifi world....

If there were more dealers that could offer in-home auditions,
especially of speakers, it would be so much easier for the end
users to make informed decisions.

I think It needs to go beyond that. Most dealers I have ever seen that handle ML don't have a clue how to set them up. This starts at the Magnolia level where entry level future ML club members are born. If ML could do more at the dealer level in training and perhaps provide for low $$ units intended for home demo to dealers or even a road show with the ESL line in rooms on a tractor trailer, it would go a long way to increase MLs market penetration. If it hadn't been for my ultimatly finding a salesperson in Sound Advice (Tweeter of all places) who is a Summit owner himself and went the extra mile for me to hear them and then came to my home during the trial period to insure they were setup properly, I would probably be listening to B&W 802Ds today instead of The Summit.

 

[bxl]

Thanks again for all the replies - Totally agree with the need for dealers that can offer in-home auditions! the first to do this will have a big competitive advantage and will probably sell many components/systems because of this service...

To keep you posted on the latest, i decided to go the integrated way... yeah I know, separates are better and all that, but for convenience, synergy, simplicity, i'm willing to do the trade off - for now...

So I purchase a BAT VK300X SE with Phono option (future plan to get into LPs) and will most probably buy the Vantages, and digital transport - Any recommendations for a decent CD player for around $1000 used? I would like to get something with excellent clarity but no digital artifacts if possible...


Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!
-bxl

 

[David Matz]

Thanks again for all the replies - Totally agree with the need for dealers that can offer in-home auditions! the first to do this will have a big competitive advantage and will probably sell many components/systems because of this service...

To keep you posted on the latest, i decided to go the integrated way... yeah I know, separates are better and all that, but for convenience, synergy, simplicity, i'm willing to do the trade off - for now...

So I purchase a BAT VK300X SE with Phono option (future plan to get into LPs) and will most probably buy the Vantages, and digital transport - Any recommendations for a decent CD player for around $1000 used? I would like to get something with excellent clarity but no digital artifacts if possible...



Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!
-bxl

Hey BXL,

Great choice on the BAT. I own the 51SE and it's a killer. For the CD player I would suggest you stretch your budget a bit and go for the Ayre Cx-7e. I auditioned just about everything at $4.5K (original price) and down, and the Ayre is the best overall to my ears. There seems to be a big gap between the $3K and $1K players. The $1K players sound like robots, while the $3K players convey the emotion much better. Whatever you saved on the Vantage vs Spire is well spent on the source.

The comparably priced Naim is also very good.

Good Luck!

 

[Dougster]

Agree re CD players Also consider / listen to Meridian and Opus Resolution or stretch to wonderful Moon Supernova!!!

Bruce

 

[Bernard]

If there were more dealers that could offer in-home auditions, especially of speakers, it would be so much easier for the end users to make informed decisions.

I guess I'm lucky that my dealer allows me a home trial of anything that he carries. He was all set to lend me the Aerius when I decided to buy the SL3 instead, which I had heard at his store, but he did not have at the time. Too bad, though, that he is very small and does not carry a wide range of ML products.