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Aida at the Cape
One of the nights before leaving the Cape, I had dinner with Ivan and Donna . This is the third time I have visited Ivan’s summer home at the Cape. Let me say he is a very lucky man ! The dinner was at one of the restaurants in his community on the beach where we sat down first for a cocktail while we watched the sun set. Then we had a fantastic meal, great conversation and I had a really fun time. Although I only see Ivan and Donna about once a year when I am with them it feels like I am with old friends. After dinner we went back to Ivan’s home to listen to the newest listening room all set up with gorgeous chrome finish Burmester electronics, top of the line chrome Avid turntable and last but not least the spectacular Sonus Faber Aida speakers all connected with wire world platinum cables. I have heard the hype and read the reviews and seen the pictures of these speakers but seeing and hearing them in person knocked my sox off. The sound that these speakers puts out is unbelievable ! I kept looking around to see if Ivan had subwoofers in the walls because the bass was like going to a concert . After looking around I did not see any subwoofers present, that is something he will no doubt have in the walls the next time I visit My wife who is not exactly a audiophile was impressed especially when Ivan played a Madona song she said….” I feel like she is in the room” . For those of you who have not been to Ivan’s home, his basement is very large and yet the sound coming from the speakers fed by the 3 Burmester stereo amps filled and pressurized the room as if it was a small room. The mids and high’s were spectacular as well. Imaging had a surprisingly wide sweet spot and as always with sonus faber was brilliant having been set up by our Metafacts, Bill . The stereo that Ivan has set up in the room with the built in of all his Mcintosh equipment, let me call it the “ Mcintosh room “ is fanatastic, when I heard it in the past. This room is much more intimate with eye candy everywhere from the Strads to the wall of Mcintosh to the comfortable furniture to the rack with his beautiful turntable. The Aida room is however in another league as hard as that is to believe and that can cause a audiophile some emotional problems as it took me a few days after I went home to want to go to my own listening room . Seriously there is nowhere to go from here and Ivan know’s it will be really hard to top what he has already. From the home Theater room to the Mcintosh room to the Aida room , trying to figure out what to listen to is kind of like going to ones garage and seeing a Ferrari, Porsche and a Lamborghini and trying to decide what to drive, decisions decisions, oh he has that problem too
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#2
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I forgot to mention the Sonus Faber Futura's . After listening to Aida Ivan played the Futura's as well. These speakers look much better in person than the pictures portray. The wood finish and the polished metal trim on the top bottom and rear of the speakers is up to the standards one expects from this company. I loved the way these speakers sounded and that did cause the gears to start spinning with the devil on my shoulder saying well these you can probably swing and you can always put your Elipsa's in the home theater to replace your maggies etc etc ...
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#3
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Audio Room: Sonus Faber Amati Faturas / JL Audio 13.5” Fanthom In Wall Subs / McIntosh C52 / McIntosh MCD 1100 / McIntosh MEN 220 / McIntosh MC 601’s / McIntosh MPC 1500 / McIntosh MT 5 / McIntosh MC 275’s / Luxman AS-55 Amp Selector / Silenzo (This thing is Amazing) / Gold Lion Tubes from Vintage Tube All items in green were bought thru the AA marketplace and blue from a current AA retailer |
#4
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Having seen and heard the Aidas' at the Florida launch, they are the most beautiful speaker I've even seen, period.
Like two audio soldiers standing in attention, the brims of their hats slanted forward over there eyes waiting for their musical assignment for the day. Can only imagine what sound they produce after receiving their orders by First Sergeant Burmester. Good report David & very kind of the Messers'. Bob
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Amps:VAC 450iQ Monos in Silver Flake on HRS M3X2-1921's, HRS G7 Footers/G-Links & Sound Anchor Conecoasters. Preamp:VAC Statement (on order) (Silver Flake) Digital Source: dCS Rossini CD/SACD Transport, Vivaldi APEX DAC, Upsampler Plus & matching Clock (Silver) Analogue Preamp:VAC Renaissance SE Phono stage in Silver Flake with XLR Output Option & with Nordost Valhalla XLR's. Analogue Sources:SME 20/2 w/SME V arm & Nordost Odin 2 Tone Arm Cable, Palo Santos Presentation Cartridge & Akai GX-400D Reel-to-Reel w/relapped heads by JRF Magnetic Sciences. Akai RC-17 cabled remote (original owner since 1974). Vibration Control:TT on HRS M3X2-1921 shelf. Speakers:Wilson Audio Alexia V (on order in Ferrari Argento Silver/Parchment grills sitting on Acoustic Diode Kit). Power Cables:4 Nordost Odin Supreme Reference on amps, preamp & DAC. Ansuz Acoustics C2 on Transport & Clock. Power Distribution:Ansuz Mainz D3 Distributor & Ansuz Mainz C2 1M Power Cable Power Outlets:Furutech GTX-D NCF (R) duplex outlet, GTX Wall Plate & Duplex Cover (x2) on dedicated, same panel phase, 20A breakers. Speaker Cables:2M Nordost Odin 2 Supreme Reference on Nordost Sort Lifts. Signal Cables:Nordost Odin XLR's on dCS DAC & Amps. Digital Cables: Nordost Odin 2's, 110-ohm AES/EBU on dCS Transport to DAC. Clock Cables:5 each 75 ohm 1.25M Nordost Valhalla BNC/BNC Digital Ethernet Cable: WireWorld Platinum 1M Starlight® 8 Twinax Headphones:Vintage Koss Pro IV AA. RCM: Audio Desk PRO Tube Test Gear:Mint late '60's/calibrated Heathkit TT-1A, MaxiMatcher Power Amp & Preamp & Space Tech Labs ATT-3.02 tube test sets. Last edited by vintage_tube; 07-21-2012 at 09:55 AM. |
#5
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#6
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David, my friend, I have only 5 words for you :
YOU ARE A LUCKY GUY. But Ivan is even more lucky than you..... Thanks for sharing !
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There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats Albert Schweitzer |
#7
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Based on what I have been able to read concerning Sonus Faber loudspeakers, they may be the most technologically advanced of all speakers on the market today. I especially admire their tweeters. Their cabinets are equally impressive. But every single aspect of their speakers seems to be special.
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#8
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JIm |
#9
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Having finally been able to spend some time with Paolo and get some more details on what he has done, I think there is much more than that.
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#10
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Quote:
Jim |
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