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Focal Speakers The Spirit of Sound

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  #51  
Old 10-28-2017, 11:31 AM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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That makes sense. However, I'm not looking for a lush presentation - that was something else I didn't like about the Momentum Pre in my recent audition - too sweet. I like almost every type of music and romantic sound does not work for my purposes.

Right now cannot tell anything about upper bass of Maestro as Ayre is not controlling it so sounds tubby and fat. I

I've already ordered D'Agostino Momentum M400. Based on my demo compared to my Ayres I expect total control of the entire range but with delicacy even better than my Ayres with a slight additional warmth and hopefully, a more open presentation. I am most curious about the treble - the M400 is very smooth up top - very different sound than the Ayre amps which can be harsh.
For the most part your expectations are correct. I would substitute more "weight", "image density" and "dynamic contrast" for "warm". The D'Agostino gear is not "warm" in the classic sense of that word nor is it dark. It's just on so many levels better than what most are used to. You will be very impressed and satisfied.
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  #52  
Old 10-28-2017, 11:35 AM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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This was my setup with D'Agostino Momentum Mono's.


https://youtu.be/Ota9Qf9OY14
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  #53  
Old 10-28-2017, 11:59 AM
Bar81 Bar81 is offline
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Originally Posted by PHC1 View Post
For the most part your expectations are correct. I would substitute more "weight", "image density" and "dynamic contrast" for "warm". The D'Agostino gear is not "warm" in the classic sense of that word nor is it dark. It's just on so many levels better than what most are used to. You will be very impressed and satisfied.
Thanks for your input. I agree with your impressions -
that's what I heard as well. When I say warm I'm talking of something relative in comparison to the Ayres - probably should have been clearer.

I see you had the Alexia - another super demanding speaker.
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  #54  
Old 10-28-2017, 12:15 PM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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Thanks for your input. I agree with your impressions -
that's what I heard as well. When I say warm I'm talking of something relative in comparison to the Ayres - probably should have been clearer.

I see you had the Alexia - another super demanding speaker.
Ayre is superb in its own right. I’ve owned the KX-R preamp and have auditioned Wilson with KX-R/MX-R combo. I’ve also owned Sophia 2, 3, Sasha and Alexia with the Wilson surrounds for theater and the Polaris center as you saw in the video. When D’Agostino created the Monentum monos, the first time I heard the Wilson/D’Agostino combo I knew this was the sound I was dreaming of all my life.
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  #55  
Old 10-28-2017, 01:35 PM
inga inga is offline
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Originally Posted by Bar81 View Post
Ayre is not controlling it well so it sounds tubby and fat
You will have same "fat sound" with other amps.Just better controlled. The key is to find amp which will be lean ,fast, open tight in the bass, but not very technical in the mids. Not an easy task to combine those two values. Not speaking about DAC which should be very airy (maestro very top ocatve abit mellow, I still hear up to 17khz and 12-20khz in Maestro is not airy as Sonus fabers)

but the worst combo when with amps which is polite, slow sounding. Then speakers just sound uninvolving and boring. Fast, vey open, upfront "in your face" kinf of amps does trick. This is for normal audiophile records , listening on moderate levels. When listening electronic music and volume is cranked speakers opens up with most amps.
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Last edited by inga; 10-28-2017 at 01:40 PM.
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  #56  
Old 10-29-2017, 03:02 PM
Bar81 Bar81 is offline
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Originally Posted by PHC1 View Post
Ayre is superb in its own right. I’ve owned the KX-R preamp and have auditioned Wilson with KX-R/MX-R combo. I’ve also owned Sophia 2, 3, Sasha and Alexia with the Wilson surrounds for theater and the Polaris center as you saw in the video. When D’Agostino created the Monentum monos, the first time I heard the Wilson/D’Agostino combo I knew this was the sound I was dreaming of all my life.
So I was finally able to watch the video - it was greyed out before. Great color choice - if I was to ever get a Porsche or Wilsons the only color for me would be Carmine Red. Too bad you don't have the system anymore. What are the room treatments you were using?


Quote:
Originally Posted by inga View Post
You will have same "fat sound" with other amps.Just better controlled. The key is to find amp which will be lean ,fast, open tight in the bass, but not very technical in the mids. Not an easy task to combine those two values. Not speaking about DAC which should be very airy (maestro very top ocatve abit mellow, I still hear up to 17khz and 12-20khz in Maestro is not airy as Sonus fabers)

but the worst combo when with amps which is polite, slow sounding. Then speakers just sound uninvolving and boring. Fast, vey open, upfront "in your face" kinf of amps does trick. This is for normal audiophile records , listening on moderate levels. When listening electronic music and volume is cranked speakers opens up with most amps.
Thanks. The M400 should hopefully do the trick - bass was super quick.

I also realized why I'm liking the tweeter on high setting - the tweeter on the Maestro is shelved down in the brilliance region (6khz - 20khz) (red trace):

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  #57  
Old 10-29-2017, 03:59 PM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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So I was finally able to watch the video - it was greyed out before. Great color choice - if I was to ever get a Porsche or Wilsons the only color for me would be Carmine Red. Too bad you don't have the system anymore. What are the room treatments you were using?


It was a nice color indeed. The room was built from the ground up with two layers of drywall damped by ASC isolation product that kept the drywall resonance to virtually zero. The walls added no coloration of sound of their own. The theater room was over a concrete slab that was poured extra thick when I was building the house. All the external acoustical treatments, I worked with my local dealer and ASC to come up with a design that was not overly acoustically dead nor too lively sounding. The 2 channel performance was outstanding. When I was watching movies at realistic levels, my theater room was absolutely rock solid with bass punching me in the gut. It was the rest of the house that shook according to the rest of the family...
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