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Best HOME system you've ever heard

Hopefully its your own. For some of us were still taking steps to get there. One thing I have realized is that its not all about money. 2 examples.

The best system my Uncle has ever heard was from a friend in Calgary who used a CAL audio cd player, Ayre K1-X preamp, Halo speakers (???) and a budget NAD power amp. My Uncle and the owner of the "Audio Room" had both said it was by far the best home system they had ever heard. To the extent that the Hifi Shop owner was purposly trying to build a room which sounded better using much more exotic electronics, but simply could not.

Second example is when I heard a system that got me into this whole mess back in the 90's. It was simply a Nak cd player, SimAudio Celeste pre/amp and Mirage M-3 speakers. The sound that came from that system was just jaw dropping. Soundstage and dynamics have not been matched since then to these ears. Perhaps I have warm and fuzzy memories of inferior systems of past but that system destroyed a system the same owner put together 8 years later including Totem Mani 2's, copland pre, Moon power, Nak cd. It wasn't even close.

I was curious of the BEST HOME setups you've heard. I hope to hear of stories of how people have come up with crazy and sometimes weird combo's and pulled off reference musical system from them. The $7k Ayre preamp with the $800 NAD power amp had everybody scratching their heads and made quite a few people "angry and puzzled" that story always made me chuckle, who would have thought.
lush
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
Tuff question, I guess mine as I live in an audiophile starved area for the last 20 years. The few audiophiles I have run across...had the gear, but not the room, or knowledge to set it up properly IMO.

It's hard to bring everything together what with wife factor, room, cost, component synergism, knowledge...ect, ect... so those factors place what should or could be a very nice system at a dis-advantage around my neck of the woods.

If it was not for Audiogon and the other audio sites I visit...I may feel I was the only audiophile left in the world!

Dave
bigjoe's avatar
bigjoe
680 posts
 
my rig.
imin2u
392 posts
 
About five variation ago at my house. Maybe I should return to the DQ-10's and the Electrocompaniet?
bigjoe's avatar
bigjoe
680 posts
 
Imin2u,for what they were & how old they are the dq 10's were a killer speaker,i had 2 pair with a pair of dq bass speakers & that set up rivaled alot of big $$$$ rigs ive heard,i kinda miss em.

mike.
the_kid's avatar
the_kid
465 posts
 
My buddy years ago had a system that would just amaze. If my memory serves me correctly he had a Pair of Martin Logan Aerius which he spent about a month positioning. They were ran by a CARY SLA-70 Class A Amp which had a Volume Pot installed with a Rotel Transport and a Micromega DAC for the front end. I think cabling was AudioQuest Diamond and Their AudioTruth Silver Speaker Cables.

You could sit in the sweetspot and just be amazed.. I always think of that system's sound. I mean it had a huge soundstage, dynamics, and air to dye for. I of course have heard much more expensive systems but this set up was just enjoyable..
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