Just retired and want to get back to vinyl listening

Well -- I got out and listened to some devore speakers today -- Gibbon X

I liked the sound on a variety of material played through a clearaudio TT and some Auralic streamer and linear magentic integrated tube amp

I still likely will stay on my Luxman 590 bent for now -- but what I heard was good -- I will go back in a few days as they will set up some devore 0/93 speaker to listen to as well -- they have no 0/96 in stock

the Gibbon X are a contender, but many more listen to do...

The ClearAudio Concept Wood with Satisfy Carbon Fiber tonearm and Clear Audio Maestro V2 MM cartridge was nice -- I may well start with this TT and set up... after looking at my friends VPI Scout setup -- starting with a good TT and can update if I wish later

Was there anything that you did not like in what you heard? At this level just about everything should sound quite good if the equipment is burnt-in and reasonably well matched. Negatives might help you more to choose.

nothing was bad, but I spent 2 hours listening to various sources and different types of music on the Devore Gibbon X speakers -- as noted they sounded good --  They had devore 0/93s in the shop but not set up. I'll go back and listen to those within the week as they are hooking the up -- they had a lot dynaudio speaker and some others -- some way outside my price range -- I did not bother with -- I did not bother with smallest bookshelfs on stands -- which they had several of these set up for demo at lower price points that the devore speakers

we talked a lot on speaker and equipment recommendations / advice I received -- I was there over 3 hours -- talk to the owner as he had sold Luxman until the distributor change and the main other person who spent the time with me...  both by the discussion and what they related have been in the audio business 30-40+ years... both were positive on luxman 590 -- even though it is hard now find dealers with the distro change

they sell VPI TT but did not have any setup and had several clear audio set ups at a variety of price points and some others that went way up into the 5 digits in cost and I just had a gapped mouth on a 5000-6000 dollar record cleaner from clearaudio -- I likely will not go there - lol

we did talk only a tiny bit on DAC streamer/server as this was a source for some of the demo'ed material and discussed my SONOS set up as additional source to include using a DAC between the ZP80 and the luxman

I did go to a local Magnolia store, but it had nothing of interest and no one with any knowledge to talk with -- so was a waste of time

I have one other high end place to visit prior to my actual drive away to spokane after the 10th of October that has harbeth - audio note - quad speakers

These guys where nice and helpful and I may well buy my starter TT from them as they will spend time - walking me through setup and play the the TT setup with various speakers ( I can then carry to TT with me in my yukon as slowly work through other choices) and if I decide to give the devore speakers a go after listening to other things -- I may buy them from this shop in falls church as there are few devore dealers -- from where I will be living the closest is 8-10+ hours away in Victoria BC or further way down into CA.. I would need to have the shipped - drop shipped etc..

I look forward to your impressions of the DeVore O/93's. I just bought a pair a few weeks ago and though not yet fully broken in, I love them. Things may change, but the plusses are very tuneful bass, good (downright startling at times) dynamics, and gorgeous "tonality". Minuses-well minus in the singular-is a wee bit of deficiency in the midrange purity. 

I'll report on the 0/93s..  fson... did you listen to other models before you bought your 0/93s -- 0/96 or Gibbon X..  I still have several other speakers to listen too before my purchase....  The Gibbon Xs seemed to do well through lows - mids - highs --- seem ed to really well in mids..  highs were good and bass was decent -- but I'm did not really listen to things that were a real "low" bass test -- like some organ music --  but overall the gibbon X did well at moderate to low listening volume -- I 'm not a really loud music listening person -- definitely very little to none of the real pounding rock - heavy metal sound