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$9000 speaker Orangutan or speaker + amplifier

Hey guys,

Wanted to see if I could get your opinion on this question I am noodling over.

I really need a speaker upgrade. Of all the speakers I have heard (which are not many) I really like Devore Orangutan (Priced $8000-$12000).

I also liked Harbeth (SHL5).

Am wondering if I should get the the Harbeth (used) and buy a nice set of new amps (Coincident Dragon $6500). Which could cost me about the same as a new pair of Devore Orangutan (cannot find them used).

So my question is :
Devore Orangutan + Pass Aleph 3 (my current amp)
OR
Harbeth SHL5 + Coincident Dragon

What do you think ?

My current system.

Clearaudio Concept
Triode TRX-1 Preamp
Triode DAC
Pass Aleph 3
Pyle pro phono amp ($15)
Stager silver interconnects.
Cheapo AQ speaker cables (will move to something silver soon).
Vienna Acoustics Haydn

I mostly listen to Jazz, Indian Classical, Piano, Vocals
essrand
tubegroover
2,279 posts
 
Music is indeed art, but the reproduction of it is an entirely different issue, regardless of whether or not it is "perfectly" reproduced. The issue is what is the goal, to attempt to reproduce the recording as accurately as possible or to create a distorted view of reality based on personal taste without concern for the former.
kiddman
341 posts
 
Thank you for a considered, quality response, Tubegroover.

For me, the art was in the instrument design and evolution, the music writer, and the player. I want to feel and understand that combination of art and great human achievement as fully as possible....without distorting or changing it. I cannot, for instance, understand someone who would take a photograph of a Van Gogh and then photoshopping it, changing the texture, and darkening / lightening some sections of the work. Neither can I understand the same thing done to genius level performances of genius level music. I demand no less, and my customers deserve no less. Any change is distortion.
kiddman
341 posts
 
"Anyone attending regular concerts and wanting a very true rendition of the instruments at home can find the sound getting old after a while."

That quote of mine refers to the sound coming from a coloured transducer, in this case, the pleasant but coloured Harbeth.
kiddman
341 posts
 
Mapman, photography with a current $500 camera is a LOT better than nearly all high end systems.

I think you are mixing metaphors....mixing apples and oranges....the performance and orginal compositions/scores/melodies is the art in audio. Do we really want to change and sully that art? I certainly don't. And I've never seen a colored up version strike the hearts of listeners than a very literal version. Consistently, I see listeners get far more pleasure from very literal recovery from the record, as opposed to colored up versions.
mapman's avatar
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mapman
15,679 posts
 
"Mapman, photography with a current $500 camera is a LOT better than nearly all high end systems."

The fact that a relatively inexpensive camera these days can take such good pictures is just one reason why I often wonder how much beef there really is in high end audio.

And lets not even get started on the quality of HD TV.

IS it really so much harder and more expensive to reproduce sound well? Gotta wonder....

But there is a lot that goes into "good sound", that's for sure. Both objective and subjective. See the "$10000 power conditioner thread" for more fascinating banter on this topic.
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