What audio system for quiet but quality listening?

Discussion in 'Hi-Fi and General Audio' started by bluenite, Oct 10, 2016.

  1. bluenite

    bluenite

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    Powerful amplifier and sensitive speakers? What could have power for a standard room 5x3m/45m3? Impedance 4-6 Ohm?
    I listen to mostly classical and instrumental music (=high dynamics). No pop, techno or metal ;-), perhaps even quietly listen not... Loudness is useful for bass, treble are not present while on cheap amplifier. The resulting sound is flat without power.
    Pls advice someone knowledgeable, maybe specific amplifier/speakers?
    Thanks for any tip or advice
    Peter
     
    bluenite, Oct 10, 2016
    #1
  2. bluenite

    Sorscha

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    Holland
    Hello Peter,
    If you can, if possible .... Try to get your hands on any old pair of Cabasse Sampan. If you have a large house, perhaps the brigantin series (big units)
    Cabasse is high efficiency. I use a pair of Sampan of .. 1969 together with an older Cabasse small amplifier which delivers 2x10W tops. Cabasse is quite spectacular but most people find the lack of bass, which just sounds so because the lower freq. are quite precise. If the recording is shit, they sound shit. If the recording is top of the bill, you'll notice it immediately.
    I use a very fast subwoofer together with the sampan, and that's enough to make my apartment move. I don't have loudness, nor tonal controls. And yes I play mainly classic or acoustical recordings, and my own acoustical recordings. The setup is very rich and dynamic. Man can go quite insane loud but I never do that. The sweetness of the sound is mainly in the Cabasse amplifier which is a mix of germanium and silicium transistors. Note that I have spend many hours in restoring the little amplifier. If I connect very high quality amplifiers, with more than enough power, the sound becomes more modern. But for classical pieces the combination of Cabasse amplifier and Cabasse speakers are more than superb. I think I have initially spend about 700 euros to buy the speakers and amplifier. (amplifier is very rare). So basically you want high efficiency speakers. You can go klipsch, but you don't want a horn in your small room. Amplifier power is not of that importance. No modern speaker sound like Cabasse on classical music at normal levels. Perhaps you should have a listen somewhere someday with someone who owns a pair of Cabasse speakers to get an idea. The Sampan is 3-way with 30cm low unit. However, the Dinghy 222 sounds almost the same and is a 2-way system with 25cm low unit. Add a small and very fast (read: expensive) subwoofer and that will blow you away too. Levels of over 120dB are no exception in classical pieces. Cabasse got famous as they can handle very loud piano strikes effortless, something that any modern speaker still has issues with (leaving the very expensive systems out as we are talking of, now, 2-300 euros for the dinghy's)
    This is a suggestion to go out and try to listen to Cabasse. Take your best known classical pieces with you,orchestral and piano pieces, and go have a listen.
    Watch for transients, dynamics and especially detail. Especially a violin ... it goes right into your soul. After all the Cabasse family were violin builders when they started making loudspeaker
    systems. One very famous french company.

    If Cabasse brings you on your knees, you will be forever in love with that 'only Cabasse can do that' sound.
    Cheers !
     
    Sorscha, Nov 3, 2016
    #2
  3. bluenite

    Old Mercer

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    I'm not sure if this will help, and it may be outside your price range, but I'm very happy with a class D amplifier. Like you I listen mostly to classical orchestral and piano music, and mostly at moderate levels, because what many people call "realistic" is, in my view, unrealistically and horribly loud. (Got that last bit off my chest!) What I want most of all is clarity, and the ability to hear as much as possible of the details, harmony and counterpoint within a piece, the orchestration, and the skill of the performer(s) in playing and interpreting it. The amp I now have provides that to a greater degree than anything I've used before.

    IQ Speakers in Cheltenham produce and excellent power amp, though the one I eventually bought was a Red Dragon from the USA. Class D Audio and Wyred4sound are cheaper American class D amps, and W4S make integrated amps as well, which you can get from time to time on ebay in versions suitable for European mains systems. There are also many class D amps made in the Far East at prices well under £100, but I cannot comment on their quality.
     
    Old Mercer, Nov 4, 2016
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  4. bluenite

    bluenite

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    hi Sorscha
    Thanks very much for your consideration and tip, I appreciate it. Violin and Chamber Orchestra are also my preferred sources of audio you play together at all. I look for a distributor in our country, for personal listening.
    greetings from Prague
    Peter
     
    bluenite, Nov 6, 2016
    #4
  5. bluenite

    Johnnyo

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    Location:
    Llanelli
    Class A amplification such as
    Sugden which pushes out
    25- 30 watts and reasonably efficiently speakers would hit your spot.
    Class A sound is natural and musical.
    Class B can be bass and treble
    orientated, , not good for classical
    music.
    Amplifier and speakers have a relationship.
    My Advice is to find a Sugden dealer and let him demonstrate
    them at their best, as he will know
    which speakers suit.
    Of course, there are other class A
    amplifiers.
    Class B CAN suffer crossover distortion which gives harsh and gritty treble especially on strings!
    Cyrus don,t suffer this as they are a good example of s well designed
    amplifier.They do exist.
    recently i purchased a 'Baldwin,
    active/passive pre .(Reel Audio)
    which used 1953 Mullard solid state
    technology for the Phono stage.
    it also has Bass/Treble on the active side.
    It can BI Amp idrequired and even has a tape loop.
    Its very Sweet, unfatuguing.
    My powerAmps are Leak TL 12 plus.
     
    Johnnyo, Dec 2, 2016
    #5
  6. bluenite

    bluenite

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    thx johnnyo for your thoughts, I will look for a distributor in my area, especially with a personal acquaintance.
    nice Xmas Peter
     
    bluenite, Dec 17, 2016
    #6
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