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Oh No! I've Done It Again!
#439502 11/06/20 02:58 AM
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2x6spds Offline OP
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I could pay a shrink for help, and he could cure me of my audio obsession, but then, he would have the money for new audio equipment. How is that an improvement for my condition?

So, I love my Harbeths. They are the best sounding stand mount speakers I've ever had in any of my systems, and I have a few.

A word about my main 2 channel, because, yes, I love talking about it. I got a pair of BAT VK56 monoblock tube amps and the BAT VK53 preamp. (Feikhert Woodpecker turntable, Koetsu Black Goldline cartridge, Marantz SA10 disc player, Goldnote DS10 streamer DAC with power supply, and my prize, a pristine TASCAM 32-2 Reel to Reel)

This system sounds incredible, but ... bass is great in room, but not great enough. I tried a pair of EP500s, which improved the bass, but seemed to detract from the divine midrange. So, I took them out.

So, backtrack, I ordered a Bottlehead tube preamp for the reel to reel last month. It should arrive in December. Exhausted my discretionary disposable, but then an opportunity came along that I could not resist.

A pair of Marten Django L floor standers, demo pair, at a terrific price. I have to go to the bank, and then at 11 AM, the Martens should arrive. If they are everything I hope, I will sell the Harbeths. If they disappoint, I will sell the Martens.

I will report back.


Enjoy the Music. Trust your ears. Laugh at Folks Who Claim to Know it All.
Re: Oh No! I've Done It Again!
2x6spds #439542 11/07/20 05:27 AM
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2x6spds Offline OP
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So, what is the goal of our hobby? I'm speaking of stereo not home theater. The goal is achieving the most life-like reproduction of music. I think for most music lovers that is the goal, the goal is not 120 decibels.

The Harbeth 30.2 Anniversaries lacked the last bit of air and twinkle in the highs and lacked much below 45 Hertz. But, despite that their mids are so wonderful and they achieve a verisimilitude of live music.

In search of a speaker which could match the Harbeths' midrange but add the lower frequencies and achieve airier highs, I grabbed a pair of piano black Marten Django L floor standers. They are not broken in (yes, I believe in speaker break-in). Their highs are beautiful. Their bass is full and accurate. But, the mids are not divine. I'm going to give them a chance to break-in. They are a very nice sounding speaker, but, for now, lack the beautiful mids of the Harbeth's.

I was over at a friend's house a few weeks ago. He has a pair of Marten Form Floor speakers. Instead of a trepezoidal cabinet, like Axioms, they are triangular, a single 4 or 5" ceramic driver, a ribbon tweeter. I had previously heard these speakers in his den driven by a big Macintosh tube integrated. It sounded undistinguished. When I heard them again, this time driven by a vintage Sansui integrated AU701 amplifier, playing a record on an old Sony turntable (a good one) with an old Ortofon moving iron cartridge, a modest ATI phono stage ... I was gobsmacked. Like live music I tell ya.

Yes, he moved the speakers to his screened sun room, so it was sort of anechoic, swapped a big tube amp for a vintage Sansui, and played "Now's the Time," with Willis Jackson on the tenor sax. I didn't see him come into the room and start playing his horn. I was shocked, not the last word in bass, but the mids and the highs were sublime.

So, today when the Marten Django Ls arrived, before we set them up, we all sat around while I played Now's the Time, through the Harbeths, and there it was again, it sounded like the tenor sax was in my living room.

So, after much fiddling, we set up the Django Ls, spun Now's The Time, and it was very nice Hi-Fi. It was not live sounding. Like I said in the beginning of this post, the bass was great, the highs were better, but friends, the music is in the mids.

I am sufficiently dejected about the election and won't let this bring me down further, nice speakers, but not like live.


Enjoy the Music. Trust your ears. Laugh at Folks Who Claim to Know it All.
Re: Oh No! I've Done It Again!
2x6spds #439554 11/08/20 12:13 AM
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Originally Posted by 2x6spds
I am sufficiently dejected about the election and won't let this bring me down further

2x, One of these days, I love to sit down with you to understand your side of things on that ... I'll even supply the whiskey.

Re: Oh No! I've Done It Again!
2x6spds #439558 11/08/20 04:15 PM
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2x6spds Offline OP
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I'd love to sit with you as well. If you ever make it to California, I'll supply a 15 year old (scotch, I am, after all a conservative), music, and steaks, or tofu, whatever your druthers!


Enjoy the Music. Trust your ears. Laugh at Folks Who Claim to Know it All.
Re: Oh No! I've Done It Again!
2x6spds #439559 11/08/20 04:49 PM
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M
shareholder in the making
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If the two of you stay away from politics and stick to music, you may get along. smile


House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: Oh No! I've Done It Again!
2x6spds #439565 11/08/20 11:35 PM
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axiomite
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I don't think Trump's appeal is all that complicated... he's a big orange thumb in the eye of political correctness, and says things that a lot of people feel needed to be said.

The fact that he's a bit of dumpster fire in most other respects gets in the way, unfortunately, but the underlying message (whether Trump took it seriously or not) is still really important.

For better or worse the Democrats have become the party of the rich without anyone noticing (same with the Liberals in Canada) and the Republican party has failed dismally at getting that message out. Trump managed to do that, even if he ended up failing due to a number of other problems.

Last edited by bridgman; 11/08/20 11:38 PM.

M60ti, VP180, QS8, M2ti, EP500, PC-Plus 20-39
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Re: Oh No! I've Done It Again!
2x6spds #439570 11/09/20 03:57 AM
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connoisseur
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Bridgeman, that third paragraph is an amazing statement to me. If you swapped “Republican” and “Democrat“ It would be something I’d say.

Trump in my view is a con man and there is only one thing he believes in ... how to enrich himself. He’ll tell you (make up) anything if he thinks it would help him. The more he insists it’s true, the more times he repeats it, the more people question the facts even when they are right in front of them.

As far as saying things that need to be said ... nothing is black and white ... It’s complex and what looks like easy and obvious solutions often makes things worse. Which is what politicians have been peddling for many decades now, as sound bites (Often with ulterior motives) not true solutions get them elected. This is a way longer discussion then we can do here ...

2 members like this: aaaaaaaaaaaaa, Mojo
Re: Oh No! I've Done It Again!
2x6spds #439571 11/09/20 04:30 AM
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devotee
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I'll jump into this nonsense lol, Trump is a dumb ass for becoming the president without realizing at some point he has to become a politician. His policies have improved the vast majority of lives. The net worth of most Americans have increased significantly, myself included. He was just too ego maniacal to stay in office. I bet China (our biggest economic competitor) is loving that he is not being reelected, that in and of itself should speak volumes. It's just too bad someone couldn't keep him off Twitter. The man has a HUGE ego but he did a lot for America, so much in fact, China had to manufacture a virus and send it world wide (perhaps our embargo was too harsh, but there is a reason why you don't see terrorist attacks in China, you don't mess with them). China knew what would happen, Trump is a business man, not a president, at least not for much longer according to most news outlets.

btw, can we get back to speakers now?

Last edited by Rebulx; 11/09/20 04:32 AM.

Lots of speakers from many
manufactures...mostly Axiom
Re: Oh No! I've Done It Again!
2x6spds #439573 11/09/20 05:19 AM
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connoisseur
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I think I’m out numbered smile ... I give ... speakers it is ...

Re: Oh No! I've Done It Again!
2x6spds #439578 11/09/20 03:24 PM
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aficionado
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I try to stay out of political discussions. The contractor doing our yard grading packed up his machines and left after he brought up politics and I didn't agree with him. It was actually quite comical other than the fact that my wife got pissed off because the work didn't get done and we had to do it ourselves. I guess the silver lining is the money we were going to pay him can now go to more speakers.


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