Here's a good review of an exquisite piece of audio jewelry, the Art Audio Symphony II Tube Amplifier. The reviewer tried this $5,000 amp with the Axiom M3Ti speakers which BLEW THE REVIEWER'S MIND. ( see pg. 2 of the review.)

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/artaudio3/symphony.html

And then 2X6 blew his load. The best of both worlds, eh there, 2X6?

(Fixed spelling, as per 2X6's comment below - and yes, it's late)

Have another drink Capn Pickard.

Hell, anything that makes my speakers "more aflow" has got to be worth $5000!

Must ....listen... tube amps.... so pretty!

That thing IS pretty, but 5 Gs can get you a nice used bike or SeaDoo. Or 10-20 trips to the Mustang Ranch!

Or the start of a downpayment on a house. Sigh.

I'll take the mustang ranch!!

bigjohn

Mustang Ranch indeed! You know Shannon would kick your ass all up and down the Davis mountians.

Especially since she is pregnant! My wife was nuts when she was pregnant - particularly so when beautiful young girls were involved.

2x6spds- that's a great review. Thanks for sharing. Have you heard this amp yet? I'm glad this guy was so thrilled with the M3's in this setup. I can only imagine what the M22's would have done for him.

-Kevin

How'd we get from tube amps to hookers? I dunno.

Yes, it sounds like a great amp. I like what he says about the M3Tis, and I agree, they are absolutely terrific with good tube amps.

There are some other exotic amps out there which are spectacular - New Atma-Sphere OTL Amplifier is one. The Joule Elektra VZN-100 Mk.III Monoblock OTL Amplifier is another -

I hesitate to answer KC after Lorenzo's list of things he hates, but the answer is - no. I'd like to, if that helps.

Well, I'm not worried about it at all. It's a very relevant review because of the use of the M3's. I like the fact that Axiom isn't blown off by some reviewers simply because they are lower in price or that they distribute their products via the internet. There seems to be so much snobbery out there in the audio world, so I really think it's great that a reviewer of an expensive piece of equipment uses a set of Axiom speakers as a reference point. That says a lot.

And when you consider the great packaging and high level of build quality, Art Audio sells it all at a very reasonable price. ~~ Last sentence

It's $5000.

Not to even TOUCH upon the fact that these psychopaths think that $5000 is reasonable. Yet, if an amplifier is $5000, how can it have such obvious deficiencies? And just look at the blatant elitism in the "the m3ti's weakest point is the tweeter" garbashe.

It's not perfect, is 10wpc, won't work with inefficient speakers, and isn't recommended for large rooms with average speakers.

Um... if an amp is $5000 - not only should it be perfect in every facet of reproducing the signal, but it should be able to do it under any circumstances. It should have enough power as to not clip under any types of insane usage - and it should be completely transparent.

In addition to doing my laundry, and having little hoverjets on it so it doesn't take up space in my equipment rack.

I would like to change my list of things I "hate" in the Axiom forums to things that make me "uncomfortable" in the Axiom forums.

In reply to:

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You know Shannon would kick your ass all up and down the Davis mountians

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NA, shes pregnant.. she couldnt catch me!!

oh, that was bad!!

bigjohn

Thasp, I'm not sure I would buy a $5000 amp even if I won the big Lotto. But, there are folks out there who buy exotic stuff. Nothing is perfect. You can get a very high power amp for much less, but like they say, if the first watt isn't great, who cares how many more watts are lined up behind it?

You can get what in my opinion are great tube amps for less than $1000. Used - half or less that amount.

Yo! Lorenzo! I was just funnin' with ya.

Me too. Note the uncomfortable paradox.

Did you guys watch "Ally McBeal"? She had a shrink that used to do the most hilarious little neck turn and say "I'm not ..... comfortable discussing (fill in the blank)".

2x6, thanks for keeping the tube amp thing alive. Regardless of opinions about tubes v. SS or cost/value ratio or whatever, I always learn something and continue to be intrigued by the sensory appeal of that kind of gear.

Thasp-

I didn't really think that the quote about the M3's tweeters was elitist at all. I think that if this was an amp review done by an audio elitist, he wouldn't have used a set of M3's and probably a set of more expensive bookshelves like James Audio or B&W, for example. To me it seems obvious that this guy is a fan of Axiom, despite the comment about the tweeter. Every piece of audio equipment has its positives and negatives and there is no piece anywhere that's "perfect."

I do understand where you're coming from on the price factor of this amp, of course. But the there is a whole other world of audio equipment beyond what Circuit City or Best Buy sells. I'm sure that even if I had the money, I'd never spend that much on an amp. However, there are people who not only have the cash, but the desire to do so. I've seen a few amps and speakers in the $100,000 range which I personally think is beyond rediculous. But apparently there are people out there who keep these highest of the high end companies in business. I'd guess that the reviewer's quote about this amp being reasonable at $5000 could be because he's used to reviewing or owning pieces that are much more expensive.

Just my 2/100th of a buck.
Kevin

I was thinking the same thing, but with all the manly men around here, I was afraid to say it.

Sorry to tell you, but living up here near the Nevada Border we get more news on this kind of thing. The Mustang Ranch went bust and was taken over by the government for unpaid taxes. Are you sure you want them doing that to ya?

md55-

Now the government can literally screw the people, I guess. It was bound to happen at some point.

That's too bad. What are all those nice young ladies gonna do for work now?

2x6, sorry about the deviation.

I don't think they'll have much trouble finding work. After all, the world has never seen a shortage of poles in need of polishing.

peter-

i am just getting visuals of these poor girls, sitting out on the side of the curb with signs that read: "NEED POLE, WILL POLISH"..

i am still laughing!!

bigjohn