Tony M Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 I was trying to find two identical, reasonably-affordable, high quality amplifiers to power the stacked Yamahas, but not having a lot of success. That didn't bother me too much as they sounded pretty good with the small Rotel power amps and Modwright pre, despite all sensible or logical expectations. But that project has now been put on hold due to the arrival of something that I find even more entrancing. It all started decades ago when I first got interested in high efficiency horn speakers and lusted after Avantgardes, only to settle for various Klipsch models on the rebound, with varying, but limited, success. The Klipsches in general didn't hold my interest, but the Avantgarde itch continued unabated. Occasional listens at places like Audio one at Neutral Bay in Sydney and Tivoli Hifi in Melbourne kept the passion alive over the years. Then an ad cropped up on SNA for Duo Omegas a few weeks ago. It started with the suggestion that they would make a great "selfie" Xmas pressie and that idea appealed immensely. Brief negotiation aided by excellent communication with George, the vendor, ensued and the deal was done. One of the discussion points was the colour of the horns and the expectation they would clash with the different red in the shed. Seems silly now as I can see how different reds can blend just fine. George decided not to trust a courier and instead arranged for two of his employees (one of whom is SimonS on SNA) to deliver them in person, carefully packaged into the back of a ute - fantastic service that went well "above and beyond". So, they arrived safely and were set up in a position that seemed to be the best compromise between the multitude of suggestions on the net and the manufacturer's recommendations. There are a myriad of adjustments available on the powered subs apart from the obvious need to tweak the positioning, toe-in etc. All the info I've read suggests they are extraordinarily sensitive to setup as well as amplification and upstream components. The best bet of the amps I have on hand seemed to be the little Ming Da 34ab, so this was hooked up to provide the initial, breathlessly-anticipated listen. I really expected to be underwhelmed given that so little had been done to chase the optimal setting of all the parameters available. Instead I was just blown away, especially after everything had warmed up and settled down. The overwhelming first impressions were of ease, naturalness and completeness. The sound feels balanced and "right" with a whole new dimension of bass that the Yamahas and Richter sub just couldn't deliver. The separation of individual instruments is amazing and I hear subtle rhythms, counterpoints and musical details that just didn't previously make it into my consciousness. Nothing seems to push itself forward in an unnatural and "hifi-ish" way, which I find very relaxing and enjoyable, despite the sheer dynamics sometimes surprising with their intensity. There's a certain solidity to the sound that makes it fell more real and the timbre of eg piano notes is a sheer joy, unlike other horn speakers I've listened to that instantly call attention to the fact that they are playing a recording as the sound of a grand piano is just not right. Another telling revelation that makes me suspect I've fluked a reasonable set-up from the start is that I suddenly realized while engrossed in the music that the sound didn't seem to be coming from the speakers to the extent that I've noticed in the past. It was relatively easy to imagine the Avantgardes were turned off and the sound was coming from a dozen invisible speakers scattered around the soundstage. The stacked Yamahas occasionally hinted at this effect, but the newcomers take it to another level. So, there's huge amount of tweaking in front of me, no doubt interspersed with many long, enjoyable listening sessions when get the "this will do me just fine for now" feeling. The first cab off the rank is to hook up a better amplifier and I have something on order that I hope will do the job - certainly as well-reviewed on a widespread and consistent basis as anything out there, especially with Avantgardes and other very efficient speakers. Of course it's always risky to buy on the strength of reviews, but the practical and logistic realities mean this is sometimes inevitable. If it's a good quality, in-demand item at a good price, I guess it can be moved on in the unlikely event that it doesn't suit. Anyway, more on the amp when it arrives. Another tweak-in-waiting is a bass interface unit built by Dallas Clarke that was included in the deal. I might need to do some more reading to understand this more before using it. In any case, I'm following George's suggestion to get the setup to the best level that I can and then introduce it into the system to take the bass integration to a further new level. So, exciting times ahead for me and a gtg has to be part of the fun and will happen. In the meantime, a few mandatory pics of the initial set-up: This is the Clarke Audio bass interface unit: The controls on the rear of one of the subs: The poor little Richter sub moping in a corner and contemplating the misery of becoming unemployed : 42
betty boop Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Congrats !!!! looks like they were made for your shed tony....its where they belong look right at home with their red highlights ps theres some speakers "stacked" up the back just collecting dust now that just look completely out of place and must be immediately removed 2
Keith_W Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Congrats, Tony ... you finally bought them! I remember you talking about Avantgardes many years ago. In fact that's when I first heard of them, and what sparked off my own pursuit of high efficiency which lead to me buying my current speakers ... oh ... 6 or 7 years ago now! I am surprised it took you this long. 3
Happy Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 What a fantastic rig and room. Love seeing no freaking TV between the horny ones. Man you're spoiled bad there! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 2
matt200sr Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Amazing stuff Tony I bet they sound just beautiful as is your listening room. I would hazard a guess that the Audion I have for sale would be far too powerful at 24 wpc for these high efficiency monsters! That Mingda is a very capable little amplifier. 1
oldrose Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 From NS to Horns - I expect you do notice the difference. 1
elcamry Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Well done Tony , looks like the Avantgardes have come home . 1
Ray H Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Such an excellent room for the big Avantgardes, plenty of space to bloom in. Must sound great, enjoy them ! 1
Guest Sime Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Looking at my dictionary for the definition of a shed..........
Guest Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 I can vouch that these are the real deal - my first exposure to a serious horn set up and I'm sold - can't imagine what extra tweaking will achieve but looking forward to finding out - congratulations Tony on a great investment in audio enjoyment - not just for you but all your SNA SA friends :-) 3
gat474 Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 What fantastic speakers! I heard this model at Stereophonic when they were at Docklands a couple of years ago. Victor was in the middle of trying them out with a few different power amps. As I recall he used one of the new Luxman integrateds, Moon pre/power combo and maybe even Sudgen pre/power. If memory serves me correctly I much preferred the Moon gear. The speakers had an effortless sound which provided a 3D soundstage unlike anything I've heard prior or since. As I mentioned in the Stacked Yamaha thread Victor played a song from Wish You Were Here. What struck me most of all was when the fellow coughs. Not only is he placed where there is no speaker but he was placed metres behind the speakers. Truly sensational speakers! 1
Tax Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Congratulations! Welcome to the dark side. They look great in Red. PM me if you need any advice. Enjoy! 2
frankn Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Good on ya Tonez, can't wait for the GTG Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1
Benje Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 (edited) Tony of all of the SNA gentlemen I have had the pleasure of meeting, you would probably qualify as the most 'avant-garde' to date. In my opinion, the speakers suit you. I am glad the sound suits you as well. Congratulations. You will be very proud showing these off. Benje Edited November 25, 2015 by Benje 3
Luc Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Lovely Tony and look a treat in the shed. I'm coming to Adelaide for Xmas if a spare day presents I'd love to have a squiz and a listen. Well Done. 2
Tony M Posted November 25, 2015 Author Posted November 25, 2015 Gee , thanks for all the nice comments, guys. Yes I'm kind of rapt in taking a biggish (and yes, Keith, somewhat belated) step in my audio experience and I hope I can gradually refine things to realize more of their potential. I'll post more when the new amp arrives and then I guess I'll have to start thinking about better sources - I sensed a shudder of horror and disbelief today when I mentioned to someone in the audio industry that I had mainly listened to them so far with a Cullen-modified Sonos as a digital source. Well, they sounded OK to me and it's good to know there's ample scope for relatively easy improvements from here. Anyway, the plan is to take my time and have fun, part of which is likely to be getting other people's genuine opinions on the directions I choose, both negative and positive - just pm me and arrange a time to drop in. Part of the beauty of this forum for me is being able to share my excitement with people who understand. I showed a pic to a "non-audio" friend who was curious about the new speakers yesterday and got a comment along the lines of "Are they in the shed rather than the house coz they look so weird?" 2
Tony ray Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Those poor Yamahas relegated to sit behind and listen to these newcomers. If this was a Horror movie they would come alive at night and push them horns flat on there faces and stack themselves back at there rightful place 3
mondie Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 (edited) Fantastic Tony, they would sound amazing with so much room to breathe. The 'shed' has certainly enjoyed a wide range of speakers and amps over the years, perhaps you are closing in on the endgame now It now time to move into vinyl again. Edited November 25, 2015 by mondie 1
Viognier Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 I really enjoy reading threads like this. It's great to see Tony get to a place that was previously only a dream, and his expectations been exceeded. And then all of the SNutters sharing in pleasure. As Tony mentioned, it's a place where we understand what a purchase like this means. Congrats Tony, may you have many years of musical bliss. 2
Guest Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 @acg wow, what a lovely lounge. Congrats to the OP
steve u Posted November 25, 2015 Posted November 25, 2015 Congrats Tony, stunning looking room and speakers. Enjoy. 1
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