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Japanese Exotica Kondo, Leben, Luxman, Zanden |
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#1
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My "last day" with the Montille - and keeping my options open
Today, I pick up my new Shindo Cortese from Pitch Perfect Audio in San Francisco.
Last night, I gave the Shindo Montille a good "last listen" before replacing it. The Montille sounded so great - so perfect in so many ways - that I thought to myself "Why do I even want something else?" The short answer is that I am a big fan of the SET sound and the opportunity to have a 10+10W set (as opposed to the single-digit SET watts I experienced in the past) was too good to pass up. I expect that the Cortese will shine where most SETs shine, in that magic and liquid midrange. By all reports, the Cortese should also do great things to the bass. But I will be very surprised if it will match the Montille on some instruments like the piano. There are some things that push-pull amps do very well and piano is one of them IMO. Fortunately, I decided not to trade in the Montille (hence the quotes around the "last day") - and I've set up my rack so that I can have both amps handy and can change from one to the other in less than a minute. My expectation is that - after the initial honeymoon with the new Cortese - I will be selecting amps based on listening material for that session. With my new set-up I now have 4 different possible configurations:
This gives me a lot of flexibility and opportunity to match the equipment to the recording (and my listening mood: soft, loud, smooth, dynamics, etc.) At some point, I might add back a high-powered solid state amp for when I really need a lot of power and dynamics (e.g. Mahler) I love having options! I'll let you guys know how the Cortese sounds sometime tomorrow. I am super-excited - and glad that I can afford to not make an either/or decision between amps. Alberto |
#2
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Alberto,
When are you going to get a Vosne-Romanee?
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
#3
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You've really touched on a very important aspect, you almost need a few different combinations to enjoy your music fully, especially the wider ranging your taste. Got a pair of SET monos here that will go in the system as soon as pics are shot. Should be fun.
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#4
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Alberto...congrats on yet another delicious amp. Looking forward to your listening impressions and stellar review.
Dave
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It's About The Music... |
#5
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At this rate, a week from Tuesday .
Seriously now. If the Cortese sounds as good as I hope (and everybody tells me) think I am going to be set for another year with this system. Alberto |
#6
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Quote:
Thanks for the comment. I am glad that someone with 100x the experience I have agrees with this conclusion. I tried, REALLY TRIED, to keep things simple, but I inevitably noticed changes in my listening patterns and selection. The more resolving the system, the more reluctant I was to bring out lower quality recordings. The clincher was when I recently listened to vintage Billie Holiday on my 1960 Fisher receiver. It sounded A M A Z I N G: smooth, luscious - DELICIOUS. I played the very recording on the C220->MC501s and it sounded dry and fatiguing. The more resolving and faster system was just not right for the recording. The extended frequency range highlighted the highs which sounded harsh. The reverse holds true. The Dark Side of the Moon sounded magnificent with the McIntosh gear and slow and dull on the old Fisher. That day I realized that there is no one-size-fits-all-recordings system - at least for my ears. I know a lot of people will disagress. I've hear many times "A great system sounds great with all recordings." Thank you for not making me feel even more of an audiophile outcast than I am . Alberto |
#7
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This forum is really strange.....
I consider myself fortunate enough to have one of the best balanced tube amps in the world (ok, it's an hybrid design so pretty far from a SET amp....), and all this fuss around Shindo amps made me starving for listening and buying a Shindo combo !!!! and I won't because they are not RoHS compliant hence, forbidden in most european countries ! Stop it Alberto, we are just getting more and more nuts !
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There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats Albert Schweitzer Last edited by Jerome W; 04-30-2011 at 05:09 PM. |
#8
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Quote:
Seriously now. I will let you and the gang know how the Shindo Cortese sounds. My guess is that it will be quite polarizing and not to everyone's tastes. There are very few people I know of who have an SET-based amp as their main amp. But if you really want to try a Shindo - even in Europe - you should keep your eyes open on Audiogon for European-voltage versions sold on the continent. This gear keeps its value so well that even if you don't like it you are unlikely to lose money if you resell it. Alberto |
#9
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Too bad I can't do this with women, unless I am Arnold.
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#10
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True Lies...
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Ivan FLORIDA MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: ACCUPHASE A300 AMPS, C3900 PRE-AMP, DP1000 CD/SACD TRANSPORT, DC1000 DIGITAL PROCESSOR, DG-68 DIGITAL EQUALIZER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, PS1230 POWER SUPPLY, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, WW PLATINUM CABLES CAPE COD MX150, MC501(2) MC1.2KW(10) MC2301(2) MR88, MVP881, MCD1100, MDA1000, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, ESOTERIC K-01X 30th ANNIVERSARY (BLACK) SACD/CD PLAYER, G02-X CLOCK, HT3F(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(4) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) KALEIDESCAPE STRATO & TERRA SERVERS 80-TB, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" SCREEN, SONUS FABER STRADIVARI, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, FORTRESS SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES |
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