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In Reply to: RE: I rave about my 92db Reference3A DeCapo I posted by LtMandella on May 20, 2020 at 11:18:33
Reference 3A definitely makes some very fine-sounding speakers that's for darn sure. One of my friends Bill M. just traded up from the earlier model De Capos to their new De Capo BE monitors. Another one of my friends Bob P. has a pair of Grand Veena speakers and still another one of my friends Steve B. has a pair of Taksim speakers. So I'm quite familiar with a few of their speakers. I noticed there's definitely a sonic characteristic that carries in the Reference 3A line up of speakers. I was even lucky enough to have a 15-minute audition of the newest Reference 3A speaker their new reference monitor, the Reflector, and boy were they every a nice sounding speaker.
I've never been blessed with the opportunity to hear your 25W/ch, OTL Transcendent Sound T8-LN, tube amp before, but it sounds like it would be a marriage made in heaven when used with your De Capos monitors. I'm sure you'll be looking forward to many years of enjoyment from that combination of amp and speakers. Out of curiosity what wires are you using in your system?
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom)
Central Florida Audio Society -- SETriodes Group -- Space Coast Audio Society
Full-range/Wide-range Drivers --- Front & Back-Loaded Horns --- High Sensitivity Speakers
Follow Ups:
hi Tom,
just 14 gauge conventional speaker wire. I actually did buy a ridiculously expensive ($300) set of speaker wires and used them for a while but damned if I could hear any difference, so those are sitting in some closet somewhere since they are thick and inflexible and therefore a pain to for me to use.
Going on over 20 years with the T8 (bought new in early 2000s) and 10 years with the Ref3A. The combo is just as stunning and mesmerizing as from day one. Even after 10 hours I often have to tear myself away and call it a night.
I had to do some minor work on the T8 - replaced 4 caps, a fuse, and all the power tubes. But that was all probably a consequence of relocating and giving the amp some pretty good bumps during transit.
Prior to the DeCapos I had Proac D15s - also a musical and "zero listener fatigue" experience for me, but the Proacs really needed more than 25wpc amp.
There must be something wrong with me for not having something wrong.
Hi LT! I have to honestly admit to being shocked that a fellow who owns such fine gear as the Transcendent Sound T8-LN OTL amp and pair of Reference 3A De Capo speakers, tells me he cannot hear the difference between 14 gauge conventional speaker wire and a set of $300 speaker wires! Some audiophiles would berate you for saying that ---{ especially after you said what a stunning and mesmerizing sound that's musical with "zero listener fatigue" }--- wondering how you can possibly notice the wonderful musical traits your system produces, yet still state you cannot hear the difference between 14 gauge conventional speaker wire and a set of $300 speaker wires. But that's not me. I won't do that.
I use an Italian, Mastersound Reference 845, Integrated, SET amp with 105dB sensitive Beauhorn Virtuoso speakers. Like you, I've owned my amp for a long time now --some 19+ years now and in many ways, I would describe my system just as you have described yours! But where we differ is I can hear from subtle to huge differences in wires, depending on the wires of course! Presently I use 1/2 of a pair of Teo Audio GC Ultra ICs as the digital wire that connects my YBA Genesis CD-4 ( used strictly as a transport ) to my Musical Paradise Tubed DAC. I also have a Snake River Audio Cottonmouth Signature power cord on the YBA and a Sablon Gran Corona power cord on the DAC. From the DAC to the Mastersound I'm running a pair of NBS Professional IV ICs and the Mastersound uses a Hi-Diamond D3.5 power cord. Finally, I'm using Snake River Audio Cottonmouth Signature speaker wires to connect the Mastersound amp to the Beauhorn speakers. Now since you felt your $300 speaker wires were " ridiculously expensive " I won't even begin to say what any of those wires cost.
LT I am amazed that a man can own such nice sounding audio gear and not hear differences in wires. But you say you cannot hear any differences and I believe you. After all, what would you gain by lying? Nothing as far as I can tell. When people tell me they don't hear differences in wires I don't know whether to feel happy for them and all the money they'll save or whether I should feel bad for them for not being able to easily improve the sound of their various components by changing the wires they use ---{ for the longest time I just couldn't believe power cords could make a difference in a system's sound and boy was I ever wrong about that }--- but in the end, I definitely feel bad for them because every wire I listed made a significant sonic improvement in the sound of my audio system and sadly folks like yourself cannot obtain these same sonic improvements by simply changing a wire. In the end LT, I hope you understand this post was not meant to berate you or criticize you in any way. Maybe you are the lucky one. To this day I still don't understand how people cannot hear differences in wires, but I think it's one of those little things in life we aren't meant to necessarily understand, but rather simply accept and chalk it up to being one of those things that makes us all different and makes life more interesting. LT I hope you continue to get many, many more years of listening enjoyment from that fine system of yours...
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom)
Central Florida Audio Society -- SETriodes Group -- Space Coast Audio Society
Full-range/Wide-range Drivers --- Front & Back-Loaded Horns --- High Sensitivity Speakers
I think there is a great deal of subjective listening experience indicating that our approach of using very well engineered tube equipment and speakers does great things for satisfying sound reproduction.
And I not surprised - and happy for you - that you experience similiar benefits as I have described from using such equipment for your listening.
However regarding the speaker wires:
"I can hear from subtle to huge differences in wires, depending on the wires of course!"
I think even the most science based engineers would admit that wire length can have an impact on electrical transmission characteristics (assuming normally competent wiring materials and construction). My wire is short (music system that is!).
Assuming that basic electrical competency - and with all due respect - I personally believe that such listening comparisons must be performed double-blind for reliable analysis, and I would bet a paycheck that the outcome of such testing would not match your expectation.
best,
LT
There must be something wrong with me for not having something wrong.
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