JamPal Bake off Report

JamPal

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Wammer
Jul 19, 2005
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590
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Sussex, West Side
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James
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Some say Naim amps and Wilson Benesch speakers don't work well together. They are right.

Some say Wilson Benesch speakers need a powerfull amp and would not suit Valves. They are so very wrong.

Some say peoples kit chould be reasonably price matched. This is bollocks.

Some say JVC don't make proper HiFi kit. These people have not heard a Victor CD player (Wadia Slayer.) No really:shock:
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:love:
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.

What a great days listening. Good to see the lads, just got back from the Curry house, we had a great laugh and listened to some very very nice sounds today. It was the best bake off I have been to so far as we got the system singing early doors and just enjoyed the music.

Oh and different transports made no difference that we could hear.
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Polarbear

Old bear
Wammer Plus
Jul 24, 2005
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PB
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
derek Wright from the Naim forum would disaree with you James
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JamPal

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Wammer
Jul 19, 2005
29,607
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Sussex, West Side
AKA
James
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Mount Salisbury

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HiFi heaven. Although papas Meridian worked better in that system.

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The chaps

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JamPal

Content Provider
Wammer
Jul 19, 2005
29,607
590
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Sussex, West Side
AKA
James
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Polarbear wrote:

derek Wright from the Naim forum would disaree with you James
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He is wrong.
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The Naim system was great and the WB speakers were great, but not together. The top end was unbearably hard. They need warmer speakers.

 
G

Guest

Guest
Seems a good time was had by all. The Victor a Wadia slayer don't yer say. Well i'm sure there are more reports to come

 

JamPal

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Wammer
Jul 19, 2005
29,607
590
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Sussex, West Side
AKA
James
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Maybe not a slayer but it is right there and maybe sweeter in some areas. As always, with the right kit, in the right room etc etc.

 

meninblack

Wammer Plus
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Jul 20, 2005
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Hi James,

Just got back home and poured myself a well-earned glass of red. I'll try to keep it all in the glass tonight...

A good time was had by all. Standout kit for me were the excellent WB Arcs (with the right amps
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) and Biscuit's truly awesome Victor CDP. The best CDP I've ever heard, bar none. All the detail, pace and dynamics of the Naim CDS3 without that strange "Naim" colouration to vocals. Esoterics, 555's and the like will have to go some to better this. Oh and Hawk's Prima Luna valve amp which drove those WB's beautifully (unlike his Naim amps
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)

My DVD player acquitted itself surprisingly well, too. We played DSOTM on hybrid SACD, initially on the 2-channel SACD layer which sounded just awful (straight after the Victor
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). OK, we said, maybe DVD's just can't cut it. Then we tried the Redbook CD layer and the sound got about a thousand times better. Awfully close to the Copland, IMO, although not threatening the Meridian, Naim or Victor. So it's better on CD than SACD, which is exactly the opposite of WTF?'s test result. Should have expected that, really.
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Anyway a big thanks to James, and all those who brought kit along.

 
A

adam

Guest
Is that the cambridge audio?Superb VFM machine,has a very mature treble quality for a budget machine.

 

JamPal

Content Provider
Wammer
Jul 19, 2005
29,607
590
173
Sussex, West Side
AKA
James
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Yes the SACD was a let down, but the Pioneer was a very respectable red book CD player, DVD player or not.

Not sure what he point of SACD is if it sounds like that normally. The Red book layer was much nicer to listen to.

Not sure it was as good as the Copland though.
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I did enjoy the Meridian.

Yes Adam, it's a Cambridge Audio. We didn't get a chance to use it in the end.

 

meninblack

Wammer Plus
Wammer Plus
Jul 20, 2005
22,674
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HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
hifiwigwam wrote:

Not sure it was as good as the Copland though.
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You're probably right, but it would have made an interesting "blind" test.
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Naim Owners! Buy WB Arcs. Then bin the Naim and get an amp that works with them. They really are that good.

Subwoofer Owners! Buy WB Arcs. You'll never hear that sub again. Even if it's on at full whack.

 
G

Guest

Guest
That was the blind test you should of conducted. Floorstanders or standmounts. Those Arc's would have tricked everybody

 

meninblack

Wammer Plus
Wammer Plus
Jul 20, 2005
22,674
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  1. Yes
Duvet wrote:

That was the blind test you should of conducted. Floorstanders or standmounts. Those Arc's would have tricked everybody
Too right. Fabulous speakers.

But for God's sake DON'T buy a pair of these blind!

They are very choosy about partnering equipment. Naim sounded hard at the top end, Biscuit's class A JVC sounded wooly. The Prima Luna and James's Densen gelled very nicely. Not necessarily what one might have predicted.
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ray70

Wammer
Wammer
Aug 2, 2005
2,550
25
0
Papa - You have fine taste in hi-fi and music sir. Don't take this the wrong way, but that jumper is bloody minging
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.

 
G

Guest

Guest
meninblack wrote:

Duvet wrote:
That was the blind test you should of conducted. Floorstanders or standmounts. Those Arc's would have tricked everybody
Too right. Fabulous speakers.

But for God's sake DON'T buy a pair of these blind!

They are very choosy about partnering equipment. Naim sounded hard at the top end, Biscuit's class A JVC sounded wooly. The Prima Luna and James's Densen gelled very nicely. Not necessarily what one might have predicted.
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Well i had the benefit of Papa's Bakeoff and could have guessed all of those except the Victor. When paired with Naim though the bottom end clout is :shock:amazing.Its abitch about that top end though. Bet James is gutted they sounded good with the Densen amp:p

 

Biscuit

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 19, 2005
6,475
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Cambs, , United King
Right, first off - the Denson/Copland/Rega sounded very reasonable indeed - great system for not too much ££! Impressed!

Denson/Copland/Arcs - even better!! V. Impressed

Naim/Arcs - awesome for some music, not so great on others. AC/DC made me laugh out loud - hilariously OTT on the Naim. My Ove-Naxx Jap Breakcore cd sounded the best I have/will ever hear it IMO. Vocals just didn't do it for me though, and some subtle touches were lost, sounds like its constantly turned up to 11.

Copland/JVC/Arcs - argh! Whats happened? Terrible! Muddled and veiled - think there was some kind of voltage mismatch or similar going on here, because it was really bad!

Victor/JVC/Arcs - mmm, thats better. I liked what the JVC did through the WB's - was obvious they weren't an ideal match though, but the JVC probably needed a bit more of a warm up. Pretty Good, expected a bit better, but by no means bad. The source is the star - no such thing as a 'Wadia eater' but its a real classy cdp which could be prefered to many expensive sources in the right system for the right person. I love it!

Victor/Primaluna/Arcs - mmm, midrange and treble space to die for - Pink Floyd never sounded so musical! Drums sounded like real tuned instruments, which is a bonus IMO, and vocals were very good indeed. Bass was soft though, and lacked the extension offered by Naim and Meridian.

Naim/Primaluna/Arcs - didn't really like this I'm afraid :minikiev: sounded too loud at every volume, and lost a lot of valvey goodness. Plus side - the Naim made the 35W's sound like 350 - awesome bass weight and propulsion in typical Naim style. Just lacking any emotion to me I'm afraid. I'm alone in this bleak assesment though - and the CDS3 + PSU is one seriously good bit of kit!

Meridian/Primaluna/Arcs - best balanced sound of the day. Great mix of technical aspects of Naim with a bit more midrange texture and realistic tonal balance. Lovely. That cdp is a bargin at £600!

Biggest shock was just how shite SACD sounded on MIB's Pioneer DVDP. Very respectable on redbook though - probably the match of many £700 cdps.

Music:

my cd's were great, not so sure about everyone else's
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Only kidding, some great tunes were played/shared by all, not too much Goldfrapp either, but maybe a bit too much Bush
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JonR

Wammer
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Sep 3, 2005
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Herts
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Unknown
Interesting write-ups from James' bake-off. It seems then, from what has been written so far, to confirm accounts of Papa's bake-off that the Arcs and Naim do not mix. I wonder what Hawk's thoughts are...

Having heard Hawk's Prima Luna amp this week, though, I can certainly attest to the excellent mid-range delicacy that this amp is capable of.

 
G

Guest

Guest
yep try menniblacks dvd player into an i-link and it trounces my 1k arcam. and your right, what i've been saying all along sacd sucks. it's too fucking antiseptic and bright. good report though lads. who are all those in the photo?

sure i've seen a few of you on crimewatch.
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is that you earl in the black jumper?

 

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