I've been trawling hifi shops for past year. looking to upgrade from my MF 3.2 amp and CD player and Linn speakers. Listened to loads of kit but here in Singapore it's very difficult (ie, impossible) to do good comparative reviews.
Currently narrowed field to a pair of Martin Logan Vantages and a Krell 400 integrated amp. Here in Sing, brand new, that sets me back just under GBP 5,000. However, I also got to thinking, do I need to change the amp at all. Should I just spend the money on speakers (& if so what) or should I do what my wife suggests and keep the existing kit and don't be so stupid!
I'm quite happy with the CD player and I'm sure that it's not the weak link in my system. Same is probably true of the amp but I'm just too tempted by the thought of the Krell.
My Linn Keilidh spkrs are the weak link (but will not be sold - too good for that - & will form basis of 2nd system in bedroom: might even experiment with upgrading internal wiring and cross overs). The MLs are super speakers. The mid and high bands are just so clear. Even with really complex mixes, they do not get confused and you can still hear individual instruments positioned on a wide (but not very deep) sound stage. This is perhaps biggest improvement on the Linns. Bass too is good and I really was not too aware of the seperate woofer unit. SPkrs go loud too. No hesitation in turning system up. The MLs driven by Ayre CD and the new Ayre mono-blocks were keen to party. Listed to Matchbox 20, Carrie Underwood, Bob Marley.
The Summits are even better but then they are twice the price!
For comparison listened to pair of Triangle spkrs (not sure which ones) thru same Ayre kit. At first I thought they sounded better - but after a while I realised that they were more confused than the MLs and not letting the music out in the same clear way that the MLs did.The Triangles were warmer but this is probably just coloration from the cabinet enclosure. So that madeit 1-0 for the MLs and electrostatic hybrids!
The big question... if you had 5,000, what would you do with my current system and what would you buy?
Currently narrowed field to a pair of Martin Logan Vantages and a Krell 400 integrated amp. Here in Sing, brand new, that sets me back just under GBP 5,000. However, I also got to thinking, do I need to change the amp at all. Should I just spend the money on speakers (& if so what) or should I do what my wife suggests and keep the existing kit and don't be so stupid!
I'm quite happy with the CD player and I'm sure that it's not the weak link in my system. Same is probably true of the amp but I'm just too tempted by the thought of the Krell.
My Linn Keilidh spkrs are the weak link (but will not be sold - too good for that - & will form basis of 2nd system in bedroom: might even experiment with upgrading internal wiring and cross overs). The MLs are super speakers. The mid and high bands are just so clear. Even with really complex mixes, they do not get confused and you can still hear individual instruments positioned on a wide (but not very deep) sound stage. This is perhaps biggest improvement on the Linns. Bass too is good and I really was not too aware of the seperate woofer unit. SPkrs go loud too. No hesitation in turning system up. The MLs driven by Ayre CD and the new Ayre mono-blocks were keen to party. Listed to Matchbox 20, Carrie Underwood, Bob Marley.
The Summits are even better but then they are twice the price!
For comparison listened to pair of Triangle spkrs (not sure which ones) thru same Ayre kit. At first I thought they sounded better - but after a while I realised that they were more confused than the MLs and not letting the music out in the same clear way that the MLs did.The Triangles were warmer but this is probably just coloration from the cabinet enclosure. So that madeit 1-0 for the MLs and electrostatic hybrids!
The big question... if you had 5,000, what would you do with my current system and what would you buy?