Hi all,
I remember the time I got my first proper hifi system bout 4 yrs ago. It consisted of a Cambridge Audio 640C / 640A combo married to Mordaunt Short Declaration 914's. I remember how much better it was than my Pioneer car audio system, or my computer speakers and boom boxes. I loved it to bits, but always knew it wasnt quite high end. Moreover, it never really filled my room properly and I knew it was dynamically lacking something. I was fortunate enough to listen to a few high end systems that are still etched in my memory at my friends places:
Krell SACD Standard, 280 pre and 2250 power, Martin Logan Summits - Amazing imaging, presence, bit dry though
Pass Labs amps, Sonus Faber Stradivaris - This thing literally hung sonic images in space, and had dynamics when called for. Very sweet
High end Tannoy active setup in my friends studio - What immediacy, very direct, very quick
Anyways, I was originally planning to get myself a Benchmark DAC married to a Krell KAV 400xi married to Revel F12's. But then I browsed around a lot and was quite fascinated with active studio monitors. I came across a particular speaker known as the M Audio Ex66. Initially I was very impressed by the specs, and the cost:
36htz to 21khz response
115 db max output
Built in DAC's
Built in analogue volume controls
Lots of connectivity (SPDIF, AES, Balanced, TRS)
Room tuning features
I also came across a really good review on Sound on Sound and decided to take a chance. When I first got it home, I was horribly shocked. It got loud, real loud but I found it stark, cold and jarring with my music. I did a couple of minor adjustments according to my room (toned down treble 2db, toned up midrange 2db and set the bass down to half space as it was placed close to a wall. The speakers started to sing after 3 hrs, here's what I found vs. my old setup:
Treble: Incredibly detailed and dynamic, pleasant but never sweet
Midrange: Very present and alive
Bass: Quick and extremely deep. Much deeper than what I was getting before, the type you can feel more than hear
Imaging: Superb imaging that could easily exceed the speaker boundaries with seemingly limitless depth. Superb instrument separation
Dynamics: realistic dynamics, enough to make you jump off your seat when the recording called for it
In my subjective opinion, the imaging reminded me of the Krell / Martin Logan setup at my friends place. The bass speed was something I was not used to. The detail levels are incredible, I could hear every breath, every pluck of the string with incredible clarity. Anything with a semblance of a rhythm would get my toes tapping
My listening room is quite big, it measures 5m x 8m x 3m ceiling and it comfortably fills it up. What I love most about my system is its ability at low volume levels. Music is still alive and dynamic, it does not lose its vitality.
Just wanted to share my experiences... 
Hi all,
I remember the time I got my first proper hifi system bout 4 yrs ago. It consisted of a Cambridge Audio 640C / 640A combo married to Mordaunt Short Declaration 914's. I remember how much better it was than my Pioneer car audio system, or my computer speakers and boom boxes. I loved it to bits, but always knew it wasnt quite high end. Moreover, it never really filled my room properly and I knew it was dynamically lacking something. I was fortunate enough to listen to a few high end systems that are still etched in my memory at my friends places:
Krell SACD Standard, 280 pre and 2250 power, Martin Logan Summits - Amazing imaging, presence, bit dry though
Pass Labs amps, Sonus Faber Stradivaris - This thing literally hung sonic images in space, and had dynamics when called for. Very sweet
High end Tannoy active setup in my friends studio - What immediacy, very direct, very quick
Anyways, I was originally planning to get myself a Benchmark DAC married to a Krell KAV 400xi married to Revel F12's. But then I browsed around a lot and was quite fascinated with active studio monitors. I came across a particular speaker known as the M Audio Ex66. Initially I was very impressed by the specs, and the cost:
36htz to 21khz response
115 db max output
Built in DAC's
Built in analogue volume controls
Lots of connectivity (SPDIF, AES, Balanced, TRS)
Room tuning features
I also came across a really good review on Sound on Sound and decided to take a chance. When I first got it home, I was horribly shocked. It got loud, real loud but I found it stark, cold and jarring with my music. I did a couple of minor adjustments according to my room (toned down treble 2db, toned up midrange 2db and set the bass down to half space as it was placed close to a wall. The speakers started to sing after 3 hrs, here's what I found vs. my old setup:
Treble: Incredibly detailed and dynamic, pleasant but never sweet
Midrange: Very present and alive
Bass: Quick and extremely deep. Much deeper than what I was getting before, the type you can feel more than hear
Imaging: Superb imaging that could easily exceed the speaker boundaries with seemingly limitless depth. Superb instrument separation
Dynamics: realistic dynamics, enough to make you jump off your seat when the recording called for it
In my subjective opinion, the imaging reminded me of the Krell / Martin Logan setup at my friends place. The bass speed was something I was not used to. The detail levels are incredible, I could hear every breath, every pluck of the string with incredible clarity. Anything with a semblance of a rhythm would get my toes tapping
My listening room is quite big, it measures 5m x 8m x 3m ceiling and it comfortably fills it up. What I love most about my system is its ability at low volume levels. Music is still alive and dynamic, it does not lose its vitality.
Just wanted to share my experiences...