Objectivism is a myth...

I'm not saying 'mine's better than yours' I can't (and wouldn't anyway) because I haven't heard your gear in your house.

My muso friends aren't interested in hi-fi. But it's the best system that they have heard, it sounds very realistic, and exhibits none of this alleged Mana coloration which the Mana naysayers go on about.

I am also pretty confident that your non-Mana'd systems would improve out of all recognition on, say, a phase 2 Mana stand, for starters. Have a little read of the reviews on the Mana site. They mirror my experience, and many others' too. But in the end it's your call.

That's all.

Plenty of fluids and paracetamol.

 

Youve got some very high quality hifi seperates. Id expect anybody coming from a non-audiophile background to be suitably impressed, and a fair share of audiophiles too.

We need to substitute the words ''improved out of all recognition'' for.. ''more to my taste''.

Just as, substituting the ATCs for valve amps and sensitive speakers would make your setup ''improved out of all recognition'' or ''more to my taste''.

petro-chemical retardant suit not needed sir its all harmless banter.

 

I know, I'm not 'upset' in any way.

Yes it's good gear, thanks, but I had the CDS2 and NAC 52 before Mana. At the time I thought it sounded pretty darn good....but adding the Mana produced a big and very surprising improvement in terms of reduced noise and 'muddle', improved clarity and openness, and better dynamics. That's all. It didn't change the 'character' of the sound.

As fellow enthusiasts, I don't understand the reluctance to even try it. But as I say, it's your system, your call, etc.

Best,

James

 

I have tried Mana once, and didnt like the results. But i am willing to admit that there is a big chance it wasnt set up correctly.

I would like to try mana properly, to see what all the fuss is about (anyone in Bristol wanna bring an oilrig toi my house? )

But if i dont like the result, i dont want to be called tone deaf, it may just be that the type of presentation it gives is not to my liking.

 

I've noticed signs of a new and more mature attitude emerging in the last few postings. :MILD:

Frankly, it's making me nervous.

 

Thanks for the advice Doctor, I think my hangover is now in remission.

As I am too lazy to get the map out, how many miles is Glasgow from the Lake District?

 

100 miles north of Carlisle, I guess another 40 to 60 depending on which bit of the lakes. A mere 'tootle' in the Mercedes...

 

No it wasn't but it was certainly lost on James - for a while at least.

I'd love to go up myself and hear the great Glaswegian 'rig.
I'm sure it sounds just fine, but my only concern is just how James would handle it if you were anything less than completely blown away by his system.

Honesty and constructive criticism (with no axes to grind) can only help to make someone's music sound even better.

Nobody's system is perfect.

 

The next best thing

Send me your interconnect cables, and for a small (in hi-fi terms) consideration of £97.56 + VAT, I will arrange for them to be blessed by a leading Roman Catholic archbishop. This makes a huge difference to my bank balance. Burndies and mains leads from £223.87 + VAT.

just how James would handle it if you were anything less than completely blown away by his system

I've developed a sense of perspective about this. If I thought that internet audiophiles' opinions meant an awful lot in the scheme of things, I would have changed most of my kit/supports/cables/mains arrangements by now. IOW, It would be nice if you liked it, and 'fair enough' if you didn't.

 

Good - you've recently matured emotionally on this issue, so I take it that means no more tantrums and cancelled invitations to hear your sysem following someone turning up and damning it with faint praise then.

 

Robbo

Surprisingly Glasgow is not too bad a place for a trendy young chap like you. I was up there for a couple of days last year and was expecting it to be a bit of a run down dump....the Gorbals etc.

In reality it had very good restaurants, clubs and trendy shops. Your partner could make a serious dent in your wallet with all the designer stuff up there.

We had an excellent meal in an Edwardian style restaurant and the menu rivalled anything in London.


Also

Good - you've recently matured emotionally on this issue, so I take it that means no more tantrums and cancelled invitations to hear your sysem following someone turning up and damning it with faint praise then......ST

Steve

He's not that mature.

Regards

mick

 

I feel like i've stumbled into a hand-bag fight on Coro St.

In the red corner ... 'The Devil'

In the blue.. S Toy & Mick Parry




:force:


:argue:



:NADowner:

 

It's great to get an character endorsement from you, shows I'm on the right path, haha.

My response to the gent in question was remarkably phlegmatic, considering that he gave his expert opinion within 60 seconds of the start of some music which he had never before heard, and then proceeded to talk over the rest of the song. He is a well-known Mana-phobe, and isn't Naim's biggest fan either. It is obvious that he had his mind made up before he arrived. He is the only person, AFAIK, who hasn't enjoyed it.

I was later treated to a half-baked multi-paragraph analysis of where I'm going wrong. Happy days, indeed. You are welcome to come (see PMs) but please don't bother 'writing it up' afterwards, OK?

 

I think you said the first time 30 seconds James, memeory slip

 

WM, I remember it was damn quick!

Mr Mick, I am appalled to hear that you visited Glasgow without dropping by. Bad Mr Mick.

 

You make a presumption that I won't lik it.

Correct form regarding criticism of your host's kit:

1) Be constructive and positive - a system fails only if it doesn't do what it sez on the tin, and not because it doesn't do what you would like it to do.

2) Tell the host first what you honestly think (no politics/axes to grind), and preferbly after an entire song or two has been played.

3) Post on a public forum only with their pemission (and preferably a preview.)

James, you surely have nothng to be afraid of.

 

When I visit fellow audio enthusiasts, I wil generally ask them to show me why their system sounds the way it sounds. The host will generally play music he is passionate about, at the loudness level he prefers. If he's into hard rock, it doesn't much matter whether the system will play the ting of a triangle over a soft orchestral passage with ethereal beauty.

OTOH if he's into "girl and her guitar" music, Rammstein doesn't need to be accomodated.

That's really the first thing about judging a system: does it do what it was designed to do?

Only when that aspect has been dealt with should one proceed to things which the guest cares about.

 

What? No mention of the quality of alcohol supplied? No long reviews of the chosen crisp flavours?

Surely you're missing the point entirely!!!

 

[Snigger]

 

Dr McPeak

Me not visiting you was more a case of Sensible Mr Mick rather than Bad Mr Mick.

Had I visited you, we would have inevitably had a listen to your system with its super dooper speakers and phase whatever Mana.

If I have even hinted that you system was not the best I had ever heard, you would have released a 90 page thread complaining that I was unfair or possibly you may even have arranged for some local thug to do me over.

You still rant on about WM's visit and it obviously hurt you and caused you distress. I did not want to do the same.

WM came to my place and I suppose he gave my system say 8.5 out of ten (even with one speaker out of phase) but I accepted as did he, that different systems present the music differently and we all have different preferences.

I will never visit you until you learn not to take a criticism of your system as a personal insult.

Robbo and I have heard each others system and each of us prefers our own whilst respecting each others.

That is what Hifi is about and until you accept it, you will be open to criticism of being a Zealot and hence will not be visited.

Regards

Mick