Turntables...

I don't believe you, quite frankly. Sorry.

 

bbv

the sme v has a fixed headshell with non slotted cartridge mount you just screw the cart in and move the base.

since when are pmc speakers very directional.
compared to what ?

what other power amps have you tried with pmc's ?

 

I can post a picture of said setup with the SME V arm on it. So much for your beliefs.

 

I can post any number of pictures of hi-fis which I've never seen.

 

I recall vaguely.

Quite a few others. Mark levinson, naim, chord etc. What would you recommend above bryston with the pmcs?

More directional than most "normal" speakers but not as directional as the Duos I mentioned. They are very sensitive to toe-in such that the sound snaps into focus.

I can post a picture of my hifi in my house with an sme V on it.

 

lots

spectral
ion nexus (now heed)
linn's new biggies
accuphase
advantage
pass
threshold
lab gruppen

but then they are only ones i have tried admittedly not with your exact model.

 

The Heed monoblock prototypes I had for a while were superb, I'm absolutely sure they would make Bryston owners cry.

 

I have heard the linn and spectral, as well as plinius gamut etc. Also the advantage I believe at SOM but not 100% positive about that.

The problem with the MB2s is that they are hellish to drive comapred with the PMCs lower down the range. I am not sure about the ib1. The nap 500 cuts out at about 1030 on the volume control with the MB2s.

Pass have a good reputation.

As I am going active it makes sense to stick with bryston amps and crossovers for now. In the longer term I may have another solution lined up...

I have ehard a heed system - it sounded "nice" ... but I suspect I couldnt get past the omni speakers characteristic sound. Not to my taste. I hear good things about their electronics though.

 

bbv

if you heard the spectral into pmc's against brystons i cannot possibly understand how you preferred the bryston the spectral kills it in every department so much so that you must be potty....
i am gobsmacked that you chose brystons over spectral...stunned even....
if you heard a heed system how come you don't seem sure about the sound of the amps... i can't quitetell were you come from regarding music evaluation ?
perhaps a run down on what you listen for may help to understand your sometimes odd views (e.g. lyra carts being warm.)

 

This is the point, BBV: you didn't appear to know that.

 

That is the point - appear.

The heed system was at a show - My overriding impression was that I didnt like omni speakers. I cant say anything about their amps in isolation.

I preferred both the plinius and the gamut to the spectral. I didnt hear them into pmc. Tastes differ.

Lyra - lets not get that ball rolling again. I listen to ortofons and emt. I said that I beleived that Lyra were a smidgeon on the warm side of neutral which isnt quite the same as saying they are warm in an absolute sense.

I take a selection of records and listen to the music

 

Huh? Please explain.

 

bbv

how can you say that a lyra cartridge is on the warm side of neutral . your bloomin' deaf mate.

the gamut amp is basically an old threshold stasis sytle amp similar to pass labs current products in voicing.

the gamut is also better than the bryston.

i've owned quite a few emt carts and modded ones like the tubaphon and are you suggesting that these are brighter or more neutral than lyras. i just cannot see were your coming from or you had seriously flawed demos.

all those carts need different loading too so your mystical demos must have taken several hours of swapping round and fiddling to give each product a fair chance.

i just can't seem to align my experiences with yours in any way at all bbv.
sorry but i can't take any of your turntable , arm and cart recommendations to be anything but totally flawed.

especially as you have mentioned using phono stages for shop demos that have none user adjustable settings for load.

 

No offence, BBV, but your "experiences" and opinions just don't really seem to "ring true", and your opinions, in particular, have a slight whiff of the "wind-up" about them.

 

Some quotes from a thread on pfm (a working search engine is a wonderful thing), starting with Nick's assertions about the sound of Jonathan Carr's Lyra carts which set the ball rolling

and my take on absolute warmth or not.

 

Markus - As I explained countless times before I said "I find them just a smidgeon the warm side of neutral". That means they are the merest shade too warm for what I consider to be neutral. Now lets move on from this long dead topic. The AUM prohibits bringing in arguments from other forums. This does appear to be an attempt to derail this thread based on old areas of disagreement. Let it lie.

Bub - you said the same thing when I critiqued the lp12. Now look where you are. I have a poor memory and this is sufficient to explain anything you think you may be observing.

Daryl - I mentioned nothing about phono stages. As a matter of fact I did use some with variable loading for exactly that purpose. The bryston is much more dynamic than the gamut though the gamut is sweeter. I found the gamut too constrained. Your experiences dont match mine as you have failed to consider that we listened to systems that differed in other respects. As a matter of fact I dont consider the Brinkmann EMT to be neutral - it is on the more brightly lit side. Have you heard this (compeltely reengineered) variant of the EMT?

I dont go a bundle on the Lyras I have heard. Thats my choice. I like a more analytical sound and I admit it. Get over it.

 

Warm WU

If you were to describe the sound of a Helicon SL loaded at 1000ohms, you might say it was beautifully balanced and neutral. At 47K, you might describe it as being on the lean side of neutral. At 100, you would definitely say it was sounding darker and therefore a little on the warm side of neutral!!!!!!!!

 

bbv

its odd you find lyras warmer than emt's ....
yes i have heard the brinkman emt.

what pray tell phono stage did you use that had variable loading for your turntable arm and cart demos as i know you said you used a pre without swichable loading or now are you going to say you had 'other' demos too.

your results do not tally up with more experienced listeners and you buy gear based on your ' theory' of accurate but you don't know in what respects.

if you want dynamics why do you use such hard to drive speakers (your words) when a reduced loading more or less would give you enhanced dynamics.

also your speakers are of only average sensitivity.

 

One of the michell / trichord ones with variable loading so far as memory serves. My home phono is not switchable but I didnt use that at the dems. I also used the brinkmann fein for the demos which is 600 ohms by default.

Actually I have defined the respects. Experienced listeners as chosen by you to include yourself. The dynamics are exemplary with the brystons so that is fine. The speakers are 92.5 dbw/m partly due to impedance but good nonetheless. It is the sensitivity of the raw drive unit that counts and for the midrange it is very high.

 

bbv

you live in a fantasy land i'm afraid.
i'm glad your happy with your choices.
i'm also glad your not a dealer.