My set up

[Bourney]

I started around 20 years ago with a typical whathifi set up consisting of Audiolab electronics and mission speakers, then moved onto Rega and discovered Royds. I've then been through many pairs of Royd speakers and became a bit of a swapper. As a bachelor at the time, I enjoyed the thrill of trying new kit with no one to reign me and it was an enjoyable time. 20 years on and I guess I have a set of kit types that appeal to me. I like Harbeths, Audionotes, living voice driven by mainly EL84 valve amps. I guess that may make me more into a sound that I personally like rather than chasing high fidelity.
lasy year I discovered WLM speakers and was hugely impressed..all that tone thing going on but fun too.

At present my source is a long standing Chevron Audio paradox NDF DAC clock linked to a Pioneer stable platter transport.

My amp is the basic common garden model of the Leben CS300. I've had a couple of these and I keep coming back to them. Just superb little amps that play music

Speakers are a pair of older slightly marked Audionote Es and my recently acquired WLM la Diva floorstanders which are currently being put through their paces.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/bigbourne/6B122B9A-78DB-4C51-93A0-25DBA2354B7C.jpg (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/bigbourne/media/6B122B9A-78DB-4C51-93A0-25DBA2354B7C.jpg.html)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/bigbourne/82A4A895-2F96-4722-8430-0BF894293677.jpg (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/bigbourne/media/82A4A895-2F96-4722-8430-0BF894293677.jpg.html)


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/bigbourne/AE207DDB-907C-46C6-9C8E-9992CB233E94.jpg (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/bigbourne/media/AE207DDB-907C-46C6-9C8E-9992CB233E94.jpg.html)

[Bourney]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/bigbourne/6AFA4B12-E0D0-478D-800A-6C9A387BA1D6.jpg (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/bigbourne/media/6AFA4B12-E0D0-478D-800A-6C9A387BA1D6.jpg.html)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/bigbourne/9632209D-08EE-430F-9DFB-F987C0BDBA23.jpg (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/bigbourne/media/9632209D-08EE-430F-9DFB-F987C0BDBA23.jpg.html)

[struth]

The Diva's look nice things Steve. Not sure I'd call a Leben common.:)

[drSM]

Nice
i heard AN E s at Audionote room of an AV Show
They were in the corners and sounded magnificent
Are those full range units in those La Diva s ?

[Bourney]

They're a dual concentric type unit I believe. The Es are superb even though they're old, I'm not finding it easy to choose between the two.

[Macca]

The Diva's look nice things Steve. Not sure I'd call a Leben common.:)

I'd never heard of them until Steve brought his along to MiBO. Seriously good amplifier, total cut above. Pricey, though.

[Bourney]

I've had three Martin...they can't be that rare :eyebrows:
You'll have to pop around one day matey

[Macca]

Aye we'll do that sometime when you have an afternoon free, send me a PM. Can't remember where you said you are now, was it out Milton way?

[Bourney]

Yep baddeley green

[Macca]

Just down the road a bit.

[The Black Adder]

Nice speakers are those WLM. I was tempted with some when they came out. Always favorable reviews too. They do bigger speakers too.

[Bourney]

Yeah the price shoots up significantly on the higher end models!! Second hand, the range seems good value though.

[petrat]

Nice one, Steve :thumbsup:

Ever since I heard your Chevron Audio dac, I've been on the lookout for one, but seems that they are no longer made and never seem to come up secondhand.

BTW, if you decide to get rid of the AN Es, Martin should try them in his room first ... bet they'd work well ... and might be even better firing across the room. My living room is same dimensions, and the Es were a big success there ... only booted out on aesthetic grounds by the boss.

[Stryder5]

Nice one, Steve :thumbsup:

Ever since I heard your Chevron Audio dac, I've been on the lookout for one, but seems that they are no longer made and never seem to come up secondhand.

BTW, if you decide to get rid of the AN Es, Martin should try them in his room first ... bet they'd work well ... and might be even better firing across the room. My living room is same dimensions, and the Es were a big success there ... only booted out on aesthetic grounds by the boss.

Colin at Chevron Audio offered to make me one last September.

[Bourney]

Martin, as Pete says, you can borrow my AN/Es for a few days if you like? They are clogging up the hallway and causing me grief!

[Macca]

Am tempted as they would work with my little Firebottle Dulci - trouble is I already have six pairs of speakers in the living room and most of them ain't small - I am literally out of room for more speakers at the moment. Need to sell some or clear some space upstairs first.

[jandl100]

You do like stripey speakers, don't you, Steve.

I'm sure it all sounds very good, but I think I'd have to cover them with a sheet! :eek:

[struth]

Am tempted as they would work with my little Firebottle Dulci - trouble is I already have six pairs of speakers in the living room and most of them ain't small - I am literally out of room for more speakers at the moment. Need to sell some or clear some space upstairs first.

IT not work well with the Jap speakers Martin? Pop it in a nice box and add a pre and your away with sweetly high efficiency speakers.... sell you a pair :ner:

[Macca]

IT not work well with the Jap speakers Martin? Pop it in a nice box and add a pre and your away with sweetly high efficiency speakers.... sell you a pair :ner:

It does but speaker/amp-wise I've pretty much got what I was after now with the Krell and the JM Labs. Steve is taking a completely different route to the summit of course.

[struth]

I'm fairly content in the foothills mate:)

[Macca]

No I'm still in the foothills too. No-one ever actually gets to the summit. ;)

[Bourney]

I just keep meandering in the valleys! The odd step up and two steps down then for some unknown reason I'll just stupidly jump off a ledge!!

[petrat]

Have you heard a pair of well-sorted Es, Martin? The early ones Steve has are not the most pricey, but in many people's opinion are some of the best-sounding they ever made. Forget the 'high-efficiency' tag (that's more applicable to the current hemp-driver models) .... I suspect your baby Krell would be a perfect match, actually. Anyway, if you change your mind about Steve's offer, I'd be interested in coming up to help/hinder :D

[jandl100]

Have you heard a pair of well-sorted Es, Martin? The early ones Steve has are not the most pricey, but in many people's opinion are some of the best-sounding they ever made.

I completely agree with that.
Above a surprisingly low price threshold AN/Es tend to get more and more coloured as the price goes up, ime and I've heard quite a few.
Some AN/Es with the highest price tags that I have heard have been hugely flawed, unlistenable as far as I am concerned, but some relatively humble one (e.g. Jake / lordmortlock's old Es) were very musically enjoyable indeed.

[Macca]

Only heard them at shows, set up in the corners with full-on comedy bass hump.

Have never understood the attraction, or why they cost so much, I must be missing something I guess ;)

[p147]

Lovely system if it sounds as good as it looks then you are onto a winner.
I do hope to listen to a Leben one day.
Congrats and well done.
:)

[Bourney]

I'm still very torn regarding the little Decware SET even though I've listed it for sale.. I thought I had my mind set but it's just so charming and enjoyable within its limits. It's accepting the limits that my dilemma!

[Dynamics]

I Ike the finish of your speakers Steve. I think they call it tiger ebony? Some pro ac speakers I think in that similar finish.

[Bourney]

Thanks Simon. I think it can be called that - Harbeth certainly call it that. The box says Aka Makassar.

[hermit]

Mouth watering system Steve. Lovely stuff :)

[Bourney]

Something different just turned up. Now..these ARE interesting!!!http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/bigbourne/F6B2221F-302B-45EB-9ED5-F6AD88275D4D.jpg (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/bigbourne/media/F6B2221F-302B-45EB-9ED5-F6AD88275D4D.jpg.html)

[Macca]

Bit of a change of pace there.

[Marco]

Indeed, still like it though, and Steve's taste in kit - clearly he has good ears! :)

Have you guys had your sesh yet? If not, I wouldn't mind tagging along, if I'm allowed :cool:

Marco.

[farflungstar]

What happened to the WLMs - and please let us know what you think of the horns....

[ijrussell]

Are they the pair of non-XLs that Jake was selling? They don't match the wallpaper. :D

[Macca]

Indeed, still like it though, and Steve's taste in kit - clearly he has good ears! :)

Have you guys had your sesh yet? If not, I wouldn't mind tagging along, if I'm allowed :cool:

Marco.

No, not yet.

[Bourney]

I might have a couple of small bakes in the summer.

WLMs in the hall :doh:
Audionote Es are in the dining area...

Comments from the senior management are being made :D

[Bourney]

The horns are a bit of a shock to be Honest. Particularly the bass and sheer speed/ snap.

Need spikes etc as blue tacking them to two chopping boards has killed their verve a bit, oddly.

A very enthusiastic speaker that seems a massive bargain on first impressions. Looking forward to pimping them.

[Macca]

Quite sensitive to changes then.

[Bourney]

Positioning changes things significantly martin. You know you can try them when you fancy :)

[Macca]

Positioning changes things significantly martin. You know you can try them when you fancy :)

Of the speakers you have at the moment the WLM interest me the most. Single driver horns not really my sort of thing.

[Marco]

I might have a couple of small bakes in the summer.


Nice one, Steve. Would love to hear your stuff when the time is right, so give us a shout :cool:

Marco.

[farflungstar]

The WLMs would be on my shopping list should you decide to sell them...

[farflungstar]

Are the horns the same as these...

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=332032006926&alt=web

[take5]

Looking great Steve, and I bet sounding great too.

Only 3 sets of speakers. Disappointing. I remember you in the good old days.

3 sets of speakers would have been in the system before lunch, and possibly a few more in the afternoon.

We all get older, and wiser.:)

[Frazeur1]

Steve, nice speakers there in the WLM Diva's! I think the WLM line is one that is seriously good, from the La Scala on up. Well done, and the veneering looks great on them too! Enjoy!

[Bourney]

Are the horns the same as these...

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=332032006926&alt=web

Yeah I think they're Frugal horn 3s with Alpair drivers. Not finished to the same standard as those mind!

Ha! Brian, there was a time when I had a 'spare speakers'room! Those days are long gone unfortunately(wives, kids...very inconvenient)

[Bourney]

Looking at how well finished the ebay ones are and considering how they sound, I doubt you could find a commercial pair of speakers new that would come close to them.

[farflungstar]

I'm thinking of buying them and so am very interested in your thoughts regarding them compared to the ANe - which are my main speakers.

[farflungstar]

Any thoughts yet on the frugals compared to the the ANe's.

[Bourney]

Sorry. I thought I'd replied. The Es are better but they are very different. I've only had the frugals in my system a short while so can't fully describe them yet. They throw a much more vivid image up than the Es and the midrange has more snap and immediacy but they lose out at the frequency extremes and body with voices. Not much though.They also seem to have a sweet spot volume wise whilst the Es are superb right through from quiet to full wang-age! Dunno if that helps at all :D

[farflungstar]

Thanks for that. I'll stick with the Omegas... Or Offrandes....

[Bourney]

Hifi guard dog....

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/bigbourne/987A9537-61C8-4BC6-8B2A-DD4B0F1EC3E9.jpg (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/bigbourne/media/987A9537-61C8-4BC6-8B2A-DD4B0F1EC3E9.jpg.html)

[farflungstar]

Aww

[lordmortlock]

Wilmas tiny!!

[Bourney]

She is mate, small but perfect.

[Bourney]

Incoming....:)

[Bourney]

When youve sold all your speakers.....

And you haul out your first pair of speakers from 1992!

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/bigbourne/60553B76-4380-4F20-819A-5A0B3E0E05EF.jpg (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/bigbourne/media/60553B76-4380-4F20-819A-5A0B3E0E05EF.jpg.html)

Andvthey sound way better than they should. Every time I run these for a few days, I grin from ear to ear.

[rigger67]

Mission 780SE ?

I use mine every day on my desktop PC system :)
Bought in 1994 I think ..

[walpurgis]

Wish I'd kept mine. They are waaay greater than the sum of their (modest) parts.

[Bourney]

The smaller 760iSE. I bought them new from a little hifi shop in Chester.

[Tim]

Gorgeous set up, always wanted to hear a Leben. I'm a Harbeth fan too ;)

[tapid]

Will offer up something different !. Love the wallpaper, carpet, colour of walls and the room generally. Kits fab as well. All the best

[Bourney]

Thanks Brian... very kind.

(IMG)https://i.imgur.com/OP7IKg2.jpg(IMG)


[IMG]https://imgur.com/a/fVEio[IMG]

Italian muscle :)

[Bourney]

Bah

[jandl100]

Here ya go

https://i.imgur.com/r1sXr44.jpg

[Bourney]

Thanks Jerry. I don't think I'll suss this imjur do dahh

[jandl100]

el34?

[jandl100]

Bah

You left the / out of the 2nd img ;)

[Bourney]

Errr yeah..6Ca7 variants I think. I've just plug and played without looking at which valves were in. There's a couple of sets in a separate box.

[jandl100]

Ah, 6CA7, that's more like it. :thumbsup:

Tasty looking amp.

[Bourney]

It's Lee's old one Jerry. probably heaviest amp I've owned!

[Lee Henley]

Still looking great Bourney, hope it's ticking the right boxes for you mate, Amperex tubes work best for the small signal valves, I enjoyed my time with this amp that's for sure, I almost kept it for a second system

[Bourney]

I've just used it with the valves that Chris left in. I'm impressed so far mate. Seems to strike a good balance between subtlety and solidity and punch.

[Bourney]

I've just bought a pair of speakers for £60...and they're fantastic! A pair of Dali 104s. Take a close look then take another look at Living Voices :confused::

[Macca]

They look like they could do some damage, lots of speaker for sixty quid.

[Yomanze]

D'appolito arrangement I believe. :)

[walpurgis]

Where's this photo you all seem to be looking at?

[Yomanze]

https://www.hifiengine.com/images/model/dali_104.jpg

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[walpurgis]

Close, but that's is not true D'Appolito configuration which requires vertical inline driver alignment. :)

D'Appolito was far from being the first person to use this type of design in any case.

[Bourney]

They sound very close to early Living Voices

[Edward]

£60! That's criminal. They look great.

Also been reading back on this thread and see that you have the Chevron NDF DAC - snap - awesome DAC. I'm always amazed at the sound this box can resolve. About a year ago Collin changed the USB board in mine - lifted things bigly (oops that nasty man over the water has a lot to answer for :)).

Anyway Colin will have a record of what is in your box.

I may jump for his 24/384 DDDAC1794 implementation which he priced up for me. Heard it at Scalford back in March. Amazing.

[Yomanze]

Close, but that's is not true D'Appolito configuration which requires vertical inline driver alignment. :)

D'Appolito was far from being the first person to use this type of design in any case.

Thanks for the info, and the education. ;)

[Bourney]

Still enjoying these. Bizarre considering the money I've spent in the past.

[southall-1998]

Nothing beats a good ole bargain!!

S.

[Bourney]

These have to be the biggest sound per pound speaker available by a large margin.

[Bourney]

So at present I have a little WAD KEL84 XL, a Quad 909 / glass house passive pre, Harbeth P3 ESRs and Dali 104s sat on Living Voice plinths (perfect to the mm ;) )

I'm a bit off piste but not too much but still struggling to settle.

I'd wanted to try some WAD kit for a long time after hearing a friends kT88 power amp and being impressed.
The KEL 84 followed a leben CS300...no pressure for the little fella then!
The first thing I noticed was they have a similar presentation, not suprising really given the pair of EL84s but the Leben has the best bass of any lower powered amp I've ever used and it beat the KEL in this area but the WAD was sweeter and more transparent and had more depth to the image but slightly softer overall. Maybe some tube rolling would show how responsive the amp is to changes. It's certainly a high quality amplifier that I'd have over a puresound or similar. It drives the Harbeths 'ok' but fines to life through the Dalis. Hard to believe you are listening to a £500 amp/ speaker conbination.

I bought the Quad as I had read so much about them over the years and fancied some solid state convenience for a bit. I paired this with a passive non tvc Glass house pre. I've not had much joy with passives in the past but this came highly recommended and a good price.
So, the Quad through the Harbeths... hmmm I don't feel this a good match to be honest. The midrange is everything you could ask for but for some reason the Quad recesses the bass, it's all there, but set back and this pushes the Mids forward and makes me want to turn the volume higher to get more presence to the bottom end but I end feeling uncomfortable with the forward balance.
The WAD is more balanced but the sound clings to the speakers more suggesting they probably do prefer a bit more power to cut loose.
The glass house and quad 909 through the Dalis is an eye opener. The slightly warm bass of the Dalis is held perfectly in check by the Quad and voices are superb. The Dalis have a slightly sharp tweeter, not coarse, but sharper than the little Harbeths and the Quad seems to work with this and the overall feeling is they're a good match.
I ordered brand new plinths from Definitive Audio, they improve them visually and raise the tweeter up a few inches and this really lifts the imaging and brings extra depth and detail to the Mids and somehow tightens the bass a bit more too.
I'm Enjoying playing around with these un-obvious partners.

[petrat]

Interesting, isn't it? I've always found that getting the best match between amp and speakers can be really the most difficult, but important, part of system matching. Specifications get you in the ball-park, but the 'magic' doesn't always happen when you expect it. Have you ever tried a Marantz PM4, Steve? I sold my P3ESRs a while back, but I thought they were a bit special with that amp. I have one not being used at the moment, PM me if you fancy borrowing it.

[Bourney]

That's very kind Pete. I've tried a PM4 before with the little Harbeths and it was quite nice but slightly thin compared with the Sonneteer Alabaster I had at the time. I regret selling that actually. The only solid state amp in recent times that I've really enjoyed.

[Bourney]

https://thumbs.imgbox.com/b5/07/bzO0tKP1_t.jpg (http://imgbox.com/bzO0tKP1)

This weeks toys :D

[jandl100]

Even better the right way up. ;)

https://i.imgur.com/xEPxk0E.jpg

[RobbieGong]

Even better the right way up. ;)

https://i.imgur.com/xEPxk0E.jpg

I like :)

[Bourney]

Thanks Jerry

[petrat]

Neat Ultimatum MF5s? The ones with the super-tweeters on top?

I had the MFS stand-mounters for quite a few years. Should never have sold them. I loved the tweeter in them.

How's the 909 with them, Steve? I used a Naim NAP300, which could give them a bit of welly, and worked wonderfully.

[Bourney]

Only had a quick listen Pete, very different to what I'm used to but so so composed and in control. Beautiful top end. Very sweet. 909 drives them with ease

[jandl100]

Can be a bit stark, those, ime.
Excellent control and dynamic shading.
Good timing - a post-flat earth speaker, really, I suspect.
I'd imagine the Quad would be an excellent match and add a few curves to the shape of the planet!

[Bourney]

Hi Jerry, I'm finding the opposite to be honest. On first impressions of course, but, with the quad driving them they are extremely refined with no edginess and nice body. Image placement isnt their forte and I've gone from kit that seems to major on that. I wonder how they'd be with a beefy valve amp.

[jandl100]

Good!
What I meant is that the Quad is one side of the fence (imo) - a touch of the warm and forgiving - so it would be good synergy with the speaker which (ime) veers a bit to the other side of the fence.

Anyway, Good that you're enjoying them, they certainly look the biz.

I recall several very impressive and enjoyable dems at Scalford in AdamK's system with their larger brothers.

[petrat]

Image placement isnt their forte and I've gone from kit that seems to major on that. I wonder how they'd be with a beefy valve amp.

My MFS ones imaged a bit better when well out in the room ... not a great characteristic for a stand-mounter :doh: Try pulling them out a few feet when the family are next out? I originally used a pair of 100 watt EAR 509 valve amps, but the 90 watt Naim was a noticably better match with the Neats. FWIW, I reckoned the isobaric bass driver loading needs more current than most valve amps can muster, even the 509s. I'd guess the 909 would be about as good as it gets for sensible money. Or maybe that Exposure amp you liked?

[Bourney]

I had them with no toe in and quite close together as for some reason this was the thing to do with this type of speaker. I wasn't enjoying them in that position at all. Flat and lacking flow.

After some tinkering I have them tied in heavily and further apart. Totally changed them. Sweeter, more open and the bass bounces along now.

After years of higher efficiency, lively boxes in the form of audionotes and Living Voices they are very different and having a speaker that can handle bass properly at higher volumes when I fancy it is nice change. Overall, I'm really impressed so far. They look fantastic IMO :)

[petrat]

:thumbsup:

IME, Neat make excellent speakers, and the bigger Ultimatum MF9s are amongst the very best speakers I've ever heard. Trouble is, they need a really big room ... and really big people to move them :lol:

[Bourney]

These are heavy enough Pete. Even with out the bases not fixed on!

[Bourney]

Oh arr

https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/49/92/S1WDsgGy_t.jpg (http://imgbox.com/S1WDsgGy)

[Andy831]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[southall-1998]

What happened to the Neats?

S.

[Bourney]

Neats have gone to a friend who was keen on them