Dlanselm brings up some great points.
But I think anyone considering a reference system in this price range should fly if necessary to hear the Soundlabs. I have been in love with this sound for many years, and I understand they have gotten much better with recent technology. I am about to heat the latest U1's in a friend's system but he doesn't quite have the room you have to let them breathe.
Yes, I think you should count travel costs (for auditions) as part of the overall cost of assembling a system. If someone were super serious about this endeavor, I'd even invest in a $999 PS audio DLIII DAC. This way you could travel with the very small yet excellent sounding DAC and a laptop (with USB and ripped CD files for best sound) and a set of XLR and RCA cables you are familar with. This will really take some of the variability out of hearing different systems, and you could sell the DAC for a few hundred loss afterwards. An unfamilar CD playback system could really add confusion to the process, and listening to the PS Audio unit in your system for a week or 2 would really get you familar with it's sound . (BTW I really happen to like mine and am getting it modded to increase it's performance to compete with much more expensive DAC's, however my CD playback rig is modest and will remain that way, compared to my LP rig)
I recently heard the Quad 2905 and was impressed, especially since I used to own crosby-Quad 63's. I think these require a sub to really get full response - which is not a bad thing.
I love MBL 101e's however at the latest NY Hi fi show, they sounded like they were being driven too hard in the large room they were in. There was a distinct hardness to the sound I had never heard before in smaller rooms.
Also I think you should really listen to the Sceana's. IMHO they had the best sound at the NY hifi show. (there were soundlab Prostats there, but were set up in an Ambisonic array, that didn't show them in nearly their best light)
Also I think if your after the ultimate in playback, you may have to consider some different electronics. I would look into Atma-sphere gear. I have new MA1's coming this week and can't wait. There is something special about triode OTL's, (even if driven through an autoformer which can accomodate any speaker impedance)
I truly believe that any speaker on your list would sound considerbly better when driven with a good tube amp, but that's me.
Has anyone heard MBL 101e's on Atma-sphere's? I think that could be quite a combination. I also really like bi amp systems with variable gain amps on the bottom to dial in the right amount of bass per recoding and listening volume. Once I went to this type of system I dont think I could go back. Bass quantity I think is the most highly variable in the mixdown/eq of recordings. Having the ability to to make the bass integrate correctly per recoding (and even sometimes per track) and for a given listening volume has really increased my listening pleasure.
I would add Cerious Technologies Reference to you list but that will be difficult to hear. I believe they just did a demo for the Chicago AUdiophile Society. I have their smaller speakers and don't think I could ever go back to MDF cabinet speakers again after hearing what Ceramic cabinets sound like (or rather don't sound like) Which is why I am so attracted to non tradational box and planer speakers. I just wish I had the room for Soundlabs or the new large Quads. If I did I would have bought those (1/2 price at $16K) Soundlab Prostat demo's listed here from time to time without even auditioning them. They are local too! Damn sometimes I hate New York CIty apartments.
But I think anyone considering a reference system in this price range should fly if necessary to hear the Soundlabs. I have been in love with this sound for many years, and I understand they have gotten much better with recent technology. I am about to heat the latest U1's in a friend's system but he doesn't quite have the room you have to let them breathe.
Yes, I think you should count travel costs (for auditions) as part of the overall cost of assembling a system. If someone were super serious about this endeavor, I'd even invest in a $999 PS audio DLIII DAC. This way you could travel with the very small yet excellent sounding DAC and a laptop (with USB and ripped CD files for best sound) and a set of XLR and RCA cables you are familar with. This will really take some of the variability out of hearing different systems, and you could sell the DAC for a few hundred loss afterwards. An unfamilar CD playback system could really add confusion to the process, and listening to the PS Audio unit in your system for a week or 2 would really get you familar with it's sound . (BTW I really happen to like mine and am getting it modded to increase it's performance to compete with much more expensive DAC's, however my CD playback rig is modest and will remain that way, compared to my LP rig)
I recently heard the Quad 2905 and was impressed, especially since I used to own crosby-Quad 63's. I think these require a sub to really get full response - which is not a bad thing.
I love MBL 101e's however at the latest NY Hi fi show, they sounded like they were being driven too hard in the large room they were in. There was a distinct hardness to the sound I had never heard before in smaller rooms.
Also I think you should really listen to the Sceana's. IMHO they had the best sound at the NY hifi show. (there were soundlab Prostats there, but were set up in an Ambisonic array, that didn't show them in nearly their best light)
Also I think if your after the ultimate in playback, you may have to consider some different electronics. I would look into Atma-sphere gear. I have new MA1's coming this week and can't wait. There is something special about triode OTL's, (even if driven through an autoformer which can accomodate any speaker impedance)
I truly believe that any speaker on your list would sound considerbly better when driven with a good tube amp, but that's me.
Has anyone heard MBL 101e's on Atma-sphere's? I think that could be quite a combination. I also really like bi amp systems with variable gain amps on the bottom to dial in the right amount of bass per recoding and listening volume. Once I went to this type of system I dont think I could go back. Bass quantity I think is the most highly variable in the mixdown/eq of recordings. Having the ability to to make the bass integrate correctly per recoding (and even sometimes per track) and for a given listening volume has really increased my listening pleasure.
I would add Cerious Technologies Reference to you list but that will be difficult to hear. I believe they just did a demo for the Chicago AUdiophile Society. I have their smaller speakers and don't think I could ever go back to MDF cabinet speakers again after hearing what Ceramic cabinets sound like (or rather don't sound like) Which is why I am so attracted to non tradational box and planer speakers. I just wish I had the room for Soundlabs or the new large Quads. If I did I would have bought those (1/2 price at $16K) Soundlab Prostat demo's listed here from time to time without even auditioning them. They are local too! Damn sometimes I hate New York CIty apartments.