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Help an old man out

Haven’t posted in a while....have been very happy with my system for the last 11 years and didn’t feel the need to really upgrade til recently.  My setup is all my music (and tidal) on my desktop using a Logitech transporter as a DAC through to a Bel Canto pre 3 into a Bel Canto S300 with Gallo 3.1s for speakers.  My S300 is having issues with the left channel (sound level is down to about 50%) so it is accelerating my hunt for something new.  I have really been interested in the NAD M33, as it seems to have everything I need, including a little extra power for the Gallos...they need a kick in the butt to get moving.  Also considering a couple REL subs (probably 512s) to get the low I am not getting right now.  The Gallos are good and tight, but they don’t reach low enough for that nice chest thump.  Anyway, I am reading a lot about poor build quality with NAD and that is making me second guess the direction I am thinking.  Doesn’t seem like there is anything really equivalent at the 5k price point and as nice as some of the 17k and higher Gryphon stuff looks, I have my wife to answer to.  Sorry for the long post, but 5k is a lot of money and I am not a millionaire—just a dude who wants to kick back and listen to tunes at levels I really shouldn’t.  Also, if you feel the itching desire to jump on here and tell everyone how bad class d sucks, just don’t.  We have all heard it before, and we have all seen your amazing graphs of wisdom etc.  thanks for your help!
ukthunderace

Showing 2 responses by millercarbon

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
That's the same BS you hear all the time. It is shocking the number of people unable to figure simple things out and seem to think truth is a democracy.

88 is low, impedance is a crock. Look at all the guys with trouble driving speakers. Why they blame impedance is beyond me. These are the same guys who told me I should get "easy to drive" 8 ohm speakers not 4 ohm, because I have a tube amp. Every single one said 4 ohms will be worse. Everyone except the guy who actually makes the speakers. So I went with his advice. At 4 ohms they are super easy to drive, sound awesome and guess why? 98dB! 

The difference between the 88 you think is "middle of the road" and 98dB is TEN TIMES the power. What I get from my 50 watts you will need 500.

That is reality. 500 vs 50. That is physics. You can make up all the stories in the world, nothing will change the fact that 10dB is ten times the power.

Middle of the road by the way is where you get run down by traffic going both directions. Middle of the road is the last place in the world you want to be. Unless that is you want to be run down no matter which way you turn. https://youtu.be/mikj8eDKxMQ?t=11
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Your speakers are a very low 88dB, which is a shame, your budget could buy you some incredible fine quality if only you had speakers that don't need 500 watts. All the stuff about bass control, forget it, the problem is low sensitivity speakers. Get some Tekton and hear for yourself. 
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