The NHT 3.3s are real good speakers, but they are demanding about setup. Make sure that they are absolutely parallel to each other and be prepared to spend alot of time experimenting with the distance from the rear wall. They like power, but changing amps won't make that much of a difference. The downside of the 3.3s is that they don't do the transparent and airy thing as well as some other speakers. Their strong points are dynamics, imaging, bass and overall smoothnes and you'd be hard pressed to find a speaker at its price that betters it in this combination. The lack of transparency and air is a relative thing, not a fatal flaw.
Suggestion please: How to improve sound.
As a new comer to audio world, I gradually build my system:
Theta Data II transport.
Theta Pro Basic II DAC.
Audio Research LS-15 tube preamp (superb).
Aragon 8008 Mk2.
NHT 3.3.
All cables are Monster's at this time. For speaker cables, DIY cat5 is on the way. I am using gauge 12 generic cable now.
This system sound pretty good to me. However, I feel it should sound better. The only A/B test I did is to compare preamp to Myryad MP100 and Threshold F10, LS-15 sounds absolutely better, smooth and more musical. I also compare Aragon amp to Threshold S300 and seems NHT 3.3 likes power.
Overall, I feel this system could sound more transparent and more airy. Since I have no chance to do many A/B test to pickup the best equipement, I would like to hear some comments from real audiophiles here. Which is bottle neck in my system?
But I don't have too much money to burn. I once heard Pass Lab X350 which superb, but it is just too expensive. I was thinking about Aragon Palladium. I wonder if upgrade from 8008 to Palladium with more power will improve a lot?
Any comments are welcome and thanks in advance.
Roy
Theta Data II transport.
Theta Pro Basic II DAC.
Audio Research LS-15 tube preamp (superb).
Aragon 8008 Mk2.
NHT 3.3.
All cables are Monster's at this time. For speaker cables, DIY cat5 is on the way. I am using gauge 12 generic cable now.
This system sound pretty good to me. However, I feel it should sound better. The only A/B test I did is to compare preamp to Myryad MP100 and Threshold F10, LS-15 sounds absolutely better, smooth and more musical. I also compare Aragon amp to Threshold S300 and seems NHT 3.3 likes power.
Overall, I feel this system could sound more transparent and more airy. Since I have no chance to do many A/B test to pickup the best equipement, I would like to hear some comments from real audiophiles here. Which is bottle neck in my system?
But I don't have too much money to burn. I once heard Pass Lab X350 which superb, but it is just too expensive. I was thinking about Aragon Palladium. I wonder if upgrade from 8008 to Palladium with more power will improve a lot?
Any comments are welcome and thanks in advance.
Roy