My Music Sounds Better Than I Ever Expected - How long will it last?
I listened to album after album this weekend. Both/All sides of every LP I placed on the turntable. I closed my eyes and had goosebumps - at least until I would hear a "POP" that would damage my cool for an instant. My listening levels are not conducive to conversational environments but I no longer wake the neighbors.
We chase the magic for decades. It was triggered when I was young and would regularly visit The Grove in Houston and listen to the B&W Matrix 801 3 or the flagship Dynaudio speakers of the time. I have not been to a high end salon in decades, so I do not know how much better it is today if at all.
How long will my happiness last? The analog chain of my system is very much aligned with that time and place. Much of the gear purchased in recent years now that I can afford the things that I heard back then.
System:
Aragon 4004 mkII
Aragon 28k preamp
Apogee Stage speakers
Rythmic Sub
Linn LP12 w/Ittok LVII
Linn Linto phono stage
Ortofon MC X40
Eversolo, Topping DAC, SMLC CD Transport, etc.....
@larsman ”Wagner’s music is better than it sounds” Apparently “first” said by humourist Edgar Wilson “Bill” Nye. I think audiences were commentating on the exhausting, very loud bombastic and extremely complex arrangements. Maybe an appreciation of the music looking artistically better on paper than it sounded when performed? Some believe it was Mark Twain who penned the remark. |
@mylogic - I could be wrong, but I think that comment was closer to being a contemporary with Wagner than with Bill Nye, but it does sound like the kind of thing Bill might say, too! I don't analyze it too much - I just find it very funny! Kinda like saying 'Picasso's art is better than it looks', if one were to believe that. |
@maam522a My Apogee-based system sounds better than any amplified live concert I have attended; only acoustic performances can compare, and of those only a full orchestra in a large hall would better my system. I had my Apogee Duettas upgraded and that made them better in several respects. If the Stages' panels can't be replaced, that's too bad. I would encourage you to look for upgraded Apogees when you're ready to move on. I too had Maggies and listened to many other speakers, and the Apogees were something special, as many a reviewer has described. I auditioned the Aragon 4004 after I bought the Duettas and thought it sounded very good. Have you replaced any of its capacitors? I am happy for you that you can enjoy your system as I enjoy mine. I would encourage you to look at the digital components in my Virtual System here on Audiogon if you want a digital system that will be on the same level as your analog. I find that high-res streams can equal or surpass most LPs, the exception generally being a few audiophile pressings like the older MFSLs, Classic Records, etc. |
