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Feedback on the current Reference 3a changes ?

To me (IMHO), the new (slate grey) finish on ALL of the current Ref. 3a speakers looks like the crust on the hooves of old knu's. I'm not sure if the texture is the same... I have only been involved with young ones. Couple the knu finish with the "baboon butt plug" sticking out of the woofer and the race will be on for them to suffer the same fate as their Rhino-coat(ed) brethren (with the ribbons in the middle). Show the wife a picture of the 7th Fleet moving into the living room and there will be no "grey area" as to her response. And of course, for additional torture, lets shove brrrr-illium tweeters in there just to keep up with the current status and bling. I'm sure that they work well for some, but I have always walked away from them (The BE. tweets) VERY happy to walk away from them.
It seems as though Ref 3a has snatched the grasshoppers from our hands and we (I) didn't want them to. They looked great the way they were, they sounded superb, and the price was fairly fair. Are the future owners doomed to the knu look of industrial austerity ? Are the current owners of the gorgeous "gloss red maple" forever to sleep with a smirk ? Should we care ? Please tell me while my grey pants are still dry.

Tubeears
tubeears
tubeears OP
136 posts
 
If it works that well, I think that I will try coupling my butt to the recliner with the stuff......

On a more serious side..... I have now a cute little Jolita 202 all decked out with the new Genelex Gold Lion kt77's (outputs) and the new Mullard 12ax7's with Gold Lion 12at7's.
I am thinking seriously of pursuing new DecWare (integrated) with about 6 watts or so of power. Has anyone heard the DeCapo-I with a low power SET amp ? The Jolida sounds VERY good with the upgraded tube compliment and I'm sure the 40 watts will be just fine with the DeCapos. However, I would like to get the best out these speakers.... Any ideas ?

Cheers !
Tony
jafant
18,804 posts
 
Agreed,

my only exposure for those BE tweets is the Focal/JM Lab speakers.
aprica88
92 posts
 
I use push and pull bat vk - 60 which I think a bit too powerful for the De Capo. I sounded too harsh for the tweeter.

I think a 20 watts SET amp will be very good for De Capo.
tubeears OP
136 posts
 
Jafant,

I am a big fan of Focal. I just got rid of a pair of 706v (al/mag tweeter) and hated to see them go. Downright excellent pacing and very musical. Very, very important to me is that they played well at low volumes. I am in hopes that the DeCapos can do as well in that area.

Cheers,
Tony
agisthos
450 posts
 
I have a pair of the new DeCapo's. I cannot compare them to earlier versions, but do not let the BE tweeter put you off. These sound nothing like the Focal BE speakers which had harsh highs I really did not like.

But the last time I listened to the Focal Be line was about 10 years ago so perhaps the new Focal are better.

The DeCapo is ultra sensitive to placement, height, toe-in e.t.c you have to experiment.

Also do not just place them on a stand. You need the blu-ack, otherwise there will be no bass at all. Rather than blu-tack your best option is a set of Atacama Isolation Gel Pads. The Decapo sounds dramatically better with these isolation pads underneath.
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