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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 14:07:41 GMT
The local Hi-Fi dealer brought round some gear today.
The amps- Audiolab 6000a & Quad Vena II. Speakers- Quad S-1. Speaker cable- Atlas Hyper 3.5.
Music was played via bluetooth, streaming from Spotify premium.
First up - the Audiolab - Cold, Hard, Rigid, Uptight, Solid, and lacking in substance. The tone lacked flavour. Reminded me very much of eating dry turkey. Sorry, I'm crap at analogies.
Second up - the Quad. Warmer, Smoother, Musical, Richer and more lively. Tone was both welcoming and engaging.
My father and myself didn't see much value from the S-1 Speakers. They were 'OK-ish' sounding. Father didn't like the top end from their ribbon tweeters.
Was a fun afternoon listening.
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 7, 2019 14:15:42 GMT
The local Hi-Fi dealer brought round some gear today. The amps- Audiolab 6000a & Quad Vena II. Speakers- Quad S-1. Speaker cable- Atlas Hyper 3.5. Music was played via bluetooth, streaming from Spotify premium. First up - the Audiolab - Cold, Hard, Rigid, Uptight, Solid, and lacking in substance. The tone lacked flavour. Reminded me very much of eating dry turkey. Sorry, I'm crap at analogies. Second up - the Quad. Warmer, Smoother, Musical, Richer and more lively. Tone was both welcoming and engaging. My father and myself didn't see much value from the S-1 Speakers. They were 'OK-ish' sounding. Father didn't like the top end from their ribbon tweeters. Was a fun afternoon listening. S. You’ve had a better chance to listen properly, but that Quad Vena was a dreadful soggy thing with no balls the two times I heard it. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 14:25:09 GMT
Can never listen to Hi-Fi in a shop. Even in a good quiet demo room! But as usual, we all hear and perceive sounds from systems differently.
S.
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Post by macca on Oct 7, 2019 17:06:04 GMT
First up - the Audiolab - Cold, Hard, Rigid, Uptight, Solid, and lacking in substance. The tone lacked flavour. Reminded me very much of eating dry turkey. Sorry, I'm crap at analogies. That's actually a pretty good analogy. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 17:13:15 GMT
I bet the dealer was an happy bunny wasting all afternoon
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Post by macca on Oct 7, 2019 17:14:23 GMT
His own fault for selling tat.  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 17:19:02 GMT
The 6000a did feel nice though, and had some good weight to it. Nice build quality.
S.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 17:22:30 GMT
His own fault for selling tat. Don't recal him bringing any NVA around  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 17:52:18 GMT
'Father' ?
Bloody hell!
I didn't know we were in the presence of posh people ?
You taken a day off from your job at the courts then , Southall ?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 17:58:40 GMT
'Father' ? Bloody hell! I didn't know we were in the presence of posh people ? You taken a day off from your job at the courts then , Southall ? I'm very posh, but oiks don't bother me.  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 17:58:49 GMT
'Father' ? Bloody hell! I didn't know we were in the presence of posh people ? Isn't vlad posh? |
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Post by macca on Oct 7, 2019 18:00:18 GMT
He's a Rumanian Count so I suppose so.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 18:09:15 GMT
'Father' ? Bloody hell! I didn't know we were in the presence of posh people ? You taken a day off from your job at the courts then , Southall ? NA....Pater would be morer Posherrr hes refering to Shane you retards  . I is is looking forward to my 1689 th birthday this month |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 18:46:18 GMT
Only one posh & thats Yorkshire
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 19:17:53 GMT
Yeah , Moi !
🎩
😎
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 19:22:13 GMT
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 7, 2019 19:56:24 GMT
I can understand the market for the Vena. It does streaming, it looks nice, it has a headphone socket, and it’s cheap. It’s also a respected brand. But,,,,,of course there’s a but....I’d sooner not listen to music than have that sort of sound. And don’t get me started on streaming and Bluetooth.
I bet it will sell in large numbers nevertheless.
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Post by antonio on Oct 8, 2019 5:01:10 GMT
Proving your not a sheep Westie.
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Post by dsjr on Oct 8, 2019 13:08:18 GMT
I can understand the market for the Vena. It does streaming, it looks nice, it has a headphone socket, and it’s cheap. It’s also a respected brand. But,,,,,of course there’s a but....I’d sooner not listen to music than have that sort of sound. And don’t get me started on streaming and Bluetooth. I bet it will sell in large numbers nevertheless. Have you HEARD, SEEN in the flesh or even USED a Vena 2? It may not give a Brio R too many headaches, but it's a lovely sounding thing in mk2 form and surprisingly capable outside of audiophilery!
Shane, what did you and Dad BUY after the home dem?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2019 14:00:11 GMT
He hasn't decided yet, Dave. Might possibly opt for the Vena II.
S.
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Post by dsjr on Oct 8, 2019 15:32:48 GMT
I think that'd be a good choice bearing in mind the genuine attempt to upgrade the already good performance of the mk1 version for not hugely more dosh, plus the extra facilities on offer. I like the 50's-esque styling too, but ymmv here I do appreciate some people felt that dealers just sat back and took gullible client's money. Maybe in the height of the 80's Linn-Naim UK stranglehold this may have been true (old pal Jimmy H wrote an article on this I remember), but not today. I do hope the dealer gave good pre-sales service and advice and I'm sure he'd genuinely appreciate the business after his afternoon out doing this home dem. There's a good reason for me saying the above, as it genuinely appears that some people in this industry honestly seem to regard audio gear as little more than a soul-less industrial-designed electronic or electro-mechanical domestic appliance which makes them money and seemingly total bafflement and maybe even distaste at the hobby side of high quality music reproduction. Note to westie - I've directly compared in the past, the Sonneteer Alabaster to the Quad Artera Play/power and baby VA1 (no, not the Vena's, but I'm sure they wouldn't be so different) and there's eff-all difference sonically apart from power. The differences here are visual and power output I believe! Of course, if you think Naim is the way to go sonically, then any of these would be less 'exciting' and smoother, as there's no forward 'grey/grain' or 'thump' to spice the sound up. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 8, 2019 15:33:34 GMT
He hasn't decided yet, Dave. Might possibly opt for the Vena II. S. Aaaaaarrrrgggghhhh! Only kidding |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 8, 2019 15:34:02 GMT
I can understand the market for the Vena. It does streaming, it looks nice, it has a headphone socket, and it’s cheap. It’s also a respected brand. But,,,,,of course there’s a but....I’d sooner not listen to music than have that sort of sound. And don’t get me started on streaming and Bluetooth. I bet it will sell in large numbers nevertheless. Have you HEARD, SEEN in the flesh or even USED a Vena 2? It may not give a Brio R too many headaches, but it's a lovely sounding thing in mk2 form and surprisingly capable outside of audiophilery! Shane, what did you and Dad BUY after the home dem?
Keep up Dave, I’ve auditioned it twice lately. It’s a pile of shite AFAIC. You’re lecturing again and thinking that your opinions trumps all and is objectively correct, making everyone else wrong. You never learn.  |
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Post by dsjr on Oct 8, 2019 15:42:59 GMT
Where and when did you hear it? What did you directly compare it to and in what circumstances - or it didn't happen I do think you'd be surprised listening to things without knowing what they are, as I was when I compared the Alabaster to the Artera pair. Pre-conceived ideas by rights, should tell you that the Quad is soft and thick toned. I felt they sounded the same apart from the Quad's greater power. Knowing how much visuals play on your gear choice westie I KNOW you wouldn't like the Vena whatever it sounded like. It's old fashioned styling and dark greyish colouring would put you against it long before anything was played through it, as it's not available in your preferred silver. Think visuals don't count in final choices? They certainly did for me before I clocked what was going on in my head... |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 8, 2019 16:26:51 GMT
Where and when did you hear it? What did you directly compare it to and in what circumstances - or it didn't happen I do think you'd be surprised listening to things without knowing what they are, as I was when I compared the Alabaster to the Artera pair. Pre-conceived ideas by rights, should tell you that the Quad is soft and thick toned. I felt they sounded the same apart from the Quad's greater power. Knowing how much visuals play on your gear choice westie I KNOW you wouldn't like the Vena whatever it sounded like. It's old fashioned styling and dark greyish colouring would put you against it long before anything was played through it, as it's not available in your preferred silver. Think visuals don't count in final choices? They certainly did for me before I clocked what was going on in my head... Sigh, I’ve already written about it here. Richer Sounds Newcastle and also Richer Sounds Leeds. First time was with Skme expensive Dalis (I said what they were at the time). Second time MA golds, I think the 300s. I actually went each time to listen to headphones but both times I wanted to hear music through the amp too so that I could judge the signal quality. Both were streaming lossless. I don’t particularly like the looks but it’s not the styling, it just looks cheap. Can’t you see that you are falling into the same patterns. You demand info on any listening session then look for excuses to rubbish or deny the experience of Other Listeners? You’ve already done it by making assumptions about the looks. Isn’t it easier to just accept some folk like different stuff to you? |
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Post by dsjr on Oct 8, 2019 17:48:50 GMT
Ok, so what did you compare the Vena 2 with in the same sessions to bring about your conclusion? Look I'm sorry, but I'm totally fed up with the Sh#t I'm currently getting from BOTH sides of this kind of scenario and it's the reason I took last week off and yes, I'm effin' well doing exactly what the accuser said I do, which in his eyes was to feed fellow Aspergic audiophiles and inflame an ungodly, unhealthy and unnatural interest in soul-less industrially designed gear (audio reproducing domestic appliances in other words) with audiophile bullshit and anecdotes... I try to give proper reasons and backup for my comments on stuff, but just saying something is crap with no backup or A-B reference for comparison is unreasonable to Quad to be honest! For one camp, I'd need a masters in electronics specialising in audio theory and for the other, a bottomless wallet chopping and changing boxes with no real purpose other than to say I've owned them. P.S. FFS, I could have been 'true to type' and slagged off the Vena 2 in preference for a fucking REGA amp now, couldn't I?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2019 17:53:25 GMT
Home auditions; I have always tried to have a home audition on any new piece of kit I buy. My kit my room very important. Bit of a problem with speakers seeing that I like big full range ones. Certainly if I was spending a lot of money I would insist on it.
Fortunately I seem to be lucky in my choices, I know what I like my sound to be, and I am well past the looking for the ultimate detail that seems to consume some people. Plus being close to 70 who am I kidding I would not hear it anyway.
If my kit sounds like the music is coming from one source, not dancing between drivers, there is a clear transparent mid range, good separation between instruments, it images well, wide, deep and high sound stage, tight controlled crisp detailed bass mid and deep. Treble that is sweet clean and extended then I am happy.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 8, 2019 17:57:10 GMT
Ok, so what did you compare the Vena 2 with in the same sessions to bring about your conclusion? Look I'm sorry, but I'm totally fed up with the Sh#t I'm currently getting from BOTH sides of this kind of scenario and it's the reason I took last week off and yes, I'm effin' well doing exactly what the accuser said I do, which in his eyes was to feed fellow Aspergic audiophiles and inflame an ungodly, unhealthy and unnatural interest in soul-less industrially designed gear (audio reproducing domestic appliances in other words) with audiophile bullshit and anecdotes... I try to give proper reasons and backup for my comments on stuff, but just saying something is crap with no backup or A-B reference for comparison is unreasonable to Quad to be honest! For one camp, I'd need a masters in electronics specialising in audio theory and for the other, a bottomless wallet chopping and changing boxes with no real purpose other than to say I've owned them. P.S. FFS, I could have been 'true to type' and slagged off the Vena 2 in preference for a fucking REGA amp now, couldn't I? Yet more demands for info to pick holes in and try to make you “right”. I’m not playing this time. You’ve gotten flamed on almost every forum for the same nonsense, so it shouldn’t be a surprise. BTW I don’t recall having taken an “oath of fairness” to Quad and you don’t need a comparative dem to hear if something is good or not. If it sounds Sh#t to me, I say so. If it sounded different to you, then great! I’m not disputing it, but it won’t change how I heard it, now will it? |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2019 17:57:49 GMT
I cant explain what i think sounds like how i want it, but when i hear it i know regardless of what others think of the Equipment & the execution.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 8, 2019 17:59:28 GMT
I cant explain what i think sounds like how i want it, but when i hear it i know. I can relate to that. I don’t find it takes me long to know if it’s good or not. What about you? |
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