Mike Hanson Wrote: > There's a good chance that my system is faster than yours. <wink> It's > a Naim 52 with Super-Cap power supply, two NAP135 power amps, and Royd > RR3 speakers. About six years ago, during my massive speaker hunt, I > listened to every speaker that I could. The Thiels that I heard (which > I think included the CS2.0) weren't anywhere near as quick as Royd's > offerings. As for Krell, what can I say? Krell amps usually have lots > of power, yet tend to sound pretty cold and lifeless. > > [deleted] > > Ultimately, you'll never know for sure until you try it in your own > system. Everyone has different expectations, and system + stand + room > variations will cause everyone's setup to sound different. For example, > the coldness of your Krell may make the Benchmark unlistenable (to you). > Do your best to try each of the options, or you'll be second-guessing > yourself forever. > > -=> Mike Hanson <=-
FWIW, my system is not the Krell/Thiel...that was from the original poster. I use Blue Circle hybrid gear driving Focus Audio speakers. Yes, not quite as fast as your Naim setup (I've never thought Naim to be edgy), and hardly a system that would be considered analytical. And yes, I have tried the Benchmark in my system. My reference DAC is the Dodson DA-218, and I also have a Resolution Audio Opus 21 cd player. Relative to both of these, the Benchmark left me cold (as did the Scott Nixon for completely different reasons). I still feel that the Bel Canto DAC2 is a better alternative in systems that might be fast and analytical (eg. Krell/Thiel). FWIW, I have a friend who owns a Naim/Neat Acoustics system who felt that the Bel Canto was a better match in his system than the Benchmark, so yes, it is very much a personal taste thing... -- PhilNYC Sonic Spirits Inc. http://www.sonicspirits.com _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
