What Was the Best Audio System (s) You Have Heard?

[tom_hankins]

I agree, to me the Audionet gear w/ the YGs is a step above the Tenor combo. I really liked the Tenor amps alot, but they never had me come home and have a fire sale on my system like the Audionet stuff has.

[Rob]

Bill demo'd the YGs w/ AudioNet at shows out here and I left impressed. IMO, the SQ was a few notches higher than the Tenor amps YG showed with previously.

[tom_hankins]

So far the system in GTT's big room is the best I have heard. I've heard it in two locations and it really shined in GTT Audios big room. My wife and I both really got pulled in by the music this system was making. So much so, that we have changed our phono cartridge, phonostage, Preamplifier, amplifiers and most of our cables to match what is used in the room when we were there.
GTT's system is made up of Kronos table w/Black Beauty arm, Air Tight Opus-1 cartridge, AudioNet Pam G2 phonostage w/EPX power supply, AudioNet Pre G2 preamp, AudioNet Max monoblocks (X4), YG Acoustics Sonja XV speakers, and all Kubala/Sosna Elation! cables. All digital is AudioNet too.

[mkuller]

Everything about it amazed me. The power, dynamics, scale, detail, imaging, musicality - probably the closest to live I've heard in a room. Those two times were the only time I heard HPs system so I can't compare it to any of the others.

[Audiocrack]

I've heard a lot of amazing systems but the best was HP's big IRS system in Sea Cliff. I heard it in 1985 right after he invited me to write for TAS since I happened to be visiting my in-laws in Philly. He took my wife and I out to dinner and when we came back to his house we sat down on the couch and listened to those huge amazing speakers in his smallish room. We listened to a number of things but I vividly recall him putting the Human League's "Don't You Want Me" dance single on and saying, "Now listen to the seven layers of depth as they come in."

I heard the system again the next year at the one and only TAS staff meeting weekend (https://www.audionirvana.org/filedat...9503&type=full). We listened two or three at a time so it wasn't as much fun but the system sounded even better. Tom Miiller said he thought the improvement was the new Koetsu Rosewood cartridge.

Nice comment, thanks. Would you mind to describe in somewhat more detail what you liked about the big IRS system? And were you able to compare this set up to the big Genesis loudspeakers HP used later?

[Socrates]

Ha! yes--I used to pop into see Harold and have a listen --combining the trip to collect Sheffield Lp's--and recall him telling me they were making
a Pair for Julis Andrews in Panelled Mirror Glass finish!.

Also spent many a fine listen with Ike and his Mum at AD in San Diego--where I first heard the Lionel Seemungal Pre--still the finest Phono stage I've encountered

Soc

[mkuller]

See my post below.

[mkuller]

I heard the Beveridges at Audio Dimension near San Diego in the early 1980s, too. I recall sitting there with the speakers about 8 feet apart facing each other while they played Willie Nelson's "Stardust" album with Willie's big head floating there in the center. Pretty amazing.

[rockitman]

rockitman 's system! He even let me play an LP with his $12k needle!

Lol...it sounds a lot better now....

[kcin]

Nice neighbourhood! you lived in as a adolescent. The current Beveridges I have were the very same ones that I heard maybe 35 years ago. They stayed local and I managed to acquire them. Having lots of fun with them.

[JackD201]

Model 3s were the speakers that opened up my virgin ears. 1983, I was 13 years old. Couldn't be later than 84. They belonged to the dad of my neighborhood chums. We'd sneak into his music room when he'd be at work and play our cassettes on his Dragon. We were too chicken to mess with his TT and R2R. RIP Uncle Johnny, we miss you.

[JackD201]

You and Heidi are a top NYC priority for me buddy

[Alrainbow]

I still own a pair completely redone top to bottom. Ina room for them. There is always better to have or hear but never best

[Alrainbow]

I still own a pair completely revamped top to bottom.
My own personnel fav but I am sure there better always better.

[mkuller]

I've heard a lot of amazing systems but the best was HP's big IRS system in Sea Cliff. I heard it in 1985 right after he invited me to write for TAS since I happened to be visiting my in-laws in Philly. He took my wife and I out to dinner and when we came back to his house we sat down on the couch and listened to those huge amazing speakers in his smallish room. We listened to a number of things but I vividly recall him putting the Human League's "Don't You Want Me" dance single on and saying, "Now listen to the seven layers of depth as they come in."

I heard the system again the next year at the one and only TAS staff meeting weekend (https://www.audionirvana.org/filedat...9503&type=full). We listened two or three at a time so it wasn't as much fun but the system sounded even better. Tom Miiller said he thought the improvement was the new Koetsu Rosewood cartridge.