22-Feb-2015, 01:55
Nice summary, IanG-UK. I personally find Hi-FI + a bit of a flop; I love the laminated paper, but each issue has four or five articles/ reviews by the same person. That gets tiresome to me. And the writing and editing is pretty poor as well. Roy Gregory was worse, but its not up to the standards set by Stereophile, IMHO.
I've never heard anything recent by ARC, but it is very highly regarded by many. I'm growing more confused, however, about the 'emotion' quotient. Naim is often credited with bringing out the 'music' and the emotion. Now AS categorizes Devialet as technical and the ARC as emotional. It is odd to me, as one of the first things I felt about the Devialet was exactly that emotion; the ease and clarity and completeness of the reproduction seemed to get more of the music out to me. Hearing the nuances in vocal tone and breathing, and micro dynamics, that were hidden before, makes the emotional reach of the music greater.
I am deviating, I know, in relating my own change of heart, and sentiment, about the Naim equipment. I was a booster of Naim for at least 10 years, but I don't feel it does the 'music' the way the Devialet does (at least at the sub-stratospheric price range). Which is a bit of a loss. I've had several tube amps over the years. While the midrange, and vocals, could be very seductive, I could not go back. I have no idea if new ARC equipment would upset my world again.
Total Harmonic Emotion: I think we should keep this one.
I've never heard anything recent by ARC, but it is very highly regarded by many. I'm growing more confused, however, about the 'emotion' quotient. Naim is often credited with bringing out the 'music' and the emotion. Now AS categorizes Devialet as technical and the ARC as emotional. It is odd to me, as one of the first things I felt about the Devialet was exactly that emotion; the ease and clarity and completeness of the reproduction seemed to get more of the music out to me. Hearing the nuances in vocal tone and breathing, and micro dynamics, that were hidden before, makes the emotional reach of the music greater.
I am deviating, I know, in relating my own change of heart, and sentiment, about the Naim equipment. I was a booster of Naim for at least 10 years, but I don't feel it does the 'music' the way the Devialet does (at least at the sub-stratospheric price range). Which is a bit of a loss. I've had several tube amps over the years. While the midrange, and vocals, could be very seductive, I could not go back. I have no idea if new ARC equipment would upset my world again.
Total Harmonic Emotion: I think we should keep this one.
Damon
Powernode, NAD M32, Cambridge CD transport, Analysis Plus, Nordost, iFi Nova, CSS Criton 1TDX, KEF C62
Vancouver, Canada
