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Fun event involving all Experts
#1
The other day I was attending a fun event in Gothenburg. Speakers were Magico A3, cabling from Shunyata and we started with 140 - 210 - 220 - 440 - 250 - 1000. All I can say is that it also got better in that order, to my ears. I was kind of hoping the difference would be smaller but I now know I have to save up for a 250 at least.

Then I got Maxime to pay a visit to my house where he SAMed my speakers. Much bigger difference with my Rockports compared to my earlier Wilsons
Spiral Groove/Soundsmith - jRiver/Audiophile Optimizer/Process Lasso - Devialet 1000 pro - Rockport Ankaa
Nordost Valhalla, Brahma, Frey2+ & Tyr2/Ansuz Mainz C/D8
Isoacoustics OREA/Shunyata Dark Field/Nordost QV/QK
Devialet Gemini
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#2
Thanks for the report @frejo A very interesting session it seems. Hearing all Expert models in the same setting must have been quite an experience! Getting Maxime to do SAM measurements in your home too! It is of course easier than bringing one Rockport to a shop.
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#3
Interesting! I’m curious; was this (consistent improvements of SQ while going up in the range) the opinion of the other people who attended as well?
PS Audio P3, Shunyata ΞTRON Alpha Digital and HC/Furutech power cables, Paul Hynes SR7EHD-MR4, DIY Roon Server & Roon Endpoint running AudioLinux Headless, Phasure Lush^2 USB cable, Audioquest Diamond RJ/E ethernet, Uptone Audio etherREGEN, Mutec MC-3+ USB, Shunyata ΞTRON Anaconda Digital XLR AES/EBU, Devialet Expert 250 Pro CI, Nordost Tyr Reference LS cables, Von Schweikert VR-5 SE Anniversary Edition, Anti-Mode Dual Core 2.0, JL Audio Fathom F112. More detail here.

The Netherlands
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#4
House view was  220 >210 pro?
My (probably bias) impression when I hear dual mono 210 pro vs my 140 pro is more noticeable clarity, weight  at normal volumes with my speakers than when I heard a 220pro admittedly in a different env vs a 140 pro.
I don't use the phono stage though which may have some bearing on whether to pick a 220 over a 210.
ex-Expert 210 Pro 
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#5
I honestly can't say what the opinion of the others were. Since I have 220 I was somewhat happy, and actually a little surprised, that I preferred the 220. I found the sound in the 220 perhaps a little warmer. Overall the spatial information was better with monos but I always liked the stereo model more, that is the 250 over 440 and 220 over 210. I can though perfectly understand someone who likes the wider Soundstage and clarity offered by dual mono. And with the 1000 you got it all. I thought the difference between the 1000 and the rest was quite huge, and I kind of hoped it would not be.
Spiral Groove/Soundsmith - jRiver/Audiophile Optimizer/Process Lasso - Devialet 1000 pro - Rockport Ankaa
Nordost Valhalla, Brahma, Frey2+ & Tyr2/Ansuz Mainz C/D8
Isoacoustics OREA/Shunyata Dark Field/Nordost QV/QK
Devialet Gemini
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#6
I do believe however that everyone in the room thought the sound quality improved going up thru the stereo models. Which perhaps is as it should be considering the difference in price. It could be that I was the only one who preferred the same (well not exactly with 210 and 220) prized stereos over monos
Spiral Groove/Soundsmith - jRiver/Audiophile Optimizer/Process Lasso - Devialet 1000 pro - Rockport Ankaa
Nordost Valhalla, Brahma, Frey2+ & Tyr2/Ansuz Mainz C/D8
Isoacoustics OREA/Shunyata Dark Field/Nordost QV/QK
Devialet Gemini
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#7
(29-May-2019, 21:06)ogs Wrote: Thanks for the report @frejo  A very interesting session it seems. Hearing all Expert models in the same setting must have been quite an experience! Getting Maxime to do SAM measurements in your home too! It is of course easier than bringing one Rockport to a shop.

I live less than ten minutes from the shop so it worked fine. Transportation of one speaker weighing almost 100 kg is something I rather not do. And also Maxime borrowed my Devialet when he measured the other speakers at the store, so it was a win for both of us. And as I wrote earlier, I must say the difference with SAM is much bigger than I expected.
Spiral Groove/Soundsmith - jRiver/Audiophile Optimizer/Process Lasso - Devialet 1000 pro - Rockport Ankaa
Nordost Valhalla, Brahma, Frey2+ & Tyr2/Ansuz Mainz C/D8
Isoacoustics OREA/Shunyata Dark Field/Nordost QV/QK
Devialet Gemini
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#8
The order in which we listen is very important. The brain rewards familiarity, therefore if you listen the same tune on two systems that are in fact exactly the same, it has been shown that statistically we prefer the second one.

I therefore use that trick to my benefit when I’m listening to buy: instead of going from the least expensive to the most expensive which is the order that most dealers will advocate for, I do the reverse Smile

Jean-Marie
MacBook Air M2 -> RAAT/Air -> WiFi -> PLC -> Ethernet -> Devialet 220pro with Core Infinity (upgraded from 120) -> AperturA Armonia
France
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#9
Certainly not surprised about the improvements going up the chain. I am very curious to know what you thought the differences were between the 440 Pro (dual mono) and the 250 stereo? I'm a very happy owner of a 440 which was a very nice step-up from the 220, but I've never had the opportunity to hear a 250 (much less a 1000).
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Durham, NC USA
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#10
(30-May-2019, 19:28)mdconnelly Wrote: Certainly not surprised about the improvements going up the chain.   I am very curious to know what you thought the differences were between the 440 Pro (dual mono) and the 250 stereo?    I'm a very happy owner of a 440 which was a very nice step-up from the 220, but I've never had the opportunity to hear a 250 (much less a 1000).

Bear in mind that all listening was made with a pair of Magicos and it may be that they, to my ears, benefit from the little extra "warmth" I thought the 250 provided. My experience with Magicos is limited to M6 and the Mini-II (quite some time ago with that last one). I haven't been all that impressed with them at these occasions though. I do however understand that some say the M6 can be one of the best out there so perhaps the listening session I had with them was suboptimal. That said, I really liked the A3.

To my ears the sound stage was wider with perhaps more spatial details and maybe a little brighter (or airier) in the treble with the 440. The 250 had what some might say a little more refined sound, smaller soundstage, a little warmer. It's not impossible that my own Rockports will benifit more with 440 than 250 since they probably have a little different sound signature than Magicos.


I was also quite curious with the differences between 440 and 250 as this is probably what I have to choose from if I decide to upgrade. One thing that is absolute advantage (not financially) with the 250 is that can be a 1000.
Spiral Groove/Soundsmith - jRiver/Audiophile Optimizer/Process Lasso - Devialet 1000 pro - Rockport Ankaa
Nordost Valhalla, Brahma, Frey2+ & Tyr2/Ansuz Mainz C/D8
Isoacoustics OREA/Shunyata Dark Field/Nordost QV/QK
Devialet Gemini
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