Three Reference Class Setups

I was recently blessed with an opportunity to audition a true high caliber system, three actually. Both auditions took place at TL Audio, Hämeenlinna based highend operator in Finland. My visits didn’t last too long, but I doubt if extra time would have given me any significant extra information or insight, only a bit more detailed conception of the sound, I guess. The “game” was so clear right from the beginning.

The First System – Acapella Triolon Excaliburs

The gigantic Acapella Triolon Excaliburs were accompanied by Velodyne 1812 subwoofer, apparently a necessity in the room that does not provide any support for the bass section. I did listen to Triolons without the subwoofer but it soon turned out that the TL Audio’s listening room is simply so commodious, and the wall materials so light that best results were achievable only with a high quality subwoofer correctly positioned in the room.

The rest of the set-up consisted of Audio Research Reference CD7 player, Audio Research Reference 3 preamplifier, Audio Research Reference 110 amplifier, Burmester 948 power conditioner, and Transparent Reference cabling.

There was not a slightest doubt about the quality of the sound; it was clearly one of the best I’ve ever heard. I’d not say that the sound was perfect or even the most resolving one but it was among the greatest, among the best balanced, and among the most lifelike sounds I have ever experienced! Really impressive! The sound stage was huge. Dynamics and purity of the sound were excellent. Frequency response was extended at both ends, and so on. To criticize the sound would be hair-splitting. If something had to be criticized, I would say that the acoustic picture could have been wider horizontally (perhaps the speakers should have been wider apart). Also, I’ve heard systems that reveal slightly more micro-details. No matter, without any superlatives, this set-up went straight into the best three I’ve heard so far in my life.

The Second System – Wilson Maxx2

The second set-up consisted of Wilson Maxx 2 speakers, Audio Aero Prestige SE CD player, Audionet Amp II Max monoblocks, Transparent Power Isolator 8 power filter and Transparent Reference MM single ended interconnects, and Transparent Music Wave Plus speaker cables. It tells something about this system that the Velodyne 1812 was switched off and moved away: Wilson Maxx 2 delivered such a bass that there was no real need for a subwoofer.

The set-up produced admirable sound as well, albeit a different kind of sound than conjured with the Acapella Triolons. I had heard Wilson Maxx 2 speakers before and this audition came very close in quality to the first one. After some placing and adjustment procedures the typical Wilson sound was achieved: plenty of dynamics, an excellent soundstage, excellent transparency, fast and totally controlled bass, exceptional over-all clarity of the sound and so on. The potential of the speakers was easily noticed, but also that a small part of potential was still missing. Perhaps the speaker cables were not exactly what would have been required, perhaps something else. Anyway, a very impressive and excellent overall demo session again.

Third time

Then it was time to replace the Maxx 2s by Avantgarde Trios, and take a quick trial. The signal run through the Audio Aero Prestige SE CD player, Audio Research Reference 110 amplifier, Transparent Power Isolator 8 power filter and Transparent Reference balanced interconnects and speaker cables. The sound was clear, transparent, and dynamic but again different one from what the Maxx 2 and its companions proclaimed. One of the main differences was that the treble was not quite as clean and natural as with the Maxx 2 system. Also, there were some problems in the bass but the reason was that one of the Avantgarde subwoofer units was slightly defective. The overall quality of the sound was however high.

Conclusion

Three different expensive set-ups, three excellent performances. This time the Acapella Triolon setup somehow managed to make the biggest impact. The Wilson Maxx 2 system sounded convincing too but since I know the speakers rather well I didn’t quite get the same nirvana with this system. The Avantgarde Trios are dramatically less expensive than Triolons or Maxx 2s, and somehow that could be heard too but the system no doubt had its virtues and the differences were much more modest than could be imagined from the price difference only. So only one conclusion is justified: all of these three set-ups represented the absolute reference class.