Which speaker will you choose?

[lwt11137]

Intend to change speaker to Sonus Faber Amati Futura (Used), Wharfedale Elysian 4 or Polk Audio Legend L800, can anyone input your previous advise for me to consider. Thanks
My existing setup:
Denafrips Hestia Preamp
Emotiva XPA 1 mono block
Musician Pegasus Dac
Musician Leo DDC
SMSL DP5
Jmlab focal 1027BE
LHY network switch
Synology NAS
Marantz SA15S2 (Ultimate upgraded by James Soh)

 

[yapks]

While I’m no expert, I really enjoy seeing more hi-fi discussions like this on the forum. Since you mentioned replacing your JMLab Focal, I get the sense you might be looking for something with a warmer sound. Of the three speakers you listed, the Amati Futura stands out to me—mostly for its aesthetics, I’ll admit. Just tossing in my early impressions while we wait for the more seasoned voices to weigh in!

 

[Fedorov]

How do you find the R2R DAC?
I am not sure whether mating R2R with that Sonus Faber model will be to your liking?
Sorry I long time never listen to Sonus Faber already.

 

[lwt11137]

ok r2r is a total different from conventional dac, it focuses more on separation, transparent and layering. It less emotional and musical this my thoughts.
Btw Anyone have experience with this Arendal 1528 tower seem like quite value for money.

 

[wwenze]

ok r2r is a total different from conventional dac, it focuses more on separation, transparent and layering. It less emotional and musical this my thoughts.
Btw Anyone have experience with this Arendal 1528 tower seem like quite value for money.

R-2R _is_ the conventional DAC... This document from Renesas titled "Basic DACs for Electronic Engineers" uses R-2R to explain DAC operation from the ground up.

It's the delta-sigma DACs that are more complicated, and these get used in applications that require lower distortion.

 

[yves]

Focal and Sonus Faber is very different-sounding. Armati Futura belongs to the earlier SF speakers, which is toward the warm laid-back type of sound. It is smooth on the top end, but not extended, while the low frequency is quite slow IMO. Very typical sound for SF speakers in that era, Futura was released in 2012 or 13, so you have to watch out for the torn or cracked leather, which is very common with SF speakers.

 

[8-lane]

While I’m no expert, I really enjoy seeing more hi-fi discussions like this on the forum. Since you mentioned replacing your JMLab Focal, I get the sense you might be looking for something with a warmer sound. Of the three speakers you listed, the Amati Futura stands out to me—mostly for its aesthetics, I’ll admit. Just tossing in my early impressions while we wait for the more seasoned voices to weigh in!

Yea man... now not like last time when discussions about hifi and audio equipment were fervent... dunno whether one day it will be that way again...

 

[wwenze]

Yea man... now not like last time when discussions about hifi and audio equipment were fervent... dunno whether one day it will be that way again...

A few loud noises scared the civilized people away. Visitor traffic left when there is no real content. The trolls with no more food to feed on leave for another target. Some of them reached ASR but got angry at the resistance.

 

[8-lane]

A few loud noises scared the civilized people away. Visitor traffic left when there is no real content. The trolls with no more food to feed on leave for another target. Some of them reached ASR but got angry at the resistance.

But outside of HWZ forum also the same thing... all those local/regional hifi and audio forums like dieded long ago... is it like hifi and audio stuff getting boring/stale alrd? But in ang moh countries... the interest is still big there leh... judging by websites and Youtube reviewers dedicated to such stuff...

 

[wwenze]

But outside of HWZ forum also the same thing... all those local/regional hifi and audio forums like dieded long ago... is it like hifi and audio stuff getting boring/stale alrd? But in ang moh countries... the interest is still big there leh... judging by websites and Youtube reviewers dedicated to such stuff...

ASR certainly is growing... many <1year old accounts making a lot of noise recently.

Maybe newer gens are getting smarter and people rich from old-money no longer have money

Audio is getting more real and useful advancements quickly. Value-for-money improvements mean good sound can be had way cheaper. There should be lots of discussion and certainly so in other forums. Nobody cares about how good your headphone cable is when a $50 Galaxy Buds FE gets you Harman target and ANC.

Hardwarezone is still crawling but surviving due to the occasional actual content involving actual products and use. It's still a tech forum after all.

 

[yves]

ASR certainly is growing... many <1year old accounts making a lot of noise recently.

Maybe newer gens are getting smarter and people rich from old-money no longer have money

Audio is getting more real and useful advancements quickly. Value-for-money improvements mean good sound can be had way cheaper. There should be lots of discussion and certainly so in other forums. Nobody cares about how good your headphone cable is when a $50 Galaxy Buds FE gets you Harman target and ANC.

Hardwarezone is still crawling but surviving due to the occasional actual content involving actual products and use. It's still a tech forum after all.

HiFi is now a niche market, just look at those audioshow in Singapore you can see the group of visitor are all 40+ above with majority in their 50 to 60s. Those Aldephi shop are surviving with those few deep pocket customer and the new generation are not keen in wasting space and money on equipement. Just look at the new equipment price nowadays, it so absurd now.

 

[wwenze]

HiFi is now a niche market, just look at those audioshow in Singapore you can see the group of visitor are all 40+ above with majority in their 50 to 60s. Those Aldephi shop are surviving with those few deep pocket customer and the new generation are not keen in wasting space and money on equipement. Just look at the new equipment price nowadays, it so absurd now.

You mentioned a few key points. Connect the dots.

 

[8-lane]

HiFi is now a niche market, just look at those audioshow in Singapore you can see the group of visitor are all 40+ above with majority in their 50 to 60s. Those Aldephi shop are surviving with those few deep pocket customer and the new generation are not keen in wasting space and money on equipement. Just look at the new equipment price nowadays, it so absurd now.

When u say the price of new equipment nowadays is so absurd... do u mean it is much more ex than last time... even with the value-for-money advancements we have now in sound tech?

 

[yves]

When u say the price of new equipment nowadays is so absurd... do u mean it is much more ex than last time... even with the value-for-money advancements we have now in audio sound tech?

Yeah it is certainly more expensive to buy gears now compares to late 90s , 2000s and even during Covid.

I am glad to change everything at peak of Covid and done with it. Just a money burning hobbies hitting 6 digits easily.

 

[8-lane]

Yeah it is certainly more expensive to buy gears now compares to late 90s , 2000s and even during Covid.

I am glad to change everything at peak of Covid and done with it. Just a money burning hobbies hitting 6 digits easily.

Hmmm but hasn't the value-for-money sound tech advancements in recent times caused hifi and audio to be more affordable nowadays? For eg with the advent of powered speaker systems... we are saving so much more compared to last time when we had to buy separates to achieve the same results (but I know for some ppl and under certain circumstances, getting separates is still the way to go)...

 

[yapks]

High-end products from traditional hi-fi brands—where they still exist and maintain loyal followings—are becoming increasingly inaccessible to the average consumer due to ever-rising prices. Fortunately, Chi-fi companies are stepping in to fill the gap, offering affordable yet high-quality DACs and streamers that appeal to the mainstream market.

 

[douce]

High-end products from traditional hi-fi brands—where they still exist and maintain loyal followings—are becoming increasingly inaccessible to the average consumer due to ever-rising prices. Fortunately, Chi-fi companies are stepping in to fill the gap, offering affordable yet high-quality DACs and streamers that appeal to the mainstream market.

A bit off topic: Have you had any luck finding some Chi-fi dac that can beat the highend stuff?

I find Chi-Fi DAC to be not bad, but it hasn't reached the refinement of the high-end stuff from MSB, EMM, DCS, etc. I dont mind dumping my expensive DAC and go for the cheap if the ChiFi offering is close.

 

[dreamaurora]

Hmmm but hasn't the value-for-money sound tech advancements in recent times caused hifi and audio to be more affordable nowadays? For eg with the advent of powered speaker systems... we are saving so much more compared to last time when we had to buy separates to achieve the same results (but I know for some ppl and under certain circumstances, getting separates is still the way to go)...

I do agree that you can get much better quality nowadays for not a lot of money compared to in the past. For example newcomer audiophiles can get a pair of all-in-one Triangle BR02 Connect for less than $400.

The main issue is the visibility and marketing. Walk into Challenger, Best Denki, and Courts and all you see are soundbars, IEMs, and bluetooth speakers. If only local distributors bother to put some demo sets.

 

[8-lane]

High-end products from traditional hi-fi brands—where they still exist and maintain loyal followings—are becoming increasingly inaccessible to the average consumer due to ever-rising prices. Fortunately, Chi-fi companies are stepping in to fill the gap, offering affordable yet high-quality DACs and streamers that appeal to the mainstream market.

I think it's not just for DACs and streamers that Chinese hifi and audio makers have made a mark in the market... Edifier and Swans have also produced quite good hifi audio equipment like powered speaker systems but I think quality issues still exist for them or at least for Swans...

 

[yapks]

You're absolutely right. Products made or assembled in China offer affordability. Hopefully, these manufacturers can survive the tariff-driven trade war.

I think it's not just for DACs and streamers that Chinese hifi and audio makers have made a mark in the market... Edifier and Swans have also produced quite good hifi audio equipment like powered speaker systems but I think quality issues still exist for them or at least for Swans...