Thread: My Avantgarde Duo XD - simply incredible....

Congratulations on the Pacific LampizatOr. That’s going to be awesome.

I would love to get my hands on the CARY 2A3 amps. I’ve heard them and love them.

Originally Posted by Paul

Destination speakers Joe ?

Absolutely! Without a doubt.

Congrats on your wonderful speakers, Joe. They look awesome! Get a nice SET amp and your set.

Originally Posted by jbtrio

Congrats on your wonderful speakers, Joe. They look awesome! Get a nice SET amp and your set.

Thank you very much. I have a few things that I am thinking about trying. This will be fun!

If you just need someplace to send them, put me on the list

Originally Posted by Justin

I simply do not understand the fascination with AG and solid state. Have heard them a few times with SS and these speakers are made for tubes.

Someone take my Uno XD’s off my hands so I can get Duos!


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Originally Posted by bzr

p.s. how come you let Mike take the pics ....

They’re not crooked. Time to replace my Polaroid?



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Ha!

Big congrats Joe. Any new challenges as far as room placement or room treatment to help these speakers excel compared to traditonal box speakers you have had in the past as I recall your space is not huge? I appreciate the vocal nuance you are hearing but any type of music that they dont excel at? rock? cLASSICAL? pOLKA ETC. Enjoy Enjoy your latest toy. They look beautiful.

Originally Posted by La Dolce Vita

Congrats Joe...and my favorite color to boot!!


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Thank you so much Andy.

Originally Posted by veindoc

Big congrats Joe. Any new challenges as far as room placement or room treatment to help these speakers excel compared to traditional box speakers you have had in the past as I recall your space is not huge? I appreciate the vocal nuance you are hearing but any type of music that they don't excel at? rock? classical? polka ETC. Enjoy Enjoy your latest toy. They look beautiful.

Thank you! I understand that room placement can be a little easier because the horns interact less with the room. Obviously, bass needs to be tweaked and is wonderfully powerful. Jim Smith and Mike can be of more guidance on setup. I am still learning but smiling all the way.

One thing that I will say is that they don't sugar coat poor recordings. SET and/or sweeter amps help, but don't eliminate bad recordings.

Originally Posted by pdub

Wow. So "Wow" you made me use my first emoji. Congrats and enjoy!

Awesome! these are absolutely wonderful.

Congrats Joe !

Stellar indeed.

Originally Posted by Etunes

Congrats Joe !

Stellar indeed.

Thank you. I still can't believe it.

Joe - Am just catching up on all this. I am very happy for you!

Originally Posted by AJR

Joe - Am just catching up on all this. I am very happy for you!

It has been a bit of a whorl wind for me. I was up until 4 or 5 am listening, completely unaware of the time until I finally passed out.

Originally Posted by joeinid

It has been a bit of a whorl wind for me. I was up until 4 or 5 am listening, completely unaware of the time until I finally passed out.

I’m with you Joe. It’s been 2 and half months now and I still can’t believe how wonderful sound they produce. Yes they are very picky in terms of matching gear and cable for that matter but once you have right set up it’s truly the best. Is there any better speakers out there ? For sure,but for me this is it. Hmmm second thought maybe the Trio with 4 bass stacks

I know everyone likes something different and speakers are no exception.

I am just trying to further some discussion, nothing more.

I am in complete awe of what my Duo XD are doing. They seemed to have settled down and I seemed to have calmed down.

Wall to wall music. Kind of like filling a balloon with air, the music just fills the room - even to my extreme left and right and almost behind me. Nothing is aggressive, nothing is forward. Music appears and disappears instantly in front of you. It's uncanny.

Vocals are to die for and bass, of course, with 2 powered 12" woofers per side with 1000wpc command the room.

Destination? OMG YES!

Ha!

Thank you Bob. I do appreciate the kind words.

I've had speakers in the past that were forward or a little intense in the treble for me. These are nothing like that. There's no boxy feel to them. Just a dynamic freeing of the music that's unmistakable.

I love the fact that megawatt amps need not apply. Sweet flea watt amps do the trick! I hope more people just take a listen to them.

Originally Posted by joeinid

I hope more people just take a listen to them.

Be sure to bring the cheque with you

Originally Posted by pdub

Which cables are you using, Joe? “Wall to wall” “ fills the room” reminds me of when Mike sent me his Siltech Prince speaker and 770 rca’s, with the Uno’s in a 14x19 room.
Parker

Ah, the big guns for cables.

I have Cardas Clear (one step below top?) for the preamp to amp and Siltech 770i for my Bricasti dac. Seems to work very well. For speaker cables, I’m using Avanti Audio from Mike Chadwell here on the forum.

Im using Shunyata with mine and they are awesome!!!!!!

Congrats Joe !
I did not come here for some time and when I come back I see so many members with Avant Garde speakers, I can hardly believe it ! Including Mr. Harbeth ( Paul ) in person !
Compared to conventional speakers,
High Eff speakers bring "life" to music.
I can still listen to some mid efficiency speakers in some of my systems ( Rega RS10, Falcons LS3/5a, ProAc Super Tablette) but both of my main systems use only high efficiency speakers ( Altec and Audio Note ) and it will stay that way.


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Originally Posted by Jerome W

Congrats Joe !
I did not come here for some time and when I come back I see so many members with Avant Garde speakers, I can hardly believe it ! Including Mr. Harbeth ( Paul ) in person !
Compared to conventional speakers,
High Eff speakers bring "life" to music.
I can still listen to some mid efficiency speakers in some of my systems ( Rega RS10, Falcons LS3/5a, ProAc Super Tablette) but both of my main systems use only high efficiency speakers ( Altec and Audio Note ) and it will stay that way.


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Thank you so much Jerome.

I still cannot believe what a wonderful difference the Duo speakers do to the music. I’m losing sleep like everyone else but I’m so happy now.

Mr. Harbeth is on life support. The world is going crazy.

Originally Posted by pdub

These were not keepers (though I should have, considering how many rabbit holes I’ve been down since). Threw me for a loop when Mike declared Shunyata (looks like Jock seconds that emotion) superior for AG in his room/system and Justin reacted kinda Meh to the same loaners in his room/system.

Ears are weird.

Parker

It’s funny, I didn’t think to ask about cables. Don’t make me crazy now. I was blissfully unaware, now I might have to experiment

My Duo are stunning.

Joe, do these take what you love about your JBL 4367’s to the extreme, or are they fundamentally different in their presentation?


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Originally Posted by nile49

Joe, do these take what you love about your JBL 4367’s to the extreme, or are they fundamentally different in their presentation?


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It’s everything great about the 4367 and more but fundamentally a little different. The 4367 are amazing in their own right but sill had a bit of a boxy sound. The horn on it doesn’t spread like my Duo and don’t feel like they are as fast as my Duo as well.

Bass on 4367 is not as fast and tight. I could easily live with the 4367 but not with the Duo, it’s a little bit of step back. The soundstage is taller, bigger, wider and so right there. Also sweeter and more natural I think because of the magnet structure in the Duo. There’s more clarity as well, maybe because of the horn structure. The Duo are in no way forward or aggressive. Quite the opposite. The Duo are so dynamic. It’s easy to add or subtract bass because of the DSP control.

Originally Posted by pdub

Didn’t mean to be a buzzkill. Saw your description of the effect of the music in your room, saw Siltech in your sig, and thought your experience might have mirrored mine. I will add that I strongly suspect that the internal wiring of my integrated may share some Siltech DNA, which may explain why the cable demo had such a profound effect in my system.
Parker

No buzzkil. Actually I’m using a siltech 550i between amp and pre and cardas clear to my dac. I do need and want to experiment once I sell some other speakers and build up some cash. Don’t laugh but for a while I was using a Bluejean LC-1 rca and liked it. I had forgotten that it was in between amp and pre for a while. I guess expectation bias is real

So you love Shunyata? I’m going to have to try it. I’m reading Audience SX is supposed to be great for Avantgarde. I think speaker cables not sure about interconnects.

Originally Posted by Justin

I love Kubala Sosna power cables (Realization) and interconnects throughout. Yes, it seems we all have different preferences with cables. I had a clear preference after trying out a bunch. It wasn’t close for me.


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I’ve always heard great things about Kubala cables. Never tried them but want to.

Thanks for the info Joe! I really enjoy reading about your experiences as you seem so open to gear of all types regardless of the cost, technology, brand, etc. and focus primarily on the enjoyment/satisfaction factor.

And just a clarification on the quote below, do you mean that you could have lived with the 4367 but not now that you have the Duo’s?

Originally Posted by joeinid

Bass on 4367 is not as fast and tight. I could easily live with the 4367 but not with the Duo, it’s a little bit of step back.

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Yes on that quote. I hate to say it but the Duo are so much more.

The night before last I was playing some New Age music stream and in one song, there was a woman whispering. I swear she sounded like she was right next to me in my ear. Oh my goodness what a strange and wonderful feeling. No other speakers gave me anything remotely close.

Originally Posted by joeinid

Yes on that quote. I hate to say it but the Duo are so much more.

The night before last I was playing some New Age music stream and in one song, there was a woman whispering. I swear she sounded like she was right next to me in my ear. Oh my goodness what a strange and wonderful feeling. No other speakers gave me anything remotely close.

That’s awesome!


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Originally Posted by nile49

That’s awesome!


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Thank you so much for your kind words before. I really appreciate it. I think I’ve reached a point with my Duos that I cannot exceed. I need to work around the edges with cables and maybe a new/different preamp.

What I’m hearing now is so profoundly better that I never knew it was possible. I use music as an escape and a way to wind down after work. When I’m home, I almost always have music playing whether streaming or better. I am forever grateful for what I’ve been able to finally assemble. These speakers are like a drug. But without any bad side effects.

Once you get used to with horn sound you just can’t hear the cone and dome speakers anymore they all sound compressed. That box sound is so noticeable. Well... it’s too late now ...

Originally Posted by joeinid

Thank you so much Jerome.


Mr. Harbeth is on life support. The world is going crazy.

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Originally Posted by Paul

Once you get used to with horn sound you just can’t hear the cone and dome speakers anymore they all sound compressed. That box sound is so noticeable. Well... it’s too late now ...

Hi Paul,

The beauty of Harbeth speakers lies in the supreme naturalness of vocals as you know. In this field imho they just have no competitor. But music is not only about vocals. And for the whole of the performance, well made high efficiency speakers give a much better result imho than other designs.
That's why high eff speakers are so popular in Japan while they have often small living rooms which is somehow contradictory.
They use big horn speakers, from Altec, JBL, Avant Garde and so on... they are extremely sensitive to the "real life sound".


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i know sweet set tubes make them shine. Any success with your class A pass amps with AG?

Originally Posted by Jerome W

Hi Paul,

The beauty of Harbeth speakers lies in the supreme naturalness of vocals as you know. In this field imho they just have no competitor. But music is not only about vocals. And for the whole of the performance, well made high efficiency speakers give a much better result imho than other designs.
That's why high eff speakers are so popular in Japan while they have often small living rooms which is somehow contradictory.
They use big horn speakers, from Altec, JBL, Avant Garde and so on... they are extremely sensitive to the "real life sound".


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Yes, the Harbeth vocal is hard to beat but I call its a superb voical that mixed with MSG ( if you know what I mean )

Look at this man with his AG in a small room

Keep in mind Joe when comparing bass of Duo vs 4367, one is passive and the other powered. The passive would be subject to the amp used.

I have to say your enthusiasm is enough to make us all lust for AG, LOL It would be cool to have four 12's in my room and if the compression driver is better, so much the more.

What does the DSP do, is there a microphone or some way the speaker compensates for the room?