Any updates? How did the listening session go at Paul's?
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Got to Paul's place and he was already listening to the recently installed Shindo gear. We listened to a few songs and he commented how the dynamics and bass were lacking. I agreed but was confused as my Shindo gear sounded nothing like this. Was it that the speakers were that hard to drive, the speaker cables just not right? Something was wrong.
We then installed the Tenor amp. Listened for about a half hour and the sound was good, very good in fact. It was an enjoyable half hour.
I then asked Paul to re-install the Shindo gear to compare. I checked all the connections and while checking noticed the volume control knobs were set to nearly zero on the D'Yquem amps. Even though the Westminsters are 99db they have complicated crossovers and very stiff cones and are not the easiest to drive with an SET amp. I turned the knobs to nearly full and we started listening.
Immediately the Westminster's came to life. In the first few minutes we were both silent. Paul just looked at me and remarked, what just happened, this is amazing!
We listened to many cd's of his eclectic collection of music over the next two hours and marveled at the absolutely organic and effortless sonic presentation of the Shindo Giscours and D'Yquem's. The decay and hanging electric guitar chords of Stevie Ray Vaughn, the crisp piano of Duke Ellington and the vocals of numerous females just dominated the room. The trumpet of Wynton Marsalis was mesmerizing. Yes, this was music!
The typical audiophile descriptions really are not necessary here as the presentation is very simply 'musicality at it's best'. Many goose bump moments were had as we played song after song. This sound is intoxicating and very hard to stop your listening session. You just want to keep playing more albums to try and recreate the excitement of the notes and vocals you just heard. Like a drug.
Very detailed and exacting but in a format that is highly musical. Unlike any other type of gear I have heard. You can listen for hours at volume and never be fatigued but in the end you are completely and emotionally drained. In a good way.
We never reinstalled the Tenor amp that afternoon.
Paul, enjoy your little music paradise with Shindo and Tannoy.