They're here and they're MINE, Bwaahaahaa! (Delta/Gammas)

slimpikkins said:

Wow, thanks for the pics and story. That's a lot of gear in little real estate, they most do well to be able to support that much merchandise. If funds were limitless thats how my basement would look
Jim

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Yup his Infinity's look nice and there sure is no shortage of big amps in there. I think I am drawn to those big speakers right next to his Infinity's.

Congratulations Arkay!

I've run my Delta/Gamma's with both the PC5002M (pro audio version of the 101M) and the MX-10000. I'm currently running them bi-wired using the MX-10000.

What preamp will you be using?

slimpikkins said:

Wow, thanks for the pics and story. That's a lot of gear in little real estate, they most do well to be able to support that much merchandise. If funds were limitless thats how my basement would look
Jim

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I don't know quite how some of these guys do it, either. They may well be laundering triad money or something, in which case the actual prices don't matter, as long as they're profitable. Crime pays, really, really well! (I'm only half kidding here; none of the guys at the shop itself live like rich people; in fact, I think one of them actually lives in the back room behind the speakers, with his wife and two dogs! Seems more like a labor of love for them.)

Mark B said:

Congratulations Arkay!

I've run my Delta/Gamma's with both the PC5002M (pro audio version of the 101M) and the MX-10000. I'm currently running them bi-wired using the MX-10000.

What preamp will you be using?

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I'll be using my Elliott Audio Sciences & Engineering (EASE) Magnum Opus One for a preamp. It's the Counterpoint-made monstrosity that sounds better than any other pre-amp I've ever heard. Over 200 watts/channel of headroom in a hybrid design with huge tubed power supplies (three boxes). Sources will include the GT-2000 and GT-CD1 and Nakamichi ZX-9, plus (eventually) a dedicated computer-based server.

I'll probably be driving the top ends with a pair of upgraded Counterpoint NPS-200E amps, one per channel in bridged mode. Very nice-sounding hybrid amps.

It's the bass end I'm undecided on. Of course, I can put the 101M on it, sit back and revel in the abundance of power. BUT there is also the MX-10000 sitting in that same shop, tempting me. That's what I was PM-ing you about, to ask about its sound vis-a-vis the 101M (/PC5002M). That was before the Delta/Gammas were there, and mine. Now that I'm leaving the speakers in the shop for a week or two, I'll have a chance to audition it with both amps (and other good and rare amps), for myself.

But I would still very much appreciate any comments you have on the MX-10000, either here (so everyone can benefit from your experiences) or via PM or email (if there is anything you don't want to post here).

Ken Boyd said:

Yup his Infinity's look nice and there sure is no shortage of big amps in there. I think I am drawn to those big speakers right next to his Infinity's.

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If you mean the really big ones sort of behind the Delta/Gammas, those are Duntech Sovereigns, whose maker claims are the most accurate speakers ever made. I'm not sure about such claims, but they really do sound very, very good, among the best I've ever heard. Quite different from the Delta/Gammas, but equally excellent in their own ways. Both of these speakers are world-class, and significantly better than some of the ultra-expensive "exotics" out there today.

I had an interesting conversation with the guy in the shop (their owner); be both agreed that both of these speakers are among the very, very few that do just about everything extremely well. Most speakers are lacking somewhere, either rolled off on top or (most commonly) deficient in bass, or lacking detail, etc... A lot of speakers are good for classical and jazz but NOT rock, or vice-versa, etc... but these do everything quite well. The Delta/Gammas were a surprise for the other guys in the shop; they didn't realize just how good they were, and never expected them to give the Sovereigns competition (but they do!). He is happy with his sovereigns and I'm happy with my Delta/Gammas, but neither of us would be too unhappy to be stuck with the others' speakers! Incidentally, the Sovereigns cost about 3x as much as the Delta/Gammas, and the pair in the pics is emphatically NOT for sale.

Sounds like you have a good handle on the gear to make those Infinity's sound their best.

I thought they just bent gravity

I bi-amping the Delta/Gammas (both passively and actively), but found it to be less satisfying than using a single stereo amp (or single monoblock per channel).

I spent quite a while comparing the PC5002M and the MX-10000 on the Delta/Gammas. As much as I like the PC5002M, I preferred every aspect of the MX-10000. Better bass control, imaging, and soundstage. It really separated itself.

Mark B said:

As much as I like the PC5002M, I preferred every aspect of the MX-10000. Better bass control, imaging, and soundstage. It really separated itself.

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that's saying something! not enough MX-10000's to go around, unfortunately...

Mark B said:

I bi-amping the Delta/Gammas (both passively and actively), but found it to be less satisfying than using a single stereo amp (or single monoblock per channel).

I spent quite a while comparing the PC5002M and the MX-10000 on the Delta/Gammas. As much as I like the PC5002M, I preferred every aspect of the MX-10000. Better bass control, imaging, and soundstage. It really separated itself.

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THANKS for that info. I'll be hearing both for myself, before making any final decision, but I was sort of secretly hoping that would be the answer. I think the MX-10000 looks a little nicer, fits a little better in a rack, and has higher WAF. If it also sounds better, then I'll probably be getting and using it. I'll experiment before deciding whether to bi-amp or not. I'd hate to see the pretty-looking and good-sounding Counterpoints become idle because the single MX-10000 sounded better driving the speakers full-range, but sound quality trumps all. I could easily imagine the tube/hybrid amps being just a tiny fraction of a second slower than the SS amp, and thus the combination being less than just the one amp, but I'll try it both ways and let my ears decide. Time will tell.

Arkay said:

but I'll try it both ways and let my ears decide. Time will tell.

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That is the best way to decide.

Will you have an opportunity to audition the MX-10000 in your listening room?

Mark B said:

That is the best way to decide.

Will you have an opportunity to audition the MX-10000 in your listening room?

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No, not in my own listening room (unless/until I buy the amp first! ). BUT I will be able to audition it in the shop, along with the 101M and a variety of other big, high-current amps. Source, pre, cables, environment, etc.... will remain unchanged, so while it won't tell me exactly how it will sound in my room, at least it will give me relative impressions of how the amps vary in relation to each other.

I won't be able to try it with my pre-amp, though, nor bi-amped with the amps I would use on top (IF I decide to bi-amp; I still might run the speakers with just one amp.) Also, I probably won't be getting any new amps for at least a month or two. I need to "digest" the Gamma purchase (and a few others) financially, first!

Mark, just out of curiosity, are you still using the Epsilon servo-control box with your Delta/Gammas, or did you get an IRS box? If you're using the Epsilon box, how did that work out?

(I still need to find one box myself, the one for the RS 2.5s, although getting the Gammas has made that a bit less important. )

What an amazing store. That's pretty much my idea of what heaven looks like. How about a pic of them in your system? Great speakers and a great story. Thanks.

Congrats on the Delta/Gammas, :thmbsp: yes you have reason to

I really mis the Betas I had for a short time ... That wall of sound is incredible ... !!!

John M

I'm starting to have weird hallucinationatory dreams of (well, that sounds better than "I'm daydreaming about" ) a home theater set-up with Betas in front, Gammas in the rear, and Modulus speakers as sides and high/fill speakers. I could conceivably have such a set-up, including a room big enough to set it up in (one end of a commercial warehouse space), next year. Not sure yet, though.

That comes on top of recently obtaining my fifth Kappa Video center speaker, to go with the RS 2.5 fronts and Kappa 8 rears. Still looking for SSW-10/12 subs to complement those, and another Kappa Video Center (to complete the "height" speakers) but the Watkins woofers in the fronts and rears make the subs a luxury, not a necessity.

Two such vintage Infinity surround systems would make an interesting comparison, although I think I know already which one would come out on top. But that one could take years to complete, as Modulus speakers (and especially the subs and their servo boxes) don't grow on trees.

This Infinity thing could get a little out of hand, especially since half the movies I'm most likely to watch come from the pre-Dolby B/W era, and most of the rest are on Laserdiscs with at best 5.1 soundtracks, and I'm basically satisfied with 2-channel sound nearly all the time. But a great sound system might help make up for the plot deficiencies and boring overdone special effects of many modern movies on Blu-ray. Somehow back when I had a "good" (for it's day) HT set-up, it didn't use matched Infinities, and I've always wanted to hear what such set-ups could sound like. Maybe one day soon, I will?!

Nice idea, I don't want to jack your thread but Matching infinitys for ht is the same path I'm on and dreamed of, Ive got 3 kappa video series for centre and two surrounds and two deltas waiting in customs. Driving me crazy waiting! I also looked at a ssw-12 on eBay but passed as it's not a servo sub. Think I regret that. I'm not sure how best to run the deltas for music and tie in the kappa videos and deltas for Ht. I have a audio research sp15 pre amp and aragon 4004 for stereo with deltas and use a marantz 5008 to power the kappas, I'm hoping it's not bad to preamp out of the marantz 5008 left and right HT into the audio research so I can use the deltas for left and right HT use the aragon. I definitely do not have any more room dedicated left and right ht, besides it already looks like I've found where the extra kappas have been disappearing too arkay. ha ha. All the bits should be here in next two days, will let you know how mine goes.

Glad I saw this post tonight as I finally heard my Infinity RSIIs tonight . Since I am a novice at this game compared to many of you I am proud to say the following ! Surely your instincts played a heavy part in your receiving the speakers but since you've reached out and helped so many like you did for me I believe it was good old Karma coming round ! And after listening to my infinitys thru a Hafler DH-500 for the first time I now am closer to understanding the joy ! Thanks so much ARKAY for your honest help in the past and enjoy more good Karma to come !

Wow. Think I will say it again louder. WOW.
Congrats to you Arkay. So glad you finally have your dream speakers.(for now that is)
They look awesome and if they sound half as good as they look then all I can say is..... well you know.
You have been given the chance that many of us will never get. That is to play with some of the worlds greatest gear.
Top notch Sir. Top Notch. :thmbsp:

I should have known I'd need a bib when I started reading this thread! LOL! What a great thing to happen for you getting those speakers after waiting so long! So many treasures there to look and listen to, what a fun dilemma you'll have putting it all together. Thanks for sharing! Enjoy!

Now to change out of this shirt soaked with drool...

Seems to be a lot of necromancers around AK lately.

Rk - ak = l8lee.