New Linn MajikDS or second hand Akurate DS

acalex wrote:

Neuphonix wrote:

acalex wrote:

Neuphonix wrote:

Paulq wrote:

CnoEvil wrote:

 It's hard to believe until you hear it, but the DSssssss just get better and better as you go up the line. Cno

 

Will you stop it I only just got my MDSM.  I now fully understand why you have 'Evil' in your name.  

 

I reckon he must be on some sort of profit share arrangement!

Arghhhhhhhhhh now I also want the Akurate!!!!! 

How would I ever buy the house if I keep spending on hifi?!? 

Would you go for a "simple" Akurate DS/1 or an Akurate DSM?

 

 

For me the DS, it will be a music source only, I don't think that I will need all the inputs or the amplifier section.

We have just bought expensive new amps, why would we need another one?

Just look at it this way, the money you save on the buying DS only instead of DSM can go towards your new speakers!!! >)

 

Ok..just hurt me now...how much would a new Akurate DS/1 be? Any opportunity to find a second hand/ex-demo or it is still to early?

Hi Alex,

they said that new was $8k australian / about $6.8k euro full retail. I always shop with a minimum 10% discount before I even get started with the haggling.

The trade in is going at $6k Australian / $5.1k euro. They are getting two in & one has already sold!

There is a Klimax renew being sold in the UK :

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/120961107118?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid...

Having recently had the demo of the Sneaky DS (with my Quads and the 109's) and a brief listen to the MajikDSM with the 109's before that. the Akurate must be something else going on what has been said, I couldnt really fault either Sneaky or Majik. I'm glad you got there in the end, unless you have changed your mind in the last few days that is!

As a matter of interest, in percentage terms, how close to the performance of the Majik DSM, did you feel the Sneaky got....eg. Did it achieve 65%?

Hi Cno,

Thats hard for me to say as I listened to the MDSM a few days before, just to wet my appetite. It was set up when I first went in to get a demo arranged for the Sneaky. What I can say was that the Sneaky gave me the same feeling as when I heard the MDSM. I have kind of pushed the MDSM a bit to the back of my mind as its way above my budget any time soon. Next time I go in I will ask if I can compare as the MDSM with 109's is a fixed demo system he has. If I do I will report back.

I demo'd the Sneaky v's the Simpleaudio (with internal amp). The Sneaky sound and user interface much more to my liking. For 20 watts you can push it to pretty high volumes with it still controlling things very well, much more than I thought possible, even with my Quads, which worked very well with the Sneaky. This was much to the surprise of the guy at Stoneaudio, we both agreed that they were not much behind the 109's. I am sure as I add a Linn integrated or power amp this will change, but for starters it will be a nice set up. 

Out of interest Steve, how would you rate your Onkyo amp compared to the Linn Sneaky? The Onkyo gets really highly rated around these parts, and gets compared to much more expensive amps, so it is interesting to me that you like the Sneaky so much.

Gregvet, thats also hard in terms of sound quality as I have not heard the Sneaky at home yet. The Onkyo was really to see how much I used streaming and internet vs cd and like you said there was some buzz around it on forums. I have ended up only using my Mac via optical to the Onkyo, so that has lead me to getting a good streamer (to remove the cables) and moving to a brand/sound I can stay with. The user interface for the Linn is first class, although the Onkyo is very good for the money. I have been deciding which direction to go in - this needs to be family friendly as well. I/we have just have not used the internet capabilities as much as I thought, not at all in fact.

At a push i think its the vocals where I think the Linn is better, more realism and emotion - this is something that is important to me. I am buying into Linn as I just loved the sound and ease of use, it did all I need very well. I can then add integrated/power amp if needed going forward.

If interested, this was the Linn Activ set up I mentioned that I had heard in pervious post, even on the boxes it sounded amazing! http://www.stoneaudio.co.uk/news/?id=the-best-in-wall-speakers-we-have-ever-heard

Any news Michael? which did you get?

Hi Steve,

I'm pretty much decided on a new Akurate DS-1. I know that this wasn't a part of my original post but after I did a side by side with the Majik DS it was pretty much a done deal.  If I hadn't listened to the Akurate I'd say I would have been happy enough with the Majik but it sounded a bit flat & veiled in comparison.

There was this one track in particular that had hand bells in it which really showed the difference. With the Akurate it was almost as is you could diferentiate each separate little bell. I realise that this might be a little too revealing at times but I would think that it will be a good match for the AMS35i, it should add a certain warmth I'm hoping.

It certainly wasn't in my original budget range, but the dealer has a demo which he is able to do for a good price. A big step up, but I'm hoping it's going to be one of those purchases that gives me many contented smiles for years to come. I can't see myself looking back in 2-3 years wishing that I'd saved the money. Also my recent teething problems with my amp make me feel much more comfortable buying from a dealer rather than second hand. There probably wouldn't be an issue, but for this sort of outlay i'd prefer to pay extra for the peace of mind.

Glad to hear things went well with the sneaky, I didn't listen to it, but I'd say from the reviews I've read that it will be a worthy addition.

IMO You are in for a real treat, once it's installed in your system.....the sound should be truly stunning when combined with the 35i/Diablos, and this you deserve after what you've been through.

Look forward to your review....and I'm starting to turn a deep shade of green as we speak!

Cno

Hi Cno,

I think that it's going to work out as you had previously mentioned. The differences when played side by side seem obvious, but when installed alone in my system it is not as apparent. You live with it, get used to the sound quality, but it seems perhaps more subtle. Just every now & then you have those moments in the music that bring a smile & make you realise how good it is.

I hope to put a deposit down tomorrow, but it might take a few weeks before it lands in my loungeroom.

Off topic for a moment, we had a discussion over on Roby's thread about the merits of having the AMS linked to the HT amp to run the front channels. This is working fine for me, no real dramas with volume control etc. However I have been thinking more & more of disconnecting it & using for music only.

I would probably run a second cheaper set of speaker cables from my RX-Z7 to the fronts & when I want to listen to music unplug them & connect the AMS. It's probably not quite as wife friendly but I like the thought of not having to turn the AMS on every time I use my system & the simplicity of Linn/AMS only for music. Less power consumption, less wear on the AMS. There is the possiblity of a speaker switch box but I would have some reservations about introducing another junction in the speaker cabling & it's effect on SQ.

Any thoughts? I seem to remember that you mentioned you do have the AMS/Arcam connected, but for TV you often don't turn the AMS on, centre only?

I gave some thoughts to Alex as well here: http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/connecting-two-amps-at-the-same-spea...

I would also have worries about the effect that a switch box might have.

Your memory serves you well.....I often use just the centre + rear surrounds, especially for stuff that isn't 5.1. This works for me, but I appreciate that it mightn't be for everyone.

IMO this is the AMS's biggest (only?) failing, and the reason why I couldnt have one as part of my main system. No HT bypass option.

Shame really, as Cno has almost convinced me in every other area 

Thanks mate, another interesting thread to follow.

The AMS has been noticeably quieter since it came back. I guess the tech opening it up for repairs & then screwing it back together by hand has alleviated some of the crackling sounds caused by over tightening.

I might be accused of being overly cautious but I still have some slight reservations using it more than is necessary. The dealer was advocating using it as much as possible, saying that it would improve noticeably with use.

I find for TV that the centre is more than enough, even for stuff which is labelled as 5.1 almost nothing comes out of the fronts anyway. And for alot of TV which is dialog heavy having srround is completely unecessary (for me). Obviously properly encoded DVD/Bluray is another matter entirely.

In terms of having the AMS hooked up to the pre-outs of the HT processor but leaving it turned off, do you see any problem with the HT still trying to send signal to the AMS? ie. an electrical current is being sent but not used. Could this pose any issues to the AMS?

Something to play around with when the Akurate arrives. The more I think about it though the more appealing I find the idea of a separate music/HT set-up. The simplicity of source/amp/speaker for music without having anything else connected (even if turned off). In some ways its more wife friendly & in others not.

After my incident I have been looking at trying to minimise the number of devices rather than keep adding, but its hard......

Hi Greg,

I went through the same process myself, HT was a must have. I even went so far as to take home an M6-500i even though I knew it didn't sound as good as the AMS. The HT worked really well but I knew in the back of my head it didn't sound as good, powerful but cold.

So I borrowed an AMS to do a side by side at home & to be honest with you the volume thing was a much bigger deal in my head than it turned out to be in a practical terms. MORE than balanced out by the increase in SQ. It did take a bit of wife training however.

You're right though, I thought that most companies would adopt a trickle down process where every unit as you move up the chain has all the features of those below & then some. I guess they're looking at it fom a purist audio POV.

To be honest with you the biggest gripe for me is the remote, it is seriously rubbish. A total waste of money IMO, the only time I have used it is to program my universal & even that it struggled with. They should have put the dollars into HT bypass circuitry!

But now I come full circle, after all the HT integration considerations I think that I will just use the Yammy for HT & keep the AMS for music! Hhhm, expensive circle.

Definitely this...I never thought using the Jadis to drive any of my spekers for different purposes than music. I do not waste energy if not necessary and do not want to reduce valves life with other than music. Plus I listen much more to music than watching TV with HT on.

I think a good AV amp now is not that expensive and could be easily put in any system. I am still considering the idea of a switch, you can find some pre-made boxes on the web which have stunning reviews, one in particular, and all the people who tried said it does not affect at all SQ.

For now the idea of having separate speakers also for music and HT is too far away...especially for the lack of space!