Power amp for Isobariks
- Thread starter monstermoo
- Start date
cliffpatte
Speed camera anarchist
Yup, even the lowly 110 works with Big Briks (as opposed to the SARA (mini Briks))
halvis
pfm Member
The designer of the Lavardin IT amplifier used Isobariks and designed the amplifier with these in mind.
A friend had such a setup which he has just sold, I think he is already regretting it.
He used 135's to power the Isobariks prior to the Lavardin, but both him and his wife immediately noticed how real the music became with the introduction of the Lavardin.
A friend had such a setup which he has just sold, I think he is already regretting it.
He used 135's to power the Isobariks prior to the Lavardin, but both him and his wife immediately noticed how real the music became with the introduction of the Lavardin.
halvis
pfm Member
A fiction can be more entertaining.
Very true!
Nik
pfm Member
Not wanting to derail the thread but ... what happened with Lavardin? Is there an old thread I should read?
halvis
pfm Member
JezmondTutu
pfm Member
Avondales are smoother if you can find a second hand one.
However, your Caiman is really an budget dac and not sure the vol pot is brilliant - mate has one and at my suggestion he tried that route but preferred his Cyrus preamplifier.
I'm not knocking the Caiman as it's a good budget dac, but I've heard it in my system and tbh the Weiss I have now completely blows it away.
However, your Caiman is really an budget dac and not sure the vol pot is brilliant - mate has one and at my suggestion he tried that route but preferred his Cyrus preamplifier.
I'm not knocking the Caiman as it's a good budget dac, but I've heard it in my system and tbh the Weiss I have now completely blows it away.
monstermoo
Active Member
I think some may have hit the nail on the head with a better description of what I am finding here. Perhaps 'harsh' is the wrong term to use - 'bright' is probably better and it can quickly become fatiguing to listen to - depending on the track/artist/recording.
I have often wondered how much better the Caiman would be via the fixed line outs, but I'd need a preamp to try that out. What I really don't want is a huge pile of boxes in the living room!
Perhaps the problem does rest more at the front end?
p.s. Thanks for the suggestion of the Lavardin amp, but checking the for sale thread I'd say £2k is well over my budget
I have often wondered how much better the Caiman would be via the fixed line outs, but I'd need a preamp to try that out. What I really don't want is a huge pile of boxes in the living room!
Perhaps the problem does rest more at the front end?
p.s. Thanks for the suggestion of the Lavardin amp, but checking the for sale thread I'd say £2k is well over my budget
MVV
pfm Member
I think the problem rests at the back end. In the end Briks were not for me. In my room they were slow and ponderous with a coarse shrieking treble. Like you are in danger of doing I spent a fortune trying to make them work and I suspect they are not as good as people like to think they are. I now still use Isobarics but they are made by Neat. I suggest you listen to another big speaker (eg: the Ruark Crusader II -£500 to £1200 on Ebay, for example.) before you spend a penny.
JezmondTutu
pfm Member
I think some may have hit the nail on the head with a better description of what I am finding here. Perhaps 'harsh' is the wrong term to use - 'bright' is probably better and it can quickly become fatiguing to listen to - depending on the track/artist/recording.
I have often wondered how much better the Caiman would be via the fixed line outs, but I'd need a preamp to try that out. What I really don't want is a huge pile of boxes in the living room!
Perhaps the problem does rest more at the front end?
p.s. Thanks for the suggestion of the Lavardin amp, but checking the for sale thread I'd say £2k is well over my budget
I'd say it's a mix of quite revealing (read potential for harshness) pair of speakers and a front end which has potential for improvement as good as your dac is.
My experience of Saras/Briks is they work better with
vinyl.
david ellwood
Kirabosi Kognoscente
If you liked them les I'd be worried.
Happily at odds with the Avondale sound!
Happily at odds with the Avondale sound!
JezmondTutu
pfm Member
Which interesting because John Watson used to have Avondale kit and Briks?
monstermoo
Active Member
I certainly feel my briks have got more potential yet. The bass and mid are fine as far as I'm concerned, but the treble is just a bit too punishing.
I've read somewhere that they really only work properly when made active, so perhaps that's the answer? I doubt I'd go for the Linn active crossover though (too much £££ and too hard to find), more likely a generic active crossover.
I've read somewhere that they really only work properly when made active, so perhaps that's the answer? I doubt I'd go for the Linn active crossover though (too much £££ and too hard to find), more likely a generic active crossover.
david ellwood
Kirabosi Kognoscente
you know you're only digging the hole deeper right?
JezmondTutu
pfm Member
I heard Johns system both at his home and at Penta a number of years ago and it sounded pretty good to me.
dave
Plywood King
Slow, wooly bass w/briks is either a rocking stand (or speaker upon the stand) and/or B110s (yes, the midband driver) needing a bit of tightening down on the baffle. It may also be caused by an amp not up to the task of controlling them.
Shrieking is due to some other problem in the system simply being exposed by the speaker unless a handful of Linn/Naim haters can hear and thousands or owners, reviewers and industry personnel are deaf. I suspect it's not the latter.
Shrieking is due to some other problem in the system simply being exposed by the speaker unless a handful of Linn/Naim haters can hear and thousands or owners, reviewers and industry personnel are deaf. I suspect it's not the latter.