What's your WTF hifi moment

You've just described my experience with Wilson speakers.

 

I've never heard a hi-end system which I liked or felt justified the cost, at all. I've not heard the big Fyne Vintage or Heritage speakers but I do know that they can't make them fast enough, so someone must like them!

 

I've heard a couple of hi-end systems that impressed me, the first was back in the late 80s - an Oracle turntable, Audio Research amplifiers and big Magnepan speakers, the second was 10 year later - Gryphon amplifiers driving big ProAc speakers.

 

My first experience of being captivated by the sound ( rather than listening for some hifi tech babble)was in the old loud and clear shop in edinburgh many years ago I don't recall the turntable or integrated amp that they used but the speakers were mid size Martin Logan's. They played a Duke Ellington/Ella Fitzgerald track which was simply captivating.

 

Not had many moments of joyous amazement, but I’ve just had one after adding a Cary DMS-650 Streamer/DAC into the system. Amazing. Expectation bias? Who knows, who cares? I haven’t even tried the upsampling or PCM-DSD conversion yet.

 

I was genuinely taken aback. The room was less than ideal but even then you get a rough idea of what a product can do even if it’s not currently able to do all of that for you. One of my group got up to check the speakers were wired in phase. Bottom line was that it was like listening to a giant cheap transistor radio. As you say, there was some scale but voices were indeed awful and the rest of it was just a mess. Given the Tannoy background this was something of a shock but there were four of us with very different likes in terms of music and hi-fi and we were in absolute agreement. There was a degree of relief when the first of us said out loud what the rest of us were thinking.

I’ve since spoken to three people who say their bottom of range speaker is excellent but concur that all above that have problems.

 

These were a bit special at NWAS a few years back. Coming back to earth, have heard some very pleasant sounds at bake offs, on wildly varying kit, but if we're talking WTF in a good way (as opposed to the utter ridiculousness of it all way) then those Maxonics are probably it thus far.

 

I've had one this lunchtime whilst idly browsing PFM; had to bite my digital tongue at a selection of cheap, boggo ethernet switches being talked about and sold as though they have some bearing on sound output. Cable 'woo' was/is bad enough but anyone deluding themselves that switches make even a fraction of a difference to the sound needs to give their head a wobble. It's next-level amounts of snake-oil - suppose something had to be made-up for the digital age to keep the 'woo-train' rolling.

 

Just looking at the pic via that link and then at the price tag, I think everyone would say 'WTF?!'. I'm sure they sound good, but...'70's DIY vibe springs to my mind.

Mind you, I'm not really sure what I'd expect £75k speakers to look like, it's so beyond my experience and probably imagination.

 

A definite midcentury wardrobe aesthetic going on. Piggin expensive but they sounded fantastic.

 

"Excited type coaxial in-phase 2 way unit It is ALL excitation type 3 way system adopting DS701 and exciting tweeter unit T501. The DS701 is an excitation type unit that places woofer and squawker diaphragm on the same plane, achieves coaxial in-phase and time alignment zero, and exerts excellent performance in not only sound energy sense but also sound field space formation. The good transient characteristics that the exciting type system and the dividing network making full use of Maksonick’s own expertise, and high efficiency and powerful output characteristic form unmatched sound field feeling."

Sounds exciting.

 

When I asked if a particular dustcover would fit my turntable, I was told it obviously wouldn’t and that I didn’t understand basic geometry. When I posted a picture of it fitted, the dissenters just ignored it. I expect nothing less from this forum.

 

Have you kneecapped your Naim?

 

Those Fyne speakers are awesome, particularly the 15" model. I haven't heard all the models, but liked all that I heard.

My WTF moment happened when I listened to the amplifier section of a 1980s CLOUD Discomaster DJ setup, through proper hifi speakers. That MOSFET amplifier just sounds wonderful, I couldn't believe how exciting it is to listen to!

 

I had a WTF moment at the recent Bristol show. My partner was very taken with Alan Shaw of Harbeth. They talked for ages and had I not known they've never met prior ...

Ask her now what her favourite moment was ... Yee

 

The first time I heard an LP12 with A&R A60. It was in a shop which agreed to plug in my Celestion Ditton 442 speakers and let me play my records for an hour.

I was amazed at what hifi could deliver. Loved LP12s ever since that day. Never owned the A60 and feel I’ve missed out. Maybe one day.

 

First Shunyata power cord I bought, Supratek Syrah pre-amp (which I regret I ever sold).

 

A positive experience. I went to Govan with my gyrodec which I loved to demo a SME 20. Swapped the turntables in and out of exactly the same system. Swapped with some cash immediately.

Still love the gyrodec, great performer and the most beautiful of objects, that my 30 year old son still talks about.

 

Which direction did your WTF-ometer go?