Tír Na HiFi

Certainly answers the question and if it was rambling, I very much enjoyed it!

Great to hear about your experiences with the various Wilsons. I've only really heard various models either at shows or in dealers demo rooms. And never really had a chance at an appropriate time for a home demo. Which is a shame. At one point came very close to going for the Sophia III's and then went in a different direction.

Must read up more about your amps. I'm not too familiar with them. Always great to have a real "keeper" in the overall setup. Feel pretty similar about my own amps. Ever since buying them, I think over 10 years back, I've never looked at any other amp again despite having changed everything else...

Thanks Steve. My name is Jimmy by the way.

What I find interesting with the Veritas is that as far as I know they are essentially just Hypex NC12000 modules in a very nicely engineering chassis but I have heard Mola Mola (from the team that developed the NC 1200s) and another big amplifier name who I have forgotten that use the same units and I can honestly say the Veritas for some reason just sound better than them.

On the Wilson side the new Sabrinas have been getting great reviews, I have seen them and for Wilsons they are certainly nice and compact/small but I haven't heard them yet. Consistently for me some of the nicest sounds I have every heard have been from a combination of Wilson Audio Sasha or Alexias with amplification by Nick Doshi. Nick makes great valve amps that just sound super with the Wilsons. Too expensive for me though.

Be curious to hear what speakers you went with and in particular what amps do you have?

Hi Jimmy,

I went with Sonus Faber Amati Futura's. Which have worked out really well. At the time, I compared to Sophia III's, Avalon Eidolon Diamonds and had a couple of others listed which never actually got around to hearing. Another possibility was to upgrade within Kharma family as previous speakers were Kharma CRM3.2FE's. But there was just something that really hooked me on the Amati's and that was that...

Power amps are Jadis JA80 monoblocks. Currently with KT120 output and Mullard small signal valves. At their best when running really hot. They easily controlled the Kharma's and also have no probs with the Amati's. Great grip on the bottom end and to me just let the music flow..

Nice system. I just went back through the thread and found your pics. I came close to Sonus Faber myself a few times.

Other than an Ayon CD3sx (2 years old) most of my gear is of the 1996/9 vintage. SF Line 3 & Power 3 monos driving Thiel CS6s. Maybe I'm just an old fart. Kind of reminds me of that Green Day song (the grouch) - "oh my god I'm turning out like my dad!"

I have tried a few pieces over the last few years but nothing I really wanted to hold onto. Is current gear really any better, as opposed to just way more expensive, than the stuff of 15-20 years ago?