Good Match for Raidho Speakers?
lenwfl -- Sun, 01/31/2010 - 14:26
I would appreciate input from anyone using Raidho Eben X3.0 or Ayra 3.0 speakers regarding what amplification you've tried and what audible differences you've heard.
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1999 - 2011 NextScreen. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
I've heard very good things from Moon amplifiers (especially the i-7, eventually... those who use them say they are called 'Moon' because you'll see at least three full moons before the product really comes to life), but also from a Musical Fidelity M6 integrated amp.
At the other end of the scale, I've heard them sound wonderful on the end of a Lyra preamp and David Berning power amps.
I just noticed these are all amps delivering somewhere between 150-200W. I don't know if that some kind of amp 'sweet spot' for the speakers or just coincidence.
Alan Sircom
Editor, Hi-Fi Plus Magazine
London, England
editor [at] hifiplus [dot] com
Thank you Alan - I'll certainly take a look at those amps. I've been driving my Raidho Eben X3.0's with a 9 year old Krell KCT preamp and FPB-700cx amp which I'm seriously considering replacing. I've read high power amplifiers often don't offer as good a match for speakers such as the Raidho's. I recently read a review on the Lindemann 855 amp which has similar specs as the amps you mentioned and I'm going to be able to audition one with my Eben X3.0's - have you ever heard this amp?
Len
I have been using Ayra c3 for nearly a year. When I bought those speakers I drove them with ARC Ref 3/BAT600se combination. The result with this combo was not satisfying at all: grainy and uninvolving sound. Then I have tried out several amps: Esoteric A 03, Pass XA 30.5, ARC Ref 110, Karan... Finally I settled down with Pass XA 100.5
My experience from the process is as following:
1. The speakers love A class: I have also read the review where it is saying that the speakers are quite power hungry. Interesting - I achieved good results with Esoteric and Pass, which are both low power A class (30 - 50w). Esoteric is a bit more open, direct but not as musical as Pass, which is a tad more on the warm side of the neutral. Karan proved to be too dark. The result with ARC combo was disappointing.
My point here: do not run blindly for big watt amps, like it might be suggested somewhere else. You can achieve good results with lower, but high quality watts. Of course, the Pass XA 100.5 drives the speakers better, but you hear the real difference only when you turn the volume way up.
2. The speakers are very cable sensitive: it is hard to admit, but Roy Gregory's cable loom works here without a doubt. I tried many other cables (like Cardas Clear, Audioquest top cable - can not remember the name), but none of them has better synergetic effects in openness, directness and musicality like Nordost. I settled down with combo of Valhalla (intercon, power), Tyr (speaker) and Brahma.
3. Positioning is critical: the distance between the speakers is very important in order to achieve good soundstaging. The same is true for the distance from back of the speakers. The distance to side walls is less critical. Toe in is a must.
I hope my experience will help you.
Thanks very much for the input - very much appreciated. I too am using a Norodst cable loom (vahalla, Frey, Brahma) and find it works very well, probably due in part to the Raidho speakers being internally wired with Nordost. I've positioned my Eben X3.0's 90" apart, 72" from the front wall, 44" from side walls, and set the toe-in so the speakers are pointed directly at the sides of the listening chair. I'm getting really good coherence, dynamics, and imaging from this setup and the Krell electronics, but based on other posts and your input, I do think I need to listen to some high quality lower wattage amps.
Len
I have been using Ayra c3 for nearly a year. When I bought those speakers I drove them with ARC Ref 3/BAT600se combination. The result with this combo was not satisfying at all: grainy and uninvolving sound. Then I have tried out several amps: Esoteric A 03, Pass XA 30.5, ARC Ref 110, Karan... Finally I settled down with Pass XA 100.5
My experience from the process is as following:
1. The speakers love A class: I have also read the review where it is saying that the speakers are quite power hungry. Interesting - I achieved good results with Esoteric and Pass, which are both low power A class (30 - 50w). Esoteric is a bit more open, direct but not as musical as Pass, which is a tad more on the warm side of the neutral. Karan proved to be too dark. The result with ARC combo was disappointing.
My point here: do not run blindly for big watt amps, like it might be suggested somewhere else. You can achieve good results with lower, but high quality watts. Of course, the Pass XA 100.5 drives the speakers better, but you hear the real difference only when you turn the volume way up.
2. The speakers are very cable sensitive: it is hard to admit, but Roy Gregory's cable loom works here without a doubt. I tried many other cables (like Cardas Clear, Audioquest top cable - can not remember the name), but none of them has better synergetic effects in openness, directness and musicality like Nordost. I settled down with combo of Valhalla (intercon, power), Tyr (speaker) and Brahma.
3. Positioning is critical: the distance between the speakers is very important in order to achieve good soundstaging. The same is true for the distance from back of the speakers. The distance to side walls is less critical. Toe in is a must.
I hope my experience will help you.