I love the way Billy describes his system and why he likes the sound. I felt myself nodding in agreement with what he likes about his speakers. Terrific. Hi Billy!!! Love that you are a musician and and audiophile. Seasons Greetings to you. Love that you love what you have and stick by them!
This is one of the best interviews you’ve done, Steve. Of course Billy is an exceptional audiophile to have a conversation with. He’s the kind of guy I’d love to talk to for hours and listen to his experience. He knows his stuff and best of all, understands what his components do and not do. Excellent. From my perspective, it doesn’t hurt he loves his Tekton DI’s for all the same reasons I love mine. Cheers to you both!
YES! Thank you Billy & Steve! For me what Billy brings to his interviews is greater than all others combined. It seems like he LOVES music, i.e. he has four systems spread around the house instead of an elitist, dedicated room with an untouchable super system, and seems like he is a 'frugal' audiophile...he buys and holds equipment for years. Well Done
I can relate to the frugal audiophile, slow to change, going for Big Bang for buck... I my opinion. Been loving my B&W 802 Matrix D3 on pedestals for years and loved the sound. However, when listening to them against my memory of a live performance they are bright which is a draw to my ear... and may be others. Only Vandersteen Quattro Wood CT’s sound like live.
Just looking for some new speakers for a small room and discovered this video, which I have watched before. Steve you did a great job as usual. Like listening to your reviews a lot. I was and am so impressed with Billy. What a well spoken educated man. A very knowledgeable person too. It was a joy to listen to him speak. Very impressed, Thank you BOTH. Robert TN
I have to agree with several other comments. This was not only an excellent interview because Billy did such an amazing job articulating the nuances of the various speakers and setups, but this is one of my favorite videos I’ve watched in quite some time, period. I love to see people talk about things they love and they’re passionate about in a real conversation. Thanks for sharing this to the both of you.
I've had those Snell Eiii's for a year (2014) and liked them a lot. I've had all sorts of speakers since then (Dynaudio, Usher Mini Dancer etc...) here to test, but none of those stayed in my system. I sold them last year, after i bought a recapped pair of Magnepan MMG's. They are by far my favorite speaker so far.
Billy, thanks! I feel validated. I am not crazy after all for having a system in (almost) every room. Billy is a true audiophile and has a great broadcast voice also.
I like this guy. I realized while he was speaking, I haven't heard anyone use the term "do a number on" in some time. It's a good saying. I also re-realize that I want to hear Tektons sometime.
My man. Love his honest and accurate descriptions of the loudspeakers and am in total agreement (I don't have experience with all of his electronics). I presently own Def Techs for my home theater and Maggies for my 2.1 channel system. I had Snell E IIs in the late 80s. I love all of them. Would also love to hear the Tektons now more than ever.
I own Snell E/III's and love them. I'm on my third pair, I just keep coming back to them. I've owned all sorts of speakers, but as Billy says, they work with lots of amps and always sound great... Awesome things.
Great interview. Billy is correct, drum kits are probably the most difficult of musical instrument to reproduce. My Snell XA75s come close. Thanks Steve.
Humidity will affect the sound of your systems. Winter vs. summer can make them sound hard or lush depending on humidity level. Also, time of day and whether the electrical grid is fully loaded or not. The best time to listen is later in the evening. The Grid is quiet. Right now with the covid19 and everybody at home, the grid is quiet and I'm getting that late night sound. Awesome! Very interesting interview with Billy. Fellow drummer, so it was even better.
This is amazing to listen to. I own Vandersteen 2ce signature IIs with a pair of Vandersteen 3 subwoofers. Some days I listen and it sounds incredible and some days it sounds off in some way. I don’t think it’s the Vandersteen’s fault. I think Vandersteen's (I’ve owned many pairs) are very revealing on the signal quality. Line noise or voltage dips might be what’s causing this. I had a pair of Dynaudio Audience 42’s do the same thing. Some days excellent sound, other days not so much. IO just want to tack on a comment. Billy you're a great audio reviewer. I walked away from this feeling like I had a good idea what the equipment you described sounded like. Thanks!!!
Of course Maggies have bass and great bass at that . The problem stems from the fact that not having the drivers enclosed the room then takes that role . So positioning is more important then box speaker , but to say that they don't have bass is not true . I had a pair of SMGb to use in a very small room . The bass they produce was outstanding and not only in extension but quickness , snap , control and texture . Bigger room , bigger maggie . They do lack something and that is the air pressure wave movement that comes from the ability to pump large quantities of air . But a proper pair of magnepans duly staged in a room can do things only a very small amount of box speakers can do if by any chance they can do .What they can do is so much better then a box speaker that what they lack is inconsequential .
manuel perez 100% agree!!! Having started slowly with the MMG, 3.6, to a pair of custom 1.6... Magnepan’s are one of the finest speakers on the market. Just like Billy and Steve, they have several pairs of speakers and there will always be a Magnepan in the inventory. I have sets of Polks, B&W, Jamos, etc and will always have a set of Magnepan’s. They are the most natural speaker in my opinion. Lastly about bass. I’m quite a bass head and I think Magnepan’s bass signature is amazing.
Steve: Been folllowing you for a long time. I'm a drummer, guitar player, bass player and I *_love_* these interviews! Would love to see some if this older equipment; hearing about it brings back a lot of memories. Oh: it's hard to hear your voice throughout- much lower than your guest.
I auditioned several speakers 7 years ago from Thiel, Wilson, and some others and ended up buying the Vandersteen 3a Signatures also. I haven't found the variability in sound that Billy does. I am interested in one of the larger Tektons, probably the Encores.
This is the voice of a grounded audiophile. He "knows what he likes and likes what he knows" and has found it in multiple combinations. Thanks, good to know.
Sorry I'm late on this one; but, as a Type E III and Nu Force owner, must echo Billy's description on both. They are unicorns in my forty+ years in audiophilia. Please correct me if wrong; I believe it was Kevin Voeks, having arrived post Mr. Snell, that did the III, after revising the C first? I have not heard a I or II; but, It took me 30 seconds to ask my seller; "How much?", the first and to this date, the only Snell I ever saw/heard. P. S. EIII + bi-amp Nu Force DDA-100s = sublime! Thank you Billy, very enjoyable presentation.
I found a lot of people don’t hear Maggie’s set up right. They need lots of breathing room. I do agree with him about the bass on Maggie’s. Once I let my Maggie’s breath far away from the walls. I Moved back much more the detail and bass became so much bigger and apparent. U don’t feel the bass but you hear it. Once u give them lots of space. I added REL subs. It was the only bass sub that could keep up with the speed of the Maggie’s. Everything else had overhang of bass notes. The Maggie’s also need good solid power. That’s a necessity.
I worked in audio for 10yrs. I’ve own jbl4311 Klh ?model ELAC s , Kef, I now run a pair of Magnapan 0.7 with a pair of ELAC subs through a 200 watt/ channel emotiva power amp, and I have heard 90%. of what’s out there the ONLY OTHER SPEAKER I WOULD OWN IS GENELEC AT 5x the price In my experience either you get Maggie’s or you don’t. But for me listening to James Taylor Roxy music, LED Zep, telatc classic records it’s always the coherency,imaging, frequency accuracy of the Maggie’s that move me the most
Hello Steve. I love to hear your friend Billy talk. The man is incredibly passionate with so much depth and accuracy. I would love to hear him play. Can he be heard in any recordings?
Like race car drivers in F1, the car that wins the race matters that season, then there done with it when next seasons car is out, if it does not win even with great specs they hate it. At end of season car is gone and forgotten onto the next car like the car that one, maybe the winning car is saved to a museum or an enthusiast/audio file buys it but never driven again at an F1 race as tech and rules move on with the latest often far different car with different strengths and weaknesses and the cycle moves on every year like the latest speakers and components with old stuck in time forever for audiofiles as manufactures move on. GAS = Gear Aquistion Syndrom Issue with many Audiofiles, true with all sports, hobbies and professions, must have the latest and greatest for that tiny spec improvement or look I have the coolest looking newest thingy made....till the neighbor one up you with greener grass pulling in the driveway with a new 4wd Tesla mibel three next to your older mibel 2... Vicious cycle but fun...
Sir have you had the opportunity to hear Magnepans yet?...The ls50s will sound like toy speakers compared to the wall of sound dished out by the maggies.
@@mag-wp6yt actually I haven't heard them in a long time. It may go back to the MG3 days. I've had the Infinity Kappa 8s for so long I stopped looking but now with a second system those 1.7i are of interest...
@@mag-wp6ytof course they didn't. With the two subs sound pretty good. I'm using a Conrad Johnson PV10 tube preamp with some NOS Mullards so they aren't quite as annoyingly "revealing" aka "glaring"
I have mag mg2b models, amazing, huge soundstage and being a dipole it's really sweet and smooth as silk, the sound engulfs you everywhere. For the get really loud and crazy nights I have polk sda 2s for that, by the way I love infinity kappa 8s also, sda 2 being the one I preferred a little more over the kappas, mags I love for different reasons, their perfect to me as are the polks.
I Have owned Snell E II's since the mid-80's. They're at the limit of my budget, but I love them. Woofers need to have new surrounds - I think I might attempt to do it myself.
I've been thinking lately (oh ohhh ;-) that musicians might just 'hear' music differently than non-musicians, like a pro driver would get something quite different out of a high end car than a non pro driver would. The thinking is ... as a musician, the 'sound' from the speakers/cans becomes secondary. Because of a more intimate knowledge, through hands on experience, the musicians imagination takes over ... filling in the blanks so to speak. A non musician cannot benefit from that. I hear a kick drum through cans or a speaker, but my brain does some DSP or EQ'ing on it and I hear what I 'want' to hear, as I know how it should sound sitting behind my kit. Not sure if that makes any sense to anyone. It ain't poifect, but it's what I've been wondering about. And then ... BAM !! Billy comes along. Back to the drawing board 🎧 🙉 😜
Really perceptive comment, Fred. As both a former musician *and* audio engineer I know exactly what you mean. I consider my speakers to be musical instruments, they are part of the performance and I can definitely hear things "into" them. That's why I love my $79 Insignia tabletop 2.1 CD player almost as much as my Rega, Marantz and Carver gear. "Accuracy" is a strange concept to me, at least to nail down, HOWEVER I do love more precise nearfield monitors at times. I've demo'd Wilson Sabrinas with Sim gear and been very unimpressed, and heard Arcam w/ Revel M16 at the local Harman store that sounded much better (tho the Wilson TuneTots paired with Naim is...*sigh*) Oh, and Steve and Billy--fantastic video!
Damn have been lamenting the fact that I was never going to be able to afford my fav speakers the Audio Note AN-E LX speakers and now I think I might have to keep an eye out for a pair of recently refoamed Snell Type E ii/iiis in my area!
Heard you sir, I have a pair of modified Maggy 3.5 and Vandersteen 5 love them both, vtl amps and Aesthetix pre great on both. The mags have 2x8 subs a side @ 60 hz👍
Snells do have a distinct signature, larger than one would expect. Maggies, never had my ears on those. I know, I know-somehow I always looked askance at membrane speakers-I should listen to some to make sure I'm not deluded, lol! Can totally identify with MULTIPLE systems. But, I'm more of a vintage boy. I like my music WARM, tube-like, non-offensive and you can HAVE your dynamics, not interested! Great interview, though. Some nice gear there! Love "modest"! I do have a bias, as I find it hard to believe that most people who have NO musical ear, no training, no education in music-formal or informal (even self-taught) can hear differences in good systems. I'm talking about the general population, many of whom cannot carry a tune! You know who they are, lol! Some are even Hi-End audiophiles! They're like a grandma driving a Ferrari!
wanting to try Tekton lores to drive with a vintage luxman piece sitting here , but will likely source the drivers and build clones as the drivers are easily sourced and I am not in the US . Shipping large items$$$ A friend here has vandersteen 3a signatures , I find them sterile - no warmth at all and not particularly lively , maybe matchup but his system is respectable. The interview was very good , nicely done and Billy is just cool.
As a Vandy 3a Sig owner, I would love for Billy to expand on his history with them. How large is Billy's room with the Vandys ? What gear has he teamed with them? Has positioning them in the room been difficult?
@@Audfile fair enough. In talking with the local Magnepan rep, he was saying I should go for the 3.7i in terms of not only bass but the difference in the technology as well. Faster lighter. Anyway about 2k for the 1.7i vs 6k for the 3.7i still not crazy money in the crazy money speaker world...
@@JohnDoe-np3zk if you've never heard them you are in for a treat. Make sure they are far from a wall and if you can, put large 2D diffusion behind them, with the deepest wells you can afford or build. And powerful amps, power is key. Maggie's aren't convenient but the ROI is huge.
@@Audfile you lost me at large 2D diffusion and deepest wells. I've got "big open spaces" with mostly reflective painted surfaces and windows. 12 ft x 50 ft. in the basement with linoleum over concrete. I have the Infinity Kappa 8s on the far end about 4 ft. off the end wall and 2 ft off the side wall facing the other side wall. I'm thinking if I do get the Magnepans I would place them about a third way down the 50 ft run or 16.66 ft rule of thirds, and about 3 ft. from either side wall. Could be amazing. If I can get some Bryston 7B sst ver 2 monoblocks that could be the trick. I'd hook up to my 4bsst and see how they sound with that first. Adding in the two REL T5s to the monoblocks would likely be just the trick and set them maybe at 60 hz crossover frequency.
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This was the best interview yet. Billy really knows his stuff and describes the sound he experiences so well.
Now this guy is the absolute definition of an audiophile. Loved this video. Thanks Steve and Billy.
I love the way Billy describes his system and why he likes the sound. I felt myself nodding in agreement with what he likes about his speakers. Terrific. Hi Billy!!! Love that you are a musician and and audiophile. Seasons Greetings to you. Love that you love what you have and stick by them!
Gunna have to rob that 'meat and gravy' analogy to describe big box speakers 😁
Wow, what a great guy! Loved his perspective on all his equipment...He obviously has a lot of passion ...and intelligence!
@Dorian Grey Don't throw shade, Dorian Grey.
Thank you to Steve and Billy...you made my morning.
I could listen this gentleman all day. He is insightful and informative, without sounding ...obsessed.
This is one of the best interviews you’ve done, Steve. Of course Billy is an exceptional audiophile to have a conversation with. He’s the kind of guy I’d love to talk to for hours and listen to his experience. He knows his stuff and best of all, understands what his components do and not do. Excellent. From my perspective, it doesn’t hurt he loves his Tekton DI’s for all the same reasons I love mine. Cheers to you both!
Hi! Good to know that you too do like yours DI. Something to include or disagree about what Mr Billy's talk about DI? What to say about them?
Such an INCREDIBLY satisfying video on so many levels, Steve. MAJOR respect for Billy and his feedback on all of his iconic systems. Thanks Billy!
YES! Thank you Billy & Steve! For me what Billy brings to his interviews is greater than all others combined. It seems like he LOVES music, i.e. he has four systems spread around the house instead of an elitist, dedicated room with an untouchable super system, and seems like he is a 'frugal' audiophile...he buys and holds equipment for years. Well Done
I can relate to the frugal audiophile, slow to change, going for Big Bang for buck... I my opinion. Been loving my B&W 802 Matrix D3 on pedestals for years and loved the sound. However, when listening to them against my memory of a live performance they are bright which is a draw to my ear... and may be others. Only Vandersteen Quattro Wood CT’s sound like live.
Just looking for some new speakers for a small room and discovered this video, which I have watched before. Steve you did a great job as usual. Like listening to your reviews a lot. I was and am so impressed with Billy. What a well spoken educated man. A very knowledgeable person too. It was a joy to listen to him speak. Very impressed, Thank you BOTH. Robert TN
Love love love this video. Thanks Steve and Billy with sharing this great information. keep up the great work!
I have to agree with several other comments. This was not only an excellent interview because Billy did such an amazing job articulating the nuances of the various speakers and setups, but this is one of my favorite videos I’ve watched in quite some time, period. I love to see people talk about things they love and they’re passionate about in a real conversation. Thanks for sharing this to the both of you.
Just as the best Blues singers reflect actual life experience in their performance, Billy conveys a love of sound in how he responds to questions.
I've had those Snell Eiii's for a year (2014) and liked them a lot. I've had all sorts of speakers since then (Dynaudio, Usher Mini Dancer etc...) here to test, but none of those stayed in my system. I sold them last year, after i bought a recapped pair of Magnepan MMG's. They are by far my favorite speaker so far.
Thank you so much for this video. This is one of the best episodes.
Billy's the man. Love this video.
Yeah that was amazing. He really gets into it very cool.
Thanks, Steve. One of the best / informative videos in a while.
I’ve had the Double Impacts for a couple months. Finally getting them dialed in. They are fantastic for the price.
With that audio equipment inventory - I suspect that Billy blew right through the Wife Acceptance Factor years ago!
Yup!!!
Billy, thanks! I feel validated. I am not crazy after all for having a system in (almost) every room. Billy is a true audiophile and has a great broadcast voice also.
A system in every room? Wow! What a lucky guy indeed.😊 Great video, Steve.👏🏾
Steve,
What a treat to have Billy back. Thank you :-)!
You should do more vids like this, Steve. Highly enjoyable....
I like this guy. I realized while he was speaking, I haven't heard anyone use the term "do a number on" in some time. It's a good saying. I also re-realize that I want to hear Tektons sometime.
Wow, a musician, audiophile, owning three listening rooms with three completely different systems. BIG 👍 UP
Awesome video!! Definitely do more interviews with Billy! Very grounded review from a musician. This was much better than the usual audiophile fare.
Enjoyed hearing Billy talk audio.
Thank you for a fantastic interview. Had Tympani 1D's back in the magic 80's, and I loved them.
Billy is the man. great to hear from the consumer point of view, with an obviously trained ear, and years of experience.
Very cool interview. Great to hear his impressions about gear.
Really enjoyed that. Billy seems like a great guy.
Nice to hear someone blow up the myth that maggies have no bass.
Amen to that!
Depends on how you define bass.
Interesting and knowledgeable man... Kudos Billy I enjoyed that interview.
Great interview. Billy really knows his stuff and has the money to do it.
Quite envious.
Great video Steve. Love Billy! Thank you.
My man. Love his honest and accurate descriptions of the loudspeakers and am in total agreement (I don't have experience with all of his electronics). I presently own Def Techs for my home theater and Maggies for my 2.1 channel system. I had Snell E IIs in the late 80s. I love all of them. Would also love to hear the Tektons now more than ever.
Love this guy.. seems do down to earth and got me into Clifford Jordan’s glass bead games, which I can’t stop listening to.. thanks
Another great interview. Luv it.
Yeah that's what I need "A different system for what mood I am in"!!! LOL his guy is awesome!
I own Snell E/III's and love them. I'm on my third pair, I just keep coming back to them. I've owned all sorts of speakers, but as Billy says, they work with lots of amps and always sound great... Awesome things.
Thanks Billy. Brings back some memories.
Nice interview, enjoyed it very much.
Thanks gentlemen. Can't have too many toys.
Great sounds like his set ups are what l like,it would be cool to see the systems. More Billy,thanks
What a nice guy, I wish Billy was my neighbor!
Enjoyed the interview thanks guys
Great interview. Billy is correct, drum kits are probably the most difficult of musical instrument to reproduce. My Snell XA75s come close. Thanks Steve.
Thanks Billy & Steve.
Nice follow up interview.
A system in each living room?
Absolutely!
It's not a room worth sitting in without music :-)
Peter Snell was an excellent speaker designer. RIP.
Humidity will affect the sound of your systems. Winter vs. summer can make them sound hard or lush depending on humidity level. Also, time of day and whether the electrical grid is fully loaded or not. The best time to listen is later in the evening. The Grid is quiet. Right now with the covid19 and everybody at home, the grid is quiet and I'm getting that late night sound. Awesome! Very interesting interview with Billy. Fellow drummer, so it was even better.
Ill bet Billy could have his own channel with all the ways he has worked on his systems.
This is amazing to listen to. I own Vandersteen 2ce signature IIs with a pair of Vandersteen 3 subwoofers. Some days I listen and it sounds incredible and some days it sounds off in some way. I don’t think it’s the Vandersteen’s fault. I think Vandersteen's (I’ve owned many pairs) are very revealing on the signal quality. Line noise or voltage dips might be what’s causing this. I had a pair of Dynaudio Audience 42’s do the same thing. Some days excellent sound, other days not so much. IO just want to tack on a comment. Billy you're a great audio reviewer. I walked away from this feeling like I had a good idea what the equipment you described sounded like. Thanks!!!
I had a set of Magnepan 1.6 with modified ninja crossover network. I’m a bass head and yet I find the bass to be very satisfying. It’s a fast speaker.
Of course Maggies have bass and great bass at that . The problem stems from the fact that not having the drivers enclosed the room then takes that role . So positioning is more important then box speaker , but to say that they don't have bass is not true . I had a pair of SMGb to use in a very small room . The bass they produce was outstanding and not only in extension but quickness , snap , control and texture . Bigger room , bigger maggie . They do lack something and that is the air pressure wave movement that comes from the ability to pump large quantities of air . But a proper pair of magnepans duly staged in a room can do things only a very small amount of box speakers can do if by any chance they can do .What they can do is so much better then a box speaker that what they lack is inconsequential .
manuel perez 100% agree!!! Having started slowly with the MMG, 3.6, to a pair of custom 1.6... Magnepan’s are one of the finest speakers on the market. Just like Billy and Steve, they have several pairs of speakers and there will always be a Magnepan in the inventory.
I have sets of Polks, B&W, Jamos, etc and will always have a set of Magnepan’s. They are the most natural speaker in my opinion.
Lastly about bass. I’m quite a bass head and I think Magnepan’s bass signature is amazing.
Brilliant interview!
Steve:
Been folllowing you for a long time. I'm a drummer, guitar player, bass player and I *_love_* these interviews! Would love to see some if this older equipment; hearing about it brings back a lot of memories. Oh: it's hard to hear your voice throughout- much lower than your guest.
I auditioned several speakers 7 years ago from Thiel, Wilson, and some others and ended up buying the Vandersteen 3a Signatures also. I haven't found the variability in sound that Billy does. I am interested in one of the larger Tektons, probably the Encores.
Mom!! Can I go over to Billy's and play??
PS- I also love that you insist on hearing the qualilty of the highs on the cymbals. I hate when they sound muffled or muted. P&L to you.
This is the voice of a grounded audiophile. He "knows what he likes and likes what he knows" and has found it in multiple combinations. Thanks, good to know.
Sorry I'm late on this one; but, as a Type E III and Nu Force owner, must echo Billy's description on both. They are unicorns in my forty+ years in audiophilia. Please correct me if wrong; I believe it was Kevin Voeks, having arrived post Mr. Snell, that did the III, after revising the C first? I have not heard a I or II; but, It took me 30 seconds to ask my seller; "How much?", the first and to this date, the only Snell I ever saw/heard. P. S. EIII + bi-amp Nu Force DDA-100s = sublime! Thank you Billy, very enjoyable presentation.
This is one cool cat, I like Billys take on HiFi.
This cat’s ear....he’s a serious studio player...George Purdie serious. My DAC PICO is still pulling duty over 10 years but with the speakers I built.
Great interview. It would have been nice to view the various systems and to discuss Billy's musical taste.
I Would love to listen to music/gear with him. How about apogees instead of Maggies?
I found a lot of people don’t hear Maggie’s set up right. They need lots of breathing room. I do agree with him about the bass on Maggie’s. Once I let my Maggie’s breath far away from the walls. I Moved back much more the detail and bass became so much bigger and apparent. U don’t feel the bass but you hear it. Once u give them lots of space. I added REL subs. It was the only bass sub that could keep up with the speed of the Maggie’s. Everything else had overhang of bass notes. The Maggie’s also need good solid power. That’s a necessity.
This is what you call a cool cat.
I worked in audio for 10yrs. I’ve own jbl4311 Klh ?model ELAC s , Kef, I now run a pair of Magnapan 0.7 with a pair of ELAC subs through a 200 watt/ channel emotiva power amp, and I have heard 90%. of what’s out there the ONLY OTHER SPEAKER I WOULD OWN IS GENELEC AT 5x the price
In my experience either you get Maggie’s or you don’t. But for me listening to James Taylor Roxy music, LED Zep, telatc classic records it’s always the coherency,imaging, frequency accuracy of the Maggie’s that move me the most
Bennett Lewis have you tried a tube pre amp with maggies
Hello Steve. I love to hear your friend Billy talk. The man is incredibly passionate with so much depth and accuracy. I would love to hear him play. Can he be heard in any recordings?
Great interview. Would have loved a tour of his house to actually see his systems.
Jeff Adams, or how about hear one of his favorite jazz songs on one of his favorite albums played on each system? Better be a short song, but still...
Havent heard the double impacts but I really enjoy all the Tekton speakers I have had the chance to demo.
He has good taste and is a very likable guy
Thanks much for your review….Im buying the Pendragons and a new Marantz receiver…the PM7000
Really great interview. Would like to hear Billy's views about why musicians, as a rule, are not audiophiles.
Like race car drivers in F1, the car that wins the race matters that season, then there done with it when next seasons car is out, if it does not win even with great specs they hate it. At end of season car is gone and forgotten onto the next car like the car that one, maybe the winning car is saved to a museum or an enthusiast/audio file buys it but never driven again at an F1 race as tech and rules move on with the latest often far different car with different strengths and weaknesses and the cycle moves on every year like the latest speakers and components with old stuck in time forever for audiofiles as manufactures move on.
GAS = Gear Aquistion Syndrom
Issue with many Audiofiles, true with all sports, hobbies and professions, must have the latest and greatest for that tiny spec improvement or look I have the coolest looking newest thingy made....till the neighbor one up you with greener grass pulling in the driveway with a new 4wd Tesla mibel three next to your older mibel 2... Vicious cycle but fun...
Thanks Billy...really enjoy your perspective. Steve - one thought to complement this would be a couple of pics of Billy’s setup.
Billy seems to have my exact taste in audio. (Although his budget is a bit more robust than mine lol.)
This is real good ....thanks
Billy is making me want some Magnepan 1.7i. The test will be against KEF LS50 with both having dual REL T5 subs. Could be interesting.
Sir have you had the opportunity to hear Magnepans yet?...The ls50s will sound like toy speakers compared to the wall of sound dished out by the maggies.
@@mag-wp6yt actually I haven't heard them in a long time. It may go back to the MG3 days. I've had the Infinity Kappa 8s for so long I stopped looking but now with a second system those 1.7i are of interest...
If you're coming from the brilliant Kappa 8's then the Kefs have no chance!😀 just my two cents
@@mag-wp6ytof course they didn't. With the two subs sound pretty good. I'm using a Conrad Johnson PV10 tube preamp with some NOS Mullards so they aren't quite as annoyingly "revealing" aka "glaring"
I have mag mg2b models, amazing, huge soundstage and being a dipole it's really sweet and smooth as silk, the sound engulfs you everywhere. For the get really loud and crazy nights I have polk sda 2s for that, by the way I love infinity kappa 8s also, sda 2 being the one I preferred a little more over the kappas, mags I love for different reasons, their perfect to me as are the polks.
The best he's great thanks Steve for the video
I Have owned Snell E II's since the mid-80's. They're at the limit of my budget, but I love them. Woofers need to have new surrounds - I think I might attempt to do it myself.
Luckily, I couldn't afford a nice sub-woofer or Magnepan bass addition when I bought my Maggies. BTW, more Billy!
Billy is interesting but I would like to see some of the equipment he owns and is talking about
I've been thinking lately (oh ohhh ;-) that musicians might just 'hear' music differently than non-musicians, like a pro driver would get something quite different out of a high end car than a non pro driver would. The thinking is ... as a musician, the 'sound' from the speakers/cans becomes secondary. Because of a more intimate knowledge, through hands on experience, the musicians imagination takes over ... filling in the blanks so to speak. A non musician cannot benefit from that. I hear a kick drum through cans or a speaker, but my brain does some DSP or EQ'ing on it and I hear what I 'want' to hear, as I know how it should sound sitting behind my kit. Not sure if that makes any sense to anyone. It ain't poifect, but it's what I've been wondering about. And then ... BAM !! Billy comes along. Back to the drawing board 🎧 🙉 😜
Really perceptive comment, Fred. As both a former musician *and* audio engineer I know exactly what you mean. I consider my speakers to be musical instruments, they are part of the performance and I can definitely hear things "into" them. That's why I love my $79 Insignia tabletop 2.1 CD player almost as much as my Rega, Marantz and Carver gear. "Accuracy" is a strange concept to me, at least to nail down, HOWEVER I do love more precise nearfield monitors at times. I've demo'd Wilson Sabrinas with Sim gear and been very unimpressed, and heard Arcam w/ Revel M16 at the local Harman store that sounded much better (tho the Wilson TuneTots paired with Naim is...*sigh*)
Oh, and Steve and Billy--fantastic video!
Damn have been lamenting the fact that I was never going to be able to afford my fav speakers the Audio Note AN-E LX speakers and now I think I might have to keep an eye out for a pair of recently refoamed Snell Type E ii/iiis in my area!
Can you share a link or website or albums to look for to find a little of Billy's music?
I’m planning to get the Tekton Double Impacts with upgraded network. Billy has great taste.
I'm considering the double impact too. Did you make the plung?
Vandersteen speakers all with first order crossovers are great floorstanders & for the money.
Agree on the magnapan
Heard you sir, I have a pair of modified Maggy 3.5 and Vandersteen 5 love them both, vtl amps and Aesthetix pre great on both. The mags have 2x8 subs a side @ 60 hz👍
Just got a pair of mint 'STEENS. Stay TUNED.
Snells do have a distinct signature, larger than one would expect. Maggies, never had my ears on those. I know, I know-somehow I always looked askance at membrane speakers-I should listen to some to make sure I'm not deluded, lol! Can totally identify with MULTIPLE systems. But, I'm more of a vintage boy. I like my music WARM, tube-like, non-offensive and you can HAVE your dynamics, not interested! Great interview, though. Some nice gear there! Love "modest"! I do have a bias, as I find it hard to believe that most people who have NO musical ear, no training, no education in music-formal or informal (even self-taught) can hear differences in good systems. I'm talking about the general population, many of whom cannot carry a tune! You know who they are, lol! Some are even Hi-End audiophiles! They're like a grandma driving a Ferrari!
wanting to try Tekton lores to drive with a vintage luxman piece sitting here , but will likely source the drivers and build clones as the drivers are easily sourced and I am not in the US . Shipping large items$$$ A friend here has vandersteen 3a signatures , I find them sterile - no warmth at all and not particularly lively , maybe matchup but his system is respectable. The interview was very good , nicely done and Billy is just cool.
As a Vandy 3a Sig owner, I would love for Billy to expand on his history with them. How large is Billy's room with the Vandys ? What gear has he teamed with them? Has positioning them in the room been difficult?
When you play, then you know...
I don't find those weaknesses in Magnepans either. They will blast off with a trumpet and do bass notes like nothing else can.
Audfile really? Like nothing else can? Now you are pushing it. Unlike Maggie bass.
@@JohnDoe-np3zk nothing inexpensive, ill put it that way.
@@Audfile fair enough. In talking with the local Magnepan rep, he was saying I should go for the 3.7i in terms of not only bass but the difference in the technology as well. Faster lighter. Anyway about 2k for the 1.7i vs 6k for the 3.7i still not crazy money in the crazy money speaker world...
@@JohnDoe-np3zk if you've never heard them you are in for a treat. Make sure they are far from a wall and if you can, put large 2D diffusion behind them, with the deepest wells you can afford or build. And powerful amps, power is key. Maggie's aren't convenient but the ROI is huge.
@@Audfile you lost me at large 2D diffusion and deepest wells. I've got "big open spaces" with mostly reflective painted surfaces and windows. 12 ft x 50 ft. in the basement with linoleum over concrete. I have the Infinity Kappa 8s on the far end about 4 ft. off the end wall and 2 ft off the side wall facing the other side wall. I'm thinking if I do get the Magnepans I would place them about a third way down the 50 ft run or 16.66 ft rule of thirds, and about 3 ft. from either side wall. Could be amazing. If I can get some Bryston 7B sst ver 2 monoblocks that could be the trick. I'd hook up to my 4bsst and see how they sound with that first. Adding in the two REL T5s to the monoblocks would likely be just the trick and set them maybe at 60 hz crossover frequency.
I have a super audible illusions pre amp, too.
Using Counterpoint electronics to power Def Techs was a big WTF moment in this video
Ain’t this an old interview?
Whoever the 10 dislikes are should stop listening to music all together....and don't breed either you people are dangerous....lol
Fuck yah Steve love these 1 on 1 vids