I've thought about putting something up behind the speakers but, honestly, the room is so open that treatment would be tough. One reason I like the Snells so much is that they really work in the room.
I lucked out and found custom Audio Note J stands which fit my Snell J/IIs perfectly!
Those stands look fantastic. Although it took a little floor space, getting the Snells out away from the boundaries must have improved the sound immensely.
System edited: A few small changes and one big one. Getting the speakers up on proper stands was a much bigger improvement than I imagined it would be.
I didn't do a careful comparison of the Duet/Benchmark vs. Touch--just had one then the other in my system. So take my impressions for what they're worth.
That said, I think the bare Touch is very, very good. I'm confident that it's much better than the bare Duet (which is kind of mechanical and has some glare), and I'd say that it's very close to the Duet/Benchmark. I doubt I'd be able to distinguish the Touch from the Duet/Benchmark in an A/B test. I use streaming mostly for background listening; for that purpose, the bare Touch is plenty good enough for me.
My goal is to keep the system as it is for 2012. To this end, I've gone back to the Benchmark less than a month after swapping it out. I figure that two digital front ends should keep me happy!
Don't get me wrong about the Benchmark; I could easily imagine going back to it. In many ways, I thought it was simply better than the CD5x, and when I preferred the CD5x, in all honesty I'd have to say that it was different (and familiar) rather than better. It will be interesting to see if the Snells stick around for you.
Plenty of closet space now that the kids are all out on their own. I'm a little surprised by my reaction to the Snells. They reveal exceptional detail but have yet to come across as irritating. An important criteria for components in my system is the ability to play poorly recorded music and have it be listenable. Because of all the positive reviews I have been tempted to try the Benchmark dac, but am pretty sure it wouldn't stick around long.
I was sold on the Benchmark, but you're right, it isn't a surprise that I let it go. I just kept finding discs, mostly poorly-recorded ones, that sounded better on the CD5x. Interesting about your Snells. Do you have room for another pair of keepers?
I've been following your system changes for a while now. Knowing your sonic preferences, it's no surprise you opted out of the Benchmark dac. I picked up a pair of Snell J7s about a month ago with the intention of selling them pretty quick. Even though I have a couple pairs of "keeper" speakers in a closet, I can't convince myself o let go of the Snells. They are fantastic.
I've simplified my system a bit (got rid of the TeddyCap and Benchmark DAC and added a Creek headphone amp). At the risk or having my audiophile license revoked ;), I have to say that I'm happy with the changes.
A few years ago I used the budget Oppo DV-970HD DVD player digital output into a Benchmark DAC. I ran the DACs variable output direct to a power amp and what I heard stunned me. This DAC was able to produce micro dynamics so convincingly that I was transported into the recording and felt like I was looking around at all the musicians. The soundstage was very deep and I could sense the recordings environment in its fullness. I used it this way for quite a while and was an experience I will never forget.
Another plus was running the TVs optical output to the DAC for amazing over-the-air HD programming sound.
Before the Benchmark, I tried the Rega DAC. It was good, but I still preferred the CD5X. So, when I bought the Benchmark, I wasn't really looking to replace the CD5X. But I find that I'm listening to it (via Squeezebox and using my DVD player as a transport) more than the cd player. It's cleaner and more extended on top. Sometimes I think it wipes the floor with the CD5X; sometimes it's not so much better as just different. One of the things I like best about the CD5X is how organic it sounds, and how good it can make lousy recordings sound. I'm liking the Benchmark in part because it has a different, more transparent, warts-and-all presentation.
I love my J/IIs. You're in for a treat when you get those Js up and running!
How would you compare the Squeezebox and Benchmark to the CD5X? I have a similar system (CD5, Nait5i) and a squeezebox. I wouldn't mind doing away with the player if the squeezebox and a good dac are equivalent or better.
I also just picked up some Snell Js. Looking forward to listening to them after re-foaming the woofers.
I had the same experience with the Dynaudio X12s I had for awhile. Great speakers. I imagine that the 1.3SEs, with your amp, are even better. But I find that I gravitate toward speakers that make the most of marginal recordings and play music without drawing attention to themselves. Snells do it for me. The K/IIs are great -- well worth a try! (Mine are packed away in a closet.) Word is that the original Ks are even better.
You are really making me want to try a pair of these Snell speakers. I have watched a couple of ebay auctions for the K/IIs and even bid once or twice. Just to see how they sound. As a previous Dynaudio user, you might be interested to know I'm currently using a pair of Dynaudio 1.3SEs. They are a true hi-end speaker with hi-end sound, The problem is I think I prefer my much less expensive Soliloquy 5.0 monitors. While the Dyns can blow me away with some music, the 5.0s are more relaxing/enjoyable to listen to.
I did go from K/IIs to J/IIs. They're probably as big as my space can handle (23x13x10 vs. 18x11x9). The J/IIs go lower, of course, but the biggest difference is that they're more relaxed than the K/IIs, especially on the top end. They're better at low volume and make marginal recordings sound better, too. All in all, more of what I liked about the K/IIs -- punchy, musical bass and room-filling sound. I wish I had the room to set them up right, but I'm really happy with them.
