Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler The Italian Job

In this movie, there is a reference to the NAD T770.

After the big heist, the character Lyle/Napster is telling what he will buy with his share. He says that he will buy "a NAD T770 Digital Decoder with 70 watt amps and Burr-Brown DACs-speakers so loud they will blow the clothes off women".

Then the character Left Ear says "35 million dollars and you can't get more creative than that".

Now, I've never even heard a NAD and from what I hear they are great products but with millions in hand, I'd have to agree with Left Ear.

What audio equipment would you get with your share of the 35 million?

well it wouldnt be the NAD thats for sure! lol.

And then at the end, yep they got the NAD and from what i could see only one huge electrostat whats up with that!. aint no panel speaker gonna blow nuthin off. you need some M80's dude!

First, I'd get a house to put it all in. Then, I'd get vintage McIntosh amps all around (they're pretty!), probably a Lexicon processor, and Magnepan MG20s for all 7 positions. Sub-wise, I've never really looked a the godawful expensive stuff. Add a nice large projector... (Merry Christmas, Sushi :-)

I honestly don't know what I'd get. I've never looked at/listened to the crazy expensive stuff. I'd definately build a dedicated HT though, and I too would get a projector.

Just watched the Italian Job tonight. Great sound!!

Dream systems? Home Theater - Top of the line BAT amps and processor, projector HDTV. Don't know enough to say what's best. Speakers, now there's the rub! Here's a pair of candidates:

WHERE'S THE CAT?!?!?

I suppose you need a stereo system for music - a pair of Antique Sound Labs Hurricanes and another pair of the horns, maybe smaller duos, should work OK.

Wow! those things look like giant PA speakers.

kcarlile's suggestion gets my vote. Mmmmm......Maggies and McIntosh what a delightful combo.

well if ya really wanna know... a pair of these:

powered by a couple of these:

but i dunno which cdp/TT/Tuner and pre i would want. Nothing mega dollar because thats no fun. but defintely needs to be decent.

Actually, what I really want is some vintage Marantz stuff (brushed aluminum, with blue gauges, mmm...), but I figured it wasn't expensive enough. I had a 2252B that was gorgeous, but didn't really work at all, and I let my parents get rid of it while I was in college. I still regret this, as my wife and Peter will attest to. They're also sick of hearing about it.

Anyone know of a good repair shop in the Bay Area? I'm looking to get my Marantz 2220B fixed, too. It's not as pretty as the 2252B, but at least I've got that one...

Didn't the guy in the Italian job have a pair of Martin Logans hooked up to the "Nad" (not N-A-D?).

If I had a couple mil to spend on audio stuff, I'm sure a good chunk of that will be spent on a Boulder TT and their phono preamp ...

I'd get a pair of B&W Nautilus speakers.. with some Blue Circle BC8 - Mono Block Power Amplifiers.

Or maybe even a pair of German Physiks Tiebreaks.

it is offically N-A-D according to every dealer ive talked to. but i use NAD

Saw the movies tonight. The electrostat is a USD $10,000+ Martin Login Prodigy. I've listened to them by chance before listening to Maggies yesterday. It was hooked up to 2 x 700w Krell Master Reference USD $14,000 each monoblock. And I have to tell you it definitely moved air ... taking it up could really possibly remove clothing. The guy by accident move a wire on the back of the amp and this very very loud pop was heard. I felt it in the pit of my stomach. He just turned red. Quickly played the SACD and it sounded okey. Thats when I exited the room before his manager (not sure though) came through the door. I noticed the planer room was empty and sat down to a session on the Maggies MG12 powered by Musical Fidelity TriVista Tubes and TriVista SACD. Boy I love those blue lights.

http://www.audiorevolution.com/equip/martinloganprodigy/


http://www.stereotimes.com/amp020403.shtm

I've seriously listened to the Martin Logans (including the new Prodigy and Odyssey) in the dealer rooms on several occasions, and I could never get rid of my impressions of subtly "veiled" sound. The music always sounded like it was performed through a thin layer of curtain. I don't know if this is a general character of electrostats or due to specific design elements of the MLs, but I got the same veiled impressions when I listened to the Quad ESL-989s and the Sound Lab U-1, too.

In addition, I still think the MLs have a significant problem in the sonic transition from the electrostat panel to the bass driver (an usual cone woofer) -- I could hear clear transitions when listening to, for example, a piano solo.

Yeah, but were they capable of blowing the clothes off women?

Hey sushi you did notice I never mentioned about the music qualities.
I'll ask someone I know to wear one of those thin summer one piece dress and see if it works. I hope the fiancee doesn't see this post.

LOL LOL You guys can make a joke out of ANY posts...

The funny thing is... I don't think he's joking.

I'll make sure I'll bring my digital camera.

I've got to agree with Saturn about the Martin-Logan Prodigies. I heard them in a similar Krell setup, too. Two Krell monoblocks powering each channel. It really was one of the most incredible audio experiences I've ever heard. If anyone lives in Los Angeles, go check them out at LA Stereo on Western. The owner loves to demo his products.

My experience with electrostats (and most hybrid or ribbon speakers as well) is that you either love them or hate them. There seems to be no middle ground. Most complaints I hear are about the bass not being connected, which I've never had a problem with. My only issue with ML's specifically is placement and finding the sweet spot. If you don't have the correct room to use them in, they will not reproduce sound to their full potential. And there is a major difference in sound if you are not seated in the right position to listen to them. But, not every speaker is perfect (No disrespect to my beloved M-60's, of course), so you have to have your tradeoffs, regardless.

One of the other reasons why I happen to love the Prodigies is the fact that after we took a listen to them, we went in the next room and heard a set of, this is not a typo either, $80,000 Wilson speakers. I don't recall the model number, but they are the ugliest speakers I've ever seen. They look like they're out of an episode of "Lost In Space." Almost the same Krell setup as the Prodigies were, too. We put on the same track on the cd we had listened to on the ML's and tried to justify the $70,000 price difference in what we had just heard, which never happened. I felt the $10,000 Prodigies sounded so much better than the $80,000 Wilsons, too, that I almost considered them a bargain at the "cheap" price tag. Alas, they were still $9500 out of my financial reach, but a guy's got to have goals.

If you ever get a chance to check them out, I highly recommend you give them a listen.

In reply to:

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this is not a typo either, $80,000 Wilson speakers. I don't recall the model number, but they are the ugliest speakers I've ever seen. They look like they're out of an episode of "Lost In Space." Almost the same Krell setup as the Prodigies were, too

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Thats the Wilson X1 or the X2.





http://www.soundstagelive.com/factorytours/wilson_x2/

Hey KCSkins if you like the Prodigies did you get to hear one of these.




http://magnepan.com/1-800-474-1646/r-mg20.html

http://magnepan.com/1-800-474-1646/r-mg36.html

Speakers from "Lost in Space?" How about speakers from "Aliens?"

ahh 2x6spds, I love the look of those B&Ws. Has anyone actually heard them??

Yes, Sidney, that is a B&W Nautilus speaker. Couldn't sleep in the same room with one, myself.

Somebody cue the music from "Psycho" please... They're beautiful, but not the same kind of beauty you'd want in the same house while you slept.

They'd make sleepwalking a bitch!!

It would depend on your decorating style. A vey modern, slightly Art Deco room would match the Nautilus pretty well, I think.

Or you go with a Little Mermaid theme...

Art Deco and the Nautilus? Don't think so. Maybe Captain Nemo's study, or something. I also doubt the Nautilus is either mermaid or penguin safe.

That clip is SOOOO funny. It's not an artificial trick, right?

Re: Nautilus, what the heck are those long-tapering posterior extensions for? I don't like a design element that doesn't have a functional underpinning.

No trick, Sushi, just another vicious penguin.

My kids and I are laughing to tears. That clip is too funny!

Go to their website and read about it, Sushi. It does serve a purpose.

LOL LOL I first thought Semi was talking about the penguins!

That's definitely been modified from the original footage. The "offending" penguin is perfectly steady except for its wing.

Great clip, regardless.

Saturn- I think they were the X-2's. I need to find that out for sure, though. I kept thinking that any minute they'd sprout arms and come after me yelling "Danger Will Robinson!" Though if they did do that, it probably would sound really good.

I haven't heard the Maggies, yet, but I've always been interested in checking them out. How do they produce the bass? Are they 100% ribbon? I've heard that they sound great and are great at imaging, however, they tend to lack the punch on the lower end. Any thoughts?

Re: the penguin video, I have to ask if that one's touched up. I saw the same clip a few years ago, however, the first penguin tripped the one walking, opposed to pushing him in the back. Of course at that time, everyone was saying that it was real and not digitized, either. Somebody's up to something here...

I only have critically listened to the 1.6 and the MG12. Both have good enough bass extension for me. But most would opt to get a sub for sub 40hz passages and slam for HT. The other higher models have a good enough extension that doesnt warrant a sub....at least for 2 channel stereo listening. The only way to tell, is a nice long listen at them. I personally know the planer diaphram is one big chunk of stretched mylar sheet or a true aluminum ribbon. That has a lot of area space to easily move LOTS of air. The MG20 is rated to go down to 25Hz so it does play the lower frequencies...but how good...that I'm not sure about.

Saturn

I've heard the MG3.6Rs and 1.6, and the 1.6 had a surprising amount of bass for it's size. The 3.6Rs were paired with a Martin Logan sub (their most expensive model, I believe) and about $85,000 worth of associated equipment (most of it went to 4 massive tube monoblocks) and left me with the best audio experience I've had probably. They just disappear! The thing that struck me the most initially with the Maggies is that while there is a sweet spot, they sound absolutely fantastic no matter where you're sitting/standing in the room.

If I had a nice $35mil, I think I'd have a dedicated listening room and have a Magnepan MG20 stereo system. No surround. Separate room for that.

In reply to:

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I haven't heard the Maggies, yet, but I've always been interested in checking them out. How do they produce the bass? Are they 100% ribbon? I've heard that they sound great and are great at imaging, however, they tend to lack the punch on the lower end. Any thoughts?

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Kevin,

There are two "classes" of Maggies: The quasi-ribbon and true-ribbon models. These terms refer only to the tweeter driver -- their mid-range and woofer drivers are all quasi-ribbons or the "planar-magnetic" drivers. Basically, it is a large sheet of mylar to which a linear "voice coil" (made of a ultra-thin alminum sheet) is attached in a zig-zag fashion. The diaphragm then placed in close proximity to an array of long magnets, so that the electrical current through the "voice coil" will move the diaphragm back and fourth.

The tweeter driver in the top two Maggie models (the 20.1/R and 3.6/R) is a true-ribbon. It is a single narrow, very long and ultra-thin piece of aluminum placed two long magnet rods, which doubles as voice-coil and diaphragm. Their lower models (the 1.6/QR and below) use a quasi-ribbon driver for tweeter.

Despite the fact that Maggies are dipole radiators just like the electrostats I mentioned above, I've never got the same "veiled" impression with Maggies. I personally believe that the key difference here is the very narrow physical shape of Maggie's tweeter -- because of the horizontally narrow shape of its tweeter, Maggie's treble doesn't suffer from the "beaming" effects inherent in all electrostats (due to the large full-range radiator area, the treble frequencies from electrostats exhibit a very narrow spatial dispersion). I believe that this characteristic is heard as "veiled" sound to my ears.

In fact, the true-ribbon Maggies are the best speakers I've listened to so far, regardless of price. Their super-deep soundstage and realistic imaging brings me an ear-to-ear grin while listening. I can just "see" the orchestra or ensemble playing right in front of me. With regard to the bass, especially the 20.1/R produces a prodigious, authoritative bass that is uniquely natural, almost "silky" smooth yet accurate...

I am seriously considering a pair of Maggies right now. I will decide only after listening to the VMPS RM40, though.

AdamP88: Just imagine having the MG20 for mains and the MG3.6 for surrounds hook up to 5 x Mark Levinson No.33H Monaural Power Amp and a Shanling T-200 Level-1 Plus SACD player using a Mark Levinson 380 preamp with Mark Levinson No.40 Video Processor. Now how about that SACD surround?











Sushi:

If I had the room (and you really need it)and the money I would definitely go in the same direction.
Right now for the space and money the MG12 will do me happy for a while. Tell UPS to hurry up please.

Sushi- thanks for the info on the Maggies. That's pretty incredible. I need to check them out as I think I'll fall in love with them, too, as much as my beloved (yet illusivly unattinable) Martin-Logans. I have also heard that the VMPS system is unreal. One person told me that they even put any other speaker "to shame." Though I don't know about that, I do know I've heard tons of great things about them. If you have the means, check them out and let us know what you think.

Off to read the link you posted about the Maggies!

You guys are really starting to tick me off! Let's all talk about Axioms!!!... Now!!... Hey, get back here, we're not done yet...

Yea, Axioms are good speakers, but for the best speakers.........

EEEasy there big guy

This spot is great for bitching and moaning, but the best spot for that is...