A Sense of Balance in Audio

[S Clark]

I get that unlimited budgets lead to unbalanced spending.
But seriously, can it make sense for a cap in a tweeter circuit to cost 5X more than the tweeter?
Looking at another site, and caps that run >$700 for tweeters that are about a hundred. 

[Nick B]

Sometimes, or maybe even often, things in audio don't make a lot of sense. But it also makes for interesting discussion and sometimes heated debate.

Some would disagree with me spending money on good cables and various noise reduction devices when I have an $800 streamer and a $1,200 dac. But it's worth the money in my system.

I am curious what cap would cost 5 times more than what tweeter.

[S Clark]

A Jupiter Copper foil  15mF are almost $700 at Parts Connection.  Duelands are $670.
A very popular electrostatic tweeter is just under $100. 

[Nick B]

I had a hunch those were the brand of caps. I had a $200 Jupiter copper foil installed in my Border Patrol SEi dac a few years ago and it made a nice difference.

[S Clark]

I know better caps make a real difference.  I just have to wonder however, when the cap upgrade exceeds the cost of the drivers in a speaker.   

[bmr3hc]

I have had to learn that if you can get 80% of the best sound for 20% of the cost, that is a good place to be happy and satisfied. Otherwise, you can go broke pursuing that  extra 20% 

Henry

[mar7w7]

That's quite expensive

[Response Audio]

I was listening this morning to some amps I finished up servicing. The amps are $40K KT88 mono blocs that I was driving with my Harmonia linestage running some nice NOS 45 tubes. . The amps are running into a $350 pair of Klipsch RP600 bookshelf speakers
I know it's total overkill but I've never heard these inexpensive speakers sound so good.
Seems a little $$$ unbalanced to me

[Nick B]

I was listening this morning to some amps I finished up servicing. The amps are $40K KT88 mono blocs that I was driving with my Harmonia linestage running some nice NOS 45 tubes. . The amps are running into a $350 pair of Klipsch RP600 bookshelf speakers
I know it's total overkill but I've never heard these inexpensive speakers sound so good.
Seems a little $$$ unbalanced to me

Maybe just a little unbalanced 😆 My situation isn't that unbalanced. My JM Reynaud Voce Grande were pricey at $7,500 with an $800 Holo Red streamer and Holo Cyan2 dac at $1,400. I also got a very good price on Leo's Starkrimson Ultra amp as it got a little bit beat up on the demo tour. I have no regrets on the JMR speakers and they're the best that I've ever owned.

[Jack]

Earlier this evening I was doing the opposite of Bill driving a pair of $20k Verity speakers with a pair of $1400 a pair Singxer Class AB monoblocs. It either sounds good or it doesn't regardless of what it cost.

[Nick B]

Earlier this evening I was doing the opposite of Bill driving a pair of $20k Verity speakers with a pair of $1400 a pair Singxer Class AB monoblocs. It either sounds good or it doesn't regardless of what it cost.

You've mentioned the Singxer amps and how much you like them. As you have Leo's 25 Monos, are you able to describe the similarities and differences between the two? I think you got the Singsters from Alvin.

[ejk]

Earlier this evening I was doing the opposite of Bill driving a pair of $20k Verity speakers with a pair of $1400 a pair Singxer Class AB monoblocs. It either sounds good or it doesn't regardless of what it cost.

You've mentioned the Singxer amps and how much you like them. As you have Leo's 25 Monos, are you able to describe the similarities and differences between the two? I think you got the Singsters from Alvin.

Jack has a pair of Mono 25's? Jack what do you think of them?

[ejk]

I was listening this morning to some amps I finished up servicing. The amps are $40K KT88 mono blocs that I was driving with my Harmonia linestage running some nice NOS 45 tubes. . The amps are running into a $350 pair of Klipsch RP600 bookshelf speakers
I know it's total overkill but I've never heard these inexpensive speakers sound so good.
Seems a little $$$ unbalanced to me

I bought a 300 dollar Schiit headphone amp and a set a Hifiman headohones around 350 and I'm running it off my streamer and DAC which combined is maybe 8 grand and makes the Schìit headamp sound amazing.

[Jack]

Nick

The voicing of the two amps is somewhat similar though the 25s are more powerful and effortless.  The Singxer's which came from Tim at Kitsune are a little more particular about what they are driving.  Their best match so far has been with the Verity's which at 93db are an easier load than the IQ Ultra's or the Rosso Fiorentina Voltera 2.  If you could buy just one and the cost difference were not a factor the 25's would be the easier to recommend.  The caveat would be if you wanted to drive subs speaker level.  I have asked Leo about about adding a grounding lug to future releases to help with that.

[Jack]

Evan

I really like the 25s especially when paired with a good tube preamp.  I tried them for a while with a Holo Serene KTE but much preferred them with the Don Sachs DS-2 or one of the Supratek's.  Also much prefer the current look over the previous casework.