Going beyond the KEF LS50W magic

Hi Rik

How do you set up the Powernode 2 in mono mode? And how would each Powernode 2 talk to the other, for proper stereo output?

I haven’t done it. My local dealer (Sevenoaks in Cheltenham) explained it to me as setting one node to be the left channel and the other the right channel. Whether one is the master and the other the slave I’m not sure.

They’ve done it a few times now and demo’ed to customers (not me) so if you are interested it’s worth giving them a call.

Hi Rik,

Thanks so much for the prompt and detailed response. I noticed the frequency difference between the one18 and the 3S as well. I’m wondering if it’s because the one18 is tuned more towards perfecting what goes in comes out. My room is maybe a little larger than yours and then opens up into the dining/living area (very open floor plan), but I’m not trying to fill all that area with the sound. I’ll be sitting about 2-3m from them, which is what counts the most.

I’m in the US and the speakers here cost $2790 (£2089), but if I order from the UK they are $2047 (£1533), which includes shipping. It’s a slight risk since when I have an issue I will have to ship them back to the store in the UK, but that’s not going to be that much more than shipping them here domestically and also I don’t see any issues arising with speakers.

As far as the Powernode 2, I wanted to keep it as one for a while and see how it works out. I actually emailed Amphion asking if the Powernode 2 will work, but Anssi told me it wouldn’t have enough power. I’m not trying to blast music. I’ll be listening and very comfortable levels, so I’m not sure it makes a difference at lower levels. I think the Powernode 2 is a good way for me to start listening now versus buying later.

I’m almost ready to pull the trigger on the 3S. I had auditioned the Harbeth P3ESR and they are amazing little speakers, but did lack a bit of bass for me. I listen to mostly Indie Rock and some Electronic based music (anything from Placebo to Massive Attack to Ryan Adams really). So bass is important. Especially at low levels.

Thanks again for your help. :slight_smile:

There is little that can go wrong with the Argon 3S so I think you can buy at the lowest p ice with confidence. I’d be surprised if Anssi has actually heard a Powernode 2 driving the 3S so he’s probably going off the specs. But I think you’ll be absolutely fine. Indeed you can start out with the P2/3S combo and upgrade to mono amps sometime down the line if you feel the need. I thought the P2/3S convo sounded very good. :slight_smile:

Awesome. That gives me peace of mind. I’m no audiophile so I’m sure it will be fine. And I just found a dealer in the UK who has a demo pair he will ship to the US for just under £1000. :slight_smile:

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The Elacs are sounding interesting.
http://www.avsforum.com/best-of-ces-2018-elac-argo-series-powered-speakers/

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Would the Amphions pair ok with a NAD 758 V3? Was originally considering the KEF LS0W but that would waste the benefits of BluOS in the NAD. Trying to solve the movie + great listening room experience in one shot!

I think this would be a nice match. I used a Bluesound Powernode 2 with the Amphion Argon 3S and they were an excellent combo.

Ok @Rik_Carter it’s your fault… now I’ve caught the bug. Considering picking up a set of Argon 3s or 3ls and some new gear to complement. Ugh! I miss those Argons!

If you hear of a great deal on a used or demo set pls let me know!

I assume you’re still enjoying your setup?

Thanks Rik. I assume you were looking at 2 Powernodes originally because you wanted at least 100w per Chanel?

Haha… :slight_smile: you know it makes sense.

Seriously though, the Argon’s are phenomenal. Put it like this… even with the LS50W’s I was still tweaking around thinking that there was still something not quite right with the sound. Since I’ve got my Amphion’s set-up I’ve not felt the need to tweak at all. The only thing I’ve done is had some HAF convolution filters made up (highly recommended). Best speaker I’ve ever owned.

I was thinking of doing that but I ended up getting a pair of Amphion Class D mono amps instead.

I did try a single Powernode driving both pairs of Amphions and it was still very, very good. In all honesty I’d be pushed to tell the difference between the power node and the Amphion mono-amps in my room (which is a small 3m x 5m space).

If you are seriously thinking about the Amphions then try and get a pair ex-demo/second-hand (or, even better, the Amphion One18’s!) and drive them with a single power node 2. That will get you in at about £2k which is roughly the same as the KEF LS50W’s but with a deeper and more authentic bass and a sweeter treble… To be fair to the KEF’s you are getting a lot for your money but they don’t really compete against the Amphions which are in a different class of speaker IMHO.

The Brooklyn/Amphion combination is simply superb. The only speakers I’d even entertain swapping them out for now is a pair of Kii Three’s (which isn’t gonna happen). In 25 yrs of exploring audio kit I have to say that I’ve found my nirvana.

Thanks for the advice Rik.

I’m constructing a 3 phase plan for pimping up my audio setup. I’ll probably start with the Argons going into my existing Marantz SR5006 (100W per channel). Then upgrade that to the NAD T 758 V3. Then add a CI 580 for the rest of the house. Fun fun…

How did you manage to find some ex-demo Amphions? I’ve been hunting around the UK dealers but not much luck looking at their websites. Guess I could pick up the phone.

Leeds is quite lacking in Amphion dealers too :slight_smile:

Tobin

Mine were a pair that a customer had traded in against more expensive speakers. They were 6 months old and I think I paid £1,250 for them.

Anyway, did a quick search and these look pretty good:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMPHION-ARGON-3S-STEREO-SPEAKERS-12-month-warranty-WORLDWIDE-SHIPPING/292429209961?hash=item441623a169:g:mlMAAOSwoBlab2rN

And you might be able to negotiate a slightly lower price. But they look in very good nick. I’d be quite tempted at that price. They really are an amazing speaker… check out that bass response!

Thanks

Ah yes, I did stumble across those. Very tempting…

T

@Rik_Carter what are you using as pre-amp/volume control?

Mytek Brooklyn (second hand for £1k).

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I blame you @Rik_Carter, for the 3s’s, PS Audio DirectStream, and Amphion amp that are now on the way to my house…

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@jon_michaels that sounds like a very, very nice setup. Did you go for the Amphion stereo amp (which is basically a pair of mono’s in a single chassis)… Looks fantastic. And the PS Audio DS is a very nice piece of kit. I am incredibly excited for you my friend :smiley:

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