Synergy

There are two ways to create a good hi-fi system for the home. The first is to buy a one-piece (or very nearly) system that guarantees a good fit between the various components that make up a sound system—digital front end including streamer, preamplifier, amplifier, and perhaps even speakers.

I went that route with a system for my living room. Unusually for an audiophile, I sought something that would look good in the room, an eclectic blend of Chinese and traditional decor within a contemporary Mediterranean style that features two tiers of living-room windows and a half-cathedral ceiling. I found that the KEF LS II Wireless speakers, in white, fit the bill perfectly. These are a true all-in-one solution, in that they contain all of the necessary elements in their speaker enclosures and can be controlled with an external app or via a network solution like Roon. I added the matching subwoofer, which adds a tiny bit of clutter but is well worth the improvement. I'm delighted with the KEF system; it gives me clear, detailed, and highly realistic sound for its modest $3600-ish price.

Another way is to mix and match individual components, and that's where it can get really tricky. The issue here is the synergy between the components; some might be warm, others analytic, and so forth. A shortcoming in one component can be counterbalanced by a strength in another, or two components can reinforce each other's shortcomings rather dreadfully. It's something of a black art and, needless to say, one can jump on the audiophile treadmill and continue onwards and onwards, ever seeking to squeeze out that last half-percent of performance, however illusory that last half-percent may be.

I've managed to create excellent synergies with the two large, mixed-component sound systems in my home. I have absolutely no need for a family room, so I have repurposed mine into my office/studio. It's where I do all of my work preparing classes and writing. I want a terrific sound system in there given that's where I'm going to do the bulk of my serious listening. Recently I upgraded my electronics and took special care in ensuring a good synergy—or at least I hoped I did; sometimes one might have to return a component that just couldn't fit in.

It's all built around the speakers, which are Bowers & Wilkins 803D models. These are big tower jobbers with three woofers, a Kevlar midrange, and a vapor-deposited diamond tweeter on top looking rather like a jet engine. Fantastic speakers. Those diamond tweeters are just as clear as bells, but in that very clarity comes a caution: they can become strident. Part of that is positioning, in that toe-in is generally not a good idea since those tweeters can reinforce each other. B&W 803Ds are best placed square on, resolutely face-on into the room. So that's where I have them.

But then you must take care with the amplification. B&W 803Ds are hungry beasts for power so they require some decent grunt. A too-clinical amplifier might not be a great fit for them, which is why I decided against a Bryston 4B cubed. Fabulous power amplifier by any conceivable measurement, but known to be utterly clear and revealing. I had the same problem with a Bryston BDA-3 digital-to-analog converter; terrific product but just too likely to make the 803's sound overly bright.

So I went with products from the oddly-named Schiit Audio. For the digital front end I chose their Yggdrasil Plus DAC, to date one of the most immediately loveable components I have ever encountered. I needed about 2 minutes and 14 seconds to realize that I adored this DAC. I complemented it with Schiit's monoblock Tyr amps. Here's the thing about both: they're noted for a subtle warmth without being mushy. So they're perfectly suited to the 803s.

However, you don't want to go too far in that direction. Too many warm components and you start getting a poorly-defined, mushy sound. Thus I chose for the preamplifier a Bryston BD-19, a perfectly clear and uncluttered preamplifier that almost disappears into its job. Finally, an Eversolo T8 digital transport (for the network and streaming connections) rounds it all out.

The synergy is peachy. The system combines clarity with warmth, precisely as I like it. The room acoustic is tricky since the speakers are partly obscured by my desk and the room has hardwood floors. I am also obliged to sit a bit nearer the speakers than is optimal, making for a "near field" experience. But it works. Really, really well.

Another synergy was unplanned. This was the upstairs 'media room' system, which I was upgrading from an unsuccessful multi-channel AV system that was good (sort of) for movies but lousy at everything else. So I dumped most of that stuff and kept only the main speakers, Bowers & Wilkins 805s models, sort of the baby brothers to the 803Ds, and I kept the system's nice B&W 600-series subwoofer.

For amplification, I used the Luxman 505u integrated amplifier that I had retired from the downstairs. It's a superb amp but a little underpowered for those B&W 803s. It really comes into its own with the 805s. Add to that the Bryston BDA-3 DAC that I had retired from downstairs; its elemental clarity complements the distinct warmth of the Luxman and the bright, dancing quality of the 805s.

Upshot: there's a good chance that the media room system has the best sound of the three. The synergy between DAC, amp, and speakers is extraordinary, and the room is just perfectly sized and shaped. They're all good systems and I'm happy with all three, but that media room has something special.