Stereo5 I am sure it sounds wonderful. As I have said, it is all about system synergy.
I have never heard a Conrad Johnson product that sounded bad, and some are REALLY exceptional.
I nearly bought a ET3SE preamp, until I decided it would be harder to work into a home theater than I really wanted, since I just don't listen to that much (almost none) 2 channel. But music through it blew me away. Better than my XMC-1, that is for sure.
Happy listening,
God Bless,
Wayne

Saturday I took delivery of my new Trefs from Paradyme Sound & Vision in Roseville, California (near Sacramento for those unfamiliar). Patrick Mammolite has been very helpful there and helped me load them into my pickup. These things are much heavier than the T1s, and it’s good idea to get help moving them. It’s also a very good idea to own a pickup truck. They fit nicely laying down on edge between the wheel wells in my Tacoma.

I drove back up over the Sierra’s (I live just east of Lake Tahoe), barely beating the thunderstorms, and managed to get home with dry boxes. A friend helped me unload and unbox. Thanks to the GET unboxing video, we got them out fairly quickly and painlessly. Once unboxed, they are easy to walk around into place single handedly. I got them positioned, and sat down for a listen.

Note that, because my T1s were out of commission, I had been listening on my B&W 683 S2s, so my T1 speaker memory was getting a little vague. Still, the differences between the T1 and the Trefs were pretty clear.

Just out of the boxes…definitely early, they do need to break in, but holy cow! The bass was the first thing I noticed. It’s not just low, which it is, but it is extremely well controlled. I listened to a Chesky jazz recording (Paquito Rivera’s Havana Café) with kick drum, and the drum was not THUNK, it was more like THUD, FLUTTER. I listened to another percussion recording, Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum, the Temple Caves track, and that 30 Hz (I believe) percussive sound had texture that I hadn’t heard (and felt) before. The Trefs didn’t even break a sweat on that note. Easy.

Moving up the spectrum, exquisite detail in the mids and highs, layers upon layers of orchestral sound clearly audible and separable. More so than the T1s, I think. Like the T1s, bell tones are extremely clear and pure. I listened to my Telarc recording of Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, and at the end of the percussion section, just before the Finale, I clearly heard the triangle being hit repeatedly, where before it was more of a vague bellish high sound with no repeat. With the T1s, I wasn’t really sure it was a triangle. Wow. Such detail!

Imaging is laser sharp, which I expected; it had been excellent with the T1s, but the Trefs are, I think, even better. Imaging is absolutely effortless. That narrow profile really pays off here. (I used to think of my T1s as my razor blades. The Trefs, being taller, look even more so.) Depth – when it exists on the recording – is very clear, with plenty of subtle hall ambience. I think this will get even better with more break in.

The only negative thing is a brightness and edginess on some upper mids and highs, like orchestral strings and brass. Everybody says this is normal and will disappear with break in.

On volume level, it’s strange. The TRefs are more efficient than the T1s, and yes, you can run them lower, but at the same time, there is so much detail, and the listening is so easy that you want to crank them up. So, for me anyway, I haven’t figured out what level I’ll end up at.

Next day….

After a total 7 hours of music and pink noise, another listening session. Some of the edginess has disappeared, and the overall impression is warmer and more natural. I listened to Fleetwood Mac Dreams because I had heard that a couple of months ago on a $250k system (yes, a quarter of a million dollars). On my system with the Trefs, it sounded almost the same (!) except for a slight edginess on the vocals. I think that edginess will improve with more break in.

I’m now running moderate level 96 kHz white noise, and I’ll do that for a few hours and listen again. More to follow.

Great report, Charlie!

Some initial brightness in some cases, disappearing with break-in, seems to be for some a part of the break-in process.

I'm expecting to run my new amp and the TR's for awhile before I draw many conclusions.

Enjoy those bad boys!!!

I'll add to the review chorus after our 9/6 return to TX.

Rick

Great report Charlie, so very glad you did not get them wet!!!! Though all my GEt speakers came wrapped to perfection and it would have been extremely difficult for them to have gotten wet with just some rain.
Sounds like (pun intended) your break in is on track and just what you would expect. Did you decide to get the Bel Canto amps?
Can't wait to hear how that works out for you.
And same for you Bro Rick, when you get back to God's country and get the magic all hooked up.
I will sit here and live vicariously through all you guys.
But I am listening to my 3 channel Living Stereo recording of "Rhapsodies" by Stowkowski and it is AWESOME!!!! even on my One and SC X. Sometimes us po boys do OK anyway!!!!!
Ha ha, enjoy, smoke em if you got em!!!!
God Bless,
Wayne

Wayne,

I do plan to get the Bel Canto amps; I hope to order them this week.

I have a regular CD of that Stokowski Rhapsody Living Stereo recording. It is one of my favorites, and it really shows what a great conductor Stokowski was. My favorite "cut" is the Tristan und Isolde prelude. Hmm, I'll have to try it out on the new Trefs.

Did some movie watching last night. Wow, those Trefs add a whole new dimension!

Charlie

Charlie, excited for you!!!!!
Keep us informed, if you would be so kind.
Happy listening,
God Bless,
Wayne