Dusted off the a/d/s/ L1230s and paired them with the B&K EX-442 Sonata.

Running a Pioneer Elite PD-65 CDP and a Cambridge Audio Azur 640c CDP through a PSE pre-amp. Bypassed the DAC for this round. Ran Outlaw cables.

How's it sound?

Well, 5 hours past my bed-time, I had to peel myself away from the stereo.

And this a.m., my car-pool buddy stopped by- and had to sit transfixed through a bit of Pink Floyd before we left.

He said he heard things in the song he's never heard before- coughing, a high-pitched varying squeal, a person shifting slightly about, a whirring, some back-round hiss and static, string decay and strike, ect and from a song he's incredibly familiar with.

Last thing he said is "It sounds better than if the band was actually here, in the room, playing live. I like this better."


I couldn't disagree.

My 1290s hooked up to a Hafler DH-500 and my Arcam Aplha 8 or my old B&O turntable will reveal music you knew not in albums you have had for decades and listened to often. It really is uncanny how much separation and definition they are capable of.

I'm not familiar with those ADS speakers, though I remember that I always liked the sound of speakers from that manufacturer. Telarc used the 1530's as monitors on its early recordings: is the 1230 a 12" version of the same? Just curious....

howdy,
The 1230 is two 8" woofers while the 1530 is two 10"s. The monstrous 2030 was 12"a, I believe, and added mids and tweeters- but just too much of a good thing.

The 1230s and 1530s were the true darlings!