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View Full Version : The Stables Re-Built, Well Bits of it Anyway



Sand Dancin Donkey Walker
23-05-2009, 22:12
Well over the last few days have felt I wanted to change something around but not too sure what. So yesterday got up and decided to strip down my whole system and rebuild it.

Had a lot of wasted space so have tidied it up and looks a lot more compact and neat. New photo’s below.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll246/HyCoignitor/Audio%20Art%20of%20Sound/Room223-05-09.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll246/HyCoignitor/Audio%20Art%20of%20Sound/Room123-05-09.jpg

While putting it all back together I deliberately left out something, so I could go back and re-check what I thought there were doing. Which were the ‘Feet of Silence’

System re-built and powered it all up, all works surprisingly enough. TT is levelled and platter speed is stable, speed stability can be an issue if the thread tension is not quite right, but have not checked the tonearm so that has not been played yet. Will sort that tomorrow.

Let the music play for a while then sat down and played Nnenna Freelon – Soul Call. From the start the sound was more dynamic and forward, though that was a result of a lack for low-end information. The bass or rather low bass was just not as deep and defined as usual, and the bass lines just did not flow as normal. ‘What have I done’ flashed though my tiny mind. Ha, let’s put back the ‘Feet of Silence’ Takes a bit of effort to get these balanced just right, especially with a CD transport with the Transformer over to one side.

Back to Nneena, big sigh of relief as normality has been resumed, nice deep well defined a bass line that lets the music flow nicely. After a while doubts resurfaced though only something niggling, couldn’t quite put my finger on the issue. Then after my senior moment had passed realised I had not inflated the Seismic Sink, which is under the DAC. Pumped it up and deflated it until the surface was at its minimum inflation but the bounce was nice and compliant.

Now back to the music, certain aspects of the bass were better, mids and top end were now a touch more extended and vocals fuller (all for the better), but the lower mids and upper bass lines didn’t run or flow with the music as well as previous. Been through the playing the Sink flat and degrees of inflation and can’t quite decide which I prefer. Never had this problem with the Sink before. It was always a night and day difference and the Sink in place always won the day. Stuff is nearly always some sort of compromise, which one do I take.

Will have to live with it for a while longer and see where I go with it. Not had this issue before so, will have to give it some thought – my heads going to hurt after this one I can feel it already. Nowt to do with the wine been consume either - honest :).

Having said all the above, I'm still a happy bunny ( or Donkey if you will )

Andy - SDDW

Spectral Morn
23-05-2009, 23:14
Hi Andy

Nice to see the rest of your system. Is that a CEC transport ? Maybe you have listed your kit elsewhere but what is the Dac and Turntable ? Is that a pair of Sonus Faber speaker stands under the Turntable?

Its amazing what you find by putting things back together and re-adding the isolation. The things you have taken for granted suddenly being re-acquainted with what they do to bring your system together, its sobering. For those who don't accept such things...well you are missing out, and so is your system.


Regards D S D L

Mike
23-05-2009, 23:28
Is that a GEC transport ?

CEC

Spectral Morn
23-05-2009, 23:46
CEC

senior moment :doh::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Thanks Mike.


Regards D S D L

Sand Dancin Donkey Walker
24-05-2009, 10:27
Hi Neil

Definately had a strange day yesterday, but enjoyable too. You are spot with regard to the comment 'things you have taken for granted suddenly being re-acquainted with' I will tend to live with things for a long while, then remove them to see if my original impressions were/are correct or not. The Seismic Sink a good example, this is the first time I have had an inconclusive result. More to follow.

Mike is correct the transport is a CEC TL1x the DAC which is hidden at the base of the LHS rack is an Audio Logic 34 MXL.

The speaker stands that the tomb stone and TT are sat on are from Usher and were originally used under my 520's for the AV system in the background. The TT is a Feickert Twin with an Audiocraft AC3000 tonearm and My Sonic Eminent cartridge.

Will get round later today to checking the settings of the tonearm and then get it spinning some tunes, looking forward to that indeed :).

Andy - SDDW