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sparky68
30-10-2010, 09:47
:)
First off Thanks so much to Stan for putting up with my inpatience, proper topman he is ;)

well the Caiman is home...
dear old posty woke me up 07:30 this morning, had me jumping around about the bedroom thought i was late for work (shouldnt drink so much wine)

Anyway all hooked up and very very nice i must say, initially i used my old preamp which ive long thought was past it so after an hour or so i ripped it out and now im using the caiman as pre also, what a difference, proved the old MF pre8 was def long past an update.
Next is to update the aging MF MA65's diy :scratch:

Going to run her in for for hours but tbh straight out the box its fab its going to be a long day replaying the whole cd collection :eyebrows:

is one happy chappy

Mark

Alex_UK
30-10-2010, 11:21
Nice one Mark. It will only get better... ;)

sparky68
30-10-2010, 11:51
cheers Alex,
maybe my preference only but id like more mid's/vocals i like them in your face a bit more but going to leave it for few 100 hours first see what happens.

Been suggested modding the MLC5 and MLC6 i think this means replacing them ? but me with a soldering iron is prob not such a good idea , might get some practise in on something else first :doh:

Mark:cool:

Alex_UK
30-10-2010, 13:29
Patience is a virtue... I reckon after a couple of days things will start to blossom - then give it a few weeks and think about the passive output mod (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=6910), or, if you want to keep the headphone element (and don't want to faff about too much) the Gator board (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7623&highlight=gator) that Stan is offering - not heard it yet, but keep your eye on the thread for when it is released and see what we all think of it...

Covenant
30-10-2010, 13:38
And don't forget the Murata reg/15v linear supply too!:)

DSJR
30-10-2010, 13:46
... and some Mark Grant HD interconnects to maintain a low capacitance feed to the power amps.

We'll soon spend your hard earned cash for yer, no worries..... :lol:

sparky68
30-10-2010, 13:46
i did start to read about the passive mod but got lost in the 7520 to 7510 in the thread was going back and fourth and i kind of lost track where i was so gave up :)
Will the mod effect the variable output as thats what im using ?

also might get one of THESE (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110594012848&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT) opamps ?

i wont be using headphones at all so no worries there.

hey Covenant i did see that somewhere on here what is please is it a new psu?

haha yeh i can see that Dave :)

Mark

sparky68
30-10-2010, 14:08
not a good first review from the Mrs :( she says it sounds flat compared to what we had before ie: cdp - preamp - monobloc's oh no !!

Covenant
30-10-2010, 19:12
i did start to read about the passive mod but got lost in the 7520 to 7510 in the thread was going back and fourth and i kind of lost track where i was so gave up :)
Will the mod effect the variable output as thats what im using ?

also might get one of THESE (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110594012848&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT) opamps ?

i wont be using headphones at all so no worries there.

hey Covenant i did see that somewhere on here what is please is it a new psu?

haha yeh i can see that Dave :)


Mark
Have a good read of this thread:
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3058.
I personally found a big improvement changing to a well regulated linear supply after fitting the Murata regulators

sparky68
31-10-2010, 14:44
cheers fella's
if i can try and explain whats going on with my little knowledge,

after adding the caiman its sounds good but low volume compared to what it was before, everything sounds very subtle ive had it at full volume today and well, lots and lots of hiss around the music as expected tbh, when we had the cd-preamp-amps i could never ever get to anywhere near half volume let alone full vloume.
Can this be the dac is not powerful enough ? sorry if this sounds bizzare but best way i can explain it :) would the passive mod cure this, or make it worse ?

Mark

NOW streaming from old file srver is a different matter all together (just tried it) and its truly brilliant :)

so whats going on with the cd player anyone please ???

sparky68
31-10-2010, 15:47
looks like ill ripping them all to hdd , very strange how lossless can sound better than the original cd ?

Alex_UK
31-10-2010, 15:51
Sounds like there could be a problem with the digital out on the CD player to me - how are you connecting it (coax or toslink?) and with what?

sparky68
31-10-2010, 15:53
coaxial Alex
using a litz handmade interconnect i had spare after removing the preamp

Alex_UK
31-10-2010, 15:54
(and if you can, plug it into one of the other inputs to check it isn't a problem with the specific input on the Caiman. Is there coax and toslink options on the CD player so you could try the other?)

sparky68
31-10-2010, 15:56
no just coaxial, hasnt got a toslink output
its an arcam alpha 8

Alex_UK
31-10-2010, 15:56
Ideally you should use a specific digital coax lead (which will have 75 ohm impedence) but I've used a standard interconnect at a pinch, and it wasn't as bad as it sounds it is for you. My money is still on a problem with the CDP digital out... :(

Alex_UK
31-10-2010, 15:58
Does the server connect coax, and is it ok on the same input as the CDP? (With the same lead?)

sparky68
31-10-2010, 16:08
no Alex server streams thru a play!on mini via network lead then onto dac with toslink

sparky68
31-10-2010, 16:20
with the play!on all the detail is back altho still not anywhere near the volume id get with the preamp back in place but never max'd it out anyway.
I rekon your right about the cable from the cd player shame i haven't got one to try atm going to have to wait another month till payday now unless the mrs can come up with some wedge lol

sparky68
31-10-2010, 16:23
think i read on here about matching hz with amps maybe this is my issue with the volume ??

Alex_UK
31-10-2010, 16:53
think i read on here about matching hz with amps maybe this is my issue with the volume ??

Did you try it from the fixed output into a line input on the preamp before you took the preamp out of the system?

sparky68
31-10-2010, 16:59
ok had to put the preamp back for the time being to get the volume and punch back,not quite sure why this is ? but hey if thats the way it has to be then so be it,
still have fantastic streaming detail but now have no coaxial to try cd so will have to wait for a bit for that but atm more than happy with streamed :):)

Mark

sparky68
31-10-2010, 17:00
sorry Alex typing same time hahaha

sparky68
31-10-2010, 17:00
yeh its as it is back now, much more punchy volume
with the preamp back it rattles the ornaments off :) at not even half volume

Reid Malenfant
31-10-2010, 17:02
Fella, get that litz lead out of the digital connection ;) I'm pretty sure that's what's messing up the quality. You need a proper coaxial cable with a 75ohm specific impedance. Litz leads will be miles off of the mark as well as increasing cable capacitance by miles which will round off the transitions between the 1s & 0s that make up the digital signal :doh:

You are effectively killing the quality with that cable :eek:

sparky68
31-10-2010, 17:04
cheers Mark you and Alex you are probably spot on but cant try it now cuz i haven't a cable,
what about the volume tho its less than half the vol without the preamp in place ?? weird

Alex_UK
31-10-2010, 17:05
Mark (Sparky) - how long does the digi coax cable need to be from your CDP to Caiman?

sparky68
31-10-2010, 17:07
with it all back place (server-dac-preamp-amps) to be honest ive never heard anything that sounds sooo good absolutley brilliant.

sparky68
31-10-2010, 17:14
sorry Alex typing over you again lol
it sits ontop the cd player so 20cm ish prob less

Alex_UK
31-10-2010, 17:20
PM me your address and I'll pop one in the post tomorrow - it won't be a fantastic one, (I think I've got a spare Monster 1m one) but it will be enough to check it all works and tide you over for a few weeks until you can get sorted.

sparky68
31-10-2010, 17:24
Alex you are a diamond, ill send it straight back to you when i get a new 1.
Ill pay for the postage mate if thats ok its the least i can do for your kindness :)

Mark

Alex_UK
31-10-2010, 17:25
No worries - there are so few of us hifi nutters left we've got to look after our own! :)

sparky68
31-10-2010, 17:35
A True Gent thankyou very much :)

sparky68
02-11-2010, 20:55
cable in and she is now sounding great
many thanks to all and especially Alex for the cable even the wife can tell the difference which aint bad for a deaf old bird :)

this site is awesome :)

Alex_UK
02-11-2010, 21:02
Enjoy!

:gig: