Jerry,very nice home and system, those white objects on the floor are audiophile bowls and thus cost a heap of wonga.
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Thanks Andy & Alex. Yeah, it's a nice place to live.
Those are biscuit bowls for the cats - empty, so as to fine tune the acoustics of the room, of course! :eyebrows: .... I must get around to topping them up. :)
If you look carefully at that pic, you can see bits of two cats - Wotty (with a plastic cone/collar on as he has an injured face) and Stinker.
Jerry,
One day try the Sony Playstation 1 out as a CD Player. Make sure and go for the model SCPH 1002.
I must warn you, they are very smooth sounding and don't have huge detail.
Just a pic to keep this system blog up to date ....
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...PSAudioPPP.jpg
.... comments on this wee beastie are to be found on MartinT's mains regenerator thread.
OK, perhaps a quick summary ...
It's a PS Audio Power Plant Premier 'mains regenerator'.
Useful but quite small incremental sound quality improvements are to be heard with small power-draw items - i.e. my CDP and pre-amp.
Major improvement on my 250wpc Parasound A21 amp.
Nice piece of kit. It's staying. :)
Ye gods, this is my first update here for over 2 months.
How embarassing for a box-swapper. :o
So, time for a change, eh?
[Sorry Anthony. ;) ... I can't 'elp it, guv. It's an affliction, innit, mate. :eyebrows:]
I was enjoying that damn Krell KRC-3 pre-amp too much. I can't be 'avin' with that. :nono: Out it goes. And in comes a NuForce P8 pre-amp.
It's a real tiny-tot after the architectural magnificence of the Krell ...
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7741.jpg
And here its is on its tod, driving my Parasound A21 power amp ....
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...ceP8Halo21.jpg
I wasn't too sure about its sound to start with - more in the way of sheeny hifi compared to the musical sophistication of the Krell. But after a bit of cable fiddling it's settling in well. The main change has been from moving on from Audio Friendly mains cable to some LAT AC-2. The AF's are enjoyably a bit forward, which matched well with the Krell, the LAT more neutral.
Yep, my initial concerns have been largely addressed and the sound is now interestingly different from the Krell rather than inferior. The Krell has a way of projecting the full dynamic envelope of the music that the NuForce can't quite match - 'magnificent' would be my 1-Word-Review of the Krell, I think - whereas the NuForce tends to surgically dissect the musical strands and presents a more upfront view of the music. I even put the NuForce up for sale soon after I got it - our relationship did not start well! But I'm happy with it now -- or until the next pre that takes my fancy comes along! :lol:
Both are great pre-amps, to be honest, I just fancied a change after 6 months with the Krell, and the NuForce has certainly given me that. :)
Jerry, I have a hunch that a Pass preamp would suit your Parasound rather well. Have you ever come across one?
Hi Martin - I've not had a Pass pre, but I did home dem a Pass Aleph 3 power amp - the one that prompted Stereophile to create an A+ performance category.
Urgh :zzz: It was of the smooth persuasion - a whole layer of rez was missing from the darn thing! That was when I had my very revealing and hi-rez Avantgarde Uno speakers.
It's kind of put me off the brand. :scratch: But I'd be happy to give one a go if it came along and offered itself. :)
I think the Alephs are a different kettle of fish.
You would never categorise my XP-20 as smooth and sleep inducing!
Ha - yes, could you not tell by how often I was falling asleep on Saturday, after edging up the volume on the remote control, every time we heard something more musically spectacular, from the tonearm cable changes we were doing?
Oh yes, definitely sleep-inducing... (might not work quite as expected, though, in an advert for Valium) :D
Marco.
You like that remote control ;)
I lurves it more than you'll ever know... :eyebrows:
Marco.
What did Marco get up to with that remote?
You didn't leave him alone with it, did you, Martin?
If you did, I suggest you give it a thorough clean with a strong antiseptic. :lol:
Hmm, I think it was its metallic beauty, the rounded corners, the long thin profile, the...
<disconnected>
Oooo, heck - this is rather nice ... :drool:
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7749.jpg
... although only on loan for a review. :(
Absolutor? Good grief, Terminator meets preamp?
Well, there have been a few changes recently so I thought I'd update this system blog.
MBL speakers are still here, of course, and providing a nicely transparent window on to the rest of the system, and - most importantly - the music. Well over 2 years since I got the MBLs and I am still madly, deeply in love with them. :)
It's coming up to 1 year with the Parasound power amp, too.
Sigh - what's a boxswapper to do? :scratch:
... change everything else, of course! :lol:
So here's "The Rack" as of this morning ....
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7861.jpg
The big Parasound bottom, right.
New Morgan 500 valve pre-amp above it. That arrived yesterday, from Martin Howlindawg in rainswept Ireland. Thanks, Martin. :thumbsup:
I had this very item before, sold it to Martin, who promptly found that the mains transformer was not up to par. Damn :doh: - I never did hear it at its best. Well, now I have. Cor. Stunning resolution in the mids - it just latches on to every dynamic change and micro-inflection. Especially now that I have replaced the stock Golden Dragons with a pair of TAD 12AX7 and a pair of Amperex 12AU7. The bass isn't quite as taut as the XTC Pre-1 that is now 'resting' but it's way more than good enough. Maybe some more tube-rolling can improve things further? The Morgan pre is not for the faint of heart or for those who want to wallow in an enveloping wash of sound. This pre puts you front/centre. Wonderful - I love it so far.
Top left is a Pioneer PD-S505 stable platter CDP used as a transport into my new DAC. I do love those Pioneers stable platters as transports - they knock the spots off most other transports, imho.
Below that is my Arcam DV29 DVD player for SciFi blockbuster movies, classical concert DVDs and Gilbert & Sullivan operettas on DVD and VHS tape.
Bottom left, my Beresford Bushmaster DAC is powered by an S-Booster linear PSU supplied by Mark Grant and they both sit atop the PowerInspired AG1500 mains regenerator that feeds the whole shebang.
You know, the system don't sound half bad. In fact, it's the best I've heard, imho.:)
Great to hear that you're enjoying the Morgan Jerry.
I'd agree with pretty much every word you wrote about it.
I'm bewildered as to why the brand isn't better known and respected in the UK.
While it was in my system I also tried an Audio Note M1 and Croft Micro 25 and it was the Morgan that stayed put.
So when are you going to bring the Parasound round to my place, Jerry, for a shootout against the Chord? :)
My Sony SCD-1 SACD player was 26kg!
The heaviest amp I've ever had was a MF F18 power amp. 53Kg. :doh: Jeez-us. I promised myself I'd never do that again.
What an interesting idea. Hmm. :hmm: Basingstoke - that's do-able ..... about 2 hrs each way. :hmm:
Amp/speaker matching is a lot to do with synergy, of course, as well as absolute quality. It would be interesting if you could bring the Chord along to the lovely Forest of Dean as well! :thumbsup:
I have family in Malvern and could co-ordinate my actions, would love to hear your system. Agreed that the results will be very system dependent, but hey it would be fun.
Now that's a bake-off I'd also like to attend (providing that it's sometime after August)! :)
Marco.
Sounds like a plan :)
Awesome... I could bring my copper amp (and Croft) down to provide a thermionic option? We already know that they work very well with your speakers :)
Marco.
Jerry, what's your view on our suggestion? :)
Marco.
I think we should keep it to power amps as we need to keep focus. Would be a great comparison, though.
Yup, OK -- although I must admit I had more in mind a relaxed sesh with mainly classical moozik, rather than a power-amp shootout! :)
Sounds fine to me, Jerry. Too much equipment always gets in the way of music.
I'll go along with what you guys want, but I thought that is was essentially a power amp 'shootout' between the Parasound and the Chord?
Therefore, one more amp in the equation shouldn't hurt... I'd have thought that a 'thermionic upstart', sandwiched in between two 'brutish sand-boy powerhouses' would've been an interesting comparison! ;)
I'm also perfectly willing to listen to mostly classical music, as long as there's plenty of Shosty! Are you bringing your graphic equaliser, Jerry? :eyebrows:
Marco.
Yup, yup - I understand where you are coming from. :)
My point really is that I have tried a whole bundle (well over 20) of different amps with my MBL speakers and have settled on the Parasound amp as the best (by far) synergistic partner for them.
I feel sure that Martin has done something similar for his Usher/Chord combo.
As such, it's not really a 'shoot out' that Martin and I were considering - more of a "I wonder how the Parasound jells with the Ushers".
Which is why I suggested a return visit by Martin to my humble abode to try out his Chord amp in my system.
So, as I see it, no marks will be awarded. No "best amp" will be proclaimed. So in that sense I don't see it as a shoot-out.
But yes, I am sure that lots of Shosty can be played - and who knows, maybe we can interest you in other by-ways of classical music -- I am quite well known for coming in from far left field in that regard. :eyebrows:
So .... after August, is it, for Marco?
If so, shall we set a date to meet at Martin's place in September? :thumbsup:
Agreed, Jerry, we know they are both good amps. I'm just curious as to how the Parasound will sound with the Ushers. It seems very good value for what it is and John Curl is a well respected designer.
Saturdays of 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th are free at the moment.
That's good for me - I've put it in my calendar.
Hi Jerry,
September 8th is cool with me :)
I hear where you're coming from, but you're misunderstanding me. I wasn't thinking of a 'shootout' either, or there being an award for the "best amp", perish the thought... It'd be a chillax'd music sesh and social gathering, primarily, as it always is at Martin's place.
I just thought that, purely from a curiosity factor, it would be too good an opportunity to miss to hear how a valve amp stacks up against two top-notch SS powerhouses - not with a view to awarding a "best amp" (how could one, anyway, there are too many variables), but purely as an interesting exercise to report on the forum.
I'm sure that a lot of members woud be interested in that. However, if you're dead against it, then we'll leave it.
In any case, I'll come armed with a wad of classical albums on vinyl - who knows, perhaps some you've not heard before? :cool:
Marco.
Hey, yup - I didn't mean to come over as negative.
Fine, bring the valve jobbie along - it would be interesting. :)
It will be nice to spend a few hours with you guys!
If you're bringing your amp, Marco, you'll need a 1m single-ended interconnect. As you know, my system is all balanced XLR. Jerry - as I remember, the Parasound takes balanced in?
Yup, the Para can take balanced - I can also bring along some 'interesting' RCA cables ... :whistle:
And, yes, Marco -- I do believe I will bring along my graphic equaliser and some LPs to show it merits. ;)
A pile of pre-amps's at Jerry Towers !! :D
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7888.jpg
From the top ... a Morgan 500 valve pre-amp, a Bent Audio NOH TVC passive and a XTC Pre-1 solid stater.
All very, very nice. Which one to keep? .... I'll keep 'em all for now. :)
The Bent Audio Transformer Volume Control passive pre is the latest addition. Collected from Paul 'Ganders' of the Wigwam a couple of days ago. Thanks Paul! :thumbsup:
Let's have a closer look at the TVC ....
Central volume control, the knobs at either end set the input for each channel - an unusual arrangement. Remote control of volume, driven by a very neat pulley and belt arrangement ....
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7891.jpg
Isn't that sweet! :)
Inside are twin Stevens and Billington transformers and , I dare say, a rat's nest of wires! -- although I haven't yet peeked.
At the rear, a load of RCA and XLR input/output options ...
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7887.jpg
Ok -- all hooked up --
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7877.jpg
The sound .... I rate all 3 of these pre-amps highly, but they do give their own take on the musical event.
There's a relaxed naturalness to this S&B TVC pre that I don't think I get from the active devices. The music just kind of flows out in an unforced way. Tonality seems spot-on in the mids, treble is a tad on the smooth side - I use a very transparent but slightly bright Belkin interconnect and all is well with the world. (Cable unbelievers can ignore that bit ;)) - but there is not a trace of harshness or aggression - it really is a hi-rez pleasure. The bass is astonishing in its power, weight, definition and slam; that is not what I was expecting from a passive pre! It has to be the best bass I have heard from a pre-amp.
Imaging is excellent, although I feel not quite as 3D in terms of depth as I get from the XTC, or from my old Krell KRC-3, for that matter. The solid staters seem to give the best soundstage depth -- hmm, whowouldathunkit? Not me! Well, actually, I already knew that the Krell and XTC excelled in this department.
Dynamics seem pretty much unconstrained - but TVC passives are know for this trait - unlike some regular resistive passives.
Detail resolution is of the highest, but it's just there, it doesn't force itself upon you.
Oh, I haven't mentioned gain. Is a passive pre enough with my 83dB/W speakers? I am surprised, and I still haven't got my head around this, but yes, there is more gain than I need. Which I find immensely puzzling. :scratch: Fans of Eddy Louiss' "Blues for Klook" will know this as an astinishingly dynamic and fast track which is cut at an amazingly low level. Ya needs loads of gain to give it the welly it deserves, you really do. But, perhaps thanks to the +6dB gain switches on the TVC, I can flex the walls and rattle the windows no problem - as loud as I have ever played it - and I play it LOUD!! And there are still a few notches on the volume that I dare not even try. Baffling.
Anyway, that's an initial impression after just a couple of days. :)
Lol - what does that mean exactly? :)
Marco.
Hi guys - I think there is a case to be made for use of the PM system. ;) It's a shame to let such an excellent facility go to waste for errrr, private communications!
Lol... I didn't consider the exchange as in need of being private, but whatever. All I need to know is what to bring, so either PM me the info or spit it out here! :)
Marco.