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Thread: A visit to RJS, aka mixing it with the big boys.

  1. #1
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default A visit to RJS, aka mixing it with the big boys.

    Rob is a member on here but not very active. He is quite local and Lee suggested we get together, this is the second visit.

    Without beating around the bush Rob has the best system I have heard to date. Scale, clarity, slam, imaging, you name it there is bucket loads on offer.
    A quick run down of the system and you should see why.

    Speakers - hORNS FP-15. Polish origin, new to me, STUNNING A horn loaded compression driver for the treble end of things and a whopper 15 inch for bass duties, all in a 90 litre cabinet.

    Rob tells me that whatever improvements he makes downstream the hORNS just lap it up and spit it out even better than before.



    Amplifiers - These are a loan pair of humongous Ming Da class A monoblocks, and I mean humoungous, each psu case is 50Kg.
    Model MC998A and needless to say I think they could drive anything. With the sensitivity of the hORNS the Ming Da's are just about ticking over

    Preamp - now this gets interesting as you might be able to tell from the photographs. Usually a Townshend Allegri passive autoformer fulfils this role but a different pre was in circuit.

    DAC - This could probably be described as the beating heart of the system, a fabulous LampizatOr Golden Gate.

    Never heard of it? It's the ultimate LampizatOr, it's the Big 7 on steroids, everything but everything taken to the ultimate. Boy what a performer, hi-res, direct DSD, the lot.


    How does it sound you ask. Insert superlatives here: .................................................. ................................
    It's got expression, it's got soul, it's got grab you by the goolies and make you listen presence.

    Everything that was played sounded sublime. Quite a few different jazz tracks, including a favourite test track of Rob's by Fink.
    Elvis Presley from DSD, never heard so good, no, magically good!

    Tears for Fears featuring (don't you hate the 'feat' abbreviation) Oleta Adams: effortless effortless voice.

    Dave Brubeck Take five, when it started the realism just overtook me.

    A couple of tracks from a recent S/H CD purchase 'Two Rooms - Celebrating the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin'.
    Kate Bush - Rocket Man, with a reggae beat, fabulous, Rob rather liked this one.
    Joe Cocker - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word. What can you say about Joe's voice, an absolute favourite, and the sax on this track is sublime.

    A different perspective:




    Now to the preamp. Rob has had the Firebottle KIN on loan and has requested to keep it. Giving more detail and a better balanced presentation was the report.
    To say I was aiming high with the new design and now achieving it has rather put a spring in my step

    We didn't finish there, I had also taken the 'ugly duckling' around (thanks for the description Gordon), my SE EL84 jobbie just for an experiment.
    It was hooked in and didn't disgrace itself:



    It turned out that Rob is a fan of the humble EL84. With the FP-15's as a load it was fairly rocking along. Oodles of clarity in the mids and the treble but just a smidgen lacking at the bottom, no surprise given the (relatively) small output tranformers. All in all class A just works, big or small

    So a fabulous mornings listening, I'm already looking forward to the next time.
    Thanks for the invite Rob.

    Alan
    Last edited by Firebottle; 30-05-2015 at 17:30.
    I love Hendrix for so many reasons. He was so much more than just a blues guitarist - he played damn well any kind of guitar he wanted. In fact I'm not sure if he even played the guitar - he played music. - Stevie Ray Vaughan

  2. #2
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

    Default

    Sounds like the new pre amp is something special Alan.
    It certainly look's like Rob has an interesting system. I am not sure Mrs H would let me have amps like that in the house!
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: United Kingdom

    Posts: 2,302
    I'm Richard.

    Default

    Now that looks interesting! I used to have a pair of "little" Ming Da 845 monoblocks. I say little, as they were the same size as the pair hiding on the left! And my wife WOULD let me have a pair of the big 'uns in the house; she just wouldn't let me BUY them. I saw them (I think) at the Bristol show, but the sound in the Ming Da room wasn't good, so I couldn't tell what they were really like.
    I like the idea of horns with 15" bass drivers, but is there no discontinuity where they cross over? The few I have heard had that problem, but I would love them to work. If these do, then that's a result! The big Consonance speakers look good to me, but I've never heard them, there is only one pair in the country, as far as the importers know.

    And what's the story on the pre? The rest of his gear is out of my reach, but that interests me.
    ABD.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: Charente, France

    Posts: 3,531
    I'm Nodrog.

    Default

    Take 5 is a well known test track and my standard for any new gear that crosses the threshold. The Kate Bush track is terrific, I discovered it on YouTube and play it regularly. Good music choices there. The gear looks a bit intimidating, the speakers very black and menacing. Still, it's the sound that matters.

    Not thinking about abandoning the Quads then Alan?

  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    Richard the hORNS cross over at 1kHz, about the sensible upper limit for a 15 inch woofer I would have thought.
    I was sceptical about 1kHz for xover to the tweeter, but I'm told as it's a compression driver it copes to below this frequency.

    Didn't sound in any way compromised, believe me.

    The Firebottle KIN preamp is my swansong of design, a giant killer at rather less than a giant price. So far proven as a line preamp, following up shortly with the phono section as well. A sample will be at NEBO6, unfortunately that's not a lot of use to you where you are presumably.

    I love Hendrix for so many reasons. He was so much more than just a blues guitarist - he played damn well any kind of guitar he wanted. In fact I'm not sure if he even played the guitar - he played music. - Stevie Ray Vaughan

  6. #6
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    Gordon, I won't be giving up on the Quads, I'm quite happy with them plus the sub.

    A bit more tinkering with the 6W OTL power amp, plus a KIN preamp should then do me for amplification.

    We'll have to get together for a bake off with the KIN
    I love Hendrix for so many reasons. He was so much more than just a blues guitarist - he played damn well any kind of guitar he wanted. In fact I'm not sure if he even played the guitar - he played music. - Stevie Ray Vaughan

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: Charente, France

    Posts: 3,531
    I'm Nodrog.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Firebottle View Post
    Gordon, I won't be giving up on the Quads, I'm quite happy with them plus the sub.

    A bit more tinkering with the 6W OTL power amp, plus a KIN preamp should then do me for amplification.

    We'll have to get together for a bake off with the KIN
    Excellent, when are you back??

    I'm sure I can find a few things to keep you occupied

  8. #8
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: United Kingdom

    Posts: 2,302
    I'm Richard.

    Default

    AFAIK, a major LF limit for a horn is the mouth size, and that is hard to cheat. But if it works, it works!
    And what do you mean "swansong"?
    ABD.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    Richard, the 15 inch woofer is bass reflex loaded with two ports at the rear.

    I did wonder about using that term, swansong.
    I'm using it in the guise of I don't think I will design anything better, as in 'the pinnacle of ones career' meaning.

    Last edited by Firebottle; 30-05-2015 at 17:32.
    I love Hendrix for so many reasons. He was so much more than just a blues guitarist - he played damn well any kind of guitar he wanted. In fact I'm not sure if he even played the guitar - he played music. - Stevie Ray Vaughan

  10. #10
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: Charente, France

    Posts: 3,531
    I'm Nodrog.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Firebottle View Post
    I did wonder about using that term, swansong.

    I'm using it in the guise of I don't think I will design anything better, as in 'the pinnacle of ones career' meaning.

    Ah well, you never know for sure do you?

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