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struth
23-12-2018, 10:25
An unfortunate Mallardy.

Classic

struth
23-12-2018, 13:57
between your thread and mine we have just short of 1 million views:lol:

jandl100
23-12-2018, 14:08
Makes you wonder that folks don't have better things to do! ;)

hornucopia
23-12-2018, 14:39
Like .....Brexit.......watching rubbish on TV......texting inanities on phones........

jandl100
09-01-2019, 09:32
Streaming services --

Have just now cancelled my Deezer Hifi streaming sub, I had a 1 month free trial but I simply wasn't using it.

Qobuz 16/44 seems to work best for me
- excellent sound
- can cut & paste text for searches etc (can't do this in Spotify or Deezer Hifi for some reason)
- recording label is indexed so can be included in searches (I think this is unique to Qobuz?). I use this quite a lot.
- "CD booklet" download is available for a decent proportion of albums

The only downside to Qobuz is a short gap between tracks, which is a bit of a pain when the music is continuous. The only streaming service I have tried that does this right and is totally gapless is Spotify. But Spot doesn't work well on my PC and does not have the 4 above-mentioned benefits of Qobuz.

I might try TIDAL again - I haven't used it for a couple of years.

struth
09-01-2019, 09:44
Cancelled my spotty freebee too, for same reasons, as tidal is integrated im my system. I couldnt get qoboz to work on my system pc. Only would work on ipad. Put me off alas.

jandl100
09-01-2019, 09:47
Yes, the different streaming services seem to behave quite differently on different hardware/operating system/software etc setups.
One person's reccie may be totally useless to someone else who sees a different user interface and where the dang things behave differently.
Quite strange, really.

jandl100
13-01-2019, 12:00
New stuff, not yet plumbed in...

- Linear PSU for my Wyred4Sound reclocker widget.

- W&M LS-06 speaker cables. I do love my LS-02 cables, so I have high hopes of these.

http://www.audioalchemy.ro/cabluri/cabludif/WMLS06.jpg

And running in now - sort of small brother to Grant's Nuraphones - Even H1 headphones with built in hearing test and correction DSP.

https://img.ibxk.com.br/2016/10/22/22181445661053.jpg

Ducks are best.

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/50465255_10155936092845233_3002551472731717632_n.j pg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=260e29a53b7b658deb84402fcb7fc27e&oe=5CC9EC25

struth
13-01-2019, 12:06
New stuff, not yet plumbed in...

- Linear PSU for my Wyred4Sound reclocker widget.

- W&M LS-06 speaker cables. I do love my LS-02 cables, so I have high hopes of these.

http://www.audioalchemy.ro/cabluri/cabludif/WMLS06.jpg

And running in now - sort of small brother to Grant's Nuraphones - Even H1 headphones with built in hearing test and correction DSP.

https://img.ibxk.com.br/2016/10/22/22181445661053.jpg

Ducks are best.

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/50465255_10155936092845233_3002551472731717632_n.j pg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=260e29a53b7b658deb84402fcb7fc27e&oe=5CC9EC25

nice. got a set of ls-1's coming soon to try. not up to making a set at moment of my focals so see how they go. nuraphones rock

Macca
13-01-2019, 12:21
Not sure a duck actually swims, isn't it more of a flotation device with paddles attached?

jandl100
13-01-2019, 12:26
Not sure a duck actually swims, isn't it more of a flotation device with paddles attached?

https://i.gifer.com/zU8.gif

struth
13-01-2019, 12:28
Not sure a duck actually swims, isn't it more of a flotation device with paddles attached?

https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/b-Y181htI0QLOrasaUJNtUmIMgQ=/4560x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/duckling-close-up-500315849-572917c93df78ced1f0b99ec.jpg

I can swim better than you can fly:ner:

jandl100
22-01-2019, 13:00
New toy ... I'm going a bit headphone crazy atm :mental: ...

http://thompsonpawnbroker.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/grado.jpg

southall-1998_mk2
22-01-2019, 16:40
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, Jerry.

S.

User211
22-01-2019, 20:23
£250 for a decent set of cans. Where's your money i.e. given what you have learned where would you put it?

Stack of experience you have gained must have some bearing for a decent recommendation.

struth
22-01-2019, 21:58
Add a bit and buy some nuraphones

jandl100
23-01-2019, 06:52
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, Jerry.

S.

Very positive initial impressions, Shane. Fast, detailed, open.
They had a bit of a challenge as I was listening to the Stax SR3 when the Grados turned up, and while limited in some ways the Stax are ridiculously transparent!

I don't think they are the original Grado earcups, though - I suspect they wore out / got damaged and previous owner got a cheaper Chinese copy.
The Grado cups are of a different denser foam, and of a rather complex internal construction with foams of different density and somewhat differently shaped.
I have ordered a pukka Grado pair. I know that they can make a big difference soundwise. And it would be nice if they didn't have a faint whiff of stale cigarette smoke. :rolleyes::eyebrows:

jandl100
23-01-2019, 07:05
Add a bit and buy some nuraphones

Yup, never tried those.
I do have a pair of Even H1 which also do a built in hearing test with DSP correction. Extremely impressive, but maybe less so for a young whippersnapper like Justin. Old fogey that I am - 63 in a couple of weeks. :wheniwasaboy:

I also now have a Sonnneteer Headspace inline widget which works extremely well - thanks to a reccie by Brian :thumbsup:. A significant uplift to headphone sq, even though I find it hard to describe quite what it does. It just makes it sound more real. Have just ordered a 2nd one as I have headphone setups rather scattered around the place. :)

jandl100
23-01-2019, 07:22
£250 for a decent set of cans. Where's your money i.e. given what you have learned where would you put it?

Stack of experience you have gained must have some bearing for a decent recommendation.

Ah well, I suspect that headphones are quite personal things.
£250 will buy you my Audeze EL-8 (https://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?62195-FS-Audeze-EL-8-planar-magnetic-headphones) planar magnetics. I suspect you'd love them, very clear, detailed and dynamic - I can pop them in the post if you fancy trying them.

Or those Nuraphones do get rave reviews and Grant clearly loves his.

My Fostex TH600 are also amazing in a slightly less focussed way - very open and also detailed but a bit on the blowsy side - a bit diffuse - sort of Beyerdynamic 990 done proppa! I'm defo keeping those.
The Even H1 are very impressive, too, although I guess I'm still in the honeymoon period with them.

Some folks love AKG 701, but I can't bear them. Similar with mid price Sennheisers.
You might love them, who knows?

My Stax SR3 do the clarity and rez thing incomparably well, but they don't have much welly and the bass is a bit MIA and/or AWOL.

Jury still out on the Grado PS1000, awaiting decent earcups, but they are a bit up in price.

Some vintage Wharfedale Isodynamics continue to impress - amazing sound, really, in terms of clarity and realism but they do lose out on the lower bass. Can be picked up for around £50 - vfm out of sight if you can get a pair with decent condition earcups or have some made up

struth
23-01-2019, 07:36
If bass is your cuppa then the nuras have bass that comes out the ear cup, and is felt by your bones. This is converted to sound.
But yes I don't know how great they are with younger folk

User211
23-01-2019, 21:47
Looking up the Audeze put me into the Oppo PM-3.

I'm going to buy a pair and sell my AKG 702, which I can't use at work. Too much sound leakage.

Thanks Jerry!

Have you tried the Oppo?

jandl100
23-01-2019, 21:58
:doh::lol:

no

struth
23-01-2019, 22:00
I've got a set. Excellent cans and work well with a phone as well as an amp.

User211
23-01-2019, 22:15
I've got a set. Excellent cans and work well with a phone as well as an amp.Yeah the work with a phone bit, small size and closed back fits the bill I reckon.

struth
23-01-2019, 22:23
Yup you won't get the best out of them with a phone alone but they are only 32 ohm I think. So work well enough. I've tried a portable head amp with phone and it gave a bit more headspace. Very well constructed too

User211
23-01-2019, 22:34
I will think for a little longer... how are they with the Xiang? If that works and work will PAT test the Xiang it might be worth the plunge.

Would need to get USB-C digital out to the Xiang though. Can it be done?

struth
23-01-2019, 22:55
Yup usb c to usb b cable. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fasgear-Braided-Connector-Compatible-Printers/dp/B07DCNXWND/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1548283853&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=usb-c+to+usb-b&psc=1

My nuraphones do HD Bluetooth from phone or pc etc as well as by cable if you want. Probably similar money if buying new. Nuraphones are nice although they take a week to get used to them.
Was using my oppos today actually. They are a nice can. Nurs do rock better if that's ur poison

User211
24-01-2019, 06:40
Well found I was searching eBay to no avail before I made that post surprised I hadn't found anything. Bad search term I suspect.

Good tight bass with plenty of extension is mandatory. I listen almost exclusively to electronic at work.

jandl100
24-01-2019, 07:22
I've been taking headphone listening more seriously recently and have gathered together an interesting variety, so I thought it was about time that I investigated a serious headphone amp.
Accordingly a Lehmann Audio Linear Headphone Amplifier (https://www.whathifi.com/lehmann/black-cube-linear/review) should be posted to me today.

Looking forward to hearing what it brings to the party.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zo4AAOSwiqBcQjmd/s-l1600.jpg

Innards (stock image) ...

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/pics/lehmann_black_cube_linear_inside.jpg

struth
24-01-2019, 07:25
Should be good.

User211
24-01-2019, 09:10
I've been taking headphone listening more seriously recently and have gathered together an interesting variety, so I thought it was about time that I investigated a serious headphone amp.
Accordingly a Lehmann Audio Linear Headphone Amplifier (https://www.whathifi.com/lehmann/black-cube-linear/review) should be posted to me today.

Looking forward to hearing what it brings to the party.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zo4AAOSwiqBcQjmd/s-l1600.jpg

Innards (stock image) ...

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/pics/lehmann_black_cube_linear_inside.jpgWorth it for difficult to drive cans. I'm pretty sure I've never got the best out of my 702.

Focal Utopias are very impressive. There was a pair on here for a bit above £2K used. That's a lot but they are seriously good. Way better than Focal Clears. So much so it is almost a joke. If I was into cans I'd seriously think about some (used).

jandl100
24-01-2019, 09:36
My recently acquired Grado PS1000 were £1800 new so should be pretty decent and I do like the Grado sound.

Firebottle
24-01-2019, 09:36
Would be interesting to compare to my OTL valve headphone amp Jerry.

jandl100
24-01-2019, 09:38
Would be interesting to compare to my OTL valve headphone amp Jerry.

Send it along, Alan!

jandl100
24-01-2019, 09:41
I'm pretty sure I've never got the best out of my 702.



Personally, I don't think there is a best to get out of the 702. Horrible things. :D

User211
24-01-2019, 10:01
Personally, I don't think there is a best to get out of the 702. Horrible things. :DNah you've just got a Tannoy like bummer on them:D

I think they are quite good. A little boring maybe and a bit soft i.e. no real bite but it seems to me many headphones have a soft sound to them.

Landloper
24-01-2019, 10:14
I've been taking headphone listening more seriously recently and have gathered together an interesting variety, so I thought it was about time that I investigated a serious headphone amp.
Accordingly a Lehmann Audio Linear Headphone Amplifier (https://www.whathifi.com/lehmann/black-cube-linear/review) should be posted to me today.

Looking forward to hearing what it brings to the party.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zo4AAOSwiqBcQjmd/s-l1600.jpg

Innards (stock image) ...

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/pics/lehmann_black_cube_linear_inside.jpg

I have one and love it, Jerry. I use mine to feed a pair Sennheiser HD 700s. It will be interesting to see what you make of it with you wider experience of hi-fidelity.

hornucopia
24-01-2019, 19:54
Never heard of Nurophones. My wife was wondering about Noise reducing 'phones as she's (now) in NZ. But she doesn't like 'in ear' idea.
Jerry knows I rate the Wharfedale Iso 'phones. I've not compared them with - say - his Aude'zes, but I did sell my nice A-T WTH-1000s after I rediscovered' the Isos.
i bought them circa 1973!
Getting new cushions for them isn't easy. My leatherworking friend was cursing me as it was a fiddly job. The original covers seem to be stitched AROUND the innards. So need to be cut off.
He reckoned he'd charge £80/90 normally -and doesn't want to!
I balked at getting a set of Final phones recently (£2000 from £4.500!) new...but...price of a car?
Are my ears good enough?

struth
24-01-2019, 20:03
The nuras are noise reduction when on Bluetooth to a phone. Has a few touch gestures that do different things too. It gets set up in the nura app

hornucopia
25-01-2019, 14:39
THAT'S why (I haven't heard of them).
I don't own a 'smart' phone.
Or stream music -yet.
Looks like I may HAVE to change re the phone, as so much of the world seems to involve waving a screen at stuff (let alone burying your nose -life - in one.
Streaming? We'll see.

Was talking to a couple of Civil servants this morning, who we 'selling' info on Fraud. I educated them on Faraday cages and cards/car keys, which of course they knew nothing.
Got a free pen (it's a stick-like thing people used to put marks called 'writing' on paper.)

struth
25-01-2019, 14:56
THAT'S why (I haven't heard of them).
I don't own a 'smart' phone.
Or stream music -yet.
Looks like I may HAVE to change re the phone, as so much of the world seems to involve waving a screen at stuff (let alone burying your nose -life - in one.
Streaming? We'll see.

Was talking to a couple of Civil servants this morning, who we 'selling' info on Fraud. I educated them on Faraday cages and cards/car keys, which of course they knew nothing.
Got a free pen (it's a stick-like thing people used to put marks called 'writing' on paper.)

got 2 faraday cages for my car keys. just in case;)

hornucopia
26-01-2019, 11:02
My 2000 Technoflair Micra has 'old technology'-though it does plip.
I can still remember the first car I had with a Plip! SUCH a novelty!
(Citroen CX GTi auto,84 model)

i protect my cash cards with a Faraday box-wallet. I did read of a guy who kept his whole hi-fi room faraday-ed!

User211
26-01-2019, 20:10
Well I went out listening to circa £300 Bose, Senn and Sony noise cancelling headphones today. All raved about on YouTube.

Is it me or do all of those three just sound naff? I suspect the later. The worst were the Sony by a margin. Was it the John Lewis demo not working properly? Were they in some odd mode? I dunno.

Shame I really wanted a pair. I was in such disbelief over how bad the Sony's were something must have been wrong.

jandl100
26-01-2019, 20:18
The Lehmann Linear headphone amp landed today.
Whoosh - I can hear why you like yours, John (Landloper). Stunning with the Grado PS1000 - real visceral presence, vibrant and vivid. The layering of detail seems to go on forever.
Money well spent, very pleased.

And I have just now put on the pukka Grado earcups that also arrived today. Quite different in shape to the ones the cans came with - they must have been cheap Chinese copies as I suspected.
Oh my gosh - hugely open now, and much more comfortable no longer touching my ears at all (which is why I thought the earcups the Grado came with were wrong).
Fook, fantastic sound. Quite stunned actually! Now they do sound like £2k of headphone.

struth
26-01-2019, 20:18
Not heard the Sony ones as they weren't working but didn't like bose ones. Nuras are noise cancelling but I think only on Bluetooth over phone

User211
26-01-2019, 20:48
Not heard the Sony ones as they weren't working but didn't like bose ones. Nuras are noise cancelling but I think only on Bluetooth over phoneI'd be happy with my K702 if they weren't open back and a bitch to drive. Open back is unacceptable at work.

Given power they really are good. But with my phone less so.

Nuras look dangerous. The Oppos are no longer made and hard to find. Can get some new blue and white bling ones from Russia on eBay. Bound to get slammed for tax.

brian2957
26-01-2019, 20:51
The Lehmann Linear headphone amp landed today.
Whoosh - I can hear why you like yours, John (Landloper). Stunning with the Grado PS1000 - real visceral presence, vibrant and vivid. The layering of detail seems to go on forever.
Money well spent, very pleased.

And I have just now put on the pukka Grado earcups that also arrived today. Quite different in shape to the ones the cans came with - they must have been cheap Chinese copies as I suspected.
Oh my gosh - hugely open now, and much more comfortable no longer touching my ears at all (which is why I thought the earcups the Grado came with were wrong).
Fook, fantastic sound. Quite stunned actually! Now they do sound like £2k of headphone.

Result mate . What were you using the headphones with before ?

struth
26-01-2019, 20:55
Nuras are not really portable. Don't fold but good on phone. Touch side and the vol reduces and the noise cancelling comes off so you ca communicate with someone.
Sound is a bit better on a wire to amp or into phone. But I think overall I prefer it Bluetooth HD off my avantree leaf dongle

jandl100
26-01-2019, 21:02
Result mate . What were you using the headphones with before ?

This [quite good actualy - at least as good as an MDAC's headphone output and with loads more gain and power - and it's a lot prettier. It can drive those Wharfedale Isodynamics with ease, not something that most headphone amps can do ]

https://i.imgur.com/XDxd0eI.jpg

brian2957
26-01-2019, 21:30
I will see what the new headphones sound like with my Xaing Sheng DAC before trying anything else :)

I will probably be looking at something like Stan's Capella or the Schiit Magni 3.

I'm open to other suggestions around the £100 - £150 mark .

jandl100
01-02-2019, 06:51
This has been an itch I've wanted to scratch since the middle of last year when I home-demmed a Chord Hugo2 DAC and absolutely hated it for its total lack of musicality.

The Hugo2 did so much right in terms of technical presentation but totally failed to convince me musically.
After the event, I was pointed to one review (https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/24/17273218/chord-hugo-2-review-dac-headphone-amplifier) of the Hugo2 that matched my own opinions.

But reading somewhat between the lines of some of the ecstatic reviews I kind of had a feeling that the Mk1 Hugo might just do it for me.
And so it has turned out.
It retains the vast majority of the excellent resolution, control and dynamics of the Hugo2 but it has added tonal richness and microdynamic nuance that allows it to actually sound like music! Result. Very pleased after 2 days of listening. :)

Luckily, the unit I've bought is the later one that has enlarged stereo output phono socket openings that just allow my interconnect cables of choice to fit! No such luck with the digital co-ax input, for some reason known only to the folks at Chord, they chose not to enlarge that socket when modding the outputs. :scratch: :mental: But a small adaptor allows it to work. No such luck with the TOSLINK connection from my DVD player / CDT, I'm having to use the extra skinny cable that Chord supply.

https://i.imgur.com/iOO4eP7.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/i2TxGBs.jpg

brian2957
01-02-2019, 09:23
Yup sometimes new isn't always best . TBH I'm not a detail freak , I much prefer ( my :) ) tonal accuracy .

jandl100
01-02-2019, 09:50
I want both, hence Hugo not Hugo2!

paulf-2007
01-02-2019, 10:32
got 2 faraday cages for my car keys. just in case;)
I recentry bought a car with keyless entry and last week a brand new car the same as mine was solen. People started talking about faraday cages and my thought is bollocks to that, I would prefer to have the key rather than have to remove it to able to unlock and lock my car and repace it in a faraday cage. What a faff. I'm considering using a crook lock I have or just not worry about it. Since retiring I don't carry anything in the car so it's only a 30k car I would lose.

struth
01-02-2019, 10:37
I recentry bought a car with keyless entry and last week a brand new car the same as mine was solen. People started talking about faraday cages and my thought is bollocks to that, I would prefer to have the key rather than have to remove it to able to unlock and lock my car and repace it in a faraday cage. What a faff. I'm considering using a crook lock I have or just not worry about it. Since retiring I don't carry anything in the car so it's only a 30k car I would lose.

I stick spare in a cage. and most nights i put the one i use in another. dont during day as its unlikely to happen. What they do is come up to your house at night and scan for a wireless signal and capture, boost and send it to another unit that a guy is holding next to door of car. Not all cars are susceptible, and mine isnt on the list but im taking no chances. they were only less than a tenner for 2, and they do work.

Roy S
01-02-2019, 17:10
But reading somewhat between the lines of some of the ecstatic reviews I kind of had a feeling that the Mk1 Hugo might just do it for me.
And so it has turned out.
It retains the vast majority of the excellent resolution, control and dynamics of the Hugo2 but it has added tonal richness and microdynamic nuance that allows it to actually sound like music! Result. Very pleased after 2 days of listening. :)



Nice one Jerry, I've been very pleased with my TT, fair to say it's been quite a revelation :)

User211
03-02-2019, 15:25
Just picked these up 30 mins ago.

Driven by requirements for headphones at work, not at home. I hope they sound better than they did in John Lewis last week...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190203/5ff89a224c5796b206f92e1d6490db22.jpg

jandl100
03-02-2019, 15:27
5 stars from What HiFi - what could go wrong?

Macca
03-02-2019, 16:10
What indeed!

User211
03-02-2019, 16:31
It was the What Hi-Fi sticker that sold them to me.

Honest!;)

Just downloading the app... I am worried I am going to spit my Darjeeling out when I discover the boys at What Hi-Fi have let me down.

This is serious, though. The salesman at Curry's told be they were the best noise cancelling headphones in the world today.

Whatever. Hi tech toy fun no doubt the app does loads...

Macca
03-02-2019, 16:38
. The salesman at Curry's told be they were the best noise cancelling headphones in the world today.
..

He didn't oversell them then, that's good.

walpurgis
03-02-2019, 16:43
The salesman at Curry's told be they were the best noise cancelling headphones in the world today

It must have taken a hell of a survey to establish that.

hornucopia
03-02-2019, 17:35
Must be different guy to the one who said, after putting a box through the scanner, said....
.
.
.I'm sorry, sir, we're out of stock on these"!!!!

User211
03-02-2019, 17:37
Hm... the the moment I am trying to establish the best sound quality correction settings via the OnePlus 6 phone equaliser.

Because, well, the standard out of the box frequency response is ridiculously bass heavy.

struth
03-02-2019, 17:48
best ones are the nuraphones :eyebrows: best sounding too...

User211
03-02-2019, 17:49
I told the wife I can't hear a word she is saying they are noise cancelling so she greets me with wanker, fuck off and the finger gestures:D

You have all been warned of the effect such headphones may have:D

User211
03-02-2019, 17:50
best ones are the nuraphones :eyebrows: best sounding too...If you want to stick dildos in your ears maybe...

struth
03-02-2019, 17:53
If you want to stick dildos in your ears maybe...

acht man, you soon get used to the dildos.. must admit for first couple of days i did wonder but they soften up and your lugs soon get used to them. If they didnt sound so good I guess they would have gone back but they sound fabulous so they aint

User211
03-02-2019, 18:08
No these are the best.

A million and one YouTube videos say so. And What Hi-Fi.

Really, Grant. You should know better;)

struth
03-02-2019, 18:10
No these are the best.

A million and one YouTube videos say so. And What Hi-Fi.

Really, Grant. You should know better;)

sony do like to grease the monkeys;)

User211
03-02-2019, 21:40
Well they're going back as unsuitable. The bass issue is insurmountable.

struth
03-02-2019, 21:52
Well they're going back as unsuitable. The bass issue is insurmountable.No go Justin? That's a shame. Glad I didn't get to hear a set now

User211
03-02-2019, 22:11
It is a shame the Bluetooth connectivity is superb and the noise cancelling is quite good. They are also really comfortable.

But listen to the Sleaford Mods or anything bass heavy even with loads of EQ applied and they just don't hack it.

Material with little bass sounds really quite OK with a load of EQ applied to get rid of 400 odd Hertz of plus 4DB. Enjoyable in fact.

Extension is crazy good at 10Hz and you can hear that. Dynamics are also good.

But against the AKG 702 both with no EQ and the AKG is much more right. The Sony's are badly wrong.

User211
03-02-2019, 22:48
I might give them a.bit more of a chance. Better EQ may be able to more accurately help with the bass issue. Will try some other apps.

Check here for an explanation of the issue i.e. the FR plot.

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/sony/wh-1000xm3

struth
03-02-2019, 23:20
Shouldnt have to tho. Designed for bass heads

User211
04-02-2019, 14:52
I am a bass head. But +4DB from 10 to 400Hz on bass head material is insane.

I wish I had looked up the FR before I had bought. The Oppo PM3 looks comparatively excellent in the rtings plots. Doesn't satisfy my requirements. The AKG equivalent to the Sony looks much better. I think I might have to try those.

paulf-2007
04-02-2019, 17:03
I stick spare in a cage. and most nights i put the one i use in another. dont during day as its unlikely to happen. What they do is come up to your house at night and scan for a wireless signal and capture, boost and send it to another unit that a guy is holding next to door of car. Not all cars are susceptible, and mine isnt on the list but im taking no chances. they were only less than a tenner for 2, and they do work.
I don't park my car outside my house, it's outside a neighbours as we have five houses with a courtyard and I have a motor home outside mine. What about when you're out, can they scan it while you are locking it and then get in it after you have walked away.

struth
04-02-2019, 17:08
I don't park my car outside my house, it's outside a neighbours as we have five houses with a courtyard and I have a motor home outside mine. What about when you're out, can they scan it while you are locking it and then get in it after you have walked away.Don't think so.

Macca
04-02-2019, 18:09
When did the name of this thread change? Sounds like it's going to be an American sit com now.

brian2957
04-02-2019, 18:14
Hah ! I was wondering too :D

jandl100
04-02-2019, 18:41
Tsk tsk.

Must be gremlins.

:carrot: :lolsign:

User211
04-02-2019, 20:10
Jerry's constant posting on my thread did it:D

walpurgis
04-02-2019, 20:15
Extension is crazy good at 10Hz and you can hear that.

Are you sure?

jandl100
04-02-2019, 20:15
Jerry's constant posting on my thread did it:D

Yeah, sorry about that.
I keep posting on this thread for some reason. :scratch:

jandl100
04-02-2019, 20:17
Are you sure?

Yup.

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/886/965/8b4.gif

User211
04-02-2019, 20:52
Are you sure?For some reason I reckon my LF hearing is amazing. Test sigs say so. HF hearing is not so good

I can also hear aliens that nobody else can.

walpurgis
04-02-2019, 20:54
For some reason I reckon my LF hearing is amazing. Test sigs say so. HF hearing is not so good

Do you actually have music with 10Hz tones in though?

User211
04-02-2019, 22:18
Do you actually have music with 10Hz tones in though?What's yer point? There is 10Hz present in recordings, obviously. Not much in many of any really significant amplitude, granted.

walpurgis
04-02-2019, 22:27
What's yer point? There is 10Hz present in recordings, obviously. Not much in many of any really significant amplitude, granted.

You have me curious.

There are no 10Hz notes in 'normal' music that I'm aware of. I suppose there could be bass sub-harmonics, but what speaker could reproduce them and would they be present in recordings anyway. Obviously a synthesiser could create a tone that low, but would anybody hear it? The usual lower limit of hearing is reckoned to be 20Hz, with some apparently able to hear down to 15Hz.

I have experienced bass that could be felt, but not heard as such. Some very big Cerwin Vega speakers demonstrated this for me many years ago.

Macca
05-02-2019, 07:38
8 Hz on some pipe organ music.

User211
05-02-2019, 08:47
You have me curious.

There are no 10Hz notes in 'normal' music that I'm aware of. I suppose there could be bass sub-harmonics, but what speaker could reproduce them and would they be present in recordings anyway. Obviously a synthesiser could create a tone that low, but would anybody hear it? The usual lower limit of hearing is reckoned to be 20Hz, with some apparently able to hear down to 15Hz.

I have experienced bass that could be felt, but not heard as such. Some very big Cerwin Vega speakers demonstrated this for me many years ago.I understand your curiousity.

I can bang a 10Hz tone into my speakers and it will drive the bass panels bats in terms of excursion.

I can definitely hear it.

Also I have had an ML Descent sub. Could hear it on that too.

That said, both make non-10Hz noises when you do it. You could hear the rubber surrounds of the drive units in the Descent making noises due to large excursion. Like a rubbing noise.

I accept I could be wrong and have questioned it myself. I came to the conclusion I can hear 10Hz.

I will try 10Hz into the Sony's tonight.

struth
05-02-2019, 08:58
I understand your curiousity.

I can bang a 10Hz tone into my speakers and it will drive the bass panels bats in terms of excursion.

I can definitely hear it.

Also I have had an ML Descent sub. Could hear it on that too.

That said, both make non-10Hz noises when you do it. You could hear the rubber surrounds of the drive units in the Descent making noises due to large excursion. Like a rubbing noise.

I accept I could be wrong and have questioned it myself. I came to the conclusion I can hear 10Hz.

I will try 10Hz into the Sony's tonight.

they may well improve with use. a lot of cans sound crap initially, although not all.

walpurgis
05-02-2019, 09:12
I accept I could be wrong and have questioned it myself. I came to the conclusion I can hear 10Hz.

I will try 10Hz into the Sony's tonight.

Bear in mind that bass harmonics can 'fool' the mind into seemingly sensing fundamentals. In other words, what you are hearing is not the actual low note, but a harmonic thrown off by it.

User211
05-02-2019, 09:14
I think the real difficulty in the 10Hz test is finding a transducer that can give you purely 10Hz and nothing else.

The Sony's improve? Nah Grant nice of you to say so, but they need a mass of EQ to sound OK and they always will to these ears. I might keep them and use them with a lot of EQ. They don't sound that bad with a lot applied

User211
08-02-2019, 12:07
Used an Android app called Neutraliser to sort these cans out. Well worth trying very quick and simple to sort out cans with a naff frequency response.

User211
16-02-2019, 09:52
New arrival.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190216/8f8d5e2e5b7adb99c138b954d5077b92.jpg

User211
16-02-2019, 11:57
The idea is to keep both for two weeks and see which ones are the least worse, then sell the worst.

The non-equalised sound of the Bose is definitely more accurate than the Sony's, which is so far off flat in beggars belief IMHO. The Bose are still bass rich, but no where near as off as the Sony's, and they also have some high frequency content rather than rolling off up top like the Sony.

The Neutraliser app just stopped working. Tried a few other equalisers and they were all duff too, in one way or another.

If anyone knows a good 10 band equaliser for Android please chime in.

jandl100
20-03-2019, 08:15
I've been increasingly into headphones for the last 2 or 3 years and have been investigating the various technologies and makes.

It's the wife's fault - she's a late riser and I'm an early one. And being unwilling to wait to start the music until 11-ish when she gets up headphones are the logical way to go.

Here's the 4 I seem to have settled with for now ...

https://i.imgur.com/gzxpaI3.jpg

I guess the leader of the pack are Grado PS1000. Very clean and open and detailed and dynamic. They also cost the most, which is a bit of a disappointment!
They do suffer a little from the distinctive Grado Treble, which is a little on the enthusiastic side for my tastes, but some careful fettling (cable choice is important here) and they are just fine and dandy.

Stax SR3 electrostatics live in the conservatory along, usually, with the Fostex TH600.
The Stax are awesome for transparency, but can't really be regarded as all-rounders as they do lack heft in the bass and rather water down big dynamic swings when they can get a bit strident. Still great fun to listen to on a lot of material, though.
The Fostex TH600 are marvellous for when closed-back is necessary (the Grados and Stax leak an amazing amount of sound). I got them after owning and liking Fostex T50RPmk3, similar sound but even better.

And finally Even H1. These have settled in the bedroom, fed by a portable CD player! They have a little in-line widget which provides a hearing test and corrective DSP. You press the button and a series of 8 music tones are played at increasing volume. You press the button again when you can hear each one. This is done for left and right. Works well, but they do like to add a bit of extra bass. A pleasant listen. They may become increasingly useful as the years go by.

I've tried various planar magnetic from Audeze and Hifiman. But have come to the conclusion that they are not for me - I almost always hear a layer of "smooth" that comes between me and the music. Some people love them, but I miss the final layer of dynamic resolution.

In the main system, usually with the Grado PS1000 I use a Lehmann Black Cube Linear headphone amp which I am very pleased with.
The Stax (which require a pukka power amp) are fed from a Topping VX1 (25wpc).

brian2957
20-03-2019, 08:35
They all look interesting in their own way Jerry . All appear to have different requirements in terms of what's driving them .

Must admit though that I've been very happy with the Philips Fidelio X2s you sold me :)

jandl100
20-03-2019, 08:44
Must admit though that I've been very happy with the Philips Fidelio X2s you sold me :)

I'm not at all surprised. As you've found, they have a tendency to punt well thought of and more expensive headphones into the long grass. ;)

User211
20-03-2019, 19:13
Still reckon you need a wireless pair in that collection.

I will finish that thread I raised on them at some point.

jandl100
22-03-2019, 07:51
A pair of Black Cat Neo Morpheus interconnects have arrived. A Chris Sommovigo design.
The wife says I am not allowed to sell them on again as she likes the box so much. Actually it's become part of the decor of my listening room.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7802/47410200381_7eaf0f606c_c.jpg

They seemed to take an hour or so to settle in.
Or maybe I was just getting used to and tuning in to what they do.

Remarkably transparent and fast and impactful.
After the afore-mentioned hour or so, they seemed to settle and the soundstage, which had been a bit 2D, suddenly started growing and focussing.

Very good indeed, pleased with them so far. And intrigued to hear if they have any more settling in to do.

I have pre and power amps, so two pairs of interconnects are needed.
Would another pair of Neo Morpheus be just too full-on for me? Hmm. Could be too much of a good thing.
I have 2 other pairs of "main interconnects" - Morrow Audio MA2 and Black Rhodium Opera DCT++ - I will play with them as partners to the Black Cats over the next day or so and see which I prefer. The BRs are a tad laid back but hugely sumptuous and sophisticated, proppa high end! The Morrows are a bit more explicit and less obviously classy. Will see how the synergy works out.

brian2957
22-03-2019, 08:01
Aye , you can have too much of a good thing Jerry , especially with digital . Perhaps the Black Cats are just telling you ' how it is ' in terms of how your system actually sounds .
I must admit that I don't like too a system which is too explicit and tend to prefer good quality copper cables , except where silver cables are built using very high quality silver , and plenty of it .
If I was keeping those cables I would be thinking about framing that box :)

jandl100
22-03-2019, 08:03
Still reckon you need a wireless pair in that collection.


I had a pair of wireless Sennheiser 170 that put me off the concept.
About £150 iirc, and they sounded pretty crap, you're paying a lot for the wireless capability, I thought. Seemed to me they were a fairly poor vfm £50 set of cans with added wireless tech.

I don't want or need wireless capability in my home anyway. Would cut me off from my surroundings too much.

Marco
23-03-2019, 16:34
A pair of Black Cat Neo Morpheus interconnects have arrived. A Chris Sommovigo design.
The wife says I am not allowed to sell them on again as she likes the box so much. Actually it's become part of the decor of my listening room.


Nice one. 'Le Chat Noir' is one of my favourite images from Toulouse-Lautrec: https://www.google.com/search?q=le+chat+noir+toulouse+lautrec&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiCk6fN15jhAhU8QxUIHY5IDLwQsAR6BAgJEAE&biw=1309&bih=696&dpr=2.2

Love those style of posters, in the right room! Enjoy the cables - the design is interesting:)

Marco.

jandl100
24-03-2019, 07:02
Ah, OK. Thanks, Marco.

Here it is buried amongst hifi and fish tanks. :)

https://i.imgur.com/P0U7rLZ.jpg

Audio Al
24-03-2019, 07:04
Ah, OK. Thanks, Marco.

Here it is buried amongst hifi and fish tanks. :)

https://i.imgur.com/P0U7rLZ.jpg

Jerry , your place looks almost as tidy as mine , Quality :D

jandl100
24-03-2019, 07:18
:lol:
Yeah, I don't do "tidy".

User211
03-04-2019, 18:12
New amp excitement... 2 days til arrival.

Well, brand used amp.

Can anyone apart from Jerry guess what it's is? Does anyone even care? We'll see.

Clue 1: solid state.

jandl100
03-04-2019, 18:15
Amptastic Mini-T?

User211
03-04-2019, 18:18
Amptastic Mini-T?Correct!

Jerry I told you not to spill the beans. Slap!

User211
03-04-2019, 18:28
Oh no it appears I have gotten a little confused.

Da one I actually bought looks to be a bit bigger.

jandl100
03-04-2019, 18:54
Correct!

Jerry I told you not to spill the beans. Slap!

Great.

Now I can ask you if you've got your t-amp-on. :D

User211
03-04-2019, 19:10
Great.

Now I can ask you if you've got your t-amp-on. :DI copyrighted that T-ampon joke. Expect a visit from the authorities.

User211
03-04-2019, 20:02
Clue 2: power amp.

Clue 3: silver

Clue 4: the letter 'a'.

User211
04-04-2019, 07:57
Clue 5: need to be strong.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190404/e7cf437a3efa9ca63fd6ea09ed152d11.jpg

Yomanze
04-04-2019, 10:24
Another big Accuphase?

User211
04-04-2019, 10:37
Another big Accuphase?Nope.

Clue 6: $16,000 new 10 years ago.

jandl100
04-04-2019, 10:50
Clue 6: $16,000 new 10 years ago.

Ah. Not a Mini-T then.

User211
04-04-2019, 10:53
Ah. Not a Mini-T then.Nope. The actual amp is about 5 years old.

I am hoping it'll arrive tomorrow but it could be Monday.

User211
04-04-2019, 10:56
I'm going get me some briefs like the strong gent above and see what the wife says:D

AJSki2fly
04-04-2019, 11:08
Audio Note?

Macca
04-04-2019, 11:14
Atlas?

User211
04-04-2019, 11:21
Clue 7: 'a' is not the 1st letter.

User211
04-04-2019, 11:24
Clue 8: the manufacturer's power rating isn't much more than 50 Watts into 8 Ohms.

So why did I buy it?

Macca
04-04-2019, 11:53
Sumo?

southall-1998_mk2
04-04-2019, 12:02
For crying out loud! Just spill it, Justin.

S.

User211
04-04-2019, 12:07
For crying out loud! Just spill it, Justin.

S.Smiling.

Nah, where's the suspense in that!

Clue 9:

25738

southall-1998_mk2
04-04-2019, 12:09
Oh, and one more thing, Justin. Turn down the volume, the music is too loud :ner:

S.

User211
04-04-2019, 12:09
Clue 10:

Well, actually the nominal rating is 60 Watts to be exact.

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 12:10
Pass Labs Aleph?

And never mind if it is only 5 years old, providing it isn't NOS....

User211
04-04-2019, 12:15
Pass Labs Aleph probably best guess yet.

Clue 11: Strongest clue yet?25740

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 12:28
I was even thinking along the lines of one of the high falutin' Luxman, but there are so many models, I would give up after the first one or two. Maybe I have already given up....

walpurgis
04-04-2019, 12:33
So an Aleph is a clue, as is 'A'. It wasn't cheap five years ago, silver and not hugely powerful. Krell?

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 12:35
If we guess, what do we get, a couple of Klubecks and a trip to Zubrowka?

struth
04-04-2019, 12:45
Linn, Luxman or Levinson?

User211
04-04-2019, 12:45
If we guess, what do we get, a couple of Klubecks and a trip to Zubrowka?Nope. You get absolutely nowt apart from the extreme cred of winning... and a cup of coffee should you wish to come and listen to whatever it is.

My guess is I'll get off Scott free:);)

User211
04-04-2019, 12:46
People are getting close... very close.

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 12:49
Esoteric?

User211
04-04-2019, 12:53
Esoteric?You already had the manufacturer.

I need precision for a winner.

walpurgis
04-04-2019, 12:53
Well it won't be Nagra, as that has nothing in common with an Aleph apart from being Class A. Not old enough to be Threshold. Audio Research maybe? But probably not as the first letter is not 'A'.

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 12:55
Luxman M-800A

User211
04-04-2019, 12:57
Luxman M-800ABingo!:)

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 12:58
Nice! Now give me my Klubecks! Haha...Those are rather nice amps, and I like the preamp that goes along with it too. Good stuff there!

User211
04-04-2019, 13:04
Nice! Now give me my Klubecks! Haha...Those are rather nice amps, and I like the preamp that goes along with it too. Good stuff there!I don't wanna sound dumb but wot is a Klubeck? Google doesn't seem to know... but I probably didn't look hard enough.

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 13:06
I know, I have these rather zany moments...It is the currency that is used in Zubrowska-all part of Wes Anderson's film, Grand Budapest Hotel. A highly recommended film to see if like his type of work, which I happen to quite love. It just fits my craziness...

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 13:08
And see Justin, you couldn't even pass the test having Google at your disposal for one single word, shame. And we had to take clues for an amplifier that is silver. 60 watts. Etc. Haha! It's all good man!

User211
04-04-2019, 13:12
In my defence if you enter Klubeck Google is useless.

However, enter the plural and it coughs up straight away.

Technology.

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 13:44
No defence needed, it is all good! Now my own wackiness, that might need a whole lot of help!

User211
04-04-2019, 14:37
Well you have wacky omni's.

BTW the M-800A is class A to 120 Watts into 4 Ohms and 280 Watts for 1% class A/B into 4 Ohms. I'm confident it'll drive my speakers competently.

I just wanted to try a class A amp. And that's a lot of class A into 4 Ohms. It'll stay fully in class A for normal listening.

Reviews mainly appear to reckon it's excellent. We'll see.

struth
04-04-2019, 15:05
i was close then:eek:

Frazeur1
04-04-2019, 15:17
Justin-Hey now, don't be punking my Omni's! It will be interesting to see how you do get along with the Luxman, on paper, things do look quite good, but as always, proof is in the listening. I have heard the M-800A and its matching preamplifier, along with a DCS stack of digital goodies into TAD stand mount monitors. Needless to say, it was quite nice, eye watering money wise, but....Have fun!

Macca
04-04-2019, 15:59
well it looks pretty capable and bound to be better than those antique tube thingies...

User211
04-04-2019, 16:23
well it looks pretty capable and bound to be better than those antique tube thingies...Technically yes but those tube thingies are the best of about 30 amps so far...

Well, I think so.

Anyway they are only about 10 years old Mr Cheeky.

User211
04-04-2019, 16:59
Justin-Hey now, don't be punking my Omni's! It will be interesting to see how you do get along with the Luxman, on paper, things do look quite good, but as always, proof is in the listening. I have heard the M-800A and its matching preamplifier, along with a DCS stack of digital goodies into TAD stand mount monitors. Needless to say, it was quite nice, eye watering money wise, but....Have fun!I'm gonna use it with a valve preamp. All solid state power amps need a valve preamp according to me. It's the law.

User211
04-04-2019, 17:00
DHL turned up to pick it up from the vendor. Then said it was too heavy and left.

Excellent.

Moreover, the vendor had told them how much it weighed and was told it would be OK beforehand.

struth
04-04-2019, 17:03
What does it weigh

User211
04-04-2019, 17:08
52KG packed plus a pallette.

struth
04-04-2019, 17:20
52KG packed plus a pallette.

lol, no wonder..

Macca
04-04-2019, 17:35
DHL turned up to pick it up from the vendor. Then said it was too heavy and left.

Excellent.

Moreover, the vendor had told them how much it weighed and was told it would be OK beforehand.

Is it coming from overseas?

User211
04-04-2019, 18:30
Yup.

Macca
04-04-2019, 18:37
They be back tomorrow with suitable kit then?

User211
04-04-2019, 18:59
So they say.

You wouldn't believe the number of messages between the vendor and I today.

Good job I am ill at home.

:D

JohnJo
05-04-2019, 04:59
If it's the one from Northern Ireland the seller is a gent and will be very straight and upfront with you.

jandl100
05-04-2019, 06:41
My apologies for interrupting the flow of Justin's new amp blog, but a quick update from me for my system blog.

I had been on the point of selling my Grado PS1000 headphones having started to find them just a bit too Grado-ish (surprise! - whodathunk a Grado headphone would have the Grado house sound?). Just a mite too feisty at the top for me, it gives a wonderful sense of musical enthusiasm, but a bit wearing after a while on my classical choons.

But a thought struck - it does sometimes - why not team them up with a tone control?
And I had great success previously driving incredibly hard to drive Wharfedale Isodynamic headphones with my vintage Rotel 603 receiver - but the Rotel is now in the loving and very appreciative hands of Audio Al.

But there on a shelf, doing a wonderful job of looking fabulous, was a vintage JVC JR-S200Lii receiver, very kindly donated to me years ago by RickE. And it has a 5-band equaliser. Wired it up using spare output sockets from my DAC, some subtle nudges on the equaliser sliders and bingo! - that will do nicely. Goldilocks time.

https://i.imgur.com/hUlhFqy.jpg

Those old Japanese receivers had real heft behind their headphone sockets, marvellous.

struth
05-04-2019, 07:49
this was JVC's top equalizer

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VICTOR-JVC-SEA-R7-Stereo-Graphic-Equalizer-100V-USED-JAPAN-vintage-analog-RARE/192878121157?epid=6025519331&hash=item2ce86e90c5:g:14MAAOSwc0lcepWU&frcectupt=true

jandl100
05-04-2019, 07:53
awesome :stalks::eek::stalks:

https://assets.catawiki.nl/assets/2017/8/21/3/c/8/3c8ca782-9853-418e-8969-e5e1d25964a7.jpg

it doesn't have any meters, though :(

Yum, how about this one ...

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Fqm3xnf05fc/maxresdefault.jpg

User211
05-04-2019, 07:56
No probs Jerry. Maybe you should reclaim this thread as yours, cos it is really.

Get Grant to rename it back and I'll move elsewhere...????

struth
05-04-2019, 07:58
no, but it does have a red power button...... a red power button :D

jandl100
05-04-2019, 08:03
No probs Jerry. Maybe you should reclaim this thread as yours, cos it is really.

Get Grant to rename it back and I'll move elsewhere...????

:lolsign:

T'was very much tongue in cheek. :D

You are very welcome to camp out in this thread if you wish.

jandl100
05-04-2019, 08:09
no, but it does have a red power button...... a red power button :D

https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/power-button-12000581.jpg

User211
05-04-2019, 08:29
Sometimes you just need the tools for the job.


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190405/f066caee6229e77b021ef82376b24c68.jpg

jandl100
05-04-2019, 08:34
:stalks: that should do it.

struth
05-04-2019, 08:36
you'll get a hernia with that :D

JohnJo
05-04-2019, 08:44
I genuinely hurt the muscles in my back lifting a Luxman 590 integrated out of its box. Took a week or two to settle. They are big as well as heavy so they exert a lot of leaverage on you. This probably weighs twice as much. Get help!!!!

User211
05-04-2019, 08:53
I single handedly put two 50KG valve monoblocks in my listening room a while back...

I was fine. Had to take them down a set of stairs, too.

I don't think I will repeat that, though. It was a little risky.

Macca
05-04-2019, 11:13
I genuinely hurt the muscles in my back lifting a Luxman 590 integrated out of its box. Took a week or two to settle. They are big as well as heavy so they exert a lot of leaverage on you. This probably weighs twice as much. Get help!!!!

I also pulled a muscle getting my Krell out of the box. Just goes with the territory.

User211
05-04-2019, 11:19
I also pulled a muscle getting my Krell out of the box. Just goes with the territory.What the territory of ridiculous amps you mean? And they are ridiculous.

I've basically found if it doesn't weigh a tonne and get really hot chances are it isn't up to scratch, though.

struth
05-04-2019, 11:20
I also pulled a muscle getting my Krell out of the box. Just goes with the territory.

youve got a muscle?:ner:

Macca
05-04-2019, 11:58
What the territory of ridiculous amps you mean? And they are ridiculous.

I've basically found if it doesn't weigh a tonne and get really hot chances are it isn't up to scratch, though.

I've found heavy = good to be pretty much infallible. No need for checking out reviews or recommendations or all rest of it.

Macca
05-04-2019, 11:59
youve got a muscle?:ner:

I was also quite surprised. These days they are just there to go wrong. Like an appendix.

struth
05-04-2019, 12:08
I was also quite surprised. These days they are just there to go wrong. Like an appendix.

know what u mean. i couldnt get the seat off the scooter today. a guy eventually came and managed it although he struggled too. somehow its jamming

Bjork67
06-04-2019, 03:18
I've found heavy = good to be pretty much infallible

If you ever find yourself banged up in prison sharing a cell and your on bottom bunk , lay there and wonder what if.

jandl100
06-04-2019, 05:29
So, amplifier sound quality is proportional to its weight?
Hmm.

The heaviest amp I've owned must be the MF F18 at 53kg.
Certainly not the best sounding.

The ballsiest amp was probably the Krell KAV250a slamfest at 19.5kg. Good amp, actually.

The Pass X150 was a fairly boring sounding 28kg.

Hmm -- the lighter the better, so far. :scratch:

My current Trigons come in at 23kg a pair, and I love them to bits. But even then that's cheating with 2 chassis where the others have only one.

And I do love some of the little class D amps at a few 100g to a few kg.

So, no, amplifer mass as an indicator of sound quality is a load of bollox imho. :eyebrows:

Valve amps are probably another matter, where there is a correlation with the amount of iron in the output transformer.

andyrlb
06-04-2019, 06:05
So, amplifier sound quality is proportional to its weight?
Hmm.

The heaviest amp I've owned must be the MF F18 at 53kg.
Certainly not the best sounding.

The ballsiest amp was probably the Krell KAV250a slamfest at 19.5kg. Good amp, actually.

The Pass X150 was a fairly boring sounding 28kg.

Hmm -- the lighter the better, so far. :scratch:

My current Trigons come in at 23kg a pair, and I love them to bits. But even then that's cheating with 2 chassis where the others have only one.

And I do love some of the little class D amps at a few 100g to a few kg.

So, no, amplifer mass as an indicator of sound quality is a load of bollox imho. :eyebrows:

Valve amps are probably another matter, where there is a correlation with the amount of iron in the output transformer.

My findings are equal to yours Jerry , my teac AI3000 was 30+kg’s as too was the Denon monster , only big in size and then the relatively smaller and lighter 20kg’s Krell blows them away .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Macca
06-04-2019, 06:49
I said heavy = good, not heaviest = best


Aside from that I wasn't being entirely serious. And class D amps can kiss my shiny metal ass. :D

Pigmy Pony
06-04-2019, 07:02
A Friend tells me he bought a pair of speakers from a "white van man" a few years ago, and he said they looked pretty good and were quite large. Not very heavy, but the price was right. When he got them home he found there was nothing in them, they were empty cabinets.

I suppose the moral of the story isn't that weight=good, more that components do make a difference, especially absent ones :(

struth
06-04-2019, 07:09
Light airy presentation

Pigmy Pony
06-04-2019, 07:33
Apparently the soundstage was holographic, like the sound wasn't coming from the speakers.

User211
06-04-2019, 13:15
So, no, amplifer mass as an indicator of sound quality is a load of bollox imho. :eyebrows:

Nah. Bollox.

:)

struth
06-04-2019, 13:48
think with weight you at least probably getting something well built, but i guess it can be overdone. lets face it they are supposed to be in a home setting mostly.

User211
06-04-2019, 15:48
In my case they need to be pretty beefy to drive the speaker. Generally they get pretty hot trying.

The Luxman weighs less per channel than the Accuphase M-60s, which are 27KG each.

That's what I am curious to find out. Can the Luxman top the 44 year old Accuphase's? I think it probably will, but I am not sure it will.

User211
07-04-2019, 09:15
It occurs to me that when the Ayon Orthos II amps were here, I had a quarter of a metric tonne of power amps in the room.

The Luxman is bridgeable. So getting back to that sort of weight will be easy.

jandl100
08-04-2019, 16:59
System simplification seems to be the order of the day.

My Herron preamp and Chord Hugo DAC have been replaced with a Benchmark DAC1 HDR DAC/pre.

So here is the current Tower of Power.

https://i.imgur.com/hXRMqun.jpg

jandl100
08-04-2019, 17:20
Oh, and top right of that pic you can see part of a light brown wooden box with a green cable at the back (actually there are 2 cables attached to it). That's been here a month or so.
It's a Signal Ground Solutions Signature grounding box. :whistle::thumbsup::D:lol:

User211
08-04-2019, 18:25
Very down to earth, Jerry.

jandl100
08-04-2019, 18:32
Very down to earth, Jerry.

Oh dear, that's a bit weak.

Has your amp delivery been made?

User211
08-04-2019, 18:55
Picked it up from DHL depot at 6:30pm.

It wouldn't fit in my Porker so it is currently in the back of Gillian's Merc.

Trouble is she had to go somewhere after we put it in there. I doubt she'll be back before 9.

jandl100
08-04-2019, 19:05
:doh: there goes the fuel consumption

User211
08-04-2019, 19:15
She gets free petrol the lucky girl. After a shafting from the taxman of course:D

She's back. But I am knackered. Will at least try and get it in the house, though.

User211
08-04-2019, 19:20
BTW have been instructed to put it on standby for 24 hours before taking a serious listen.

I wonder how much power standby actually uses.

jandl100
08-04-2019, 19:21
class A - it's permanently on full power

EDIT - ah, standby. Who knows - measure its temperature in and out of standby maybe?

User211
08-04-2019, 20:26
That was fun. I must buy some more light amplifiers:D

I have to say in the flesh it looks amazing.

I wonder if it works?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190408/e1f25ba1fe681080c1cd2b923ff23ab6.jpg

brian2957
08-04-2019, 20:34
That's a monster Justin , hope it sounds as good as it looks :)

User211
08-04-2019, 20:38
Room lights flickered on power up...

Macca
08-04-2019, 21:02
Looks like it might be able to do some damage.

User211
08-04-2019, 21:04
Well it is definitely very good from cold. Which I am surprised at TBH.

More impressions as time goes on but the bass on JahYu's Lineage of the Sun is definitely top notch. As is the mid an treble.

Anyway we all know new kit can play tricks. So let's see what I really think after a few nights with it.

struth
08-04-2019, 21:48
Big bess has landed.. Looks huge

User211
08-04-2019, 22:09
The heat started rising so fast from the top vents you'd think it had a fan or two:D

It will drive the speakers to a decent volume without strain no question.

Frazeur1
09-04-2019, 13:05
Nice! I look forward to your musings on this beast as time rolls onward. It is a lovely looking piece of gear. Enjoy!

User211
09-04-2019, 16:08
Jerry is coming round I believe.

Maybe he won't think it's boring. It is class A. He doesn't really like it so far from Pass Lab X150 exposure. Which was boring.

How many Watts class A was that Jerry?

jandl100
09-04-2019, 16:18
I've heard quite a few class A tranny amps.
Not my thing based on those.
The best was the little Nobsound JLH clone at 10wpc.
I think the Pass X150 was ... surprise! ... 150wpc, with a big dollop of that in class A, not sure how much but it got very hot!

User211
09-04-2019, 16:20
How much class A though?

I bet not 120 Watts.

jandl100
09-04-2019, 16:22
I can't find it in the specs. 20 or 30 iirc.

struth
09-04-2019, 17:24
How much class A though?

I bet not 120 Watts.

my mf a1000 was 50w class a, and was a class act

Barry
09-04-2019, 20:05
That was fun. I must buy some more light amplifiers:D

I have to say in the flesh it looks amazing.

I wonder if it works?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190408/e1f25ba1fe681080c1cd2b923ff23ab6.jpg

That is one handsome looking beast of an amplifier. How many watts is it?

With all this interest in SS, you will have to change your user-name to User911. ;)

Roy S
09-04-2019, 20:46
That was fun. I must buy some more light amplifiers:D

I have to say in the flesh it looks amazing.

I wonder if it works?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190408/e1f25ba1fe681080c1cd2b923ff23ab6.jpg

Those vents look familiar [emoji846]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190409/f6591e71a3327b2b4b0ea88708ef7db5.jpg

User211
10-04-2019, 16:42
That is one handsome looking beast of an amplifier. How many watts is it?

With all this interest in SS, you will have to change your user-name to User911. ;)60 Watts a cording to Luxman.

Nah my 211 amps are my faves. Nothing can better them all round it would seem.

User211
14-04-2019, 18:39
The Luxman is definitely up there in the top two amplifiers if not the top amplifier I have ever had plugged into any gear I have owned.

So I figure it's good:)

Will this feeling last? There's a pretty good chance it will. This amp just isn't normal. It's just so well judged and balanced. It must have taken some serious experience and skill to craft this sort of a sound. Trying to find electronics good enough to drive my speakers has been a real challenge. This unit is capable of doing it well.

Respect. Can't help but feel the brand is underated.

It is such a far cry from their Duo Beta circuits of old it is crazy.

User211
15-04-2019, 13:16
There's one more point I want to make.

I think many remember cheap Japanese integrated amps from the 70s and 80s and tend to lump contemporary Japanese gear in with how these units used to sound. Which in many cases just wasn't great in any way, shape or form.

At least level, at least, nothing could be further than the truth these days.

Spectral Morn
15-04-2019, 13:55
There's one more point I want to make.

I think many remember cheap Japanese integrated amps from the 70s and 80s and tend to lump contemporary Japanese gear in with how these units used to sound. Which in many cases just wasn't great in any way, shape or form.

At least level, at least, nothing could be further than the truth these days.

Spot on. Its way too easy to fall into that way of thinking, because few have had a chance to hear such equipment.

User211
15-04-2019, 16:22
Spot on. Its way too easy to fall into that way of thinking, because few have had a chance to hear such equipment.I had a whiff or two at Munich, rationalising why the Luxman rooms have sounded very good with really relatively modest speakers for the show but expensive (for Luxman but cheap for the show) amps.

It became pretty obvious the amps were a cut above.

It gave me the confidence to take a punt on the amp.

jandl100
19-04-2019, 06:03
New amps chez-Jerry.

The Vincent SV-234 is my main amp now. Very impressed so far. Power with grace and subtlety.
I've had a biggish Vincent amp on my Want List for years. It's finally here. :)
And, unlike Justin's new baby, I can actually lift it!

And also a re-furbed Cambridge Audio P110, a Stan Curtis design from the early days. I bought it as a bit of fun to stand-in during the period between main amps.
It sounds remarkably clean, transparent and detailed when the tape input is used - that bypasses the preamp section and really clarifies and opens things up.
But no, it doesn't have the sheer whump of Vinnie or match its tonal richness. I suspect the new components are still bedding in, I shall leave it "cooking" with a spare output from the Benchmark DAC and I shall return to it now and then.
A useful spare to have around.

https://i.imgur.com/2KKCxtW.jpg

Barry
19-04-2019, 07:15
New amps chez-Jerry.

The Vincent SV-234 is my main amp now. Very impressed so far. Power with grace and subtlety.
I've had a biggish Vincent amp on my Want List for years. It's finally here. :)
And, unlike Justin's new baby, I can actually lift it!

And also a re-furbed Cambridge Audio P110, a Stan Curtis design from the early days. I bought it as a bit of fun to stand-in during the period between main amps.
It sounds remarkably clean, transparent and detailed when the tape input is used - that bypasses the preamp section and really clarifies and opens things up.
But no, it doesn't have the sheer whump of Vinnie or match its tonal richness. I suspect the new components are still bedding in, I shall leave it "cooking" with a spare output from the Benchmark DAC and I shall return to it now and then.
A useful spare to have around.

https://i.imgur.com/2KKCxtW.jpg

I have a P50 with matching T55 tuner in my collection. The tuner is very good. However both are now only kept as examples of stylish British audio designs of the early '70s.

walpurgis
19-04-2019, 07:19
And I have a P80. It too sounds very good.

jandl100
19-04-2019, 07:27
I have a P50 with matching T55 tuner in my collection. The tuner is very good. However both are now only kept as examples of stylish British audio designs of the early '70s.

The P110 is very much more than that and imho can easily hold its own against present day amps.
Bypass the pre section and it's a genuinely class act.
I do agree that it looks seriously cool, though!

User211
19-04-2019, 07:50
Yeah where to put my new amp is a bit of a problem given I want to keep it.

Vinnie sounds a bit gangsta...;)

jandl100
19-04-2019, 07:54
Yeah where to put my new amp is a bit of a problem given I want to keep it.


You need to take over the upstairs living room. :thumbsup:
And those Aps will look stunning at each side of that big picture window. :drool:

Just do it.
It'll be a nice surprise for Gillie when she gets home from work. :lol:

User211
19-04-2019, 08:06
You need to take over the upstairs living room. [emoji106]
And those Aps will look stunning at each side of that big picture window. :drool:

Just do it.
It'll be a nice surprise for Gillie when she gets home from work. [emoji38]That idea would result in massive screaming and instant death...:D

https://youtu.be/uN1CluIo30o

jandl100
19-04-2019, 10:30
Turned Vinnie on this morning (wonderful to have a front mounted power switch!!), sounded cold and clinical and a bit grainy. :scratch:.
Over the next 10 minutes I heard it gradually warm up and get into its stride.
I've never heard such an obvious warm-up period before.

struth
19-04-2019, 10:38
had one or 2 things like that. the yankee dac i had needed 24 hrs and didnt have a off switch. i wasnt keen on leaving it on but the sound change was huge. Got rid of anyway as it didnt have usb and i prefer to switch stuff off

jandl100
20-04-2019, 18:34
New interconnects.
I bought these on an eBay whim, as one does, and they arrived today.
I have to say that these and my new Vincent amp are a match made in heaven.
My Black Cat cables were a bit edge of the seat with the Vincent, although they worked very nicely with my previous Trigon monoblocks.

Anyway, I'd never heard of these before - Esoteric Audio USA, AIR-LITZ Technology 1.

Anyone come across these before?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5LQAAOSwnypci9A8/s-l1600.jpg
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yWsAAOSwAnxci9BO/s-l1600.jpg

User211
20-04-2019, 18:39
Well after about 4 hours the Luxman top plate gets so hot you can't keep your hand on it for more than 10 seconds.

Still the overall heat output is still pussy compared to running 4 211s at once. Touch one of those for 10 seconds a few mins after power up and it's a hospital visit.

That aside overall the 211s run way hotter. Relying on the Lux as a room heater in the winter isn't really gonna work. However it will help:)

Bigman80
20-04-2019, 19:15
New interconnects.
I bought these on an eBay whim, as one does, and they arrived today.
I have to say that these and my new Vincent amp are a match made in heaven.
My Black Cat cables were a bit edge of the seat with the Vincent, although they worked very nicely with my previous Trigon monoblocks.

Anyway, I'd never heard of these before - Esoteric Audio USA, AIR-LITZ Technology 1.

Anyone come across these before?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5LQAAOSwnypci9A8/s-l1600.jpg
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yWsAAOSwAnxci9BO/s-l1600.jpgYes I have. They are ok!

Surprised you prefer them to the BC but as we all know, synergy is where it's at.

User211
21-04-2019, 16:28
After 8 hours of Luxman warm up you have about 1 second max before you are forced to take your hand off it no matter what.

Still that's an improvement on a hot 211 which WILL burn you irreparably as if you clutched the valve firmly for a second - it probably wouldn't let you take your hand away from it without leaving some skin behind.:D

Tried an Air Tight passive pre, KR PX25, Psvane 101D (the cheap one), KR 252, EML AD1, EML globe mesh 45 with a visitor today in the Lampizator.

Conclusion I think was AD1 and PX25 with the active pre, EML 45 with the Air Tight. Best overall result with the active but I think most accurate with the passive.

What is interesting there is the Luxman didn't really disagree as essentially we picked those valves previously with a different amp.

That said we just did the same 3 or 4 classical tracks over and over again until we got sick to death of them.

People who want to come and listen - think I am enforcing a classical ban. Well OK, three tracks max. Four and you are out (slap bottom emoticon). Bribes for more.

:)

jandl100
21-04-2019, 17:28
People who want to come and listen - think I am enforcing a classical ban. Well OK, three tracks max. Four and you are out (slap bottom emoticon).

Wow - loads of classical tracks and a slapped bottom? :spank:

I'm coming round now!! :lol:

Macca
21-04-2019, 17:42
I thought that offer might attract the wrong element...

Macca
21-04-2019, 18:44
Look at it this way - you had a good run.

Ali Tait
21-04-2019, 19:34
Aye, away from those two.

User211
21-04-2019, 20:41
Anyway the verdict from 'the visitor' was he thinks the Luxman is the best amp I have had.

Barry
21-04-2019, 20:59
New interconnects.
I bought these on an eBay whim, as one does, and they arrived today.
I have to say that these and my new Vincent amp are a match made in heaven.
My Black Cat cables were a bit edge of the seat with the Vincent, although they worked very nicely with my previous Trigon monoblocks.

Anyway, I'd never heard of these before - Esoteric Audio USA, AIR-LITZ Technology 1.

Anyone come across these before?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5LQAAOSwnypci9A8/s-l1600.jpg
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yWsAAOSwAnxci9BO/s-l1600.jpg

They look exactly like the cables I used to knock out for about £10 a pair! :lol:

User211
22-04-2019, 12:07
I can't stop listening to this f&#!ing amp.

Nomad states it is well ordered.

Drag me away from it. Normal life functions need to occur.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190422/8fbbb1f57d37b86966245acbb9fda293.jpg

User211
29-04-2019, 12:53
So Jerry came round yesterday and is allowing me to keep the Luxman.

He said he thought my system had totally changed, which I found interesting. He hadn't heard it for a good while.

Reasons are probably my crossover customisation (all me), DAC rebuild and the Luxman. None of which he had heard before. All three is a massive cumulative effect.

I'm kind of miffed Tom (montesquieu) didn't hear it this way because with a decent DAC and the Luxman it is a far cry from what he witnessed. But hey. Tis the way of things.

jandl100
29-04-2019, 16:02
Hmm, yes, not seen you in a while.
You're a lot greyer.
I'm a fair bit balder.
Both still as daft as ever. :D
So it goes.

Wow - that Lux is a big lump. Very pretty.
And yes, your system sound has changed hugely in some ways, not so much in other ways.

It's still HUGELY dynamic. Massive slam, seemingly starts and stops instantaneously at any dynamic level.
No change there.

But ... it's no longer so much inyerface. The detail and presence are still there, it's just not rammed down your gullet in the way it used to be. Pleasanter. "Nice" as Justin put it. Lots more niceness than there used to be.

And the 'old' amps are still there - Accuphase A/B solid state and 211 valve monos. He just needs a big class D amp for a full set. :)

In my view, it's still not ideally suited to classical music. There's no reason why it should be, Justin's interest in classical is as near to absolute zero as current cryogenic technology can get. :lol:
But imo it's a bit lean, a bit thin in the upper bass and lower mids for classical. It sounds simply awesome on electronic and rock, classical needs a bit more warmth and bloom imo.

Justin has threatened to visit chez-moi - primarily I suspect to diss my interior decor (or lack thereof) :eyebrows: - but also to hear my new Vincent amp with the MBLs. He can also have a listen to my Podium panel speakers.
He'll probably find it all too warm and boring. :) Most systems are, compared to his, even his new 'nicer' system.

Curiously, whilst I found his system a bit bright and forward on classical, when I returned home my system now sounded a bit too laidback and bloomy. :rolleyes: Stuffing some socks in the rear port of the MBLs has tightened things up a bit. Yes, that helped ... and a speaker cable upgrade (hopefully) was also ordered this morning!

User211
29-04-2019, 16:46
I've long told Kedar they aren't the speakers for classical music in their current form.

They just are not tolerant of some of the poorer and older recordings which, in my limited experience, seem absolutely plentiful.

A bit of digital equalisation would help for classical, but since the system makes it easy to hear you have equalisation applied (and it really so obviously does - I always know if I have left some on whilst frigging around the night before), I am not really a fan. But with some recordings it does help to a degree.

What I mean here is digital eq filters. Implementing FR changes in crossover hardware sounds infinitely superior to digital filtering.

You have to strike a compromise, and the speakers do measure quite flat in room from 20 Hz to 12KHz. Then they drop off. So technically they actually aren't bright. They just don't implement a gradual downward slope from low to high frequencies. It's my choice not to do that and for me it gives the best overall result.

Still it currently does sound far more luxurious than it did. But when I want raw, or valve like awesomeness, those options still remain via amp swaps.

jandl100
29-04-2019, 16:55
Ah, flat to 12KHz (I probably can't hear higher than that these days anyway).
That would explain it.

Most hifi measures a linear downward slope as frequency goes up, as it does in a concert hall due to higher attenuation (https://www.quora.com/Why-do-low-frequency-signals-attenuate-slowly-as-compared-to-a-high-frequency-signal) of high frequencies with distance.

So classical will tend to sound brighter in your system than it would in a concert hall or in a system optimised to replay it.

Macca
29-04-2019, 17:28
Flat in room response is certainly going to make things sound different, classical or otherwise.

Barry
29-04-2019, 18:19
Wow - that Lux is a big lump. Very pretty.
And yes, your system sound has changed hugely in some ways, not so much in other ways.

It's still HUGELY dynamic. Massive slam, seemingly starts and stops instantaneously at any dynamic level.
No change there.

But ... it's no longer so much inyerface. The detail and presence are still there, it's just not rammed down your gullet in the way it used to be. Pleasanter. "Nice" as Justin put it. Lots more niceness than there used to be.


Sound like Justin has achieved a perfect system, or if not perfect (no system is), is getting there. :)

User211
29-04-2019, 18:24
Sound like Justin has achieved a perfect system, or if not perfect (no system is), is getting there. :)You never get there.... but in some respects it scores very highly. Can't hope for more than that.

User211
29-04-2019, 19:32
Flat in room response is certainly going to make things sound different, classical or otherwise.If HFN measured them it'd be atrocious cos they'd do it at 1 metre. They did that in a tiny room to the Analysis Omega.

I'm talking fairly flat at 3 metres. That's what I aim for. It's the only sensible place to measure it with such a speaker.

I wouldn't read too much into it. Even the test mics differ but mine is calibrated FWIW.