Justin & Jerry's Hifi Blog [Archive] - Page 2

jandl100

03-09-2010, 22:39

My latest Yamaha amp arrived today. :)

A P7000S power amp. 700wpc. :cool:

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/YamahaP7000Spoweramp.jpg

It's not at all what I was expecting. :scratch:

Let's face it, it's a pro-audio DJ amp with 700wpc, right? Bound to be tonally stark and ultra-slammy with no finesse or subtlety, right? Probably a bit too much even for a transparency-obsessed basket case like me. :eyebrows:

Err, nope, it's not like that at all! I'd say it has a 'beautiful sound'. A bit on the R-r-r-r-omantic side.

I started off with a string quartet, with finger on the remote control volume 'down' button, just in case!

My jaw practically hit the floor - it sounded gorgeous !! :eek:

I then moved on to some large scale symphonic - Wow, sweeping & majestic.

Then onto Loreena McKennitt "The Visit" - some nice deep synth bass lines in there, as well as some ultra-clear female vocal and Celtic harp with really sharp transient twang.
Yummy!! very transparent, clear and articulate - but no undue emphasis on vocal sibilance. A bit too relaxed? Maybe. But then I am in ultra-dynamic sound mode as far as my listening preferences are concerned at the moment.

The power is pretty much limitless, as you'd expect, but almost in a "Gentle Giant" kind of way.
Whodathunkit? Not me!

Must admit I am enjoying it very much at the moment - but it may well turn out to be just too nice for me after a day or so!

The Grand Wazoo

03-09-2010, 23:00

One thing that intrigues me Jerry, and I'm sure it must occupy your mind from time to time, is this.

It's a genuine question & I have no agenda other than pure interest. How do you think this amp (for example) would have faired, say 12 months ago in your system,.......or 6 months ago,......or 2 yrs ago? Do you think your impressions could be vastly different given an alternative situation. Have you listened to enough stuff that you can home in on the inherent character of a component regardless of the rest of the system?

Have you ever looked back on gear you've played with and thought "Ah yes ,if only I still had item X it would match seemlessly with this (currently in my possession) item Y"?

Have you ever considered which of your past dalliences could go together to make pure magic?

Have you ever tried to put those things together?

If you did, would it worry you that you might finally have met the girl you want to settle down with?

I only ask because you seem to have found your speakerish soulmate.

jandl100

03-09-2010, 23:21

Whew!- that's a set and a half of questions!

Lessee....

How do you think this amp (for example) would have faired, say 12 months ago in your system,.......or 6 months ago,......or 2 yrs ago? Do you think your impressions could be vastly different given an alternative situation.

I have no real idea, of course. But I think the main variable is my taste/listening preferences which I know do vary over time. As hinted in my previous post, at the moment I value transparency and transient detail above other characteristics - but this kind of preference is a function of time. A few months/year ago I was happily listening to much warmer sounding valve kit. I wouldn't choose to do that now. In a few months/year I may well go in that broad direction again.

Have you listened to enough stuff that you can home in on the inherent character of a component regardless of the rest of the system?

Ummm ... yes, I think so.

Have you ever looked back on gear you've played with and thought "Ah yes ,if only I still had item X it would match seamlessly with this (currently in my possession) item Y"?

No.

Have you ever considered which of your past dalliences could go together to make pure magic?

No.
Although I might (perhaps) as an example go back to a relatively stark sounding amp like the AVI Lab Series integrated amp if I had a fine sounding, but a tad too warm, CDP, for example. But I have never actually done this.

Have you ever tried to put those things together?

No. In general, I have found it a mistake to return to components I have already owned - I find that I pick up very quickly on the flaws that had previously taken some time to get to notice and have them irritate me!

If you did, would it worry you that you might finally have met the girl you want to settle down with?

Well, yes, it would worry me, in that I get a huge amount of enjoyment out of trying different equipment.

I only ask because you seem to have found your speakerish soulmate.

Yep, that remains true. The MBL remains my Dream Speaker, now happily attained. But I am not even dreaming of spending a similar amount of £ on other components, so I very much doubt that I would wish to settle down with non-speaker components that I do choose to afford.
Does it all come down to money? No, of course not. I've owned and heard many amps costing far more than my new Yammie, but I don't think many of them sounded any where near as good.

Nonetheless, the MBLs have been my Dream for some years, albeit a dream I never actually expected to attain, and I would be truly amazed if I heard something even remotely affordable that could dislodge them from my affections.

Does that answer your questions, Chris? looking at your own motives is a notoriously tricky thing to do! Perhaps my answers would have been different if it wasn't 20 minutes after midnight and way past my bedtime! :eyebrows:

The Grand Wazoo

03-09-2010, 23:32

Yeah, thanks for that Jerry.
Sorry did I come across as a little too interrogative? Not the intention at all.

To be supportive, I'm hugely gratified by this bit:

If you did, would it worry you that you might finally have met the girl you want to settle down with?

Well, yes, it would worry me, in that I get a huge amount of enjoyment out of trying different equipment.

!!!!
...........but, sort of not!!

I'm very jealous of your ability to indulge in this particular method of getting your hi-fi kicks but if I were to do it, I would also need to have a seperate slowly evolving system - a constant reference, if you like.

jandl100

04-09-2010, 06:39

I'm very jealous of your ability to indulge in this particular method of getting your hi-fi kicks but if I were to do it, I would also need to have a seperate slowly evolving system - a constant reference, if you like.

Nah, that wouldn't do it for me. When I change a component I am looking for a significant change in the sound not a gradual evolution. My reference is in my head - and as I said, I acknoweldge that that changes quite significantly with time! :)

My constant slow-changing reference would quickly be dismissed as 'old hat' and not worth listening to! :lol:

jandl100

04-09-2010, 06:46

Yeah, thanks for that Jerry.
Sorry did I come across as a little too interrogative? Not the intention at all.

Nope, nope - that was fine! It was just quite a long list, some of which required some thought and soul-searching!

Once my wife (bless her!) had given the financial go-ahead to purchase the MBLs my one and only concern was that I was consigning my speaker box-swapping to history. I had to do give serious consideration to that - it wasn't soemthing I gave up lightly.

But one of the (many! :)) benefits of the MBLs is that they readily show up differences between accompanying components, so they are in that respect a box-swappers dream. A handy result!

Marco

04-09-2010, 07:44

Hey, all you need to do is find a CDP, T/T and amp you feel that same way about, and finally you'll have 'arrived'! :eyebrows:

;)

Marco.

jandl100

04-09-2010, 07:52

Hey, all you need to do is find a CDP, T/T and amp you feel that same way about, and finally you'll have 'arrived'! :eyebrows:

;)

Marco.

What a horrible thought! I'd have arrived - but it's not a destination I want to go to! :)

___

Oh yes, I forgot to mention .... the Yammie P7000S has got twin fans. I was a bit concerned about that - too intrusive for low-level listening?

The spec implied the fans were 2-speed - slow & fast. Nope, I must have read that wrong - it's off, slow and fast. I have to assume the last two speeds exist as the fans never turned on at all during my listening sessions so far - some at very high levels.

Much relief - it's turned out to be a non-issue. The fans are probably for driving a couple of huge PA stacks in a medium sized hall - the chassis barely got warmed up from cold even after a few hours, so the fans remained off. :)

Marco

04-09-2010, 08:47

You know I was only joking, Jerry - so enjoy! That Yammie looks like an interesting beast :)

Marco.

twelvebears

09-09-2010, 17:12

Techno Commander

09-09-2010, 17:28

jandl100

09-09-2010, 19:44

Buying Pro gear from a respected maker is a cheap way into untold amounts of clean power. Usually worthwhile replacing the fans for something a little quieter (Papst etc). I also swap out the input op amps, usually I go for the Burr Brown FETs, as these add a little sparkle and energy to the sound. :)

Umm ... I don't think it needs any more sparkle and energy - it has those in abundance already! :eek:

And the fans never come on no matter how hard I drive the thing. ;)

Reid Malenfant

09-09-2010, 19:55

And the fans never come on no matter how hard I drive the thing. ;)
I can't say i'm surprised given the way the EEEngine appears to work.

Now if the amp output transistors were biased on to class A...

:)

jandl100

10-09-2010, 07:22

A visit from Steve twelvebears a couple of days back was interesting and enjoyable. What a nice guy! :) Our musical tastes had a usefully large overlap as well.
He left me his amp to try out for a while, and he took away my Yamaha P7000S power amp to play with.

Well, from the ridiculous (a Yammie DJ amp) to the sublime (a £5.5k rrp audiophile amp) - or at least from one thing to something completely different. :)

If you want bling, you need look no further.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/ChapterTwopoweramp.jpg

A Chapter Audio Two power amp has taken up residence chez-Jerry.

A remarkable contrast to the Yammie - and no, the Chapter doesn't (quite) have it all its own way. ;)

The first very obvious sonic difference is the bass from the Chapter amp. Oh boy, that bass!
Just total control, total definition, deeeep with huge power and slam. Blimey. :eek: The Chapter really shows off the MBLs' low frequency capability to awesome effect.
The Yammie sounds on the lean side and dry and a bit loose in comparison.

The mids of the Chapter are interesting - the first word that immediately came to mind was 'creamy'. Hmm. Where I was expecting uber-transparency what I got in comparison to the Yammie amp was a touch of smooth warmth. Further listening indicates that the Yammie is a bit forward and hyped up in the upper mids, so the contrast was very obvious and not that fair on the Chapter. Nonetheless it remains a 'sophisticated' and slightly laid-back midrange presentation. There is a huge amount of information being presented, though.

The treble goes back to the other side of the fence and is, if anything, a bit on the incisive side. Tbh, if it wasn't then the midrange would simply have made the overall sound a bit bland for me. The HF is very fast and controlled, but not harsh, and extends waaaaay up into the stratosphere.

Imaging is, well, pretty damn stunning actually. The Yammie is decent enough, but this is where the audiophile credentials of the Chapter really pay off. Cor. 3D hanging focussed in space. decently recorded vocalists are there! Of course, the MBLs excel at this sort of thing anyway, but the Chapter really lets them strut their stuff. Luvverly indeed.

Power, dynamics, yep, as you may have gathered from my initial comments about the bass, no problems there at all. 200wpc/8 ohms, I think, getting on for doubling into 4 ohms. The Chapter sounds completely in control.

Midrange transient slam is probably the only thing I miss about the Yammie amp. Many folks who have owt to do with me will know of the "Blues for Klook" track on an Eddy Louiss album. Pure synthesiser music with enough midrange transient twang to keep even me happy! Let's face it, there is no right or wrong with these kind of synthesised sounds, but the Yammie does sound more impressive here - it has a midrange jump factor that is genuinely startling and huge fun. The Chapter, with its slightly creamy mids and lack of the forwardness compared to the Yammie, cannot quite do that.

But overall, the Chapter undoubtedly just conveys more of the music. As it should at the price.

But the Yammie P7000S remains simply fantastic vfm at the £265 it cost me. If you need real world driving ability, I really cannot see how you can spend that sort of money and get better sound. But, sadly, spend more and you do get more.

So, am I gonna buy the Chapter? I dunno - happily I have a couple more weeks to settle in with the thing to decide! :)

There's a rather effusive review of the Chapter here http://www.chapteraudio.com/reviews/review2_norway.htm

MartinT

10-09-2010, 07:40

Many folks who have owt to do with me will know of the "Blues for Klook" track on an Eddy Louiss album. Pure synthesiser music with enough midrange transient twang to keep even me happy!

I have that album and it does indeed sound fab. I think I first heard Blues for Klook on a Hi-Fi News test CD many years ago. The album is Sang Mele and is worth looking up.

Was going to say: I wonder how my Chord SPM-1200E would compare in your system?

twelvebears

10-09-2010, 08:00

Hey Jerry.

Well looks like we're both having fun with swap. :) And it was a pleasure to meet another AOSer in the real world.

Your comments pretty much tally with what I thought, particularly the imaging and depth of soundstage. Even Chris De Burgh sounded good ;)

The yammie certainly isn't disgracing itself, especially not considering it's humble origins, but it's definitely lacking the sophistication of the Chapter and it's ability to let you forget about the electronics and get lost in the music. Although than may just because I'm thinking about listening to 'it' because it's new....

Either way it will definitely keep me entertained until my MBL turns up.

twelvebears

10-09-2010, 12:06

Must be a combination of volume and tougher load but the fans on the Yammie kicked in.

Fine with the music up but not quiet unfortunately.....

jandl100

10-09-2010, 17:59

I suspect it's that you're a bit of an animal with the volume control! :lol: I never got the things to turn on - are they loud?

twelvebears

11-09-2010, 08:37

I suspect it's that you're a bit of an animal with the volume control! :lol: I never got the things to turn on - are they loud?

Well it's OK when the music is loud (obviously) but quite noticeable in quiet bits or when I turn it back down again....

jandl100

11-09-2010, 10:16

Ah well, there will be no problems moving it on in the Pro audio section of eBay, from whence it came. :) That will, I think, be its fate when it returns to me.

____

A minor update on the amps, which will lose me any audiophile cred I have remaining (probably not a lot anyway!) but may earn me some brownie points for honesty ....

It's that "creamy" midrange on the Chapter. I honestly think that a substantial majority of the audiophiles I know would absolutely love it. But I was sitting in The Chair listening to some fave choons thru the Chapter amp last night ... and I found myself losing interest. Some of those tiny micro-dynamic inflections that for me define the ebb & flow of the music were lost in that hint of creamy smoothness

So I've gone back to the Yamaha M-45. :mental: £222 (inc delivery) from eBay. It simply has more midband transparency (it is actually pretty stunning in that regard compared to any amp I have heard).
The bass isn't anywhere near as good (but is not too shabby) and there is a definite 'tizz' in the high treble that can get a bit irritating on some material. And the whole tonal balance is tipped a bit upwards (maybe I like that?). And the imaging isn't so 3D (although it is a tad better focussed in the lateral plane).

But by golly, the midband is clearer, more transparent - I can hear more of what the musicians are doing (for better or worse!). For the moment I am happy to do without the very many advantages of the Chapter in favour of the midband insight of the Yammie. I suspect that many folks would find the Yammie stark-sounding and lacking in "musicality", but I like the insight it gives into the minutiae of the musical performance, which is (sadly) had at the cost of the total musical envelope and pretty much everything else!
Perhaps I need both. :scratch:

jandl100

26-09-2010, 08:09

Two new arrivals chez-Jerry ...

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/T-amp2020Wadia.jpg

A Wadia 830 cdp.

You connect it up and turn it on .... :scratch: yeah, it sounds "OK" ....
8 hours of warm-up later and it is time to boogie! :carrot: My golly gosh, what a fab player. Transparency, detail, soundstage focus, musical energy & pizzaz. Just fabulous.

I wonder what the bigger Wadias sound like .... Want List material I do believe. :)

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/T-amp2020f.jpg

Ah, hmmm. What do we have here? A T-amp using the newish TA2020 chip. 20wpc (4 ohms) - more powerful than the old standard, the 2024 chip of the original T-amps.

Ummm ... what can I say? It simply destroys any other amp I have ever heard for my personal audio priorities ... transparency, openness, detail, resolution.

It has a single pair of inputs, so I use it with the volume pot at max as a power amp.

Yes, it drives my 84dB/W MBL speakers very well - and goes loud enough for me on large scale orchestral music. No, it doesn't shake the walls with awesomely deep & vibrant bass (but it might on high sensitivity speakers).

Vocalists and solo instrumentals are simply there in the room.

Stereo focus is just a liitle vague - but I plan to get another one and bi-amp with one per speaker ... that may help things in terms of focussed imaging, but it's not that shabby anyway. A real discovery. £60. :scratch: :eek:

The Grand Wazoo

26-09-2010, 09:12

Ali Tait

26-09-2010, 09:17

Jerry,try something like the Hlly T-amp 90.I'm confident you will like it even more.

jandl100

26-09-2010, 09:20

Jerry,try something like the Hlly T-amp 90.I'm confident you will like it even more.

Thanks Ali. Where's the cheapest place to get these?

.... although I have to say that it would have to go some to better my current sound!

jandl100

26-09-2010, 09:24

That's a nice myth debunking combo you've assembled there Jerry. So does this finally put to bed some of the system hierarchy nonsense that some folks spout? ............or would they just tell you that you don't know how to listen?!

I'm not sure what you mean, Chris? :scratch:

£60 amp, £3k cdp and £18k speakers . Seems perfectly well balanced to me. :lol:

Ali Tait

26-09-2010, 10:46

Thanks Ali. Where's the cheapest place to get these?

.... although I have to say that it would have to go some to better my current sound!

Hi Jerry,
See here-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HLLY-TAMP-90-90W-Class-T-AMP-AMPLIFIER-Tripath-TA2022-/260505669141?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item3ca7590e15#ht_9242wt_762

A great little amp,even better driven with a good pre.

Ali Tait

26-09-2010, 10:49

Hamish has one I sold to him,and he reckoned it was much better than the Bantam he had,which is a generally highly-regarded UK tuned tripath amp.

twelvebears

26-09-2010, 13:06

I would ask what the chances are of you still having the Wadia by the time Scalford Hall rolls round, but I don't think I'll hold my breath... ;)

jandl100

26-09-2010, 16:12

I would ask what the chances are of you still having the Wadia by the time Scalford Hall rolls round, but I don't think I'll hold my breath... ;)

Yep, it would be a great addition to our Scalford system, wouldn't it! :eek:

I'll try my best - but ye Gods, man, it's over 5 months away .... :eyebrows:

jandl100

26-09-2010, 16:16

Hi Jerry,
See here-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HLLY-TAMP-90-90W-Class-T-AMP-AMPLIFIER-Tripath-TA2022-/260505669141?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item3ca7590e15#ht_9242wt_762

A great little amp,even better driven with a good pre.

Hmmm ..... :scratch: .... I should borrow twelvebears' avatar - I can't decide what to do!

a) get a HLLY 90 amp
or
b) get another 2020 and bi-amp

I suspect I'll go for the latter and leave the HLLY 90 on my Want List, it seems a more natural progression. :) It really is sounding fab!

Have you tried a t-amp with the TA2020 chip, Ali?

Reid Malenfant

26-09-2010, 16:21

Hmmm ..... :scratch: .... I should borrow twelvebears' avatar - I can't decide what to do!

a) get a HLLY 90 amp
or
b) get another 2020 and bi-amp
Here's a thought Jerry :) Why not go for the HLLY & bi-amp, i'm sure that the bigger amp will be a lot happier doing bass/mid duties than a 20Watter :eyebrows:

Sorry to add to the confusion :lolsign:

jandl100

26-09-2010, 16:41

Hmm, yeah, thanks for that, Mark! ;)

Thing is, I am entranced by the astonishing transparency of the TA2020 amp ... sometimes small amps do that better than larger amps.

Has anyone tried both TA2020 and TA2022-based amps?

Ali Tait

26-09-2010, 17:00

I believe Hamish has,and was surprised by how much better the Hlly was.

Reid Malenfant

26-09-2010, 17:06

Thing is, I am entranced by the astonishing transparency of the TA2020 amp ... sometimes small amps do that better than larger amps.
I can't say that i have knowingly heard any class T amps, but from the design perspective they'll be much more linear or if you like "cleaner sounding" at lower volume levels. The reason for this is simple, like a class D amp it uses a switching output stage & reconstitutes the signal via a low pass filter to get rid as best as possible the fundamental switching frequency of the output stage.

Unlike class D, T amps use a much higher switching frequency (MHz range) at "low" volume levels where linearity is important, this results in slightly less efficiency (due to increased switching losses) but better sound :) Over a few Watts of output your 20W class T will revert to a lower switching frequency to increase efficiency but at the expense of linearity ;)

With class T amps in other words you'll likely get a better sound up to a higher volume level with a bigger amp that'll possibly go to 10W+ using the higher frequency switching before it needs to lower the switching frequency to 400KHz approximately.

With other amplifier types i might tend to agree with you, in this case i'm afraid i couldn't :eyebrows:

My apologies if you already knew this information :doh:

jandl100

26-09-2010, 17:11

Thanks Mark - no, I didn't know that.

The thing is the TA2020 amp I have is way more transparent than the older TA2024 chip sound that I am familiar with. So IME not all T-amps are born equal!

I've not heard a 2022-based amp though.
... HAMISH !!! - where are you when someone needs you? :lol:

jandl100

29-09-2010, 09:44

Some folks here may recall my planned exit from the Wonderful World of Vinyl ....

As some folks here might have seen in the Classifieds section, I've ditched my trusty old Techie 1210 as the joys of vinyl have once again worn rather thin for me. :(

But, fear not, Monte-Tom, Marco and others ... I'm not going to be entirely without the wonders of vinyl.

Just picked up this leetle tt. :eyebrows:

Denon 103 cart all mounted and ready to go ....

When I bought a Numark TT1 DJ deck.

The story continues .....

Well, the Numark has been donated to a friend. Nice but I didn't settle with it in the end.

A Philips GA312 arrived ...

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/PhilipsGA312tt.jpg

Very pretty but sadly it couldn't keep a perfectly steady speed :( - I think I've been spoiled by direct drives!

And so a couple of days ago this wee beastie arrived ....

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/TechnicsSL-1800Denon.jpg

A Technics SL-1800. Direct drive (of course!) but, unlike my old Techie 1210, it has a suspended chassis.

Dead steady speed and with my rebodied Denon 103 ..... err, well ..... the sound is actually pretty bloody stunningly good.
Sitting there last night spinning some vinyl with my jaw agape in astonishment, happiness and extreme irritation. :eek::rolleyes:

I do (very much) hate to admit it, but it's the best sound I have heard from my system. :scratch:

Pah.
Fekkin' vinyl. Can't live with it, can't live without it. :steam:

jandl100

29-09-2010, 09:50

You may also recall that I found a Mystery Grado cartridge in my spares box, and that it was identified as a £150 rrp award winning Prestige Gold.

Well, I've finally gotten around to trying it in the Techie 1800 and comparing with my re-bodied Denon 103 ....

The Grado sounds much much better than I expected.
Lovely midrange tonality and a quite 'gentle' sound overall. Nothing to irritate - but nothing to get excited about either! "Mostly harmless" would be the write-up in the Hitch Hikers Guide to Audio, I think. :eyebrows:

The Denon 103 simply destroys it in terms of rez and dynamic inflection and focussed soundstaging - musical interest, in a nutshell.
Then again, the Pipe & Slipper brigade may well prefer the Grado! The Denon is very explicit in my current setup.
Mind you, I suspect that my Denon has found its true home in the slightly clunky arm of the Techie 1800 - I've had that 103 for quite a while and it has never sounded so settled and happy!

Marco

29-09-2010, 10:39

Hehehe.... The Techie and 103 just keep comin' atcha! :eyebrows:

:gig:

Marco.

The Vinyl Adventure

29-09-2010, 12:07

The Vinyl Adventure

29-09-2010, 12:12

dont talk to me about chip names/numbers but the hlly has much bigger balls than the bantam .. long term listening has proven that it might be a touch harsher ..but, the hlly is still the clear winner and punches WAY above its weight ..
i have just had my bantam back from horace so im happy to loan out the hlly for a week or so if you want?

Ali Tait

29-09-2010, 13:09

Agree about the possible slight harshness,but this is sorted by driving it with a good valve pre.

The Vinyl Adventure

29-09-2010, 13:18

indeed...
i am also now using it in not the best circumstances with the pc volume control for convenience... which doesn't help matters:doh:

The Vinyl Adventure

29-09-2010, 13:20

in fact, jerry, if you want a loan, then buy one, then decide to sell it ... can i get first dibs as i am after a second one long term... reading this thread it seems you have to play the long game to get first dibs on stuff ;)

jandl100

29-09-2010, 16:37

i have just had my bantam back from horace so im happy to loan out the hlly for a week or so if you want?

Thanks Hamish - that would be great! :)

PM on its way to remind you of my address.

The Vinyl Adventure

29-09-2010, 17:55

no probs... as in pm, busy, but will get it out to you asap :)

The Vinyl Adventure

29-09-2010, 17:56

hey, we got an agreement on the first dibs if you get one and sell it??

jandl100

19-10-2010, 14:51

OK ..... Hamish's HLLY Tamp-90 class D amp (with the TA2022 chip) has arrived chez-Jerry. Many thanks Hamish!! :cool:

HLLY T-amp90 (TA2022) vs Mini-T (TA2020) mega-Shootout ..... :eek: .....

My two-penneth on the amp comparison ....

HLLY Tamp-90 wins on bass power and energy and whoomph (into my 84dB/W MBL speakers)

Mini-T wins on midrange transparency and transient speed.

I have to say that if I had only heard the HLLY Tamp-90 I would not have got anywhere near as excited.
It's a very fine amp, but for me lacks the genuinely world class hear-thru transparency and speed of the TA2020 Mini-T, which is what makes the Mini-T so special for me.

I went back to the bi-amped Mini-T's with more than a little sense of "YES! - this is clearer, faster and much more interesting".

But for difficult to drive speakers the Mini-T may not have enough power.

IMO, YMMV. :)

The Vinyl Adventure

19-10-2010, 15:43

im back on my little bantam as i said before ...
and, since the hlly has gone, i have been wondering which one i like more again ...
the hlly has the grunt, but in some ways by comparison that might be to its failing ... i miss the feeling of drive, but that drive perhaps blasts over the sort of gentle effortlessness of the bantam ... are we talking about the same thing jerry??

i was concidering trying to get another hlly90, but if you are having success with 2 lesser powered amps, i might just try and get another bantam... or maybe a pair of what you have for my making-dynaudio-a42-active project...
if they are nice and small i could even mount them to the back of the dynaudios?

is this it? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mini-T-T-Amp-Audio-Amplifier-PSU-TA2020-UK-SELLER-/170548721496?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item27b57ef758#ht_4903wt_1139

Ali Tait

19-10-2010, 15:45

Did you drive the Hlly with a preamp Jerry?

The Vinyl Adventure

19-10-2010, 15:53

thats when the hlly was winning in fairness... with my gg pre feeding it... i had forgotten about that...

my above comments are based on the caiman feeding it in my office set up with my usher s520's

The Vinyl Adventure

19-10-2010, 15:56

is this it? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mini-T-T-Amp-Audio-Amplifier-PSU-TA2020-UK-SELLER-/170548721496?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item27b57ef758#ht_4903wt_1139

ignor that, i found this http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?45670-quot-Mini-T-quot-T-Amp-TA2020-20wpc-and-%A360-UK-delivered.-eBay-bargain%21&p=842593#post842593 in the ebay listing that adequately answers my question :)

i really need to think before i type, this is why i have such a high post count!

jandl100

19-10-2010, 17:54

Did you drive the Hlly with a preamp Jerry?

Yup. With my very fine sounding (imo :)) Lexicon MC-1.

jandl100

19-10-2010, 18:01

the hlly has the grunt, but in some ways by comparison that might be to its failing ... i miss the feeling of drive, but that drive perhaps blasts over the sort of gentle effortlessness of the bantam ... are we talking about the same thing jerry??

Yup, could be - but to my ears the Mini-T TA2020 amps are simply more transparent, faster and more detailed in the mids.

But then the Mini-T is by far the best amp I have ever heard ... if you value the aforementioned sonic attributes.

i was concidering trying to get another hlly90, but if you are having success with 2 lesser powered amps, i might just try and get another bantam... or maybe a pair of what you have for my making-dynaudio-a42-active project...
if they are nice and small i could even mount them to the back of the dynaudios?

To say that I'd recommend the Mini-T amps would be a gross understatement. They are awesomely startlingly good, as folks on the good ol' Wigwam are beginning to find out on that thread you linked to.

The only reservation I would have is that Dynaudios don't generally have the rep as the easiest speakers in the world to drive, so I'd be unsure as to whether the Mini-T has enough welly. Having said that my speakers are 84dB/W and the bi-amped Mini-T amps do OK.

The Vinyl Adventure

19-10-2010, 18:28

i was under the impression class t amps liked 4 ohms?

electric beach

21-10-2010, 10:32

Very useful call Jerry. My AOS/Yaqin has just thrown a hissy fit and I need a backup in order to send to Anthony for a check-up, so I ordered a Mini-T TA2020. yesterday, after reading all that you've been saying.

It will have to drive 87db from a Mapletree tube pre for a couple of weeks - then I will have the 96db drivers arriving for a pair of Sachiko horns. Now that will be interesting :eyebrows:

I would like to try the Sach's with a low power SET like the Decware 2W SE84 in due course and this should be an informative comparison between highly revealing oldest and newest technologies.

Ali Tait

21-10-2010, 11:10

Hope you've got a big living room!

electric beach

21-10-2010, 12:18

Ali, I'm hoping the Sachikos and a few class watts have the ability to make the walls disappear. One way or another :lol:

I have them dressed to thrill now, will try to take decent enough pics to post this weekend.

I expect the Mini T 2020 and the Decware will both major on soundstage and detail but I could see me travelling towards something like this maybe...

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/kingrex/t20.html

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/kingrex2/u.html

I am a tube convert and although it may not be to Jerry's taste I could envisage it being more to mine.

electric beach

23-10-2010, 11:50

The nice Postie man delivered a very cute package this morning :eyebrows:

All hooked up and working fine. Rather cramped at the back as I run a REL sub from the speaker outputs as well, but that's not beyond the wit of man to resolve.

I read that the Tripath chip reverses polarity. Do I need to reverse polarity of the speaker connections? :scratch:

Tarzan

23-10-2010, 12:25

l have a Mini-t it sounds amazin-cheers Jerry!:)

Reid Malenfant

23-10-2010, 12:27

I read that the Tripath chip reverses polarity. Do I need to reverse polarity of the speaker connections? :scratch:
If they do then the speaker phase will be 180 degrees out. Some people can notice this & others don't appear to be able to. If what you say is correct then if it was me i'd swap both speaker connections over & you'll be back in absolute phase.

You don't need to, but you might find some things sound different & not others. Up to you at the end of the day.

Enjoy your speakers :)

stevekr

23-10-2010, 14:03

If you read the TNT review of the Kingrex I think they recommend reversing the speaker polarity as Tripath chips invert their output. It sound a lot better with my Sure T-amp 2024C when I reversed the polarity on my Klipsch RB 81's, YMMV

electric beach

23-10-2010, 15:20

Yes, it was in the Kingrex review.

Do I just swap the speaker to amp connections at one end only (so that positive goes to negative) and do this on both speakers?

Reid Malenfant

23-10-2010, 15:34

Do I just swap the speaker to amp connections at one end only (so that positive goes to negative) and do this on both speakers?
Yes, one end only on both channels ;)

Ali Tait

23-10-2010, 16:10

jandl100

25-10-2010, 07:52

The nice Postie man delivered a very cute package this morning :eyebrows:

What do you think of the sound quality, Steve?

I have to confess that I am still running a pair of the Mini-T's to bi-amp my MBL speakers - and imho it sounds fabulous. I haven't heard this sort of hear-thru midrange transparency before with any amp. And the darn things cost £60 each. :scratch::mental:

l have a Mini-t it sounds amazin-cheers Jerry!:)

Yup, my pleasure. :)

I came in for the usual cr*p on the W*gw*m thread I started about the Mini-T from the usual trolls, but a LOT of folks there are hearing the same stunning sound from the Mini-T as Tarzan and I do. :cool:

electric beach

25-10-2010, 11:21

Hi Jerry

Well firstly, I know my speakers (nOhr 9.0) are a difficult load and really need some power to make them sing. Bearing this in mind I wont be critical of what the Mini-T's can't do in this situation, I'll save that for when they're driving 95db, but they are showing me potential.

Initially detailed, snappy but lacking in body; not bass but a weight to the sound. 2 days run in and that still remains, but changing the speaker polarity brought the sound back to what I expect from the rest of the system, albeit at the expense of some of that resolution. With simpler music, not acoustic but a small well recorded band like Jamie Cullum, there were many times when the detail retreival brought new insight.

It seems to have some element that I can't put my finger on; as someone already commented, it has something in common with a Levardin sound, which is one of my favourites ever. Its kind of a classy sound, composed and refined. As you said, they are very fast, but I'm not hearing natural. Even presenting solo female voice, although I don't hear any sign of a strident treble and there are bags of detail information, the illusion of a living, breathing person on the other side of the mike is lost.

Flying solo, connected standard, I can see the transparency and detail that you love, but then I feel like I need to work on other aspects.
Running from a valve preamp and reversing the speaker connections gave me a better all round cohesive sound, but then not as striking.

So at the moment I would say the Mini-T is fine as a back up on these current speakers and there is enough resolution and transparency to expect the free flowing nature of higher sensitivity horns to compliment it's strengths and limited output to deliver a real class act.

Good call Jerry!

jandl100

25-10-2010, 19:36

That's interesting, Steve.

I find the Mini-T delivers a natural and uber-transparent sound into my low efficiency (83dB/W) but easy load speakers (6 - 8 ohms except at high freqs).

I guess that I'm not that surprised if the small power supply on the Mini-T runs out of puff and does strange things when given a more challenging electrical load. I suspect that would explain the lack of weight that you hear, the higher energy bass freqs are simply running out of steam.

Do you have some easier load speakers planned or available? You mention 95dB ...

electric beach

26-10-2010, 05:54

jandl100

26-10-2010, 07:20

Aha - and the motto is ... "read ALL of the post" :)

michaelhigh

26-10-2010, 22:01

Yup I can definitely confirm that this sounds WAAAYYY better than you would probably expect. It's a little 'loose' and there's a slight electronic sheen to the upper frequencies which makes them stand out a little but there are none of the nasties that you might expect from a studio amp with this much grunt...

As Clapton said, It's in the way that you use it! I have a Crown XLS-802 that does 800 wpc @ 4 ohms per, and I use the headroom to produce a smooth, controlled response that isn't harsh or growly. I compare it to a vintage Crown D-75 I own and they are very compatible, aside from the power difference, and play together quite well.

jandl100

20-11-2010, 09:05

A forum friend has very kindly loaned me his Perreaux PMF 2150B power amp. 200wpc.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF6254.jpg

Hugely powerful sounding, and just amazingly fast and controlled. Transients not only start very quickly, but stop just as quickly which is a rather harder trick to pull of, ime.

The amp's owner has had it fully rebuilt and refurbished.
He's a big techno-dance music fan - slamming bass and ultra-fast mid and treble transients at stupidly loud levels is where it's at as far as he is concerned! :eek:

Streuth on a pogo stick - but the MBLs rose to the challenge! On one track my chair was noticeably vibrating along with the bass. He reckoned the speakers were pumping out 25Hz.
For those folks into this sort of music the Perreaux sound is truly amazing.
Not for the faint hearted though.

Once Bob had left I returned to my usual genteel (by comparison) musical fare, and I have to be honest and say that the Perreaux was simply too up-front and inyerface for my delicate sensibilities and I returned to my own amp combo with a sense of musical relief and relaxation.

Oh yeah ... to keep you up to date, I now bi-amp my Mini-T TA2020 t-amp with an Alesis RA300 90wpc jobbie. Adds a bit of welly to the Mini-T sound while allowing it free rein just driving the mids and treble. Yup, I like this sound.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/AlesisRA300mini-T.jpg

Marco

20-11-2010, 09:36

It's the audiophile dust that does it, Jerry! ;)

Another interesting update, as usual - what's your T/T situation these days? :)

Marco.

jandl100

20-11-2010, 10:43

It's the audiophile dust that does it, Jerry! ;)

Another interesting update, as usual - what's your T/T situation these days? :)

Marco.

Yeah - I'm afraid I will always be a slob. :) Dusting is for wimps and sissies! :eyebrows:

TT is as per signature below - still happy with the Techie SL1800 with Herbie mat and my trusty re-bodied Denon 103. :carrot:

Techno Commander

20-11-2010, 11:20

That Perreaux looks mighty fine. I do like muscle amps, especially ones that manage to exert total control over the music without killing everything.

jandl100

25-11-2010, 08:08

Latest addition at Jerry Mansions ....

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/MFA5power.jpg

A Musical Fidelity A5 power amp.
255wpc. :)

Initial impression - Oooo! That's bright. :doh::(
After a few hours of warm up the overly bright presentation calmed down a lot. Another few hours and this amp is clearly settling down very nicely, although on some material a slight sting at the top can still be heard.
Huge amounts of power - it sounds magnificent with my MBLs on Big Orchestral music. :eek: Not quite the start/stop abilities of the Perreaux, but (imo) much more musically rewarding in terms of delicacy and soundstaging (the Perreaux is a bit 2D), a subtler presentation all round.

I need to settle down with this for a while ... and let it continue to warm up!
This is one amp that gives a very misleading impression when first turned on. At least a few hours warm up is def required to start to show its true tonality.

I'm not sure yet that the midrange detail and transparency that I hear from the Mini-T has been surpassed, but for the moment the Mini-T amps are "resting". ... in fact one is about to be posted to a forum member to try out. :)

jandl100

18-12-2010, 13:02

Some new amps to try with my MBLs ....

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/TTFusionBehringer.jpg

Bi-amped Behringer A500 amps in the distance. I really, really like these. Fab on their own, but bi-amping them (but not bridging them!) is very worthwhile.
I've had some before with my old Infinity RS2.5 ribbon hybrids and they worked very nicely indeed. So I was curious to try them with my MBLs. Bloody good. Solid, powerful, detailed, focussed, fast & rhythmic - what's not to like?

And a new arrival today in the nearside of the photo - a Tube Technology Fusion HB 70i integrated amp - valve pre-amp stage and mosfet ss power stage. 70wpc - more than enough for the MBLs.

Whoa! - very different to the Mini-T/Behringer sound. Huge soundstage, buxom bass, very 3D, lovely fully-fleshed tonality. Definitely a touch of valve magic.
The bass in particular is interesting - very full, but deep and thrummy - perhaps a tad loose. Very distinctive and very enjoyable.

I've often said that different can be as much fun as better, and this is an excellent example of the truth of that. Much more listening to do, but I think I am going to enjoy the TT Fusion's stay at Jerry Mansions. :)

jandl100

11-01-2011, 07:32

It's Turntable Frenzy here at Jerry Towers ....

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/PioneerPL600xTechieSL7.jpg

A Pioneer PL600X and a Technics SL-7 have arrived. :cool:

Both are Japanese quartz-locked direct drives, of course. The old belt-drive wow-wow-wow fandango will not be tolerated here! ;)

My Techie SL1800 is 'resting' for a while.

Both are fully automatic, sorry you purists out there! :ner:

A minor issue-ette with the Pioneer is that it has a squeaky belt on the lift/lower function :dunno: but a replacement belt is on order. It works fine, but just squeaks a bit when the arm is raised.

I've had the Pioneer for a few days and am very impressed with the sound. A lot like the Techie SL1800, but a little more relaxed and musically fluid. The first thing I did was swap the grotty rubber mat for a Herbie, as pictured.

The SL7 arrived today. Mega-cute and a technological mini-marvel. It sounds to me like the cartridge (a Technics EPC-202ED, moving magnet) is a bit tired - I would guess its the original from way back when. I've ordered a new T4P cart for the deck - a nice little Stanton mm.
Played a couple of sides with the SL7 this evening - it's a bit mid-rangey at the moment, but every now & then it kind of catches me out with a beautifully smooth and rounded tone - an "ooo, that's nice" moment. :)

A few new carts are on their way to me to play with ... the Stanton already mentioned for the SL7 and also a Dynavector DV10X5 hi-output mc, and an Empire 999E/X and Pickering XV15 mm.

I shall report back in a few days once the new carts have arrived and I've spun a few more LPs. :cool:

jandl100

11-01-2011, 07:51

... and I seem to have neglected to mention the 'amp of the moment'.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/UnicoSecondointegrated.jpg

A Unison Research Unico Secondo integrated.

This was plumbed in a fortnight or so ago ... and has just settled in to perfection. :)
Although the very first thing I did was to take out the grotty stock EH ecc83 valves and put a pair of lovely Amperex 7025 in!

I've had Unico separates here at Jerry Mansions. A Unico Pre and a pair of DM monoblocks. And I liked them a LOT - they were impressive hifi machines. But in comparison to the Unico Secondo they were just that - impressive hifi. It's corny, I know, but the Secondo is an impressive music machine. No, it doesn't have the chiselled from granite soundstage imaging of the DMs, or their clout and dynamic swagger. But for me it has a far more enticing and absorbing and naturally flowing musical presentation.

There's something that just sounds right about this amp in my system. No, it doesn't have the dynamic clout of some other amps (but it ain't half bad at 120wpc), or the finely focussed transparent imaging of the TA2020 chip amps. System synergy maybe - but I think that overall it is the finest sounding amp I have had.

And it has a rather fine phonostage as well - although, irritatingly, to change between mm and mc and adjust the gain +10dB, you have to pop the lid of the amp and fiddle with tiny little jumper tags in the recesses of the corner of the amp. :doh: This seems a tad unnecessary to me - the Unico Pre had little extenal dip switches. A cost cutting measure for the 'budget' component in the range I guess. Even though it beats the others in terms of musical presentation, imho!

jandl100

29-05-2011, 09:17

It's been a while, so perhaps it's time for a system update?

Here's the whole shebang as of this morning ....

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF6843.jpg

Of late, I seem to have been going picture/duck/lizard crazy :eyebrows: - kind of a busy backdrop to the hifi, but I like it. :)

Speakers are the old trusty MBL 116F - I'll not be changing these for many a year.
Amp(s) at the moment are a CR Developments Romulus integrated valve amp for the mids and treble and a Musical Fidelity XA200R integrated amp for the bass drivers. I'm also using the remote controlled pre-amp section of the MF as the Romulus is sans remote. The MF pre section is quite high rez and seems to impart a slight "golden glow" to the sound which is very attractive. The Romulus bass isn't at all bad, but at only 35-40wpc it gets a little soggy into the 83dB/W MBLs when the volume ramps up. The MF bass is great - deep, powerful and juicy - and doesn't seem to run out of steam.

Digital front end is now a Pioneer PD-S707 (the last of the stable platter CDPs, I believe) into the current forum fave, the Young DAC. My Young DAC has a Li Ion battery pack PSU.

Analog front end is a Pioneer PL600X tt, a DV10X5 cartridge and a "949person" 'audiophile' phonostage with battery PSU.

Also an Arcam DV29 DVD player, a Denon DRS-810 3 head cassette deck ... and a LG VHS tape video player. :carrot:
The screen (for DVDs .. the room is a TV-free zone) is a 42 inch Daewoo plasma jobbie.
All the power goes thru a Pure AV PF40 mains cleaner doo-dad.

It all sounds rather nice, actually. :)

MartinT

29-05-2011, 09:44

Very nice, Jerry. Those MBLs look superb.

I've never heard of the 949person phono stage, what is it? Have your box-swapping days calmed down now?

jandl100

29-05-2011, 10:16

Hi Martin

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned these cheap 'stages before. Available thru eBay - he does a range from £60 or so going up toward £150 - and is happy to make them with gain set for your cartridge.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Quality-Phono-Stage-amp-preamp-MM-MC-supply-/130525020214?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item1e63e5c036
Ah, I see he calls himself Angle Audio now. :scratch: Nice kit, though! :eyebrows:

I started out with the bottom of the range (for my old Denon 103) and have now bought his top model ... rather a neat little unit with a battery PSU and a switch for charge/play ...
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF6819.jpg

I compared mine recently to a Graham Slee Amp2 - and the Amp2 got slaughtered!

icehockeyboy

29-05-2011, 10:42

Nice sexy, if somewhat effeminate pink light on there Jerry! :eyebrows:

Now you'll tell me it's just a trick of the camera/light I bet! :lol:

jandl100

29-05-2011, 10:45

Have your box-swapping days calmed down now?

Ah - well, hmmm ... yes, a bit.

Having bought the MBL speakers brand spankin' new, I guess I'm kind of committed to them for a while. :doh: ... not that it's exactly a hardship! :eyebrows:

The Young DAC was a new purchase, too. :scratch:

I must be losing my touch.
Maybe it's a trend? :scratch:

Although I've been having a bit of fun with trying different amps to drive the MBL bass cones recently. And I clicked the eBay BIN button on yet another amp yesterday. :eyebrows:

So, no, I seem to have few plans for entering the land of the (relatively) sane. :mental:

:)

jandl100

29-05-2011, 10:48

Nice sexy, if somewhat effeminate pink light on there Jerry! :eyebrows:

Now you'll tell me it's just a trick of the camera/light I bet! :lol:

Um - yes, it is actually! :ner:

DSJR

29-05-2011, 13:22

Jerry, did you sell the basic phono stage you bought, or do you still have it?

jandl100

29-05-2011, 13:41

Jerry, did you sell the basic phono stage you bought, or do you still have it?

Hi Dave - I've still got it - PM me your address if you'd like a play with it. It's set up for a low output moving coil (like my old 0.3mV Denon 103).

simon g

08-06-2011, 14:54

Interesting that you have (had?!) a CR Developments Romulus ~ had one myself for 6 months or so. Very pretty amp, but it seemed all mid range glory to me. I think the 6L6 is the culprit there.

I also had bad hum issues with mine ~ apparently a 'feature' of this amp. I let mine go far too cheaply, but c'est la vie!

jandl100

08-06-2011, 17:30

Hi Simon

I still have the Romulus although it's "resting" at the moment.

Well, I disagree strongly that it's all about the midrange - yes, the mids are glorious but the treble is just as good, imo, and the bass is fine when driving a fairly easy load like my speakers have. It runs out of bass puff a bit when asked to go loud into my 83dB/W speakers ... but its only a 35-40wpc amp, so that's fair enough.

No hum issues with mine at all - very very quiet. Mine's got a ground switch at the back which sorts out any issues if and when the occur.

DSJR

08-06-2011, 18:23

Hi Dave - I've still got it - PM me your address if you'd like a play with it. It's set up for a low output moving coil (like my old 0.3mV Denon 103).

Can't do much at the moment Jerry, but I promise to be in touch shortly, if that's ok. The AVI doesn't like what it's connected to when the MC input is used (I reckon there could be a computer/earth problem and a buzz-hum-bucker may be in order) and the Lentek head amp, although snarl free, just sounds weak and washed out unless the battery is absolutely brand new and even then.....

The vendor of these phono stages is in the same town as me, but I haven't been in touch as yet.

jandl100

16-06-2011, 05:02

This arrived yesterday and is a rather pleasant surprise soundwise ...

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/NagaokaMP-30.jpg

A Nagaoka MP-30 moving magnet cartridge. :)
I believe these retailed at £400, a not inconsiderable sum for a mm cart. Although this used one cost me rather less. :eyebrows:
I'd heard good things about Nagaoka carts for some time and read claims that the MP-30 competed with quite classy MC carts, so I wondered how one would compare with my high output DV10X5 MC.

At first setup it was a bit bland and a tad rolled-off, and somewhat blurred imaging. Hmmm ... this won't be staying long, thought I.
But I played around a bit with the setup and raised the arm by a few mm so the cart is a little bit 'tail up'. Ah, that's more to my taste - more hf and a more incisive and involving sound all round with nicely focussed imaging.

Very pleased with it so far. :cool:

Tarzan

16-06-2011, 05:41

You still enjoying the 949 man phono stage then Jerry:)

jandl100

16-06-2011, 05:50

You still enjoying the 949 man phono stage then Jerry:)

Hi Andy! :)

Yup, I certainly am - the top model now - 'audiophile' version and battery power supply. I reckon you'd have to spend upwards of £500 to significantly better it.

Macca

16-06-2011, 09:48

jandl100

24-06-2011, 06:52

I find myself swapping between the Nagaoka and my Dyna DV10X5.
The DV sounds a little 'fragile' compared to the solidity of the MP-30. But the DV does have more subtlety to it.
... hmmm ... still, with detachable headshells it only takes a couple of minutes to swap between the two. :)

Whoops - a new arrival ... now how did this get here? ... :scratch:

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/KrellKPS-25Ccdp.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/KrellKPS-25cSystem.jpg

Marco

24-06-2011, 08:53

Ha - you've just gotta lurve the totally OTT engineering on that Krell! :eek:

Hope that one ends up having an extended stay, chez-Jandl towers... It'll be interesting to know what you think of it :)

Btw, I agree with your comments on the Nagaoka. Musical solidity is one of the main things I seek in a cartridge. I really dislike the 'fragility' and overly 'delicate' traits, you're referring to, which I often find present in, for example, hi-end MC designs.

Logically enough, I guess, the cartridges I've heard that major on musical solidity are ones which use high VTFs and spherical styli, with nice fat footprints. You don't get much more 'solid' sounding cartridges than the DL-103 and SPU!

Marco.

jandl100

01-07-2011, 09:50

Ha - you've just gotta lurve the totally OTT engineering on that Krell! :eek:

Hope that one ends up having an extended stay, chez-Jandl towers... It'll be interesting to know what you think of it :) Marco.

:( It developed a fault, so the guy I bought it from has taken it back. :(

I have to say that it sounded totally awesome. :(

Not sure where I am heading now, as I sold the Young DAC ... not that I could go back to the Young as the Krell totally stomped it!

I have a plan or two in hand ... :eyebrows:

Effem

01-07-2011, 11:14

No reliability issues with these Jerry :lol:

http://www.windupgram.co.uk/swiss.sh.1.jpg

Reid Malenfant

01-07-2011, 17:26

That's a damn shame Jerry, sorry to hear it :(

Nice machines from what i have read, think they have inbuilt upconversion to 24/96? :scratch:

Best of luck finding a worthy replacement ;) It may well take quite a while...

howlindawg

05-07-2011, 08:15

:( It developed a fault, so the guy I bought it from has taken it back. :(

That's a huge disappointment Jerry.
No chance of rectifying the fault at reasonable cost?

jandl100

05-07-2011, 10:06

That's a huge disappointment Jerry.
No chance of rectifying the fault at reasonable cost?

Yup - a stunning piece of kit. And, yes, a huge disappointment.

The repair cost isn't my issue, as the seller (fine chap that he is) took the beastie back and will look into sorting it out.
Given the nature of the fault, it may well be easy to sort out. Or maybe not. We'll see.

But to be honest, it didn't cost me a small amount (not that it wasn't bought at a nice price) and my confidence in it has rather been dealt a blow. If something goes wrong with kit that cost 3 figures, then well, it's a shame but OK. But when a significant extra digit is added that rather puts a different complexion on it for me.

If I took it back I'm concerned that I'd just be sitting there in dread, waiting for the dang thing to go wrong again .... :(

So it's back to CDP and DAC boxswapping in a lower price bracket for me, I think. :thumbsup:

howlindawg

05-07-2011, 11:25

the seller (fine chap that he is) took the beastie back and will look into sorting it out.

Yup, I bought my TT from the same seller and when there were issues they were all sorted out in a civilised and mutually satisfactory manner.

my confidence in it has rather been dealt a blow. If something goes wrong with kit that cost 3 figures, then well, it's a shame but OK. But when a significant extra digit is added that rather puts a different complexion on it for me.

If I took it back I'm concerned that I'd just be sitting there in dread, waiting for the dang thing to go wrong again .... :(

Ahh, I see where you're coming from now.
Oh well, at least now you know what's possible and have a standard to aim for...
I look forward to reading your continuing adventures. :lol:

jandl100

06-07-2011, 09:13

So the boxswapping recommences ...

Arrived yesterday at Jerry Mansions ...

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF6960.jpg

A Myryad MCD 600 CD player. :)

A quite distinctive sound - very light and agile on it's feet. I love it. I was up til 12.45 last night listening, which is way past my usual bedtime. It doesn't quite have the seamless imaging continuity which was the Krell's greatest strength for me, nor the Krell's mighty bass depth and control, but it does have a bit more light and air about it and a similar (excellent) level of transparency.

I am very pleased with it so far - and I should have a new DAC arriving tomorrow. :yay:

Effem

06-07-2011, 11:48

jandl100

06-07-2011, 15:05

Effem

06-07-2011, 16:47

Yup, the Myryad 600 really is very good. And it's got a decent switchable display, with track time remaining which I like, that I can see from across the room even with my aged and decaying eyesight. :thumbsup:
And the remote handset has a volume control (for use with a Myryad amp) that also works on my current fave Morgan Deva amp.

So the cheaper Myryad in the range wasn't much cop, Frank?

The DAC I'm getting was advertised and replied to by my humble self in the AOS classifieds. ;)

The Z610 didn't set my loins alight Jerry. Distinct lack of sparkle at the top end for my tastes. The Esound E5 I have now trounces it on every level.

The "tentative PM" turned into a sale then? :) Lovely DAC that doesn't do fireworks like the latest crop of NOS DACs do, but is very listenable and musical, so right up your street Jerry. ;)

roob

08-07-2011, 23:04

Jerry
If you decide to keep the DPA dac then give Colin a call at Chevron Audio, he can turn it into something very special.;)

jandl100

09-07-2011, 08:19

I've only been listening to the DPA PDM2 DAC for a couple of days, so very much first impressions so far. Nonetheless, I think the DPA will be a keeper ...

The Krell 25s CDP was really excellent, no doubt of that at all ... but in some important ways the DPA has punted it into the long grass.

Listening to Loreena McKennitt's Parallel Dreams CD the first night - I must have heard that CD over a hundred times. As well as being one of my fave CDs, it's also my standard single demo disc that I take around with me. It only takes a couple of tracks for me to hear what a system is and isn't doing.
Thru the DPA DAC it was like hearing it for the first time. Subtle detail, vocal inflections, background instrumental parts distinct in the mix, overdubbed vocals - I just ain't heard them before, ever. The performance has simply come alive in a way I have not previously experienced.
Utterly lucid. Musically very, very involving.
Gosh.
... yeah, I quite like it. :eyebrows:

Jerry
If you decide to keep the DPA dac then give Colin a call at Chevron Audio, he can turn it into something very special.;)

To me the DAC seems very special already! And Chevron can improve on this? Interesting! ... define "improve", Andy. What do Chevron do, and what's the effect?
I'll settle down with it a little longer and then drop them a line.

roob

09-07-2011, 12:21

Colin mainly concentrates on power supply mods and jitter reduction, he is selling a modded DPA dac for one of his customers to give you some idea here is a list of what was done to it

We are selling this DAC on behalf of a customer. It has been extensively upgraded by us. This is the original DX32 version of the Enlightenment DAC produced in the 1980’s by dpa, one of their many highly regarded and innovative DAC designs. This one has been extensively upgraded by us to give performance better than many of today’s offerings at any price. Upgrades include:- External low ripple DC power supply in matching case, all voltage regulators upgraded (some Tentlabs Shunt Regulators), Modified digital circuits to reduce jitter, upgraded analogue output stage, Tentlabs XO masterclock (operates in Deltran mode). DAC can operate in slave mode where the DAC recovers masterclock from the digital source (most dac’s work in this mode) or Deltran mode where the DAC has its own lower jitter masterclock which is also sent to the digital source.
These older DPA dacs can give the new kids on the block a serious run for their money.
Forgot to add if you still have that Pioneer player Colin should be able to clock link it(Deltran) to the dac so the dacs clock controls the transport.

jandl100

10-07-2011, 10:27

Thanks Andrew - I'm really enjoying the DAC as-is at the moment ... no point in doing too many upgrades at once, I prefer to space my 'hits' out a bit! :)

Yes, I still have that Pioneer stable platter cdp ... so a few upgrade options are open to me from Chevron.

jandl100

23-07-2011, 11:53

Another new toy ...

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/GradoMasterStatement.jpg

Grado Statement Master cartridge.

Only an American could come up with a name like that! :eyebrows:

Not a MC cartridge, but it only has an output of 0.5mV. :scratch:

Just arrived, still dialling it in - seems quite sensitive to arm height / tracking angle.

At first blush, it sounds lovely. Detailed and bags of presence. :)
I've had a Grado Prestige Gold cart before and wasn't impressed by its overly laidback sound. The The GSM is a very very different cartridge, I would not have guessed it came from the same manufacturer - and it is much more to my tastes! OK, so the Prestige Gold is about 20% of the RRP of the GSM, so fair do's, the GSM should deliver a lot more music, and it does.

jandl100

25-07-2011, 09:02

Another new arrival - although this one is perhaps a tad larger than the Grado cartridge ...

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7008.jpg
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7011.jpg

20 inches deep, 18 wide, 8 inches high. 27Kg.

It's a Parasound Halo A21 power amp. 250wpc. And with serious grip and control. My MBLs just love it up 'em! :eyebrows:
Cor lummy - fasten the seatbelts! :eek:

DSJR

25-07-2011, 10:43

I believe from shaky memory that Parasound, although being good, never got the cachet they deserved in audio circles. A shame that I think..

Regarding the Grado, glad you find the same about the Gold as I do. I do remember the very old Reference models from decades ago sounding rather special and more "delicate" than a typical Supex or FR MC from the same era donkeys years ago. Glad Grado have kept the tradidion in their top wooden models...

PM to come on the other matter ;)

howlindawg

25-07-2011, 13:28

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7011.jpg

Holy Schmoley, that's a beast and a half! :eek:

jandl100

25-07-2011, 16:49

Yep - it's a lot like the Borg Cube spaceship - you will be assimilated! :lol:

My gawd, but it likes being driven hard! It seems good at the delicate stuff as well, t'ank de lawd.

It's very sensitive to power cables - I used Musicworks to start with :nono: ... I was very worried with the scratchy and thin treble - OMG I'd just driven 400 miles to buy a lemon :doh::( ... then moved on to QED Qonduit, which sorted the treble thinness but lost the sparkle :zzz:
... then went on to my usual fave, the £20 Audio Friendly mains cable from eBay. Yes! :carrot:

jandl100

25-07-2011, 17:05

I believe from shaky memory that Parasound, although being good, never got the cachet they deserved in audio circles. A shame that I think.

Well, Parasound has always been well-received in some parts - the circuit-designer, John Curl, is considered an amp design legend by many, I believe. :thumbsup:

Stereophile often gives the make strong support - and my A21 was a The Abso!ute Sound product of the year.

Effem

25-07-2011, 20:57

jandl100

25-07-2011, 21:24

Coo, that sounds like rather good service, Frank.

I'll wait for the A21 to get a bit dusty then send it off for a new one. :thumbsup:

Lots of listening today - what a lovely, lovely amp it is. Most pleased, I am. I may even keep it longer than a fortnight. :lol:

Spectral Morn

26-07-2011, 10:04

I had the Parasound Halo P3 pre-amp around 6 years ago :)

Very nice pre and one day when I switched it on there was a loud hum from it. Sent it off to the UK distributor for repair and they sent me a brand new one in return :)

Sadly (and someone correct me if I am wrong) but I am pretty sure that CSE the distributors for Parasound closed their doors lasts year, victims of the downturn. Nice guys and I had know Ian Servers for very many years, though in fairness better in the early 90's, than more recently as when I was in the Trade awhile ago I had nothing to do with custom install which is the path CSE had mostly gone down.

Yes I am correct http://www.companycheck.co.uk/company/03551500

Regards D S D L

jandl100

27-07-2011, 06:45

Ah, that's a shame.

... looks like I am going to have to get my duster out after all. :(

According to the Parasound website Invision UK Limited is now the UK distributor. Ever heard of 'em? http://www.invisionuk.com/product-brands
"Invision UK, the leading trade-only distributor of integrated AV solutions for residential, commercial and marine applications".
Distributors for Parasound, Polk, those transparent Waterfall speakers, Furman power conditioners, Logitech. And all the other AV guff.

jandl100

27-07-2011, 06:59

It's very sensitive to power cables - I used Musicworks to start with :nono: ... I was very worried with the scratchy and thin treble - OMG I'd just driven 400 miles to buy a lemon :doh::( ... then moved on to QED Qonduit, which sorted the treble thinness but lost the sparkle :zzz:
... then went on to my usual fave, the £20 Audio Friendly mains cable from eBay. Yes!

Cables; eh? I don't think I've come across a component that was so sensitive to mains cables / mains quality as the Parasound "Halo Hal" A21 power amp.

I had been thinking of getting a valve pre-amp, just to relax the sound a bit. But I tried a Silver High Breed Accord 8AWG Plus mains cord that has been lurking in my spares bag, and a pushiness and excitability that was beginning to get a bit tiresome has been vanquished. It seems more naturally musical and 3D as well.
Then I tried Halo Hal straight into the wall socket rather than thru the Belkin PF40 mains filter, and a forward brightness came back a bit and the 3D focussed imaging flattened out again.

You really can tune Halo Hal to whatever sound you like just by fiddling with the mains feed. But it always retains the hi-rez, heft and control that I like so much.

Anyway, I'll be staying with the SHB cable for a while and see how that goes. I would like to try a few pre-amps with the Parasound, though. Currently I am using the pre-amp section of my Morgan Audio s300 integrated amp. I tried my trusty Evo2 LDR passive pre, that had a tad more transparency but insufficient gain on some recordings and also a noticeabley reduced feeling of impetus in the sound.

Macca

27-07-2011, 07:36

I had been thinking of getting a valve pre-amp, just to relax the sound a bit.
You really can tune Halo Hal to whatever sound you like just by fiddling with .

have you tried a Croft Micro basic or Micro R yet Jerry? I'd be interested in your thoughts.

jandl100

27-07-2011, 09:01

Nope, the only Croft I've ever owned is a 4SA power amp. That was my very first venture into tubes, ooo must have been 25 years ago. It was fab! :)

Must admit that I have couch potato tendencies, and would much prefer a remote controlled pre!

Marco

28-07-2011, 08:06

Hi Jerry,

I had been thinking of getting a valve pre-amp, just to relax the sound a bit.

Not sure what to say to that.... :eyebrows:...other than GOOD valve preamps shouldn't produce that effect! ;)

Marco.

jandl100

28-07-2011, 13:02

Hi Jerry,

Not sure what to say to that.... :eyebrows:...other than GOOD valve preamps shouldn't produce that effect! ;)

Marco.

Yes, I know where you are coming from, of course, Marco.
But let's face it - all equipment has its particular sonic signature - no piece of kit is perfect - you just have to strike the balance over the whole system which gives you the sound that you want. It's called synergy. :)

But I am now in the situation where I have more carefully 'optmised' the cabling and support for the Parasound amp, and the overall flavour of the sound balance is more to my long-term liking. It's now more 'musical' rather than 'impressive'.
Although having said that, a hifi friend is visiting on Sunday and he says he will bring a rather nice valve pre-amp along, so we'll what that adds to (or subtracts from) the party! :cool:

Marco

28-07-2011, 14:15

We are in agreement, Jerry :)

I simply find it difficult to resist the temptation to correct anyone seemingly perpetrating the myth that (quality) valve equipment softens/relaxes or [insert your stereotypically euphonic assumed trait here] the sound of a system.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the valve amp that your friend is bringing. Do you know what it is yet? :cool:

Marco.

jandl100

28-07-2011, 15:01

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the valve amp that your friend is bringing. Do you know what it is yet? :cool:

Marco.

Yes.

:eyebrows:

__

I'll see if I can stir up some disagreement between us, Marco ....

In my experience, solid state amps that have a more relaxing presentation invariably do so by smoothing things over, resulting in lower rez sound. Whilst valve amps that relax things a bit can do so without necessarily losing rez (although some do so, of course).

Which is why I said I fancied trying a somewhat relaxed valve pre.

Waddyathink? ;)

Marco

28-07-2011, 16:00

Sure, dude, I can go with that :)

Marco.

Ali Tait

29-07-2011, 07:07

I'd say valves in general have a more "open" sound, for want of a better word, and to my ears give less of the edgy type sound I hear from so much SS stuff, but without any loss of detail. An exception are these Bantam Golds- to me they sound quite valve like in their presentation.

jandl100

29-07-2011, 08:02

Well, I know that I started it! - but I really don't want to turn this into a valves vs solid state thread. :nono: :)
I'll just say that I have heard way too many simply boring sand amps that no-one could ever accuse of edginess. Audio Analogue, Chapter Audio, Wyred4Sound class D ... the list goes on ... :zzz: A bit of edge would have helped! :eyebrows:

You can get all flavours of sound from both amp technologies, imo, and I have much enjoyed examples of each.

Ali Tait

30-07-2011, 10:27

Nah, not trying to start a war either Jerry, just MHO. I bow to your greater experience with SS amps, you've heard way more than I have. I'm not against SS in any way, I just like the way valves sound.

jandl100

24-08-2011, 07:26

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the valve amp that your friend is bringing. Do you know what it is yet? :cool:

Marco.

Oops - I forgot to update you on this.

It was an ARC LS25ii.
Oh dear - pure Pipe & Slippers! At least, it was in my system.
Huge soundstage, superbly detached from the speakers. But it couldn't latch on to a rhythm to save its life. :zzz:. I can imagine some folks loving it, but not for me. Sad, as based on its rep I had fully expected it to take up permanent residence here at Jerry Towers. Ah well.

This new arrival is much more to my tastes though ....

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7070.jpg

"Last years model", as it were, from MF - so readily available at stupidly low prices! :eyebrows:
Gadzooks - it oozes kick-ass dynamics, transparency and detail. :eek: It doesn't quite have the 3D imaging of the ARC, but the music is so much more interesting I couldn't give a damn! :carrot:

Another new arrival has also hit the spot ....

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7068.jpg

One of the more, errr, 'controversial' CDPs of recent years. An MHZS CD88. It got a thorough online blasting by that Lampizator chappie, but received many very favourable reviews and online comments by others.
At the eBay auction price I thought it was worth a punt just to hear it for myself.
Bloooody Hell - I'm glad I did! :thumbsup:
It has the stunning sheer in-room presence, focus and speed of the Krell 25S CDP that all too swiftly left my shelves (due to a fault developing).
Responds well to toob rolling as well - it has two 12AX7 in a tastefully blue-lit, easy access compartment to the rear right of the top plate. You can just see the tops of the valves peeking out in the photo!
It does have slightly higher noise levels than ideal, although this is only noticeable when I have to really crank up the volume on a recording cut at a low level. Most CDs are just fine.
Def a medium-term keeper this one. :thumbsup:

DSJR

24-08-2011, 10:02

Oops - I forgot to update you on this.

It was an ARC LS25ii.
Oh dear - pure Pipe & Slippers! At least, it was in my system.
Huge soundstage, superbly detached from the speakers. But it couldn't latch on to a rhythm to save its life. :zzz:. I can imagine some folks loving it, but not for me. Sad, as based on its rep I had fully expected it to take up permanent residence here at Jerry Towers. Ah well.

I don't know the "ii" suffix, but the LS25 made a wonderful "processor" of the signal fed it, the output sounding very different to the input I found.....

You mean those MF units still work ? :stalks:

jandl100

24-08-2011, 10:52

Gosh - it is irritating when someone quotes a whole long post when the original is just one space up. ;) ... and then just puts a couple of lines of their own at the end of it.

And yes, the MF pre is working just fine, thanks. Any particular reason why it shouldn't? It's a bit beyond your "area of expertise" I'd have thought - doesn't it come way after your oft-mentioned "years in the trade"! :eyebrows:

RochaCullen

24-08-2011, 11:22

jandl100

24-08-2011, 11:34

The MF looks great. Let me know when you get box swap fever, I might be interested!!

Nathan

Yup, it's a very fine pre-amp, Nathan. :)

Jake / lordmortlock heard it in my system just the other day, and I do believe that he was a bit bowled over by the overall performance of the system. :eyebrows:

DSJR

24-08-2011, 20:23

jandl100

29-08-2011, 11:07

Does the edit suit you now?

MF is MF is MF ;) Glad you like it and that it's working properly and currently to your satisfaction :peace:

Tee Hee :lol: - you couldn't resist getting in one final dig could you! :doh: That wasn't really a "peace" post at all.

Eeeee - you are a lad. :ner:

Spectral Morn

29-08-2011, 13:44

Does the edit suit you now?

MF is MF is MF ;) Glad you like it and that it's working properly and currently to your satisfaction :peace:

Indeed Dave a wee touch cheeky imho. Having much more recent experience of MF (while in the trade) there was nothing wrong with reliability of MF products. Their only real recent problem was their first SACD player but that was the fault of the mech and any company that used that mech had similar problems with it.

Now MF sound quality, well I parted company with them 're liking the way their kit sounded' after the Tri-Vista series but that is down to personal taste and nothing else.

Regards D S D L

MartinT

29-08-2011, 14:00

Their only real recent problem was their first SACD player but that was the fault of the mech and any company that used that mech had similar problems with it.

It was a Philips drive, I believe? Krell had to scrap their SACD player for the same reason.

jandl100

29-08-2011, 15:40

re: MF.

I've had pre-amps, power amps, integrateds, CDPs, DACs ... many years experience overall. I've never had a single reliability issue in all that time.

As to the sound - well, it varies. Some did nothing for me (one of the DACs was hopelessly bland, another was 'orribly bright, the 308 pre was bland, too), others I like muchly (the A370 power amp Ali bought off me, an F18 power amp was a great driver for Martin Logan CLS2z stats, and my current A1 FBP pre is still ticking the right boxes for me).

jandl100

17-09-2011, 11:26

I did a swap deal for my old Myryad MCD600 CDP, a very nice machine, imho ... and got this Cyrus 8X cdp in exchange.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7125.jpg

Ho-hum ... Cyrus. :rolleyes: Not a lot of audiophile cred there :nono: - it should be an easy sell on fleaBay though, and I'll recoup the cost of the Myryad, so I guess I'll move it on pretty quick. ;)
Some good reviews on t'internet, though. But you could probably find a good review for rancid dog poo used as an LP cleaning fluid somewhere on the internet .... :eyebrows: I mean, Cyrus, right?

Plumbed it in to my humble system ... hmm, a bit bright & grainy, and tonally lightweight. But the reviews say it should be left on for a couple of days, so OK I'll humour them and give it a go.
Of course, no way could I wait 48 hours - of my many fine personal characteristics, patience is not high on the list. So after 9 or 10 hours of playing silently on repeat I tried it again. Well, the bright graininess had largely disappeared, and a touch of welcome natural warmth was starting to intrude into the mids. And, by gum, the soundstage is a bit awesome. :scratch:

OK - left it playing on repeat overnight - by late morning when I got around to trying it again my jaw sank heavily to the floor. This is one bloody fine player! Whodathawtit? Not me, for sure. :nono:

The grainy texture is gone. The mids are now gorgeously rich and natural - "beautiful" would be the 1WR (One Word Review), I think. Bass is solid and deep, but it doesn't "lead the sound" if you know what I mean. Still a bit lightweight in tonality - especially if compared to some bass heavy-hitters like Jake / lordmortlock's old Marantz SA KI Pearl cdp that has visited Jerry Mansions recently. But really quite fine nonetheless.

I've been playing this now for a few days and am continuing to enjoy it muchly. To be perfectly honest, I've not heard a 3D focussed soundstage as good as this before. Very nice indeedy.
I'm now on the lookout for a PSX-R outboard PSU to power it with. :)

Cyrus? :thumbsup: ... I wonder what their pre-amps sound like ...?

DSJR

17-09-2011, 11:58

Can thi splayer be used with the PSX-R? This used to bring extra weight and warmth into the proceedings and may just tame the switch-on sonics...

Late reply re MF - The old-style A1 casing got me going I'm afraid. I know that most of their output in the last fifteen years or so has been well made and generally reliable - I love the ton-up X10-D I have. In all honesty, it's the company itself which causes concern, but this wouldn't apply to used items..

jandl100

17-09-2011, 12:12

Can this player be used with the PSX-R?

Yup.

DSJR

17-09-2011, 20:04

May improve it further, or at least, reduce the warm-up time in future. Same with a preamp should you get one...

Themis

18-09-2011, 05:00

Cyrus has always been of my favourite brands.
The 8xp integrated amp I've had was very good indeed, although not to the point of the Croft.

Toby

20-09-2011, 12:58

That cyrus looks like it has some big feet underneath it.

DSJR

20-09-2011, 14:46

Main trouble with Cyrus is that WTF love it so much... ;)

Ali Tait

20-09-2011, 17:20

Perhaps because it's quite good?

jandl100

20-09-2011, 19:15

That cyrus looks like it has some big feet underneath it.

Ah yes, my Chinese wooden anti-resonance supports.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7133.jpg

I'm rather fond of them - a kind Wigwamer included them when he returned some hifi kit that I had loaned him. :)

Very effective under some hifi equipment.
____

And yes, Dave, it is a tad offputting that WTF like Cyrus kit - that quite pre-disposed me to dislike it. Luckily I have managed to overcome my prejudice and appreciate what is rather a fine sounding piece of equipment. :)

Toby

21-09-2011, 08:54

Nice feet :)

jandl100

30-09-2011, 07:27

The Cyrus CD8X was nice, but has been moved on. :) It was excellent but would better suit a system that was biased a bit too heavily into the bass, or for folk that like their moozik a bit on the light & breezy side. So it goes.

Needless to say there is a new kid on the block.
A bit of a shock this.
Trawling around on some web links associated with the 'Lampizator' guy whose review did a demolition job on my excellent MHZS CD88 valve-staged player (see post a page or two back - post #386, page 39) but who nonetheless gave it a 10/10 score for sound quality. Strange that. But regardless of what shenanigans go on inside, it is a great sounding player!

Anyway, where was I? ... ah, yes ... I came across his review of a CD player with the rare TDA1549 chip that sent him totally bonkers with adulation.
Here's the review http://lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/REFERENCES/Philips%20CD753/PhilipsCD753.html
To quote his summary paragraph .... you'll have to forgive the English patois, I suspect English is not his first language! ...."THIS IS A KILLER PLAYER BY ALL MEANS AND WITHOUT THE RESERVATION "for such a cheap and ugly player.".
Cover it with a rug and play it to the audiophiles and they will say Wadia 860. Or Opera Droplet5."

Well, what to do? I had a quick look on eBay and voila! - one was on auction which I promptly snaffled. For the princely sum of £27 and 62 pence plus a tenner postage.
Ridiculous. It's this little beastie.
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/PhilipsCD753cdp.jpg
Yep, a cheap'n'nasty Philips CD753 bottom of the range item that most of us wouldn't even bother to sneer at!

Only got it yesterday, so full report to come. And I've not tried any large scale music on it. But on small-medium scale tunes it truly excels. Gen-u-ine no holds barred audiophile quality, folks. I've heard (and owned) multi-£k players that don't sound this good.
Excellent image focus, superb low level resolution. Such delicacy - such refinement. Such musical involvement!

Whodathawtit? :scratch:

___

TEN Audio do a modded valved-output-stage Marantz cdp with the magic TDA1549 chip in it. One is currently on its way Jerry-ward. :eyebrows:

... as is an Audiolab 8200CD player. :eek:

Boxswapping is such fun! :carrot:

MartinT

30-09-2011, 13:27

Nice find, Jerry. I'd never heard of the TDA1549 chip, sounds like it's a bit of a sleeper to me.

Ali Tait

30-09-2011, 16:35

Watch the prices go through the roof now! :lol:

jandl100

07-10-2011, 08:03

TEN Audio do a modded valved-output-stage Marantz cdp with the magic TDA1549 chip in it. One is currently on its way Jerry-ward. :eyebrows:

... as is an Audiolab 8200CD player. :eek:

The TEN Audio modded Marantz CD48 has arrived. I tried to pop the lid so you curious folks can have a gander at the valve output stage mod, but I managed to strip a screw head. :doh: ... would have been nice to get in there and see what valve is used as well. Ah well, it'll have to wait til I can be bothered to gently drill the screw out.

Anyhoo - it sounds fab! ... which is what matters.

The Audiolab 8200CD has also landed at Jerry Towers.

Marantz cdp top left, Audiolab top right, MF A1 FBP pre bottom right, Parasound Halo A21 bottom left ....

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/Audiob8200CD10AudioMarantz.jpg

My, what an interesting contrast.

The Audiolab wins for large scale, dynamic music. The Marantz slaughters the Audiolab for smaller scale, more intimate stuff.

Played Beethoven's string quartet Opus 59 numero 1. Performed by the Orford string quartet on Delos - from my fave set of Ludwig's quartets.

The 8200CD gave quite a close-up tonality - quite brightly lit, but with good tonal rez - easy to hear differences between violins and viola. Cello is nicely resonant but quite dry.
Imaging very good - 4 players clearly delineated in their own spaces. Perhaps a bit too much so ... didn't quite sound like a group playing in a venue - but not too far off.

Played the 1st movement, then thought I'd try the valved-Marantz in comparison.
Hmmm ... the imaging/focus is def less precise with the Marantz, and the spooky clarity of the 8200CD is reduced.
But .... Whoops!
... about 1m20s in, the cello digs in with a Rrrrroomph that was pretty much AWOL with the Audiolab. I went back to the 8200CD to check my initial impressions - yup, the effect simply wasn't there! The modded/valved Marantz has got bucketfuls more dynamic expression - makes the 8200CD sound pretty bland, tbh. Folks might recognise this kind of distinction from valve vs solidstate comparisons. I think valves excel at this sort of dynamic expression - and the Marantz has had a valve output stage added. I gave up on the Audiolab at that point and listened to the rest of the quartet on the Marantz!

I hadn't heard that effect on larger scale works or on rock-type music where the Audiolab is superb. Not really sure what is going on here - but the Marantz is much more musically communicative than the Audiolab in the string quartet.
The Audiolab isn't 'bad'. I quite happily listened to the entire 1st mvt of the string quartet. It's only on the repeat with the Marantz that I thought "Whoa - where did that come from?!". And the whole performance was more interesting, tbh. I went back to the Audiolab and confirmed the feeling.

Anyhoo - later on with Bruckner's massively stupendous 3rd symphony on the Audiolab. (Herbert Kegel captured live with the Leipzig Gewandhaus in 1986) ...
Oh, wow - boy, can the Audiolab do dynamics! Haha. Wonderful - those soaring brass fanfares, wunderbah!
The filigre delicacy of the violins en-masse in the 1st movement. Not bright, not etched, simply beautiful. Sigh ... one of those moments!
The blatt of the brass sections - once again not too bright, but nicely raspy.
The woodwinds - ah, Bruckner and his isolated woodwind solos emerging from a massive orchestral crescendo - what lovely tonal colouring, what delicacy ... Cor ...
Tympani rolls? - deep and explicit.
And the whole orchestra subtley embedded in the hall acoustic. Lovely.

Well, it was just great. Really. I didn't bother comparing with the Marantz after that - it might have been better, it would surely have been different - but who needs it?
Audiolab? - job done. :thumbsup:

I'll be hooking my MHZS CD88 back up soon - that will be interesting. :)

MartinT

07-10-2011, 11:00

How do you find the Parasound, Jerry? It has a massive reputation in the USA. John Curl design, I think?

jandl100

07-10-2011, 17:24

How do you find the Parasound, Jerry? It has a massive reputation in the USA. John Curl design, I think?

Hi Martin - the Parasound Halo A21 is totally, utterly, wonderfully amazing. Yup, it's a JC design.
Amazingly (just attach that word to all of the following) transparent, detailed, focussed, powerful, delicate, dynamic, slammy, 3D, extended, natural, musical ...

I've had quite a few amps pass thru here - owned, loaned & just visiting with their owners - in the 18 months or so since I got the MBLs and I find it hard to imagine a better match than the Parasound/MBL sound. It just sounds right.

Most pleased, I am. :) It thoroughly deserves the great reviews and awards it's been given, imo.

Reid Malenfant

07-10-2011, 17:33

I loves my JC designed 6 channel Parasound HCA1206 to :) Does a wonderful job on my front speakers driving lower mid, mid & treble..

One amp i'd also not be parted with :eyebrows:

MartinT

07-10-2011, 21:04

Hi Martin - the Parasound Halo A21 is totally, utterly, wonderfully amazing. Yup, it's a JC design.

I've just seen the price :stalks:
That's a fantastic amount of amp for the money!

jandl100

08-10-2011, 09:08

I've just seen the price :stalks:
That's a fantastic amount of amp for the money!

The RRP, or have you stumbled upon the price I paid? Both prices are bargains! :thumbsup:

The Parasound Halo A21 - aka Halo Hal :) - is the 2nd best component I have ever bought - which is a bit of a pain for a boxswapper like me :( - the MBL speakers being numero uno. :eek:

MartinT

08-10-2011, 09:49

The RRP, although I'd love to know what you paid :eyebrows:

jandl100

15-11-2011, 09:17

Well, well - here's another very pleasant turn-up for the books. :)

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/AcurusRL11pre.jpg

An Acurus RL11 pre-amp.

It came up on ebay a few weeks ago, I did a bit of Googling and found some very positive reviews, so .... a timely left-click on the mouse and it was mine. And I have been enjoying it muchly ever since. :cool:

Remote control of power, volume, mute ... and balance - which is damn handy for some of my older LPs which can do some very strange things with L/R effects! If it had a mono button that would be good, too, but you very seldom see that. All RCA sockets - it would be nice to have balanced connections too, as my Parasound power amp seems to dredge up even better sound with those. Ah well, you can't have everything.

Very open, transparent and focussed sound - not an ounce of spare flesh on it, but still has a beguiling tonal richness - a neat trick that. :) There's a lovely liquidity to the mids that just sounds "right". Good soundstaging, although not quite as deep as a good valve pre can manage. Perhaps the deepest bass isn't quite given full weight, but you'd not notice that with most speaker/amp combinations or without direct comparisons.

Makes me wonder what it's big brothers in the Aragon range sound like! One came up on eBay a week or so back, but no remote control. :(

T'will be interesting to see how my noo Krell KRC3 pre compares - that should be with me in a day or so. :carrot:

jon1

15-11-2011, 22:13

I loves my JC designed 6 channel Parasound HCA1206 to :) Does a wonderful job on my front speakers driving lower mid, mid & treble..

One amp i'd also not be parted with :eyebrows:

mark ..Found your parasound amp then:lolsign:

jon

jandl100

17-11-2011, 21:11

Cor, lummy - what a fabulous sounding combo !! :drool:

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7280.jpg

Sorry, Dave (DSJR) I forgot to pop the lid for an internal photoshoot of the Krell pre for you before I installed it. :doh: I'll get around to that sometime soon. :)

Reid Malenfant

17-11-2011, 21:13

Let it cool down first Jerry :lolsign:

jandl100

17-11-2011, 21:17

Let it cool down first Jerry :lolsign:

Mmmm ... well, it's been on for a few hours now, and it's barely warm. :scratch:
Perhaps there was summat wrong with the one that you were frying eggs on, Mark? Or maybe there's summat wrong with mine! Sounds good, though. :thumbsup:

I've had a few pre's that got a lot warmer than this - and not just valve ones either. Certainly no heat-stress with mine. :)

Reid Malenfant

17-11-2011, 21:28

Give it time & see what happens Jerry, these things do take a while to reach some kind of an equilibrium temperature.

There are a few similar Krell pre amps if I remember right, the version I used for a while had an inbuilt PSU, though some of them are external ;)

At the end of the day it doesn't matter as long as you are enjoying it :eyebrows:

If it runs cool all the better, it'll last longer :lol:

macvisual

17-11-2011, 21:51

Hey Jerry,

Lovely looking combination there using Krell & Parasound, big muscle stuff, hhmmmm so nice!

What's the Parasound power output? Does it run in class 'A' and use XLR inputs?

Enjoy lots.

-pete-

jandl100

18-11-2011, 06:40

Hi Pete :)

The Parasound A21 is a great amp - it does subtlety in abundance as well as muscle. 250wpc of effortless power. The first 7.5wpc in Class A so it gets fairly warm. Yep, RCA and XLR inputs.
Easily my fave amp that I've used with my MBL speakers - a very fine match.
The guy I bought the Krell pre from (and who wants 1st dibs to buy it back if/when I sell it! ;)) uses a Krell FPB300 power amp ... :hmm: that might be a combo worth trying at a future date!

Left the Krell pre on all night, Mark - not playing music through it, though - but it's still just gently warm. I reckon it's reached thermal equilibrium by now.

howlindawg

18-11-2011, 08:30

Careful Jerry,

When your system starts to look as impressive and cohesive as that you start running out of reasons to swap boxes! :ner:

Martin

jandl100

18-11-2011, 08:35

Nah - there is ALWAYS something better, Martin! - or at least interestingly different ... that is a maxim of the boxswapper credo. :)

I can't afford to explore that on the speaker front, and nor do I want to! - but everything else is up for change. ;)

MartinT

18-11-2011, 22:02

The guy I bought the Krell pre from (and who wants 1st dibs to buy it back if/when I sell it! ;))

Never mind that, I want first dibs on your Parasound as I'd love to compare it with my Chord :)

howlindawg

18-11-2011, 22:51

Never mind that, I want first dibs on your Parasound

Sod that, I want first dibs on his Mrs...

My SWMBO gets freaked out any time I change the amp and she can't figure out what buttons to press to listen to Jacqueline Du Pre.

Or is that taking box swapping too far? :rolleyes:

Alex_UK

18-11-2011, 23:20

My SWMBO gets freaked out any time I change the amp and she can't figure out what buttons to press to listen to Jacqueline Du Pre.

Your missus TOUCHES your hifi! OMG, I need a lie down - perish the thought! ;)

jandl100

19-11-2011, 16:38

Never mind that, I want first dibs on your Parasound as I'd love to compare it with my Chord :)

Noted. :)

Although I have to say that the Krell pre has given the Parasound a new lease of life.
So don't hold your breath! ;)

.... but who knows what will come along and take my fancy, boxswapping tart that I am. :eyebrows:

Effem

20-11-2011, 11:30

My SWMBO gets freaked out any time I change the amp and she can't figure out what buttons to press to listen to Jacqueline Du Pre.

We should have a special section on the forum for horror stories like that :eek:

MartinT

20-11-2011, 12:03

Your missus TOUCHES your hifi! OMG, I need a lie down - perish the thought! ;)

Mine knows not to touch!

synsei

26-11-2011, 14:49

My Missus is probably more careful with my system than I am, she had right go at me the other day when I forgot to put the lid back on the Thorens... :eyebrows:

jandl100

07-12-2011, 07:09

My noo Zu arrived yesterday. :)

... Zu modified Denon 103 cartridge.

I've previously owned a standard 103 and a re-bodied one. And loved them both, although the re-bodied jobbie was clearly a step or two up.

Marco commented recently on another thread when I mentioned this one was in the post to me ...

Very nice, Jerry!

If your arm, T/T and phono stage suits it, that should be a stunner... In my experience, the Zu-modded 103s are amongst the finest sounding of the breed, so it'll be interesting what you think :cool:

Marco.

Spot on, Marco - it sounds absolutely fabulous.
I'd say it was a fair bit better than the re-bodied one I'd had previously.

Solid, articulate, forceful, great at separating out instruments from the mix. Hugely musical. Mmmm, I'm tempted to say it's the best cart I've ever had, but it's early days yet!

I don't think I'll be playing many CDs for a while! :eyebrows:

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/Zu1031.jpg
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/Zu1032.jpg

MartinT

07-12-2011, 07:11

Looks the dog's bits, Jerry. Having heard Marco's 103SA some time ago, these carts sound infectiously compelling.

jandl100

07-12-2011, 07:14

Yep, thanks Martin. My DV10X5, excellent though it is, has definitely been relegated to 'spare' status!

Marco

08-12-2011, 08:48

Hi Jerry,

Nice one, mate... The Zu-bodied 103 is superb and shows just what the basic 103 is capable of, and indeed also how much the stock body-shell restricts its performance! That was the reason why my 103SA sounded so good, because of its fibreglass composite housing. Underneath that, apart from the 6N OFC wiring, it was just a bog-standard 103.

Comparing the effect of body-shells, like this, makes you understand why Koetsu put their exotic housings onto basically the same cartridge design, simply because the former makes a huge difference to the sonic presentation, as no doubt you're discovering with the Zu. It's all to do with the respective resonance properties of different housing materials and how they colour the sound, to varying degrees, of the partnering cartridge. Some shells do this more than others, and often in ways which impart an alluring sonic signature.

I think that possibly the ultimate 103 would be to use the judiciously modified (by Highphonic) 103-Pro as the donor cartridge, with its improved high-frequency response, and fit it inside a Zu body-shell. I suspect that it would be quite something and a real giant-killer!

Or perhaps, get Dominic, from Northwest Analogue, to fit one of his superb Nickel cantilevers to the existing tip, if you want to retain the, in some ways, addictively musical sonic signature of the 103's sphercial stylus, and/or fit, say, an elliptical tip (or something even more posh) at the same time as the nickel cantilever. There is lots of potential fun to be had! :eyebrows:

Anyway, for now, enjoy the Zu. I think it deserves to be a keeper ;)

Marco.

jandl100

20-12-2011, 12:00

Richard Gromit's Pioneer PL-71 has arrived. :)

OhMyGawd - it sounds fabulous! :eek:

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7371.jpg

Richard asked for "1st dibs" to buy it back if I decided to move it on ... you'll have to wait a while, Richard! :D

howlindawg

20-12-2011, 12:19

The PL-71 is probably the only piece of HiFi kit that I genuinely regret having to sell. Not just a good DD TT but an excellent arm to go with it.

I swapped the silly spring loaded feet with some more solid rubbery type feet and felt it was better.

If I'd had the space I'd have kept it and asked J7 to fettle the arm but as it is I think it went to a good home.

Enjoy your new toy.

jandl100

20-12-2011, 13:56

Yup, thanks Martin - I'm surprised at how good it is. Def sounds better than my Pioneer PL600X and my old Techie 1210, both of those being quite similar, imo.

I'm just playing with it 'as is' at the moment, with the standard mat - I just plunked it down on my level TT platform and installed the headshell/cart.

Will play games with feet / mats over the next little while. As one does. :)

jandl100

21-12-2011, 07:28

More listening to the ol' PL-71 last night.
Gosh.
I'm beginning to understand why the Richards (Gromit & Dunn ... sounds like an old fashioned tailor shop :eyebrows:) like them so much.

A spacious sound but not overblown, very clean dynamics, superb soundstaging with excellent separation and focus of images with fine depth.
... but the main thing is it just locks on to musical rhythms and is hugely engaging.

I'd hoped the Zu-ed Denon would be happy in the arm, and it def seems to be. :)

Marco

21-12-2011, 08:02

Nice one, Jerry. The PL-71 is great, and WAY better than a stock (or lightly-modded) Techy.

I remember a bake-off I was at, when my Techy had a Timestep PSU, stock bearing and platter, Isonoes, Herbie's mat, Jelco SA-750/DL-103SA, and a stock PL-71, belonging to Neil (NRG), fitted with an Ortofon Kontrapunkt, was every bit as good, and in some ways, better!

So, the PL-71 is a much more 'well sorted' T/T than a Techy is, in its standard form. It's only when you start adding Mike New bearings, Paul Hynes PSUs and upgraded platters, that Techies enter a different sonic league. But when you do that, they not only outperform PL-71s, but also SP10s! ;)

I'm not surprised that the Zu-103 is working well in the PL-71's arm, as it is ideal for the job. Yup, a Sumiko headshell will undoubtedly improve things even more, so enjoy! :cool:

Marco.

jandl100

21-12-2011, 08:08

Thanks Marco.

Yup, I was a bit 'shy' of saying on AoS that I thought the PL71 was way better than the stock Techie 1210, but now that you've said it I am happy to concur! :)

Marco

21-12-2011, 08:34

Lol - well, one can only acknowledge the facts! :)

Nothing's perfect, though, as you are well aware. It's all about choosing the 'sonic flavour' you're looking for, hence why Richard has let the PL-71 go, and is experimenting again with the Techy.....

Marco.

jandl100

21-12-2011, 08:39

Yup - Richard reckons his updated Techie is better than the PL71 in many important ways, and he has further Techie mods in the pipeline which I am sure will improve it further.

But as a £180 tt, the PL71 is a bit stunning, imho!

jandl100

22-12-2011, 07:37

Another new arrival on the source side of my system ... Minty and a nice price on fleaBay - great reviews - who can resist? Not me!
It's eaten into my next year's hifi budget, but hell, I always succumb to that in December! :D

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/MFA5cdp.jpg

A Musical Fidelity A5 cdp.
... with one o' them "mu vistor" tubes in the output stage that MF was keen on for a while.

Very very (very very) natural sounding player. It just sounds right. Huge amounts of detail but not hyped up. Dynamics are wide but very clean - it just soars without any harshness. Bass has real tautness, power & slam.
Mmmm ... lots more listening to do - it only arrived yesterday afternoon - but I think I'm gonna like this one! :)

MartinT

22-12-2011, 08:26

It's Nuvistor, Jerry, as you say a miniature valve that would have been a successful new technology were it not for the introduction of the transistor:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/6DS4NuvistorVacuumTube.jpg/304px-6DS4NuvistorVacuumTube.jpg

The Grand Wazoo

22-12-2011, 08:32

No, I think Jerry is correct Martin.
MF did a range with nuvistors & then followed it up with the range (inc. the kW series) which use the 6112 mu-vista.

http://www.rock-grotto.co.uk/valve3.jpg

MartinT

22-12-2011, 08:36

Ah - thanks. I only remember their Nuvistor range which sounded rather good.

Reid Malenfant

22-12-2011, 14:29

If I remember right the was a tri vista as well just to add to the confusion :D

Nice looking CDP Jerry :stalks:

Gromit

22-12-2011, 14:32

They also did a Doctor Thomas - maybe there was also a Mister Vista? :D

jandl100

03-01-2012, 13:04

Pre-amp shoot-out at Jerry Towers!

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/AVILSPrevsKrellKRC3.jpg

Krell KRC-3 vs AVi Lab Series Pre. :)
The AVI kindly on loan from a forum friend. :thumbsup:

Wow, interesting.

The AVI has better defined bass - not that the Krell is a slouch, but the AVI is noticably tauter. The Krell is fuller, the AVI leaner.

The AVI is a bit splashy and/or emphasised in the treble.
The Krell is darker and has loads of detail but doesn't offend. I suspect it is more accurate although a tad on the dark side. It's a bit easier to listen to over the long haul.

The Krell does 3D imaging better, the AVI is a bit 2D.

Both have an excellent sense of dynamic scale - super-doopah!

But tbh, comparisons aside, both are fine pre-amps! The AVI a bit more obvious, the Krell a bit more refined.
Take your choice - I suspect it's down to system synergy and personal preference in the end. :)

Marco

03-01-2012, 13:56

Interesting... A preamp from the days when AVI made proper hi-fi equipment.

Rumour has it they used to make proper speakers, too! ;)

Marco.

jandl100

03-01-2012, 17:29

Yep, it's a nice pre ... AVi used to know what they were doing! :eyebrows:

MartinT

03-01-2012, 17:34

Although what 'Laboratory Series' is meant to convey escapes me.

Reid Malenfant

03-01-2012, 17:37

Looks like the same AVI pre I auditioned along with a few others quite a while ago ;) Needless to say I didn't buy the AVI, I bought a Classe DR5 instead :eyebrows:

It just sounded right as soon as I heard the thing for more than a few minutes :)

jandl100

03-01-2012, 17:51

A quick photo-opportunity from Griffo's visit last week ... his luvvly Orbe SE tt backdropped against one of my MBLs.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7386.jpg

I have to confess that it sounded rather fine! :thumbsup:

Actually, it was astonishing how different the Orbe SE sounded against my Pioneer PL-71.
We both agreed they could have been playing quite different LPs!
The Orbe had a more sophisticated imaging ability with better layering. The Orbe SE was tonally darker, with a much weightier sound, and/or the PL-71 was lighter.
Tonal balance aside (I think the Orbe was a little too dark for me), the Orbe was obviously the better player.
That was with the Pioneer rubber mat in place, which was all I had used up to that time. When I put the Reso-mat in place the gap between the Orbe and the PL-71 narrowed significantly although the PL-71 remained lighter in balance.
I suspect I would like a cross between the Orbe SE and the PL-71/Resomat! :)

DSJR

03-01-2012, 18:09

I knew the Krell KRC3 rather well at the time it was current and was always rather fond of it. I don't know the AVI Lab preamp except to say to Jerry and Marc that its 10K input loading is marginal for many sources I reckon (citation needed here) and this may just play a part in it's leaner sonics. One would need to take a line source directly into the power amp and compare the straight-through with any changes the preamp made when placed in-line. I can't say my ancient AVI S2000MP+P preamp has any real character, although the phono stage does take 45 minutes or so to fully settle down I find (same on both samples I've owned). Apparently, my preamp is ancient technology and although good in its day, nothing like as "good" as the one you tried (and here's me, a Croft lover - so 1950's......... :rolleyes:)

Marco, in fairness to AVI's designer (who almost never gets involved in Ash's spats with people who disagree with him ;)), mart has always tried to design decent gear. The little speakers of which you speak are fine for their intended role and make excellent desktop monitors, as well as unobtrusive small-room speakers. A huge shame that they were puffed up to be something they could never be when they were first launched and in fact, I believe most are now sold with subs - so that should tell you something :D

Apologies Jerry. Are you keeping the Krell for a while and if so, what is its value these days?

jandl100

03-01-2012, 18:16

Nothing to apologise for Dave, this is AoS - thread drift is expected! In fact, your comments are On Topic as far as I am concerned. :)

I paid £750 for the Krell KRC-3. I think it's excellent vfm at that price point. Worth it for its looks alone, almost!

Am I keeping it for a while? .... :hmm: my eyes have been opened a bit by the superior bass control of the AVi, I thought the Krell was good (and it is) but it would be nice to get that extra smidgeon of definition, but not if the somewhat forward quality of the AVi LS comes with the package. Overall, I am happier with the Krell.
I wonder if the KRC-HR would give the extra tautness in the bass - any experience? But they go for well over twice the price. :(

DSJR

03-01-2012, 18:34

I don't know, but it may be interesting to try some different interconnects possibly, and maybe even going kosher with Transparent or Mandrake or summat.. Not for you methinks, but the Klotz guitar cable used in the Rega Couple is an excellent meaty sounding cable and if you can make a set up for a tenner inc plugs as I did, you might find it interesting, although the preamps under discussion may just be "too good" for it for all I know :scratch:

£750 for the KRC3 is an excellent deal I reckon and the only other vintage SS preamp I'd look at for this money and time-period is a Levinson ML28 (I think it was), which used the best bits then available to them and I think, in a fully balanced circuit from input to output.

Reid Malenfant

03-01-2012, 18:44

It surprises my that the AVI has better control in the bass than the Krell :scratch:

The main difference between the KRC3 & the HR is the volume control, which is a high precision thing with well over 100 steps - hense the HR (high resolution) monika.

When was your KRC3 last serviced Jerry?

sq225917

03-01-2012, 18:51

jerry try a Levinson ;-)

Marco

03-01-2012, 19:15

Although what 'Laboratory Series' is meant to convey escapes me.

Didn't you know? Ashley fancied (still fancies) himself as a scientist, and so got a hard-on from slipping his white lab coat on (with matching knickers) and calling it the 'Laboratory Series'! :lol:

I believe there's even a (now deleted) video of him, which accompanied the instruction manuals, sporting said attire and a cheeky wee grin, whilst stroking some inverted test tubes, with a rather worrying fondness... ;)

Also, he thought that the name 'Laboratory Series' would evoke how the equipment had been designed with the emphasis on measurements, and thus this would give it kudos in the eyes of the impressionable (some would say, easily impressed) objectivist fraternity.

Rather laughable, huh? :D

Marco.

Reid Malenfant

03-01-2012, 19:31

Also, he thought that the name 'Laboratory Series' would evoke how the equipment had been designed with the emphasis on measurements, and thus this would give it kudos in the eyes of the impressionable (some would say, easily impressed) objectivist fraternity.
I think that's wrong Marco ;) To me it sounded sterile, it had no life like decent kit does which makes the music sing. We all know laboratories are kept sterile now don't we :eyebrows:

I bought the Classe DR5 simply because it gave the music far more life & believability than old sterile here (& others). The Classe didn't even get adequate time to get to temperature either & it still wiped the floor with it :)

jandl100

03-01-2012, 19:35

It surprises my that the AVI has better control in the bass than the Krell :scratch:

The AVi is astonishingly good in the bass, Mark.
I mean awesome control and slam.
It would have to be to beat the Krell, which is damn good in its own right.

"Sterile" .... mmmm, in the wrong system, maybe. It is a bit forward in my system, but very transparent and detailed (partly because of the slight treble emphasis, I am sure).

Reid Malenfant

03-01-2012, 19:38

jandl100

03-01-2012, 19:41

Feedback loosening up the AVi pre's bass you mean, Mark? You used LPs exclusively in your pre-amp comparisons?

(I've slightly updated my last post, btw!)

Marco

03-01-2012, 19:46

I think that's wrong Marco. To me it sounded sterile, it had no life like decent kit does which makes the music sing. We all know laboratories are kept sterile now don't we...

Ha - and that's also what happens when you trust the readouts on oscilloscopes and spectrum analysers more than you do your own ears! ;)

I bought the Classe DR5 simply because it gave the music far more life & believability than old sterile here (& others). The Classe didn't even get adequate time to get to temperature either & it still wiped the floor with it :)

Join the club! Sterility appears to be synonymous with the AVI brand. I believe that Jerry also once 'enjoyed' ADM9s, finding them rather uninspiring and anodyne sounding.

Marco.

Reid Malenfant

03-01-2012, 19:51

Not really no. The Krell being what it is will be a discrete circuit in full class A from input to output & run at high current so it could drive just about any power amplifier over long distance cables. If I remember right the output impedance is almost low enough for it to drive an 8 ohm speaker to a Watt or so :eyebrows: Along with this the circuit uses low amounts of feedback, it doesn't need great gobs of it to lower the distortion as it's inherantly low anyway due to the very heavy class A operation.

The AVI on the other hand sounds like it's using a great deal more feedback, this would explain it's possibly greater bass control (system depedant of course) & it's kind of bland presentation that I heard back in the day.

The thing with feedback is it increases (up to a certain point) the lower frequency it is producing, so it could well have loads of control at the bass end because it has a shed load of feedback, but at the middle & upper frequencies all this feedback isn't the best way of getting a musical presentation IMHO.

If it was we'd all be listening to Technics amplifiers :eyebrows:

E2A:- It was exclusively CD listening on speakers & power amps I was very accustomed to.

Marco

03-01-2012, 20:02

I was getting bugged by that Jerry, but having thought of what I just mentioned in my last post I reckon I have a good idea why that is & why the thing sounded a bit bland to my ears.

Loadsa feedback :(

:nono:

Indeed. Excessive feedback is the spawn of the devil. That is the primary reason why so much solid-state kit gets a bad rep. I should point out the best stuff isn't designed that way.

The problem is that the pseudo-scientist brigade amongst audio designers, in the quest for 'perfect' measurements and the tightest bass, surround their kit in so much feedback, that it strangles the life out of it, and thus prevent it from allowing music to 'breathe' naturally.

I always find it rather educational when experimenting with reducing and increasing the feedback on my copper amp, by applying the use of various resistors, and the subsequent effect it has on how convincingly it reproduces recorded music! ;)

Marco.

Reid Malenfant

03-01-2012, 20:33

Originally Posted by Reid Malenfant
I was getting bugged by that Jerry, but having thought of what I just mentioned in my last post I reckon I have a good idea why that is & why the thing sounded a bit bland to my ears.

Loadsa feedback :(

:nono:

Indeed. Excessive feedback is the spawn of the devil. That is the primary reason why so much solid-state kit gets a bad rep. I should point out the best stuff isn't designed that way.

The problem is that the pseudo-scientist brigade amongst audio designers, in the quest for 'perfect' measurements and the tightest bass, surround their kit in so much feedback, that it strangles the life out of it, and thus prevent it from allowing music to 'breathe' naturally.

Marco.
Now you know that & I know that & as I'm all to aware at least one engineer on here knows it to :)

But hardly anyone else does even if they find a more musical pre or power amp, they don't know what kills the music with bland kit.

Nice to know we agree on at least three things now :D

DSJR

03-01-2012, 21:19

Mark, I'm thread crapping again, but the AVI designer is a good chap and as far as I can remember, his circuits aren't complex, quite the opposite as I remember and rather efficient, using up to date components which don't distort in the first place, rather than dated components that need loads of feedback to being them into linearity.

Like I said, one needs to insert the preamp into a source feeding a power amp directly to a high standard to hear exactly what the preamp is doing. Since both preamps here seem transparent enough, then I'm sure they could be tuned by cabling? the Krell is twenty years old now, so may need checking?

Mark, my AVI pre is also biased heavily into class A it seems, the output transistors getting rather hot very quickly but then stabilising..

Reid Malenfant

03-01-2012, 21:36

Hi Dave, me to by the looks of it :doh:

Just because something may well have low distortion open loop (no feedback) doesn't mean that loads hasn't be applied...

Try looking up Douglas Self & his class A power amp, the guy used 30Db of feedback at 20KHz to get the lowest distortion figures. Might look great on paper but while I'm sure it sounds better than a class B amp with the same feedback it will still sound aneamic & non musical :(

Feedback (overall feedback from the output to the input to give good figures) is the spawn of the devil as Marco says :D Take it from me as well...

I'm in the process of designing some power amps that will have a maximum of 10Db feedback, so if you like a reduction of distortion from 0.1% to 0.025% or there abouts assuming the 0.1% open loop.

Every time I have tested low feedback amps they have sounded alive & musical rather than forced & sterile.

E2A:-
so if you like a reduction of distortion from 0.1% to 0.025% or there abouts assuming the 0.1% open loop.
That'd be 0.033% given 10Db of overall feedback.

Marco

03-01-2012, 21:56

Every time I have tested low feedback amps they have sounded alive & musical rather than forced & sterile.

Ditto, as it reflects my own (rather extensive) experience. But try telling that to the pig-headed and dogmatic measurements-obssessed of this world! :doh:

Marco.

jandl100

13-01-2012, 07:59

A most enjoyable visit a couple of days back from Paul - Pac67 on the Wigwam - whose excellent interconnect cables have graced my system for quite a few months now! :thumbsup:.
Kind (?) chap that he is, he brought along his Consonance Opera Droplet 3.1 CD player. :)
After a fairly brief comparison between the Droplet and my MF A5 cdp, the 2 main sources in use on the day were the Droplet and my Pioneer PL71 / Zu Denon 103 tt ...

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7395.jpg

Cor - isn't that CD player gorgeous! :eek: ... & doesn't it go well on my shelf. :whistle:

We both thought the MF A5 cdp came surprisingly close to the Droplet, but ultimately the Droplet's slightly better image focus and depth, and somewhat tighter bass added up to a significant improvement.
A Droplet 3.1 is now officially on my Want List! :)
... although I'll bide my time, there's no rush as I still enjoy the A5 muchly.
Droplets are quite rare beasts used, and I'm happy to wait for one rather than dropping £2k+ on a new Droplet. :eyebrows:

"Grand opera" is not usually my thing at all, but I really enjoyed the part of Paul's Boito Mephistopheles LP set we listened to. Me? - listening to and enjoying grand opera? Whodathunkit? Not me. :nono: Perhaps the superb Decca sound quality helped!
In fact, I've just invested in the 3 box LP set on eBay. :eek: Allegedly near mint, we'll see!

Here's Paul's post-visit post from the Wigwam forum ....

Great to meet up Jerry and many thanks for a very enjoyable music session:^

I measured the back seats on the car and unfortunately there's not quite enough room to make off with your MBL's...must take the estate next time.

Agree with your verdict. I liked the A5. It's a surprisingly neutral and competent CDP with a good overall balance but extended listening revealed subtleties that seemed to stack up. I like a clean, deep and taught bass (where on the recording) to underpin proceedings, and the Droplet just seemed to be more effortless in the lower end and slightly more fluid sounding in the mids with a smoother top end extension. That, combined with a more 3-D sound stage clinched it for me. I was worried you'd super-glued the droplet to your shelf but it came off easily enough in the end ;)

Those MBL's sound awesome now they have such an effortlessly powerful high quality amplification feed to them. That was a great marriage of pre-power for the MBL's so hope you're not tempted to move them on any time soon! I spun up the Seasick Steve LP when I got home and it confirmed what I thought when I was over at yours. With those new amps feeding the MBL's, the musical signature and scale of our systems is very close matched indeed. If only I was allowed to pull my speakers a metre off the rear walls. I was hard pushed to identify any major differences between our systems now, although the MBL's image better. I liked the Denon Zu 103 and that pioneer Jerry. A real class act when played through that Dino. Thanks again for a very enjoyable session.

[The MBL speakers are] pretty amazing with that beefy Parasound amp gripping them. They vanish once the music starts but maintain a rock solid image underpinned by a seamlessly integrated response.

jandl100

23-01-2012, 08:02

Oh my God - the ultimate heresy?

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7418.jpg

Sigh ... I was just getting fed up with naff classical LP recording quality - especially from older LPs.

I'm sure classical vinyl fans will know what I mean ... if they are really honest with themselves! ;)

I was playing a DG Karajan LP of Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony last night.
Lovely performance :thumbsup: but the sound quality .... :scratch: .... screechy violins, bass way down in level.
Tbh, it wasn't much fun. :( .. well, it was OK-ish, but it could be so much better.
All classical LP fans know, in our heart of hearts, that there are a lot of recordings like this. Some much worse.
CBS spent decades pumping out sound quality of this type on a high proportion of their recordings. DG were more variable, some good, some not. EMI/Decca often did it so much better!

So wouldn't it be nice to be able to correct these tonal aberrations which have been caused by incompetent recording/mastering engineers? :hmm:
YES !! - of course it bloody would! :lol:

As luck would have it, I have a simple Akai 7 band graphic equalizer that I use with my cassette tape deck, instead of having to use the Dolby B circuit on my many fab pre-recorded cassette tapes. (the Dolby B playback circuit usually applying way too much or way too little top cut on variable standard pre-recorded tapes).

So, reconnect a few cables so the output of my lovely Dino/Avondale phonostage goes thru the equalizer.
Tweak down the treble by a notch or two, tweak up the bass ... and fook me, but this sounds MUCH more like real music! :D

I realise I am now condemned as the Anti-Christ, but hey-ho, so it goes. :eyebrows:

___

In fact, so pleased am I with the results of this heretical experiment that I invested yesterday, on good ol' fleaBay, in a Yamaha GE-40 10 band stereo equalizer, with additional subsonic filter surely designed for vinyl playback.
Have a look, luvverly (http://www.wired4sound.net.au/sources/yamaha_GE-40/yamaha_GE40.htm)
My Akai equalizer has quite broad equalizer steps - probably 2 or 3dB per step, so something more subtle like the fully variable sliders on the Yamaha will be even better. :)
Hopefully the Yammie will arrive tomorrow. I can hardly wait!!

Dingdong

23-01-2012, 08:12

If it makes music more enjoyable to listen to then it sounds like a good idea to me.

MartinT

23-01-2012, 08:48

:eek: but whatever works for you!

jandl100

23-01-2012, 09:17

Yes, it's hard to accept, I know.

But I've just now played a CBS LP of Wagner overtures. George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. Wonderful atmospheric and exciting performances - but the treble is seriously accentuated and the bass is pretty much Missing In Action and AWOL to boot.
i.e. - traditional old school CBS sound!

A tweak or two on the Akai equalizer and it sounds bloody good, it really does.

I can't believe I took so long to try this! I've had the Akai for a year or so, and a Behringer DEQ2496 before that, but I never dared to even consider the possibility of applying it to LPs! :mental: :D

... no, I don't want to apply it to everything - but for the many older LPs in my collection that are more than a little wayward in tonality this is a really amazing improvement!

Gromit

23-01-2012, 12:30

Jerry - quick q about your Dino, is it a Mk1 or 2? Reason I'm asking is that I once owned an early Mk1 and whlst I was never really bowled over by it (I had the + psu aswell) I have heard, not only from your good self, that it really takes off with a proper power supply.

What sayest thou? :)

jandl100

23-01-2012, 12:51

Hi Richard - my Dino is the Mk2.

Not sure that makes much difference tbh.

At the risk of offending Dino owners here, I have to say that I loathe the Dino with its standard PSU.
I've owned one for a few weeks, and heard one at a bake-off sounding just the same - plasticky and fake-sounding. Ersatz music!
But at that bake-off another attendee with a Trichord Delphini and a NCPSU put the NCPSU onto the Dino. :wowzer: totally totally different league. I was gobsmacked, as was the Dino owner (Graham gthang) who promptly bought a NCPSU for his!
In fact, at that bakeoff I preferred the Dino/NCPSU to the Delphini/NCPSU.

Graham brought around his NCPSU to try out against my Avondale PSU a few weeks back - the NC was a bit better, but not hugely. Both elevate the humble Dino to true audiophile status in both our opinions.

Marco

23-01-2012, 12:56

jandl100

23-01-2012, 13:06

Hi Jerry,

Nice one... Everyone knows my view on graphic equalizers, but the bottom line is that if using one improves some recordings, and in turn increases your listening pleasure, then all the ' golden accepted rules of audio' go out of the window! :eyebrows:

Yep, I agree that this graphic equalizer thing is a bit left-field even for me! :lol:

Having said that, I can't help also feel that some of the more, let's call it, 'difficult' recordings are possibly highlighting the limitations of your (as you know yourself) 'bugdet' T/T. Therefore, the equaliser is acting as a 'bandage'.

Hmm. Yeah.
But that does pre-suppose that all recordings are to a high standard and all you need is a good enough playback system to hear it. And I am darn sure that all LP recordings ain't that good, pardner! ;)

To be fair to me, the CBS classical orchestral recordings of the past are reknowned for their thin and bass-light tonality.

In order to try and appreciate where you're coming from, could you provide a list of the offending CBS recordings on vinyl? I'll see if I have any, and then report back on how they sound on my rig :)

The 2 LPs mentioned so far are the Wagner on CBS 61263 and the Tchaikovsky 6th symphony on DG 2530 774.

As an aside, are the classical CBS recordings you're referring to on the same 'orangey' label as the rock stuff is?

Marco.

No. The Wagner CBS LP has a red label.

Macca

23-01-2012, 13:17

Hmm - can't help but think that the Yamaha 'Natural Sound' logo on that equaliser is a bit of a contradiction in terms - however if it makes an otherwise unlistenable recording palatable then more is gained than lost, I suppose. I think I would have to have one with the spectrum analyser too. Not that it is much use but all those flashing lights going up and down has a sort of seventies retro cool:)

jandl100

23-01-2012, 13:43

.... I think I would have to have one with the spectrum analyser too. Not that it is much use but all those flashing lights going up and down has a sort of seventies retro cool:)

Yeah, that's the Akai I have at the moment in the photo - it looks seriously cool! :smoking:

Sadly, the Yammie "Natural Sound" equalizer that is even now making its way Jerry-wards hasn't got any flashing lights at all, as far as I know. :(

__________

I've just played a lovely Mint LP of the Bach Goldberg Variations performed on a harpsichord - that needed no equalizing at all. :)

DSJR

23-01-2012, 14:28

I dunno you guys, the number of analogue (and some digital ones as well in the analogue domain) that have been through a Klark Teknik equaliser on its way to the vinyl cutting session or final CD mastering..... Each track on a mixing desk has eq too amongst other things, so a half decent pro equaliser (the KT ones were universal at one time I think) should be pretty transparent to the signal given half a chance :)

Marco

23-01-2012, 14:36

Hi Jerry,

Hmm. Yeah.
But that does pre-suppose that all recordings are to a high standard and all you need is a good enough playback system to hear it. And I am darn sure that all LP recordings ain't that good, pardner! ;)

I completely agree, and experience proves that, but what the best T/Ts do is both allow one to hear differences in recordings, some of which are better than others, but make all of them at least listenable.

We all have recordings in our collection which sound pants, compared to what the best ones achieve, me included, but none of the former have prompted me to use a graphic equaliser in an attempt to fix the problem.

Good luck with Yamaha - I really do hope that it's the answer, matey. However, if it had been me, I'd have probably gone down the route of buying a phono stage which compensates for the response of the RIAA curves of different record labels, such as the Graham Slee Jazz Club:

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/4413/jazzclub365.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/585/jazzclub365.jpg/)

Read more about what it does and the effect of different RIAA curves here: http://www.phonostagepreamp.com/jazzclub-phonostagepreamp.htm

Let's make no mistake, what you're describing (and genuinely hearing) is a very real issue (although it annoys some more than others), but in my view, not one which will ever be totally cured by the use of a graphic equaliser, as the nature of the issue you're experiencing is more fundamental.

The added distortion created by a graphic EQ (the integrity of the signal will almost certainly be adversely affected, going through all that extra circuitry), I also feel will be highlighted in a high-end system like yours, especially by your superb, highly revealing, speakers.

Therefore, in attempting to cure one problem, you're more likely just creating another (although I hope for your sake that this is not the way it works out). Far better, IMO, to tackle the problem at source, and IMO the likes of the Graham Slee would do a far better job of that than any graphic equaliser.

You should try and get hold of one and report the results! I'd be very interested to know what happened! ;)

To be fair to me, the CBS classical orchestral recordings of the past are reknowned for their thin and bass-light tonality.

I will see if I have any of the recordings you mention, or failing that any other classical recordings I have on CBS, and report back on my thoughts :cool:

Marco.

jandl100

23-01-2012, 17:05

..... Good luck with Yamaha - I really do hope that it's the answer, matey. However, if it had been me, I'd have probably gone down the route of buying a phono stage which compensates for the response of the RIAA curves of different record labels, such as the Graham Slee Jazz Club

..... Let's make no mistake, what you're describing (and genuinely hearing) is a very real issue (although it annoys some more than others), but in my view, not one which will ever be totally cured by the use of a graphic equaliser, as the nature of the issue you're experiencing is more fundamental......

Marco.

Yep, a thoughtful and insightful response, as ever, Marco. :thumbsup:

That Graham Slee gadget does look interesting.
:hmm: Part of the issue here is a fundamentally different approach to hifi - and possibly life in general!
I am having, and will continue to have, an enormous amount of fun playing with my equalized LP playback system. It's cost me about £40 for that shnazzy looking Yammie. And I didn't really have to spend anything at all as I already had the kool Akai equalizer.

I shan't obsess about it being the philosophically or technically correct way to go about correcting the recording deficiencies that I hear.
I'll just tweak the knobs and sliders and get an enjoyable sound out of my system.
And you know summat? - I will be really happy with that for quite some time. It really has been a bit of a revelation already.

Damn, if I was exhibiting at Scalford this year I'd have a ball showing off this system!! :D

The only technical aspect that does bother me a mite, is playing back my quite hi-rez LP source thru what is almost certainly crappy 1980's Japanese budget electronics.
Will this degrade the signal? Probably. Have I heard it yet? ... yeah, the bass has lost a little tautness and control. Do I care? Nah, not with the majority of my music choices, especially from my LP collection, deep taut bass really isn't an issue with a lot of classical choons. :)

I'm like the girls in that pop song ... girls just wanna have fun! :carrot:

Ammonite Audio

23-01-2012, 17:33

Jerry

I know exactly where you're coming from. Having taken the time to plot the differences between IEC standard and other vinyl equalisation curves, I created different DSP settings in my Lyngdorf TDA-2200 so that I can, in effect, apply any of the more common corrections from the remote handset, to rather good effect. One day I will find a pre-owned Lyngdorf Millenium ADC, which does the job rather more properly.

jandl100

23-01-2012, 17:44

It's interesting about the different EQ curves used for vinyl.

As I mentioned before, CBS were (in)famous for the thin and forward sound of their classical LPs for decades.
I wonder if this obviously deliberate 'house sound' was a result of such an EQ choice, and with correct playback the sound would have been full and wholesome. Or perhaps the producers/sound engineers just liked the sound to be that way?

Does anyone know the background to this?

Marco

23-01-2012, 18:16

Hi Jerry,

I totally get where you're coming from, so no worries! In that respect, I think you'll really enjoy the Yammy :)

As I mentioned before, CBS were (in)famous for the thin and forward sound of their classical LPs for decades.
I wonder if this obviously deliberate 'house sound' was a result of such an EQ choice, and with correct playback the sound would have been full and wholesome. Or perhaps the producers/sound engineers just liked the sound to be that way?

The bit in bold is I believe closest to reality, although I haven't heard it myself. I tend just to accept recordings as they are, be they superb, good or less good, as none that I own are unlistenable.

Perhaps Hugo could expand more on his experiences in this area? :cool:

Marco.

DSJR

23-01-2012, 19:18

CBS used to multi-mic and multi-track everything in sight and the mix was from the conductor's perspective, rather than from someone on the audience. Some later Karajan recordings on DG, where he'd got behind the mixing console and "tweaked" himself, were re-mixed some years later to excellent effect, the venue atmosphere far more in evidence, although the sound wasn't as obviously "deeeeeeetailed" in comparison I remember.

The Grand Wazoo

23-01-2012, 20:02

Marco

23-01-2012, 20:09

Thanks, Chris, you're right :)

Marco.

Barry

23-01-2012, 20:25

Slight correction to what Marco has written:
Each label had it's own EQ curve but they were not RIAA curves. The RIAA curve was just one of several attempts to achieve a standardisation across the industry. Other 'standard' curves were devised by AES & NAB.

I think we've been here before! :scratch:

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=11839 (post no. 13)

Effem

23-01-2012, 21:13

I shan't obsess about it being the philosophically or technically correct way to go about correcting the recording deficiencies that I hear.
I'll just tweak the knobs and sliders and get an enjoyable sound out of my system.
And you know summat? - I will be really happy with that for quite some time. It really has been a bit of a revelation already.

Yes, but can you also adjust the dirge levels up or down???? :eyebrows:

I don't understand why anyone should be looking out their windows checking for burning crosses in their front garden, or change their name and wear a disguise outdoors because they have resorted to using a . . . [GULP] . . . graphic equaliser, or have the nerve to adjust their tone controls. Yes, I did just type that. Quite often I wish I had these aforementioned devices to make the unlistenable recordings listenable, so bollox to the purists I say :ner: