Umpteenth evolution in progress

[Nevalti]

Hi
Real name Martin but years ago I started using the Screen name ‘Nevalti’ as that was the name of my boat. I have stuck with that name to save confusion elsewhere.

I’m an ageing HiFi nut with a system struggling through its umpteenth evolution. I am currently searching for a way out of a problem. I’m sure many will spot two distinct problems with my system…….

I use an ageing Marantz CD63 KI signature as a transport but mainly use Sonos streamed from a Buffalo NAS because I'm lazy and it sounds 95% as good. Both CDs and Sonos are fed into a Benchmark DAC1 and a Bryston B60R before escaping into the real world through PMC OB1i speakers. Interconnects are all Chord, Speaker wires are good old Linn K20.

I also have my beloved TDL studio One speakers that I have cosseted from new (about twenty years ago). They are still fabulous speakers but the PMCs pushed the TDLs up to the bedroom a couple of years ago. They are now fed very lightly with Sonos, Beresford DAC and a Temple Audio Bantam Gold making a perfect system to go to sleep to.

Music tastes are classical, laid back jazz, quite a few female vocalists, and selected ‘pop’ from all eras. I generally dislike opera, heavy metal and anything where people shout or warble. My current favourite recording is Patricia Kopatchinskaja playing Beethoven with the Orchestre des Champs Elysees (naïve label). The recording is exceptionally good and she makes Nigel Kennedy sound like a gifted schoolboy - highly recommended!

Nevalti

[Beechwoods]

Welcome to AOS Martin. I hope you enjoy it here!

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hi Martin,
Welcome to AoS from me too!
Cheers

[Macca]

Hi and welcome Martin from another Martin.

You say there is a problem with your system. I'd like to solve the puzzle - It's that you don't seem to have a record player ;)

[DSJR]

Wecome :)

Get shot of the K20 pronto. I thought it good once until I saw the light and heard the thunder-clap. VDH The Wind is subtle, but clear and NEVER showy for a "smooth" sounding speaker wire (maybe it isn't smooth at all, but bear with me). The K20 is just bland, bland, bland, removing subtleties in non Linn systems IMO. The K20 just seems to bland out any "texture" in the sound. Just my experience but i was SO glad when I got rid of mine at home and in the dem room ;)

[MartinT]

Hi Martin, yet another Martin here. Welcome to AoS :)

[Beechwoods]

Calling all Martins! Calling all Martins!

[MartinT]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MzOS_SGs_Os/SnOu8Ar7rAI/AAAAAAAACPc/UzmwgNpoPy4/s400/Martian1.jpg

[Beechwoods]

Or should that be Martians.

http://emoticoner.com/files/emoticons/smileys/ufo-smiley.gif?1292867693

*edit* :lol: Great Minds!!

[Ali Tait]

Oh right. Thought that was Marco on his day off.

[Ali Tait]

:lol:

[Beechwoods]

The resemblance is uncanny!

[Alex_UK]

Hi Martin, welcome from me too. Enjoy the forum - and no, I can't solve the riddle (and I'm not as rude as DSJR! ;))

[Nevalti]

Hi and welcome Martin from another Martin.

You say there is a problem with your system. I'd like to solve the puzzle - It's that you don't seem to have a record player ;)

:doh:Doh! I knew I had forgotten something.

I reluctantly sold my Rega3/300B/Splitslab/Goldring Elite combination last year together with a boot-load of pristine LPs in the interests of domestic harmony plus the fact that the gap has closed so much now that I am happy to listen to CDs. Also - I don't have to keep getting up and down like you do.

[Nevalti]

Wecome :)

Get shot of the K20 pronto. I thought it good once until I saw the light and heard the thunder-clap. VDH The Wind is subtle, but clear and NEVER showy for a "smooth" sounding speaker wire (maybe it isn't smooth at all, but bear with me). The K20 is just bland, bland, bland, removing subtleties in non Linn systems IMO. The K20 just seems to bland out any "texture" in the sound. Just my experience but i was SO glad when I got rid of mine at home and in the dem room ;)

How interesting (no, that's not sarcasm). I must admit that I have not tried other cables with the Bryston nor with the PMCs but with my previous amp set ups I have tried a variety of different cables, all of which seemed to mask details compared with the Linn and I came to the conclusion that the K20 was absolutely fine and at a bargain price. Conversely, some highly praised cables just seemed to smooth out the sound and hide detail in the way you describe.

So what is the reason for our different experience? Virtually all of my testing was with TDL Studio 1 (proper transmission line speakers of significant quality - this is before TDL went down-market). Is it possible that the very low frequency that the TDLs are capable of is having a significant effect here?

If you have done your testing with the LS3/5A, or whatever those are in your avatar, that could well account for a significant difference in our experiences. Whatever the reason, thanks for waking me up to the fact that I need to explore cables for the PMC/Bryston combination:bulb: The PMCs do go almost as low as the TDLs do so maybe I will come to the same conclusion.

[electric beach]

Welcome Martin

I also have a pair of TDLs, the Studio 1M, but I no longer use them - I got fed up trying to tame the booming bass. I thought my room may be too small for them so I took them to a HiFi shop with a large demo room and they couldn't sort it either. My brother in law bought the TDL Studio 0.5 and they are perfectly balanced, I wish I had also.

Anyway, good luck with getting advice from the forum to resolve your two issues, although I don't see what you perceive them to be :scratch:

[Nevalti]

Welcome Martin

I also have a pair of TDLs, the Studio 1M, but I no longer use them - I got fed up trying to tame the booming bass.

I don't know what the difference is between Studio 1 & 1M but I never had a problem with booming bass except when I used them across the room. They HAVE to fire along the room and you must not have either the speakers OR your seating position near to a wall at either end - and obviously they must not be positioned near a corner.

I don't think it is the speaker's fault, it is a function of their very easy bass extension and room resonance. I used them in a large hall once and they actually sounded bass light! With a good enough amp they still sound great - even after 20 years.

The only reason I changed to the PMC OB1i is that they produce a far better 3D image and voices are more realistic - presumably due to the dome mid-range driver doing most of the vocal work rather than sharing the sound between two drivers.