View Full Version : Neil's HiFi
Hi,
I took these for insurance reasons, so thought I had may as well share them here. I haven't gotten round to sorting a proper rack yet, but to be honest having 9.5kg of DAC sat on top of the CD transport isn't going to do any harm. That is not my CD collection by the way the cases are the past couple of weeks from HMV due to their great 2 for £10 offer...!
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/imgsys_zpsd23386e9.jpg
^^
Pioneer DV-717 DVD player as transport, Audial Model S DAC, Krell KRC-3 preamp, LFD PA2M SE (*not* like their preamps Jerry!), NVA AP10H headphone amp, Grado RS1 headphones.
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/imgtt_zpse4b2949a.jpg
^^
Systemdek III turntable, Helius Aurum tonearm with Trichord Dino phono stage and Trichord Dino+ power supply (not set up yet)
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/pic5_zpsd0a08037.jpg
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/img4_zps232353f2.jpg
^^
Amphion Argon3 with my preferred Epos open frame stands... I find centre column or mass-loaded stands to add things to the sound whereas open frames with spike coupling get out of the way and dump unwanted energy into the stands and ground.
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/pic3_zps114901fc.jpg
^^
Pic showing the back of the speakers (nice WBT binding posts) with my quite expensive LFD hybrid ribbon cable. I found a more coherent and expansive sound with the ribbons into the positive terminals. One conductor is LC-OFC ribbon and the other PC-OCC multi strand.
Wakefield Turntables
19-09-2012, 21:50
very nice. You can always trust trichord, I had the diablo and NCPSU, a truly excellent phonostage.
very nice. You can always trust trichord, I had the diablo and NCPSU, a truly excellent phonostage.
That's reassuring as am making a move back into vinyl & wanted something tried and tested as well as flexible.
chris@panteg
26-09-2012, 07:52
That's reassuring as am making a move back into vinyl & wanted something tried and tested as well as flexible.
I have the Diablo/NCPSU , it is very good , I think Jerry has the Dino ?
As I mentioned I was looking for stands and was not impressed the the price of Quadraspire stuff & didn't want something wooden, so I just bought a little piece of audio history - a Mana Acoustics rack:
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/mana.jpg
I have the Diablo/NCPSU , it is very good , I think Jerry has the Dino ?
Yes and he's kept it for a fair while too... :P
I notice he kept a Krell KRC-3 for a while this is a stunning preamp! Not at all what you think a Krell would sound like. Lush with top to bottom control with exceptional tonality and timbre... bit like tubes with solid state grip and slam.
Great looking set up Neil, I used to have the trichord & psu with upgrade cable there a nice sounding pair..
So, can anyone guess what this little gem of a cartridge body is? Threaded inserts, nice!
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/cart.jpg
Is it a Roksan cartridge made by Goldring?
I'm another huge fan of the KRC-3. Definitely one of the best solid state preamps out there methinks - fels nice in use as well and this tactile quality is important when you're spending "Absolute Sounds" money on new gear.
I feel so bad about the Systemdeck III. So good it was, and "we" all preferred the then hideously coloured fruitbox!!!! Such a nice company too at the time!
Is it a Roksan cartridge made by Goldring?
>> Very warm, it's a Reson Reca cartridge.
I'm another huge fan of the KRC-3. Definitely one of the best solid state preamps out there methinks - fels nice in use as well and this tactile quality is important when you're spending "Absolute Sounds" money on new gear.
>> Yeah, the volume control is so sweet, digitally controlled resistor selection instead of a physical pot.
I feel so bad about the Systemdeck III. So good it was, and "we" all preferred the then hideously coloured fruitbox!!!! Such a nice company too at the time!
>> Another victim of the Naim/Linn axis I believe. Ah well, keeps the prices of these absolute classic units down, but a shame, yes... must be a reason why Audio Note used the (much inferior) Systemdek IIX design in their own turntables... *musicality*, that's why!
Cheers,
Neil
rubber duck
29-10-2012, 11:44
I feel so bad about the Systemdeck III. So good it was, and "we" all preferred the then hideously coloured fruitbox!!!! Such a nice company too at the time!
Ahh, this brings back memories. Trust you have it bouncing nicely!
Ahh, this brings back memories. Trust you have it bouncing nicely!
Funnily enough it is *extremely* bouncy! Like sitting on a blancmange when you touch it, replace records etc.
rubber duck
29-10-2012, 14:26
Funnily enough it is *extremely* bouncy! Like sitting on a blancmange when you touch it, replace records etc.
I know. Hopefully it doesn't actually wobble like a blancmange though when you push down the spindle!
I know. Hopefully it doesn't actually wobble like a blancmange though when you push down the spindle!
No, just when I press the sides of the platter. :)
Nearly there with the vinyl rig just one more piece to arrive (the pickup arm). The Goldring 1042 stylus has arrived, which despite some fears is an exact fit for the Reson Reca with the same cantilever profile & Geiger S stylus. Unintentionally I appear to have ended up with a completely UK setup (DNM/Reson, Helius, Dunlop, Trichord), and am looking forward to picking my vinyl up from my ex-wife's house. :eyebrows:
This is on the way soon to replace my Helius Aurum, a Helius Scorpio 4 10" version:
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/scorpio.jpg
jandl100
03-11-2012, 07:39
Hey, whoa - Hi Neil - how'd I miss this thread?! :doh: :o
Nice setup. :)
I'll try and play catch up with the comments ....
Yup, love the Krell KRC-3 pre-amp -- not sure why I sold mine on, really. :scratch: Def one of the very best pre's to reside with me for a while. But my Restek is just a little more open sounding and certainly a bit more explicit and brightly lit, falling just the other side of the tonal neutrality line to the Krell, which is probably a better match for my system and tastes. Probably. The Krell KRC-3 is a great pre, by any standards, imo.
Dino phonostage. Hmm, yeah. I'm not a big fan of the unit with standard PSUs - but stick a Never Connected NCPSU, or the old Avondale unit I had, up front and ... :wowzer:. Very strongly recommended.
So your LFD power amp has more get up and go than the LS2 pre-amp I owned? That's good to know, but isn't really much of a challenge! God, that LS2 was boring.
Standmount Amphion speakers. Yep, I might like them - I had the floorstanding Xenons and didn't like them much, but the standmount Amphions and smaller floorstanders I've heard at Shows have all impressed me with a good, dynamic hi-rez sound.
Hi Jerry interesting comment about the NCPSU will look into selling my PSU & picking something up second-hand.
As for the KRC-3 it sort of stands out in my system as everything else follows minimalistic / simplistic philosophies, but it seems to gel well with the rest of the system, lovely to use, no switches, potentiometers or capacitors in the signal path might allow it to get away with a more complex circuit yet still sound pretty damn transparent.
The Xenons are nice speakers, like their standmount equivalent Argon2, but the new version are a definite step-up from top to bottom. Definitely more open in the top end (a criticism of earlier generation Amphions), more controlled bass but definitely still an Amphion speaker in terms of neutrality, dynamics and sounding 'alive' and musical with all types of genres.
The PA2M SE has serious get up and go, PRaT and dynamics, like an old Naim or Exposure, but with far greater naturalness (or at least without 'solid state' nasties) and liquidity that'd you be more accustomed to with a good tube amp.
Found a great deal on the new LFD DLS preamp, so just getting it converted back to 240v by Dr. Bews now.
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/517159-lfd_dls_preamplifier.jpg
Must admit it's up against a lot of preamp with the Krell KRC-3 and I hope that the dynamics aren't lost.
nice...
And congrats on your music server looks sweet!
OK, I've just been very naughty, I bought that pair of Royd Sorcerers that has been knocking about on Pinkfish & HiFiforSale. Always wanted a pair of these, and my excuse is that my 4yr old daughter needs her own system (with an LFD PA0 SE amp, DIY passive pre, Theta DS Pro Progeny DAC & Pioneer DV-505 transport).
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj516/Waka54321/Royd%20Sorcerer/Royd1.jpg
stuartypoorty
08-03-2013, 13:50
Found a great deal on the new LFD DLS preamp, so just getting it converted back to 240v by Dr. Bews now.
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/517159-lfd_dls_preamplifier.jpg
Must admit it's up against a lot of preamp with the Krell KRC-3 and I hope that the dynamics aren't lost.
Hello Yomanze,
You'll enjoy that I'm sure.
I've lived with an LFD NCSE for a few years now and was so impressed that I went for the MCT SE phono stage.
Richard Bews is a great guy, generous with his time and crucially doesn't oversell his products.
Let me know how you get along post conversion.
Stuart
Hi Stuart,
The DLS has been in my system for a few weeks now, and it's a stunningly natural preamp, and even more transparent than my KRC-3. It has a more immediate sound whereas the KRC-3 does hold the edge when it comes to bass depth and 'slam'. It has the LFD traits of a 'grainfree', 'liquid', 'illuminated' and 'direct' sound. Vocals have never sounded more real to me. In some systems I believe that the KRC-3 will be a more appropriate match, and the DLS more polite, but the PA2M SE amp offers a great synergy with the DLS.
Best regards,
Neil
Some gutshots of a couple of bits of kit:
My LFD PA0 SE amp, which is currently being used in place of my PA2M SE. Beautiful layout and shows off the LFD traits of minimalism and painstaking component selection. I suppose the best way to describe it is a SET amp with grip and slam:
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/pa01_zps14ca53b1.jpg (http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/neil_yeomans/media/pa01_zps14ca53b1.jpg.html)
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/pa02_zpse0cc1a85.jpg (http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/neil_yeomans/media/pa02_zpse0cc1a85.jpg.html)
The Audial Model S DAC, built by Pedja Rogic, for which no official reviews exist online. It is the best DAC I have heard at any price and makes you think why you need vinyl in the first place. Very rich, *analogue* and musical sound and a true statement of what is possible with the TDA1541A DAC. One of the transformers feeds balanced mains with the transformer having separate windings for every power supply (including the relay). All power supplies are discrete zero feedback, which feeds a zero feedback output stage (ICs and discrete hybrid).
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/audial1_zpsad998772.jpg (http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/neil_yeomans/media/audial1_zpsad998772.jpg.html)
[http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/audial2_zps26193523.jpg (http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/neil_yeomans/media/audial2_zps26193523.jpg.html)
10239
Guess what I've been doing?
They are pretty inside, very pretty indeed!
Well it's been a wonderful few months trying lots of different Royd speakers before settling on the awesome Royd RR3s. I have also kept the Sorcerers, Sapphire MK1 and Minstrels. Since moving to the RR3, which are the only Royd speakers I have that support bi-amping, I've been thinking how awesome it'd be to have the bass depth, control and overall composure of the LFD PA2M (SE) dual mono amp, but with the "illumination" and incredibly captivating highs of the PA0 (SE). It dawned on me that LFD amps are particularly suitable for using with a passive preamp, so am about to experiment with just that, with the PA2M (SE) on the drivers & the PA0 (SE) on the tweeters.
...so an NVA P90sa has just arrived today with a pair of Super Sound Cords, which will allow me to bi-amp my PA2M (SE) and PA0 (SE), and if it's what I hope it'll be, then the LFD DLS preamp, which only has one set of preouts, will be up for sale!
And of course I didn't even consider an RCA splitter... Well one arrived on Friday so put the DLS back in, and prefer it to the P90sa as it is much more open and dynamic at lower volumes (more dynamic at all volumes) with a more natural timbre. The DLS has a warmer balance and a much more enveloping soundstage vs. the recessed but more "hear through" quality of the P90sa. Both power amps are fundamentally the same (even down to PCBs) except the PA2M (SE) has far more control and refinement with the dual mono much bigger power supply, but I missed the glowing and oh so natural highs of the PA0 (SE), now I have more than the best of both worlds as the PA0 (SE) is able to "breathe" so much more when just driving the tweeters. One criticism between low powered LFDs (PA0, Zero, Mistral) compared to the higher powered stuff is some loss of that "illuminated from within" quality as reviewers and owners alike notice. When bi-amping there is more noticeable interplay between melodies, the highs are more projected and refined but with the total control of the PA2M (SE) seamlessly integrating with it.
It is also satisfying to turn what is essentially an under-powered amp for my system PA0 (SE) into an over-powered one on tweeter duties.
So here we are today, pretty much finished save for a phono stage change on the way. The boxes on top of the CD transport (I always recommend putting weight on top of a CDP) are my STAX & NVA amplifiers for my STAX & Grado RS1 headphones and a soon to be departing Trichord Dino. Under my turntable is an LFD PA0 (SE) on an SRM Silent Stage platform.
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/system1_zps1bf45ffd.jpg
jandl100
03-05-2014, 06:03
Lovely looking setup, Neil.
So you are a confirmed LFDist! :) - I must get a listen to some more of their kit sometime.
That DAC is intriguing as well. I certainly enjoyed my time with a well thought out TDA1541a chip DAC.
Based on my own experience of the Pioneer DV-717 used as a transport and as a CDP, it does give a bit of a lift to the high freq region, which can give a lovely open & lively sound but can be a bit troublesome and fatiguing when not suitably matched to a synergistic system.
You mention the Dino phonostage is being moved on - did you ever try a Never Connected PSU with it? It's quite a transformation!
EDIT: - Oops! I see I already said that back in 2012!
What are you moving on to? -- not an LFD 'stage by any chance? ;)
And dare I ask what cabling you are using? :)
Hi Jerry, maybe it's worth waiting out for a good deal on an NCPSU. I was considering an LFD phono stage, but have found some great reviews on the new Vista Audio phono stage, admired its minimalism, and at $299 seemed like a no brainer to try. It's in the post now, and looks like this (it needs an AC adapter, I got a 12VAC 1.5A supply from RS Components):
http://vista-audio.com/products/phono-1mkII/index_files/image001.jpg
http://vista-audio.com/products/phono-1mkII/Cover_removed.jpg
http://vista-audio.com/products/phono-1mkII/index.htm
Some of the speaker cables you'll recognise, the tweeters have LFD Spirolink on them, and the drivers have LFD Hybrid Ribbon on them. Like NVA there's a natural synergy between LFD & their own cables. I was using NVA LS3 on the tweets before, but the Spirolink added more focus & a "freer" soundstage.
I echo your observations that LFD gear can be dynamically polite, but the new DLS preamp and the PA2M (SE) are really not like that, quite the opposite with explosive dynamics even at very low volume levels. Apparently the PA2M (SE) is a more 'forward sounding' amp from the LFD range, but from my view it's more a case of some of the stuff being more 'laid back'. ;) If I was using an older LFD pre and the PA0 (SE) on their own then yeah would be more suited to jazz and small-scale work, which I love at times, but then I also love my hip hop, rock & electronica.
Funny you mention the DV-717 have been looking at trying some new CD transports. I do find it extremely clean and open and it's been a really reliable player, but wondering if I can do better. Will keep your comments in mind when I play around. :)
As for the DAC it's not really marketed, but was designed by a man who I have incredible respect for & just do not get the same 'richness' (not in a tubey coloured way), natural timbre & the best female vocals I've heard (tricky to get right with digital IMO) with other DACs. It has achieved a level where it's difficult to tell whether it's a digital or analogue source. Also I love the dynamics of multibit DACs with delta/sigma just sounding flatter with less dynamic contrast. I experienced a similar thing when I used a Theta DAC for the first time.
jandl100
03-05-2014, 10:10
.... I experienced a similar thing when I used a Theta DAC for the first time.
Ah, I remember the "Coo - yummy" feeling when I first plugged in a Theta DS Pro Gen V DAC. :drool:
I'm not sure it was accurate, defo a touch of rose-tinted specs I think, but by gum it sounded good! :D
Definitely a "big" and "bold" presentation from the Theta DACs, when I first plugged in my Audial it felt like a component had disappeared from the chain!
jandl100
03-05-2014, 10:36
but have found some great reviews on the new Vista Audio phono stage, admired its minimalism, and at $299 seemed like a no brainer to try. It's in the post now, and looks like this (it needs an AC adapter, I got a 12VAC 1.5A supply from RS Components):
http://vista-audio.com/products/phono-1mkII/index_files/image001.jpg
Aha! - I see the attraction of that phonostage - with its oval badge it looks quite a lot like a piece of LFD kit. ;)
Aha! - I see the attraction of that phonostage - with its oval badge it looks quite a lot like a piece of LFD kit. ;)
Ah ha a fair point in more ways than one, when you look inside an LFD phono stage you see something similar too i.e. not very much!
http://www.stereophile.com/images/611lfd.inside.jpg
Giving computer audio a go. It's an ItemAudio P2 spec unit, but with 8gb RAM & a Blu Ray drive (with damping screws & a SATA filter). First impressions is that it's a competitor to my CD transport, but needs some further work with software etc. to get the most out of it. Am loving the extra flexibility including ability to stream HD content & Blu Rays.
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i405/neil_yeomans/c27fb2b8-9e22-4bf8-bf51-b9c062f4c792_zpsdc377eba.jpg
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