Opti-cal
12-04-2020, 13:25
My lovely pre-amp decided to go into super gain mode for no reason recently. Whilst it's in repair I've swapped back to some spare bits of kit. This reiterated just how far ahead this pre-amp was/is sonic-wise in comparison.
In the last week I've been trying to improve the sound as going back to my other bits of kit, whilst initially interesting, ultimately proved frustrating as it simply cannot deliver what the other pre-amp could.... Or so I thought.
I've been frustrated with my room acoustics since I moved into my new place (getting on for 4 months now). Putting in an 'inferior' amp has highlighted that there is a bass null right where the listening position has to be. It's probably around -10db from 70-100hz (or there about) so fairly prominent in the low end.
Some large pillows (stolen from the lounge which I MUST replace) went a long way to preventing the cancelling wave which was most likely causing the issue. Additionally, with some tactically positioned canvas prints and the addition of a 'comfortable' (thick bass absorbing) chair in another corner, the problem has been greatly reduced. Bass has returned to a good amount but with increased 'bloom' and better pronounced definition of notes. You can pick out separate notes maybe 10/15hz apart where before they were kind of mixed together.
A few other tweaks have been to rewire/solder and clean up all connection terminals. This consisted of all speaker cables/mains connections/jumper cables as well as inspection/deoxit treatment of any internal connections inside and outside of separates such as DACs/phono stages etc.
As you might expect this was not a quick process, probably 3 days worth in total but coupled with parent duty etc it's taken me more like a week (mostly nights) and I'm blooming shattered (as if I wasn't before). There was a lot of soldering/contact spraying and heat shrinking involved.
It also gave me a chance to get to the bottom of a dodgy neutrik connection in one of my subs as well as shortening any cables with excess.
Last but not least I have moved my most listened to music onto an SSD stored internally in my streamer, it could also take an HD inside but it makes too much noise spinning away in there so I've never used it. I'll still store the majority in a NAS but for serious listening the SSD is another small step up, no question. Probably because the files were sent from my NAS to my streamer via powerline adapters (I know awful for mains) and through a series of network switches. I know technically these shouldn't make a difference to a digital signal but trust me it does. Small, but there all the same. Coupled with the fact I can switch all the powerline adapters in the house off when using it in this way, means cleaner mains anyway.
All of these tweaks may seem a bit excessive but they have all added up to a very audible change for the better. Initially when swapping in the temporary amp it was at maybe 70% of the detail/resolution/slam as with the previous amp, now I'd say it's 80 possibly 85% of the way there.
So, in conclusion things should take another leap forward when the pre-amp is repaired, although I'll still be happy even if it's just back to how it was before but it's good to know I'm nearly there with a previously far inferior setup due to some careful tweaks.
I strongly suspect nearly all of the improvement will be down to the acoustic 'treatment' I have applied. I know from prior experience it can make as much if not more of a difference as better speakers/source. Actually no, it definitely does. Just a bit of a PITA if it's not a 100% dedicated (and approved by all whom inhabit) listening room!
Can't bloody wait to get my pre-amp back now!!
Cheers,
Chris.
In the last week I've been trying to improve the sound as going back to my other bits of kit, whilst initially interesting, ultimately proved frustrating as it simply cannot deliver what the other pre-amp could.... Or so I thought.
I've been frustrated with my room acoustics since I moved into my new place (getting on for 4 months now). Putting in an 'inferior' amp has highlighted that there is a bass null right where the listening position has to be. It's probably around -10db from 70-100hz (or there about) so fairly prominent in the low end.
Some large pillows (stolen from the lounge which I MUST replace) went a long way to preventing the cancelling wave which was most likely causing the issue. Additionally, with some tactically positioned canvas prints and the addition of a 'comfortable' (thick bass absorbing) chair in another corner, the problem has been greatly reduced. Bass has returned to a good amount but with increased 'bloom' and better pronounced definition of notes. You can pick out separate notes maybe 10/15hz apart where before they were kind of mixed together.
A few other tweaks have been to rewire/solder and clean up all connection terminals. This consisted of all speaker cables/mains connections/jumper cables as well as inspection/deoxit treatment of any internal connections inside and outside of separates such as DACs/phono stages etc.
As you might expect this was not a quick process, probably 3 days worth in total but coupled with parent duty etc it's taken me more like a week (mostly nights) and I'm blooming shattered (as if I wasn't before). There was a lot of soldering/contact spraying and heat shrinking involved.
It also gave me a chance to get to the bottom of a dodgy neutrik connection in one of my subs as well as shortening any cables with excess.
Last but not least I have moved my most listened to music onto an SSD stored internally in my streamer, it could also take an HD inside but it makes too much noise spinning away in there so I've never used it. I'll still store the majority in a NAS but for serious listening the SSD is another small step up, no question. Probably because the files were sent from my NAS to my streamer via powerline adapters (I know awful for mains) and through a series of network switches. I know technically these shouldn't make a difference to a digital signal but trust me it does. Small, but there all the same. Coupled with the fact I can switch all the powerline adapters in the house off when using it in this way, means cleaner mains anyway.
All of these tweaks may seem a bit excessive but they have all added up to a very audible change for the better. Initially when swapping in the temporary amp it was at maybe 70% of the detail/resolution/slam as with the previous amp, now I'd say it's 80 possibly 85% of the way there.
So, in conclusion things should take another leap forward when the pre-amp is repaired, although I'll still be happy even if it's just back to how it was before but it's good to know I'm nearly there with a previously far inferior setup due to some careful tweaks.
I strongly suspect nearly all of the improvement will be down to the acoustic 'treatment' I have applied. I know from prior experience it can make as much if not more of a difference as better speakers/source. Actually no, it definitely does. Just a bit of a PITA if it's not a 100% dedicated (and approved by all whom inhabit) listening room!
Can't bloody wait to get my pre-amp back now!!
Cheers,
Chris.