Anyone around Bishops Stortford

[bumpy]

Would anyone around Bishops Stortford like to come and give me an unbiased opinion of my system. Its worth coffee and biscuits and hopefully should be enjoyable.

The system includes valve amps, a great quality DAC, and open baffle speakers. It will be an experience.

PS
I'm not trying to sell anything, just need a reality check on where I'm at, and someone happy to give an opinion. Unfortunately I cant accomodate a group test as there is really only one hot seat. :)

pm me if interested

[Lawrence001]

I could try and get there one weekend on the train, if I can get a break from the kids that is.

[bumpy]

Hi Lawrence
Thats a very generous offer, but I know how far you are from me and that is not very convenient for you.

My system has been driving me crazy of late. It should be anything but fatiguing, but some days I just want to turn it off :(

I have been having a debate on another forum about whether it is possible to improve a system so much that it becomes a monitor system, which as we know has a specific purpose and for most people its not relaxation!

Just yesterday I was swapping a few components about and took out the First Watt no gain preamp feeding my 45 SE triode power mono blocks and put in its place the Axiom Signature passive volume control that I believe came from you several years ago now. Well things became listenable again.

Now the Axiom (good as it is) should be no match for the First Watt, so whats occuring?

After a bit of thinking I may have the solution. My SW1X III DAC has a high output (5-6v - dont ask me why?) which does not disturb a passive preamp, but the First Watt is designed around the normal 2v output from a CD player and gives higher distortion (clipping even!) at higher voltages.
I'm hoping this is a Eureka moment so have bought some Rothwell -15 Attenuators which should arrive in the next day or two

So for the time being there is no need for your errand of mercy, but of course you are always welcome if you are over this way.

Anyone more local can still apply :)

[hifinutt]

if its a bit fatiguing , is it worth putting a schiit loki equaliser somewhere in the chain ?

[bumpy]

if its a bit fatiguing , is it worth putting a schiit loki equaliser somewhere in the chain ?

Thats something I had not thought of. Do you have any personal experience of their range of equalisers?

On reflection, I will start a separate thread on equalisers