Hey, yup - I didn't mean to come over as negative.
Fine, bring the valve jobbie along - it would be interesting. :)
It will be nice to spend a few hours with you guys!
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Hey, yup - I didn't mean to come over as negative.
Fine, bring the valve jobbie along - it would be interesting. :)
It will be nice to spend a few hours with you guys!
If you're bringing your amp, Marco, you'll need a 1m single-ended interconnect. As you know, my system is all balanced XLR. Jerry - as I remember, the Parasound takes balanced in?
Yup, the Para can take balanced - I can also bring along some 'interesting' RCA cables ... :whistle:
And, yes, Marco -- I do believe I will bring along my graphic equaliser and some LPs to show it merits. ;)
:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by jandl100
Nice one Jerry! ("Oooh you are awful!" ;))
Nice one, Jerry. I'll look forward to greeting you and your graphic equaliser! :eyebrows:
Do you mean a 1m pair? I don't need to bring the Croft then, do I? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
Marco.
A pile of pre-amps's at Jerry Towers !! :D
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7888.jpg
From the top ... a Morgan 500 valve pre-amp, a Bent Audio NOH TVC passive and a XTC Pre-1 solid stater.
All very, very nice. Which one to keep? .... I'll keep 'em all for now. :)
The Bent Audio Transformer Volume Control passive pre is the latest addition. Collected from Paul 'Ganders' of the Wigwam a couple of days ago. Thanks Paul! :thumbsup:
Let's have a closer look at the TVC ....
Central volume control, the knobs at either end set the input for each channel - an unusual arrangement. Remote control of volume, driven by a very neat pulley and belt arrangement ....
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7891.jpg
Isn't that sweet! :)
Inside are twin Stevens and Billington transformers and , I dare say, a rat's nest of wires! -- although I haven't yet peeked.
At the rear, a load of RCA and XLR input/output options ...
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7887.jpg
Ok -- all hooked up --
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/DSCF7877.jpg
The sound .... I rate all 3 of these pre-amps highly, but they do give their own take on the musical event.
There's a relaxed naturalness to this S&B TVC pre that I don't think I get from the active devices. The music just kind of flows out in an unforced way. Tonality seems spot-on in the mids, treble is a tad on the smooth side - I use a very transparent but slightly bright Belkin interconnect and all is well with the world. (Cable unbelievers can ignore that bit ;)) - but there is not a trace of harshness or aggression - it really is a hi-rez pleasure. The bass is astonishing in its power, weight, definition and slam; that is not what I was expecting from a passive pre! It has to be the best bass I have heard from a pre-amp.
Imaging is excellent, although I feel not quite as 3D in terms of depth as I get from the XTC, or from my old Krell KRC-3, for that matter. The solid staters seem to give the best soundstage depth -- hmm, whowouldathunkit? Not me! Well, actually, I already knew that the Krell and XTC excelled in this department.
Dynamics seem pretty much unconstrained - but TVC passives are know for this trait - unlike some regular resistive passives.
Detail resolution is of the highest, but it's just there, it doesn't force itself upon you.
Oh, I haven't mentioned gain. Is a passive pre enough with my 83dB/W speakers? I am surprised, and I still haven't got my head around this, but yes, there is more gain than I need. Which I find immensely puzzling. :scratch: Fans of Eddy Louiss' "Blues for Klook" will know this as an astinishingly dynamic and fast track which is cut at an amazingly low level. Ya needs loads of gain to give it the welly it deserves, you really do. But, perhaps thanks to the +6dB gain switches on the TVC, I can flex the walls and rattle the windows no problem - as loud as I have ever played it - and I play it LOUD!! And there are still a few notches on the volume that I dare not even try. Baffling.
Anyway, that's an initial impression after just a couple of days. :)
Yes and no ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Lol - what does that mean exactly? :)
Marco.
Hi guys - I think there is a case to be made for use of the PM system. ;) It's a shame to let such an excellent facility go to waste for errrr, private communications!
Lol... I didn't consider the exchange as in need of being private, but whatever. All I need to know is what to bring, so either PM me the info or spit it out here! :)
Marco.