My Chinese Classic Valve, Hybrids, and Ribbons.

[Colin^]

I bought this system over a 2-3 years period as a trial, I wanted to hear what a valve CDP sounded like... (Started in April 2004)

I have a NAD C541i CDP, NAD C370 Integrated Amp and NAD C270 Power Amp, Denon DVD-1920 and Wharfedale Evo 40's Speakers. I use Aurum Cantus 782 2005 Edition Speakers with this system now, and I used to listen to music and TV with these, and bought a Chinese Brand System only, to listen to music in a room dedicated to music only.

I started off with my ShengYa S10 Tube HDCD player that has now been played at least 3-5 hours a day for over 5 years. It has now an Amperex 6922 PQ-O Valve in it.



I then got a ShengYa SA-T3 Valve Pre-Amp. I have Philips Miniwatt ECC83 Valves in the Preamp.



I have a ShengYa SP-300 and a ShengYa SP-333 Hybrid Power amps.





And these are powering Aurum Cantus Music Goddess Speakers made in Poplar and piano black.



All connected with Xindak Cables...



And part of the view from my listening seat.

[Marco]

Hi Colin,

Those pics aren't showing up for me at all and I'm probably not alone... I suspect that you have to be a member of the Stereophile forum, and logged-in, to view them. The links work but the photos don't show up automatically on the page.

Could you host them instead on the likes of Imageshack or Photobucket and post them again so the majority of people can them?

Cheers!

Marco.

[Colin^]

Hi Marco,

You don't need to be a member of Stereophiles forum to view the pictures, I am not sure why they are not comming up. I tried to upload them to photobucket and they wouldn't upload. It doesn't help I am using MSIE 8 and Windows 7 I guess. I'll try again another web site to upload the pictures and change the links and try again. I didn't sign in to my gallery when I uploaded the links from stereophile so they should work.

I have put my gallery link at Stereophile:- http://forum.stereophile.com/photopo...500/ppuser/347

[John]

Interesting sysytem good to hear you are getting maximum listening from it Colin
I can see your pictures: no problem

[Spectral Morn]

I can see them now, but not last night when Colin^ posted them first. Very nice Colin^ Welcome to AOS. Maybe you might like to tell us more about these very fine looking bits of kit and the cables as well.



Regards D S D L

[Marco]

I can see them now, too, Colin so you've obviously fixed it - very nice!

That looks like some very solidly made high quality kit. Where did you get it? How would you describe its sound?

Marco.

[Ali Tait]

Nice! I have a couple of Chinese amp myself-a Mr Liang 845 SET and also an Audioromy 813 SET.Both excellent amps.

[Colin^]

Hi, I finally uploaded the pics to photobucket and as you see thay show up now.


The sound is slightly warm side of neutral, making vocals beautiful, rich, detailed, and intimate. Bass is deep, controlled and very detailed. And the highs are airy, clean, clear and extended. Depending on the music playing, the soundfield can be absolutely vast, and extends well beyond the speakers and the vocalists usually image dead center. The Philips ECC83 valves in the Pre Amp give a 3D soundstage. I have tried 6 different Valves in the Pre Amp, all from RCA Tripple mica 5751's, Super Radiotron ECC83s, Chinese 12AX7Bs, and ELECTROHOME 12AX7's ( Amperex). I found the sound of the Philips Miniwatts ECC83s to sound best in the Pre Amp.

I use the SP-T300 Power Amp to drive the mid range and ribbon tweeters of both speakers. I use the SP-333 to drive the 10 inch woofers.

Both amps are Hybrid Amps and put out 150 watts into 8 ohms and 300 watts into 4 ohms and are capaple of 1000 watts into a 1 ohms at peaks.

I use FA-Gold Cables from Xindak to connect the CDP to Pre Amp and Pre Amp to the Power Amps.


The Music Goddess Speakers have a very clear top end with the ribbon tweeter, which are never fatiquing, and extremely detailed. Midrange is exceptional, clear and at times if a female or male vocalist is closely miked, you can hear the mouth and lips move as they phrase the vocals, and bass detail at times astounding. Picking bass guitar, Double Bass and a Drum Kit is easy. I have the Music Goddess smaller brothers (Aurum Cantus 782's 2005 Edition) on my all NAD system for TV and movies and vocals are exceptional.


I listen to from classic rock to classical music.

I like music with texture, lots of vocals, harmonies and complex instrumental layering. I feel my system I have put together allows you to listen to any instrument within a mix and follow it with ease and yet also sit back and listen to the musical whole.


It also goes extremely loud withoud harding the sound in any way, and your ears give out before the system does, and I have had the volume up to concert level a few of times. ( Epecially after attending a Live concert and comming home to comare live to recorded)


ShengYa may not be known by many, but make they Vincent audio products.

As I said in my first post, some of this gear I have had 5 years now, and all of it is over 3 years old, and I have used every day and it has performed flawlessly.

[Colin^]

The inside of my Power Amps. The SP-T300 drives the Ribbon Tweeters and Carbon Fiber/Kevlar Midrange drivers.



The SP-333 drives the 10 inch Carbon Fiber/Polythene Woofers.

[Colin^]

Changed my room around to make use of a natural feature in the room. A built in wardrobe 3 feet deep and almost the width of the room. It is full of old clothes and I have it open with two blankets hanging down in front. It now acts as a bass trap.