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Thread: Tidy up

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

    Default Tidy up

    I dismantled the system last night and rebuilt it with the buffer stage in the rack rather than off to the right on a separate plinth. Cleaned the shelves, dusted the components, tidied the cabling (which was already quite tidy - I keep it tight).

    Spinning (if that’s the right term for streaming from my Mac mini’s internal SSD) some Air this morning. Walkie Talkie already played through, now on to Pocket Symphony.

    I love their music, super crisp and tight.





    The speakers don’t point at the top corners, it’s just lens artefact.



    A couple of days ago I replaced one of the mid/bass drivers in the right speaker. I noticed a slight crackle on some tracks at certain volumes. Colin Topps (who built the speakers) had a spare NOS driver in his arsenal, and was kind enough to sell it to me. The CSL EL166s are hard to get these days!

    Sounding absolute perfection now though.

    I’m done for a good long while for system changes now. This system is very complete; full sounding, incredible detail, weight and authority, crisp and lightning fast with incredible imaging.

    The next round of upgrades will be expensive to gain notable improvement, but the first thing to swap would be the DAC. A Leema Libra would be my first choice. If you haven’t experienced Leema’s DACs I can heartily recommend them. No hint of drama or falseness - they play it clean and neutrally accurate, and yet insightfully and completely musically.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,785
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    Looks good. What's the amplification Rob?
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

    Default

    Cheers!

    The amp is a Bel Canto Ref500S with the ICE Power modules.

    Let's just say it demands a fully rounded signal. With the wrong front end it'll tear your eardrums out. Took a little work to get the balance right with this amp, but boy was it worth it. It takes no prisoners and reveals every element of the source, forcing one to get the signal right.

    Coming away from my Arcam A85 was a shock with this one, that's for sure! Great amp though. It can kick alarmingly hard and at 250wpc has no shortage of oomph. Granted with 95dB/Wm speakers it's probably a little much, but like doing 30 in a Bentley, one always knows there's plenty of grunt for sudden demand in the bag.

    Ben Duncan mains conditioner
    2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
    Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
    XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
    RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
    Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
    Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
    QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
    Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
    Atacama SE24 stands

  4. #4
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,785
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    250w into 95dB - yeah you're not going to be clipping that anytime soon, even in that big room!
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  5. #5
    Join Date: May 2011

    Location: Glasgow

    Posts: 7,718
    I'm Brian.

    Default

    Now that's a very nice system in a very nice room Rob . Looks like your digital setup is similar to mine . Wireless keyboard and mouse and a large screen to view what's playing , although I usually use Spotify Premium .
    Love the view outside which again would be similar to mine if I took down my back fence
    Regards
    Brian

    Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment . (Rumi )


    Korus Computer Audio music server
    JustBoom DAC . HRT Musicstreamer 2
    Amplifier : Sony TA FB740R
    Speakers : Tannoy 637
    Interconnects : MS Audio / Klotz MC5000 .
    Speaker cables : Western Electric 16AG

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    250w into 95dB - yeah you're not going to be clipping that anytime soon, even in that big room!


    Indeed. I had to go powerful with big speakers when I moved into this place. The living room is 442sq.ft which was too much for my little Edifiers, even though they are incredibly powerful active standmounts. Just too big an ask for them to fill the room.

    No shortage of oomph now though.

    Quote Originally Posted by brian2957 View Post
    Now that's a very nice system in a very nice room Rob . Looks like your digital setup is similar to mine . Wireless keyboard and mouse and a large screen to view what's playing , although I usually use Spotify Premium .
    Love the view outside which again would be similar to mine if I took down my back fence
    Cheers Brian. For serious listening I have music ripped from CD and played back through Fidelia (which is ace). I used to use Spotify and Qobuz, but my other half has a YouTube Music subscription which works well for casual listening. Quality is pretty good on some tracks, a bit compressed on others though.

    Quite a nice view over the rolling countryside here. The field is grazing for three horses (Strider, Milo and Jules) although they're down the bottom of the field at the moment.


    Ben Duncan mains conditioner
    2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
    Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
    XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
    RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
    Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
    Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
    QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
    Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
    Atacama SE24 stands

  7. #7
    Join Date: May 2011

    Location: Glasgow

    Posts: 7,718
    I'm Brian.

    Default

    Yes , Youtube can be an excellent source of music . I do also have an external HDD with around 1TB of music on it . I see Fidelia is only for Mac . As I use W10 tis no good here . My room is 3m wide and 8m long , although I only sit around 3m from the system .
    I've heard Colin's speakers on many occasions , particularly the Edingdales , and they're excellent .
    Gorgeous view Rob . I have similar , but with a smallish river running about 100m from the rear of my house . Great for walks , particularly in the summer
    Regards
    Brian

    Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment . (Rumi )


    Korus Computer Audio music server
    JustBoom DAC . HRT Musicstreamer 2
    Amplifier : Sony TA FB740R
    Speakers : Tannoy 637
    Interconnects : MS Audio / Klotz MC5000 .
    Speaker cables : Western Electric 16AG

  8. #8
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    reiver accoustics are they? (the Speakers)
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Nice looking system, Rob! Like yer gaff, too... Considering they put you in an asylum, after that. erm, 'notorious incident' in Norwich town centre last year, with a taser, a pair of mole grips and a pirate's costume, it's not a bad view!

    Anyway, Bel Canto - know it well, and it's exactly as you describe... Kicking though, if you get it singing! Have you tried the DAC? That's also really good

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  10. #10
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by struth View Post
    reiver accoustics are they? (the Speakers)
    They are indeed. Reiver Acoustics Edingdales, mk1 with the Monacor 95 ribbons.

    Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
    Nice looking system, Rob! Like yer gaff, too... Considering they put you in an asylum, after that. erm, 'notorious incident' in Norwich town centre last year, with a taser, a pair of mole grips and a pirate's costume, it's not a bad view!

    Anyway, Bel Canto - know it well, and it's exactly as you describe... Kicking though, if you get it singing! Have you tried the DAC? That's also really good

    Marco.
    Yeah, I recovered quickly. Funny how it goes.

    I haven't heard the Bel Canto DAC, but if the amp is anything to bring a rule of measure against, I'm sure it's superb.

    This shot gives you some idea of the space my system has to fill. Apologies for the mess, been building OO gauge models all day for my son's trainset for Christmas.


    Ben Duncan mains conditioner
    2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
    Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
    XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
    RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
    Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
    Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
    QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
    Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
    Atacama SE24 stands

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