My bits and pieces

[istari_knight]

I dont blame you, looks better as is IMO.

How is the Zen with/without a pre ? Or in other words have you found a pre essential or just more convenient ? I stumbled across a Zen schematic last night & was impressed at how simple it is. Might have to put one together... If it will handle 4ohm, 91dB/1w speakers ? Maybe monoblocks are the way forward

[stupinder]

Hoops, out of interest is your rack an Ikea jobbie and if so how did you go about altering the shelf layout...and could a chimp like me do it?

[hoopsontoast]

I dont blame you, looks better as is IMO.

How is the Zen with/without a pre ? Or in other words have you found a pre essential or just more convenient ? I stumbled across a Zen schematic last night & was impressed at how simple it is. Might have to put one together... If it will handle 4ohm, 91dB/1w speakers ? Maybe monoblocks are the way forward

Well I have been using it direct from the Sony CDP and also with the pre connected as well for other inputs (I have two inputs on the Zen).
It works fine without the pre although it can do with some of the extra gain that a pre-amp gives but it would work fine with a passive pre if you wanted to add more inputs.
It would handle the speakers fine as long as they dont have complicated crossovers, its supposed to be stable at low impedance loads, its even fine with a dead short acording to Steve @ Decware. Its only limiting factor is lack of power, if you want to go loud with lower sensitivity speakers, not bass control IME.

The monoblocked Zen gives around 6wpc IIRC, but as its bridged it might not be suitable for 4 Ohm loads as the amp would 'see' 2Ohms, although it may be fine. Best to check with Decware

Hoops, out of interest is your rack an Ikea jobbie and if so how did you go about altering the shelf layout...and could a chimp like me do it?

Yeah its an Ikea Expidit (2x2) with one of the support shelves taken out, you just dont put it in before the top part, saw off some of the dowels that stick out the top of the bottom support then the spare divider just is held in with friction, its a tight fit so it does not move.

[istari_knight]

Thanks for that - Food for thought

[hoopsontoast]

Ooops

[hoopsontoast]

Well to go with the ATCs, I went for a package deal from Richard (Gromit) for the Brio-R/Apollo-R he was selling to try as a stop gap.
I really did not get on with the Apollo-R, just sounded bright/splashy in the treble and boomy/odd in the bass. Not heard so much of a change between CDPs before and it only lasted a weekend. I much preferred the Sony, much smoother all round.
The Brio-R did better than I expected though, sounded good but not brilliant. Bit rough round the edges but a lot more drive/balls than the Brio3 I had when I owned the SCM10s previously.

I can see where the Rega electronics get their lively/get-up-and-go sound from but I find it a little tiresome, I much prefer their speakers based on my experiences (R1, R3, R7, Alya and Jura)

System by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

System by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

And the replacement for the Brio-R, a little Bryston B60:

Bryston B60 by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

System by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

Sounds a lot better IMO and that's just on one evenings listening. Initially I thought it sounded a bit loose/soft in the bass until I went out the room and realised how loud I was listening, much higher than I usually did but it just sounded so un-strained in the mid-treble, its just the bass dynamics with the little 80dB SCM10s and 60wpc B60 has its obvious limits. As mentioned though, its louder than I would usually listen I just did not realise how loud it was!

At more normal volumes it sounds great, bass is great, tight and punchy with good depth, not the lowest but then that's the limitation of the ATCs again. There was no hint of grain/harshness in the treble I have had from the Brio-R and other SS amps, the B60 really is a gem of an amp if you dont NEED massive power. Runs quite cool as well which is nice, even after the hammering with some John Grant or Orbital at high volumes it was barely warm to the touch!

Pretty impressed I have to say! Seems to go well with the Sony as well!

[nat8808]

How did the move of bass traps change the sound? Are they good behind the speakers like that?

[hoopsontoast]

Well I only have tried the bass traps in that position with the Keesonic Kolts and ATCs. It seems to help by smoothing out the mid bass and gives the feeling of bringing the low bass up a bit, maybe by filtering out some peaks in the response and making it more even.
Soundstage seems very clean now, I have always had an 'issue' that the soundstage in my room compared to Scalford or Demos just seems confined to the speakers, now it sits in front and seems to extend further out to the sides too, not the most important thing but a nice change.

[hoopsontoast]

Another change, managed to find my DREAM speakers, after years of regretting my sale of the R7s and looking for another pair, I was offered a pair of R9s at a price I could not pass up. ATCs sold off and the Rega R9s come in!

Rega R9 by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

Rega R9 by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

Rega R9 - Close Up by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

[Macca]

That must be quite a bit of a change in presentation, going from ATC to those Regas?