On the Quest of Audio Heaven.

by rauliruegas on Done For Now

Description

Well, this is an audio/music life/love work. Many fallens and failures to reach this quality level. My audio system is ( still ) build around what are my references/priorities about music/sound reproduction...

My reference is: near field live MUSIC, I use at least 12 hours ( each month ) hearing live MUSIC, mostly classical and jazz/blues.

I attend to hear live music not only because I'm a music lover ( first than all. ) but because in this way I don't loose my references, this way I try to have my foots on earth an my ears equalized.

My audio/sound reproduction priorities are in this order: neutral and natural tonal balance, accuracy ( low distortion, low noise, no colorations, no cliping, grain free, liniarity, no compression, etc...), transient response, timbre, dynamics, focus and soundstage . That permits that appears a critical MUSIC characteristic: RHYTHM.

My whole audio system target is to be nearest to the recording adding the less and loosing the less of the audio signal through each audio system link.

The system belongs to my living room at one side of the dining room ( I live in a apartment ).

The room is an inverted L that measure: 8.5m ( inverted L base ) x 10.00m long and 2.4m high. The system is across the inverted L base ( around 4.4m ).

I'm very luckily and don't have ( I fix it ) many room problems related: till now I use 4" Sonex in the left lateral wall and at the center ( behind and between the system where is a window. ) of the system ( floor to ceiling ).

Well, my two original RPG Skylines that I want to try in my room ceiling but I couldn't do it yet, so what to do with these two Skylines sheets?, I decide to put both in the rear wall/window seated in the floor and behind each speaker and guess what?: impressive improvement all over the frequency range, impressive!!!!!

LOUDSPEAKERS.

ADS L 2030: This is a Full Range Professional Monitor that I own for many years.

These L 2030 was designed by Mike Kelly ( Aerial speakers ) and till today it match all my priorities.

It is " heavy " tweaked to do that: first it has " three hands " ( internally ) of a insulation/antivibrational treatment ( like a white paint. I can't remember the ingredients. ) from Acoustical Magic Company ( it works marvelous ) inside all the box ( a big one box: 58-5/8" ( H ) x 27-1/4" (W) x 13-1/8" (D) ).

It is internally hard wired with Silver Oval by Analysis Plus cable and KCAG by Kimber Kable. 

I take out the crossover ( now is external ) and change all the parts: resistors ( Powertron by Vishay. ), all silver air core solid ribbon ( 5.5 cms. of pure silver. Almost 2kg. of silver in the bigest one. ) Alpha-Core inductors , WIMA FKP 1 and KEMET caps  in the crossover, the speakers cables goes soldered directly to the crossover parts. This speaker crossover is tri-hard-wired from the  amps output to the 3-way crossover parts and speaker drivers. 

In reality are three separate/stand alone crossovers: one for the tweeter, one for the midrange and the other for the woofer, all these hard-wired directly to the amps ( no connectors. )

I'm only not biamp my system ( with the subs. ) but these ADS main/satellite speakers are true tri-wired in hard-wire directly from the amps to each crossover parts in the three way speaker design all the way down to the amplifier output.

I change the internal damping glass fiber by 10kg ( each one ) of long hair 100% virgin wool and change the fabric cloth of the grille for a " transparent one ".

Both speakers have at the rear-center the Antiresonant Vibration System by MICROSCAN model TM-8 that works from 20hz to 1.5Khz.

These L 2030 have: One acoustic suspension 1" silk dome tweeter, one main acoustic suspension 2" silk dome midrange, three auxiliar acoustic suspension 2" silk dome midranges ( similar to the main midrange but with a less powerful magnet. ) and two long-excursion acoustic suspension ( sealed. ) paper 14" woofers.

These are exceptional drivers especially the tweeter/main midrange ones.

These L2030 midrange design permit to " run " the speakers on " point source " mode ( tweeter and main midrange ) or through a " weighted " line source mode ( tweeter plus the 4 midranges. ), in this last " fashion " is how I have it ( hard-wired too. )

These are some manufacturer specs:

- Frecuency response: 22-20K +.- 3 db ; 18-28K +.- 5db.

-Efficiency: 95 db SPL.

- Power rating: 300 watts nominal; 1,200 peak.

Weight: 95kg.

These L 2030 are the " speaker satelite " in my subwoofer/speaker satelite configuration and works from around 80Hz and up. Main reason to take this " road " was and is to lower the  room system IMD and THD. 

In the past I try many configurations: single amp, bi-amp, tri-amp, with sub, with out sub, only SS amps, SS and Tube amps, with passive crossover, with electronic crossover, hybrid crossovers, etc...

Finally I'm here.

Back external tweeters:

These ones was a spare tweeters from a Dalquihst DQM-9 that I owned and already sold.

These tweeters are 1" silk dome ( same efficiency that the front ones ) and are connected in phase with the front ones and works with his own crossover at around 5k and up and have, too, an off/on switch. 

http://sportsbil.com/ads/l-2030-brochure.pdf


VELODYNE HGS-15:

These two self powered subwoofers are in front of the main speakers and in side firing position.

It crossover at 78Hz. I do some tweaks in the circuit for a better quality sound reproduction and I changed the internal wiring that connects the woofer to the internal amplifier ( 50-60cm ), the original is a very bad zip cord one that I changed with Kimber Kable KCAG that I soldered directly to the woofers and directly to the amplifiers: with no connectors in between.

The power cord comes from Analysis Plus and is soldered directly to the inside subwoofer switch on/off with out no single connector kind ( at both sides/ends of the power cord ) and the IC cable is the Silver Oval by Analysis Plus too.

I change too the internal electrical power wires that goes from the subwoofer switch on/off to the Subs amplifier, I'm using KCAG by Kimber Kable.

Both subwoofers are " seated " over three Van Slike footers/isolators along with inverted Tip Toes ( position ) over these Van Slike isolators. Both subs have a dead-weight ( on top ) of 30kgs.

NOTE: I'm not using the subwoofer internal crossover or an external electronic crossover to send the signal to the ADS L 2030.

The crossover function happens inside the two modified Levinson 20.6 mono-blocks at its input through a WIMA FKP1 cap and a single nude 0.001%  Vishay 2575 resistor.

In this way the signal from the preamp goes normally ( pure and clean ) to the 20.6s and to the loudspeaker with out any additional electronic stage or cables/connectors and the signal was taken directly from the Essential 3160 by the Velodynes.

ELECTRONICS:

MARK LEVINSON REFERENCE 20.6: IMHO these monoblocks are truly Reference status.

It is a great industrial design, military specs, bullet proof, great performance.

It is a fully regulated input to output design and have " only " 100 watts of pure class A at 8 ohms, and double that figure at 4,2,1 and 0.5 ohm with an output impedance of 0.012 ohms!

Btw, in the way my ADS's are internaly wired the impedance goes lower than 2 ohms, this means that this ML monobloks are " running " at 400+ watts of power, so the system has a great  " headroom ".

The power supply is supported for two " big " toroidal transformers ( 600VA each ): one for each polarity in each monoblock.

I modified the original Levinson circuitry where the signal at the input only " see " one tiny value WIMA FKP1 cap ( crossover. ).

I made it other amps internal modifications.  In this manner these 20.6 amps are IMHO able to compare with any of today's top designs  and I think will do for years to come. 

The amplifiers power cords are hard wired KCAG silver wires by Kimber Kable all down the amplifiers circuit boards with no single connector of any kind between both ends of the power cords.

I change too some internal critical place cabling using now KCAG by Kimber Kable. 


ESSENTIAL 3180 PHONOLINEPREAMP: This is a phono/line preamplifier . Btw, IMHO this fully analog audio stage is the most extremely critical link for the quality/accuracy of the music/sound reproduction in any analog room/system.

I would like to explain some of the critical issues on any phonoline-preamp:

First: it has to mimic the RIAA equalization with what the LP recording was build.

As a fact this mimic RIAA equalization is an inverse mimic RIAA equalization to be achieved a " flat " frequency response.

Any deviation from this RIAA eq. do severe degradations to the quality sound reproduction due that is a curve and affect almost 2.5 octaves. So we need here: ACCURACY.

For a phonopreamp really do its job that RIAA eq. deviation IMHO must be at least ( no more ): +,- 0.05 db between 20Hz and 20kHz.

Second: it has to have enough " gain " for it can reproduce the very low signal that comes from the phono cartridge, specially MC ones.

Third: That " gain " must be with out noise/distortions/colorations.

The Essential 3180 not only achieve those desired targets but surpass in some ways.

This, our self design, Essential 3180 is an evolution of our first desgin the Essential 3150 and the 3160 and  use bipolar transistors in two gain stages for MC phono stage and FETs for MM phono stage ( to satisfy both kind of cartridge motor needs. ) in the same two gain stages, the Essential 3180 is not only a phono stage that you must to connect to a line preamp ( where you need an additional interconnect cable, input/output connectors and joints solder that do a severe degradation to the delicated/sensible carrtridge audio signal ).

No, the Essential 3180 is an active high gain integral one unit (with out step-up transformers ).

This is very important because we need synergy between phono and line level. 

In reality this phonolinepreamp have three preamps instead of only one: it has a MC phono stage, it has a MM phono stage and a line level stage preamp. All this three stages are totally independent from each other.

Where there is no compromise, the MC and MM stages are very critical and needs to be independent. Each phono stage ( MC and MM. ) is designed for its self precise and specific needs.

Our design is fully discrete, Non-feedback, direct coupled, pure class A , current drive line stage, true balanced  input to output, dual mono design and regulated input to output and with very high overload margins levels.

The dual mono design only share the chasis but both channels are totally independent from each other even in the dual mono external power supply, it has separate channels stepped ( 47 steps. ) attenuator volume controls and separate phono/line switch..

Inside parts: first rate capacitors, " naked " Vishay resistors,matched transistors , no internal wires ( every part is soldered directly to the four layers circuit boards and to input/output connectors. ), etc....., only the best neutral non-sound parts ( no step-up transformers, no head amps, op-amps, etc.. ) and in the critical stages with tolerances at 0.001%.

The RIAA equalization is a critical issue. RIAA accuracy of better than 0.1 dB is highly desirable, because as i said it even a 0.1 dB error will be audible due to the RIAA poles spanning as much as 2.5 octaves of the audio bandwidth, resulting in a permanent coloration that will be present in every phono record, veiling the character of the recording and resulting in a monochromatic, predictable sound.

A developed proprietary technique guarantee an accurate RIAA de-emphasis. This technique assures an initial RIAA accuracy of +/- 0.011 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz ( Both channels ), resulting in a neutral phono stage that reproduces exactly what the cartridge stylus movements/groove modulastions pick up from the LP recordings..  

The result is a preamplifier combining the purity and transparency of a passive preamplifier with the speed, dynamics and drive of an active preamplifier. This means : truer to the recording.

To round off the preamplifier's RIAA capabilities, its has a switchable 3.18 us turnover point Neumann pole. ) to compensate for the cutting head machine recording preemphasis roll-off.



Some specs:

- RIAA eq. deviation from 20 Hz to 20 Khz: 0.011 db ( both channels )

Frequency range to: DC to 1,5 MHz. ( both channels. ) (-3db )

Clean gain: Adjustable to 90 db

Signal to noise ratio: better than 85dbA in MC stage refered to 0.5mv. and according the standard/norm/rule: EIA/CEA-490-A , the same spec for MM but reffered to 5.0mv and 110db at 1 V ( unity gain ) in line stage. ( Both channels .)

Slew rate: 350 V/mseg.

Common mode rej.: 150db. ( Both channels. )

Distortion: 0.002% ( Both channels. )

Dynamic range: 130db.

Crosstalk: better than 140db.

Input overload: MC: 20 mVrms @ 1 kHz (High-gain), 40mVrms @ 1 kHz (Low-gain)

MM: 550 mVrms @ 1 kHz.

Total weight: 65 lbs.  

 

THE ANALOG RIG.

ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE ANALOG ONE MK II: the system have two of these TT's, each one with three differents tonearms/cartridges.

In the picture Turntable 1 the cartridges are, from left to right starting at the Audiocraft tonearm: Audioquest AQ 7000 Fe5, Ikeda REX9 and Shelther 90X.

Turntable 3: Goldbug Brier, Accuphase AC-2 and Dynavector XV-1.

Both TT's seats over three Audio Technica AT-616 neumatic suspension isolators with inverted Tip Toes ( position ) on top of these AT isolators.

The Acoustic Signature separate motors " seat " over an AT-666 neumatic isolator too.

MICRO SEIKI RX-5000: This " old " japanese design is a great performer, we do some tweaks inside the power supply that are very important to the performance of this particular TT.

The cartridges here starting with the MDC-800 are: Van denHul Colibri, Koetsu RSP, Ortofon MC 7500 and Allaerts MC2 Finish.

This TT/motor/powersupply seats over a neumatic suspension Audio Technica AT-616 audio insulators and the platter is internally dampening with sorbothane.

I don't use any TT clamp and the TT mat is a self design propietary blend build material: stunning!!!

I own other 6 TT's: Denon DP-75, Denon DP-80, three Technics SP-10MK2 and Luxman PD-310.

Others cartridges that I own and that are not on the pictures are:

Sumiko Celebration, Denon DL-S1, Denon DL 1000, Denon 103 and 103D, Audio Technica: Art 1, OC-30, ART 2000, At 1000, At 37E, Victor L1000, Allaerts F1, Fulton High Performance, Highphonic MC-A6, Supex Ruby, Fidelity Research MC 702, Benz Micro Ruby 2 and LP, Dynavector Karat 23R, Sao Win SMC 10, Clearaudio Discovery and Insider Gold, Lyra Helikon, Transfiguration, Koetsu Onyx, Van denHul Frog, Ortofon MC 2000, Ortofon MC X-5, Technics P-305MC MK2, Sumiko Blue Point Special, Dynavector Karat Nova 13D, Ortofon MC3000MK2, Sony XL44L, Sumiko Talisman, Audiocraft AC-01, Lux LMC-1, Empire MC-5, GAS Sleping Beauty, Monster Cable Genesis 1000, Crown Jewel, Signet MK220E, Azden GM-P5L, SIGNET MK111E, Micro Seiki Lc-80W, Denon DL-H5LC, Lyra Clavis Da Capo, Apature MC-150, Coral MC-81, Goldring Electro II LZ, Audio Technica AT-36E, Mayware MC-3L, ADC MC-1.5, Audio Technica AT-32E, Sumiko Premier LMX, Carnegie 1, Sony XL55, Carnegie 2, SUPEX SDX-2000, Fidelity Research MCX-5, Van den Hul Colibri Wood XGW, Entre- EC1, Linn Akiva, Clearaudio Goldmund, Wilson Benesch Carbon One, EMT TSD 15 SFL, Pioneer PC50MC, Transfiguration Phoenix,

Sumiko Talisman Alchemist IIIs Sapphire, Satin M21-B, Shinon Red Boron, Accuphase AC-3, Lyra Kleos, Goldbug Clement II, Yamaha MC-1s, Victor DT-100E, Azden GM-1E, Adcom XC/MRII, Audioquest AQ 404iL Ortofon Jubilee, Fulton RSD and Exel  ES-10.

Those are MC cartridges and the MM/MI type cartridges are:

ADC Astrion, Technics U205CMK4, Empire EDR.9, Stanton LZS 981, Audio Technica ATML 170 OCC, Audio Technica 180 OCC, Micro Acoustics MA 630, AKG P25MD, Empire 600LAC, Grace F9E, Elac 896 H24SP, Sonus Gold Blue, Empire 750 LTD, Bang&Olufsen MC20EN, B&O MMC20CL Bang&Olufsen MMC 6000, Empire 900GT/1000GT, Reson Reca, AKG P8ES Super NovaII, Empire 500ID, Sonus Dimension 5, Audio Technica AT20SS, Philips GP 412 II, Audio Technica AT 20SLa and 7V, Nagaoka MP-50 Super, Empire 4000D/III, Garrot P77, Bang & Olufsen MMC 2, Grace F-9 Ruby, Grado " The Amber Tribute ", Supex SM-100 MK2 , Astatic MF-300, Astatic MF-200H, Ortofon OM20 Super, Audio Technica AT-ML160-LC/OCC, Ortofon VMS-520MK2, Shelter 201, Rega Super Elys, Acutex LPM 315III STR, Audio Technica AT-95SA, Shure Ultra400, Acutex 320 III STR IMproved, Astatic MF-100, Andante P-38, Ortofon M20E Super, Nagatron 350E, Sumiko Pearl, Mission Solitaire, Clearaudio Virtuoso, Ortofon VMS30 MKII, Ortofon VMS 3e, Shure M97 Xe ( Jico SAS stylus ), Ortofon M20FL Super, ADC TRX-1 , Micro Acoustics MA 2002e, ADC XLM MK3, Signet TK10ML-II, AKG P8E, Empire 1000 Z/xe, Audio Technica AT-24, Andante P-76, Technics epc-p100c mk4, Ortofon M20E Super , Empire 1080LT , AKG P-100LE , Audio Technica AT155LC, Grado RSII, Piezo YM-121, Azden YM-P50VL, Victor Z-1EB, ADC 25, 26 and 27, Shure ML140HE, Audio Technica 331LP, Excel ES-70EX4, Nagatron 9600, Acutex LPM320IIISTR, Signet Tk7E, Micro Seiki LF-7, Shure V15-III, Signet TK7SU, Philips GP 412 MK3, Acutex LPM420IIISTR Goldring G800, Pionner PC-400, Fidelity Research FR-6SE, Goldring G-820, Goldring 900IGC, Azden YM-P50E, Pickering XVS 5000II, MicroAcoustics 530MP, JVX 4MD-20X, Van den Hul MM-3, Sony VL-32G, Stanton 981HZSII, Grado TLZ, Audio Technica Precept PC440, Glanz MFG-71L, ACUTEX M315 III STR, JVC X-1, Pickering TL-4S, Precept PC220 and XE, Astatic MF-2500, Precept PC550ML, Pioneer PC550E, Precept 440LC, JVC X-1MK2, Osawa OM-300MP, Grado G-1+ and Microacoustics QDC-1.

SUT for LOMC cartridges:

Denon-AU340, 2-Entr 100 in mono-fashion, AudioCraft T-26 and Denon AU-1000, all modified by me.

Other tonearms: Moerch DP-6, Audio Technica 1503-III, Technics EPA-100, Epa 100MK2 and 501, Ortofon RS-212, Fidelity Research FR-64, Koetsu SA1100 MK II, SAEC 506-30, Stax UA-9N, Dynavector DV505, Grace G-945, Audio Technica AT-1010, Sony PUA-237, JVC UA-7045 and Grace G-840FB.

I'm in a universal tonearm design that through our first prototype is very promising, we will see at the end.

Well, I know that for many people the visual beauty of an audio item is really important, for me: it is ok but what I really care is about QUALITY PERFORMANCE if it has " beauty " great, but if not: I don't care at all.

I know I have to much work/fun in the near future.

GENERAL INFO: I use two independent 30amp dedicated electrical line and the power cords go conected directly to the electrical box ( no power connector/plugs ). 
These electrical power lines has ( each one ) two 3.6Kw full regulators to mantain 120v. with RFI/EMI supresors and surge protection with additional 90db of noise supresor.

All these power cord goes directly soldered inside the electronics audio items ( amps, preamps, subs, etc, etc. ) with no male/female connectors in between.  All system power cords are pure silver KCAG by Kimber Kable ( no cooper wire down there and anywhere. )

The electrical power " signal " goes straight from the electrical power source " box " to the audio item power supply with out any single " obstacle " that can " disturb " it.

I by-passed all the internal fuses in the electronics that comes with any single audio item/device in the system .  The best fuse is NO fuse at all. 

The audio signal that goes from the Essential 3160 to the Levinson amplifiers goes directly soldered to the Levinson input boards, so there is no RCA or XLR connector in the audio signal here that can degrade in anyway the audio signal integrity..

All the cables: interconect,speakers and power have at the input/output ferrita noise stoppers.

All the interconnects/speaker cables are Silver Oval by Analysis Plus, except the phono interconnects where I use: Silver Analysis Plus and Silver Harmonic Thecnologies and Silver Audio Note.

I'm are very intolerant and very critical with what I heard trough my system. I love the music, nothing less.  Yes, I'm way demanding on overall quality performance levels.

Part of my philosophy is that : " less is more " trying to add and lost the less.

I'm not a " specs lover ". I analyse the " numbers " where really count, examples: RIAA frecuency response deviation, speed accuracy/stability ( TT's ), output impedance on amplifiers, signal to noise ratio.

Well that's more than enough about.

Now : How it sounds ? What can I say ?

¡¡¡¡¡¡ LIKE REAL MUSIC !!!!!! ( far from there but still on the quest: )

Neutral/ Natural, accurate ( with both frequency extremes spot-on. ), Articulate, Transparent, Fast, Dynamic, Great Timing and Rhythm and with extremely low noise floor.

 Full of Emotions.

Well, am I nearest to the recording?, that's what I'm trying and working around my audio system and yes today I'm nearest than before but still trying to be " there " through Fine Tunning the system.

Mainly I'm a MUSIC lover and I listen to all kind of MUSIC. I own around 7K+ LPs and a few hundreds CDs.

I listen both alternatives: analog and digital sources/mediums.
Read more...

Components Toggle details

    • ADS L 2030
    Full Range Monitor Studio speakers.
    • Velodyne HGS-15
    A pair of these sub's.
    • Tannoy ST 200
    Front external supertweeters.
    • Magnat ----
    Back external 1" silk dome tweeters.
    • Levinson No 20.6
    A pair of these monoblocks.
    • -- Essential 3160 Phonolinepreamp.
    Fully balanced, dual mono,pure class A, fully regulated, direct coupled, external power supply. Old/previous design boxes/chassis.
    • DENON DCD-600NE
     32/192. This extremely humble  Denon CD player is a surprise because its quality performance is a lot better that we can imagine. Recomended.
    • Acoustic Signature Analog One MK II
    Two of these TT with three tonearms installed in each one.
    • Microseiki RX-5000
    With four tonearms installed.
    • Many. ---
    More than 15 tonearms. I will describe on the system description.
    • Many ---
    More than 100+ cartridges: LOMC/MM/MI.
    • Analysis Plus Silver Oval
    RCA to RCA.
    • Kimber Kable KCAg
    Unshielded
    • Harmonic Technologies Silver
    Phono interconnect.
    • Analysis Plus Silver Oval
    Speakers and sub's.
    • Custom made Silver Kimber Kable.
    I use the KCAg. Great.
    • Tice Audio Micro Block
    For CD player and TT's only.
    • Michael Green. ---
    Three of these.
    • VPI 16.5
    Record cleaner.
    • Custom made room treatment and 2 RPG diffusors. RPG diffusors.
    In lateral wall and at the center/back of the system and behind the other speaker one of the difussors.
    • Many More
    Any.
    • Eumig T 1000
    FM only.
    • Nakamichi 700zxl
    With external Dolby C.
    • Eichmann RCA connector Silver
    Male connectors
    • WBT RCA connectors Silver Next Gen
    Female.

Comments 204

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Owner
Dear Chad: Yes, a lot of fun and very educational.
Btw, always will be a pleasure trying to help audio people that cares about music.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

Very nice turntable ! I like all the "arms" you have.

rickmak

Man I can only imagine how much fun it would be to hang with you and your gear, with all the arm's and cart's and tables you have to be the "Alpha Male" for real world knowledge and experience with so many items in your arsenal.
Not sure why I never posted on your gear but its NIIIIICE!
Also thanks for all your help in post's and in private emails, I truely am grateful for your help.

chadnliz

Owner
Dear Mmakshak: +++++ " Can I get the detail of my analog so that it competes with my digital(APL Denon 3910)? " +++++

Imho, yes absolutely you can and with some care surpass it easy. Please email me.

Regards and enjoy the music.
raul.

rauliruegas

Rauliruegas, thanks for your advice. VTA was set by ear and eye. VTF(within the specs) by ear. Loading was by done by ear, with a choice between two. I will look into line-stage/phono stage. I'm just wondering about the differences between digital and analog as far as detail. Analog is definitely more relaxing. Can I get the detail of my analog so that it competes with my digital(APL Denon 3910)? It doesn't have to match it. Right now, I mostly listen to digital due to volume problems(It takes me about a week to dial in the correct volume for my cd.). I agree with acoustic treatment, as I used two Munro bass traps to eliminate a bass boom. I'm just not sure what to do next as far as room treatment.

mmakshak

Owner
Dear Aaron: Not a problem, thank you for do it . The room treatment is the most important link in the sound reproduction audio system chain and we must to take care about.

Yes, it is expensive but the speakers or amplifiers or " sealy " cables are expensive too and we buy it easily.

I think that all of us have to have a very precise " consciousness " on the room treatment subject and its high advantages and improvements that we could have when we use it in the right way.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

Owner
Dear Bob: I agree with you about the room treatment importance and maybe contribute with more than 50% on the quality sound reproduction.

If any one makes a unprofessional room treatment is almost sure that things come wrong with negative effects.
We can start the room treatment with ear " measurements " and if we are lucky we could achieve good results: but only if we are lucky. The room treatment is a professional job that needs professional tools and professional know how.
Unfortunately this professional way means high money and some of us can't afford it and we have to do it with out the right know how: some times work and some times no.

Anyway, the subject is that almost every audio system sound reproduction could " suffer " an improvement through professional ( sometimes not too professional ) room treatment and IMHO we have to support that room treatment idea.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

Hi Bob,

I am a firm believer that room acoustics play a vital role in the "quality" of sound reproduction. Certainly many conventional acoustic treatments such as bass traps, diffusors, etc, are very low on wife acceptance factor and can leave some rooms looking like a recording studio. With regards to acoustic treatments having a negative effect on sound reproduction I guess that is true of anything if poorly applied. However, in my personal experience the Acoustic System International resonators from Franck Tchang in France address these concerns by being aesthetically unobtrusive and very effective indeed. Live with the resonators in key positions for 48 hours, play your most demanding cut of music, remove the resonators, replay the same cut and then wonder how you ever tolerated the sound of your room in the past. This is not a subtle difference. The soundstage will be wider and deeper with a greater sense of the recorded acoustic and air. Throughout the frequency range clarity is improved such that new details reveal themselves. One can play the system louder without any sense of strain, it really is like having a more powerful amplifier with greater reserves of headroom.

I fully recommend that anyone with an open mind give the Acoustic System resonators a try. They are expensive but unlike many high end audio purchases you will not be disappointed and I doubt that you could get such a significant improvement by spending the same money elsewhere in your system.

My apologies to Raul for discussing a specific product on his system page but it is difficult not to get excited and want to share this discovery with fellow music lovers.

Enjoy the music,
Aaron

drajreynolds

Hi Raul, You state: "Maybe the room is the most critical link in the quality performance in any home audio system".

I believe that it is critical and perhaps as some people have said its 50% of the sound. In my system it did transform the sound to a much higher level in many areas which are well stated by others and I concur. That being said I have also heard that many others do not like room treatment (disregarding the WAF problems), and find them to have a negative effect on their system. Are you in either camp? And if so why?
Bob

acoustat6

Owner
Dear Bob: No I don't but you can read about in the description of my system.

Nice to " see " that you are interested in the room treatment. Maybe the room is the most critical link in the quality performance in any home audio system.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

Owner
Dear Aaron: Yes, time to time I heard those switch off noises.
I use the original AS clamp not the last one. Anyway of all the reflex clamps that I try it the Basis is the one I like.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

Hi Raul, Do you have an overall picture of the listening room? I always find it helpful to see a room and how it is set up to realise the owners musical goals. What if any room treatments do you have and any thoughts on them?
Bob

acoustat6

Dear Raul,

Do you ever have problems with popping noises through the speakers when switching the Acoustic Signature motor controller off? You mentioned previously that the Basis clamp is the best on the Acoustic Signature turntables and that you tried many alternatives. Can I ask if you also tried the Acoustic Signature clamp and if so in what areas did the Basis clamp improve on it?

Thanks for your help and enjoy the music,

Aaron

drajreynolds

Owner
Dear Ken: You are right, the Shure is classical but happen that its performance does not like to me. I only buy what goes with my sonic priorities, sorry.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

Owner
Dear Frank: Maybe you already have the 507, how it performs along the Rua ?
My XV-1 really shine in that tonearm using not the original headshell but one with a lower weight: 6gr.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

Owner
Dear Mmakshak: I don't " see " any trouble with your analog rig other that exist some problems in the cartridge set up: VTA/VTF/load impedance.

The other " red light " could be your phonolinepreamp that is not up to the task.

In any well setlled audio system the analog performance beats the redbook performance, no doubt about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

Owner
System edited: The Essential 3150 is already there.

rauliruegas

What a fine collection, I'm surprised, 3 table ,more than 15 arms and 30 cartriges, it´s spectacular, you are a special listener, and I have to admire you. Congratulations for you musical interest, and yours opinions I have to considerer, so mutch equipment you are a expert in all aspects of audio concernes, thanks too to your coments aboult my system and sugestions, anything you could help I aprecciate.

shade_of_pale

Kehut, I took a quick look at your system. I also have an unused ES-1. Now that you have a cd player, does your analog have as much detail as your cd player. My APL Denon 3910 has more detail, but may be slightly more tense than my analog. I use a transformer with my nude Archiv, and I remember when I switched from the Grace F-9L, to a Denon 303(or 301) that it didn't sound as immediate(as I was now using the transformer). I have a volume problem. It takes me a week to dial in volume for cd, so I listen to cd exclusively now. With my Ekos arm(on a circa 1992 Linn, Lingo, Mana Sound table), I need a cartridge with three bolts, I believe. I'm a Libra, so I can't make a decision. My current thinking has me looking at preamps, and I'm not sure .5db resolution is enough based on my experience with cd. Also, the next Linn cartridge upgrade costs almost $3,000.

mmakshak

Raul,

As always, you have an exceptional analog treasure! But, you know, Your analog system cannot be complete without having a Shure V15V MR in your line up..Its a classic!

Best,
Ken

kehut

Rauliruegas, I hope you don't get offended by this. I've not read all responses. I have a(recent-circa summer 2006) cd player(an APL Denon 3910) that beats my(circa 1992) analog. My analog is Linn, Ekos, Archiv, Lingo, Mana Sound Table. The reason that I say it beats my(albeit, old) analog, is that each require different volumes(especially the digital), and I have decided to have the volume correct on my digital. It takes me a week to dial in the correct volume for digital. I have 2,500 lp's and less than 100 cd's. I've found my digital to have more clearer detail than my lp's, but the analog is slightly more relaxing. I'm curious about your thoughts. It could be my old cartridge, but that would cost over $1250. It could be other things.

mmakshak

Rauliruegas: thanks for your comments. I currently try to sell the Micro BL-111 with the FR-64 tonearm as I need some cash to fund the DV-507 MK II + Te Kaitora Rua combo that I just bought for the RX-5000. Regarding isolation: The RX performs best when used together with the great Pagode Master Reference rack that uses Ceraball decoupling - a huge improvement over everything I´ve tryed !

frankpiet

Owner
Dear Aaron: The cotton thread ( multi-stranded ) is the only one that I try it. It works splendid, I have no compliants about. I always " help " with my hand when the TT start to run but this is the same that I do with my Micro Seiki too.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

Dear Raul,

Thankyou for the comprehensive reply. May I trouble you for further details regarding the particular type of cotton thread that you prefer between Acoustic Signature motor and platter? Is it just regular fine cotton or a multi-stranded variant? Have you tried dental floss? Do you find that changing the belt material affects the platter speed or ability to start-up and if so can this be adjusted inside the motor power supply?

I did contact Desmond and he was very complementary of the Acoustic Signature Mambo, so thanks for the recommendation.

Happy Listening,

Aaron

drajreynolds

Owner
Dear Frank: I already try around ten different tonearms with the RX5000 and all those tonearms work really fine: I think that there is no problem between the RX5000 and almost any tonearm.

The FR64 is great with the RX5000. I like this tonearm with the Ikeda and Dynavector XV-1 cartridges, but the Lyras work very good too.

The RX5000 needs a good isolation footers, I'm using a pneumatic ones from Audiotechnica and the improvement in the quality sound reproduction is big. This TT could be improved using a metal mat or the vaccum one AT666 from Audiotechnica, in both cases using along a Basis clamp.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas

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