Hi Mingles

Thanks. I did at first consider that, but I believe that the retip strikes at the fundamental sound reproduction, more than resonance control. There was one fellow 103R user who used black tape on the sides of the cart, which seemed to work. I might try that as it is less invasive.

Anyway I do have plenty of other carts, perhaps not as many as Raul, but sufficient to have enough fun spinning for many years to come. Of late the SS retipped AT33PTG is sounding fabulous on my Conductor arm, extraordinarily detailed without sounding harsh in the least bit, in fact very musical such that I'm really enjoying this sleeper of a cart. IMO it is much better than even the SS retipped 103R.

Cheers and enjoy the music.

cmk July 06, 2008 04:03

System edited: Over the past few months, I had been sorting out some issues with the system, and only now resolved them. A number of changes have taken place in the room, all of which have helped in one way or another, so I'll just list them out here: 1) Use iLink cable for digital between the Esoteric P5/D5. This is the best way to connect these fine equipment and produced the most detailed and coherent soundstage without sounding clinical. 2) Added Audio Magic Large Disruptor on ModWright. This helped to quieten the system from tube microphonics, since I use the Amperex 7119 in place of the 5687. 3) Added some CD racks from Ikea. This not only increased my CD storage area, it also helped to reduce the side wall reflections and enhance imaging! 4) Changed the Conductor air beam. The last one had some issues with the air flow. Len Gregory was very helpful so I changed the air beam and now the arm floats again and seems to sound better than before. 5) Got back the AT 33PTG re-retipped by Soundsmith. The first retip had a channel imbalance, which Peter solved later. It took some time, but it was totally worth the wait. Now mounted on the Conductor, this is an amazingly detailed and yet musical cart! 6) Added Mapleshade Brass footers. After the good experience with the Walker Audio Stilpoints, I tried out the relatively cheaper alternative. These significantly upgraded the sound of the tubed Herron phono, reducing the noise floor and enhancing dynamics greatly. Also placed a shorter set under the Audio Magic Eclipse which also helped. 7) Last tweak: got meself a nice velvet Lazyboy chair! :)))

cmk June 24, 2008 21:23

System edited: Inserted Walker Audio Valid Points below the ModWright Preamp which instantly tightened the images and gave the music a solid foundation. Dynamics took a quantum leap forward and the instrumental outlines were highlighted naturally. Highly recommended. I will be trying out Mapleshade Brass footers next...stay tuned.

cmk April 18, 2008 11:12

System edited: Went for the top Dynavector cart, and what a cart it is!

cmk March 19, 2008 10:13

Hi Ycekin
I've not tried the direct connection with the Esoteric, though I have tried it with the Benchmark when I was running it.

There are a couple of things to consider:
1) Does the preamp add/take away anything?
2) Does running the DAC>amp via the XLR benefit?
3) Do you have other (analog) inputs?

For the pre, I reckon the ModWright (Signature Ed - with the tube rectifier), to be one of the most transparent pre available out there. Very little is done to the signal. I've tube rolled the 2 key tubes (5687) for the very beautiful sounding but microphonic-prone Amperex 7119. With this particular combination, the sense of body of the person in the room is extraordinary, plus the pre is still linear and detailed. I got around the microphonics by dampening the chasis. So now I actually prefer the pre in the chain.

2) I've tried running direct to the amp via the XLRs from the DAC1. It does do somethings very well, more quiet, better bass, separation. However I'm more concerned about the mids - where the music really is and with the upgraded tubes in the pre, the difference running via XLR was really not significant.

3) I have 2 analog sources, the LPs and a tuner. Running direct would mean the inconvenience of having to plug in/out the ICs each time you change sources, which usually means you have to powerdown the amps - not a very good idea.

cmk February 13, 2008 19:50

System edited: I've made so many changes I don't know where to start. I'll try to list them out in sequence then describe what each did for the system. 1) Nordost Ti Pulsar Points - recommended by a friend to be placed under the CDP/digital source. These replaced the Feet of Silence and gave a more solid feel to teh sound, more detail and 3D soundstage. 2) Removed the additional rack below the ModWright preamp and put the powersupply on the floor. This is simply "less is more" principle. Less racks, less resonance and much better sound. 3) AudioMagic Sorcerer interconnects - for both the digital and analog sources. These replaced the Slinkylinks and added more body and scale to the music, bigger soundstage and more detail. 4) AudioMagic Illusion powercords - for both digital and analog sources. These replaced some cheap cords I was planning to replace anyway. Made of pure silver ribbons, they impart smoothness, dynamics, continuity to the music. 5) AudioMagic Illusion speaker cable - this was a BIG step up in resolution and scale from the Sorcerer. Soundstage expanded and there was more detail and body in the soundfield. 6) Esoteric P5D5 - this is a state of the art CD/SACD playback system. It doesn't get any better than this, unless you go for the P1/D1. This combo lets you hear everything there is on the disc, without color, just pure music. 7) Darken the system - I basically blocked off all LEDs to let me hear the music without the physical constraits of what my eyes see.

cmk February 07, 2008 11:57

Hi Braab
Thanks for the compliments. I haven't quite updated it yet as the last few changes are still taking shape, but its really, really good. I'll save it for later...

The Anti-Cable used is the speaker wire, hooked up from the speaker terminals on the amp to the sub. I was using some simple Belden wire before, but that didn't do it for me. In order for the sub to blend seemlessly with the sats, it has to carry some(very little) of the sats freqs. With the AudioMagic speaker wires, which are silver and very fast, I have to use a cable which matches, else you will hear the sub slower in relation to the sats.

Good that you will get the 103 from SS, they are great guys.

cmk January 31, 2008 19:31

Hi Yossi
Thanks. I didn't try tonearm cables, that's quite an expensive thing to do. I was recommended this by someone who's ears I trust. What I can say is that the 501 silver hybrid produces a smooth and detailed sound which is very natural and therefore musical. Since we all know that you will only hear what the cart picks up, it would be advisable to use the best cable available at the front and this is VdH's best phono cable. I'm also a strong believer in silver.

Welcome.

cmk December 18, 2007 08:58

System edited: Made the following changes: 1) Digital cable was swapped from the Canare to the Audio Magic Excalibur and what a difference that made. It was more dynamic, more quiet between the notes and instruments, a bit more forward, but the precision is amazing. 2) Retipped the AT 33PTG at Soundsmith who has done another fantastic job with this cart. Extraordinarily detailed. The stylus was alined a little off, but that was easily compensated for by adjusting azimuth on the Schroeder 2. Tracked at 1.51g, this is another big step forward for analog. Highly recommended.

cmk December 16, 2007 05:03

System edited: Completed the link from source to speakers using AudioMagic cabling with the Sorcerer IC to the Benchmark DAC1, Illusion IC from pre-power and the Sorcerer SC from Power to speakers. Replacing the Slinkylink before has meant an even further improvement in resolution, separation, and liquidity even from digital. There is scale, power/dynamics, and low level details. Amazing!

cmk December 02, 2007 01:44

System edited: Having upgraded the powercords and conditioning with AudioMagic, I wondered what would happen if I added the high end interconnect and speaker cables to the mix. Though they are not petty change, the improvements wrought by the conditioners/powercords were nothing short of amazing. After careful consideration, I took the plunge and ordered the Illusion interconnect and Sorcerer speaker cables. There was an increase in dynamics, impact and clarity. Transients were enhanced and all this was done without any glare whatsoever. Cymbals and highhats have a crystaline quality and naturalness to them. The mids, especially vocals, have a rock solid 3D image with micro details there but not highlighted. Bass is more defined than before and in correct proportion to the rest of the soundfield. The noise floor seems to be lowered between instruments and the music. I came to the conclusion that now its so detailed and resolving, it doesn't hide anything.

cmk November 19, 2007 19:48

System edited: Latest updates have been to the powercords running to the pre/power/sub. After switching to Audio Magic powercords, the system has taken a leap in resolution, ease/smoothness, air, sense of palpability. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, this latest changes bring the system to a whole new level, its getting harder to find upgrades, so I guess I'll just have to enjoy the music.

cmk November 13, 2007 21:11

System edited: Managed to snag a Dyna DV20XL at a bargain price as it was practically unused. This cart is the latest version of the 20X featuring a Micro Ridge stylus! I mounted it on my Schroeder model 2 and it sounded very groovy. VTF set to 1.96g for now, but going to try lower.

cmk November 02, 2007 11:03

You can find most of the information on the Soundsmith website:
http://www.sound-smith.com/retip/

I opted for the $250 Contact Line stylus. As you can see from the pic, the whole cantilever and stylus is replaced with a ruby cantilever and their special profile stylus.

This lowers the weight of the whole assembly and allows the stylus to respond faster to transients. The stylus profile is cut to allow more contact area with the groove walls and therefore digs out more information than the stock conical of the 103R. The effect is better detail, more extension, and faster/tighter dynamics.

I like it so much that I'm going to retip my other Denon with the Optimised Contact and the AT33PTG with the standard Line Contact.

cmk October 22, 2007 01:41

System edited: My high-end cart of choice is the Denon 103R retipped by Soundsmith with the ruby cantilever and the line contact stylus. As recommended by Peter, I reduced VTF by almost 1g to 1.68g and tried it on. It sounds WONDERFUL! Gone are the rolled off highs/bass. This cart digs deep, dishing out more details than I've heard before, even on some "hi-end" carts. The transients are fast and dynamic. Soundstaging on the Conductor tonearm is exemplary, stretching well beyond the speaker and room boundaries. The icing on the cake is: its totally liquid and natural. This is what analog is all about folks.

cmk October 17, 2007 11:16

System edited: Just received the Soundsmith SMMC1 MM cart and the retipped Denon SS-103R, ruby cantilever with line contact stylus. I'll mount them and listen over the next few days...This is going to be fun. :)

cmk October 08, 2007 09:57

Just added the Audio Magic Eclipse II power conditioner, replacing the PS Audio P300.
Initial impressions: Bigger soundstage, quieter than before, improved attack and better decay. There's so much air around the instruments. Absolutely no dynamic limitation, in fact, the bass has more loudness and goes lower. Hearing lots of low level detail in recordings its like listening to everything afresh. Its so analog-like, the music comes out from the same fabric, coherent and totally natural.

cmk September 21, 2007 22:21

Thanks for the comment Chadnliz.

Rotti
Its pointing forward with a very slight toe-in to lock in the image in the centre. If you look at the previous photos, you'll notice that over the period, I've moved the speakers even nearer the listening position. The idea behind this placement is that the soundstage then starts from the speakers all the way to behind the curtain. As the speakers do not point directly at the sweet spot, you do not notice them as point sources, so the music seems to come from behind the speakers rather than from them.

Generally the further from the sweet spot, the more toe-in is required. As you move further into the room, you have less toe-in so that the speakers seem to disappear.

Quite sharp. Yes it was 4:37 in the evening. There's some sunlight spilling on the curtain and wall, apart from the spotlighting of the curtain.

cmk September 10, 2007 20:55

System edited: Updated some photos: Denon A11, Herron VTPH1, Magnum MD90T, Cabasse Baltic speakers and a new system shot from the sweet spot. Enjoy!

cmk September 09, 2007 10:17

I've posted reviews of my amps on AA:
ModWright:
http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=vinyl&n=682469&review=1

Sanders:
http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=amp&n=120169&review=1

Meanwhile I've added the Magnum Dynalab MD-90T tuner which came internally wired with Kimber silver.

Sorry, no new pics as yet, been busy.

Latest gem: connecting my Benchmark DAC1 via XLR outputs direct to the Sanders XLR inputs with Slinkylink XLRs and use the volume control on the Benchmark. What can I say? The music just flowed. Bigger soundstage, blacker backgrounds, deeper bass, crystaline highs, more low level detail, better separation, MORE LIQUID PRESENTATION!!! Digital never sounded sooooo gooood!

cmk August 30, 2007 08:38

With the addition of the ModWright SWLP, I now have an additional phono stage and the option of adding and MM and/or MC cart. The logical thing to do was to hook up the AT33PTG/Conductor to the MC input. After some experimenting, I ended up with 1K ohm loading which had the best mix of bass weight and speed.

The Magnum Dynalab MD-90T was a "spur of the moment" purchase, but it has opened new doors to a wide range of music, especially on the classical channel here, Symphony 92.4. All the while I was playing with other basic tuners, and even dabbled with DAB, but this did not satisfy. The MD-90T is a whole different ballgame, with the ability to place instruments and singers in the room. I was amazed at the fidelity analogue FM radio had to offer. There is silence, between pieces, and even when the DJ comes on, its as if he/she was in the room speaking. Musical instruments have body and power, resonating in space. An entirely worthwhile purchase. I finally realised that those glowing reports are all about.

cmk August 14, 2007 11:22

Added the new ModWright SWLP 9.0SE full function preamp and the Magnum Dynalab MD90T. I'm having FUN!!!

cmk August 10, 2007 08:34

Hi Ryder
No SPL meter used. The Thor has a mark indication for the Xover pt for the Baltics. I only have to set the gain and phase, which I do by ear. They were designed to go together.

Well sub placement is dependent on the room as well. It could be that the particular spot you chose for the sub excited certain room nodes(?). You could experiment with even more near field placement. In my room, the Baltics are more than 1/3 into the room. Placement on the same plane in-between the Baltics was meant to facilitate time-alinement/coherence. I do not get a dis-jointed instrument, eg a cello/double bass appears as an instrument in space, not with any bass bloat. The manual doesn't specify placement, I only experimented with this position based on my belief in time-alinement.

The Baltics only extend to about 80hz. On their own, they are fine, but lack the critical foundation of the music which is provided by the Thor.

After listening to my system, another friend also moved his sub out from the back to in between the main speakers and he too reports that they sound much better, ie coherent. He is using the Sonus Faber Guenari and SF Gravis sub.

Maybe, all you really need is the matching PMC sub and you're done(?). You'll have to try and see, but so long as your main spks extend to below 80hz, you're fine. The next difficult part is to try the settings with different types of music and make sure that it(sub) doesn't exaggerate the bass. Its meant as a support, to augment the freq range of the main spks, not draw attention to itself. You'll know you got it right when the sub and sats disappear and the soundstage envelopes you.

I hope I haven't bored you with my ramblings. All the best with your audio quest.

cmk April 16, 2007 11:56

System edited: Thanks for the kind comments. In its latest iteration, the system has taken on some dramatic changes. I'll list out the changes and the effect on the sound: a) Added Sanders amp - images took on a more solid, 3D sound. There was a continuous flow in the mids-highs, much like very good single-ended triode tubes, coupled with a tonal purity that rivals amps costing many times its price. Bass took on more definition and speed, and was coherent with the rest of the music. With the added power, dynamics and speed were excellent. b) floated the Denon A11 on Feet of Silence - this had the effect of widening the soundstage, with the images taking on a more liquid 3D effect. Bass notes were not adversely affected, in fact, they became more precisely defined in space and time. The change from the DH cones/squares also affected the highs, reducing the bite, treble hardness on some music. The soundstage now took on even bigger proportions, extending deeper and wider than ever before. Overall, with some well-recorded music, the vocals/instruments seem to emanate from black silent background which led some audio friends to describe the system's sound as "scary". Within the confines of my room, my well-travelled friend commented that this was the best he had ever heard, he could not imagine the sound reaching further heights. Have I reached the end of my audio quest?

cmk April 15, 2007 21:49

System edited: Accidentally stumbled on the Sanders ESL amplifier and was amazed at the tonal purity driving Vandersteen 2CE Sig. I knew there was something special about this amp and brought it home for a trial and have never looked back since. Extraordinary high resolution and pitch perfect timbre, with gut-wrenching bass to match. What more could one ask for in an amp? Its like matching a single ended tube amp for the mids and highs with a pure class A mono driving the bass. For the first time I experienced such "presence", that it draws you into the performance and leaves you lusting for more music. Not only are the mids and highs reproduced accurately, they are coherent with the bass. The foundation of the music also takes on a new level of separation that I hear minute details in the mix I never heard before. It runs cool and is designed to be left on all the time!!! For anyone interested in an amp that can "do-it-all", you just have to try this amp out. Forget about the old traditional notions of class A amps must be hot, cannot drive difficult loads, etc. Check this out!

cmk March 30, 2007 07:27

System edited: Latest updates: 1) Inserted Anti-cable between the power amp and the sub, replacing the good and cheap Belden 8461. Improved pace/speed and definition and loudness, caused me to tune down the sub's volume level. A positive step in the right direction. 2) Switched the DH Jumbo cones below the DAC to the Denon A11 universal player and what an improvement it brought! Seems like the bass took on another octave, musical images became more dynamic and focused. I wonder why I didn't do this earlier. This just brings digital playback closer to analogue levels, especially in the dynamics department.

cmk March 16, 2007 02:45

Hi Ryder
Sorry for the late response, been away on holidays.

The A11 is a pretty good transport in its own right. The sound as I described earlier, is more smooth and larger, which I prefer. Some prefer the smaller more focused soundstage. I prefer it more life-sized.

The 3930 should be a very good/excellent player if the 2930 is anything to go by. I use the 2930 in my HT setup and am very happy with its performance, both as a CDP and DVDP. I think a lot of audiofiles just overlook these giant-killers because they are "cheap" and don't comply with their "expensive" attitude, so they think its not good.

IMO the Denons are just budget players that out-perform the competition. Back to your question, I haven't seen/heard the 3930, but I think you should be very happy with their sonics.

cmk January 03, 2007 08:43

System edited: Consolidated the digital front-end, using the Denon A-11 (5900) as a CD transport, SACD/DVDA player. Sound quality is pretty good, the instruments taking a more analogue like, and bigger soundstage.

cmk December 25, 2006 10:25

Hi Oregon
AFAIK, the 103R has been successfully mated to Rega arms. Well put it this way, even if you don't like the sound, you could very easily sell it to the next bloke looking for one and not lose any sleep over it. Worth every penny IMO.
Happy spinning.

cmk October 20, 2006 00:09

Hi Ryder
Sorry for the late response, been busy and travelling quite a bit.

I run both sources into the Diva M7 preamp, its easier this way and really with the M7 preamp, there's hardly any loss. I think the Benchmark's vol control is not exactly the best, so running it through its line out is a sonically superior option.

The older DACs would not be on the same playing field as the Benchmark. A better comparison will be other pro equipment, Lavry? Grace M902? The other alternatives are generally warmer in comparison. The Benchmark is very reveiling. Paired with the JPS Digital powercord, it sounds great.

cmk October 20, 2006 00:05

Dgad
The bass on the Conductor is fine - in fact, I think its a bit tighter/faster than the Model 2. There are no issues with respect to depth or impact. While the effective mass of the arm is low, a lot of these issues do not really matter with a linear tracker. When I had the 103R on the arm, it sounded very similar to the Schroeder, I would say they were more similar than different.

I suppose for ZYX carts, you "might" need to add weight to headshell, but I have not found any reason to do that so far, not with either the AT or Denon carts.

cmk September 14, 2006 20:43

System edited: Evaluated and found the Van den Hul D501 Silver hybrid to be the best match to the system. Initial findings are that it is quiet, very quiet so does not pick up hum. Sonic characteristics - smooth, detailed and it emphasizes the music over other artifacts(noise). Little details are presented in a totally natural, relaxed manner. Costly but for what it does, worth every penny.

cmk September 09, 2006 08:51

Hi Sirspeedy
I am pretty happy with the Conductor. It performs at the same level as the Schroeder with the advantages of a linear arm at the start/end of an LP.

Using my spare Denon 103R, I compared both arms and they are more similar than different. There are differences and these are:

a) start/end LP there is no distortion - Schroeder is very good here, with v little noticeable distortion
b) soundstage depth is more 3D - Schroeder appears to be curved at the back
c) image placement is more specific/stable - this is the hallmark of a linear tracker

The Schroeder sound has a unique relaxed nature which is hard to describe, which even the Conductor does not. With the Schroeder, the music is less "rigid". This is not to say the Conductor is not smooth, it is. Another point is that the Conductor is very reveiling of source/software. It is an "honest" arm and will let you hear all the detail there is in the grooves - for better or worse.

The only thing is that with the setup, one has to be very careful with the screws. Tonearm wires have to have freeplay. Although the pump is relatively quiet, sounds like a low-mid freq hum, it is best to have this outside the room (plan for this or you will have to bear with the hum). Also the arm may require a bit more frequent maintenance/checking, it is not a set and forget.

cmk September 07, 2006 00:28

System edited: New pictures of the added of the Cartridge Man's Conductor tonearm and the Audio Technica AT33PTG mc cartridge mounted on the second arm base. As the cartridge is fresh out of the box, it is still a little raw, but the details from this combination are very evident. Soundstage is big with each individual instrument laid out and little details coming out. Following individual instruments/vocalists are so easy as each is rendered in their own separate spaces.

cmk August 30, 2006 22:03

System edited: Took advantage of the additional armbase to mount a 2nd arm. This time its an assault on the SOTA with an air-bearing parallel/linear tracking arm by the Cartridge Man, called the Conductor. A unique design which utilises low pressure high flow to produce the air cushion to float the arm. Will be mounting it shortly and do some comparisons with the Schroeder.

cmk August 29, 2006 01:00

System edited: Latest upgrade is what I believe to be my final turntable upgrade to the Scheu Das Laufwerk No. 2. The new flagship of the Scheu TT family. Plinth in either acrylic or slate. Mine is in acrylic. Weighing a total of about 38 kg, this turntable is also a heavyweight, although it uses an entirely different design. By omitting the lead shot chamber and joining two shell halves, a turntable of unadorned elegance came into being. Since no lead shot could be used to diminish resonance effects, other solutions needed to be found. This turntable also features three tone arm bases along with the electronically regulated DC motor with its fine speed adjustment and string drive, an 80-mm platter and height-adjustable steel feet in spike or flat format. “Das Laufwerk” No.2 is available in polished black acrylic and satin-finish colourless acrylic (glazed white)- I got this version. There is also an exclusive version with a slate shell. Armboards for various tone arms are available in acrylic, brass, aluminium or bronze. Mine is in acrylic. A description of sound is of course always subjective. During the development phase the Premier model was used as a reference. Both No.1 and No.2 turntables comfortably exceed the Premier in terms of sound reproduction. Detail is reproduced with outstanding clarity. The bass is powerful and contoured, the fundamental sound is natural and needs no boosting. Both width and depth are faithfully reproduced and everything is realistically placed in the soundscape. The treble is not overloaded, and cymbals, for example, ring long and clear. In spite of the high detail resolution and transparency, the musical flow is never lost. While Das Laufwerk No.1 sounds slightly warmer and more rounded, “Das Laufwerk” No.2 is characterized by an even more dynamic and unfussy reproduction.

cmk August 14, 2006 21:12

System edited: Swapped the balanced Apogee digital interconnect for this pure silver stuff from NZ company, Slinkylinks, and it was a distinct marked improvement. The music took on a new speed, with the upper registers clearly delineated without any untoward digital glare/grain. The bass lines were also better defined and more taut. Next I tested it as a pre-power interconnect and immediately there was a similar marked improvement over the AZ Matrix reference cable, which I feel was too dark. The one notable characteristic about these cables is that they do not exhibit any form of harshness or glare or grain and they are particularly fast. Overall the music took on a new found clarity and sounded more lively. I also found that the loudness level seemed to be turned up a bit, ie I had to lower the volume to get similar SPLs as my previous cables. Highly recommended.

cmk June 26, 2005 10:13

System edited: Replaced the Meridian 566DAC with the Benchmark DAC1.

cmk April 29, 2005 20:51

System edited: Upgraded the speaker wires to Analysis Plus Oval 8s and I'm hearing more of the music, plus its louder than before. Highly recommended.

cmk February 26, 2005 00:02

System edited: This is the final step in my search for transparency. With the addition of the Diva M7 preamp, it completely removes all the barriers between the performer and me. It is so detailed and reveiling, its as good as having no preamp in the chain at all. Highly recommended.

cmk January 23, 2005 08:21

System edited: My Dynavector finally died on me after 7+ years of service. It was a good cart, and has finally gone to analogue heaven, to be replaced by the exceptional Denon DL 103R. I first heard this cart in a mid-priced system and already knew it was something special. For the price paid, there's really nothing in that range which competes with it. But in order for it to mate with my Schroeder model 2, the arm mass had to be raised to cope with this low compliance cart. I purchased a brass cart mount(+6g) from Frank and I was all set to go. I'm still running in the cart, but my first impression is already favourable. More in a while.

cmk November 21, 2004 21:08

System edited: Added 1" thick MDF under the CEC TL2 transport and the Diva Classic One preamp. This helped to stablise the musical images, giving them more specific focus. The effect after placing it under the preamp was more pronounced. Now when playing LPs, there is no blurring or hazy images. Even the bass notes are more tuneful. Morale of the story : don't place components one on top of another. Place your equipment on rigid supports.

cmk August 27, 2004 02:40

The thick curtain behind certainly helps. I've had it from my previous room and kept it as it gives the illusion of a sonically transparent background. There's no window behind it, just solid wall.

The Cabasse sound better than I could ever imagine. They fully disappear leaving only the music in its wake. Its that good. I've heard many top brands, and they all pale in comparison, but that's just IMO.

cmk July 10, 2004 10:23

System edited: I searched for a spk which could give me that last bit of dynamics, while maintaining the tonal accuracy and soundstaging of mini-monitors. Encouraged by a friend, I tried out the Cabasse iO/Thor at home and was immediately impressed by its ability to disappear and sound musical while hitting dynamic peaks of orchestral music. I decided to take the plunge and get the bigger Baltic II and Thor II sat/sub combination. I'm glad I made this choice. It meets all my expectations and exceeds in the most critical area - it makes music. I rationalise that its point source design has allowed the sound to eminate from the spk as it was recorded from the mics. Its main forte is its ability to make music by not sounding like any other spk. No boxy colorations. It is quick, and yet full of tonal color. The micro gradations of each note is so clearly evident, it does not take a lot of intense listening to hear detail, and yet it is there, presented in an un-analytical manner. Trying to critique it and see if there was a weakness is a difficult task, as these spks just let the music through in such a way that I am just enveloped by music and carried away with its flow. Highly recommended!

cmk July 07, 2004 12:49

Its amazing how much detail can be retrieved from the headphones. I've recently added a pair of Audio Technica ATH-W100 cans, which are very transparent and dynamic. It sounds so much like the real thing through the Melos. Also changed the tubes in the Melos from EH 6922 gold pins, to RAM 6DJ8s. The improvement, though slight, cleaned up the sound, making it faster, less time smearing, and yet still have that tube warmth, rich vocals. The AT cans are really something.

Take at look at the Melos pic, there's a closeup of the AT and Beyer cans.

cmk January 27, 2004 05:39

System edited: My latest "thing" was to add a pair of headphones, actually meant to not disturb the wife at night, but I also discovered that I couldn't really listen without a headphone amp. Looked around for one, so when the opportunity to get a Melos SHA-1 arose, I jumped at it. The setup is wonderfully transparent and dynamic, especially with the Melos plugged into the powerplant. You'll be surprised how close the main spks sound compared to the headphones. The Diva preamp was also updated with modified circuitry to accept 6SN7 tube(Sylvannia), replacing the 12AT7(Mullard). This added even better tonality and transparency. I did try the Melos as a preamp, driving my power, but the sound was "wild" and punchy. As a headamp, its wonderful. I'm just one very happy audiophile.

cmk December 25, 2003 04:02

System edited: Changed my tonearm to the outstanding Schroeder model 2. See comments in the analogue forum.

cmk December 07, 2003 02:02

System edited: Been looking to improve the digital front end, especially in the area of dynamics, where digital lags behind analogue. The answer came in the form of the JPS digital AC powercord, which in my system, lowered the noise floor, and opened up the soundstage when used on the CEC TL2. Bass impact and definition improved, while the mids and highs were further refined. This cord significantly closes the gap between analogue and digital. The digital noise filters really work.

cmk October 09, 2003 04:38

Over the weekend, I finally got my lazy self to sand-fill those cable lifters under the spk cables. This had the effect of removing image smearing. I spent the rest of the weekend listening to CDs just to confirm what my findings and true enough, system resolution went up a notch, so that I thought I had a new CD collection!

Try it, you won't regret.

cmk August 17, 2003 20:56

System edited: Picked up the Living Voices' Mystic Mat and its an important upgrade to extract the fine details from the grooves. The effect is something like focusing a lens and getting a clearer picture. Most of the improvement is in the important midrange, where notes are fleshed out. Groove noise is lowered, giving an improved sense of instrument separation. Bass lines are better delineated, having more depth and impact. The start and stop of each note stands out, without smearing the next note/instrument. I would reckon this to be equivalent to a complete turntable upgrade, and highly recommend it to turntables which have less dampening. Even with highly damped acrylic platters like the 80mm Schue, the mids were more fleshed out. It is a meaningful, high tech upgrade to the normal felt mats of old.

cmk August 14, 2003 22:23

System edited: Changed the speaker wires from XLO VDO to Belden M8179 8' pair biwired and immediately noticed additional detail, cleaner highs/treble. I consider this the bargain spk wire with an honest tonality and soundstaging. Ended up toeing out the spks also to get improve the soundstage width. Previous arrangement was to have the 2CEs firing directly at the listening spot. The current arrangement with slightly toe out so that the inside edge of the spks are visible, providing a wider soundstage and more spead to the performers. The soundstage starts from the spk plane and extends to the outsides where the program material exists. The effect is less in-your-face, while still maintaining musical detail.

cmk July 18, 2003 02:45

4janx
Have you heard the VTPH1mc together with your preamp? I gather from reviews that they do go together. On the other hand, my pre and power are matched.

cmk June 22, 2003 05:21

Hi Jsawhitlock
Its not Lovan stands, but some locally assembled stuff. For the TT, what's more important is the heavy inert base(granite/marble) which shd dampen about 90% of all vibrations from the floor. I use DH Squares under the TT feet which just great! If you notice I also have a set under the CEC transport, even though the transport's already sited on Unicones.

For siting the TT, I just arranged it in a logical setup, analogue on one side, digital on the other. The length of the cables, powercords being the other limiting factor.
Cheers.

cmk June 09, 2003 03:30

System edited: Just added an antenna to get proper reception as living on the 2nd floor meant that I didn't have line of sight with the main transmitting station. After locating it near the window, I've been getting 100 signal strength which is great!

cmk May 19, 2003 05:38

Marakanetz
This is the ultimate if you are interested :
cradle

cmk May 08, 2003 02:16

Those cable lifters are actually...yes you guessed it, empty healthy suppliment bottles. Its cheap and gets the job done. :)

cmk May 06, 2003 20:43

Hi Marakanetz
Thanks for the comment. My room is not big, just 12'x15'x9'. At the moment I have sufficient gain to listen at pretty high levels without the amp distorting. On some LPs/CDs, the bass is sufficient to shake the sofa and its not lose bass, but tight and tuneful.

The amp is a bit of an overachiver and gives out a good clean 50w. I kinda feel that the Vandersteens are also pretty conservative, or shall we say accurate, in their efficiency rating of 87db/w.

Here is the website for the amp if you want to find out more:
http://www.divaaudio.com/
A friend who uses the Pass Aleph 3 felt the amp equalled or bettered the Pass in music reproduction.

cmk May 06, 2003 20:40

Since Dec last year, I added the PS Audio P300 power plant after much delay. Had heard a lot about it from reviews but didn't do anything about it, until a home trial.

The P300 had the effect of producing lots of detail. It also meant that I had to retune the setup. Next changes were cables. My previous lot were hampering the signal from the sources. Changing to the JPS and AZ interconnects brought along detail and imaging.

Horrors! My CD playback sounded better than LPs??? Redid the alinement but still something was lacking. So the phono stage was upgraded from the ubiquitous Blackcube to the mighty Herron. Ahh...much better.

The system sounded good, but could be better. Went back to the maker of my preamp and tested the power amp in my system and the sound took a quantum leap from the Lazarus.

Tweaking came next with footer experiments. DH cones were the best on the DAC. Unicones stayed under the transport. DH Squares took their place under the transport AND the turntable. A special composite was placed under both the Super DH cones(DAC) and Audio Selections spikes(phono).

I'm pretty much done for now, but the bug starts to bite again. Maybe a second cartridge?

cmk May 06, 2003 04:56