Digital EQ Shane? is that right? how does it work? how do you like it? Most intrigued!
(BTW, have you ever tried Vibb Eaters...I am using 4 extra large on top of and braced against the back of my X1 upper modules...12kgs per speaker...stills the cabinetry beautifully. A strength of signal, a deepness of detail and also tone that is remarkable.) Now considering a much bigger, custom option...
Pradeep - regarding your CJ GAT...perhaps try EAT Tube dampers? I had a super-microphone tube and the EAT Tube damper actually stopped the microphony while improving everything else...much stronger, denser signal. (And I could clap my hands before...and hear the clap thru the speakers...it was that microphonic a tube!) My two cents...good luck. Otherwise, how are the Siemens and how do they compare to others?
I have not heard the CT5 but owned the ACT 2...and i think the GAT is far more than 30% ahead of the ACT 2. The treble is by far better imho...70%...really...i mean that. I was startled by that one, and it reminded me of the first instant i took the ACT 2 home and thought the treble was quite stiff...i got used to it in the end...but that GAT instantly brought that memory back. The bass is 10%+. The noise floor is 25%-35%. The delicacy and nuance is 35%-50%. The mid color/tonality is 15%.
My two cents only...but you're in for a real treat in any event. Enjoy and congrats!
First of all...congrats!!! Great for you.. Enjoy! Shane and I have traded notes on our respective GATs. I also have traded notes with 2 reviewers who have the GAT.
I believe Shane was using CJ ART 3. Having spoken with a reviewer who owned both also, the main elements of improvement are that the CJ GAT has managed (somehow) to carve away any last bits of golden tone...while retaining if not improving on the purity of tonality that many of us love about CJ. The extension in the treble is greater with greater detail and even purer tone. Bass is improved (as in deeper better defined), but i suspect the improvement is greater in the treble. Finally, the noise floor is remarkably improved.
As for EAT tube dampers, i still use mine on my GAT, and love them. They made the difference between very stiff Mullard cv2493s and Amperex US PQ White labels much, much smaller so i almost dont care either way.
I also have found, as have both reveiwers i've spoken to, that isolation makes a huge difference. The soundstage drops another 5-10 feet back, and the whole presentation is that much better for it in terms of each instrument having its own space. Some use SRA...i use HRS nimbus couplers/dampers plus 2 double-theck HRS damping plates on top. Hope that helps. Congrats again.
Congrats!!! A 'Momentous' occasion!!! Hah! Tell us all about it! you are a venerable tube expert and value the subtle nuances and tonality of tubes...how does the Momentum compare?
Yes...i have tried the original red tube dampers, no tube dampers and EAT tube dampers. sounds good all times...EAT tube dampers are a definitive improvement for me. The red tubes dampers are usually a help...but i have tried them elsehwere in my system and did not like them.
Never had that problem with EAT.
Look forward to hearing how Stillpoints Ultra SS and Wilson goes this weekend!
i am amazed i missed your questions! Regarding the EAT tube dampers, the signal 'solidified' even more. Sweetness in the treble 'intensified'...for 19 bucks for each tube...quite a nice tweak.
Yes, the noise floor is far lower than before. I am enjoying that quite a bit as well. It makes a bigger difference than i would have expected. The hush during quiet passages makes them a lot of fun to listen to.
The GAT is stable and stunning! ;) Yes, i've lost count but probably somewhere just around 1,000 hours.
to be fair, i stopped trying to obsess about differences/variations after about 650+ hours...and just enjoyed the great music! same as you no doubt. ;)
Congrats! i figured it was only a matter of time with the ART 3 and the your customized 8s on testosterone! I am contemplating an ARC Ref 5 and going balanced into the Gryphon. Have you heard 5? I know the Ref 3 pretty well...your sage advice as always welcome!
Hope all is well and enjoying the incredible evolution of your system.
thanks for the off-line advice...i am buying the Nordost thor...Valhalla wiring inside, and exactly what the doctor ordered to add jump and life to the system. plus it really made a complete change to my bass...very powerful upper bass, and so much detail down below even compared to what i had that i am relistening to my cds...then there is the traditional improvements...soundstage clarity, lower noise floor and ease of presentation that make the music more effortless and natural. but the "light" that the Nordost adds is what i think i am happy with the most because my system needed it. \\thanks again for your advice!!!
Happy New Year!!! I am looking to add a little quickness to the mid and lower bass response of my Strads. I see 4 virtual SF Stradivari systems on Agon all have Valhalla cables...including yours.
I was listening to Wilson Sasha's, Dartzeel electronics and Wadia's latest flagship on Transp Ref cable, and I noticed that it is quicker in mid/lower bass than my setup. Your advice is most welcome!!! My system:
- SF Strad speakers - CJ Act 2 pre - Gryphon Antileon Amp - Zanden DAC - Oppo 83 transport (Cardas Neutral Ref digital 75ohm) - Older Transp Ref IC/speaker - PAD Dominus/Ann Contego PCs - PS Audio Quintet for pre, DAC, transport only) - Velodyne DD18 in parallel.
"Somewhat Dark" components... ...I have heard AudioNote silver cables...
