This system has given me heaven and hell. When I first unpacked my Acapella Violon they did not sound as in my dreams. I must really point out that you have to give your system time to evolve.
After eleven years with the Acapella Violon I bought the Marten Mingus Quintet and a new journey is started.
I've always had a turntable in my system, but this year I went a litle bit further to draw more music out from my system. I've got the vinyl under my skin now, it sounds so wicked. But why stop with one turntable? The Bergmann Magne was irresistible. Then I also needed a new cartridge and my choice was Kuzma Car-40.
I do not know the best way to describe the sound of my system.
It's fast and dynamic with high resolution, they low is controlled, 3D and depth of soundstage are good, maybe I lack a litle with if I should criticize anything. The ion tweater give you a very lifelike presentation.
Since I've changed to Marten Mingus Quintet the soundstage has grown and the bass is improved. The ion sweater is good, but I do not feel that I miss it. I'm still in break in process. It feel like this is going to be really good!
My friends who are not intrested in music and hifi, there first comments was "Now I undesrtand why you are so hooked on good sound reproduction". This is one of the best mark I can get for my system.
New electronics. Tidal Audio Preos-D preamp and Impulse amplifier.
Replacing the dCS Scarlatti full stack, Röcklinger PHA2 and Audio Research REF3 and REF210 in my main listenings room. Eight boxes out and two boxes in! :)
I have started to build a new system. I will build around the new speakers that i'll waiting for. They will be a Christmas present if every thing goes as planed in production! :)
I still have the Audio Research electronics and Puccini, but the Puccini has been put to use in my photo studio. I now play on dCS Scarlatti.
And I have for fun started to modify some electronics from Exposure and it sounded very good together with the Acapella Violon.
I've tried to change the pictures in my system description. But somehow I have not been able to access. :(
I have not heard the ARC DAC 8. But I'm quite sure it will sound absolutely fabulous.
dCS Puccini together with the U-Clock was a major upgrade from ARC DAC 7. When playing Studio Master FLAC from Linn Records there is magical music in my house. :)
System edited: dCS Puccini and Puccini U-Clock has made it´s entry. I use Pure Music from Channel D to play my high resolution files on the IMac. The IMac is connected to the U-Clock through a Entreq Challenger USB cable. I also use a Entreq clock cable from U-Clock to Puccini cd player. This is an upgrade I do not regret. :)
Alleung, in the pictures I use a selfmade cone in acetal under the REF3 and Entreq Catfoot under REF210. Today I have changed rack and I use a selfmade rack in oak with no metal since I have noticed that metal can effect the musical presentation. Now I use Entreq Catfoot under all electronics, speakers and my rack.
I had the ARC DAC7 for about 9 month's. I did the misstake to plug in the dCS Puccini and Master U clock in my system. The ARC DAC7 is absolute one of the best in it´s class, but you can get better, but it will cost you. :)
Areas where ARC DAC7 could do some improvment, is the USB input and control of lower freq. If I compare it with the dCS it's not as controled, detailed and dynamic and now I'm talking about all freq.
Strong points are vocals and soundstage.
I think the ARC DAC8 will be a improvment and I for one is extremely curious.
System edited: I´ve made some changes in my system. Pagode Signature, Acoustic Zen, JPS, Solid Tech and ARC DAC7 was changed to Entreq cables, Entreq feet and homemade rack in oak. I have not decided what DAC I should buy.
I've made some changes in the past month's. I now use cables from Entreq and I have a new rack all in wood without metal. Under the equipment I use Entreq's Catfoot. These adjustment have made the system more musical and still it reveals more details in the music then before.
Yeasterday my ARC DAC7 was sold. I'm not sure what do at the moment, but I have a dCS Puccini and Master U clock for evaluation and I´like it. :)
Albertporter, I've missed to write that information down. :)
Yes I use the iMac as a musicserver. It works absolutely fantastic.
There has been some more changes in the last months. I've made a new rack of oak to support my system. I´ve recently been convinced that no metal should be aruond the system unless it´s in the system or singalpath. So i built a rack that is made in only wood. I also changed all cables to Entreq cables and uses Catfoot under the electronic.
These improvments has made the system more "analogue".
Thank you Philb7777! I changed the bearing to and I thought it was a superb upgrade and made greater improvment than the SDS made. All parameters was better. The background became more quite and blacker, that made the resolution better. The bassfundament got more authority and evereything was calmer.
Sorry for the delayed answer. No it´s not hockey pucks. In the picture you can see cones of acetal resting in puck of acetal. But today I use Catfoot from Entreq.
Audio Research is a step up. :) But since I've changed every component, it's a new journey that starts. Right now I'm not 100% satisfyed, but I'm convinced that I'll be in the end. :)
System edited: After ten years with the brand Audionet it was time for some change. I'm a firm beliver of synergi and I think if you stick to one brand you probably will get that magic, and I picked Audio Research. Now a new journey starts, it's not just to plug in the powercord and listen to the music. I've to maximize the performance. :)
Stltrains, I upgraded to the HP first and it was a significant upgrade, when I later upgraded to the SDS it was the same parameters but not as much as the HP. I've got better bass and the background went blacker, the details in the music is more present and everything is calm but there is no loss in dynamic.
Analoghaven, I really like my analog setup, no correction, I love my analog setup. I now got a more calm and dynamic sound with my analog setup than my cd setup. There is also more "HiFi" without losing the music in the analog setup, the dynamic presentation is wicked.
I now buy a lot more vinyl then cd's. It's now boring to listen to cd's when I have experience the soul of my analog setup.
Amfibius, it's not a simple task to pick the right vinyl front end. I must say that I'm very satisfied with my vinyl front end. The one remaining thing I have is the cable from turntable to the RIAA, I do not know what to choose.
I'm also toying with a Kuzma cartridge at the time, not that I'm not satisfied with Benz LP, it's just that I had the opportunity to do so.
I've noticed that AudioNet is not well represented in this pages. Is this a brand that is unknown of outside Europe?
Amfibius heres a link to Audiodata subwoofer http://www.audiodata-hifi.de/products/soutien2-4.html
It does not look like a subwoofer, but it sounds like one :-)
In my system the powercord is the cable that affect the most. Thats why I'm interested in if there also could be some affect on the Acapella.
Cables is a funny thing, in some system they make wonder and in some the do nothing. My Acapella are not sensative for speakercables, the difference is minimal. But when I've the Focal Diva Utopi Be the where extreme sensative.
I also live in house with open planing, but I've got my litle corner in a extension of the house, but it's open to the rest of 1st floor. We seems to have a lot in common, but you live in the south of the world and I live in the north :-)
By the way, I'm very exited by your vinyl upgrade.
Yes, I do keep my Acapella close to the side walls. Comparing to other speakers I've had the Acapella is not so sensitive to first reflection, but my right wall do affect my soundstage. My left speaker is not affected by first reflection. I feel the best way to deal with first reflection is to break the soundwaves, not to absorb. I also feel that it's a good thing to break up soundwaves behind your listening chair and to absorb at your right and left side of your listening position.
Your observation is quit right, low frequencys is more radial and high frequncys is more linear.
When I measured my listening room it responded well after that I moved around my speaker for nine months. I now have +/- 3db between 37-160 Hz. The setup of my system is absolutly crusialy, I do not cut corners:-)
In Sweden it's a lot of talk about room acoustics, I think it's a litle bit of a hype. Everybody blames the room as soon it do not sound good. Acoustics is importent, but it does not solve every problem. A good steup of the system and some room treatment and you can relax and listen to the music and not your system.
A German company called Audiodata makes a subwoofer that according to rumor will be suitable to Acapella Violon.
Amfibius, have you tried to change the powercord to the Acapella? What I understand it will do a difference, I'll probably try with JPS Analog AC.
Amfibius: I think the pictures lies a litle, my speakers is not symetrical in the room. My left speaker has only 2dm to the side wall, but the wall ends in front line of the speaker. The right speaker has 6dm to side wall. I've got 2m to the front wall and about 4.5m to the wall behind my listen position. There is 3.2m centrum to centrum of the speaker. My listening chair is 3.5m from front line of speaker. If I move closer to the speakers I'll sit in a dip of the low frequancy and it will not sound good.
It took my about nine months to find the right location of my speaker and listening chair. I'm a very slow listener :-)
By the way, excuse me for my poor english "I'm learning from a book" :-)
I also live in Sweden as EliotSwede, he is actually a friend of mine. He is fully responsible to the view I've got from my listenings seat.
It has been a quest for the right partner to these beautiful creation that makes the music present it self with athority and still preserve the delicate feelings and varitions in complex music.
I started out with Audionets AMP II G2, 200w monoblocks. These sounded constrained with the Acapella, but with my VSA VR 4 Gen III HSE the where a perfect match.
So I started listening after a new poweramplifier. In my house there was a long row of celebritys. Both valves and solid states was on the list.
Audionet AMP II MAX has the power with gentle touch. People that listen to my system quit often comments on the absence of solid state and horn sound. They think it sounds like valve and electrostatics.
I'm all wired up with Acoustic Zen, exept my VPI Aries 3 to Audionet PAM V2 RIAA. This is my priority number one at the moment, to find proper cabeling to the vinyl.
