Description

Hey all:

My first post here and wanted to get some feedback from the auricular veterans out there. This is my first true system where I've been able to play with it and see what I can get out of it.

About my system, first thing I must say, though is that I honestly think that I've fallen in love with planar speakers. Between the sound staging and the speed of the speakers, it really is amazing what these vibrating sheets of plastic can do.

So here's the story (and I'm sure that all of you have one similar to mine. Many years ago when I was a wee lad (about 14 y/o), I was bitten by the audiophile bug when my uncle and I would audition CDs together on his ProAc Signature Reference Tablette 3s and Cary 300Bi amp. There was no bottom there whatsoever, but the mids and highs were completely magical. One time, he had on loan the Sonic Frontiers SFT-1 and the SFD-1 to audition, and that sounded just sweet and amazing. One thing he said in passing had stuck with me. "You think this sounds good, the 2 in 1 actually sounds even better than the separates." I made nothing of it then when he said it.

On occasion we would head over to the local Audiophile store in NJ and listen to speakers. This is where I was introduced to the world of Magnepans and B&Ws. And nothing left bigger impressions on me that a 1 inch thick speaker and a shiny yellow kevlar cone.

Then around that time, I read the article about the KAV-300i, pretty much Krell's first attempt at the A/V budget market. All this time I was finding out that Class A power would always several thousands of dollars, if not containing 5 digits. I had auditioned the KAV-300i with a pair of Dunlavys and the tightness and clarity of the sound amazed me. (Although I should give Dunlavy some credit here also, haha.) But again, I made nothing of this observation other than, "Oh, that sounds nice."

Fast forward 12 years, where I start making a lil income now. I stumble across a-gon and I see the speakers that I listened to 12 years back (at a more modest, reasonable price of course.) So I pick up the pair of 1.6QR and hook them up to my current Onkyo SR-702 receiver (that supposedly puts out 200W)and got a HUGE disappointment. Poor porjection, poor control overall.

So like any good audiophile addict, you start looking at the AMPs section, and seeing what great deals might pop up. I was debating between the Krell KAV-300i and the Classe CAP-151 (based on the reviews I've read) for weeks and I just decided to let the price be the determining factor. When I came across a KAV-300r for the price of an KAV-300i, I jumped on the chance and that made me decide on that one. No regrets.

So I listened and listened. All the music I listened to was tight and fast... BOY was it fast. But the instruments and vocals just sounded raspy somewhat harsh. So what to do when something sounds harsh and you want to soften it up? Throw some little glowing tubes in the mix, and everything softens up. Recalling back twelve years ago, I listened to the Sonic Frontiers. I immediately hopped onto a-gon again and did a search and found one! And he was local also! So I hopped onto that chance and that really did wonders for my system.

So there you have it, folks. My first audiophile system, 12 years in the making, and each piece is just as sweet and musical as I remember. It's like reuniting with an old crush many years later. You know you were meant to be with them. It just took you some time to get there. It's a modest set up... but it's MY modest set up. :)

So, one might ask, what more needs to be done? Well I will post up pictures later, but right now I'm working on home made sound traps based on pine wood and carpet cushioning. Conditioning this room is the next step I will take before any significant purchases will be made again. And any help/advice/warnings on DIY sound traps would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you all for looking.

~W.
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Components Toggle details

    • Magnepan MG-1.6QR
    Such a nice soundstage!
    • Krell KAV-300r
    Tight, solid, fast. Just what Krell is known for.
    • Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1
    Love this CD Player.. Too bad this company went out of business!
    • Music Hall MMF 5.1
    My first belt drive turntable.
    • Grado ZF-1
    My other needle broke, long story. So I stuck with this one for now.
    • Musical Surroundings Phonomena
    Phono Stage
    • Pro-ject 10cc Tonearm
    Tonearm
    • Technics SL-1200 mkII
    Got tired of the Music Hall MMF 5 since the sound was just so lax and lazy on it. So I swapped it out for a Technics SL1210-M5G and no regrets looking back.

Comments 9

Owner
Thanks for the kind remarks, George! I was originally looking into separates but then I came across the deal that I couldn't pass up.

Actually now that you mention it, I just wanted to let you know, that I just emailed pCx to get a price quote for the SFCD-1 mod upgrades. We'll see how that goes, I also asked them if it was possible to use the SFCD-1 as either just a transport or just a DAC. We'll see what happends...

What are your thoughts on the Ultrajitterbugs? What effect did they have on the system?

neway317

Nice system,nothing modest about it!Great story too.I got interested in electronics too at around that age,maybe a little younger.That was early eighties in Greece.The first brand I discovered at a audio show was Sumo and particularly the Andromeda amp with Acoustic Research loudspeakers.Good rig then.I marched miles forward since then.I got SF in my secondary rig too. SFT-1/SFD2MK2 and two Ultrajitterbugs in the chain.Enjoy your fantastic system
George

yioryos

Interesting idea with Projector, mine is mounted upside down but on my "HillBilly" platform (I am on fixed income so I live on the cheap). I would like to do it over as if it gets bumped I need to reset the screen position which is a PITA.
Sorry but I am not the right guy to ask about your second point but post it ubder amps or vinyl and no doubt you should get a few ideas and one of them should be right.

chadnliz

Owner
I have to admit, that it is a pretty good deal. and I got it at about $325 or so.. so pretty good deal.

As for the projector, I do have one! It's an InFocus Screenplay 4805. Which is actually something that I wanted to comment on yours! Instead of using a board, you could have hung the projector upside down and gotten that cool look to it. It looks like that you have a drop ceiling. I just put an aluminum cross bar and poked three holes in the ceiling board and it looks pretty good.

So lemme ask you! I just bought a pair of Cary Sixpacs and they sound amazing with the CD player.. but when I play phono on it.. it sounds just horrible!! Any idea whats going on? I actually had to go back to my Krell to listen to my vinyl!

neway317

I think its great for the cash, I mean I got it new at cost for $360 so how can you go wrong, I run it into a battery backup unit ripped off from a computer room in the house and I intended to use it as a back up shut down for my Projector fan incase of a power outage so I didnt fry the projector. Well I know they sell battery units for the MS but its pricey so I tried it and liked it...less noise.
My father has our unit too and is moving up to the "Nova" version which has battery power for $999 so I look forward to hearing his unit when I get a chance...we dont live close.
You really have a nice thing going there and I think its above modest, looks like you use a Projector too is that correct? cheers

chadnliz

Owner
Chadnliz:

Thanks for your compliments! And you're spot on with the age, I just turned 27 a two months ago. But anyway, I'm having such a great time with all this. I actually climbed over to your system and I saw the that we both have Musical Surroundings and Sonic Frontiers in our systems! What a coincidence! (Albeit yours is quite above my league!) What are your thoughts on the phono stage?

neway317

Owner
Dusty:

Thanks for the response! Lemme tell you this stuff is addicting! I'm having the time of my life doing all this. This past weekend I just finished swapping out the stock copper wires for some silver ones and bypassed the fuse. It's quite faster now and im just waiting for it to break in, but I expect it'll take at least another 15-20 hours at the least. But bypassing the fuse did wonders in tightening up the sound and not leaving things hanging. I actually purchased a pair of modded Sixpacs that Cary/AES came out with a few years back. That softened EVERYTHING up just the right degree. Turns out the original owner modded them with the 1.6's in mind so it turned out to be a real score. I'll give it another couple of weeks and we'll see how it really sounds. I'm still debating if I should give up the Krell though since I did get it as SUCH a good deal. Any thoughts?

neway317

From the math I gather from your clues in your story I would gather you are late 20's is that right? Well at any rate this is a much better and thought out system than many I see so you should be proud, cool room, cool gear and cool story......welcome to the madness!

chadnliz

I would say for a first system this is a little better than "modest!" You have a great hi-fi story, and it's only beginning. Have fun, enjoy listening, and welcome to the community.

-Dusty

heyitsmedusty

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