Thanks for all the threads urging me to wait patiently for the Kestrels, it was worth it. The music has an overall integration, highs are smooth and extended, bass sounds solid and tight. But the mids are where the system really shines. My next upgrade is a good rack and changes to the room. Any comments or opinions are appreciated. Thanks for viewing.
Great Sound . Very clear , details . But how about the sweat sound your system have ??? I think you need one more DAC /Tube like Audio Note 2.1X signature for your High End system. The tubes are very sensibility. If you need other sounds in your system , you can change the tubes . Also the interconnect cables. Please never mind with my comments. Thank You.
I was considering selling the entire system on Audiogon. I'd like to get some feedback on how much I might be able to ask. Comments definitely appreciated!
System updated. Got a mapleshade rack and threaded heavyfeet brass footers for the PL1. Source is resting on ultimate triplepoint v.3's. Will post pics soon.
Millikeith, the speakers are DIY. The speaker are Dayton Audio from partsexpress. The cabinets are custom built by a friend to my parameters. The crossover was built by me from scratch. So far, I am very impress with the sound. The high are airy and detail with no harshness. The bass is very tight and articulate with body. Even though the cutoff point is at 48 Hz, I am still using a sub.
Highend64, I'm glad you commented on the simplicity--it was one of my goals when I was putting the system together. The Kestrels sound great. Actually, if you look at Veroman's thread history you'll find a really accurate and concise review of the Kestrels. With what I've heard so far I agree with his observations 100%.
As for the Monster conditioner, I emailed Robert Harley who recommended Monster's HTS series and Shunyata's Guardian. I love the look of the Guardian, but I wouldn't exactly call it budget and it requires the extra purchase of a power cord, which pushes the cost up more. I definitely noticed changes, especially a lowered noise floor and a tonal smoothness that wasn't there before. Plus I feel good knowing the system will be protected from surges/spikes. For the cost, it was worth it for me. Thanks for viewing, I'll talk to you later. ps. I checked out your system, what can you tell me about those speakers you're using?
Very nice and simple system. I haven't heard the Kestrels but I have heard the Huron II( I think that is what is called) and I was impressed how well it sounded.
How is the monster cable? I see you have the amp connected. Does affect the sound in any away? Thanks
Hey Veroman, I hear what you're saying about the Kestrels. I have close to 300 hours and I'm beginning to get an idea of what they will sound like. The highs are starting to smooth out and the bass is becoming more prominent. I'm finding that the bass is "there" if it's in the recording--if it's not, it's not.
Regarding the power issue, I've read a lot about the Kestrels and although they are 88 or 89db they are easy to drive. They seem to work really well with the lower power push/pull designs like the Primaluna I. However, in the same breath, the Primaluna I isn't exactly known for its thunderous bass. Thanks for the feedback. Talk to you later.
room treatment panels. they made big diff. with my kestrals in drywalled room. do need breakin so do not sweat it. thin bass may be due to amp output. i am no expert on tube ratings re. push/pull etc. but my mod. jolida (same tubes?) puts out 60 wpc. and they eat every bit of it. maybe push pull is diff? kestrals won't sound 'warm'. they CAN slam with high power but they won't add any bass color. mids and highs are fantastic so don't sweat that. tubies out there may know more but sensitivity is 'only' @88 on k-2's so power may be issue. nice set up!
Siegfried, Ha. The two coexist and it's a beautiful thing. I thought about the windows too. Getting rid of the tray tables and some curtains are definitely the next moves. Thanks for the advice.
I just had a look at the pics of your room. I've seen way worse than this. At least you got space. There is no magic rule for improving your accoustics. It's a lot of trial and error. Corner traps usually do good. Beware of that window behind the speakers. Try some kind of thick drapes, it may help solidify your imaging and straighten the low end a bit. Worked for me. When you say this is your second wife, should we understand that you got rid of the first one?
Question: Are cdp's like the minimax that utilize tubes considered digital components? I'm curious because some companies (e.g. signalcable) manufacture power cords for digital and non-digital components. Wondering if anyone had any thoughts.
Siegfried, Thanks for the compliment and reassurance. I'm very lucky to have this system. The truth is, it sounds far better than anything I've ever owned (i.e. mass market components). It actually takes some getting used to a more balanced sound. And the music does come through nicely. Voices sound fantastic and the timbre of instruments is accurate enough for me. Staging is good with well recorded music, however my room has significant acoustical challenges (I plan to post pics for suggestions soon). It's just nice to be focusing on my music collection again.
Don't be discouraged with the breaking in period. One of my friends bought a pair of Hot-Rod Shearwater and they began to really sing after 350 hours... But the waiting was worth it. I bet yours must sound very sweet with these EL-34s. Very nice rig.
Gmele, Thanks for the encouragement with the Kestrel break-in. If the speakers stayed like they are now--bass-shy and harsh and grainy highs--I would conclude that I've wasted my money. I'm most scared because some of my favorite, albeit more poorly recorded, 60's and 70's fare sounds like crap.
My first impressions hearing the Kestrel's at Sound by Singer in NYC (however with a better amp) was the smooth and airy highs. What was your experience with changes over the break-in period? Thanks again. Keith
Here's a link to some detailed tips to build the IKEA Lyte Rack, along with a link to Ken Lyon's original recipe. Note that it is not essential to inject the foam, it's a minor benefit according to Ken. His main priorities of a rigid, low mass, energy dissipating design remain intact without this step. If you decide to inject foam, do this a day prior to assembling the rack to allow time for drying. You inquired about the base. The base is simply one table top without the legs. So if you want two platforms--one for amp and one for CDP--you need to buy two tables (about $15/ea). Consider leaving a good 6-8+" clearance above your tube amp for heat disipation. Spikes are an essential aspect of the design. No vibrapods. Regarding vibrapods under the speakers, I've got two very curious cats, but they never took interest in my speakers. You may want to give them a try. Here's a link to the rack webpage:
Hey Quackfat, Thanks for the tips, especially on the power cords. I haven't had any experience with those manufacturers but will definitely look into them when I go to upgrade. As for the speaker cable, I would love to start experimenting but think I'm going to make some less expensive changes first (rack, room, vibropods) and see what it all sounds like. I'll keep your suggestions in mind down the line. Thanks again.
Mikemarv, Thanks for the advice. It is an elevated floor above a basement. The room itself has very odd dimensions and eventually I'll post pics of it. My only concern with vibropods under the speakers is stability (I have a cat). However, I agree the wobbly tray tables have to go and love the Ikea rack idea. If you could post or email me instructions it would be greatly appreciated. By the way, what makes up the base of the stand? Are you using vibropods or spikes in between the stand and the floor? Thanks again for all the advice.
Give those Meadowlarks some time to break in and you won't be sorry. A truly great speaker. But they will need around 400 hours. Try just leaving them on when you doing things around the house and those 400 hours will pass by in no time. Enjoy...
i'd recomend getting rid of the Q-10's and going with something a bit more open and extended. i've been very happy with the mapleshade double golden helix, which replaced the Q-10's in my system. at the same price point, there's no comparison between the two imho. also, the chela speaker cables are a great choice in that price range. as for power cords, i'd recomend giving VH Audio a try there as well. his cables are resonably priced and have a mbg. there's been some good comments on black sand lately, but i have no personal experience with them.
Great looking system! Love the look of those Meadowlarks. I have two suggestions that will set you back a whopping $70 bucks that worked for me, and I have used a very similar system. If that's a floor vent in the upper left, then you have a raised foundation. If so, you may want to experiment with four, appropriately sized vibropods under each speaker instead of spikes (only if you don't have little ones or large pets as they will be stable, but not quite as stable). I have oak floors on a raised foundation and this made a material improvement in bass exension, soundstage and imaging. Second, and this is a no brainer, go to your local IKEA and buy two Lack end tables (oak finish would fit nicely with your floors) and build the Ken Lyon (of Neuance fame) designed IKEA Lyte equipment rack. This will take you all of about 4 hours. If you don't have access to a chop saw, your local hardware store can cut down the legs. Given that I have the same amp and similar system and room, I can speculate that you will achieve better inner resolution, pacing, note attack and decay. Although cheap, this rack is based on the principles that Neuance uses with its mega $$$ equipment shelves. Not that a power cord change won't make a difference (it will), but tese simple tweaks will make a material difference and will allow you to better assess the impact of a power cord change. If you are interested I can send you directions, or do a search here and also on asylum. Try it!
So much for shelving the obsession. I've been reading on power cords, which is likely to be my next upgrade. Only concern is really cost/performance ratio. Price needs to be reasonable given what I paid for the components (i.e. I can't justify a 400 dollar power cord for a 1000 dollar amp). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
