That's a great idea, but then that'd take away money for system upgrades, to keep travel times short at about 120 MPH.

islandmandan January 10, 2014 20:05

HaHa Brett! Very funny!

jetrexpro January 10, 2014 00:18

What this country needs is our version of an East to West Audiobahn!

isochronism January 09, 2014 20:35

Brett, all I can say is, jump on a plane and come see for yourself!

It's only about 3000 miles, isn't it?

islandmandan January 09, 2014 19:48

Come on now guys, enough is enough. Your systems must now be at about the same sound quality level as mine.... I need to step up my game... HA

isochronism January 09, 2014 19:26

Thanks very much Dan!

jetrexpro January 08, 2014 20:33

Hi Dave,

I think the EML's are pretty much broken in, as you know they are amazing. I have been focusing on the VAC PA 35.35 lately.

My initial asessment of the solid-core silver cable was way off-base. Just my second session with them last night. I put on Ultra Analog's sampler CD, and lo and behold, the sound was top to bottom, beautifully balanced.

After that, Roy Hargrove's "Parkers Mood" was the best I've ever heard it. These cables have made the push-pull VAC sound much more SET-like.

I now wish I had tried the silvers on the SET 300B amp first before buying the Auditorium A23's. At under $900 for three meters, it's an amazing bargain.

I think the SET is going to love the silvers.

I'll let you know if the XLS' improve any more, I think they are at around 100 hours now, and also how the SET likes the silver cables.

Regards,
Dan

islandmandan January 08, 2014 19:52

Hi Dan, Will be interesting to see how your SET likes the silver speaker cables. Keep us posted.

Are your EMLs fully broken in? I am interested to see about how long the break in process takes. As you know from my system post mine are sounding very nice and have about 65 hours of play time.

Thanks! Dave

jetrexpro January 08, 2014 13:38

Well, I still can't edit my VS. Hope the A'gon mavens can help.

Yesterday, I added Tempo Electric solid-core 12 ga. .9999 silver w/teflon tube insulation to my system, for use with my VAC PA 35.35/Tannoy HPD system, an alternative amp to my main SET 300B w/EML XLS 300B tubes, with which I use Auditorium A23 speaker cable.

The silver cables are replacing Supra Classic 6, with Furutech Rhodium locking bananas.

The amp end uses bare wire, but the Furutech bananas had to be used on the outboard crossover connections, as the copper Cardas speaker terminals don't have holes to accept bare wire. (I have Walker Reference HDL's attached using spade connectors, so a j-hook bare wire connection wouldn't work for me).

There is a difference with the new cables, however, it is a bit subtle. Bass-response seems to be better, high frequency response seems a bit recessed from what I remember with the Supra's.

First impressions are good overall, very smooth, will take a little time to adjust to. I didn't know what to expect here, but I'll report later if I notice any change. I may switch the silvers for the A23's, and see if the SET likes the combination better than the VAC.

islandmandan January 07, 2014 20:28

Hi Dan,
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll follow up on some of these recordings.
Charles,

charles1dad December 31, 2013 01:08

Charles, Chris, Brett, please read my last post!

Thanks,
Dan

islandmandan December 30, 2013 23:39

I've added Herbies Tube Dampers to my EML 300B XLS tubes, but I can't edit my system for whatever reason it is this time.

Several CD's I ordered from ECM in Germany arrived yesterday, and I have to say, they have very satisfyingly scratched an itch I didn't even know I had.

So far, I have heard "Quercus", by June Tabor on voice, Iain Ballamy on saxaphones, and Huw Warren on piano. The pieces seem to be folk and traditional songs from Great Britain.

This is without a doubt, some of the most beatiful and engaging music I've ever heard. Wave after wave of endorfin-induced pleasure, I can't really describe it, but it's something to be experienced.

Tomasz Stanko, New York Quintet, "Wislawa" was next, a double CD release, is also very good, despite some squealing and squonking from Stanko's trumpet, is also very satisfying.

Still to come is Stefano Battaglia Trio, "Songways, and last, but not least, will be Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette on "Somwhere". I actually started out with the sampler (free with enough CD's, 4 or 5). The sampler has a 1975 recording of Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Charlie Hayden, and a String Orchestra, from members of Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stuttgart, which is also some of the most gorgeous music-making I've ever heard. Jarrett is sensational.

Just some extremely gratifying listening lately, good stuff.

Happy New Year!
Dan

islandmandan December 30, 2013 21:38

Thanks, Charles, and same to you!

Dan

islandmandan December 25, 2013 18:17

Jetrexpro,
I know we've talked about these tubes and I'm glad you're willing to try them. Let us know what you think of them when you find the time. It's interesting as we're all using different amplifiers.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
Charles,

charles1dad December 24, 2013 23:27

Jetrexpro, you are going to love those tubes! You'll be glad you got 'em!

Have a great Christmas,
Dan

islandmandan December 24, 2013 21:50

Well I had to join the fun, and ordered a pair of EML 300b XLS. We are traveling for the holidays so I won't be able to put them in until the New Year. They are much heavier than my Sophia's and Psvanes. Appear to be very well made with thick glass.

Happy holidays Dan and all!

jetrexpro December 23, 2013 14:13

I love good quality solid core silver with my tubes and especially SET amplifier.Auditorium 23 has a stellar reputation so this would be an interesting comparison for certain.
Charles,

charles1dad December 22, 2013 23:27

Hello Arj, all,

As far as cables go, I'm using Auditorium A23 speaker cables for the SET amp, and I've ordered silver/teflon speaker cables from Tempo Electric (12 gauge), for use on the VAC amp.

It'll be interesting to see if it makes a difference from the Supra Classic 6 cables I've been using.

Best regards,
Dan

islandmandan December 22, 2013 20:53

I think a guy needs multiple wives like he needs another hole in his head! My apologies to the ladies, but IME, all women are as crazy as s*it-house rats (on acid!).

But then again, most women are far too sensible to spend vast sums of money on a hobby such as ours. (Maybe jewelry).

The EMLs keep getting better, the presentation smoother, but just as detailed.

Some new vinyl I'm enjoying, Thelonius Monk, "Brilliant Corners", T Monk, "Monk's Dream, Miles Davis, "Dig" (a 1951 recording) Miles Davis "Four and More", Oscar Peterson, "Night Train", Jimmy Smith, "The Cat", and John Hammond "Wild Horses Rock Steady", which, unfortunatly, is warped so badly the stylus won't stay in the groove. I was given a credit for this, as all copies seem to suffer from the same condition.

It's too bad, as this early fusion music, and the recording itself, was done very well. I may have to attempt some kind of flattening first-aid.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Dan

islandmandan December 21, 2013 19:37

Hi Dan

...but with the usual strengths and weaknesses presented by the two different approaches to amplification.

I look forward to your impressions of both types of amplication.

as you know I like:
multiple amps
multiple speakers,
multiple rooms,
multiple kids,
multiple wiv.....wait sorry wrong forum :^(

heh heh

There are so many variables in a system especially with vinyl. Stuff happens.
Have heard of people selling of speakers and amps over connection issues.
imo - you were fortunate to find the problem and not go and sell off a component you enjoy.

Hillary hath arrived through snail mail yesterday. Will give her a listen this weekend.
Seasons Greetings and Merry Christmas to you.

Cheers Chris

ct0517 December 21, 2013 18:39

Dan, Dont worry..many of us have done worse.Only last week i was depressed and going to can my Decca cart as only one channel was working despite hours of switching cables and tubes. anyway found out that the cart was loose from its pod and a simple push and the world was a good place to live in again !

Regarding cables, do try single core cables( especially Silver)..i found them to work great with tubes + sensitive speaker setups

arj December 21, 2013 14:37

Well, gentlemen (and women), I address you red-faced. I recently decided to give my VAC push-pull PA 35.35 some listening time. Great.

So, while listening, I thought I'd try the 4 Ohm taps. I soon discovered why the SET 300B was sounding so much better than the trusty old VAC. I'm sure most of you have figured out that, yes, I had the VAC wired out of phase.

DUH! Anyway, this brought the sound of the two amps much closer together, but with the usual strengths and weaknesses presented by the two different approaches to amplification.

Besides feeling stupid, it's a good feeling having the VAC sounding so much better. A while back, I had swapped speaker cables between the SET and the VAC, so ever since then, I haven't used the VAC much, as it wasn't sounding anywhere near as good as the SET amp.

I'm thinking of making some new speaker cables for the VAC, using the silver wire and teflon tubing Tempo Electric sells.

This will replace the Supra Classic 6 with the rhodium locking Furutech bananas I made up a couple of years ago.

On another subject, I listened last night to the newly-arrived Thelonius Monk's "Brilliant Corners", and holy smokes, it's the best T Monk LP I've heard yet, performance-wise, and sound quality-wise.

If you like TM, and don't have this LP, you should treat yourself to this release.

Best regards, have a happy Christmas,
Dan

islandmandan December 18, 2013 19:38

Hi Dan - glad you liked the music.

for those on your thread here, a link to the sample tracks on Ed's website. I find they sound good through headphones or the laptop hooked to a system. Not sure how long Ed will have them on his site.

http://ultraanaloguerecordings.com/wpsite/sample-tracks/

I am still waiting for the Hillary cd to show up. Look forward to listening to it. cheers chris.

ct0517 December 14, 2013 23:36

As Chris suggested, I ordered and received two CD's from Ultra Analog (they usually only sell reel-to-reel tapes, but Edward Pong put these CD's out to try and help the artists).

Edward sent me the Beetoven, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff sampler, and and another CD he burned for me. Both are by the musicians Yun-Yang Lee (piano) and Sietse-Jan Weijenberg, (cello).

These recordings are top-notch, as are the performances. Thanks, Chris, for the heads-up!

Regards,
Dan

islandmandan December 11, 2013 19:51

Last night, I listened to Dexter Gordon, "The Other Side of Midnight", a superbly quiet piece of vinyl, and the live performannce was very upbeat and engaging.

The Black Lion reissue is a good one.

Regards,
Dan

islandmandan December 08, 2013 20:03