Just when I thought we were done...

by dougdeacon on Ever Evolving

Description

90% classical, 5% jazz, 5% whatever shows up.
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Components Toggle details

    • Loricraft PRC-3
    $1800 for a flippin' vacuum cleaner?! Crazy, but it works.
    • Surgex SX-15NE
    Series mode surge suppressor, panel mount, protects only the dedicated circuit for the system. Limits dynamics, so it's out of the circuit; seeking alternatives
    • Exact Power EP-15A
    Voltage regulation, sine wave correction, EMI/RFI filter, large current reserve, digital/analog filters, some surge protection; improves clarity, dynamics and sound floor of the whole system
    • Teres 320 (modded)
    Ref II motor w/ upgraded gold brushes, DIY acid-etched holographic drive belt substantially improves speed stability.
    • Tri-Planar VII
    Gimbal arm, every adjustment I'd ever heard of, and a few I hadn't!
    • Shelter 901
    Not used but often lent out to friends. If you're interested - and friendly! - let me know.
    • ZYX UNIverse II X-SB
    More dynamic and impactful than original UNIverse, yet also with a lower sound floor, lower distortion and greater clarity
    • Bent Audio Mu MC stepup transformers
    Not in use, the MC stage in the Alaap is much better.
    • Marantz UD-9004
    Universal disc player, including blu-ray; massive upgrade in both PQ and SQ from our Denon DVD-3910
    • Nick Doshi Alaap
    Full function preamp. Massive external power supplies. FET MC gain stage, all subsequent gain is from tubes. Each Alaap is built to order and Nick only makes a handful each year. Each one is made with as many or as few options as the owner prefers. This preamp holds its own (at least) against every commercial unit I've heard. It has replaced commercial phono + line stages costing up to $40K. With all due respect, this is the real, "preamp deal of the century"!
    • Lectron JH-50, heavily modded by Nick Doshi
    57 incredibly hefty wpc Dual mono Custom power supplies Partridge output transformers (rare these days) Custom, discrete tube regulator circuits Black Gate power supply caps TFT Exotica coupling caps Cardas internal wire and connectors 4 - Electro Harmonix EL-34's (strong, fast, neutral) 2 - NOS 6SJ7's 2 - Tung Sol 6SN7's Like no amp I've heard anywhere; tube naturalness without warmth or bloat, enormous power reserves with no glare or grain.
    • B&W Nautilus 803D
    Major upgrade from our N803's. Thank you Santa! :-)
    • Panasonic TC-P46ST30
    46" plasma, 1080p, professionally calibrated; crap speakers like all new TVs but stunning PQ, near Kuro quality for 1/10 the price :)
    • Audio Points 1.5-AP-J
    Threaded spikes for speakers
    • Nordost Valkyrja
    1m RCA's between CDP/preamp and preamp/amp
    • Nordost Valkyrja
    2.5m Biwire speaker cables with z-plugs Replaced SPM Reference, major improvement (more extension, less bloat).
    • Salamander Synergy Triple 20
    This is serial #1 of this model, the first Triple 20 delivered to any consumer anywhere. Too resonant for a serious audiophile, but looks nice in the LR.
    • Nordost Shiva
    Entry level Nordost PC. Runs from Exact Power to the TV and yes, the PQ did improve - a lot!
    • Nordost Vishnu
    More bass weight and dynamic headroom than the entry level Shiva. It's actually a bigger upgrade than the marketing folks claim, a happy surprise! We're using three: - wall to Exact Power - Exact Power to preamp power supply - Exact Power to amp
    • W Enterprises Northwest Music Timbre
    Exact Power to DVD player Improved low frequency strength and extension for both audio and video, reduced overhang on all audio frequencies
    • Symposium Rollerblocks, tungsten, cryoed
    4 sets, one set each beneath: - Exact Power - preamp power supply - preamp audio chassis - power amp

Comments 113

Showing all comments by ndoshi.

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There are some seriously good current production tubes.
I would venture to say that in terms of quality, we are close to the 60's. I have done listening tests with current prod 12AX7's and they were better than the vaunted NOS siemens etc. Doug has them in his preamp right now. I have no problem recommending current production tubes that have been tested at the voltages that they will be used.
eg. in my amp - I get startling results with SED, Golden Dragon (Shuguang). I recently took it to a listening test with the chinese EL34's in it and people were amazed.
If you have a good basic circuit, you will get a certain level of result with basically any tube that conforms to specs. Then,its a matter of slight tweaking.
HTH

ndoshi

correction on tubes (if I may), the tubes that Doug has are the 1980's Reflektor/Sovtek 6CA7. They look very close the the sylvania 6CA7. Not available anymore.

ndoshi

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