System edited: New amps arrived…fun times!

countingbackwards December 21, 2013 04:18

System edited: Some pictures added!

countingbackwards July 02, 2012 18:00

More pictures and info will follow in a while...I'm a pretty bad photographer! I'll have to get around to taking some more pix - haven't really taken any since the arrival of the VTL and Wavelength. But...my RealTraps are mounted in wall-wall corners and ceiling-wall corners.

countingbackwards April 11, 2012 03:52

Hi Kevin,

I'm storing the music (lossless AIFF) on an external 2-drive Western Digital fanless RAID enclosure with 2 TB drives in it - one drive is a mirror of the other, so there is a backup inherent in the system (be careful to use RAID 1 rather than RAID 0 with 2-drive arrays, only RAID 1 incorporates backup).

By using a memory player like Pure Music or Amarra (where the external HDD rarely spins up), I don't suspect there'd be a difference in sound quality between internal SSD and reading off an external HDD - or at least, not one big enough to justify the ridiculous cost of sufficient SSD storage to store a large collection.

If you're gonna use a USB DAC, then use firewire for the drives (as I'm doing) - you don't want anything else on the USB bus other than the DAC. I use an external CD drive to rip discs, but disconnect that for listening.

countingbackwards April 10, 2012 17:31

BTW...detailed review will come soon, now that the string of upgrades is reaching its conclusion - next up will be working on the rack (and I mean working on it - will be working on some projects with a woodworker to try to come up with a nice rack).

countingbackwards April 06, 2012 03:02

System edited: Music server added...bought a Mac Mini and then loaded it up with Amarra and my ~1200 CD's in AIFF format while awaiting delivery of my Cosecant. The DAC sounds great - a marked improvement over the Numerator-equipped version I had on loan that made up my mind to buy one. So a new way to listen to music is here!

countingbackwards April 06, 2012 02:59

So...a quick update on my recent upgrades. The gear seems to be relatively burned in now, so I'm ready to comment a bit on the improvements.

First off...it's a bit difficult to call this a detailed review. Why? A few reasons - first off, I've changed 3 major components (amp, preamp, cartridge) essentially at the same time, so it's hard to state in detail what each has done. Second - the change is so dramatic and the upgrade so drastic, that of course the sound is phenomenal and very much to my liking. It gets hard to delineate between my own preferences, and what the equipment is doing from an objective viewpoint.

The biggest differences that I'm noticing are...pretty much everything! When using the amp in tetrode mode, the dynamics and frequency extension at the extremes is a huge step up from what I had before, as is the dimensionality and size of the soundstage. Midrange just sounds so smooth and detailed, even more so when the amp is in triode mode. The ability of the system to allow the listener to focus in on the slightest detail, and to provide space for that detail to deliver itself within the soundstage, is just phenomenal.

In trying to allocate the impact of the different pieces of this upgrade, while understanding that the 3 pieces were purchased specifically to work with each other within the context of my turntable/arm/speakers, I think I have an idea at least! The cartridge is clearly very balanced and dynamic, given that the improved dynamics are more clearly evident on records than on CD's. The ability to focus in on the smallest detail within a recording seems to emanate from the preamp, whereas the size and scale of the soundstage and large-scale dynamics seems to be a product of the amplification. As for the great timbre and tonality across the frequency range - I suspect that's a mix of everything.

I agree about Parsifals being a great speaker whose performance belies their size. Their detailed and alluring full-range performance in a package that easily fits into my small-ish room was a key element in my choosing them last year. And now, driven by proper amplification, they are sounding better than ever.

countingbackwards December 29, 2011 21:09

System edited: So a major change to my system had my AX7e integrated amp and Benz Ruby 3H cartridge replaced by a Shindo Monbrison preamp, VTL ST-150 amp and Ortofon A90 cartridge. Lots of fun listening to come!!!

countingbackwards December 13, 2011 23:43

Thanks...been a long time assembling this system - the change of speakers a few months back has changed the whole character of the system for the better. Am absolutely having a great time listening to music these days.

countingbackwards April 03, 2011 23:20

System edited: Pictures added!

countingbackwards February 10, 2011 20:40

System edited: Am on the tweaking stages now...Cardas Golden Reference XLR cable from phono to amp, Ayre Signature XLR cable from CDP to amp. I'm starting to get worried...after a few remaining tweaks to things like speaker cables/power stuff, I'll be done and will have the system I've been aiming for. The upgrading is fun though!

countingbackwards February 26, 2010 21:05

So now that I've parlayed my exuberance over the CX7e into a matching AX7e, the main components of my system are now set for the foreseeable future. Now I can address the part of the system that hasn't seen much of my focus due to "not putting the cart before the horse". Cables, specifically speaker cables and interconnects. My plan is to do some experimenting over the next little while...

countingbackwards October 18, 2009 20:52

The Ayre is better in every aspect of sound then the Meridian, from what I can tell so far. The overall sound is open and airy, which seems to be the company's general sound signature. Bass hits with impact and there's detail that I've never heard before on my discs. I know people say this all the time, but I've noticed a lot of atmospheric elements on multiple discs that I never heard before.

Another factor that is great about the Ayre is the absolute dead-silent background. There was a bit of a hiss with the Meridian that is completely gone with the Ayre. I suspect this has a lot to do with the increased detail, and is likely indicative of a better-designed power supply.

The aspect of the Ayre's sound that most appeals to me is the proper weight and impact that is alloted to the drums. That, combined with the solid bass, results in a great-sounding rhythm section, which is where the Meridian was seriously lacking. Compared to the Ayre, the Meridian produced a recessed bass and rhythm that was warm-sounding, but a bit plodding. It was a great match to my overly bright Bryston amp that I had a few years back, but in a more balanced system, it lacks punch and is a bit dead-sounding. In fact, this one attribute is the real reason that I decided to upgrade the CDP - the other benefits were a somewhat unexpected bonus.

In comparing with my analog front end, the Ayre is definitely more open and airy sounding, with a more impactful and dynamic sound and, as could be expected, a quieter background. The vinyl setup draws attention more to the midrange and the Ayre draws more attention to the frequency extremes. There's nothing that CD seems able to do to match the richness and body of the Gyro/Graham/Benz/LP5.3 midrange though. Both sound great to me, and offer me different types of sound that appeal better to different types of music. For example, I find that Bjork and Radiohead sound better on CD in my system, but Belle & Sebastien sounds better on vinyl. I haven't done extensive "testing" though, and really, that's no fun, since what I want to do is listen to music...

countingbackwards May 29, 2008 19:10

System edited: Will see how the CX-7e melds into the system as it breaks in - first impressions are very positive, it's a CD player much more in line with what I seek in my music these days than the Meridian that it's replacing.

countingbackwards May 08, 2008 15:27

System edited: Orbe screw-down clamp added, will be analyzing its sonic impact in the coming days. The first couple of records seemed to be a bit more "weighty" sounding without losing airiness. The most notable advantage thus far is the logistical improvement of a screw-down clamp vs. a pressure-clamping solution.

countingbackwards March 30, 2008 21:30

System edited: Added the Moon LP5.3 phono amplifier...initial impressions are very positive - the quietness of this phono stage in comparison with my previous Musical Fidelity XLP stage is remarkable, which one would expect for the price difference. Any further impressions will follow in the analog section...

countingbackwards November 29, 2007 01:34

I'm considering a P-500 to power my front end in order to make use of Multiwave II+ and its ability to fine-tune turntable speed, thus negating any potential need for the upgraded Michell HR power supply while bringing a benefit to both my turntable and CD player. Does this plan make sense?

Unfortunately the Premier doesn't have the fine-tuning of turntable speed as does the P-500, so I'm not sure it would be any better in my system.

countingbackwards September 05, 2007 15:42