Analog Central

by nighteyes0 on Opinions Please
Tight Space
Analog Central
Not The Best Place for a Rack
Note the Nitty Gritty Cleaner
Cable Elevators -- Overrated Tweak?

Description

Well, the journey started again and with renewed vigor and interest in January of 2003.

Having been somewhat into audio in the 80s, I had put that on the back burner for 15 years, after downsizing my system from large Halfler amps and Dahlquist DQ 10s with a top-of-the-line Thorens analog rig. The DQ-10s ran afowl of the WAF. After selling nearly everything in the late 80s under duress, building a career and raising kids seemed to preclude jumping back into serious audio and my first love. In the interim, along the way I bought a Nakamichi Stasis receiver pushing a dinky 70 watts into a pair of Dahlquist M-907s, acquired an early Nad CD player and unloaded many of my prized vinyl at garage sales we held as we moved around the country. Fortunately, I did keep my classical catalog, all my audiophile recordings and my limited jazz collection. The only pieces from my original rig that made it across time were my TT and my old Nakamichi LX-5 tape deck.

So fast forward to last January and I decide to move the Nak receiver and speakers into my study. After a few days of listening I noticed a vibrating sound coming from one speaker. I learned that both woofers were blown. I got them rebuilt at Regnar, and reinstalled them along with upgraded capacitor kit. The sound was magnificent. I had also purchased a pair of used, but not abused, Thiel CS 2s on ebay, which I decided to keep in the listening room and relegate the old Dahlquists to the basement. But at this point, like a heroin addict who has kicked the habit, but who remembers the euphoria, the craving for killer sound was growing in me. I bought a new Sunfire amp and Cary preamp in April, followed quickly by a new CD player and traded in my Thorens for a Pro-Ject Wood Classic with a Dynavector 10X 4 cartridge. It was starting to come together, but as I was listening and regaining the ear I thought I had in the 80s, I still wasn't satisfied. I devoured everything I could read to catch up on the technology. I also could hear the great difference between digital and analog and it was clear to me that if I was going to achieve the sound I was after, my system goal was to build a system with analog as the central source, while maintaining a respectable digital source, but not at goosebump-inducing level. With SACD promising to be the digital audiophile format of the future, I could wait on that. I was after a warm system, but not one that puts you to sleep. I was after a system that lets you celebrate the music while still giving you the sonic equivalent of a double shot of expresso every once in a while. I also started collecting new and used vinyl through internet sources and the Princeton Record Exchange, a great source of new and used vinyl.

I think the current system I have listed here has moved me closer to the characteristics I was after. Are there better components? Of course, there are always better components and I've learned that everyone's opinion is the right one in audio. Is this system perfect? Of course not, but I think I'm close. We all know that there is no perfect system. It's purely subjective and dependent on so many variables. I can say that I have a largely euphonic system which seems, on the whole, fairly balanced. The warmth of the mid-range is balanced by the bass slam I get from the Pass Labs amp. An interesting observation of this system is that the CD front end with the MF upsampling DAC approaches the warmth of analog, while the Aries Black Knight's/JMW 9/Benz-Micro L2 front end seems to lean ever so slightly towards what's good in digital, ie, low noise, clarity, great imaging. Finally, this system seems to bring out the warts in all the source material. There's no hiding poor recording techniques here. I also think I have a system that is refined, yet powerful -- perhaps too powerful for my room dimensions (12'WX14'LX9'H). I'm okay with that. I'm working on dealing with the various room modes at play.

My next stop on the upgrade path may well be a move to an all tube system with the substitution of a pair of Cary Monoblock triode amps that have enough power to drive my Thiel 2.4s. I also have my sights on replacing my digital front end with a one-box SACD/CD unit like the MF Tri-Vista or the Esoteric DV 50. I'm also working towards eventually moving the system to the family room that will be properly treated.

I welcome any comments and suggestions from my more learned and expert audiophiles on Audiogon.

So the journey continues...
Read more...

Components Toggle details

    • Thiel Audio 2.4
    Excellent transparent sounding speaker. My second pair of Thiels and these really are spectacular, especially for acoustic jazz. I have a fairly warm system, so these balance out the tube preamp and warm ICs
    • Cary Audio Design SLP-88L
    Great entry level tube preamp which I've tube rolled alternately with Raytheon VT 231 and RCA VT 231. The RCAs have a sweeter and lush midrange, while the Raytheon's give a scosh more bottom end. Definitely an improvement over stock Sovtek tubes. Also, having the gain reduced by 8 db because I have too much gain in my system with the Pass Labs amp.
    • Pass Labs X-250
    I am thoroughly enjoying this amp, despite the fact that it has 30db of gain. Consequently, I'm having my Cary Pre modified by Dennis to reduce gain by 8 or 9 db. That should give me the ability to finely adjust volume in the system.
    • VPI Industries Aries 2 Black Knight
    This is one amazing table. Has a dark presentation. Much more dynamic than my previous Wood Classic. This may be my TT for life.
    • VPI Industries JMW-9
    Been told by a few Audiogoners that this is the better tonearm in the VPI line
    • Benz-Micro L2 Wood
    Very musical cartridge. Still breaking it in. Purchased in Hong Kong during a recent trip there.
    • Pass Labs X-ONO
    This was a big upgrade from the McCormack Microdrive Phono preamp. Lower noise floor and much more transparent. Really draws you into the music.
    • Music Hall CD 25 Modded by Parts Connexion
    Using this stand-alone player as a CD transport with good results. Will likely upgrade to the Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista SACD player
    • Musical Fidelity A3-24
    Great upsampling DAC. Has breathed new life into my cd player.
    • Nakamichi LX-5
    Every now and then I hook up this classic tapedeck and play back some of my old analog recordings. Still sounds good after all these years.
    • Alessis Masterlink 9600
    Exceptional unit for archiving vinyl. I'm able to make great CDs of my vinyl material for playback in my car. Also great for making CD copies for the car.
    • Harmonic Technology Truth Link
    Warm sounding ICs used throughout my system. I've tried others and seem to fall back to these cables.
    • Magnum Dynalab FT-11
    I picked this tuner up so that I could listen to some local college stations where some of the best music seems to be coming from on the FM dial. Don't really use it much.
    • Delphi Satellite Tuner
    I got this for background music while working in my study/listening room. 100 channels of all kinds of musical and talk formats. The feed is a bit compressed and isn't nearly as good as a well-tuned FM station. However, it is noise free and there are lots of options, even though the program material is a bit formulaic. I listen to mostly the Real Jazz channel and Deep Tracks, where occasionally they broadcast concerts from some great classic rock bands.
    • Virtual Dynamics Cryoed BX cable, Hubbell outlets
    Installed two dedicated 20 amp lines using VD BX power cables along with cryoed breakers and Hubbell 20 amp hospital grade outlets.
    • Synergistic Research AC Master 10
    Am using this power cord on my Pass Labs amp. It seemed to open up the sound stage.
    • Harmonic Technology AC Master 10
    Using these on my preamp and DAC. Any suggestions on good upgrade cables?
    • Richard Gray 400s
    This was my original power conditioner until I upgraded to a Balanced Power Technology unit. I'm using this mostly for non-critical components.
    • Balanced Power Technology BPT 2.5
    Balanced power unit and conditioner that regulates current supply to components. I notived a big difference when I connected all my components to this unit. I also had my Pass Labs connected to the unit for a while and found that it performed better, improved, bigger soundstage and lower noise floor.
    • Salamander Synergy 40
    Already ran out of room on this rack.
    • Salamander Amp stand
    used for my heavy Pass Labs amp
    • DIY TT Platform for Target Wall Shelf
    Essentially, I took a piece of 3/4 inch MDF purchased at Home Depot, custom cut it to size and painted it black. The stock shelf was too small for the Aries 2.
    • DIY Isolation Platform CD Transport/DAC
    Used a slab of 1.25 inch polished granite I got free from a friend who runs a granite fabrication and installation business. I hot glued three DH ceramic cones to the bottome of the slab and rested the slab on three DH squares. I noticed an immediate improvement in the sound of the combined diital source. More open, tighter bass.
    • DIY Sound absorbers
    The left speaker first reflection was a pair of divided glass doors, while the right speaker benefited from a wood bookcase at the first reflection point. I installed swingout velvet drapes over the doors. I've had these up for two days and I have noticed that the room is much less bright. The sound seems more coherent from my listening position. Bass is not as boomy and the midrange seems warmer with the drapes drawn. I have actually noticed has cleared up and the bass seems less boomy. Interestingly, I notice that I can add a little brightness by moving the position of one of the swing away drapes.
    • Cardas Golden Reference Monowire
    Still breaking them in.
    • Cardas Golden Reference Phono Cable
    Still breaking these in
    • Cable Elevators Ceramic
    Too many things going on to evaluate the sonic differences with these elevators.

Comments 8

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I'd like to tie in the last comment, with the fact the equipment owner uses cable elevators. Yes, they work wonderfully! You could also swipe your cables with fabric-softener sheets to help control static charges. But after walking 20 miles along side RR tracks during an impromptu stop to find insulators,(which look exactly alike, and do basically the same thing.), she threatened to trade me in for a new model.

majinbuu

i love your likening your hobby to a heroin addiction,my wife always says we are all hooked & i suspect she is right

bigjoe

Owner
System edited: Updated on January 2004. I've added Niles switchers because I have run out of line inputs on my preamp. No more upgrades planned. I'm fopcusing now on growing my vinyl collection. Al

nighteyes0

Owner
System edited: I just swapped out my Thiel CS2 for the new Thiel 2.4s. What a difference they have made already. These speakers were already broken in and the soundstage is wider and deeper than the CS2s. Also noticed more resolution and low-level detail. bass is stronger and tighter. I set them up at about 8 feet apart and 46 inches from the back wall and 26 inches from the side walls with a slight toe in to my listening position at 9 feet, leaving me 2 feet from the back wall. haven't cranked them yet to see how they react in my room. I've also have a pair of Cardas Golden Reference speaker cables that I'm going to be using in place of the HT Pro 9 plus. Should add some warmth without sacrificing detail and nuance.

nighteyes0

Owner
Rhum_runner, Thanks for the heads up. I have ordered the Tri-Vista tube DAC to replace my MF A3-24 DAC. These are also hard to get as they are just getting here from the UK. It is supposed to have a better DAC that the Tri-Vista SACD player, with the same tube stage. I think I'm going to hold off on getting into SACD until I see more new titles released, instead of reissues of titles that I already have in vinyl and CD.

Al

nighteyes0

I note that you mention an upgrade to the tri-vista SACD player. Coincidently I happened to be at a dealer this afternoon, trying out speakers, but using this player. He said that the demand for the Tri-Vista products has been so high, that they are almost sold out, and won't be around for long. Anyway, I'm sure they will be on the used market soon, but if you want a new one, you might check with your dealer about how long they will be available.

Great system, btw. I thought my system was complicated, but I got nothing on you! Enjoy!

rhum_runner

Owner
Tom, I appreciate your comments. If you recall I had reached out to you about a month ago on the Teres tables. After considering a number of tables, I went with the VPI Aries 2 Black Knight for a couple of reasons: 1) I got a great deal from a local dealer, who has a good relationship with Harry at VPI. I wanted to buy a product from someone who is local to me as I live in NJ; 2) I had listened to a number of tables at dealers where they still displayed TTs, and I liked the sound of the Aries 2, albeit with a different cartridge.
I'm still very interested in the Teres and I can see myself upgrading some day to their top-of-the-line table. That's why I will continue to be a member of their forum, so that I can keep up with new developments there. Thanks again for your advice. Al

nighteyes0

Gotta love that title, "Analog Central"
Caught my eye right away.
Very complete system with alot of attention to detail.
Congratulations.
Enjoy!

twl

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