This is my first high end system. I first have to thank this community without which most of this equipment would be out of my range. So thanks!!
EDIT: Hi there. This is the second rendition. Had to send the Focal back to Canada for repairs. The woofer was off-center thus the rattle. I must say though customer service was great, with a quick turn around, no charge for shipping to and from, and no charge for the repair. A++ to Focal for that!!
Isolated the speakers on great maple stands. This definately brought out the best of the Focals. Deeper bass, nice tingly highs. Mids might be lacking a little for this mini-monitors though.
Changed CD players as well. Went from the marantz/bel canto combo to the audio aero prestige. As expected from an upgrade like this I was blown away. The detail, sheer musicality, and functionality of this player are just astounding. Really for the first couple of weeks I had this player I was just floored. And that feeling continues. Ultimately what I am looking for is a system that just makes me want to get up and dance, sing, keep my feet tapping and fingers snapping each time i listen. The prestige does this in spades.
Also upgraded power cords in the shunyata line. 20amp pythons now power the conditioners. I think big improvement in floor noise and my system just seems more extended.
Finally, with the recommendations of many fine audiogon folks, I stepped into vinyl. Man I love it. I love the sound, I love getting back into records and finding recordings that peak my interest. Just great. The Scoutmaster as is well known is a fine entry turn table. The Dynavector matches well. The tube based minimax gives me a nice touch of that tube beauty. Just lovely.
Thanks again for looking. Any comments suggestions appreciated. I am currently working on building a maple isolation platform for the table.
Lapierre, interstingly I was admiring your system today from a thread you posted on. Well done! The dali's were on my short list of speakers, how do you enjoy them? Plus the EMM cdp. Nice player. A the time I choose the Prestige, the Emm SE version was just appearing on the market and the reviews were great. I hope you are indulging in its sound!
Adding the hydra 6 reslly had little verifiable effect. What had a more profound effect was changing the power cord that fed the 6 from a copperhead to the python. Things changed dramatically then! My system seeemed to open up and the power loving Rowlands translated thier control over the Focals into an effortless relationship. It was really a cool cahnge.
Next tweak? My system has changed so much since this posting its hard to tell. You?
Spencer thanks for the comments. I've though often about how to move this beast to the side and run longer interconnects betwen than amp and the doshi. Aesthetically, I think I would enjoy looking at just the speakers with an amp in between them plus the added benifit like you mentione dos imaging and soundstage. maybe even a measure of vibration control?
Beauty of a set-up for you as well. Lovely DIY rack which I always appreciate.
Thanks guys. Tvad, I always welcome it when you visit my system. Dewald, Mechans, thnaks for the kind words. The sound, well it certianly is an improvement.
Actually played my first SACD yesterday. These are hard to find where I live so had to order one online. Wow, their really is a vast improvement over the standard redbook. Of course I have no a past expereince to speak from but I imagine the prestige holds its own in the SACD playback realm. The sound is clear, detailed, and emotional. It draws me in and keeps me there even at lower levels.
Overall I am impressed with the prestiges ability to keep me interested in the music emotionally. The bel canto/marantz did this only in finite amounts. The prestige does this in spades and is the cornerstone of my system. I plug it directly into the Rowlands. The Rowlands being fairly neutral allow to tubed output stage of the prestige to shine. Very musucal. Not having a preamp, I have not had the opportunity to try the prestige in this format.
Then there is vinyl. This is truly capturing my imagination. I fully enjoy the ritual of playing vinyl, the little bit of work that has to go into the process before that glorious sound arises. Something about slowing it down makes the enjoyment that much more. Of course, I have to move slowly here as my better half is certianly cautious about the vinyl scene. She doesn't want me to become one of those nuts who won't let others touch their records, has to wear white gloves, and in general obsesses over turntable tuning. Will I become this person? Maybe I already am.
Thanks again. Let me know any ideas or suggestions you have. These improvments were certianly not my own doing but the culmination of suggestions from wiser folks than me in this community. More of those is always welcome.
Thanks for the responses. Mike, I have decided from this forum feedback to take the speakers off the credenza and put them on stands. It seems like this is an overwhelming consensus here.
Also, the rattle only got worse. I took off the back panel, peered in there a bit with a flashlight, fiddled around but really could not determine what was going on. Not wanting to negate any type of warranty be fiddling around, I just boxed it up and sent it back to the manufacture. Thankfully, they paid for shipping to and from as well as telling me so far, i should have to pay nothing to get it fixed. Bummer is, as soon as I got my system up and running, its down now and a month turn around on the speaker. Oh well.
So in the mean time I am looking to make some improvements. A balanced tube preamp seems to be a good place to start plus people have qued me into a player from Audio Aero called the capitole which some have said has a great "analog" sound. All of this to add some of that tube sound to my digital world. I am considering aethetix calypso, valve audio black widow and various models of BAT for a balanced pre. Any thoughts on anything really!
MATT, thanks for the response. I just ran across the marantz today for the first time. A real beauty! What are you using for a pre amp?
i also built most of my own isolation, rack and cut the granite and maple to form for my platforms. Tell me, how thick are your isolation blocks. Are you seeing better performance from say 2" to 4" or anything like that?
Dewald, Thanks for all that info. The valve pre looks fantastic and well built. Where is it made? i had a hard time finding some specs on it, but one of the features a pre must have is balanced outs for my jeff Rowlands. Do you know if the valve has such? Also does it have a phono stage? I haven't gotten to investigate the other gear yet but will certianly be asking some questions considering all the great info you provided me. I appreciate your time.
Tell me dewald, if I were to move into a pre-amp with a phono stage which would you recommend. Also, what would the connection process be via my cd transport to my dac to some pre amp. What kind of cabling would this involve. I think a pre with a phono stage is up my alley so I could also add a tuner. What should I be looking for?
I just investigated mapleshades massive maple speaker stand, the rooted buttress. Looks real impressive and reasonably priced. Any thoughts on that.
Yes, I certianly agree!! Vinyl is the sound I really want, yet I have not collected vinyl in years and the thought/space necessary to have it is beyond me now. But what a way to get out of the digital world.
Any body have thoughts on isolation considering my current set up?. Any body have other improvements they might add??
Let me know, as I appreciate all coments/critiques. really I am just in the learning phases here.
Thanks for your response. Yes stands is something I considered yet it seemed too wide for my listening area. Maybe toeing the speakers in can solve this and allow me to still direct the sound. Unfortunately I have limited space and have to work with that. I can't move the couch that much and i can't move the credenza that much. I have to settle for a happy medium there.
Tvad, I am sure you are right though, those vibrations are traveling. Also I will check out this back panel thing. I believe thay are removable. Safe to go in there? Thanks.
