Noob's system review

raffi

First off, I'd like to thank you fine people on this forum for getting me started down this road to ruin...I'll never be the same again, and that's a good thing.:redface: I posted a thread over in Vintage Speakers about the 2.3's I picked up and I thought my experience of the final (is anything ever final in this hobby?) result of my effort to cobble together a system warranted a separate thread. About the same time I got the speakers, I picked up some gear from other members here on the FM-the Adcom 555 (newrival) and a Denon DVD-5900 (Gebby44), z2 speaker cables and AQ IC’s (Grimace19). These gents were also great to deal with. Unfortunately I had no preamp so off to Audiogon for a GFP-715…FINALLY, a base system. I also picked up a Carver M1.0-t from fleabay, as I wanted to experiment until I ran out of money (LOL) and also an Adcom 515 AC enhancer. Some of the pics as I cobbled things together are below (please excuse the crappy quality of my phone cam).

Listening first with my el cheapo jvc cd/dvd changer and the 715/555 combo, my impressions were simply…WOW! The SDA effect was even more pronounced than I remembered it to be back in `90 when I heard them. I realize that setup and room acoustics have much to do with it as well and even though mine are not ideal, I was NOT disappointed. I heard things that I hadn’t noticed before with many of my cd’s, and noticed that some recordings had a much wider and deeper soundstage than others, and overall quality of recordings varied as well. Little did I know it was only going to get better…

First experiment: switching out the JVC XV-FA95 for the Denon 5900…there’s a thread somewhere here that essentially states, “it’s the source, stupid”. Indeed. A remarkable difference in detail, depth, and realistic sound. The jvc can best be described as “bright and clinical”. It sounded clear enough and with nothing to compare it to previously, was satisfying enough but that all changed, as the 5900 was a significant improvement…tighter, deeper bass, a warmer sound, but yet more detailed. While the mids and highs were warmer, there was still more detail…there was simply more there in terms of the nuances of both instruments and vocals. As Spock would say, “fascinating”. This was for sure the single biggest improvement in the system.

Next, swapping out the amps. I started with the 555 and it is a sweet sounding amp…I’d describe it as well rounded and balanced. Then came the Carver. Now I’m well aware of the thread(s) debating the virtues of Adcom/Carver amps so keep in mind that this is only my opinion….I was floored with the difference, the Carver had significantly tighter bass and was much more detailed on the high end. At high volume I’d classify it as bright, and maybe coloring the mids a bit. Still, the bass was impressive to the point that I now consider the Adcom to be a bit muddy on the low end. At high volume, I can’t really pick a winner as they both have their strengths and weaknesses…at lower volume I prefer the Carver. They’re 2 very different amps and I wouldn’t say that one is clearly better than the other, they’re just…different. I’m planning on modding the Carver, and am going to keep both for now as I enjoy swapping them out from time to time and appreciating their differences. Some recordings sounded better on one amp than the other (both ways) which was interesting in itself. Speaking of which, it was interesting how even a mid-fi system like mine can reveal how amazing some recordings are and how bad others are when they all sound virtually the same on your standard receiver and mass produced speakers.

Conclusion: How in the hell did I do without something of reasonable quality for so long? I have some Monitor 70's that sound pretty good, but the soundstage with the 2.3's is outstanding...and the low end is more than enough to satisfy me, no sub needed IMO. I can tell that this is going to become an obsession if I’m not careful, so I’m going to just cool my jets for a while and enjoy what I have while making some minor tweaks…the GFP-750 or CJ tube pre, mono-blocks, etc etc, and on and on and on are going to have to wait until I can save enough scratch to go on another buying spree. One more thing: I’ve recently discovered sacd, and also picked up a new turntable and have re-discovered the joys of vinyl…I now understand why vinyl is getting a lot of love again and I don’t understand why sacd never gained more traction. Anyway, that’s just this junkie’s story…now I’m off to spin a side.

tonyb

Nice write up there chief. Glad our members were able to help you find some good sound. Be carefull though, this hobby is like crack. Enjoy the tunes bro.

Tour2ma

Agree... and love the fact that you are listening for yourself. Don't forget to try bi-amping...

Also, while I love the starkness of your 2-ch room, if the walls are all as stark as the front, reflections could be a issue. One thing you may want to play with is acoustic treatments. If you are handy, they can be built for very little.

skipf

Very nice. If you like the Carver M1.0t, you ought to try a TFM-45 or 55. I also like the Carver M-500t. If you really want sweet sound, get some tubes in the mix, either in the preamp or power amp. You're doing it right though, it's all in what sounds best to your ear. If you have friends nearby that have different gear they can bring over for a test in your system that will give you a better idea of what to get next. You're right that there are huge differences in CD recording quality. That's why it's important to use a CD you are very familiar with each time you test new set-ups.

Cosmic_American

Nice system, I'm also a noob wondering how I listened to music for so long without a decent setup.

I've also got a mmf 2.2, but I haven't seen one with that kick **** platter, where'd you get it?

skrol

It looks like someone was doing their homework. Nice setup. Next upgrade is a camera. I'd like to see what it really looks like.

Cosmic_American

Guess you wanted me to do my research, definitely going to upgrade my 2.2 and get one of these as soon as I've got the cash.

http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Acryl-It-Platter-Upgrade

I was going to get a decent mat for it, but I guess no need with an Acryl-It, I'd hate to cover it up anyways.

newrival

synergy is such a funny thing. I had the exact opposite results with the amps you tried (including my beloved 555 hehe). A contributor for Stereophile even commented that the bass from the original GFA-555 was the epitome of tight, and went further to describe it as anal retentive. Conversely I found the carver to be just a tad more bloated as if it were lingering around a tad too long and deep instruments at times blurred into one sound. But I certainly don't doubt you heard exactly what you're describing, just merely another example of the wild world of synergistic varience.

raffi

Thanks guys, for the feedback and recommendations...yeah, I do need a new camera for sure lol. Spikes will be installed on the speakers soon and I'm going to play with room treatments to see how that works. First I have to finish cleaning and re-sleeving my vinyl collection, though. As for the differences between vinyl and cd, on some albums there's just more info there than on the cd. Maybe because when the label laid down the tracks to cd they used lower sampling rates, etc.? I don't know, but on many albums that I listened to that I also have the cd, I swear that there's more music on the vinyl. What vinyl lacks in detail and dynamics, it more than makes up for in music...sounds that aren't there on the cd, perhaps because they're overpowered by certain instruments and/or vocals or maybe because those nuances are lost when converting the original music to digital. In any case, I can appreciate them both and on a higher end system, I have to believe that vinyl just sounds better overall....now sacd? That's another deal altogether, wow.

Cosmic: Sorry dude, just saw your post..yep, that's the platter. Check Agon as I got lucky and picked one up there for almost half off retail.

newrival: You're absolutely correct, so many elements can affect the final product and different sets of ears most defininately play into that. The 555 is VERY pleasing to listen to, almost soothing...it was the classical musician, the Carver the rocker. At this point I'd have a very difficult time letting go of either one of them.

RuSsMaN

Uncoil those cords, you're halfway to a real good RF antenna. Super clean setup, I dig it!

Cheers,
Russ

Tour2ma

raffi wrote: »

As for the differences between vinyl and cd, on some albums there's just more info there than on the cd. Maybe because when the label laid down the tracks to cd they used lower sampling rates, etc.? I don't know, but on many albums that I listened to that I also have the cd, I swear that there's more music on the vinyl. What vinyl lacks in detail and dynamics, it more than makes up for in music...

Word... Vinyl means infinite sampling. Though some are closer than others, any digital material is less than complete info.

Vinyl's dynamic limitations (~mid-50's dB) really only show on full symphony, which it seems is in your play list. I heartily recommend you try a dbx 3BX III range expander. It will bring all your symphonic LP's to life, and you will find that it adds to the enjoyment of all your vinyl.

Mytmauro

You may call yourself a noob but those are worldclass purchases. Great job!

raffi

Russ: Thanks man, and you're right about that loop of excess speaker cable, LOL. It's since been replaced by AQ Type 4 with bananas, updated pics below...

Tour2ma: Agreed re: vinyl, there's so much there. I'll have to try the dbx at some point, I remember them being the shiznit back in the day. I really don't listen to all that much symphony music but that won't stop me from trying the dbx, thanks for the tip!

Mytmauro: Thanks, I like my system for what i budgeted for...I know there are more/better systems to be had out there, but this is a good start. That's the beauty of this hobby, there are infinite choices/combinations that you can experiment with and see what works and you can make a lifelong pursuit of new/better/different sound if you want to...of course, it also can require a lifelong supply of $$ to do it but it sure is fun.:biggrin:

quadzilla

Nice set up. If you get tired of any of it, I'll "store" it for ya. Free, even.

acchen

Nice review here, thanks.

raffi

Thanks guys...and QZ, in the unlikely event that I ever do need "storage" then I know where to reach you.:biggrin: