Dreadnaught Avel-Lindberg 1000VA Transformer Group Buy?

F1nut

For those of you SDA owners who may be thinking, but I don't run mono blocks or have a non-common ground amp, so why do I need one of these let me tell you, you need one. The improvement in sound quality is not subtle.

Schurkey

F1nut wrote: »

For those of you SDA owners who's speakers are new enough to accept an isolation transformer, who may be thinking, but I don't run mono blocks or have a non-common ground amp, so why do I need one of these let me tell you, you need one. The improvement in sound quality is not subtle.

FIFY.

machone

F1nut wrote: »

For those of you SDA owners who may be thinking, but I don't run mono blocks or have a non-common ground amp, so why do I need one of these let me tell you, you need one. The improvement in sound quality is not subtle.

For sure.

MrBuhl

I missed out on a run once, thanks to one of our kindest Polkies, I was able to grab one, you will not be sorry, strike while the iron is hot, sometimes its a lot more than a year or two between these group buys!

nooshinjohn

I'm in... but would feel more confident in the effort if it were led by someone that has been around a while. I don't mean to doubt your integrity GT...

Btw, how did you arrive at such a legendary moniker. I have '61 Lusso in rosso corsa over palomino hides. It was restored in 2009, but I haven't had the nerve to take it outside...

honestaquarian

@nooshinjohn

honestaquarian wrote: »

Dammit I want one,but can't afford it until I get my tax refund in February.
Also @250GTLusso you might want to follow the lead of the previous newbie poster and have one of the forum members who've been here longer take this over.

250GTLusso wrote: »

I have no problem handing it over to a more senior CP member. I just thought I would get the ball rolling!

nspindel

F1nut wrote: »

For those of you SDA owners who may be thinking, but I don't run mono blocks or have a non-common ground amp, so why do I need one of these let me tell you, you need one. The improvement in sound quality is not subtle.

What he said.

250GTLusso

Nooshinjohn, I grew up with two 250GT Berlinetta Lussos (SN4851, and SN5861), and a 250GTE Series II (I cant remember the SN right now).

Here are a couple pictures of when we owned 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso SN5861




And what the car looks like today (after a Chuck Wray restoration back in 2006)


That is a very nice 250GT SWB that you have. I know several other owners of SWBs (SEFAC Hot Rods, etc.). What serial number is your SWB?

250GTLusso

Nooshinjohn, I grew up with two 250GT Berlinetta Lussos, SN4851(1963) and SN5861 (1964) and a 250GTE Series II (I can't recall the serial number at the moment).

Here are a couple pictures of SN5861 when we owned it:

In the driveway of my mom's house

At Mosport

At Watkins Glen


And a recent picture after it was restored by Chuck Wray (completed in 2006)


Here is a recent picture of SN4851 at the Goodwood Revival (we sold it to Tex Otto, but ultimately ended up with Chris Evans in the UK)


That is a very nice 250GT SWB. I have always loved those cars, particularly the '61 SEFAC hot rods, and know several owners. What serial number is your SWB?

250GTLusso

Nooshinjohn, totally understand your hesitation (I have utilized personal references before with overseas vehicle purchases involving very large sums of money), so I am not offended at all.

If there is a more senior member of CP willing to coordinate the group buy I would be more than happy to hand it over to them.

For now I will keep stoking the fire until someone steps in to take the lead.

Ok, so we have the following interested parties in the next group buy:

1.) 250GTLusso
2.) Drumsolo
3.) vcwatkins
4.) honestaquarian (need confirmation)
5.) nooshinjohn
6.)
7.)
8.)
9.)
10.)

Did I miss anyone?

nooshinjohn

My Lusso is a 1/18th CMC... Lol can't afford the prancing horse off a real one.

RandyCroissant

I'm on the fence!! How much of an improvement?? $300 bucks is not chump change in my world

250GTLusso

Ah, LOL. The 250GT SWB are truly remarkable automobiles. If you ever get the chance to go for a ride in one, don't turn it down.

lightman1

nooshinjohn wrote: »

My Lusso is a 1/18th CMC... Lol can't afford the prancing horse off a real one.

Psyche!!!

nspindel

RandyCroissant wrote: »

I'm on the fence!! How much of an improvement?? $300 bucks is not chump change in my world

I'd say it depends where you are with your SDA's. Some people bought them 30 years ago and haven't sunk another penny into them. Others have torn them down and rebuilt them, tweaking them out in all sorts of ways. I don't know which speakers you have, or what you're feeding them with. If I were to rank all the money I've invested into my SDA's, I don't think spending $300 on the iso transformer is at the top of the list in terms of sound quality improvements over stock, that award clearly goes to rebuilding the crossovers with modern components. Second place goes to TL'ing the crossover and using the RD-0198 tweeter. But I'd say the Dreadnaught is second only to those two improvements. Using the isolation transformer, at least to my ears, is a bigger sonic improvement than any of the damping techniques, better seating of the drivers, etc. with rings or hurricane nuts.

Also, SDA's love lots of power. So if there's a question of whether you'd be better off investing in better power for your speakers or building a Dreadnaught, I'd say make sure you're running a nice amp to power them.

But if you've got the rest of your system dialed in where you want it, and you can swing the cash, the Dreadnaught will definitely give you a nice boost over a straight SDA connection, even if you have an amp that can use the straight SDA cable.

Also for what it's worth, I'm one of the people who started with an 800VA Dreadnaught, and then replaced the transformer with the model in this group buy, and there is no doubt that things got even better with the bigger transformer.

Just my two cents.

lightman1

Two cents!!?? That was about $1.58 worth of words there Mr Spindel...

txcoastal1

lightman1 wrote: »

Two cents!!?? That was about $1.58 worth of words there Mr Spindel...

Can you make change, all I got is a $10

lightman1

txcoastal1 wrote: »

lightman1 wrote: »

Two cents!!?? That was about $1.58 worth of words there Mr Spindel...

Can you make change, all I got is a $10

Hang tight, Ron. I gotta find my abacus.....

250GTLusso

Apologies that I missed a couple interested parties earlier, so here is latest updated list for the next group buy:

1.) 250GTLusso
2.) Drumsolo
3.) vcwatkins
4.) Nesmith98
5.) nooshinjohn
6.) honestaquarian (need confirmation)
7.) RandyCroissant (you in?)
8.)
9.)
10.)

We are more than half way there!

nooshinjohn

250GTLusso wrote: »

Ah, LOL. The 250GT SWB are truly remarkable automobiles. If you ever get the chance to go for a ride in one, don't turn it down.

No thanks on the ride, but to DRIVE one... just hand me the keys. Ferrari are my favorite cars, largely due to their humble beginnings and the 1923 Miller racer that was a part of Enzo's Scuderia. Millers were designed by Fred and August Duesenberg, and Enzo learned much about engine design by reverse-engineering those DOHC, 4valve/cylinder motors that left a small factory in Indianapolis.

motorstereo

RandyCroissant wrote: »

I'm on the fence!! How much of an improvement?? $300 bucks is not chump change in my world

The first thing I noticed with my dreadnaught was my amp sounded like it was more powerful. Darqueknight explained that it did not make the amp more powerful but it lowered the noise floor enough to make it sound like it was. His great analogy was talking to someone in a room with other people talking vs. talking to someone in an empty room. I consider it a very noticeable and worthwhile upgrade even when using a single amp. I've since added a 2nd amp and now it's a vital part of my main rig. My amps are old and their S/N isn't that impressive. But with the dreadnaught background noise is now completely inaudible.
Many thanks to DK for all his efforts on this wonderful upgrade.

Toolfan66

Here is my .02,

If you plan to slowly do upgrades, or plan to just jump in the rabbit hole, I say this needs to be your number one priority, it's not like you can just pick up a 1000VA when you're ready for it.. if it's being offered I say get it now...

Like Jesse said, it's not a subtle difference...

RandyCroissant

Thank you nspindel and motorstereo for your in depth analogy. I'm in for one.

Mr_Hz

My experience is that upgrades are accumulative. Whether you are talking stereo hi-fi or cars... one upgrade begats another. My background is that not only am I upgrading 4 stereo systems, but I have a long history of euro sports cars and tinkering/upgrading a slew of Alfa Romeo sports cars. I approach upgrades in a holistic approach. One upgrade is not going to achieve satisfactory results in a multi-level system. So if you are talking a car with engine/suspension/brakes/driveline/exhaust... or a stereo where you are looking at power intake/interconnect/amp/speaker/source component... you have multiple variables to consider in the upgrade path. 'Bang for the buck,' and 'availability' are at the top of the list of any upgrade project. Since the upgraded 1KVA isolation transformer has shown reported sonic image improvements, and these 1KVA isolation group buys are few and far between... anyone considering upgrades should jump on this now, owning speakers that can benifet from this upgrade. Other parts for upgrade can be had on a 'as needed' basis, but the 1KVA isolation transformer is a rare item indeed.

Strike while the iron is hot!

Ron/Mr_Hz

RandyCroissant

I appreciate the expertise coming from you good people. Next thing on the list will be a housing for it, any and all thoughts welcome.

monepolk

What's the count so far?

250GTLusso

Currently we have 7 of the required 10 for a group buy.

1.) 250GTLusso
2.) Drumsolo
3.) vcwatkins
4.) Nesmith98
5.) nooshinjohn
6.) honestaquarian
7.) RandyCroissant
8.)
9.)
10.)

monepolk

Make eight.

amb426amb1

Count me in as well

250GTLusso

Currently we have 9 of the required 10 for a group buy.

1.) 250GTLusso
2.) Drumsolo
3.) vcwatkins
4.) Nesmith98
5.) nooshinjohn
6.) honestaquarian
7.) RandyCroissant
8.) monepolk
9.) amb426amb1
10.) ......

We just need 1 more! Hmmm. I might want 2 myself.

Its has been suggested by honestaquarian that we move this to the WTB: Avel Lindberg 1KVA toroid (AV-047548) thread that I started on 1 December.

Would that be the right thing to do?