SF Stradivari: the eagle has landed!!!
Comments
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He has the same problem with the Strads as with the Diamonds. He has not addressed the audio foundation (power, cables, and vibration reduction/elimination). Without a good foundation, the best gear in the world will be lackluster.
Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
I agree that the 211FE needs to go. I have a friend with 211AE (a bit older than 211FE you have but almost identical) based on Push-Pull 845 so I have heard it before. We had a shootout for 845 based amps and no doubt the SET 845 wins very instances we turned it on. So, go SET if you don't need a lot of power or don't listen to very loud. 845 SET will give you about 20W of real Class A power in oppose to the 110W in your Cary. You may also want to look into 211 tubes that has a more lush top end sounds. I have two SETS amps which both can use 211 and 845 tubes.
Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin: -
In order to get 22W, you need to run the 845 about 1000V minimum. You could get about 25W if running them at 1200V. You can get more than 30W if running them at 1400V but extremely dangerous and goes to the A2 region. And it's a chance the tube will red plate at above 1250V. Old RCA tubes may be OK to run at 1500V but forget about if you have the new Chinese tubes. Graphite plate versions has 100W power dissipation but most metal plate versions are only rated to 75W dissipation. Actual output power is about 1/4 of that for Class A SET amps.Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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I am really thinking of going Cary 845 set... It is 50w of pure class a power.
If only someone nearby had a set... Hmmmm?Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Agenda for rest of the year:
1. Upgrade power amps
2. Set up rack
3. P10 power conditioner
4. Hang up the panels
Next year
1. Source upgradeMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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I am not sure how tube amps could drive these beautiful speakers to their full potential.
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Yes, tube amps like these can do
)
http://www.ayonaudio.com/products/amplifier/kt88-kt150-series/orthos-xs.html -
Be weary of the SET amps that goes into A2. It'll usually result in higher distortion at both and low volume. If you can live with low to moderate power, a nice SET with 20W or less will do the magic. If not, look for the Pass SS Class A Amps.Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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Gawd I'm glad to be relatively poor....
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Alright so I made some positive movement in the right direction. Pulled out 6" more from Back wall , aggressive toe in.
Sounds good ati Mid to high volumes.
I think I realize that strads don't do low volume well. But amazing when the 802
Diamonds would give up... The strads keep pushing.
I need a stronger amp.
Even these large Cary. 211fe isn't enough.
Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Add something like this to your list for your electronics?
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-260944-vpi-prime-vibration-control-feet-with-bases-set-of-4.aspxafterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
Having heard SF's driven with MF, you need a big balls Musical Fidelity amp. Heavenly even at low volume.
Congrats on the speakers, beautiful.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Dare I say.....that room looks a tad smallish for those speaks. Agree with the bass build up in the corners. Also agree you need some SS amplification with balls the size of Mt. Rushmore. Dang though, one of the most beautiful speakers on the planet.
Joey,
Remove all those panels from the room and see how it sounds. Then add some slowly to the room. Almost seems like you have too much, over dampening the sound.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
I agree with Skip bring them in away from the side walls, but also, I would try not toeing them in so much. I little reflection off the side walls goes a long ways in regards to presence and realism, especially at lower volumes.Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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Yep, also agree on bringing them in from the side walls and reducing toe in. We don't have a good grasp on the room or distance to his seating position either.
The SF are a warmer sounding speaker, the Cary gear is warmer sounding gear, I would think they'd perform better in a more lively room, hence my suggestion to remove those panels. The carpeting is gonna soak up a lot anyway too. In order to get some low volume detail, your gonna need an amp with balls and some reflections in the room...not less.
HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
Yeah thanks for the advise everyone.
Several things to keep in mind:
1. The side interaction of the Strads are minimal compared to an regular baffle speaker, that's the beauty of it.
2. There might be a little too much paneling, so I may have to trim that down and bring some to the game room, however... will play with that some more later.
3. I had it too close to the back wall at some point and it was just way too much bass... now I moved it about 6" forward and it sounds great.
At mid to high volumes, the speaker really comes to its own. Far better delivery than the 802 Diamonds.
The 802 Diamonds are better at low volume delivery however.
Now, I am trying to change the amp... but the market is dry.. meaning that if I try to put my 211FE for sale, there might not be any bites for a while, at least until the winter comes.
I am thinking:
Classe M600
Pass XA100.5
Parasound JC1
In that order.
Working with sellers for each as we speak.Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Dare I say.....that room looks a tad smallish for those speaks. Agree with the bass build up in the corners. Also agree you need some SS amplification with balls the size of Mt. Rushmore. Dang though, one of the most beautiful speakers on the planet.
Joey,
Remove all those panels from the room and see how it sounds. Then add some slowly to the room. Almost seems like you have too much, over dampening the sound.
Dare I say I need a new room?? BahahahahaMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Joey, get them out into the room more and off those side walls. Try not to have them equidistant from the side and back wall. If you do that (looks like you have it like that right now), you are going to get bass build-up in the corners like crazy. That is going to destroy anything good those speakers can do. Move those amps in front of the preamp to give you some more room.
Good idea... I don't think they are equidistant. I am about 30 inches from the back wall at the one corner. From the side wall, I think (not sure) 16".Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
I can't get rid of the 802 Diamonds.... I love them too much.
Damn it!!!!
There goes the Boulder amp upgrade.Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Joey, measure not from the cabinet but from those rear ports. Those are what will do the damage as they are what throw all that energy into the corners. The middle of the cabinet looks roughly equidistant to me.
Gotcha
Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Dare I say.....that room looks a tad smallish for those speaks. Agree with the bass build up in the corners. Also agree you need some SS amplification with balls the size of Mt. Rushmore. Dang though, one of the most beautiful speakers on the planet.
Joey,
Remove all those panels from the room and see how it sounds. Then add some slowly to the room. Almost seems like you have too much, over dampening the sound.
Dare I say I need a new room?? Bahahahaha
Why limit it to just a ROOM...
A baller like you... you need a Audio HOUSE!!!!!!!
Just say it's an "investment property"... Gut it entirely and rebuild it to make it into nothing but audio rooms.... then ensure its got plumbing, a nice couch (for the dog house days) and a kitchen...."....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963) -
There goes the Boulder amp upgrade.
Don't count it out yet. Sell something.....like those shorts. The Smithsonian pays big bucks for antiques.
HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
Experiment with the panels on the back wall. Looks like overkill at the moment. As mentioned before, your power and cabling is restricting the potential of your gear.
Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
Experiment with the panels on the back wall. Looks like overkill at the moment. As mentioned before, your power and cabling is restricting the potential of your gear.
Bud -
I will.
On a side note, power and cabling... in time. can't do it all at once. If we were so lucky that we could just dump a bunch of money on the best of everything all at once, then there would be no need for discussion. The room and the system top to bottom would be perfect. System in evolution is the best way to put it.
Right now, when I turn the system up... it's getting better. Still low level detail requires improvement... in time, I think I'll get there. These speakers are balanced from top to bottom.
Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
A comedian too! Made me chuckle.
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Alright... We got new amps coming as of today. Interesting how my wife was in on the transaction conversation.
I was driving and talking over the car speakers...
She's like "what did you buy now???"Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
As mentioned before, your power and cabling is restricting the potential of your gear.
P10, my good man . . . P10
pm sending soonAC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
Source Lumin U1 Mini into Lampizator Baltic 4 DAC
Pre Cary SLP-05
Power Rogue M180 Dark monos
Mains Salk HT2-TL
Rythmik F12 -
so, what amps did you buy?Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156 -
I considered both models of the Classe 600 amps, the aesthetic design, and the HT industrial design. My biggest concern was since I listen to classical string quartets at low volume at night I would hear the fan. I checked on multiple forums about this and some could not hear them, and some could. I am very sensitive to unwanted noise, and I even moved my refrigerator to the garage to eliminate its noise.Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits.
