Mini-meetup with SCompRacer

Rich came over today to listen to a few tunes and to help me listen to some new gear/new combos I've got:

• I've just replaced my trusty B&K ST-202+ amp with the Musical Fidelity A5cr I bought here; all listening today was done with the MF.

• I've got in house the Backert Labs Rhumba 1.1 preamp via the the manufacturer's demo program that's underway with forum members who signed up; their notes are being shared here.

• We also rotated in two other preamps I have--the Manley Shrimp and the Krell KSL. I've had the Krell on extended loan from Rich. This is one he'd recapped himself (and we know of his skill), so it's good to go for a good long time. I'd agreed to buy it from him a while back, and was happy he didn't try to jack up the price today after hearing how well it fared against the other preamps. :p

Anyhoo, the musical selections were few with today's emphasis being on trying out the different preamps through my new amp. The songs that will be playing inside my head whenever I get around to sleeping tonight are "Lights of Lousianne" off Jennifer Warnes' The Hunter CD and "Happiness is Easy" from my 180g vinyl reissue of Talk Talk's The Colour of Spring. (Both of these albums are certainly of reference quaility, for those looking to add to their stash.)

I won't bore you with many listening notes (I will add to the Rhumba thread soon. Spoiler alert: It's a really nice preamplier!), but major takeaways for me today were 1) My new amplifier has moved my rig multiple notches ahead of where it had been, and 2) I'm fortunate that Rich offered me the KSL pre. Whatever the opposite of "buyer's remorse" is, I was feeling that strongly this afternoon. Just had that grin on my face that I get when I really am hearing what I like.

Thanks again to Rich for his good company, good ears, and for helping me acquire some great-sounding gear! (In addition to buying his recapped KSL, he also helped me immensely with modding my DAC.) Additionally, if I had borrowed such a nice piece of equipment for so long before paying from, say, Tony; I probably would have been whacked a couple of months ago.
Jay
SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0

Comments

  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,461
    edited January 2016
    Sounds like a great time had by all. I am excited to hear your perceptions of the BL Rhumba compared to the KSL. I will be facing it off against my Pass X1, so your thoughts and experience will be read with great interest.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,005
    agfrost wrote: »
    , if I had borrowed such a nice piece of equipment for so long before paying from, say, Tony; I probably would have been whacked a couple of months ago.

    Hey now, we don't "whack" anymore. lmao

    We simply make you do a disappearing act from which you never return.

    Your lucky you have Rich's ears and expertise to help you. Man knows his stuff and that KSL is a keeper by and stretch. Looking forward to your review and comparisons.

    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
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,513
    Thanks for having me over Jay! Part of the visit is being reminded of parenthood. ;) You and mom have two handsome and well behaved boys! Of course like any good child, they do need some steering assist now and then...lol

    As good as that B&K is, that Musical Fidelity A5cr really stepped up the game for you!

    I did not influence Jay in his choices. I always got his take before I added mine. I would have been happy to take the old KSL pre back home, but it still sounds pretty darn good.

    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,005
    Rich, what did you replace the KSL with ? Last I recall, you were happy as a pig in sh&t with that puppy.
    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
  • agfrost
    agfrost Posts: 2,430
    If I may be so bold as to answer for Rich:

    He initially moved to a Krell KRC-HR.
    He then picked up a ARC Reference 3.
    Now he's moved up to an Emotiva piece (review pending).

    I may have made part of that up.
    Jay
    SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
    Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
    Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,513
    edited January 2016
    I get by with a little help from my friends..lol

    Tony, Jay is spot on, except for the Emo thing (no disrespect intended). The KSL was replaced with a Krell KRC-HR. The HR had a resistor ladder volume controlled by a rotary encoder. That sold me on more volume pots in my next pre amp. Perfect left/right channel volume control from lowest to highest setting, no center stage shifting. It also had switchable gain, phase swap, 3 pound remote typical of full featured reference pres. It lived up to it's High Resolution initials. It had the Reference MC only phono stage with four selectable gain stages.

    The KSL was a warmer sounding pre that could be paired with Class A/B and even Class D amps (like the Wyred mono blocks). The KRC-HR needed a Class A amp or it would be fatiguing after a listening spell with A/B or D amps. The KSL has the Krell MM/MC phono card. It has a real high quality manual volume control that was well balanced from low to higher volumes.

    Next up was the Audio Research Reference 3, in black. I had some folks over, had the Ref 3 plugged in the wall keeping the tubes warm. After I put the ARC Ref 3 in the mix, Doug (dkg999) looked at me and said, "You're not pulling that Ref 3 out of the rack, are you?" Nope, he confirmed what I thought. ;)

    The Ref 3 has the lowest noise floor of any tube gear I have ever owned. It's just dead quiet. It has a stepped volume control. Kind of a cheap plastic remote though. It also keeps track of tube hours so I don't have to log hours. The 6H30 tube is a great balance between the high resolution capability of solid state gear and a more lifelike musicality. Well rounded vocals. It just seemed to add another dimension to the music.

    This moving all started after I built the discrete output DAC, I needed a balanced pre amp. Ed the SRT king posted the KSL for sale here and I snapped it up. Like many of us, just couldn't leave well enough alone....
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,461
    agfrost wrote: »
    If I may be so bold as to answer for Rich:

    He initially moved to a Krell KRC-HR.
    He then picked up a ARC Reference 3.
    Now he's moved up to an Emotiva piece (review pending).

    I may have made part of that up.
    I knew that... Emotiva is light years better than ARC or Krell, and even Pass. I am just too dumb to know better. :D
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,655
    Jay, you have no idea how glad I am to hear that you are happy with the A5CR. It eases the sting of selling it a lot easier to accept. ;)
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,586
    nice guys!
    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
  • agfrost
    agfrost Posts: 2,430
    ZLTFUL wrote: »
    Jay, you have no idea how glad I am to hear that you are happy with the A5CR. It eases the sting of selling it a lot easier to accept. ;)

    It's really been a great addition! Glad that you were willing to move it along; glad I pulled the trigger.
    Jay
    SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
    Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
    Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,005
    AHH, my mistake Rich, I think I knew that. Had the KSL and KRC mixed up. Either way, both pretty darn good pre amps. Sounds like you 2 had a good time, and that MF A5 was a sweet steal.
    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