What did you do to your stereo rig today?

VR3

I run all audiolund, no regrets

maxward

No rugrats?

DarqueKnight

invalid wrote: »

Have you ever tried one line of one brand of cables throughout your entire system? I've always been Curious about this, but have never tried it.

I have AudioQuest speaker and balanced interconnects in my main stereo rig. I tried their power cords and digital cables also, but preferred other brands. For now, I like AudioQuest for speaker and balanced interconnects, Revelation Audio Labs digital cables, and PS Audio power cords.

jdjohn

Finally got a Micro Seiki BL-91L table to match my MA-505L arm




This has been a long time coming, since I've had the arm awhile, but mounted it on other wide-chassis tables (SP-25, DK-110). The BL-91L, though, is where this arm truly belongs.

nooshinjohn

That is a work of art.

Milito

Beautiful table, congrats.

newbie308

That's gorgeous 😍

treitz3

Jody, that is freakin' NICE my man. Enjoy brother!

Tom

jdjohn

Thanks fellas! She is gorgeous, for sure, but also definitely more than just a pretty face. This turntable takes things (for me) to 'the next' level.

I had been on a direct-drive kick for the last several months, trying to find a good match for the MA-505L tonearm, which is basically a 12" arm. Frankly, the arm sounded great on everything I mounted it on, so I thought, "This is great. I like this arm." I bought the 505L (a couple of years ago) after thoroughly enjoying a 'regular' 505 arm on a few different tables. I highly recommend any version of the MA-505 arm.

Anyway, the Micro Seiki BL-91L turntable is a bit of a unicorn (compared to the regular BL-91), and if you find one, it is almost always a 220VAC unit, so requires a transformer.

To try and shorten this post, I found a BL-91L for sale, which had an SAEC arm (that I didn't really want), so I worked with the seller on getting JUST the turntable (including armboard), and everything worked out. He included a 110>220 transformer.

The sound I'm getting from this combination is a revelation. I don't know if it's simply a build quality upgrade from other belt-drive tables I've tried, or perhaps the armboard being made from a big disc of milled, polished aluminum (or chromium?) vs an armboard made from wood, or a composite. For whatever reason, the PRAT with this setup has been elevated.

Needless to say, I'm enjoying the HECK out of this turntable and tonearm setup. FWIW, it doesn't matter what cartridge I choose...they ALL sound better.

treitz3

Very nice, sir! Enjoy brother!

Tom

nooshinjohn

@jdjohn… get your hands on a Gold Note PH10 if you really want to take things to the next level. My PH5 is an eye opener for me, so I can only imagine what the next one up can accomplish with your setup.

jdjohn

@nooshinjohn I've gone fairly deep down the phono preamp rabbit hole, and my current reference level is the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista Vinyl. It is exceptional. I also own a unit from the very boutique UK brand, the Bigbottle Audio tube phono preamp (BB3), that requires loading plugs. It scratches my itch for a tube phono preamp.

For awhile, I was determined to obtain the heralded Herron VTPH-2A phono preamp, but the feeling passed. Those units utilize 6 tubes, which (in my opinion) opens the opportunity for 6X the noise.

Happy to do a swap for trial purposes

treitz3

Jody, when speaking with Bob Carver, he stated thet the more tubes in a phono pre, the better.

This contradicts what you are saying.

His TOTL phono pre had many tubes. The model escapes me right now. FWIW.

Tom

jdjohn

Tom,

In a utopian world, where all tubes perform as expected, it would be ideal to have 'the more tubes in a phono pre, the better'. But let's be honest...that is not reality. Tubes are fun...tubes are noisy...tubes are tubes.

In the world of tube phono preamps, the Herron still reigns supreme (based on reviews), but Manley Labs has a few choices that cannot be ignored.

Wardsweb

The only constant is change. I swapped some gear around in my backroom system.

Yamaha QL-Y5F turntable
Juicy Music Tercel phono pre
Sonic Euphoria PLC preamp
Music Fidelity Pan CDP (Germany)
DIY ST70 amplifier

xsmi

Wardsweb wrote: »

The only constant is change. I swapped some gear around in my backroom system.

Yamaha QL-Y5F turntable
Juicy Music Tercel phono pre
Sonic Euphoria PLC preamp
Music Fidelity Pan CDP (Germany)
DIY ST70 amplifier

Have I had a stroke or is there a JVC on that turntable? 🤣

Wardsweb

xsmi wrote: »

Have I had a stroke or is there a JVC on that turntable? 🤣

Senior moment. It is a JVC QL-Y5F.

SeleniumFalcon

I found a Janis Interphase 1A crossover/amplifier in a nearby town that I can try and reverse engineer the schematic.

newbie308

I let the magic smoke out of my Jolida JD502B. Time for some refurbishing and then it's going up for sale.

jbreezy5

newbie308 wrote: »

I let the magic smoke out of my Jolida JD502B. Time for some refurbishing and then it's going up for sale.

Bummer!

Wardsweb

newbie308 wrote: »

I let the magic smoke out of my Jolida JD502B. Time for some refurbishing and then it's going up for sale.

I have run into that on a couple of Jolida pieces. Had a JD1000RC that I had to totally resolder the entire board.

newbie308

I think this unit is from 2001, so the electrolytic capacitors are due for replacement. It is stock with no upgrades or alterations, so I think it will respond well to a tune-up.

Wardsweb

Moved the Arte Forma 2A3 into the sunroom. Something special about SET and horns.

Wardsweb

The Gilmore Raptors moved to the dining room.

txcoastal1

@Wardsweb Hey Luther, you still sporting the modded JBL and setup in the living room?
Loved that sound?

--Ron

Wardsweb

txcoastal1 wrote: »

@Wardsweb Hey Luther, you still sporting the modded JBL and setup in the living room?
Loved that sound?

--Ron

My main system and still my fav.

bcwsrt

After a 6-week ordeal with GIK, I finally got my ceiling clouds installed. Their “cloud brackets” were evidently out of stock when I placed my order, which I was not aware of at the time. The panels arrived quickly and all the communications from GIK indicated the brackets I ordered to expedite their installation were included in what they shipped, but that was not the case when the panels arrived. So, after multiple emails to their CS and 6 weeks of 2’ x 4’ “paperweights” sitting on the floor instead of hanging from the ceiling in my listening room, I finally got the brackets last week and completed the installation today. Still have some work to do to level the one on the right. Textured ceilings are not helpful as far as that’s concerned, but it shouldn’t be too difficult.

The brackets provide for a 4” air gap which is supposed to improve the panels’ performance, but due to the 12” drop (8’ down to 7’) from the soffit on the left, I had to do something different there to allow for enough headroom for ingress and egress to/from the sweet spot. Right now there is a 2 1/4” air gap on that left panel (roughly 6’ 7” clearance), but I can probably tighten it up to 1/2” if I decide to.

Not too happy with my experience with this latest purchase from GIK, but glad it’s finally done. Finished it up just moments before I headed out of town for a few days, so I don’t have any comments about the results yet. These room treatments have been somewhat of an experiment for when we eventually build our retirement home. If what I’ve done here works (and the 6 wall-hanging panels definitely gave positive results in imaging and flexibility in speaker placement with the RTA 15TL rear firing passive radiators - or, maybe it was just that beanbag chair? lol), I’ll replicate what worked or eliminate or tweak what I am not happy with in the next home.

I will say, this endeavor really raised more eyebrows and got more eye-rolls from the wife than anything I’ve done yet. 😂 I told her to just wait until she heard the results (with my fingers crossed behind my back). 🤞😝😋

Kinda surprised there aren’t some more threads or conversations here about room treatments …

xschop

I'll have to try the bean bag mod this weekend. Looking good.

pitdogg2

xschop wrote: »

I'll have to try the bean bag mod this weekend. Looking good.

That is a bass trap. The more bass it traps the larger the bag gets.....I've seen it in person, pretty cool!

treitz3

Damn. I must be a bass trap then.

Tom