My system "Woke Up"!!!

joeparaski
joeparaski Posts: 1,865
edited June 2008 in The Clubhouse
This may be a little long...but I'm just too excited!!


As some of you may know, my upstairs system blew up recently. Either the receiver killed the amp which then killed the 3.1 tl's or the amp alone was the culprit. Either way, the amp is out being fixed, the 3.1's are being fixed and the receiver is basically going to be stored or given away.

Therefore, needing a pre-pro, I chose to upgrade the downstairs "main" system by sending the Emotiva LMC-1 upstairs and buying a B-stock MMC-1 from Emotiva.

I started by disconnecting every single wire from the system, then installed the MMC-1 and the Modded Full Nelson MSB Link DAC that I bought some time ago but never installed. I carefully rewired everything and went through the basic setup as outlined in the MMC-1 user guide.

Turned the system on and I was basically floored by the improvement in sound!!! (BTW...this was last Thursday evening). It was late so I couldn't do much listening so went to bed and tried to get some sleep.

Went to work next morning and by noontime I couldn't take it anymore and told my colleagues that I was going to take an extended lunch break so I can go home and confirm that what I heard the night before was real.


OMFG!!! It really was true, the system was ALIVE!!! I was absolutely ecstatic....I was literally jumping up and down saying YES YES YES...this is it!!

Now I always thought my system sounded good, not great, but good. But now it sounds GREAT!! My wife and daughter notice the difference too. The first thing I did when I got home from work today was turn on the system and play music....that is something I NEVER do, as I usually get on my computer and and surf my regular sites including the Polk Forum. But tonight....forget about the Polk Forum, I've got some listening to do. I invited some friends and watched the entire Eagles LIVE DVD and listened to more music.

I've been listening to music for the past 6 hours!!


And guess what?....I still have 8 new RDO tweeters that I never installed. I still have the SVS upgraded subwoofers that I never installed. I still have acoustic panels that I never installed.


I am thrilled, I am excited, I am elated, I am........damn...I must be getting close to what some of you guys already have been experiencing.

I'm not even sure what caused this dramatic improvement, but it's there and it's real and now I'm gonna play the heck out of this system.

Joe
Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited May 2008
    That's awesome, Joe! Glad to hear it!!

    Now good luck with getting your other system back into shape.
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited May 2008
    Nice to hear some good news ;)

    (Are you saying that you have not installed the tweeters you took from me 2 1/2 years ago?????)
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  • SBrown712
    SBrown712 Posts: 202
    edited May 2008
    Do you think it's the MMC-1 that has made such a big difference? I got a pair of LSI 15s and hooked them up to my AVR and wasn't impressed. I ordered an Emotiva LPA-1 and after hooking it up got the same WOW that you experienced. I have the UMC on preorder, can't wait for that puppy.
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited June 2008
    Glad everything is working out Joe. Nothing like improved sound quality.
    Michael ;)
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited June 2008
    SBrown712 wrote: »
    Do you think it's the MMC-1 that has made such a big difference?

    Yeah, Joe, you gotta answer this question for those of us who have the LMC-1. I'm guessing the modded DAC made the biggest difference, but can't be sure. Can you take the DAC out of the equation and hook up your previous source directly, then tell us the difference you're hearing?

    I've considered upgrading to the MMC-1 or the UMC-1 when it becomes available, but would like to know if it's worth it.

    Thanks.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited June 2008
    Did you buy that DAC with the mods or have them done yourself?
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  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited June 2008
    Ricardo wrote: »
    Nice to hear some good news ;)

    (Are you saying that you have not installed the tweeters you took from me 2 1/2 years ago?????)

    Yes Ricardo, that is correct, the tweets I got from you are still in the box. I told myself at the time that I would wait till I get all the amplifiers checked out and wait till I could get the sound as good as it can get with the existing equipment.

    I was afraid of hurting the SRS the way my 3.1 tl's were damaged. In retrospect, I should have had the upstairs amp checked before using it.

    Joe
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
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  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited June 2008
    Early B. wrote: »
    Yeah, Joe, you gotta answer this question for those of us who have the LMC-1. I'm guessing the modded DAC made the biggest difference, but can't be sure. Can you take the DAC out of the equation and hook up your previous source directly, then tell us the difference you're hearing?

    I've considered upgrading to the MMC-1 or the UMC-1 when it becomes available, but would like to know if it's worth it.

    Thanks.


    Yes, now that I think of it (and I've been thinking a lot) it IS the MMC that made the difference. That is because I couldn't figure out a way to play a DVD video and use the component outputs with the external DAC at the same time.


    The way I set things up allows my family members to use the Denon 3910 without turning the system on (S-video cable straight to the TV).

    Until I pick up a HDMI cable, the Denon goes to the MMC using Component cable along with the digital output straight into the MMC and not the outboard DAC. (One downside of the MMC is that it can't do audio with the HDMI cable). The sound was amazing! If fact, I spoke to someone at Emotiva and he said that I would be amazed at the difference between the LMC and MMC due to the onboard DAC's used in the MMC.


    My Sony cd player goes to the Monarchy DIP which then goes to the MSB DAC and finally to the MMC.


    Joe
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
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  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited June 2008
    Polkmaniac wrote: »
    Did you buy that DAC with the mods or have them done yourself?


    I bought the DAC with the mods already done and the same person had a stock Monarchy DIP. The difference in sound was very apparent. This is what was done:

    The Nelson Link III has the following upgrades:

    2) Upsampling Board with 96K & 133K options
    3) Balanced Input & MSB 192K network input
    4) Additional upgrades - 15 Wima PP capacitor bypasses all decoupling capacitors
    5) Additional local post-regulator capacitors
    6) Additional Digital Power Supply capacitance
    7) All noisy 74HXXX chips with grounded copper shielding (aka Dan Wright mods)
    8) Eliminate all non essential components (also Modwright suggestions)
    9) 2 Nichicon Muse Bipolar caps replacing standards units

    P1000 Enhanced Power Supply has the following upgrades:
    1) Analog PS has 4 12A FRED diodes replacing standard diodes (Modwright)
    2) Digital PS with 8 40A Schottky diodes versus std units (Modwright)


    I must say that I am a happy camper. I took the day off today and I'm just dying to get downstairs and play some music. But alas, I must wait, as my wife and daughter are still sleeping.

    I'm going to wait a while and enjoy the new sound before installing the RDO tweeters and other upgrades. This way I can stay on my present "high" and hopefully get another "high" with each subsequent upgrade.

    Joe
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,205
    edited June 2008
    joeparaski wrote: »
    I'm not even sure what caused this dramatic improvement, but it's there and it's real and now I'm gonna play the heck out of this system.

    Joe

    The dac my friend.....the dac. A dedicated pre certainly doesn't hurt compared to the receiver you were running before for a pre. The combination of the dac and pre sounds like it worked out for you. :D

    I have ALWAYS stated my opinion about a good outboard dac taking a system to the next level.

    Enjoy!

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited June 2008
    Congrats Joe.

    Without a doubt, there is no comparison between a separate prepro vs a receiver. Having a receiver is a good compromise for having all the latest technology, but from the perspective of pure sound, a separate prepro is the only way to go!

    Congrats & enjoy.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • engtaz
    engtaz Posts: 7,664
    edited June 2008
    Congrats Joe. I felt the same way when I added a Carver 1.5T to my 3.1's.

    engtaz
    engtaz

    I love how music can brighten up a bad day.
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