What did you do to your stereo rig today?
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It's actually a hybrid, the kt150's are driving a mosfet output stage.
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I got a Hickok 6000A tube tester
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Picked up the matching Musical Fidelity preamp today for the 2.3’s. Just need to upgrade the cables and some of the source components now.
L600 (front), R200 (rear), R200 (rear surround), L400 (center), Sunfire HRS-10 (2)Marantz AV7706Sunfire Cinema Grand, Marantz M8077, Music Hall Stealth, Ortofon bronze cartridge, Parasound Zphono XRM, Sony UBP-X800 -
Two things here....I have been spending time with the recently acquired Directstream DAC, so far it definitely sounds better than the DAC in the Marantz SA8005. Vocals are very well reproduced, midrange is cleaner, overall it might be a keeper. Still need more time with it, need to test the I2S input.
Secondly, with that going on, I have been debating on purging some components, I have a vintage stack of Yamaha gear, CX-1000, MX-1000, and the TX-1000 tuner. I haven't turned on the amp in about 3 years, so I wanted to make sure all works.
Last time I listened to it, I was comparing it to the McCormack DNA-1 I had upgraded back in 2018....the DNA had a bit more soul so the MX was just taking a break.
Tonight, I am running the SA-8005 into the Directstream, then McCormack RLD-1 to the Yamaha.
Well.....my thoughts have changed now....lol. The MX-1000 with a nice clean signal sounds really good, and that's with no warmup time. Granted it has some age on it, I don't think it would dethrone the DNA, but I'm impressed given it's age. The previous owner didn't use it much, I think he was the original owner. Now it's a tough call, it drives the SDA's nicely.
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I have a big board that ends with a Line 6 Stomp, so I can set it up to run stereo amp sims, two real amps in stereo, or even one real amp and one amp sim direct to a mixer / recording interface. At home I have 3 amps to choose from: PRS Archon 50 with a 2x12" cab, a Fender DRRI, and a Vox AC15. I mostly use the Fender DRRI and Vox in stereo these days, if I'm not practicing with amp sims through my studio monitors.
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I got a Hickok 6000A tube tester
Nice!
This is what it looks like if you have to replace a well worn 9 pin socket in one.
Some folks use socket savers in the high use sockets.
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 * -
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I installed a Dynavector XV-1 cartridge. It is hard to put into words what it has brought out in the music. It was not an OMG moment. No in your face changes. So at first, I wasn’t over enthusiastic. But the more I listened, the more I was drawn into the music. There is a clarity and detail that has me perking up my ears. Did I just hear that, yeah I did. Nothing overly emphasized, just a musical balance that has me enjoying records I have heard hundreds of times before. The Analogue Production’s UHQR of Steely Dan AJA is aural bliss. I am loving getting lost in the music.
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Keep in mind that most cartridges go through a break in period. The suspension and stylus go through micro changes as they are played. Expect the sound to improve after the first 20 to 30 hours of use. There's probably some wire break in with the coil wires, too. Like you would have with a new cable.Enjoying the journey while never attaining the destination.
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The Oppomod I2S card arrived today for the 103D. Going to try this option to feed the Directstream. I wish the Marantz had this feature, bit will obviously need to use the Oppo as the transport if all works out. So far the Directstream has been sounding very good but I need to exploit this feature before I can give it a final verdict.
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Tried the Luxman tube pre and amp combo. CL-38uC and MQ-88uSE.
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Tried the Luxman tube pre and amp combo. CL-38uC and MQ-88uSE.
and I bet it gets high marks . . . rock OnAC 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 -
I might not be able to go back to solid state.
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I put the Oppo 103D under the knife for the Oppomod I2S board. Easy to do, just tedius getting the mounting holes drilled in the right spot, then filing the opening for the HDMI socket after drilling the opening.
The next time I'm inside the Oppo, I might widen the RH side a tiny bit..but OK for now. I bought it used and it had a few scuffs on it, but I have no idea where these marks came from as I taped it before I started...grrr.
I have been using a Nordost Silver Shadow digital coax the past week to feed the Directstream from the Marantz SA8005. This has resulted in a better overall SQ than the SA8005's analog out to the preamp, but didn't blow me away, the vocals however have been wonderfully rendered through the DS.
After the install, I tried a few redbook CD's to ensure all was working and I was immediately surprised at the separation of instruments and vocals, on a level I haven't experienced from my gear. The DS shows PCM with redbook but I need to verify if that is correct. Either way, this is so far the most clarity of vocals I have heard, everything gets out of the way.
SACD stereo from the 103D does show DSD 64 1-bit on the DS and also sounds fantastic. Currently I am using an older AQ Forest HDMI cable for the I2S, not the best cable but will try a few others.
I have also noticed improvent from the Aries Mini streamer into the DS via USB over the SA8005, and while the DS converts all the inputs to DSD, the I2S is surely on a different level. In my brief experience it appears it's the best way to utilize the DS.
I have to wait till the house is awake to turn it up but so far I think the DS might be here to stay....more to come.
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Nice I2S mod.
I've been feeding my DAC's PCM and DSD via I2S since 2012. My first DIY I2S out player mod was a Denon 3910.
Now I use Roon to convert everything to DSD512 to DAC.
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 * -
I dipped my foot into the world of SET amplifiers. I've been enjoying 8 glorious watts of 300b power. No problem at all driving my 87db sensitivity Usher bookshelf speakers.
It's a one of five of these particular 300b amplifiers designed and built by Sean Casper.
"NOS Tango XE-20 OPTs, Takman, Kiwame, and Carbon Comps resistors, Miflex copper PIO coupling caps. TJ FullMusic 300b, NOS 5Z3 rectifier, Siemens C3M drivers"
Really digging it so far!
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I dipped my foot into the world of SET amplifiers. I've been enjoying 8 glorious watts of 300b power. No problem at all driving my 87db sensitivity Usher bookshelf speakers.
Really digging it so far!
If I ever decided to get back into tubed audio gear the 300b route would be the only way I'd go.
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It's certainly a different presentation than my EL34 and KT88 tube amps. I hesitate to call one tube/amp "better" than another, they're all just different and have their own character and performance attributes.
The 300b has more midrange "bloom" and greater realism with vocals and instruments, in my limited experience. The mids are expansive and deep, with plenty of motion. Just about perfect tonality too. Really nice stuff. -
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I compared a Jolida JD-9 (factory stock) to the internal preamp on my Threshold SL-10. It was no comparison at all. The clarity, frequency range, and musicality of the SL-10 was so far superior to the JD-9 that it made me laugh as I was disconnecting the JD-9 to box it back up. Wow! I was surprised. I had read so many good reviews about the JD-9 and my expectations were smashed by its lackluster performance.Enjoying the journey while never attaining the destination.
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What tubes were in the JD-9?
Tom~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
I don't know what tubesare in it. Whatever is stock. I didn't lift the lid. I know that there are a lot of upgrades that can be done, and I may explore that avenue. As is, with a LOMC cartridge, the background noise and loss of fidelity was too blatant for me to enjoy what I was hearing.Enjoying the journey while never attaining the destination.
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My first time with a Revelation Audio Labs cable, I added their Prophecy CryoSilver Reference HDMI i2s digital link cable from the modded Oppo 103 to the Directstream. I'll make a seperate post on the cable but...wow. I've only used a few silver cables but my thought process on them being "bright" has changed, especially when you get one that performs like this.
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Copper donuts mod
Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists. -
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