Renaat, what do you think of Paul Speltz Anticable speaker cables? Are they what lots of audiophiles claimed to be: true "giant-killers"? It is for me quite difficult to accept that those simple design cables better the very costly ones. Or don't they?
System edited: ZYX Airy 3S with Silver Base will replace ZYX Fuji. Cartridge is ordered together with Transrotor TR9.1 tonearm (to replace standard TR 2.6).
System edited: Replaced the stock Sovtek tubes in my Metronome DAC with Mullard cv4004 cryo (bought from www.tubeworld.com). Although they still have to burn in, sound really is wonderful in terms of 3-d imaging, soundstage and balance.
System edited: The RG3 and RG7 arrived yesterday. They look fantastic. Sound right out of the boxes is warm and detailed. Need to burn in for ... a year :-)
Yup... Siltech, thanks. Outrageously expensive as I recall. The sl ref cable is the one I used. Still have it fact and use it on a small TT as phono (not bad with a small signal, strangely enough).
I will wait for the combo to arrive and will do some cable experiments. I resevred the SL Reference (green cable) to connect the rg3 and rg7, but I will give my Kubala a try (altough I'd have to buy one more).
A low capacitance single core diy based on jadem's model with 0,6mm wire (see jadem6 recent thread on diy cables)*. This replaces Nordost Valhalla which also gives an excellent electrical connection. The SL cable (green) was OK, but not spectacular, the top end being truncated. Other happy cable experiences include your Kubala & the expensive dutch "gold" wire who's name escapes me. Generally, you need a cable whose design favour top end extension... don;t worry about midbass energy not coming through.
*Please NOTE that I have negligible interference in my environment which allows me to use the "unshielded" diy without fear of oscillations etc. (the Kraft is "free"-bandwidth and goes up to 1MHz so, fast but dangerous with spurous noise).
Mattheus -- I think you'll find that in "normal" spl (say ~80-100dB) the sound will be less sharp, more quiet, and (strangely) more detailed. The dynamic content will be much improved (try listening to classical for example: you'll need to use the remote volume control because when the quiet passage is audible, the forte will be probably too loud for the room).
The small difference in power is negligible in normal operation.
BTW, don't worry too much about placing the turbo -- I had it off the rack, hidden, & on its side. But it seems to complete it definitively and the pre becomes clearly world class (and very expensive). So much is the sound improved that it would seem that the component was designed with the full PS in mind and the entry model is simply a cut-down version. On the impractical side, you have to keep the pre on all the time; for reasons I never understood (and never researched anyway) it takes about 72hours for the high frequency content to be completely acceptable. OTOH, it's one of the best active pre's I've heard.
What did you replace the SL with ?
I got a "Kraft" class A and control it with a transformer volume. So, I still use SL amplfication!
The reason I (just) sold the Kraftwerk is because I could get a very fair price for it AND because I can get a VERY nice deal on a new rg3-rg7 combo. I never heard this combo though. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that the output power of the rg7 (2x140) is less than the Kraftwerk's (2x180). OTOH, both rg3 and rg7 are now brought to the mk4 level, which seems to put them to a higher sonical level (lets hope ..) than the Kraftwerk. Anyway I will have to wait, listen and do my own judgement. But as you said, I'm am already looking at the 'turbo netzteil' for the rg3. The 'problem' is, I don't have enough space in my rack to integrate this extra and expensive beauty..
I HAD that combo (i.e. 5 years ago or s/thing) and did compare it to a Kraftwerk with 2 PS. Frankly, the combo was only slightly better BECAUSE the Kraftwerk gave a seemless sonic presentation and what was "missing" was inaudible -- so, it didn;t bother me too much. OTOH I always found the rg7 a spectacular commercial product: it's honest, hard-working, reliable, and energetic; its sonic attributes are far superior to any expectations (for example the critical 80-10kHz region is suberb). However it introduces one to what an outstanding sound can be like -- and, invariably, you end up looking for exactly the same amp but with a little bit more output power. If you are wealthy enough, keep the rg7. My old one (I sold it unfortunately) is still working flawlessly, now driving a horn system. Before it was driving some Kharma model. I've used it to test dynamic speakers, drivers, to drive e-stats...
Will sell my Kraftwerk, ordered RG3mk4 and RG7mk4 combo
Nice combo! BUT, prepare yourself for a further and very imminent investment: yr rg3 will become "turbo" & the rg7 will become monobloc (rg4?). Start preparing yrself psychologically:)! Cheers
Mattheus - how many cables did you try till current ? I always read that you´ve just inserted a new cable again.. Why don´t you try the big Shunyatas, the Ayon Audio Cables, the Jenas or the Indras and just settle down and listen to music ?? By the way: I did some changes as well ;) Happy listening!
If you try Ayre amp - try to find a K1X or Xe preamp - they are far better than the K5. Also, take a V6 X or Xe instead of a K5 becausde the V6 has 3 power (because you can add amp module for a 6 channel) and if you use it with 2 channel, each one has is one power supply. I've heard this combo with a Ayre D1 X and Kharma 3.2 F and it was very good for the price. Al with kharma cable. The Ayre combo has a medium a bit like tubes, very natural on voices.
To go further, you'll have to take Lamm M1.2 (hybrid) or ML1.1 or 2.2 - it become really expensive, but so nice !!!!
Ayre is very smooth, detailed, holographic and transparent sounding and suits best the characteristics needed to drive ceramique transducers apropriate. As you know I did quite a lot of comparison (Hovland, Ayre, Pass, Nagra, Jeff Rowland, Accuphase, Brinkmann, ..) and the Ayre K-5xe + V-5xe combo was at least in my system the one that worked best - AND: with a few hundred bucks you can add nice mods to either of the Ayres and enjoy them even more. Best design and built quality and ease of use was of course Jeff Rowland - unmatched in the audio world (exception Boulder and FM Acoustic).
I never had the chance to listen to the Avalon Opus nor the Falcons. For a short time I had Avalon Symbols, but this was in a completely different set up.
The Kharma's offer a very precise sound image with a big soundstage, very well tonally balanced.
I was advised to check on Ayre amplification, but I don't have the chance to test this brand at home.
What's your experience, what made you decide to switch to Ayre ?
Congrats to your nice upgrade. I bet the Kharmas sound wonderfull. Have you ever compared these with Avalon Opus Ceramique or Ayon Falcons (all near the same price point)? I as well did some upgrades - I now have an all Ayre amplification (of course modded) and await an Audio Aero prestige CD/SACD-player and an Ayre C-5xe to compare it to my heavily modded DV-50 S.
