For some unfathomable reason beyond me, I am unable to edit or upload pics in my existing(circa 2007)system. Hence, I am adding pics/brief description of the recent changes to my vinyl chain including some new pics of my enlarged and refurbished,dedicated basement listening room.Apart from the vinyl set up, the rest of the system is unchanged from 2006.
In the past 8 yrs I have upgraded/changed my TT four times, gone through 5 cartridges.I am almost embarrased by the naivety of my early enthusiasm for vinyl. This prompted the purchase/cartage of a VPI 16.5 from Chicago to New Delhi. The decapitation of my Transfiguration Orpheus L was a wake up call. The system and sound have evolved in a manner that is consistently pleasing.
Jan 2013
After 7 years the upgraditis flu strikes hard. New speakers, Rockport Aviors, a new pre bought on Agon but yet to arrive, the CJ GAT and drooling over the prospects of large SET monos driving the Aviors.
Baby steps in computer audio with a Macair and Mytek DSD. Initial results...this could be good and I am beginning to understand what all the hype is about despite my initial cynicism.
June 2013
All things vinyl. On that plea decided to do all the vinyl fun things I always wanted to. A restored Garrard 401, a 12" arm, a Ortofon SPU and a Miyajima BE mono cart. This required coordination between Hong Kong(Mint LP),Singapore(source of the 309D,SPU,Miyajima cart and a Ortofon 80 SE SUT),Switzerland(MM card for the Nagra phono stage) and two locations in Delhi for the woodwork and Garrard 401.
Jan 2014
The Final Frontier or Sunnyboy goes bananas or My All Out Assault on Being Done For Now.
The Rockport Aviors arrived in Jan 2013, followed by the CJ GAT in April and after a 11 month wait and several hiccups the Wavac HE 833 V2 mono blocs arrived in Dec 2013.
I guess I am at the pinnacle of a 40 year audio journey. I have achieved all that I could dream of
and much more besides. The best part of the journey are the friends and fellow audiophiles across the globe that I have got to know.
Lloyd and Suteetat Over the weekend a pair of Amperex 7308s PQ were inserted in my CJ GAT courtesy Brent Jesse. A couple of hours on Sunday was nice but not overwhelming. Come Monday evening, maybe a total of 3/4 hours of listening and the GAT opened up. Clearly better than the Amperex tubes that were replaced. Many thanks for all your help. Am tempted to dream of a pair of pinched waist Amperex 7308s later in the year. Best Pradeep
SET club with an open membership ? That works for me, good idea. SET as with any other amplifier topology won't please everyone. However high quality SET amplifiers with a good speaker match are musically thrilling and very emotionally involving. I'm a "lifer" just like Pradeep. Charles,
Man...I gotta hear SE someday. I have heard Shindo preamps but not their amps. Again the Zanden 9600 monos are probably the closest and found them wonderful.
Pradeep we should start a single ended club because the members would really consist of true music lovers. No audiofools would be allowed except for women. The best Jeff
Wow...great stuff Sunnyboy. I have heard CJ Amps, so I can only imagine what the Wavac must be doing. I have heard Zanden 9600 monos and loved them, but did not have a chance to really get to know them in a system I already knew.
someday, will definitely try to hear your mighty Wavacs someplace.
Hi Jeff Thanks for looking. You have a mouth watering system : Altairs and Absolare SET amps. Would love to listen. Absolutely spot on regd SET amps vs push pull. Cheers Pradeep
Pradeep, I second Charles assessment. I switched to single ended less than a year ago. I have been using push pull tubes for over 15 years. I too can not go back. The best Jeff
Charles I agree wholeheartedly with you assessment of the sonic virtues of DHT SET amps. Whether 8wpc through a 100db + efficient speaker or 150wpc through my 89.5db Rockport Aviors, the tonal purity of a SET amp is overwhelming vis a vis a pp amp. No splitting of phases and re combing of the -ve and +ve signals etc. In my case the difference between the pp CJ LP70S and the Wavac was stunning . An exposure to a decent SET amp should be mandatory for any serious audiophile :) Cheers Pradeep
Pradeep, I didn't know that your Wavac SET was that powerful. The amp has to match the chosen speaker load, so 150 watts for you and 8 watts for me (my speakers are an easy load and coast with my amplifier). But overall the principle point is the same regarding a SET's impact on the sound. Charles,
Pradeep, I can relate to your amplifier comparison wholeheartedly. I was very content with my 100 watt(60 watt in triode)mono nlock push pull amplifier ( KT 88 and 6550 tubes). In 2009 I decided to give SET a try and bought a highly regarded 300b amplifier. The rest as they say is history, this 8 watt mono block SET was simply superior in reproducing music, emotion, visceral communication and sheer realism. I put the bigger amp back in my system a few times but the result remains unchanged. The life, involvement and flesh and blood naturalness take an undeniable step (or two) backwards with the PP amp in play (and I preferred this amp to any other PP competitors I was familiar with). The funny thing is that the PP amplifier is actually very good but just pales in direct comparison to my DHT-SET. I came to realized that I'd been mislead about the limitations of SETs and had accepted the misguided stereotypes. I'm just happy I learned for myself, there's no going back after over 4 years of this level of joy. Charles,
I have always held, particularly in my case, that the aural memory is short and that over time the full import of an upgrade tends to diminish as the upgrade becomes the " new normal " etc. I have just completed 2 months with the Wavac HE 833 V2 in my system. The 7 year old Conrad Johnson LP70S with KT 120 tubes is still around as the the dealer has yet to collect it. Yesterday, when some audio friends were over we did a switch between the Wavac and CJ. Wow.. all I can say is that exposure to a SET amp should be mandatory for every audiophile. There is no way a push pull amp even comes close to a well executed SET amp. Cheers Pradeep
Thanks Lloyd . Ordered a pair of Amperex 7308s PQs from Brent Jesse. Should receive them in early March. Cheaper than the EAT 6922s but not Jesse's absolute top of the line. Cheers Pradeep
Yes, Brent Jessee is great...I just ordered a series of Mullards from him and they are fantastic...so just received full back up set from him as well. Please give him my best.
Lloyd many thanks. I have a pair of EAT 6922s on order that come with a set of dampeners. Some pretty mixed reports regd the EAT tubes. I shall soon find out. Should have done the "due diligence " before ordering. Not very intelligent of me. In case the EAT tubes don't work shall contact Jesse Brent. Have heard great things about him. Will keep you posted. Cheers Pradeep
Many thanks for the kind invitation...will keep that in mind. I think you mentioned elsewhere about GAT microphony...the EAT Tube dampers worked perfectly for me, and I have kept them ever since, even though the tubes I have been using lately are not microphonic. The tone and signal is much denser, stronger...really enjoy EAT Tube dampers. Not that expensive either. 19 bucks...so a very nice tweak for $38 bucks for something of the level of a GAT was easily worth it (to me).
Altanpsx Many thanks for your endorsement of the Miyajima Kansui. I have not decided on the choice of a 2nd MC cart but it will be between the Transfiguration Proteus and the Kansui. My initial experience of the Wavacs Avior combo is that it is superb. I am told that the Wavacs need 300 hrs breakin. I am nowhere close to that.My initial fear/apprehension was that maybe the sound is sweet or syrupy. Far from that.It is rich with just a wee bit on the darker side of neutral but honestly it really depends on the recording etc Best Pradeep
Sonnyboy1956 it is a very very good setup. I am using avior, i listened same wawacs in my friend system. He is driving vienna acoustics flagship with wawacs, also he is using manley steelhead as a pre. I very much liked the setup, and i could not stop thinking how wawacs can drive my aviors. I really like to hear your experience ?
Also I think, kansui may sound fantastic with wawacs....
Hi Tjkurita Thank you for your kind words. Wavac makes 3 amps in the 833 series, the uber expensive SH 833 which has 2 separate power transformers in black for each channel, the HE 833 Mk 2 which has a single outboard power transformer also in black for each channel and the baby of the series , the HE 833 V2, with the power supplies,transformer and amp all on the same chassis. Do drop in for a listen :) Best Pradeep
What an AMAZING system! I can only imagine what this setup sounds like. Congratulations. One question, from what I can figure out, the Wavac amps have massive power supplies. Most of the literature shows the signal chassis stacked on top of the power chassis. Where have hidden them away?
John The best part is that the amps don't need to play any music. You can ogle at them the whole day. They are that pretty. Next upgrade a pair of al cheapo headphones and a MP3 player...:) Cheers Pradeep
Hi Pradeep, I use the Synergistic Research Quantum fuses and I'm very pleased with their contributions to my system. I am not sure how the "best" fuse could ever be determined given the multitude of variables and individual taste involved. We both achieved better sound with different brands of fuses and thus, good decisions on our part. Pradeep thanks for the kind comment about my system. Charles,
