this is my first decent stereo ,i listen to all kinds of music,chamber,jazz(old&new),rock,electonica,bluegrass,acoustic.I love the sound of a tube preamp with a SS poweramp ,.my system is sounding much better with the upgrades ive made,,!!i would apprieciate any sugg.,comments ,thanks for all the help so far guys!!!
Thanks to Michael Strickland owner of Pro Electronics 301 21st. East Bradenton,Fl. he has been around since 1980,but I just discovered him. I took my Supratek Chardonnay to him for repair,and was very pleased with the service and turnaround. I had my preamp back in less than a week .Michael has extensive experience working on tube and solid state gear. If you need a good tech in this neck of Fl. give him a call 941-301-4436 350-http://www.proelectbradenton.com
Tim ,My apology for the delay in answering. I guess I have had some up and downs these last few years,,with life and my system. I was able to have my A-100 repaired for the second time,,lucky it was still on warranty.I wish they had a protective fuse that was user friendly.I was listening to a 24/96 file thru Amarras demo and it made a weird noise,it took out the A100 and my Supratek Chardonnay.I cant say what started that. I like how the amp sounds,but would not buy it again due to the lack of protection.Every other amp ive had, had a fuse that saved it from being damaged .But it is a very good sounding amp! All in all it has been a good ride so far,I cant complain.I am a Gorka fan! Thanks for the kind words.
Turns out my Chardonnay is working,Thank you Josh at Audioworkshop!!!! It is my poweramp PS Audio Trio A-100 that is not working.Hopefully it is the ,not user changable fuse? that is inside a plastic black box that is wrapped around the speaker and power connections inside the case.
Ivan,Thanks! Of course you are right,I paniced when it did not work.I am going to hook up my cd player directly to my power amp(as per PS Audio) to make sure the internal not user changable,,,fuse was not blown when preamp sparked.I picked up a Jolida 102B that I had lent a friend about a year ago(he was disappointed!) to run my preamp thru to check if Chardonnay works.I will post results.Thanks again,Ray
Tragedy has struck!!!My beloved Supratek Chardonnay is down!!! I moved a couple weeks ago.Reinstalled my system.And heard almost no sound with volume turned up fairly high.I then checked all the cables visually.Everything looked OK.I then checked the umbilical cable at the power supply end by slightly attempting turning it clockwise to ensure it was snug.It turned inside small amount ,and made a sparking sound.And I turned it off.I then took it to Audioworkshop in Bradenton.The tech got ahold of Mick,as 3 wires inside power supply were unconnected,Mick helped get the wires reconnected properly .Got it back later,bill was 58.00.The tech said he could not check to make sure it worked because he did not have a power amp to hook it up to.So I hooked it up hoping it was going to work,,,,but it didnt! I am making 270.00 a week at the moment,so I was really hoping it would work.I am so depressed about this! Sure miss my Music!
Isochronism,Sorry,I have not checked my system for awhile.I really enjoyed the Hot Rod,hated to sell it ,but it stayed in the repair shop too much,think I just bought a lemon.VERY good and versitle,,,,does most everything well ,,,and fun to use,,Gotta love them tubes!I had a 50 watt Marshal tube 1/2 stack JCM 900,,I think that was the model, that was incredible! Sure miss those amps,,just playing my Larrivee L-03 for now.Also a Taylor GS Mini,,very good for a traveling size guitar.Thanks,Ray
Hello Dan,I really need to update my system and take new photos.I have not played a actual CD in months, as I have my Imac ,Bel Canto DAC2,set up for ,,,,computer audio!I will invest in a minimac soon to free up my imac for non audio use and the mini for audio only.I replaced my Redwine 30.2 with a PS audio Trio-A poweramp,,,,one day I will replace it,,but not in a hurry as it sounds VERY good for the price!May go for TRL Samson poweramp .I am pretty happy with my system!Very enjoyable!I have not heard from Stiltskin in a while,hope he is well and contacts someone here! Thanks,Ray
Slipknot1,Good to be back!2 years out of work,,finally have a job!Music sure helped! Thanks! Jim,Thank you ,I have a pair of Harmonic Precision Caravelles that I truly love ,so The Omegas do not get used anymore,,nice speakers,but not on the same level .
This page is in bad need of updating!!!!!Out of the amps ive had,,,I regret selling my Conrad Johnson!!!!Sure miss the power beautiful mids ,huge roomfilling 3-D soundstage,and great sound even at low volume,,,these amps esp,at used prices are a hell of a deal!!!!
Well,I sold my Red Wine to a gentleman with kinder speakers.Because of being out of work I have not changed much.Oh,I did get a Bel Canto DAC2 and hooked my computer to my system,and it sounds pretty good.Almost on par with my transport DAC .So much simpler to click than to get up and change software,,, Getting lazy!!! Thinking about putting my Omegas for sale,as they get no use,would be nice to find them a good home! I have been enjoying my system and not caring if I upgrade anything,,,ahhhh freedom!I have missed talking audio and music with fellow audiogoners!Hope all are well,Ray
I got a good deal on a PS Audio A-100 Trio poweramp,,,Im surprised at how good it sounds in my system,,must be a synergy thing,,,very inexpensive amp.I will be selling my Red Wine 30.2 as i am now aware that my speakers sound better with 100 watts min.
RWA30.2 Took forever to breakin!Sounds VERY good!! Im happy with it!30 watts is plenty! I never would have believed it!It has been in the 90s in S.Fl toooo hot summer is here!Shadorne,Rebelution is a breath of fresh air,Thanks!
Hello Chad,Still showing signs of breaking in with around 40 hours,no noise at all, battery power works well.very good dynamics,nice wide deep layered soundstage goes past outer edges of speakers,very good detail and retrieval of low level signal.Bass is pretty good,but hope it fills in a bit more with more hours.LPs sound esp. good!When I get to the 100 hour mark ill have another report!Ive been working like crazy as people are taking vacations lately!!Talk to ya soon!Ray
My Jolida arrived Friday,,,I am very pleased with the sound!Just recieved a matched pair of Tung-sol reissue 12AX7 to replace stock Chinese tubes,,hoping to hear some improvement.Man ,,is it nice to listen to my LPs again!!!!!!!!!! The Jolida replaced an Acoustech PH1P that I had to sell last year.I will write a comparison in a few days,,of course with the PH1P I will be going by memory .Well,have to change out a couple tubes.Ray
Hehe,,Albert,,I sure am,and hoping they go well together!I ordered the Redwine today,,I will have to wait 4 to 6 weeks to find out!Ill busy myself (rediscovering) my LPs,,
System edited: Should have Jolida phono pre this week,looking forward to playing my LPs again!!My ZYX R100H only had about 10 hrs on it when I last listened to my analog setup,,
Thanks Mark,Things are going well ! Had to put some things on the backburner last year!Still hoping to have my Malbecs 2to4 months tops!! Cant wait!Ray
Hello Nate,Hoping to get around to new photos this spring after a good housecleaning,,,How are your Caravelles working out?I dont have any plans to replace mine anytime soon,,still happy with them. Taking forever to get my new amps!!!Ray
Hello guys!Thanks for the concern!In a nutshell the new job and the one after did not work out!Things were not going well for some time,,,Chad,,I did slip for a short while,,,Everything is going well now,,just took a while to get back on my feet!Im using the computer at the Library for a few weeks ,should have mine going soon. I should have my Malbecs in 3 to 4 months!Music sure has been a great comfort during some hard times as always!Chad I just got a new phone,ill call you soon.Thanks for thinking about me!
Thank you Joe,,,I will post some info as soon as I get those babys !!!With pics to follow,,as im pretty bad about the photo thing!I will be getting a new cartridge next week since I managed to break the cantilever! I will be replacing my ZYX R20 with a R100H which is a move up ! Cant wait ,,since I really enjoyed my R20,should be a real treat.Mehran at ZYX is a great guy,,a truly beautiful human being!!I cant say enough good about him!Ray
Mark,Man ,,you guys have been seeing some really good shows!Im glad everything is working out so well!It is a good feeling when you finally find a cable that works so well!I feel lucky that I did not have to try too many before I found a brand that I dont feel the need to look any further,Purist Audio did it for me.Im really looking forward to the Malbecs,,ill be all tubes then!My system sounds great now,,if the Malbecs sound better,,I may have to switch to "Done for now" Im hoping I will be able to do the sig. arm and Scoutmaster next year,,,,hmm,i said that last year too!Im truly enjoying music so much now,,its hard to imagine it getting much better,!Thanks,Ray
LOL,,Mark ,Great to hear from you!I remember our conversations a while back about these amps,,I was not sure when it was going to happen,or how i was going to make it happen,,things just fell into place almost like it was meant to!I think Kgturner will recieve his before i see mine,,it will be fun to compare notes with Kevin,,and i will certainly keep you posted!Peace,Ray
System edited: Should have Supratek Malbec monoblocks in a couple months!!!!!!!!Cant Wait! The CJMF2500A is a great sounding amp and ive been very happy with it,a bit more power than i need with the Caravelles,and i cant help but wonder how a Supratek poweramp is going to sound with my Chardonnay!
Nrchy,Congrats! Hope the Caravelles work out well for you!Im very pleased with mine!It did take a while to get them setup just right,,seem to work best in my room with very little toe in,,and a few feet into the room ,The M1 stands sound very good ,,but are not the most stable of stands,,,,they did take a while to settle in ,even though they were used.My CJ MF2500A at 240 wpc is a bit more than i need as the woofers bottom out at a lower volume than my previous speakers,so i may get a lower powered amp sooner or later.I found that all the Caravelle owners here are very helpful,they kept me calm during the first week or so when the Caravelles did not sound so good!They sound very good and im happy with them,ive spent more money on music in the last couple months than i have on equiptment,,,for the first time since ive started putting this system together a few years ago,,i wish i could offer more info!I am looking forward to how you like them,,just give them a few weeks to settle in,,did you buy them new? Im using Sonoran speaker cables now,,i was using a pr of Museaus ,but they were a few inches to short,,,i may get a pr of Venustus at some point ,the Sonoran and Museaus sounded very good ,,the Purist had a touch more of a relaxed and liquid sound,slightly more texture that i slightly prefered,but the Sonoran had a bit better detail and tighter bass,,hey ,,if you ever care to trade speaker cables for a few weeks let me know!!Lookin forward to your thoughts on the Caravelles!Ray
Dean,Def,Caribbean and Spanish influence thruout Florida,,very colorful,great music too! Ive always wanted to see California,,,Hey ,,if you ever want to trade spaces for a week,,let me know!!Peace,Ray
Albert,,Yes,cigarettes,,the last of my bad habits,,,,,unless a love affair with refined sugar can be considered a bad habit,,,Ahhh,,the pastries were delicious!!!HEHE ,,Thanks for the encouraging words!
Well,,,I havent smoked in 3 weeks!!!!What an emotional rollercoaster its been! More money for software!Still playing with settings on my ACI Force sub,,pretty close,but i think i can get it a little better,,i should get a Radioshack meter and check setup!
Hello Spencer,I dont have exp. with any of the DACs or similar ones,i did have a Soundstream DAC a while back which was a good intro to what a stand alone DAC can do,but the AM sounds better,Clio09 has a very good review ,where he compares a stock and TRL modded Audiomirror and i agree with him on the strong and weak points of the stock unit,,i will say that i truly enjoy CDs since adding the AM ,the Monarchy DIP helps too! nice analog sound,works well for me ,not so good CDs sound good,and very well done CDs sound great,im going to get the TRL mod done when funds allow ,as this is supposed to correct the few minor weak points in the stock unit!Ray
Slipknot,If you ever visit the Tampabay area your more than welcome to stop by!I think ive been very lucky in putting together this system without making too many mistakes,,thanks to Audiogon members i should say!And to think i started out wanting a great home theater system!Thank you,Ray
David,Thank you!I had no idea when i started that id soon be replacing darn near everything in my system,but im very happy now!Music is a very emotional experience for me,i think ive got a good balance ,where not so good recordings sound very good and great recordings sound ,,great!Ray
Spencer,Im sure ill have Audiopoints on everything before long,i will try the amp connection first as i have 2 pr of good speaker cables collecting dust,cant argue with Daffy!LOL,Thank you,Ray
System edited: Added Audiopoints under transport and Chardonnay power supply,improved clarity ,tightened bass,soundstage improved,def. worth the money!I will be adding more plus 4 for my Flexi rack,did not change the character of the sound,just cleared everything up.
Hello Mark,Still waiting for my Tax check,,,glad to hear the Sig arm is living up to expectations!My analog system sounds pretty good ,,but im looking forward to improving upon it!I think if Micks KT-88s were ready i might have ordered a pr.,,,crazy crazy hobby!!Thank you for the info,,ill be checking in with you to hear how everything is progressing.Ray
Stiltskin,Hope your arm gets to you soon!Im really enjoying Ella and other older jazz LPs ive recieved lately,funny how some of the old recordings can sound soooo good!
Hello Mark,I hear your getting your arm REAL soon!Ill be looking forward to hearing all about it,,wow 200 hours,,thats a lot of LPs,i wonder if one were to put a speaker or portable radio real close to the stylus and crank it up ,would the cart. pick up the vibrations and pass a signal thru the wire cutting down on the number of LPs youd have to play for breakin to occur? Wacky thought!
Hello Uppermidfi,Thank you for the kind words,I love what the Caravelles do for my system! I havent enjoyed music on this level in so long,,hard to explain! Ill try,,,I remember when i was a teenager,,i could get so involved in the music,without worrying about audiophile things,,,as the years went by i seemed to not be able too lose myself in the music so completly anymore,,,i now find myself able to feel the music ,,,this is what i envisioned a few years ago when i started putting my system together,,now i might have some money for things like food,tires for my truck,dating,,furniture,,,and my dream ,a house in the sticks with a dedicated music room!Theres still some things id like to upgrade,but they are minor,Thanks,Ray
Hello Slipknot,I do seem to be leaning toward the Sig. arm,and with what you just said about it and the 700.00 price with trade in of reg. arm its a no brainer,,when the tax check comes in my arms going to VPI.The Caravelles sound great,they let me know how good ihe rest of my system really is!Ray
Mark,Still not decided which to go with,the sig arm would help since i have a light cart.Roberts book is a great source of info,i need to revisit certain chapters. Dlwask,my R20 is the entry level cart,and sounds quieter in the grooves and a bit more relaxed than the Clearaudio Arum Beta S that i had,,,this Cart is Very forgiving of all manner of noise thats on an LP,without losing detail,dynamics,it is a light cart,ill probably add a headshell wt. from VPI,The Bloom should be even better.Ive not heard the Karat,but it was going to be my next cart,but i got a nice deal on the ZYX ,Ray
Albert,,Bob loves tubes Mon! A cool spirit that just smiles thru it all!Bill ,I enjoy our emails,i did recieve it,im doing an extensive study on subs and the reproduction of low bass,,and am impressed with all ive read about the REL,its certainly on my short list,Thanks,Ray
I think the Caravelles sound very good without a sub or subs,but i want that lower octave so far im considering a sub from the following companys,ACI,James,REL,Velodyne DD,Onix,ive just started reading all i can,and talking to folks with sub experience,im thinking i should get a 10" or 12" instead of anything larger because of room size,and the fact that i may be adding a second sub one day ,and would not have the room for two larger subs,anyway,im open to any suggestions,what are the advantages of high or low output hookup? Ray
System edited: I should be getting the Monarchy DIP/Classic Tue. I spoke with Ming and he told me it would be an improvement on my older MarkII,which i think is very good,,,ill know soon!
System edited: Well,,,,I sold my beloved Paradigm Studio 100s ,listened to them for the last time last night,,,,my system sounded very good with them,,,ill be getting a pr. of Harmonic Presicion Caravelles in a week or two,,,im hoping ill be very happy with them,right now i have a pr of Paradigm Monitor 3 left over from my HT,,they actually sound pretty good!Smaller sound,,a little darker ,but not bad at all!Happy Holidays to all!,Ray
Im sorry ,it was" lost in space" that had the gold colored nuts,,My Purist speaker cables are starting to sound very good,they have about 50 hours on them!
Thanks Kevin,Yes ,i made the rack,at some point i will replace the shelves with butcher block,and after seeing your rack,paint the nuts gold,i love that color combo!
Muralman,I guess i am somewhat of a packrat!!!I have CDs and LPs ill never listen to,but i cant bring myself to get rid of them!Hey,,do you like smooth jazz?
Dean,Good hearing from you!I recon too much work is better than not enough.Hey, you can send me those speaker cables,i have plenty of time!Well,at least you got one Sat. of fun and music in!Im pretty happy with my system,the Audiomirror is working out very well!Ive recently discovered two females vocalist that i cant get enough of;Diane Schuur and Cheryl Bentyne,,,,Peace,Ray
I have not been the same since hearing the Analysis Audio Epsilons!!!!!!Just wondering how they would sound in my system and room,,,,i now understand why planar /ribbon fans are such a dedicated bunch!Totally seamless sound!They pulled me into the music like no other speakers ever have!If they sound as good in my system as they did with the Electrocompaniet system i heard them in,,i think ive found my next set of speakers!!Bass was very good,and what a soundstage!i walked around the room and could not find a spot where they did not sound great,,,,,completly filled the room with beautiful sound !does anyone see any possible mismatches with these speakers and my system?My room is L =17xW =20 ft,they also have a smaller model;Omicron,
I listened to a pair of Analysis Epsilons today with Electrocompaniet electronics,,VERY good,they have that ,,you are there,room fillin sound in spades,at 11m they are a bit out of my reach,the sound was so balanced,i did not separate the treble ,midrange and bass in my mind,just heard the music,first time thats happened!!!
Hello Slipknot,Im doing well ,thanks,Im still very happy with my Chardonnay.I was hoping to have my Scout upgraded soon,but the company i work for is thinking about moving out of town next year and im not sure if i want to relocate,so i had to ask myself ,if i could only make one upgrade what would it be?And decided on speakers ,so i may have to put TT upgrades on the back burner for a while,i am enjoying analog much more since installing my new cart.Thats one of the great things about the Scout,no need to buy a new TT ,just upgrade it!Funny thing about the Moray James,when i recieved it i put it on the Chardonnay and it seemed to recess the soundstage quite a bit,but it worked great on my DAC,then a few months later i put it back on the Chard. and it really improved everything,esp low level detail,,go figure!I may try a M.Wolf PC on my DAC if i can find a used one.PS are you going to get the Sig. arm upgrade?
Well,no recent upgrades!Does this disqualify me as an audiophile?Im continuing a search for speakers to replace my Studio 100s,but im in no hurry,as my system sounds pretty good,i would like to find speakers that resolve more detail,better decay,must have good solid bass that i can feel,must do well with all music,and have a smoother treble than the studios and cost around 2500.00 used!Would like to hear Totem Manis ,and my system with Nola Vipers,otherwise not sure,I def need to take a few roadtrips to listen to more speakers!Peace,Ray
System edited: Just added a Stereovox HDXV digital cable,with good results!All around better sound than the analog IC i was using ,im having such good results with the Stereovox Studio Line that i will be getting more!!
The pics make my speakers look like they are ready to fall over,,LOL but they are actually quite level,ill try to get some better quality pics up soon!
Hello Jsquattrin,Im a fairly new fan to Bluegrass and am working on my collection too!Of course im in love with Allison,,LOL,,I also enjoy Ralph Stanley very much!Have you heard Doc Watson yet? I do like my Signal cables too,,its nice to get that kind of quality without having to spend big bucks!I still have a bit of work to do on my room!Space is a bit limited for me,i got rid of a big entertainment center a while back,which made a big diff.I had to clear out another room to do some work and laid some blankets and foam padding on the floor in front of my system,and was surprised at the improvement in sound!I might have to invest in a nice thick carpet to replace the really thin carpet thats in front of the system now!It was hard to get my speakers positioned in my room as i live in an older wood house that dosnt have a level spot on the floor or a straight wall,,LOL !thanks for visiting!Ray
Hey Chad,Im going to have to come up and listen to some music soon,being from S.Fla i think id better do it before winter,,,sure it gets pretty cold up there !!!LOL
Hello Pat,Im getting a couple Stereovox HDXV dig. cables soon,and will probably try the Studio line for speaker cables also,as i am very impressed with the HDSE analog ICs ive had for a while!LOL ,,I have been invited to listen to the Teres,and hope to take the gentleman up on his offer sometime this year!Im looking forward to this very much!I recall reading of the "Miami adventure " with envy!!!Im enjoying music more than ever on my current set up,but sure miss my LPs(hoping to buy an ZYX R30 soon}I took my Chardonnay to my local Paradigm dealers place,and i guess i tightened the umblical cord to the power supply a bit too much and knocked one of the internal connections loose,being the great guy that he is,he would not let leave untill he was able to fix it!Sounded real nice with an old pair of B&W 801 Matrix and Aragon amp!Thanks for the visit and kind words.Slipknot,www.morayjames.com, im using the MJ on my Audiomirror right now with very good results,i wanted to put some hours on it before it goes on the Chard.Ill probably move it to the Chard this weekend,ill let you know how it works out,,i like the RCA greyglass,and the Tungsol roundplates have a very natural,organic,clean sound,that i love,,they sounded a little thin when used with 6L6Gs ,but with the 6F6Gs they filled out nicely ,sooo ,,,have you given any more thought to your analog upgrade???Thanks,Ray
Hello Sgr,Thank you! I went with the CJ MF2500A,which im very happy with,much better than the Anthem PVA2 it replaced ,it took a bit of work to get the bass response out of it,but worth the effort!I still have some room issues to deal with,not too bad untill i crank the volume a bit,,im saving for a new cart. now as i bent the cantilever on my Clearaudio **%#@(!,,sure miss my LPs!The pics were my first attempt,i will post some more(hopefully better) photos soon,the Magnum has a nice analog sound to it ,that i enjoy.Ray
Hello Slipknot,I think im in love with my Chardonnay!!!The addition of the DAC@DIP have made a nice improvement to my digital sound,larger ,deeper soundstage,more air between everything,less digital sounding,top end is a bit smoother,Everything has a bit more wt.without hurting detail , more toetapping happening now!!I should recieve a pr of Tungsol Roundplates 6SN7s and a pr of RCA Greyglass VT231s this week!I have a bent cantilever on my cart.so ll replace it next,i have my choices narrowed down to a ZYX RS30 or Dynavector Karat,also decided(for now) to add 2 pr of Stereovox HDSE ICs for phono,they sound very well balanced and quiet in my system,I do need to work on my room too,i will do a lot of research and a bit of testing in this area,,also want to price a dedicated line,but dont want to go overboard since im renting for at least another 2 years,I sure miss my latenight analog sessions!!Just the pure emotion that LPs have!Well,Thank you for the visit!!OH!how do you like the RCA Greyglass?
Chad,Thanks!The DAC is working out well,I should have my Monarchy DIP MK2 mon.I do love my Chardonnay,I should be getting a pr of Tungsol Roundplates and pr RCA grey glass VT231s sometime next week too!
Ellery,Thanks for the kind words!Let me know if you find anything,hehe!Im pretty happy with the sound,its come a long way since its humble beginings,,,im trying to think of a way to snag a pr of B@W Matrix801s that my local dealer took in recently,,they are ugly as hell ,,,,,but sound soooo good!!Gunbei,thanks for having a messier room than i do!I dont feel too bad now ,,lol,Jimi and Dali grace the back wall,Where is it ? Ive been looking all week for it,,hehe!!
Chad,,I recieved the DAC today,with about 7 hours in my system it is an improvement !! First impressions are fuller sound,wider,deeper soundstage,Thanks !!!Should have pics up this week!!!Im using a SignalCable Analog Two for Digital IC,would a true digital IC work better?
Well, Im really enjoying my system lately!The Stereovox HDSE IC is between poweramp and preamp,and the BMC is between DVD and preamp,which sounds much better than the AQ Kingcobra ,better synergy i guess!I finally have my speakers placed just right ,after moving my system to another part of house.Should have a pr of Tungsol RPs in a couple weeks to try in my Chardonnay!Iheard a pr of B@W 801 Matrix at my local dealers and was impressed!Im taking my Chardonnay over next week to see how it sounds with the 801s.icant make up my mind what to upgrade next,APL Denon(ss model)cartridge or speakers,,,,I finally bought a camera to take system pics,now if i can get around to cleaning my place a bit,,,,,
I swore i would not get another universal player,,,but,,,,,The APL Denon 3910 SS version sure sounds appealing,at about the same price i was planning on spending on a redbook CDP,from what ive read,it will equal or surpass what i could get from a redbook only player at the same cost!what do you guys think!
my Chardonney is breaking in nicely,,,,,i love this preamp!!!!!!!!i have a pair of Stereovox HDSE ICs on order,,,well im looking forward to some tube rolling on the Chard!please feel free to comment or offer sug.i may upgrade my Integra universal player next, i can live without DVDA,,,still not sure ill be going with SACD either,,,
Hello Larry,id love to hear a Teres in a nice system,ill have to search for a dealer in Fla,im very happy with the way my system is sounding,the CJ MF2500A really improved things,,i feel like i am in high end territory now,,it did however expose a few small flaws with my current preamp,cant wait to hear how the Chardonney fits in!!
after i get my Chardonney,i might upgrade my universal player with an SACD player that can also do a good job with redbook CDs as over 90% of my digital listening is redbook,another option is a good Dac,,,,
i sent a deposit last friday for a stock Chardonney,,,,,,Slipknot ,i couldnt stretch my budget for the Chenin,your advice to wait on any cable changes makes good sense!Larry,i put a picture of the Chardonney on my locker at work,of course the guys at work think im nuts,one guy could not believe what im spending on audio,after all he bought a HT system for 300.00 that does everything!!the best way i can descibe the Walker SST is that everything sounds a bit more effortless,,not a dramatic improvement,but def. an improvement,,also the color and picture on my TV is a bit better,brighter color and sharper images
Walker SST applied with good results,and sent a deposit for my Chardonney today,,,,the sound of my system has improved since i started this wacky hobbie,cant wait to hear what the Suprateks going to do for my system,,,,
i recieved an email from Mick today,he said it takes a lot less time to build a Chardonney than other models,,,ill send a deposit in 2 weeks,,this is a purchase i have no hesitation making,,,also bought some Walker SST today,ill apply it tonight!!!
Slipknot ,thanks for the info ,,ill email Mick thur.,,,i believe i can handle the wait,,,everyone seems very happy with there preamps,,also the testamonials on the website are very helpful in getting a perspective on the sonic qualitys of Micks products,sure sounds like what im looking for!
hello Slipknot,3 to4 months would not be to bad,,i would be ordering the basic unit,,from everything ive read i think id be happy with the Chardonney,just one concern,,how does the bass sound?dont get me wrong,im not expecting Krell like bass,but i like to hear it close to whats on the recording,not fuzzy like some tube units,im loving my new CJ amp,but i do need to upgrade my preamp!my sig.analog 2 sounds very neutral between my amp and preamp,much more so than with my Anthem PVA2,my LAT speaker cables seemed to spotlight the treble just a bit to much,Kimber 8tc s are better balanced with the CJ,im wondering how a better pair of copper cables would sound,,
hello Wes,yeah the goss is a med.size newspaper web press,one of the guys i learned from back in early 80s was from Chicago,,my amp has taken a while to settle in,im in the process of moving cables around,so far it has much better detail,bigger fuller soundstage,blacker background,clear and clean sound,the bass is there ,nice texture and weight but could use a little more impact,slam,,,though my homemade pre amp tends to soften up the bass a bit,,im trying to decide which preamp to buy,,tempted to get a supratek chardonney,VTL5.5,,not sure i could handle the long wait for the Supratek!!any ideas???
hello Wes,i went with the CJ MF2500A,thought id wait till amp has 200 hrs or so before forming any opinions,it was delivered tue. safe and on time by UPS,ive had it playing since 24/7,just havent been home long enough to do much listening,ill post my thoughts in a few days.So your in the litho buisness too,im a press operator on a Goss Urbanite,what do you do in litho? Ray
i almost have all my new amp money together and starting to get a little nervous as far as my choice,,feel like i did just before i got married! CJ MF 2500,Pass X 150,McCormack?? i will be buying used here on audiogon,,any words of wisdom!!
hello Slipknot,i actually had friends over with a dig. cam.to take pics ,and we started listening to music,,,,,fergot pics,,anyway thanks for your responses!since i changed tubes everything sounds much better!i didnt realize what a nice preamp i have untill now!!!im also going to have to revaluate every thing in my system esp.cables,i believe i may have blamed some things on new cables when it was actually the tubes,,,glad to here your getting your Supratek soon!!!
i borrowed a pair of kimber kable 8tc speaker cables from a buddy,they are clearer esp. in lower mids,than my lat ss 1000d biwires,i am really enjoying them,the only thing i dont like about them is they are a bit too laid back in my system,im wondering if kimbers more expensive sp. cables would remedy that.everything sounds better,just not very exiting to listen too.looking for an interconnect to go between amp and preamp,apature is ok,, discovery nos ,a little glassy in upper mids,bass too undefined and guitars just dont sound right,but they do work well for my tuner,and better than my others for analog,and they have a soundstage to die for,signal cable analog two,good detail,bass,overall pretty good but sound a bit lightweight in the mids with a bit of silabance on vocals,audioquest corals,pretty good all around performer,but seem to missing a bit of detail,works good for my cd player,,,this cable thing is driving me nuts,,i wish i could find a cable that combined all the good things above mentioned cables,,maybe i should rent a bunch from the cable co. my local dealer carrys aud. ,harm.tech,but hasnt had any loaners the last two times ive been there ,,,any sugg.!!!!
hello Audiofankj,hope you can replace your TT and tuner soon!i enjoy having multi sources ,right now im leaning toward the cj mf2500,have you heard the mf2500? im wondering how it compares with the mccormack ,,the vtl preamp sounds interesting,im going to do a search on it,my current preamp is great in the mids but lacks in bass,
hello Slipknot,the acoustic panels are made from 1x4" for the frame ,with 1/2" plywood as a backing , 8 1/2" R 25 insulation which is compressed down to 4".since i havent picked out proper fabric yet,i used an old sheet tacked on for a temp ,im going to get a sheet of compressed fiberglass board to lay on top of the 8 1/2" ins. to keep it nice and flat then i can finish them with fabric.they measure 2ft x 6 ft and im using them for side reflections ,flutter echo.they work better than i thought they would,,now i need to get started on my bass traps,as my room badly needs them,also looking into diffussers.im still amazed how something so simple to build can be so effective! plus i never realized how much fun DIY is!Maybe theres a preamp or speaker kit in my near future!!
hello Slipknot and Jeb83r,greetings from the dark side,,crazy hobby but it sho is fun!my system is sounding better than ever,looking forward to getting a Conrad Johnson MF 2500 in a few months!
System edited: just added chang 3200 and DIY acoustic panels,the chang lowered noisefloor a bit,got rid of a slight grainyness in the treble,everything sounds more musical!Then i added the acoustic panels ,,,,,, WOW!!@#@% what a difference! soundstage expanded,everything came into focus ,Im going to build a pair of bass traps next to tame a little boominess,,its amazing what a little room treatment will do!!!
NOS Discovery cables working out great with analog also very good with my tuner,,,they did take a while to break in,,wasnt sure about them for a while ,but they do sound good now,,esp. soundstaging ,imaging!!
hello Rooze,thanks for the info,a fellow printer huh!yeah, ive been printing newspapers and magazines since i was a kid,,im surprised i can still hear lol,,
thanks Rooze,the MF 2500 has been on my list ,,,there is usually one for sale here too,from all ive read about this amp,i think id really enjoy it,how does your friends sound with the 100s ? im going to replace my outlets as they are real old and worn,thats about the extent of my elect know how,,also would like to hear a pass x 250,
hello slipknot,thanks!your right,this hobby is costly,just paid off my truck,,more money for music and upgrades,at a crossroad with my system,upgrade amp and speakers(easier to drive),,,or powerfull SS amp that will drive studio 100s,,.
flexi rack a success ,definetly have the DIY bug now,,will get pics someday soon ,if i can only bring myself to stop buying audio stuff,and music,i might be able to buy a digital camera!!!
thanks Slipknot1, i owe a lot to audiogoners,im learning a lot from you guys,my system is sounding much better,hoping by sept or so i can upgrade to the scoutmaster,love my vinyl,,
just got some herbie tube dampers,did make a difference for the better,although i really didnt think they would,clarity improved overall focas,and cleared up a bit of muddiness i was having in the midbass,vocals and horns are a little sweeter now,def lotta bang for buck tweek
hello Doc,been moving things around a bit, got rid of ent.center,which improved sound,also new cables have helped,still need to get a few more cables then will be able to think about sds,looking forward to hearing your thoughts when you get yours ,the more I think and read about sds,the more im convinced.when i get a bit more organized will get some pics up,
just added Apature Black Beauty power cable and interconnect,about 40 hrs,smoother,better dynamics,seems like Igained some headroom,Im not turning volume up as much.Still need to get power cords for phono and universal player
Ive had the Acoustech about 2 months,compared to my Musical Fidelity XLPS ,,Ive been pleasantly surprised,100% better, nice,the Acoustech really has opened up my analog sound,soundstage is now wider,deeper,bass is deeper ,cleaner,tighter,also much more detail,warm but not towarm,I think I know what people mean by liquid now,more air than I thought my system was capable of,realistic tonal balance, which I am very picky about,I have afeeling it will sound even better as I upgrade my system,bought it used so I saved some cash.I Thought about getting a tube unit,but my system is already fairly warm,also can play a lot of albums that I could not before, I feel I made a choice I can live with for along time,,
Thanks for responses,can anyone estimate what an electrician will charge to intsall a dedicated line,I live in an older wooden house with no attic to crawl thru,just rafters about 25 ft from elect box to listening room. A friend was going to help me with this but my landlord insist I use a pro,,
System edited: just recieved signal cable "analog two" IC.i took out the audioquest coral between cd player &pre amp ,put analog two in its place , only a few hrs on it ,so far sogood will update when i get more hrs .
