Whaty kind of coin...

[I-SIG]

...would I have to drop to make a significant upgrade to my Audio Alchemy DLC. Seriously...and don't say Dodd MLP or the like 'cuase that's a LOT of coin!!! Balanced pre-outs & ins would be a plus since the Parasound 2200 apparently has a fair amount of life in it or at least that's what I've been led to believe.

Wes

[Tour2ma]

DLC's are sweet little pre's aren't they?

What are looking to improve upon?

[I-SIG]

I don't know. Just to make a change. I tried a Dared tubed-pre and wasn't impressed overall, so I'm fairly confident that at least a basic tubed-pre ain't gonna do much for me. I figured that since I had the least invested it might be the easiest to do better on. Maybe I'm wrong.

I guess I should really wait and see what happens when I add the CEC as a transport into the system before I mess with anything elsewhere.

Wes

[reeltrouble1]

Conrad Johnson.

RT1

[steveinaz]

Unless you go used and walk into a great deal, I think it's gonna take serious dough brother, that A-Alchemy is nice, very neutral.

I asked Gary Dodd if he could build me a passive pre based on his mid-line chasis, he quoted about $800 if I remember right. I'm sure he could put some XLR's on that pup, no problem.

Send him an email..

[steveinaz]

I don't know. Just to make a change. I tried a Dared tubed-pre and wasn't impressed overall, so I'm fairly confident that at least a basic tubed-pre ain't gonna do much for me. I figured that since I had the least invested it might be the easiest to do better on. Maybe I'm wrong.

I guess I should really wait and see what happens when I add the CEC as a transport into the system before I mess with anything elsewhere.

Wes

The transport changes are going to subtle---

[reeltrouble1]

800 for a custom piece? Holy crap. OK, maybe not CJ. I don't like gear bashing but lets say in the letter D pre choices I am a fan of Dodd. Wonder if Gary will build me a transport with XLR, naw not his bag, but Wes could sell me that CEC to get some dough!!!!!!!! J/K enjoy your new stuff I am jealous!!

RT1

[steveinaz]

It's hard to find a CDP under a grand with XLR. As I'm sure you've found..

[ohskigod]

here's lou's dumb ass question of the day. what is XLR?

sorry for the hijack by the way

[Tour2ma]

XLR = Balanced interconnect

Ted,
"XLR transport" does not compute... you mean CDP?

[audiobliss]

How'd this turn out? You still searching for a preamp, I-SIG, or have you contented yourself for the moment with a new source?

[W WALDECKER]

...would I have to drop to make a significant upgrade to my Audio Alchemy DLC. Seriously...and don't say Dodd MLP or the like 'cuase that's a LOT of coin!!! Balanced pre-outs & ins would be a plus since the Parasound 2200 apparently has a fair amount of life in it or at least that's what I've been led to believe.

WesDusty Vawter of Channel Islands Audio fame used to work for Audio Alchemy so maybe you can contact him to see if there are any mods that either you or he can perform on your DLC. Channel Islands Audio is over at the Audio Circles website if you are interested.thanks....WCW III

[dorokusai]

I've heard good things about the CI gear.

[RuSsMaN]

Me too, it appeals to me visually. Clean, no nonsense.

[organ]

It's hard to find a CDP under a grand with XLR. As I'm sure you've found..

I noticed this too. Still wondering why:confused:

[audiobliss]

I just checked out www.ciaudio.com. Interesting stuff. However, I didn't see any preamps by CI Audio besides the passive controller.

How is Monolithic Sound associated with CI Audio? That Monolithic PA-1 preamp looks pretty interesting. Passive up to 12 o'clock, then a Class A amp provides up to 6db gain when you need it. Are there any other preamps that are passive and active like this?

[Tour2ma]

Dusty did a little more than "work for" Audio Alchemy.

Seems like Stereophile had an article on/ interview with Dusty a while back. If I remember correctly (possible, not probable) I think MS is also Dusty's. He had some different designs from CI's, which are similar to AA's, that he wanted to put out there, and decided a separate company was the way to go.

His AA "experience", as in the company going belly up when it overreached it's market, his MS approach makes sense.

MS's webpage references CIA's address.

EDIT: Found this Googling Dusty's name...
When AA went out of business, Vawter continued to offer upgrades and power-supply mods for AA products, and branched out with Monolithic Sound's Greg Schug, with whom he still works. (Schug is Vawter's partner in CIA, while Vawter is Schug's partner in Monolithic.) Vawter wanted to try his hand at some of his own projects, however, so he started CIA...Full article (http://stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/805cia/)

So I was semi-close, but not spot on...

[I-SIG]

Michael,

Nothing happened with the pre upgrade. I'm thinking CD (maybe SACD) source for now. I think I'd probably go for the Marantz 8260 and just wait till they can figure out the macroblocking issues with plasmas on some DVD sources. The problem right now is that I handled a buddies suppressed Krinkov...wow...so much more handy than a short AR, but I digress... :o

I probably should contact CIA. My DLC actually has a CIA power supply, so I know I'm good on that. I think that was one of the DLC main issues was needing something better than a wall wart for juice. Who knows, in ten years a little $100 mod might really make the DLC a no-brainer lifetime keeper. :confused:

Wes

[Tour2ma]

DLC's came with just about every PS AA made: the One, the Three and the Four. The Three is the most sought after, and the only one AA made that you don't have to hide.

There were two PS3 models. Both had the same basic look as all of their gear, but on one model the left side of its face plate is concave, so that it mates up perfectly with the face plate of whatever AA piece it is powering.

[Tour2ma]

I probably should contact CIA.If you do this, please post what mod's are being offered.

[BobMcG]

My DLC actually has a CIA power supply, so I know I'm good on that. I think that was one of the DLC main issues was needing something better than a wall wart for juice. Who knows, in ten years a little $100 mod might really make the DLC a no-brainer lifetime keeper.

Have you tried to find an AA PS-2 for your DLC? It's the same size and shape of your DLC. (Sold for around $250 if I remember right.) Is anyone parting with them??? If you could find one or the equivalent you'd be golden. I know I don't plan on parting ways with my DLC / PS-2 combination anytime soon.;)

[Tour2ma]

Bob,
I see a couple on ebay every year. Lately they've gone in the $180 to 200 area. A couple years ago two went for just over $60. They are stout, but ugly...

The pic'd DLC/ PS2/ LIS combo went for nearly $500. The LIS may be the rarest AA bird of all. I've only seen one other one listed...

The more handsome DLC/ PS3 pic'd fetched just under $300.

[I-SIG]

Have you tried to find an AA PS-2 for your DLC? It's the same size and shape of your DLC. (Sold for around $250 if I remember right.) Is anyone parting with them??? If you could find one or the equivalent you'd be golden. I know I don't plan on parting ways with my DLC / PS-2 combination anytime soon.;)

Nah, I figured that the CIA upgraded supply would be just as good. The CIA supply is muchmore substantial than a wall wart. It's like a squarer red brick and almost as heavy.

Wes

[Tour2ma]

I-SIG,
Can you post a pic?

[I-SIG]

Ask and ye shall receive.

Wes

[organ]

I used to own Audio Alchemy gear. Jitter reducers and DAC. Very good stuff. Bruce (Tour2ma) is THE man to talk to about AA. He knows everything about their pretty little black boxes.

[Tour2ma]

Ah shucks...

First read of AA years ago when it was blowing the minds of several Stereophile reviewers. Couldn't afford it then, but thanks to ebay...

It was high value stuff at MSRP, but at today's used prices it's just riduculously high value stuff.

[I-SIG]

Ah shucks...

First read of AA years ago when it was blowing the minds of several Stereophile reviewers. Couldn't afford it then, but thanks to ebay...

It was high value stuff at MSRP, but at today's used prices it's just riduculously high value stuff.

What kind of "Ah shucks..." is that?

I have decided I want to eventually get a DTI of the highest version to feed the Bel Canto.

Sorry my picure wasn't of the greatest quality. The power supply is iding behin a SRS with a lot of cables obviously over the top of it. I think getting the VTI rack got rid of my hum that I thught was the CATV's problem, FWIW.

Wes

[organ]

Wes,
The DTI worked very well in my combo. I actually used two different models, both made by AA. I guess the only way to describe it is that it "fleshed" out the music more.

If you're getting an AA DTI, look at the "pro" versions that have an option to add dither in the digital signal. People claim that it makes the sound more analog sounding.

Good luck.

[Tour2ma]

The modest kind... as in, "Ah shucks organ, you're embarassing me..."

Wes,
opus just received a DTI I sent him to play with. When he's done, I've got no issues with having it route back to me via you...

Of course that assumes opus is going to cut it loose, and not bribe me to keep it...

EDIT: and yes, the DTI Pro is the one to own, but all the other DTI models are damn good in their own right...

[BobMcG]

I'm a big fan of AA. I still have the following: DLC pre; DTI v2.0 filter; DTI+ filter; DDE v1.1 DAC; two basic; one PS-1; one PS-2 power supplies; a host of cables. My brother has a list of other pieces as well. I don't think we're parting with any of them soon as we're still using most of them in various systems. Dusty's a good egg. After the demise of AA we'd still call him up occasionally with questions and he was always glad to help.

If I remember right the first label the AA type products were seen again under was "Camelot" or similar to that wasn't it? Audio Advisor, for one, sold the equipment.

[Tour2ma]

Camelot rang a bell, but not in association with AA...

Found this:
http://www.audioweb.com/Directory/DirectoryInfo.asp?companyid=154
They're a PA company while AA was in CA...

Bob,
Have you ever double DTI'd your digital signal?

[organ]

Bruce,
I doubled my DTI before. It did provide a very noticeable improvement over running just one. The detail in the mids was unreal. I miss my AA stuff:(. They weren't as accurate as my NAD's internal DAC but they were much more MuSiCaL! Truth vs. Beauty thing.

[BobMcG]

Bruce,
If I remember right it was Dusty (or another ex-AA person) that told us that (originally) it was the AA designs and cases being used by Camelot. (We had asked him why the Camelot equipment looked exactly like AA's equipment line.) We were in contact with a couple of other AA guys after the demise of AA tring to see if the company was going to be revived some how. I have the names and phone numbers somewhere of maybe three guys.... I think a Paul was one of the other guys... I'd have to do some records searching. We kept up with where the guys were and what they were up to for a couple of years and eventually things got dropped.

[audiobliss]

From what I've been reading...I'd love to get my hands on a DLC one day. They seem to be pretty scarce, though.

How do y'all who have the DLC like using the remote for everything? Looks like it's substantial enough.

[Tour2ma]

Only issue with the remote is, if you lose it, or it quits on you, you are up Shit Creek. I'd been "fixin' to" buy a progammable remote as a back up for a couple years. Then I saw one on ebay and snapped it up.

But then I bagged a NIB DLC sans remote putting myself back to square one...

Bob,
Cool that you made some AA connections. So did you ever test spin Camelot gear?

Maurice,
Ain't it weird how often musical and accurate are at odds with each other?

Probably why I love Carver so much... because it's "Powerful... Musical... Accurate". I know because I have tee-shirt that says so... ;)

[BobMcG]

The DLC remotes are really built to last and last but Bruce is quite right... if you end up without it for some reason you're in trouble.

Bruce, I never did get any of the Camelot stuff as I was happy with the AA stuff which was still fairly new then and was off in a different direction with my money.

It did suck though that AA went down the way they did. I also wish I could remember more about what went on with Camelot...

[Tour2ma]

Yup... AA had a good thing going in their Digital niche, but they had to try and go into amps and such...

On another note...
I knew that CIA power station looked familiar. AA had a model DTI PS that has the same case with the "slots" in its sides.

[I-SIG]

Yup... AA had a good thing going in their Digital niche, but they had to try and go into amps and such...

On another note...
I knew that CIA power station looked familiar. AA had a model DTI PS that has the same case with the "slots" in its sides.

I think the model is "HPPS" on that CIA power supply.

Wes