upgrades....

[TroyD]

What upgrades/tweaks/new gear...whatever, do folks have in store for thier rigs in the coming months??

I'm happy with my gear but am working on some stands for the DQ-10's....maybe some unobtrusive (that's paramount to the lovely Wendi) acoustic treatments to the mancave....

BDT

[Aaron]

I want to replace my entire HS. Does that qualify as an upgrade? Realistically the upgrades will probably be in stages: 1) speakers, 2) amp/preamp, and 3) CD player. I'd really like to get the speakers and amp/preamp at the same time, though. We shall see.

I took my preamp back for re-repair today, but the guy pretty much said that it was useless since you can't get Carver parts anymore and repairing the input selector switch again will just result in it breaking again. (Wow, that was a run-on sentence!) It's really not that big of a deal thanks to the tape monitors, but it is annoying.

Aaron

[TroyD]

I dunno Aaron...I'd rethink the batting order and put amp/preamp to the top of the list....

BTW, do you have any problems with unequal gain in your biamp setup??

BDT

[Aaron]

I dunno Aaron...I'd rethink the batting order and put amp/preamp to the top of the list....
Don't make me invoke the Mantis Matching Law! My RT55's don't deserve a wicked-nasty amp/preamp combo. For the money, a new pair of speakers will make the most difference in my case. Still, I can't wait to get a sexy preamp with a remote (boy how I miss that). I would be curious to see how much more the RT55's have to offer. My guess is not too much.

BTW, do you have any problems with unequal gain in your biamp setup??
Oh yes. The first time I fired it up I was rather confused; it sounded like only one of the amps was on. I quickly figured it out, though, and adjusted it by ear (another use for an SPL meter ;)).

Aaron

[TroyD]

I dunno, ima thinking that you would get more mileage out of the amp and preamp. I forgot about the matching principle though.....

A pair of Revels with a Sony/Yammie and bad Carver preamp?? I dunno man...

BDT

[RuSsMaN]

I don't know, I sway between speakers and source, I'm leaning towards source....

Of course he could always Hunter 'em up, and drop in some ring radiators and LSi networks.....

Just think, once he gets his Revels, he'll have to ditch those Sanus stands and get a nice, expensive 'snob' stand.... ;)

Cheers,
Russ

[TroyD]

The reason I say this is that I'm kind of at the point that I don't know where I would go. I mean, I'm really happy with everything I have. The CD is brand new (an external DAC? maybe) The passive pre, I really dig. The amp, I dunno, 350 watts would be a lot of wampum, new or used. Speakers? I could see getting a pair to alternate with the DQ's but I doubt seriously those will ever leave that room......

Goodness, I'm CONTENT! Just don't tell Wendi....

BDT

[hoosier21]

My new speakers are on the way (Paradigm sorry)
My used Rotel RB-985mkII is on the way
My DIY sub-woofer is nearly done
After all that, I will be done for a while (Just ask my wife)
Wife has agreed to me having a room for the theater so I guess that is next.
Then a big screen

I will then start building my 2 ch rig. All used equipment I am sure.

[Aaron]

A pair of Revels with a Sony/Yammie and bad Carver preamp?? I dunno man...
It's like sacrilege , I know. I think what I'll probably do is buy the Revel's and then finance the amp/preamp combo so I can get it all at once.

Just think, once he gets his Revels, he'll have to ditch those Sanus stands and get a nice, expensive 'snob' stand
Oh sure. Revel makes a matching stand for $200 that's pretty sweet. I think that's a fair price for them, especially considering that the optional grilles cost like $150. :rolleyes:

Aaron

[Aaron]

The reason I say this is that I'm kind of at the point that I don't know where I would go. I mean, I'm really happy with everything I have.
Lucky bastard. It doesn't seem like your system has any weak links. To kick your system up to the next level (significantly), you'd probably have to spend quite a bit. I think your biggest return on investment would be room treatments and room accessories (i.e. nice man chair). I'd also consider a sub. Upsampling external DAC's are all the rage, but I've never demoed any. You could do better than Carver, but you'd probably have to spend in the $2.3-3k region (new). If you did that I'd get a new pre, too. Does your pre have a remote? I can't live without that (CD player remotes don't cut it for me) Speaker wire and interconnects will always help, but you can judge for yourself if that's worth it. And then there's always speakers.....but again you're probably talking probably $3-4k to significantly better what you have.
Aaron

[Aaron]

What kind of Paradigm's are you getting?

Aaron

[TroyD]

Ed Zachary.....I don't feel, IMO, that I have any gaping holes in my rig. The passive pre, is just that, passive. It has no electricity at all. For a remote, I use a 3 iron. It appeals to me in the sense that it adds nothing.

The Carver and the DQ's, I'd have to spend a fortune for something that, IMO, is noticeably better. Laugh if you will, but I'd put the DQ's up against anything 5 grand or less. I'm not saying the DQ's would be better but they certainly wouldn't be shamed.

I'm perfectly happy with Frank Dai's interconnects and will probably give his speaker wire a try....

I even have a brand new sofa in the mancave. We bought it 4 yrs ago to have a pull out bed in a spare room, so until a month or so ago, no one had ever really even sat on it.

BDT

[Aaron]

Geez Troy, there's gotta be something to spend your money on! How about a line conditioner or some such power device? And did I mention a sub? Definitely try out those Frank Dai speaker cables, and let me know how they work out. I still say your best bet is on room acoustics.

Aaron

[jcaut]

Hey Troy--

How about one of those reflection-absorbing, acoustic cats?

[TroyD]

actually I was thinking about those NASA-style tiles...

BDT

[hoosier21]

Aaron

Studio 100's (light cherry) CC (black) and ADP's (white)

[joe logston]

i think that a real nice combined ht and sound room would be the best upgrade you can do. the next is speakers polk lsi series.

[juice21]

just ordered myself an AMC cd8b today. finally, i won't have to double duty my DVD player. this is my first step in the eventual budget 2-channel system. the AMC won out over the NAD and Cambridge for half the price. the HT/HS is on a tight budget right now. trying to buy that 'ring' ...:eek:

[juice21]

firstly: integrated AMC 3050a
eventually: AMC 2100 amp and utilize the 3050a as a pre-pro.
2-channel speakers: LSi, kirksaeter silverline 60, might check out axiom, kef, triangle, others?

it's a budget system, but it will do for now (or for soon from now)...

[raycomics]

I think that I am going to try and upgrade by taking a step back to the past. (meaning Tubes) Just got a Dynaco PAS-2. Think I will try matching it up with an ST-70 for my Altecs and see what happens.

But hey, what do I know? I am still recording on Cassettes! (and loving it)

[Frank Z]

Pioneer Elite DV-47a Prog. Scan DVD-A/SACD Player....If I'm good...VERY GOOD!

[gidrah]

I'm looking into:
XM Radio
Digital Cable (mostly for the music channels)
BSR EQ-3000
Vintage Tuner probably Dynaco

Ray: I'm currently running Altec Segovias on my Dynaco PAT4 & ST120 rig. It sounds great. I wish I would've gone tubes, but for $150 the PAT4 & ST120 were hard to pass on. Those 14s look pretty sweet. If you ever what to get rid of 'em let me know.

[raycomics]

Gidrah -


I would not sell for a Million! (but I would have to think long and hard bout it)

IMHO, Tubes don't give you that "In your Face" Sound as compared to SS. The music does, however sounds warmer, smoother, and more liquid.

The 14's are going for a premium now on Ebay. One guy wanted $1500. They did not cost that much MSRP new. People are really starting to catch on to the "Vintage" stuff.

[madmax]

Tubes RULE! Solid state audio equipment was someones idea of a bad joke back in the 50's. Two 50W x 2 tube amps run circles around my Sunfire 300 x 2 in both quantity and quality. They have their problems though. 30 minutes to warm up properly, ah, I guess that is all the problems unless you consider heat a problem. They respond well to small tweaks as well such as power cables and vibration isolation. The real key to all of this is that you can hear so many more things at one time. The solid state stuff garbles right over the really fine little sounds and you would never hear differences such as a power cord.
madmax

[TroyD]

man, I WANT some demo time with some tubes....

BDT

[Aaron]

[They have their problems though.
Don't forget that the tubes degrade over time. That fact alone would drive me nuts. It's like an OCD's nightmare. I'd probably replace the tubes every year to make sure I'm getting the best sound quality.

Aaron

[raycomics]

Troy -

Go Slow Man, Go Slow. Once you demo Tubes, you WILL get Hooked!

I am going to try and keep costs down by going after Dynaco stuff. Good old fashioned quality, and it won't cost you $14,000. (for 2 Pass SETs)

[TroyD]

Well, I'd like to hear them just to hear them but I can pretty much tell you tubes are not in the plan here for a LONG time to come....

Troy

[RuSsMaN]

My vast in-experience with tubes....

Aaron, as far as I know, they will start to 'spit' when they are on their last leg usually. A very infrequent, and quick 'crackle/static' noise heard through the speaker. Even at that point, overall quality hasn't degraded.

As wierd as it sounds, to here em 'spit' every now and then is almost neat...at least you definatley know you are on tube gear....

Cheers,
Russ

I LONG for some Cary tube gear.....

[Aaron]

I dunno. I had heard that they degrade over time and need to be replaced every 3 years or so on average. Who knows; maybe that's not true.

Aaron

[RuSsMaN]

Sorry Aaron, my bunghole got to the keyboard and started typing away....

I don't know, only what I've heard....

-R

[madmax]

Tubes do degrade over time. I forgot that one. Luckily they never degrade enough to sound as bad as a solid state unit. Sorry, I'm on a tube roll, or is it that I'm just rolling tubes? No matter. Tubes are kind of like religion. Once you see the light you feel this need to enlighten everyone else. Keep in mind I have a lot of good high quality SS stuff. The day I hooked up my first tube gear I felt as if I had been mislead. This is what sound is about! Now, what to do with all that other useless expensive gear? Well, it turns out SS amps are superior for sub bass, at least. Maybe a $2500 office amp? Na, I want tubes at work.
madmax

[madmax]

Aaron,
They do degrade over time. The ones I'm listening to cost a total of $90 to replace all 8 of them. To tell you the truth, I'm kinda anxious to replace some.

[RuSsMaN]

Cool beaners mm, thanks for settin' us straight...

Have you heard a tube spit? Just wondering what that means, if it doesn't mean it is nearing the end of its life-cycle....

Cheers,
Russ

[madmax]

That is close to the end but I don't know what is happening inside. Tubes are so cool! Let me really set you straight... Once you listen to them you will want them. I got one of my amps for $350 and the other one for $600. It's not like they broke the bank. They did break my heart when I compared them to what I had. In the past few months I have not even turned on any of the SS amps I have in the house. I even find the really good car stereo annoying not to mention the one in my office. Every SS amp I hear has that noise. It's like a garbled veil of sound that keeps you from hearing what is really there. It is somewhat like summing together all the really fine little sounds into only a few tones. No wonder it is hard to hear the little tweaks. A good example are interconnects. Before tubes (BT) I could change from one interconnect to another and after hours of listening to both I could conclude that I thought I heard a difference. After tubes (AT) I could plug in one inter connect after another an within the first 30 seconds detect what was different. Even the freakin power cords sound different. The SS stuff doesn't let you hear any of that. A realization I came to is that the original "tweak people" were not crazy, they just had tubes and could hear this stuff.
Believe me, 6 months ago I thought I was set for amplification. 4 soundcraftsmen, 5 carvers including 2 monoblocks and a sunfire 300. I only picked up my first tube amp as a toy to play with because it was cheap enough and I wanted to see this cool glow I had heard about. I didn't take it seriously at all. I figured it might be good enough for the bedroom or something. A week after that I ordered the second one for half what I paid for the first one. (about $350 including extra tubes). Now I want to replace all that other crap. I'm telling you, I just found out what many others have known for 40 years. I'll get off my soapbox now.
madmax

[raycomics]

MADMAX -


Does the Name "TubeHead" Ring a bell? (don't worry, its a compliment)

[madmax]

Bottlehead is the preferred term.
madmax

PS: I was just trying to enlighten. I wasted away 20 years collecting and listening to junk.

[raycomics]

Max -

Just poking Fun. Thanks for the posts.

I think what you are doing is what this forum is all about!

I know that I learned something from ya.

[madmax]

You better go wash your brain out with soap then. :)
maxbottlehead
()
--

Well,, that didn't work. Anyone know how to make a tube looking thingy?

[tonyv1]

I've just added the 24/96 Upsampling to my MSB Tech Link DAC III. The biggest improvement is in low level listening. You can hear the details very clearly, background vocals are clearly separate and clean. Very easy to test via A/B switching at the DAC.

[raycomics]

Tony -


Is that 24/96 an add-on device or a separate that matches up to just your DAC?

[madmax]

Tony,
I have been considering an outboard DAC. Why did you pick the one you have and would you do it over again? Do you have a link to their web site? A few weeks ago I was searching around for DACs and realized I have no clue which one to pick.
Thanks,
madmax

[tonyv1]

Guys,
The 24/96 Upsampling card is a user upgradable option. You just open the DAC, remove some jumpers, plug in the card and mount the switch. There is a jumper option on the board for 24/96 or 24/132. This option is for the Link DAC III boxes.
Check out www.msbtech.com for more info.

Tony V.

[tonyv1]

I found my DAC at Audio Advisors for $299 plus 10% coupon off just before Xmas. The list price jumped to $499 Jan 2002. My best friend has the MSB Link DAC III on his Rotel RCD 971 (very highly rated). Listening to that combination I decided that I wanted the same for my Rotel RCD 951 CDP. He got the 24/96 for Xmas, but I had to wait after taxes. Both CDP also have HDCD, but after installing the DAC I don't use the HDCD out of the CDP anymore (using the analog out of the CDP to the preamp).
Stereophile has some reviews of the MSB DAC on their web site.
Still even with this setup it can't beat the sound of vinyl.

Tony V.

[madmax]

Thanks for the info. That is close to the right price for me at $499 but I still hate to pay that much. I will try to find the Stereophile reviews too.
Thanks!
madmax

[raycomics]

But I have a MicroMega.BS.2 DAC, so I think that it might not work.