Happy Camper Here!!!!

[ND13]

Well, as a few already know, the upgrade bug took a big huge chunk out of my ass, lately. I picked up SCompRacer's Amazings when I delivered my SDA 2As to Dagame27 in Chicago, a few weekends ago. I just recently struck a deal with Madmax for his last JoLida SJ-302A, so I hope to see it in the next week or two. Rich is also sending me his old PS Audio Xtream Bi-wires(I think I got that right:o ), as he just upgraded to MIT all around.

I feel like a kid in a candy store again. I actually went over 6 months without a single upgrade .

I definitely have to get a rack and soon. That'll have to be the next purchase, then onto upgrading ICs. I'd like to have all the same brand all around, but I've had better luck, so far, with mixing and matching ICs for the best synergy and noise reduction.

Anyways, it's great to back in the sickness.......at least I think so.:p

[audiobliss]

Haha, glad to have you back in action.

Sounds like you're going to have a sweet system! What's the output on that Jolida?

[ND13]

50wpc rms, with either 75 or 85 peak. Uses EL34s, 12AX7s, and 12AT7s.

[ohskigod]

dont forget to keep me posted on that Jolida impressions wise

congrats brotha :)

[ND13]

How's the Baby doing with the Bozaks??

[madmax]

I feel like a kid in a candy store again. I actually went over 6 months without a single upgrade .

I used to try and not upgrade and this would always happen to me. Always ended up spending twice the money when it caught up to me.
madmax

[ND13]

Well in my case it wasn't a choice. I was out of work for almost 4 months.

[audiobliss]

50wpc? And 75 or 85 peak? That's pretty sweet! I predict you're going to like it! :D

Now you just need you some Klipsch Heritage speakers....;)

[ohskigod]

How's the Baby doing with the Bozaks??

sweet, smooth, very pleasant. surprisingly clear and accurate for Bozaks too. can get just a skosh harsh at high volume, but I think that is my tile floor, since I noticed it when I removed my rug from the floor for cleaning.

also, my listening area is in itself very "active", or the exact opposite of dead.

I run the baby now with no preamp (it has a volume pot) with just the Jolida player as a source. it sounds a little cleaner without the Anthem preamp.

[ND13]

sweet, smooth, very pleasant. surprisingly clear and accurate for Bozaks too. can get just a skosh harsh at high volume, but I think that is my tile floor, since I noticed it when I removed my rug from the floor for cleaning.

also, my listening area is in itself very "active", or the exact opposite of dead.

I run the baby now with no preamp (it has a volume pot) with just the Jolida player as a source. it sounds a little cleaner without the Anthem preamp.

Cool!!

[SCompRacer]

Rich is also sending me his old PS Audio Xtream Bi-wires(I think I got that right:o )....

Close.....PS Audio xStream Statement Biwire cables. 2.5 meter. In fancy presentation bags and original boxes.

You should have them tomorrow afternoon. Good to see you back in the aquiring mode.

[ND13]

Fat pipes!!! :D

[Normanality]

I'm sure you'll love those Carvers!

Let us know how the Jolida sounds with them and how the bass response is.

[steveinaz]

I'm always looking at the Prima Luna Prologue 3 preamp......must resist, cannot spend....

[faster100]

ah just the right time for an inventory reduction sale.. Noel you should be accustomed to that kind of lingo.. :D

last time, you ended up with my rig, LOL see anything ya like? what can i do to get you into this rig today? heheh!! (car salesman lingo)

[ND13]

Yeah, I do need to let some gear go, but I have no luck selling anything here and I really hate to deal with EBay.

[organ]

Whoa Noel, you've gone mad!
You're gonna love that Jolida. EL34 are awesome tubes and are a blast to roll. I've done them all except Ei.
I love the Mullard re-issues. It's one of the sweetest tube I've heard (euphonic sound all the way).
Stay away from the JJ KT77 for now. I know I raved about them but it seems there are some bad batches that went out. Some people can't get the bias to stabilize, my 77's started doing the same thing so I gave them to a guitarist to play around with.

Congrats and let us know how it sounds. And remember to post some pics.

Maurice

[Zero]

coolness

[madmax]

EL34 are awesome tubes and are a blast to roll. Maurice

I kept going back and forth between the EL34 sound and the 6550 sound. Ones better, no the other one is better, no... Never did settle on one vs the other.
madmax

[amulford]

Yeah, I do need to let some gear go, but I have no luck selling anything here and I really hate to deal with EBay.

Whaddya got?? I'm in the need of some sources...;)

[fredv]

Stay away from the JJ KT77 for now. I know I raved about them but it seems there are some bad batches that went out. Some people can't get the bias to stabilize, my 77's started doing the same thing so I gave them to a guitarist to play around with.

Mine are still OK, but I am not sure for how long. This is what Paul Gryzbek said about KT77 when I told him I would use KT77 with his TAD-60:

I like the JJ 77's too. They maintain the 34's detailed harmonic structuring, with a faster bottom. Look like they may last longer too - once the new bad are weeded out. My first batch of 50 had 9 weak or dead - and they were factory matched pairs! 5 mA at 100 Volts under computer control is not the best tube tester matcher. All tubes I supply are full load tested and matched under real conditions, much more realistic than those matching sticker boxes I used to believe.

almost 20% failure rate, but it may not be too out of norm for a new tube ......

Noel, you come back in a vengeance ;)

[reeltrouble1]

Cool Beans Noel, some great grabs, now, speaking of connects, ya think Rich might of had a reason he switched????

Have fun my man, hope to see at the fest.

RT1

[ND13]

He had been using silver ICs and got the MITs and fell in love with them. He then got a good deal on the MIT speaker cables, from Mark, so he had a matching set, which gave him a bit more synergy and bass response, I believe. I'm using his hand-me-down Tara RSC Prime Bi-Wires that he turned into singles for me on the SRS2s and will be using the PS Audios on the Carvers. I do know that he has been very pleased with the PS Audios, but Rich is an IC/speaker cable junkie as bad as I'm a speaker junkie.:D

[SCompRacer]

IC junkie..LOL Guess I been though a few. Not anymore.:D

Having other interests in life up till 1 & 1/2 years ago, I was happy with my old 85 WPC Yammie receiver, CDP, and Infinity speakers I had recently refoamed. Zip cord speaker cables. OEM IC's.

Between this forum and my bud Normanality, what a ride it has been. I was a picky bastage, but I am done looking for IC's now. Chuck best summed up the MIT's. They just sound......right. Detail without the brightness of my favorite silver cables. I ended up putting tubes back in the pre amp that were too bright with the Lapis IC's.

I remember when Normanality first brought some old Monster Quad 4's over and replaced the zip cord speaker cables on my first pair of SDA's. Then he hit me with the Tara Labs RSC Prime. What an improvement. The PS Audio were just slightly better IIRC. I was using a high current SS amp at that time.

The PS Audio xStreams are a fine speaker cable though, you heard them. The MIT S3 speaker cables are more transparent and did improve the mid-bass in my system. The covers are now back on the pre and CDP, secured with screws. Now I gotta work on aquiring a better TT.

[ND13]

So that means I've got your last three sets of speaker cables.:p

[wingnut4772]

I feel like a kid in a candy store again. I actually went over 6 months without a single upgrade .

I wish I could go that long!Enjoy your new toy.

[ND13]

Tubes are a warming!!!

More later on.

[ND13]

The JoLida sounds incredible with the SRS2s, but hasn't enough low-end with the Carvers. I'll try bi-amping the Carvers with the PSound on the bottom and the JoLida on the top and see how that works.

[schwarcw]

Glad to see you enjoying the hobby again Noel. We were all pulling for you during your job hunt. I know it must have been tough. I'm really happy for ya!:)

You've got some nice stuff! I haven't tasted the tubes yet (the operative word yet) but a tube CDP is in my relatively near future.

I have the PS Audio Extreme Statement bi-wires and I really like them. They are big and brutal to move around.

Tell us about what you been listening to on your new stuff Happy Camper:D ?

[ND13]

QUOTE=schwarcw]
Tell us about what you been listening to on your new stuff Happy Camper:D ?

A little Dire Straights' "Sultans of Swing" hdcd,, Pattie Larkin, Marcy Playground's first release(excellent SQ), and Soulive's "Steady Goovin: The Blue Note Groove Sides" http://www.bluenote.com/detail.asp?SelectionID=10405 last night. If you like funky jazz, this is an excellent recording. Hits really low on a few tracks. If you decide to give it a try, be warned about the bass on a few tracks.

I'm very impressed with the JoLida with the SRS 2s, not as much with the Carvers. They are just too demanding. I'd need at least as many watts as the McAlister for them to sound right. Just not enough low end grunt. It'd probably be fine if I hooked up the Audiosource 10" sealed sub I have to fill the bottom end, but I'd have to do it with speaker level inputs, as the JoLida has no outputs. I think the little sub would keep up with the ribbons too, it's pretty musical.