Mini-Meet - Palos Verdes - 3/31/2012

[blubliss]

We got together at the last minute at my mom's house (she was away) for a small meet. Sorry I couldn't invite more people. We had me, stv1756, another friend of mine who made lunch, n3rdling, purrin, 909, and anaxilus.

Gear was mostly electrostatic: T2, HV, BH, Aristaeus. Dynamic: Balancing Act. Phones: 009x2, HE90x2, 007, SR-O, HD800, LCD-3x2, LCD-2r2, R10x2.

We had a great time and a nice pasta lunch made by my native Italian friend. He made a home-made sauce, very nice.

Purrin was talking about the 009 in the LCD-3 thread, about how it changes with source quite a bit, and I agree. We had everything running through the Amarra Model 4, and could switch between that as source and Purrin's PWD MK2/modded Marantz transport combo. His was definitely more lush with extra bass, very nice. The computer was more open/extended but there was some glare, which I mostly don't have at home. Was really a cool comparison. Several felt the glare issues were from the computer transport and they were probably right. I am not giving up on computer audio though as they said they had. It's just too convenient.

Everything really sounded great. I still feel the T2 is a cut above all amplifiers but I do like the other flavors of the HV and Aristaeus.

[purrin]

Looking around my house right now to see what I can sell.

Thanks for putting this together. It was a lot of fun and one of the best meets I've ever been to.

Edited April 1, 2012 by purrin

[recstar24]

Looking around my house right now to see what I can sell.

Thanks for putting this together. It was a lot of fun and one of the best meets I've ever been to.

Let me check out your modded hp1000 before selling k bye

[Cee Tee]

Wow. Do the 009 really benefit from the T2 or is it the 007 that takes the "biggest jump" when uber-amped?

Any more impressions of the T2?

(Admit to wanting to know more about this "ultimate" amp.)

[spritzer]

Looks like a great time but you guys need some more gear...

[deepak]

Nice work Californians

Wow. Do the 009 really benefit from the T2 or is it the 007 that takes the "biggest jump" when uber-amped?

Any more impressions of the T2?

(Admit to wanting to know more about this "ultimate" amp.)

Warning, 143 page thread ahead

[purrin]

Wow. Do the 009 really benefit from the T2 or is it the 007 that takes the "biggest jump" when uber-amped?

Any more impressions of the T2?

(Admit to wanting to know more about this "ultimate" amp.)

T2 was a notable jump up in control, transparency, and dynamic capability. What was most impressive to me was its consistency at different volume levels, i.e. the harder to drive stats always stayed composed. The KGSS sounded really crappy (as with, why even bother) compared to it.

Not only were differences in DACs easily comparable, but even differences via playback software on the mac through the Amarra (native, via iTunes, or other, etc.) I don't remember exact what was used, but Andy can fill you in.

Edited April 1, 2012 by purrin

[purk]

Wow...that gotta be an amazing meet! Guys, can the R10 still hang with the SR009 out of the BA?

[blubliss]

Yeah, I don't concur on the comparison to the HV, but that's me. Very different beasts. It's very nice to have a cool-running SS to turn to when I don't want to run the T2 and it sounds excellent. Not the T2, but still great.

We were listening to Amarra the whole time yesterday, at one point we switched to playlist mode. We may have thought we heard differences, but I know if I was blinded there is no way I could pick them out. Now, with the different sources, I think I might have been able to tell blinded, but who knows.

[purrin]

Yeah, I don't concur on the comparison to the HV, but that's me. Very different beasts. It's very nice to have a cool-running SS to turn to when I don't want to run the T2 and it sounds excellent. Not the T2, but still great.

The HV sounded flat to me. It ones my of pet peeves. I'm partial to the inner resolution, I mean, distortion of tubes.

[TMoney]

The KGSS sounded really crappy (as with, why even bother) compared to it.

Looks like you guys had an amazing meet.

Makes me wish I could hear a T2 again. When heard it I was still using an old SRM-T1. The T2 sounded so much better than the SRM-T1 that it was hard to make critical judgements. The difference between the amps was just too large. It'd be interesting to hear it again now that I've been grown accustom to the capabilities of the KGSSHV. I'd guess it'd be a much better standard to judge the T2 against than a SRM-T1.

Edited April 1, 2012 by TMoney

[n3rdling]

Awesome meet, thanks for having us Andy! Glad we finally got together. Lunch was great as well.

Regarding the Amarra vs PWD, I was hearing a big difference on the HE90...the PWD sounded way better. I think there was definitely something wrong on the OS/software side of your computer though since I've never heard that drastic a difference between two sources before.

Highlight for me was finally getting to hear a DIYT2. Incredible. I think the 007 shows differences between amps more than any of the other electrostats (maybe because it's harder to drive or I'm really familiar with it?) and the DIYT2 sounded a lot like my BH but even better. The bass was incredibly tight on it. The KGSSHV didn't have as much control on the 007's bass, but it was a nice different flavor to have. Got to switch between the DIYT2 and the Aristaeus a bunch with the HE90 and they sounded quite similar except the DIYT2 had a little bit of shoutiness in the upper mids. I kind've expected this since the HE90 had the same problem with my BH, but the DIYT2 was better about it. I really can't wait to get started on my build now.

[Voltron]

Sounds like a very civilized meet! Glad you all had some fun and tasty pasta. Makes me want to fire up the T2!

[Leonardo Drummond]

Incredible meet! Looks like you guys had a great time.

BTW, Milos, is that your Aristaeus??

[n3rdling]

Yep

[mikeymad]

Sounds like a very civilized meet! Glad you all had some fun and tasty pasta. Makes me want to fire up the T2!

Yes you should... I would join you for the Mini-micro meet...

looks like a fun time guys...

cheers to so-cal from nor-cal...

[K3cT]

I've never seen penne that big before. Is the noodle home-made?

[blubliss]

That was rigatoni.

[Leonardo Drummond]

Nice! A great addition to what's already apparently one of the nicest sets out there.

By the way, that T2 looks absolutely gorgeous... in really bad-ass way.

[Anaxilus]

Much belated thanks to Andy. Wish many folks could have been fortunate enough to share the experience. The T2 was exactly what I was looking for to pair w/ Stax. BH detail w/ greater dynamics. Thx again Andy for having us.

[Edwood]

Hey, Andy.  Next time you do a PV meet, I'd definitely be interested. I live footsteps from Rancho PV. 

[blubliss]

Ok, I will remember that.