Mayberry on Acid -- Meet Impressions

[guzziguy]

1. My SDS-XLR with Neil's NWO 3.0G. I'm still a dynamic guy at heart, and hearing what that rig did with the HD650/Equinox, HD600/Wyvern, K701/Black Dragon, and Ed.9 (all balanced of course), really melted my heart. I don't think I will replace my EMM SE stack soon with the NWO, but man is it godly.

Considering the wait list for an NWO 3.0G, you probably should put yourself on it now. You'll be ready for it (or whatever is next) by the time you reach the top of the list. >

[philodox]

The Lavry and Transporter are mid-fi? Ouch.

[guzziguy]

The Lavry and Transporter are mid-fi? Ouch.

Compared to the NWO, EMM stack and AN Dac-1, I'm afraid so. Somehow, I'll just have to find a way to be satisfied with my eXemplar Denon 2900. :'(

[xand1x]

The Lavry and Transporter are mid-fi? Ouch.

Well I guess that really isn't a fair conclusion. I am only assuming they are mid-fi relative to the cream of the crop (according to others) NWO and EMM Labs stuff. Maybe others care to comment

[Voltron]

You mean besides mine, right? Here are my picks for the top three systems:

• Frank Cooter's DIY amp, Audio Alchemy/AN Dac1, HP-1
  
• neilvg's fantasic electrostat setup, especially with HE90
  
• Voltron's SDS-XLR with pretty much every dynamic headphone except AKG K340. They sound better on my system. That's good because that's what I have. Oh yeah, the Sony CD3000 doesn't sound great on it either. Every other dynamic headphone I've tried sounds better though.
  

Your rig has great synergy and although not cheap it has great bang for the buck going for it. The K340s sound amazing in your rig and I agree that when I put on the K340s when the NWO was in my rig it sounded like drek. If you listened at other times and it sounded bad, please tell me. I just got those back with balanced connectors and haven't had a chance to listen on the SDS with the EMM more than a couple minutes. My memory is that it was better with the EMM than with the NWO but I am not exactly sure why that would be.

I don't know about that wait list idea, Ken, it makes my palms sweat just to think about buying a $30K CDP. \ Sure does sound purty though...

[boomana]

The Lavry and Transporter are mid-fi? Ouch.

I would say, yes, but that's not a negative. I consider my own gear mid-fi in comparison to the big boys, but my gear still sounds wonderful.

[n_maher]

I would say, yes, but that's not a negative. I consider my own gear mid-fi in comparison to the big boys, but my gear still sounds wonderful.

Completely off topic but something that I actually thought of the other night - what's up with your Extreme these days?

[Smeggy]

Holy crap, harsh crowd!

I'm glad I wasn't there as I think the crap gear I have may well be considered *gulp* low-fi in that company, and that'd be too crushing for my fragile ego. Price-wise I can't even afford to go mid-fi. There would have to be a room set aside for team budget cheap-asses to avoid direct comparison.

Nothing worse than someone trying your gear and seeing their face wrinkle up as if you'd wiped some dog poo on the pads

Oh the humility of it all......

[boomana]

Completely off topic but something that I actually thought of the other night - what's up with your Extreme these days?

It sounds fine with zero problems. Go figure. Two weird things happened. First the gawd-awful buzzing that would start 20-30 minutes (with speakers and/or headphones) into listening. I switched out tubes and that helped some, but didn't completely get rid of it. I cleaned the old ones, and that seemed to do the trick, and now all sound fine, except weird problem #2 started in: I used to plug in headphones and that would cut off all sound to the speakers, but after my buzzing problem ended, I could suddenly hear music through the speakers with the headphones on. It then just stopped. I sure don't understand it, but it's been fine for awhile now. I think I passed the ghost in the machine on to Reks.

[n_maher]

<snip>and now all sound fine, except weird problem #2 started in: I used to plug in headphones and that would cut off all sound to the speakers, but after my buzzing problem ended, I could suddenly hear music through the speakers with the headphones on. It then just stopped. I sure don't understand it, but it's been fine for awhile now.

That is very bizzare, since if your SP is wired like others I've seen it should have a switched headphone jack which means that when you plug in your headphones you essentially disable the preamp outputs. How that could stop working and then start working again is beyond me. It might pay to crack the cover on that sucker one of these days and have a peak under the hood.

[boomana]

That is very bizzare, since if your SP is wired like others I've seen it should have a switched headphone jack which means that when you plug in your headphones you essentially disable the preamp outputs. How that could stop working and then start working again is beyond me. It might pay to crack the cover on that sucker one of these days and have a peak under the hood.

Exactly. I thought I was going nuts, but there is was, faint, but very present, and then back to normal. Maybe CanJam is the place for peeking. Who knows. I may not even have it by then. I'm seriously entertaining the idea of having Frank and/or Thrice build me that beasty amp, but I'm hoping the spell wears off soon.

[n_maher]

I may not even have it by then. I'm seriously entertaining the idea of having Frank and/or Thrice build me that beasty amp, but I'm hoping the spell wears off soon.

Dew Eeet. I think that you should beat Mike to the dual beta24 K1k amp with a balanced beta22 as the preamp. Should only cost about $6k in parts and smoke the doors off of everything.

[postjack]

I'm seriously entertaining the idea of having Frank and/or Thrice build me that beasty amp, but I'm hoping the spell wears off soon.

DIY SS FTW.

Also it is nice to be the beneficiary of Mike's revolving door gear policy.

[boomana]

Dew Eeet. I think that you should beat Mike to the dual beta24 K1k amp with a balanced beta22 as the preamp. Should only cost about $6k in parts and smoke the doors off of everything.

Maybe, but I'm seriously stuck on the tube goodness of what I heard on Saturday. Gee, and only $4000ish for parts and build, and a three-to-four-month wait (per Frank).

btw, to those wanting to know the three best rigs, with the level of gear on every table, I can honestly say, there was no such thing. When Mikeymad's Marantz hasn't even been mentioned in any impression so far, that's just goes to show that too many good things can simply be too much.

[boomana]

:

Also it is nice to be the beneficiary of Mike's revolving door gear policy.

I already have his speakers, his F1, his ics, and his HD600s. Gear-whore friends are good friends indeed.

[Voltron]

Maybe, but I'm seriously stuck on the tube goodness of what I heard on Saturday. Gee, and only $4000ish for parts and build, and a three-to-four-month wait (per Frank).

btw, to those wanting to know the three best rigs, with the level of gear on every table, I can honestly say, there was no such thing. When Mikeymad's Marantz hasn't even been mentioned in any impression so far, that's just goes to show that too many good things can simply be too much.

I meant to mention it in terms of his gear being split but still being first class because the Marantz stayed with the WA5 while the ES-1 got bumped up to the EMM in the K1K room. Not too much, just too much to remember!

[boomana]

Not too much, just too much to remember!

Just about says it all.

[Guest sacd lover]

It sounds fine with zero problems. Go figure. Two weird things happened. First the gawd-awful buzzing that would start 20-30 minutes (with speakers and/or headphones) into listening. I switched out tubes and that helped some, but didn't completely get rid of it. I cleaned the old ones, and that seemed to do the trick, and now all sound fine, except weird problem #2 started in: I used to plug in headphones and that would cut off all sound to the speakers, but after my buzzing problem ended, I could suddenly hear music through the speakers with the headphones on. It then just stopped. I sure don't understand it, but it's been fine for awhile now. I think I passed the ghost in the machine on to Reks.

Problem #2 ...

You may not have had the 1/4" plug fully engaged.

[boomana]

Problem #2 ...

You may not have had the 1/4" plug fully engaged.

Checked that out and with two different headphones. I really don't get it at all.

[Pars]

I have the same problem with my DIY Dynalo when used as a preamp. It uses the Neutrik switched jack, and since I leave my power amp on all the time, there is some bleed thru when I plug phones in. Since I don't normally use this as my preamp, I haven't gone in and figured out why (and of course fixed it )... my guess is some crosstalk. Why yours would work fine and then start doing it is

[luvdunhill]

Checked that out and with two different headphones. I really don't get it at all.

does it do this if you put your hand on the metal chassis?

[philodox]

Compared to the NWO, EMM stack and AN Dac-1, I'm afraid so.

Well I guess that really isn't a fair conclusion. I am only assuming they are mid-fi relative to the cream of the crop (according to others) NWO and EMM Labs stuff. Maybe others care to comment.

I would say, yes, but that's not a negative. I consider my own gear mid-fi in comparison to the big boys, but my gear still sounds wonderful.

What's the AN Dac-1? The EMM stack is an incredible source, as is the NWO by all reports, but I would say more that they are the upper stratosphere of hi-fi, while the Lavry and Transporter are closer to the entry point. I guess everyone ranks things a different way, but I've always thought of mid-fi gear as the better consumer level stuff. Missing that level of resolution and refinement that makes a hi-fi piece of equipment.

I mean, I can appreciate a stellar source or amp, but just because there exists better stuff out there doesn't make our gear mid-fi.

[Voltron]

What's the AN Dac-1? The EMM stack is an incredible source, as is the NWO by all reports, but I would say more that they are the upper stratosphere of hi-fi, while the Lavry and Transporter are closer to the entry point. I guess everyone ranks things a different way, but I've always thought of mid-fi gear as the better consumer level stuff. Missing that level of resolution and refinement that makes a hi-fi piece of equipment.

I mean, I can appreciate a stellar source or amp, but just because there exists better stuff out there doesn't make our gear mid-fi.

AN Dac-1 is an Audio Note DAC-1 and FrankCooter was using one on his Audio Alchemy transport.

As for the nomenclature question, I would say that the there is no set definition for hi/mid/lo-fi. What I think the people you quoted were saying was that the Lavry or Transporter are in the middle tier of audiophile/hi-fi gear. More entry-level items and seriously higher end items exist within the overall realm of audiophile/hi-fi gear. I don't think any of them was placing those sources on the same level as a basic or mid-level Pioneer universal player or something. Just my take, but that is how I understand it.

We missed you at the meet, btw. You would have had a blast, but I am still happy to know that you will be around for CanJam.

[boomana]

does it do this if you put your hand on the metal chassis?

If it starts up again, I'll check, but as of last listen, all's well. It's evil elves, I'm sure of it.

I'm more worried about the buzzing, since my amp's already had two rounds of fix-ups for this problem, but hopefully, it was just the tubes.

When I think of hi-fi, mid-fi, etc., I'm using my own subjective scale, based on what I've heard and not what something costs, though there's often that very real connection. My amp would run someone about $2500. I consider that mid-fi money-wise, and when I compare the sound to Al's SDS-XLR, I still consider it mid-fi, but on the high end of that range. I don't know how much HD650s cost new, but in headphoneland, I consider them hi-fi. I believe the Denon D2000s cost in the same range, but I'd definitely put them at mid-fi based on their sound and their inability to scale well (in my experience). My modded Denon runs $3500 new, which I again consider mid-fi, but I, along with others, have done some pretty careful comparisons with with players costing in the $6000 range, and it holds its own. My brain puts it at the low-end of hi-fi, especially once you've heard the emm labs or Neil's NWO. The differences are pretty remarkable, but that doesn't stop mine from sounding damn good. Blah blah etc. I don't expect anyone to share my views on this, especially because it seems people like to think of their gear as hi-fi, and get disturbed when some fool like me believes other. I just can't think of much of mine as hi-fi, simply because I've heard sooo much better. None of it matters. I still like my stuff as much as I always have, and when I'm listening I don't worry about anything better, I'm just enjoying the music.

[Smeggy]

If it starts up again, I'll check, but as of last listen, all's well. It's evil elves, I'm sure of it.

I'm more worried about the buzzing, since my amp's already had two rounds of fix-ups for this problem, but hopefully, it was just the tubes.

When I think of hi-fi, mid-fi, etc., I'm using my own subjective scale, based on what I've heard and not what something costs, though there's often that very real connection. My amp would run someone about $2500. I consider that mid-fi money-wise, and when I compare the sound to Al's SDS-XLR, I still consider it mid-fi, but on the high end of that range. I don't know how much HD650s cost new, but in headphoneland, I consider them hi-fi. I believe the Denon D2000s cost in the same range, but I'd definitely put them at mid-fi based on their sound and their inability to scale well (in my experience). My modded Denon runs $3500 new, which I again consider mid-fi, but I, along with others, have done some pretty careful comparisons with with players costing in the $6000 range, and it holds its own. My brain puts it at the low-end of hi-fi, especially once you've heard the emm labs or Neil's NWO. The differences are pretty remarkable, but that doesn't stop mine from sounding damn good. Blah blah etc. I don't expect anyone to share my views on this, especially because it seems people like to think of their gear as hi-fi, and get disturbed when some fool like me believes other. I just can't think of much of mine as hi-fi, simply because I've heard sooo much better. None of it matters. I still like my stuff as much as I always have, and when I'm listening I don't worry about anything better, I'm just enjoying the music.

I guess in a way I'm lucky in that my own setup is still the best I've heard. Up here in the North-west there doesn't seem to be too much in the way of super hi-end gear floating around to listen to. I can't even imagine the gear you and many others have heard and I'm both jealous and relieved at the same time.

No dynamics better than my K1K, no 'stats better than the SR-X or 404 and few DACs and Amps that really stood out. I always end up buying blind as there is little other option without a lot of traveling and that's just impractical at this time. Whatever, I don't think I'll ever reach the giddy heights of Hi-Fi being discussed around here. I still love my setups though. They make me very happy.