My LSA has arrived it now does volume control for my Esoteric X-03 into a pair of tube Acoustat servo amps on my Acoustat X speakers.
Previously I was using the line inputs of my Manley Steelhead into the Acoustats.
The walwart is plugged into a Hydra 8,which is connected by a Shunyata Annaconda power cord into a FIM recptacle on a dedicated 20 amp line.The Acoustats are on another 20 amp line using more Annacondas into a Furutech GDX-gold receptacle.
The esoteric has an Annaconda digtal power cord going direct into the FIM 's other receptacle.
The LSA sits on 3 roller blocks atop the hydra and is plugged into one of the Hydra's digital recptacles.
Sorry about the long winded preamble, but if Iam doing something amiss in my set up, please advise me so that I can correct the error of my ways.
Now to my intial impressions.
After only a couple hours of listening,it's easy to hear the increased amount of detail.
The issue of volume seems to vary from cd to cd , something I hadn't noticed when I listened to cd prior to the LSPA.
I tend to listen at more modest levels,so the volume control is the lower side of 9, but this is not a problem, I'll take added detail retrieval as the trade-off.
There seems to be some extra lower bass punch on some cd's that I didn't notice before, and on some other cd's I felt there wasn't as much.
That's strange.
My intial take is that the Lightspeeed doesn't homogenize the sound as much as it was before, but not to discredit the Steelhead in any way.It's just that the differences between cds are more noticeable than before, or maybe it's my imagination?
Also, I had two wal warts to experiment, one had variable plugs and voltage settings, the other was fixed.
The fixed walwart was the more robust, the other a bit more edgy, zippy, depending on the cd this could be a mixed blessing.I stuck with the fixed version.
This leads me to speculate on how sensitive the Lightspeed is to what it's power by.
I run it into the digital receptacle of the Hydra 8, but will try one of the analog receptacles.
I too wonder about what battery power would sound like after my initial runs with the two different wall warts.
I've just read George's reccommendation,a bit late as I just sent him my take on the unit before coming to this thread.
Am I happy with the Lightspeed?
Definitely yes,for the money it is great,and the single input isn't a drawback,there's better isolation between sources this way(one reason why I wanted the cd player out of the Steelhead)maybe just a minor inconvenience,as is the lack of remote volume is for others.
Personally I'll take it as it's served up,all the better for the sonics.
I look forward as the hours pass, to judge whether the sound improves , but so far I am very pleased. |
I use two short pairs(1.5 Mtr) of Heimdal from my source to the Lightspeed and from it to the power amps.
I was running a longer pair of Art Audio IC from the source.
I think I like 2 matched pairs.
I'm curious about future IC upgrades.
So what's the latest rave interconnect for the Lightspeed?
Two pairs of the same or mix and match?
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Thank you George,I have just ordered one.
Compared to the walwart I've been using, this looks like a very well made piece for reasonable money.
I have been very pleased with the performance of the LSA as it is,this looks like it should improve things even more, and if so I'll be quite the happy camper. |
Thanks George for confirming that what I was hearing wasn't my imagination.
I've been on a "power first" approach to this hobby for the last few years,so it doesn't surprise me that the quality of the wall wart could affect the sound.
I hope to explore some alternatives,some of which
are twice the cost of the Lightspeed, but I'm no stranger to using ancilliaries that cost more than the components they are plugged into.
I feel your product is more than deserving of the best power they can get.
Perhaps something from you in the future?
From a weight perspective, the heavier one, the one with the ability to switch plugs of different sizes and switch values is the heavier,but it has the zingy sound.
But I'll try it again and see if I change my opinion now that the LPS has aged somemore.
What I really find interesting is how we ,audiophiles,seem to have a preference for colourations.
We all seem to want to find the special poridge that is just right,but that means something different to everyone.
Tube vs solid state,it's all colourations, trade-offs and preferences.Over the years we tend to find gear that is a comfortable fit,like a nice pair of well fitting shoes that we've grown accustomed to.
New shoes seldom feel the same as the old ones did,until they too are near their expiry date or fall out of fashion.
Audio gear is much the same.
What's new is either embraced or scorned,it's a revelation or it's snake oil.
It's just a re-badged version of something that came before it, or it's just not as good as they used to make back in the good old days.
But sometimes something does come along that seems to be out of step with what's been going on in audio over the last few years.
A product that sounds way better than it's price would lead you to believe.
A product that really doesn't fit into either the tube or solid state camp, and one that doesn't have as many sonic colourations as some of the best of each.
This I find is the most impressive characteristic of the LPS.
It just gets out of the way and lets you hear more of the cd and less of what the pre-amp is adding to the sound of the cd.
It's like a pre amp - not.
I'm not a newbie,here's a few of the pre amps I've owned,in different systems however.
Dynaco,RGR,Mark Levinson, CJ Premier 2,Audio Valve Eklipse,
Sonic Frontiers, Blue Circle Galatea,and I know I'm leaving some out,but perhaps there's a reason why I've forgotten those.
Everyone of those preamps were good, at least to my ears, and so is my present pre, the Manley Steelhead,which replaced a Sutherland PHD, which was no slouch either, but only a phono stage.
But they all had a "sound" which they imparted on the music.
I never really knew how much of a sound most highly regarded preamps have until I heard the LSP.
I'll have to rehash the old war horse terminology of "hearing things for the forst time in my cds", but that's an apt description of what the Lightspeed Attenuator does for me.
If you have assembled a decent system and you want to hear what those components really sound like, as oppossed to how they sound with added colourations, then I think you would be as pleased as I am with the Lightspeed. |
If anyone is a little put off because George says the LSA is sensitive to the length of interconnect I can state that my 20 ft interconnect doesn't present a problem.
There is no lack of clarity, no loss of treble or bass and no loss of volume.
It sounds like the 1 mtr Nordost I had been using.
So if you think you need to invest in a special interconnect to get the most out of the LSA,give it a try with what you have.
I don't know what George will have to say about this, but a long interconnect going out of the LSA to the amps is not a problem for me. |
Thank you George,my intent is to let people know that your volume control isn't going to do nasty things if someone uses cables that are a different length from what you suggest.
I admit I was hesitant to try this configuration,but I wanted to remove all the gear from between my Acoustats,and long interconnects was the only way to do it.
The results have been terrific, nothing was lost and more was gained.
So, if interconnect issues and cable lengths are holding you back from trying the LSP,don't let that stop you from giving it a try in your system.
I run an Esoteric cd/sacd into it with short DIY silver/copper interconnects and out to the power amps with 20 foot quasi balanced RCA DIY interconnects,the type of wire is unknown to me,made for me about 20 years ago.Nothing fancy,especially the RCA's.
The LSP is not a component that requires the owner to only use a specific type of cable as some gear specify.
Nothing will be damaged,treat it with the same type of wiring and respect as any other pre-amp.
Now I am left with the audiophile's curse of wondering how much better it could get with some name brand 20 foot interconnect.
Fortunately/unfortunately, there's not a lot of the good stuff out there to try in 20 ft lengths.
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$59.00 US dollars to my door.
$15.00 of which is shipping.
I used Paypal so a little extra charge on my final bill.
Isn't this hobby all about improvement?
That's why I ordered the unit,hoping it will improve the sound of the LSA.
I am pretty sure it will do something,comparing this to the wallwart I was using is like comparing a model T to a modern Bugatti.
The power supply improvement is not denoting a flaw in the LSA.
The owner has to provide his own PSU for the LSA unit,and a 10 to 20 dollar walwart will work,like I said.
THis robust little beast hopefully will unlock the full potential of the LSA.
If adding a little salt to the soup makes for a better meal than I am willing to go that route.
Nothing in this hobby is perfect.
Everything can be made to sound better or worse than it is.
Doesn't matter who built it, where it's built or for how much it cost to build it.
Please,just allow me the option to try to make an improvement.
Thankfully the LSA allows one to experiement with PSU, and doesn't tie you into what one fellow feels is the only way to go. |
I'll post my impressions.
First impressions, and then after a few days of play. |
I got my TeraDak just a few minutes ago.
No special surprise footers, but the cord they sent to attach to the LSA looks very nice in a retro toatser cord type covering.
I'll probably get a lot of guffaws over this next revelation, but the power cord I will be using is a Shunyata Annaconda Helix,which was sitting here doing nothing but collecting dust.
I'll report back in a few hours with the initial impression, and no I won't be doing any power cord comparisons, just the sound I hear compared to the wallwart.
Getting back to that connecting cord from TeraDak.
This by itself is very reassuring compared to the wallwart. |
I've only listened for about 45mins,and just to my vinyl, but here are my intial impressions-
More slam,more dynamic, increased bass,increased treble(some sybilance on Graceland I never heard before),a no brainer for the money investment.Perhaps the sibilance has always been there on the Graceland LP,but I've just noticed now with the TerDak.
I think this unlocks the real potential of the LSA and anyone who is using a cheap wallwart isn't getting the full measure of their LSA investment.
Granted I use a Shunyata power cord and the unit is plugged into a Hydra 8 on dedicated 20 amp line.
Some may question the sanity of plugging an expensive power cord into the TeraDak,but until you do you'll never know for sure how much you maybe compromising its potential, just as you are compromising the LSA with a cheap wallwart.
I think sometimes the common sense of audiophiles can be a stumbling block.Accepted wisdom is that we should always spend the big bucks on the amps, pre amps etc, and shell out the small change on the stuff that shouldn't make a difference like power cords.
I think many a fine low cost upgrade is compromised by the use of even cheaper ancillaries.
I think the combination of the LSA powered by the TeraDak justifies something better than a generic cheap power cord.
I'll leave it to others to expereiment and post their findings, I'm over the hill with the sound of my set up as it is and have no desire to try somethingelse.
The pieces fit and please me more so than I had expected.
It's almost like I've added a solid state turbo charger to my tube Acoustat servo amps.
In fact I never heard them clip before on the Dafos lp, but clip they did on the big drum crash,eventhough I didn't have the volume any higher than normal, nor did it sound any louder.
I think more of the dynamic slam that is on this recording was unleashed for the first time ,so watch out if you have low powered SS amps that might not clip as harmlessly as my amps did.
If there is any downside so far it's back to that solid state attack that this power supply adds to my sound.
It's very clean,crisp, and fast ,perhaps I'll have less of this when I put the cd player into service and I've run a few days on the unit, so I'll report back then as I said I would.
But I would gladly trade this bit of edge if it doesn't go away for the increase in all the good things this unit has done for my sound.Easily worth the trade off, and perhaps just a sign that I need to fine tune my cartridge a bit more.
Did I mention the TeraDak is more revealing?
Well it is, so make sure your system is up to snuff, because you will not have those nasties buried in the muck a wallwart gives you.
That sounds harsh.
I really was quite pleased with the LSA and the wallwart.
Like most things in this hobby, it's only when you go outside the comfort zone of "good enough"that you find how good can go to great, and in this case, how such a small cash outlay($60.00 CDN)can make such a big improvement.
In my system the TeraDak ,cold out of the box,was better than I had anticipated, and I had anticipated an upgrade, but not to this extent.
Anyone with an LSA has not heard what their unit can really do if they are using a cheap wallwart.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention George,I would put this at the top of your list of power supply options for your volume control.
In fact, if I were you I would make it part of the package for North American consumers from you as a low cost option.
If you haven't tried it you should. |
Thanks for the tips George, but with the TeraDak my wallwart days are over.
I don't care if my wallwart was linear or smp,What this does is amazing.You need to try one.
It cost me $60.00 Canadian, so yes I am from the Northern half of North America.
I've done some more listening and any edge that I felt was there has not shown up,but I should revisit the Graceland lp just to check and see if the sibilance is still there.
But my enjoyment with the pairing of the TeraDak/LSA is making me reluctant to go back to what I've just played.All I want to do is move on to the rest of my library and discover the pleasures anew.
The TerDak makes the LSA spring to life,it's like steroids for the LSA.
It's too bad anyone who has used the LSA with a wallwart, linear or not,and moved on didn't know about the TerDak alternative.They missed out on how good the LSA can sound when given a decent source of power.
For those who are thinking about adding a TerDak,don't scrimp on a cheap power cord just because this thing costs 60 bucks.
Perhaps my power cord is making more of what the TeraDak is doing for the lSA than a stock power cord would do.
As I've said I'm perfectly happy with the pairing and not the least bit ashamed using a power cord that cost almost 4 times what the LSA/TeraDak combo costs.
It's all about what works that matters to me,so call me insane, I won't mind because I am insanely happy with the sound improvements I've made to my system.
My old walwart cost about 25 bucks, no shipping, I bought it at a computer store.
Saving a few dollars and foresaking what the Teradak does isn't sane in my book.
Those saved dollars only waste thousands of dollars invested in music and gear when the system is compromised,which I feel any wallwart will be guilty of. |
Maybe I missed it,but what are the sonic differences when one goes from an SMP to a linear wallwart?
If my wallwart was an SMP,and if most of the other North American wallwarts are SMP,then it's a no brainer to go for the TeraDak, because the improvement is well worth the little bit of extra pocket money.
If my wallwart was a linear one, then the TeraDak is still an improvement.
Just looking at the very thin and cheap wire that goes from the wall receptacle into the wallwart and the physical small size and most likely cheap construction of walwarts be they SMP or linear,compared to the TeraDak,there is quite a difference in build quality of the two, yet not much difference in price.
In fact some catelogue wallwarts that I researched from N.Am. charged way too much to process and ship.
Shipping charges from HK were 15 bucks.
So not much savings with a linear or SMP .
It would be nice to hear from someone who has compared a SWP, linear, battery and TeraDak so we can put this to rest.
George,you're the master, any of your fellow Aussies tried one of these yet? |
This is a strange hobby, and the hobbyists are a strange breed.
Some folks are content to listen to their music collection and not worry themselves if a power cord or a PSU will make an improvement to what they have.
They are the ultimate music lovers,while some of us, myself included,fuss over the smallest of details trying to squeeze that last drop of performance out of our systems.
Such types are mostly frowned upon,their enthusiasm about superior performance when changing one type of wire for another is met with more than a bit of scepticism.
"Don't such people know that if two wires measure identical they should sound the same not different?"
"The only difference between a stock fuse and an upgraded fuse is the cost.Soundwise there should be no difference."
On and on it goes.
The endless "I heard it" and the response"no, it just can't be".
Some of us have heard the improvements the TeraDak makes over an off the shelf wallwart, which as stated by someonelse, probably is a SMP device,the linear ones seem to be harder to find.
Battery power would appear to be, in theory ,to be the ideal.I once owned a Sutherland PHD battery power phono stage, my friend has a Nighthawk battery power phono stage.
Yes, getting off the grid does have it's benefits,but battery power isn't the magic bullet, ticket, to sonic nirvana.
It takes more than a battery power supply to bulid a good anything.
Not trying to disparage any of the above products, or anyone's based on battery power, but there is a lot to be said about how those batteries are implimented into the design and how good the design of the product is in the first place.
Running a device that is well made, and designed with top components will trump an inferior design with cheap off the shelf parts.
Because both are battery powered, doesn't mean they will be on the same playing field, and sound the same.
I would think that there are the same quality variations between such battery power supplies as there are with anythingelse.Some better than others.
Or you may feel that they should all sound the same.
The PHD doesn't sound like the Nighthawk,or my Steelhead, nor should it.
Yet the non battery powered unit with tubes,doesn't send any kind of hiss or residual noise thru my system, so it's as dead quiet as the battery unit was.
If that was the only thing to consider, then you could say that there is no difference between battery power and grid power.Or that it makes no sense to spend any extra money if the Nighthawk is as quiet as the PHD.
A SMP is said to be noisier, inferior to a linear unit, and the linear unit is said to be the equal of a good battery supply.
The LSA demands such little juice that how one can hear any differences at all between any of the devices is hard to believe.The power supply shouldn't really be of importance, just as long as it meets the specs.
Less would be bad, but more is overkill.
I'm not sold that it's the noise from a SMP supply that was robbing me from all the dynamics that I now enjoy.
The system sounds as noise free as before.
Just like the Steelhead is a noise free as the PHD was.
There are other things to be considered,not just noise cancellations.
I'm just a listener,not a techie.
But I'm not suffering from tunnel vision either or am I the slave to measuring devices.
And yet here we are discussing those very differences and merits between a cheap wallwart or a bit more expensive PSU being used with an entry level priced volume control.
Chump change to the those who play in the big leagues and ponder if another ten grand on interconects over and above the ten already spent,would have made the difference they were looking for.
I have no idea what the cost is for a decent battery power supply for the LSA, and what the lifespan/cost is to keep one running at it's optimum.Or if it gradually powers down or abruptly shuts down.
So I would think that if a linear supply sounds close, then that would be the one to go for.
I have no ideas why the TeraDak performs so well in my system.
Granted it's getting more support from what it's plugged into than most other LSA in use.
But that's getting back to the top of my rant.
The LSA is not priced as a High End performer,so the systems it maybe used in, perhaps reflect the cost constraints of the owner.In other words,it's cheap, but in cost only.But it's cheap, why throw any money at it?
I think if the thrifty music lovers, (who are always looking to cut corners to free up more cash for music software),and buy the LSA, will most likely partner it with gear in the same price spectrum.
And for those folks,expensive power cords and power supplies are unjustified for musical satisfaction.
So in essence, they are selling the LSA short from my perspective.
And in my opinion,so are the folks who own the LSA and power it with a SMP wallwart into a power bar.
From my recent experience it deserves to be treated with the same regard for power demand as any of the mega buck high end components, and will benefit just as much.Eventhough it only requires a minimum amount of power to work, don't take it for granted that it can not be made to work even better.
It's power demands are few but don't hold that against it.
Given a better power supply, the LSA is an even better giant killer. |
I can't recall if I said this or not, but the LSA with the TeraDak is like it's been given steroids.
It's performance is enhanced,it's not about noise,I never noticed any noise from the LSA before.
It is about increased sound and clarity however,and more meat on the bones.
As much as George feels that there's not much need for fancy power supplies and power cords,until he tries that combination he is just as sceptical as the folks who don't put any faith in upgraded fuses, power cords or conditioning.
I get it.
Most designers feel they've built the perfect mousetrap and it's as good as it can get, and everything said to make it better is looked upon with a bit of doubt.
I've gotten similar response from amp manufacturers when I stated a fuse swap to a HiFi Supreme made for a richer experience.
It's got to be somewhat irritating when the folks in the cheap seats are making such claims of improved performance,especially when all folks like me can lay claim to are just personal opinions,albeit opinions based on hands on experience rather than speculation.We aren't smart enough to build such devices,and my hat is off to George and all the other talented people who do make all this great stuff,but nothing that I have ever listened to has ever been exempt to improvements somewhere in the chain.
Sometimes it costs the big bucks some times it can be cheap.
The TeraDak falls in the latter category,and I can't say if a linear power supply or a battery pack is as good or better than the TeraDak.
The point some of us are making is that we are so happy with the increased level of performance the TerDak makes that it's just pointless to experiment any further and that there isn't much to be saved in doing so and maybe more to be lost.
George no one is saying the LSA is inferior or defective.
I see I am not alone in stating that I was completely satisfied with the sound with the wallwart I was using.
If it was SMP or linear didn't matter to me,I thought and still think the LSA is the cleanest least coloured volume control I've used.
The TerDak just makes it even more so.
If the TeraDak involved altering the LSA or cost several times more money I never would have given it a second thought and would have listened to the LSA as I have been doing, and enjoying every minute of it.
If this was kept a deep dark secret,and George wasn't a decent fellow,he could have incorporated the TerrDak into his design and sold it for several hundred dollars more as a LSA MK11.
But George isn't like that,he let us know that this looked on paper to be another alternative to a wallwart that should work fine.
Maybe someday George will try one and report back.
As simple as it must be for George to assume that the TeraDak is almost overkill for the demands of the LSA,what I hear is more quality than quantity.
The power demands of anything in this hobby are fickle.
Some low power amps sound great in the right circumstances and sometimes there's a need for the big muscle amps.
But in my experience,everything can be crippled if not given the best power it can handle.
And providing the best power mostly means doing the things that shouldn't make a difference. |
Replacing the RCA with the same ones as my amp is a move I might make,but I am hesitant as I haven't had the LSA for a year yet.
If something goes south that's not related to the RCA mod,would I still be covered or would I be on my own?
Nothing holds me back from simple mods if the gear is out of warranty. |
Thanks George,I am quite happy with the unit as is,maybe down the road I'll try the new RCA, so that all contacts are rhodium to rhodium,just the OCD part of my brain talking out loud.The tips about what to do are most appreciated by me and anyonelse thinking about mods. |
Never had any problems attaching the two with what came from TeraDak.
Perhaps you should contact them for the answer,and enlighten others who may want to purchase the "newer"units if in fact they have made a switch.
Perhaps they are offering an alternative to the previous cord. |
No problems with my Acoustats,the ones with the servo charge tube amps. |
Please do try the LSA with your phono stage.
I run my Steelhead volume full out and the LSA under 12 with very good results.
In my system, the Terra dak with upgraded power cords in conjunction with dedicated lines is an improvement over the stock LSA and walwart.
No doubt your power supply is also much better than the stock walwart.
I use the Annaconda power cord only because it was a spare,but I would assume any upgraded power cord would work quite well with the LSA/TeraDAk combo.
However if you haven't been able to hear the differences power cords can make with other components, then by all means use whatever you have at hand.
It's not about one-upmanship,just being practical without selling it at a loss.
Besides what would I spend the extra dough on? |
I now use the fixed output on my Steelhead,bypassing the volume control of the manley.
This has further improved my enjoyment of the LSA.
Using the LSA with the Esoteric cd player into my amps was very revealing, and my old way of running the Manley with variable output(vol at full on the Manley)to retain the mono function,left me preferring the cd sound.
Not so anymore.
The manley is now just a phono stage, and a better one than I thought it was.
The LSA's transparency is quite apparent on vinyl as well as CD/sacd. |
About 1 O'clock,and that's with the gain of the Manley set at 50db, the lowest setting. |
George, that's not going to happen.
He's perfectly content with the way his system has been voiced and the ARC pre amp is almost the least costly component in this set up.
As much as I would like to do the comparison, it's not going to happen, and I wouldn't even ask to do so.
It's always a great learning experience for me to bring over a few lps, or cd's and have a listen to them on his set up.
It is always as much a learning experience as it is a pleasurable listening experience.
Afterwards I listen to the same tunes on my system,making note of the areas that my set up falls short of his.
Then I experiment within my price range to try to improve what I have to make it sound similar to his.
Similar, yes, the same, never.
As much as the naysayers claim that only fools throw away their money chasing after the illusive absolute sound, money when spent wisely, does make for some very exciting listening sessions.
Most of the reviews people read are taken with a grain of salt,some cry foul and say they are bought and paid for.
However, until you hear some of these exotic items properly voiced, you will understand that fairy tales do come true.
You just have to pay hard coin for that experience, or find things that come close that cost much less.
The LSA is one such piece in my opinion.
I am certain Sam Tellig was never paid to say nice things about your Volume control,and it certainly isn't priced anywhere near most of the pre-amps it's been favourably compared to.
I would also like to hear what the ARC pre-amp would sound like in my system, but alas that's just a dream.My friend sets things up and that's the end of it.
I do have two friends with Acoustat speakers and the Acoustat servo amps, one a newer 3 panel (flat) and the other a 4 panel.
One uses an Atmasphere MP3, with Harmonic tech balanced cables into his amp which isn't balance, but was retrofitted with XLR jack, so it's quasi balanced and not the true measure of Ralph's genius(I used to own the same pre-amp, and it was great in a different set up with the Atmasphere S30 and stacked Quad 57's).
My other friend has the Audio Valve Eclipse, which I also owned in a different system.
So I do have personal experience with these two pre-amps when used with Acoustat amps and speakers, just not direct experience in my Acoustat set up.
Do my friends systems have anything that I think my system lacks?
Nothing, in fact, they always remark about how clear my system is.
But then I am more anal about stuff like fuses, and room treatment and the importance of clean power and using a good audio rack(Grand Prix Audio).
Because of my obsessive ways or their lack of them,I can say that the LSA is in no way shamed by either of these two very fine pre-amps, as it is set up in my system.
As I stated I've owned some pretty good pre amps(Conrad Johnson Premier two, Blue Circle fully tricked Galatea,Levinson ML2,Meitner,to name a few)but not in the system I have now.
I can only state that I have no desire to revisit them or seek out any others to replace the LSA.
It makes me happy,whether I paid $500.00 or $50,000.00,I would still find it hits all the marks that matter to me.
If I had one thing that I would change with the LSA, it would be to replace the RCA with the top of the line Rhodium RCA's from Furutech. These made a nice change on my Servo amps, and then my cables that use the 102 R Rca's would see a perfect match.I like consistency in connections,but I did admit to being anal. |
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What I have learned is that volume controls even run wide open into a passive pre still have colourations.
The manley Steelhead is still a good phono/preamp in a vinyl ,cd set up.
You really don't need another preamp to be satisfied.
That was the way I enjoyed my system, until I got the LSA.
That was a game changer.
I took the Esoteric out of the Steelhead and ran it into the LSA.Yes a bit of wire changing, but I am a fan of the purist school of audio,so one set of inputs and a bit of wire fiddling doesn't bother me if it's for the betterment of the sound.
The sound of the cd player thru the LSA directly into the amps(bypassing the Manley)was much more powerful sounding.More dynamic, a fuller ,rounder sound, and more inner details.
All the kinds of improvements you tire reading about, but nevertheless,were there.
We really do need to invent some new vocabulary to describe these kinds of improvements,because I and no doubt countless others, tend to take such praises with just a hint of scepticism.
And that's a shame.
Improvements are improvements, no matter how hard it is to describe them, it's easy to hear them when they are there.And you can prove it to yourself that your ears are not fooling you, nor is it self delusion simply by going back to listening to things the way they were before.Then listening to the new way.
I much preferred my cd/sacd replay thru the LSA.
In fact so much, that I was in a dilemma.
Why wasn't I enjoying my vinyl system as much?
I addressed all manner of set up with my SME arm and table and Clearaudio cartridge.
I use the same interconnect from the phono stage(Variable out)as I do from the cd player into the LSA.
What I eventually did was run the Manley as just a phono stage.Which most reviews of the steelhead have stated, and I ignored.
Running it from the fixed outputs bypasses the volume control altogether,but cancels the use of the Sum or mono function.I do play mono recordings from time to time.So I was reluctant to run the pre in fixed mode.
Doing so, however, proved to be the answer to my problem.
Vinyl is now on par with the punch and clarity of the digital set up.
So as good as the Manley is as a phono stage with the added option as a volume line stage,I believe the volume control is it's weak spot.
This is not to discourage anyone from running it this way.
It sounds good.
But if sounds good isn't good enough for you, and vinyl is important, then run it in fixed mode into your preamp of choice.
In my case, it's the LSA.
If vinyl doesn't matter,then try the LSA direct into your amp from your digital source.
I think you will be more than pleased that this level of sound quality is available for so few dollars.
Just make sure you try a decent linear power supply.
I use the TeraDak.
Without a linear power supply(I have not tried battery),you'll never know how great the lSA is.
It is the most revealing, easiest to listen thru,least expensive(I 've owned some pretty expensive esoteric preamps over the past 40 years,tube and solid state)and quietest "pre amp"I've ever owned, and will be my last.
Are there better ones out there?
My friend has the ARC Ref 10, before that the Anniversary 40.
I think they are pretty special in a system that is completely different than mine.
But I don't think I'm missing too much.
At least I don't feel short changed and I have no desire to chase after either of those preamps. |
I am enjoying the recent discourse and thought I'd add something.
Years ago I had a very decent system,Acoustat model 3 with medallion transformer,Conrad Johnson MV75A-1 and Conrad Premier two pre.Cd wasn't around yet, so I listened to an Oracle TT, Fidelity research arm and Cart and a Verion MC Step up and a Janus sub.
One recording I enjoyed was the Dafos lp,especially the jungle track.
I have never heard more depth since from any other systems I've assembled, perhaps I should have stopped then.
Now I am using 3 panel Acoustat X monitors with their servo charged tube amps(modded)the LSA and an SME 10,V, and clearaudio combo into a Manley steelhead.
I miss that "illusion" of depth from days gone by, but I enjoy the clarity and preciseness of what I'm hearing now.
So,I would agree that some pieces of gear can alter how the music is reproduced in our homes, but none of us know just what the correct version is.
Was that illusion of depth due to distortions or phase shifts in the Premier Two that are absent in the LSA?
Of course not a fair comparison, there are too many other differences between the two systems to say that it was all preamp dependant.
Getting to the point, it's obvious to us all that everything is an illusion and it's all about trade-offs and what appeals to one person may not to another.
As someone said, that's why there's vanilla and chocolate.
And that's why some swear allegiance to tubes and some to solid state.
I've been fooled more than once into thinking I had gotten my sound to be "as good as it gets" only to be pleasantly surpriced when a new device or tweak proved that statement wrong.
Then again, has anyone ever really heard it "as good as it gets"?
I don't think so, and I doubt anyone ever will.
I enjoy the effortless clarity that the LSA brings to the table.
For me it's like a more direct link to the music,almost as if it's not even there in the mix of gear.
It may lack some of the sonic fireworks I and others have come to expect from audio gear, but then again, who knows what is and isn't the best reproduced sound?
Until the audio community can agree on a benchmark set of parameters other than specs for specs sake,all things will be all things to all men. |
And DBX was the best there was in the 80's,until you bought one and couldn't stand to listen to the music any morebecause of all the pumping noise issues.
If you try an LSA in a system that is devoid of shapeshifting devices and listen to a high resolution system, you'd understand what all the folks who own one are talking about.
It is as far away from processed sound as the Cortina is to a Bugatti.
I'm quite sure your folks were proud of that Cortina and where it took them,and for them it was the best car in the world.
Strictly speaking I would agree that the LSA is not the "best preamp ever".
It's not a Pre-Amp.
It's a volume control. |
I can understand why someone would think that a passive pre amps and a LSA are lacking something compared to a tube active pre-amp.
It's the noise that is seldom ever noticed until it's gone and if you've made the mistake to feel that the pre sounds fuller than an LSA then I think it's the added noise you like.
When I speak of "noise" I mean the stuff that encrusts the music like a spiders web.
You hear the music, it sounds good.
Clean up the noise and the music sounds anemic, threadbare, fatiguing, sterile, pick any term you like.
But it's just the absence of the noise that was filling in the cracks that made the sound "smoother,fatter, sweeter" or pick any term you like for pleasant distortions we all live with and accept.
When you start to rid your system of the "noise"by cleaning up the power from your panel to your gear,and doing the tweaky things that just can't make any difference, you begin to hear your system in a new clear and cleaner light.
You can then more fully appreciate how a clean sounding passive pre (or better yet an LSA) is doing such a great job of not adding any more noise to the system.
I've just done some more tweaks involving Nordost QV2 and several Stillpoint ERS cloths throughout my system.
I can add that the system has never sounded better, and that the LSA is adding nothing to detract from the sound.
Did the sound become more threadbare by eliminating more of the "noise"
No.
What I notice is more detail and space between the instruments and vocals.
The space that was filled with noise isn't .
It just space where there should be space and music where there should be music.
The two are not entwined together in the spider's web.
More than ever I feel that noise is being accepted as part of the sound of some systems that are described as warm, musical and smooth.
And when absent some folks miss it.
They blame the new school of audio design as having lost it's way , lacking soul and of ramping up the treble for the sake of all the old audio farts etc.
The LSA is noise free in my system.
And that's all that I want from any component.
A component that neither adds nor subtracts from the music.
I wish there were more components like the LSA. |
