Alright men,
today i left the ref10 on for about 10 hours and I never turn off the Luxman d08u. I must be honest with you all, leaving the ref10 on for hours on end makes such a HUGE difference. The soundstage just gets bigger but with deeper 3D sound. Things just pop out of the speaker in ways that you can’t really hear when the preamp is dead cold.
As far as the d08u, it makes everything sound really good. It actually makes crappy recordings sound better which is something the esoteric didn’t quite do. The esoteric was far more transparent and less forgiving. Make no mistake, the sweetness of the d08u is indeed something my ears can appreciate. This is WHY I am leaning towards the lampizator pacific at this time. I just don’t know how much more noise will be introduced in the signal path with more tubes.
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Working on my next source as we speak. Stay tuned!!! |
dac that I’m seriously contemplating. Something unlike the rest of the dacs I’ve owned.
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Greyhound... hush. Hush lol |
Ok so this time around i will share with you my next potential choices:
1. Dcs vivaldi
2. Lampizator pacific
3. Msb (probably the 20k model)
these are my top 3 choices. Not sure which one will be the one. |
Techno,
all good. Its behind and we are moving this thread forward to more and more.
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@techno_dude,
if that’s sarcasm then I retract my previous statement. My apologies for losing my filters.
Comment deleted in order to keep things sane on this thread.
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I’m thinking the 3D effect of the lampizator will probably intoxicate me. That said, a lot of dealers and people praise the msb brand as being a game changer and the end of the road in terms of dacs. Tough one here guys without hearing either.
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Anybody here with hands on experience with msb dacs or lampizator pacific ? |
Why did you get rid of it greyhound? |
Tell me what you liked about it. |
We will see. Right now it is either the lampizator or msb.
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That’s fine. So what dac are you using now? |
Ok so I was dared to post a pic and today I followed through with 2 pics.... enjoy ! |
Remember, I’ve been playing soccer with bare feet all this time and there’s no grass on the field. It’s dirt. |
Here we go lol.
an area rug is coming and then treatments. For now, focus on the equipment lol
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Ouch lol. Man you all are killing me these days. I will post ONE PICTURE tonight as a Christmas present lol. Stay tuned. |
I wanna wish each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas. I hope that you all accomplished all or most of what you wanted to accomplish this year. I’m really blessed and lucky to have you all continue to walk with me in my madness. We’ve been through funny moments, hard/harsh talk and disagreements, but we are all still here trying to stay afloat and get the most from my journey. My goal is not only for me to continue to pursue the ultimate sound (which is subjective of course) but for you all to grab whatever you can from my own trials without having to spend all the money I’ve spent. I really appreciate you all posting your beliefs and thoughts here and also want to send a shout out to those of you who follow me and remain in the dark by not posting here.
This year I’ve tried extremely hard to stay as neutral or “out of the way” as possible when you all disagreed on different components because I believe some disagreement is healthy in general. It allows everyone’s voice to be heard whether we agree to disagree or not.
I also want to thank audiogon for allowing me to keep using this platform to share my journey and letting it continue to flow without putting any sort of roadblock along the way. This thread became #1 here on audiogon because of ALL OF US here and not just me. It doesn’t matter how good a live performance is if there’s no audience clapping at the end of the show.
i am thinking of a live Q&A at some point in the future so you all can log in and ask me any questions you want. Remember, I came from nothing in terms of audio equipment so I can relate if that’s all you can currently put in your home. There’s no shame in that.
Thank you all again and I hope you all have a great Christmas with your loved ones!
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Well,
i wanted to update others here before i do it on my channel. i have found the Vivaldi a new home and i am excited to see what happens next!
Will it be DCS Rossini VS MSB Premier? or how about EMM Labs?
You never know in which direction i will be going, but that is all part of the fun!
Tonight's video will be the last video with the Vivaldi and so i will use the video that follows tonights video to give updates and answer a few questions or uncertainties that i saw recently about the Luxman preamp. |
So last night I was going to play Christmas music since I had some family over and my right speaker wasn’t playing... I did a lot of troubleshooting and figured out that the the right channel output on the ref10 was dead. Nothing played out of any right input. I took out the power supply chassis and discovered that one of the tubes was burnt. These are nos tubes in the power supply (I was informed they had bought them) and so I was lucky to have stock tubes so I replaced the tubes in the power supply with factory tubes and the different was quite noticeable when I went back to factory tubes. I will give you all more thoughts later on.
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For those of you who think that nos winglet tubes in the power supply chassis of the ref10 is a good thing, I’m not sure what you are all hearing but the stock kt88 tubes sound far better with more decay, soundstage width and depth and better mids. I can’t believe how amazing my ref10 is sounding right now that I’m back to stock tubes after having one of the nos tubes go out. The best my set up has sounded so far. I remember someone telling me that the stock tubes are what sounds best with the ref10 and I gotta agree.
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Hmmm.... I’m going to listen to some 250se tomorrow....
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im being told they were winged 6550c. It was just 2 of them in the power supply and the rest of the tubes are all stock on both chassis. Well I don’t know what to say but now that I put back the stock tubes and I’m in shock how good it sounds. THIS IS THE BEST my neoltihs have ever sounded. The bass causes an earthquake on the floor and now the depth and soundstage has increased but with more clarity. I’m beyond shocked. I’m not even using the NR sigma powercords on the amps. I’m using the stock powercords and I’m still in shock. It’s soooo balanced right now with great detail and bottom end. |
Techno,
tubes are what they are. They’ve always been tubes that can pop. That’s just what all of us who like the extra “3D” effect are willing to do in order to get that. NOTHING matches the sound of tubes. Sure, some solid state gear have gotten closer but it’s still not the same. I was just like you in regards to not wanting to deal with tube issues but man once I heard tubes in my set up, I couldn’t go completely away from them.
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Techno,
ref10 is like a yatch in the ocean. Huge, relaxed and smooth. The ref6 is like a speedboat. Fast, quick and in your face. They both are different in many ways. It’s like comparing a 3 series bmw to a 7 series... I’m not sure that riding in a 3 series gives you the experience of a 7 series. Totally different price points for both preamps too.
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Remember, it’s not just the preamp. It’s the whole combination. I’ve tried the ref10 with other amps such as the bat600se and I didn’t think there was synergy. Bringing the ref6 won’t give you the entire picture.
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Technik,
i bought my ref10 with upgraded tubes in the power supply. I already stated what they were above and I also said that I went back to the stock tubes after one of the aftermarket tubes went bad and I got far better sound. I’m not much of a tube rolling guy. I stated that the tubes that my preamp came with did not sound as good as the factory ones. I’ve not played with tube rolling because I really love the way the ref10 sounds as is. |
Viber,
you make a good point. That said, the ref10 adds the deepest soundstage I’ve ever heard. The ref6s sound stage isn’t as deep and wide. Also, the ref6 can get a tad “hot” sounding in the highs when cranked up IF and ONLY IF you don’t have good synergy with the rest of your gear. The ref10 NEVER gets shouty or in your face. |
The only other preamp I want to try is the ayre kxr twenty. Lastly, my ref 10 has about 1100 hours and I feel like it’s just getting better and better. |
Right now I’m waiting on the musical fidelity titan amp and deciding on my next dac.
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I’ve owned boulder... never again... sterile, lifeless, cold, zero soul.
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W100i,
i will be the judge of that :) |
Technik,
im going to try to take a pic of the one tube that remains good and let you know what it is.
Big design,
ill look into the dac you are talking about.
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We will do the same exercise but with Gryphon Pandora in the mix. We could be hearing a mismatch of boulder and Mephisto. |
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It's the proof that the mephisto is ultra neutral. It is letting us hear how "wired" or boosted it was sounding with the nordost odin 1 speaker cables. It is very easy to hear how transparent and clear it is when changing components.
The Gryphon Pandora preamp has arrived so now we will slowly get to move up the ladder with the presentation. First, I'll do a few videos with only the critical mass and after about a week, we will add the Mephisto's wife in the mix to create what could be one special marriage.
More to come |
Greyhound.... uhhh yes I can get Rowland right now at a good deal by pushing a few buttons on my phone. I just don’t want to try Rowland because I already owned them. I had their 925s and I don’t care to try anything Rowland. Would you drive the Chevy transverse (meaning the 535s) after you had the Escalade? What sense does that make? Unless Rowland releases the replacement of those 925s, I’m not going to invest in the brand. Why are you being all bitter all of a sudden?
If you want me to try a certain component then order it for me. You have my address. I’ll be glad to give you my honest opinion. At the end of the day, it’s my personal finances/money we are talking about. If I don’t feel like I want to buy something because it’s a bad investment then I simply won’t. AND yes, at this level it’s an investment. A HUGE ONE I might add. You expect me to just pile equipment in my garage that I can’t sell and leave thousands of dollars collecting dust?
My man, I gotta keep this party going, but I can’t pay for everybody’s drink of choice forever. People can also pitch in and bring their own once in a while.
That said, if there’s something you want me to try then you know where I reside my friend.
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One thing we must keep in mind is that the Rowland’s are NOT known for massive soundstage. They are smooth and fatigue free with great detail but if you’re looking for 3D sound that wraps behind your head then look elsewhere. (Granted, I did not use their top end preamp with them which could change my opinion)
the more I play with my Neoliths, the more I hear an amplifiers and preamplifiers ability to create a bubble of sound (if they can do it). I totally enjoy that 3D surround sound type of effect with only 2 speakers. The ref10 does this better than ANY COMPONENT I’ve ever owned. I don’t see myself going away from it until they release the ref11 which will have 3 chassis. |
Understood and noted
@grey9hound |
Guys:
if you want FULL DISCLOSURE: yes I make money with some of my gear and I lose money with other gear. Essentially the “profit” is really to offset the losses from other items. I’m not becoming a “baller” or a millionaire by any means. I still have my 9-5 like most of you do. I just can’t throw my money around on items that I either don’t believe in or they don’t strike me at all. I’m sure you all have pitched items that I’d be shocked about if I tried them, but my gut doesn’t let me pull the trigger. I would love to buy each item you all tell me to try but guys I can’t really swing that. Think about it, right now I have the gryphon Diablo 300, momentum integrated, block audios, and the musical fidelity titan on the way. In addition to that I have an anthem p5, Sonus Faber olímpica 2, revel gem 2s, revel voice 2 center and other things I can’t recall. I need to sell some of this stuff before I can keep moving forward. It’s kinda like a store would do: you need to sell off your inventory before you place your next order.
I want for someone of you to let me hear your stuff. I don’t mind paying for shipping both ways and insuring things. I know people here who can vouch for me and my honesty. I won’t ever steal from anyone here. You can send me your stuff and know that it will be in great hands and return back to you in the same shape as it arrived. Lastly, maybe it’s my personality but right now I can’t get myself to order any gear from any business knowing that I’ll return it in 30 days. I just feel like I’m cheating their business and good will. It’s just not in my blood.
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Ihasaguy:
the store sold their demos unfortunately.
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@ron17
I understood the same thing you did. |
Hi Guido,
interesting findings. I get sound behind me with the block audios and ref10. I’d love to try the 925s again with my Neoliths. I’ll never know the outcome but what I do know is that the block audios are incredible. Nothing really lacking here. Top 2 amps in my opinion and that I have personally owned would be tbe Rowland 925s and the block audio. I can’t for sure say which one is the better amp because I’d need to have both here. |
Guido,
You bring an EXTREMELY interesting point in regards to other components possibly being the issue often times. I am more of a believer nowdays that most of what is heard out in the field fails miserably because some manufacturers FAIL to system match.
Not long ago there was a friend of mine of who told me that the Neoliths did not sound too good with a full Plinius set up. I did not believe what he said but then when I sold my 15a about a year ago, the buyer stated they sounded too bright and shouty for him and i was like what? I’ve never heard a panel sound that way so I eventually found out he was also using all Plinius components. Anyhow, I loved the sa103 here with my ref10 (not the Plinius preamp) and I now feel more and more that most manufacturers don’t even do their homework. They build a speaker or an amp and they don’t find the perfect partner that showcases their product in the best way possible. I believe that Wilson and Dan are the only 2 that have always understood this and why I always hear great feedback from this combination. I’ve never heard from anyone who has been at a show tell me the Wilson/Dan room sounded crappy. NOT ONE.
I don’t know if it’s that they just don’t care to find the right components or they are THAT stingy that they can’t buy different amps and preamps and see which one they want to use at shows. I mean, I’m sure if Martin Logan called gryphon, Dan, esoteric, pass labs and told them they want to buy a certain amp/preamp to try with a new speaker they are developing, they won’t be paying full retail for any of those components because manufacturers tend to not sell items to each other at full retail especially when this is in regards to what we are talking here. System mismatch is a phenomenon that exists EVEN with manufacturers believe it or not.
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I believe I have already posted above my way of hand-picking my components.
That said, of course everyone is entitled to their opinion and that’s understandable. The issue I have is coming over to someone else’s party, have drinks, eat Their food and then talk Sh!t afterwards. That’s what I don’t see as cool.
I guess i am just built a little different. Remember, this thread is “my party” whether some of you agree with it or not and I try extremely hard to treat everyone the same. When my replies are out of line and I realize I was wrong, I delete my responses and apologize because I can be wrong too and get caught in the heat of the moment.
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Gotcha Guido. Man, I just can’t understand WHY would ANY manufacturer do that to themselves. That’s a recipe for failure.
This is something I also learned with my own truck. I decided to put a bigger wheel and so they sold me at wheel/tire package. Anyhow, man the truck rides like I’m off-roading at all times. It vibrates at 70mph and I’ve had the tires balanced more times than I can count. I finally accepted that it’s just the tires they sold me are cheap. This is why car manufacturers select a good tire and often times these tires are 300-500 dollars per tire. Michellin, pirelli, Goodyear, etc are all outstanding tires but of course we all don’t believe that if we buy a cheaper tire such as lexani or nexxen that it will
make any difference because it’s a new tire and identical in size. Boy have I learned the hard way....
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@grey9hound you make a very good point. I can totally understand your sentiments and why you feel the way you feel. This is indeed a public party. I’ve got to develop thicker skin in order to take on what is coming in 2019.
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Yep, preferences are key and I agree with you ricred.
One thing I can say though is that the ref10 might be the most incredible component I’ve owned. I don’t dare to sell it even if i choose an integrated in the meantime, I’d still keep the ref10 in the box. It would take one hell of a preamp for me to replace the ref10.
Block audio and Rowland 925s are the top 2 amps in my book. I would love to do a shootout and see who wins.
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Alright guys,
i added 11 pictures to my virtual system so you all can see the transition that my set up has gone through. You can see pictures of my previous room with wood floor as well. Lastly, someone had asked about the tubes that my ref10 had so I took a picture of it and posted it as well. That specific tube type did not do anything for me in terms of sound.
Anyhow enjoy the pics of some of the gear I’ve reviewed.
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Interesting read greyhound. I liked it alot. I’d say syrupy is what I despite but some
say tubes are rolled off and yet I don’t believe they are. There’s nothing boring about tubes in my opinion. I actually love the level of engagement that tubes give you because sounds so good. |
