My Long List of Amplifiers and My Personal Review of Each!

I think it's a couple things. First, the presentations are pretty close - it's kinda hard to tell much difference unless you are really concentrating and not letting your mind wander.  And that's kinda difficult when we have no idea what we're comparing against - it's just a big black hole.  Better to tell us what the two contenders are to keep our interest, but keep it blind so we don't know which is which -- but at least we know what is in play.  imo

For the second video, I think I like Presentation #2 better.

Dave

Sorry both sound the same but good!

Interesting guys. I thought I'd have more collaboration in here with regards to which presentation sounded best to your ears. 

I started listening to the first video at work and was thinking I’d go with #1 but then got interrupted and couldn’t finish 

WC,

The YT comments are interesting on the comparison videos you put out.   Some folks are having trouble deciding which one they like better.   One person says Presentation 1 sounds sweeter and the next person says Presentation 2 sounds sweeter.  Anyway, looking forward to the reveal.

Dave

I like to mix it up too to get a sounds tailored specifically to my taste. Full loom and all a matched May be a good starting point but it never has been the end game for me.

The idea, approach, and concept of using a single "loom" of cable is almost guaranteed to produce and result in a satisfactory outcome however that outcome is highly unlikely to be much better than "satisfactory" and that is because of the flawed, erroneous, mistaken "logic" applied to this. If you use that reasoning you will buy something like a McIntosh system and use all McIntosh electronics and speakers because you want it all the same but as you can see that makes no sense. But the choice of a single "loom" can make you feel safe, comfortable, and secure which I sense will be desirable and preferable to many in this thread who are very emotional and very sensitive people as has been demonstrated previously in this thread.

@jays_audio_lab I agree loom's are important. One should take the time to find what loom works best with their system, synergy is important and wire/cable looms are what helps to pull it all together.

I enjoy your video's and posts though at times disagree.

Keep up the nice work. 

I also enjoy that OCD guy too. 

@keithr

Also disappear more and measure better (if that’s your thing).

That is factually not true, the YG do not measure better then Magico, nor many other speakers, and you can easily look it up. There is a lot more to a speaker than the flat on-axis response, which is the only thing the YG has to offer, its not nearly enough and some will argue not desirable (I used to buy in to that, but not any more - the A5 clearly demonstrated it for me). I have been reading your commentary on the Magico for many years, I have to say, you either never heard them set up properly, or your objectives are totally unclear to me. You searched for years for the “perfect speakers” you bought the YG’s, but you never were able to get them to work. That should tell u something.

IMHO "if everything sounds the same" with a highly musical system, then something is very wrong.

Here "musicality" is defined by engineering technology perspective concept: tube versus digital...

"musicality" in acoustic experience is the complete opposite meaning, everyhthing sound more individual, because of "timbre" expression... Timbre is a precise acoustic and musical concept and experience that has nothing to do first with "tubes" versus "digital" but first and last with the system/room/ears-brain....

This illustrate how people listen more to a piece of gear than to the integral system acoustic experience...

Debate about tubes versus digital are beside the main important point: how to optimize a system for the optimal "timbre" experience in s specific room ....Never mind the price point...It is an acoustic and even an psycho-acoustic problem in very small room...

But i apologize for this truth....I am in a thread for top high end gear and i own a 500 bucks one... 😁😊

IMHO "if everything sounds the same" with a highly musical system, then something is very wrong. Usually, the front end is the reason that so many folks make this statement and a revision of the front end ( or an addition to) is required. The choice of software and the genre that the listener is using can also be a factor.

There are so many genres and styles in music that it is usually a great option to explore what is out there. IME, listening to just the best sounding recordings can lead to ’music fatigue’...even though as a’philes we are all guilty of this. It really is too bad that there are so few superb sounding and musical sounding releases (relatively).

Ok folks,

Which presentation did you like and why? I want to hear from all of you .

@keithr

Thank you

The thing with "musical" traits is that I've been there , done that... If I wanted musicality, I'd bring sonus Faber Aida and arc 750se with ref10 preamp and I'm done. My issue is that everything sounds the same with tubes plus Mephisto monos pretty much smoked my VAC set up (most people agreed). 

I'm completely submersed in highly revealing presentations right now. Yes, of course I will eventually change something but there are many different things I've been doing behind the scenes in video form which will be exclusive content for my members only section on my website (coming soon). 

I'll be transparent here before anywhere else, there is the possibility of me bringing a vivid audio speaker but I don't have space and I can't sell the s7 without trying something else and being convinced that I prefer it over my S7. 

Today , I'm recording content for my members where I'll be showing the new footers I'm evaluating. Maybe next week I'll be recording content with vivid audios in my room next week? 

Lastly, musicality is cool and all but everything sounds the same man... 

My 2 cents (for all it's worth) - it's really tough to say an amplifier with 120 bipolar, paralleled output transistors is the most transparent in the world (see below). Also, Magico tweeters aren't linear above 90dbs as measurements show - it's tough in a sealed box. That said, with more efficient speakers (92db+) I've discovered you don't need to turn up the volume to get the dynamics you crave. I actually just heard a baby Boulder/Wilson system at a local dealer and it was quite easy to notice coming home. Horns and the 100db crowd is a different thing to me, and there are definitely more trade-offs at that level, but that crowd wants SET amps for the simplest path and is will to do so. I auditioned Duos extensively in my well documented search on WBF and was one of my finalists. Ultimately I was worried about fatigue.

Now, speakers are personal but in lower efficiency land, I find YG Sonjas superior - more micro dynamics, coherent, and with a superior hybrid tweeter. Also disappear more and measure better (if that's your thing). They won't have the bass output of the S7 though.

I do find it interesting that the recent YT vids are about "most transparent system" ever rather than most musical one. So yeah, I'll guess the Magicos/Boulder are gone in 6 months if anything just to drive more channel interest :) Best of luck, Jay. Give you credit for all the work you put in - not many have that much free time!

jays_audio_lab

Agreed. A full loom of cables/cords does make a significant difference.

Happy Listening!

One power cord swap is all I did... Can you hear the difference? And lastly, which power cord brand was swapped and for what brand?

jays_audio_lab

Thank You for the Cabling update. Breaking in an OPUS cable/cord will take time.

Allow your system to play 24 hours continuous for a few days. 3 days minimum.

Happy Listening!

Well, I just inserted 3 transparent opus power cords in my system. One for the 3010, one for the music server and one for the qsource power supply. My intent: to finish off the entire system with a full loom of transparent. That said, hmm 🤔 the system went backwards with some songs. 

What PCs did I remove? I removed the audioquest dragon from the 3010, shunyata omega QRS from music server and nordost Odin 1 from qsource. 

I know my system takes 2-3 days to show me what a cable added or substracted. Cold cables (those that haven't been used in a few days) sound warmer or less detailed when first inserted in the system but they come around a few days later. 

Let's see if the system comes back around by Friday. I think I had it extremely dialed in and I was just trying to finish with the cable loom. I'll keep you guys posted. 

On a different topic, I received some footers from a manufacturer that reached out to me and I plan to use them under the dac and music server (one component at a time) and let's see what the system does (maybe do this over the weekend)

Lastly, per Boulder instructions, I separated the power supply of the 3010 and placed it far away. Boulder claims that the sound improves and I have to agree. 

Lots of stuff happening guys. 

I’m with rsf. They look cool to me

I have been to Jim’s room and listened to his ’small’ Triolon’s. The Acapella’s are either a speaker that you lust after, or they are a speaker that leaves you cold.

Personally, they do nothing for me, but I do understand the appeal.

I got nothing against the look. I really want to like that speaker brand but man they haven't connected with me at shows. They don't quite reel me in. 

Agree about the reverb sound but you have to listen to the explain how and why the room sounds like it does. He goes to a LOT of symphonies so I’ll assume he knoes/understands what live music sounds like. Personally I think the speakers look cool YMMV.

I’m not there but I doubt I would like it. I’d probably be in the other 50% that liked the smaller ones. I agree room not set up for sound system. Glass every where etc, but he thinks it’s great. Butt ugly too IMHO

There is crazy echo in that room... How can they sound any good with a room like that??

Haven't been around for awhile, summertime and picnics, golf and just great family times. But I recently came across this:

Watch "Amazing Million Dollar Speakers - Acapella Sphaeron - Interview with the Owner - Best in the World??" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/uG3tcZKa5aI

Wonder how those speakers would sound in Jay's room with his new gear? If they would even fit? 😉

I agree, that’s ok. Lol! Just thought I’d give my opinion

Jay, if you or anyone else wants to keep on telling clearthink to back off, go right ahead.  Pay no attention to carey.

So Jay how’s that analog coming 😊

Rbach

We’re all doing that,  suggesting how each other should conduct themselves. It’s definitely time to leave it alone!  You first 🤣🤣

Lol!  You keep suggesting to me, the OP and others how to conduct ourselves on this thread.  You are becoming annoying.  Maybe it's time for you to leave it alone.

Lol! I am doing my thing, this is it, and I’m not stopping you from doing yours. 

@carey1110

Why don't you do your own thing and let everyone here do theirs.  There's no need to keep telling everyone to ignore. You've stated your opinion several times.....enough already.

This is some childish stuff you guys are engaging in. Sorry but this doesn’t do much for me and that my opinion on it. It’s still ok if you choose this don’t get me wrong I’m just stating my opinion. Ignoring those you don’t want to hear from is the best way.  If you don’t want to hear this ignore it.  I don’t understand why tensions are so high. This is just an audio thread nothing more.  If you enjoy the thread great, if not that’s ok too. You have a right to agree or disagree but it’s not reason to let this stuff get under skin. I happen to like most of the things here. Anyway just thought I’d share. Lol!  IMHO

There is obviously something wrong with clearthink.  Too bad he enjoys disrupting really good threads.  Maybe we will get lucky and he'll get tired of it soon.

Nobody cares.  You keep saying the same thing.  But whatever, I don't give a ___.  Keep playing the victim if it makes you happy.  Hope you feel better

jays_audio_lab OP"It’s clear that your views or sentiments about what we have built here throughouit’s clear your views aren’t appreciated here (see comments above this one), why are you here? Isn’t better to go find something that aligns with your beliefs?

It is correct and accurate to say that there are those who have expressed substantial, significant, and even "extreme" preference that I leave, ignore, and not return to this thread, including a violent threat. As I mentioned earlier it is apparent and obvious that some users here are very emotional, tender, sensitive people so of course people like that would respond and comply and not be here however I do not really care if people like me and most important is that I do not "defer" to bullies.

@dlcockrum 

Not a bad idea to try what you suggested above but I don't have another room... 

One thing I wanted to add is that tubes don't really draw much attention on the channel... The topics that typically blow up are:

1. Cables 
2. Dacs
3. Speakers 
4. Amplifiers
5. Turntable (seems to be so far)

I see that Jay has posted his Taiko Extreme music server for sale, states to contact for price so it could be a good opportunity for someone to save on a top echelon server. GLWS!

@clearthink

It’s clear that your views or sentiments about what we have built here throughout the years doesn’t suit your taste buds. Nothing wrong with that, but if it’s clear your views aren’t appreciated here (see comments above this one), why are you here? Isn’t better to go find something that aligns with your beliefs?

I don’t know how much more subtle I can be with this particular post to let you know what should be the obvious.

Jay,

Now that it seems you have reached a pinnacle in your solid state dream system, it would be cool to see you set up a second system using SOTA triode tube phono sections/preamps/amps and a pair of Cube Audio Nenuphars, or even better their TOTL Nenuphar Basis with integrated woofer sections. Sound good?

@clearthink 

No need to "paint" you; you've done that for yourself.