Spatial Audio Raven Preamp

@lynn_olson

Bam!

Thank you! One sub added. (Old one kept just in case) and will get another. Much better sound experience right away. The pre/system sounded aok with no discernible difference after putting cable into Pre’ Amp’s RCA output. Thought I could do as much but waited untill one of the birth fathers chimed in.

Sub set around 50Hertz. Will mess wi/ setting up/down.

Another round of thanks. 

After years of pondering next move....Called and they had one left. Got it and AMPs too! Kid in a candy shop. 

@donsachs Youbetcha. Initially will use a Lumin X1 w/ Khorns. Was going to treat room before this (major) Amp/pre upgrade but a windfall happened and rather than a spiffy wardrobe (who me?), tango lessons or going to the Tour de France this was the best option. Room treatment on tap. Excited!!! Whee Ha, Daddyoh. 

@donsachs I have gone about this room and system a bit bass ackwards. The walls do have resilient channels and quiet board on top. The room isn’t a 100% listening space as I’m a retired (but still doing some work) photographer. It’s a multi purpose room. Currently a small set is up blocking the left speaker a bit and the tunes still sound good. Big imaging not so much.

The Klipschorn’s AK6 sound good smack dab in the middle of the room as well as the far end where I have an editing station. If space would have allowed speakers that were several feet out in the room I would have not used the Khorns AK6es. I have a 9x12 north window that makes for a great natural light source. A daylight studio is tops. The (now translucently shaded) small high windows make it so the room has two light sources as a room with just one light source is off-putting. (A PATTERN LANGUAGE Towns, Buildings, Construction By Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa and Murray Silverstein is a great book)

This is to scribe I know my light stuff but maybe not sound stuff as much.

To divert. Many years ago I had a big party and rented a friends brother’s Khorns. When it was time to take them back his wife told me I could buy them. I said, ‘I could not afford them”. She said, “yes you can”. She was very pissed off at them in their small living room. I paid scant little for them. He got back as his wife with voluminous electro static speakers that went to the ceiling. They are still married. I sold the Khorns to a client and over thirty years later they still are in use.

Diversion #2. Close to fifty years ago my parents had a marital separation and my mom was righteously mad at my father. He moved out and she gave away his beloved chest high Tannoy speakers, MC 275, records and turntable. They reconciled but no more big rig came back. I asked Mom why she didn’t give them to me and she said she never thought of that.

This is the background stuff that forms us. Dad was into stereo. I have been since I can remember ( but with out funds to indulge as I now do until a few years ago ) and now my grown sons are too.

The “plan” was to do sound treatments and then get serious about amplification and a pre. I have been a 300B lurker for years and the Raven/Blackbird’s are on order after an unexpected windfall and well you know the rest.

I never planed to use the Lumin AMP long term but it’s what I had (snarfed up on Agon) with the Khorns but it’s a lot more than Aok as a place holder.

Should I better the cross overs in the AK6’s and if so with what? It took three of us to get the Khons up on special sound dampening blocks and as they still smell new. (a lady bought them and retuned as she didn’t like the color!!!!) Will I void the warranty if different cross overs are put in?

Room treatments should make a considerable difference in quashing the bit of echo. Next week I’m off to find a big rug remnant and get it bound and will order 24-30 panels. VERY dynamic requires that too.

Quote the Raven

No one here can love or understand me
Oh what hard luck stories they all hand me
Make my bed and light the light, I’ll arrive late tonight
Blackbird, Hi. Hi. Helllooooowwww.

@donsachs @lynn_olson The Blackbird Monoblocks and Raven Pre have over thirty hours on them and how sweet they are. Great job gents.

But darn it Don right you are about the Khorns and lower base. Running Roon I have even gone into the paramedic equalizer (a sin?) and boosted the lower hertz but still compared to my other system w/ a pair of Sonus Faber Guarneri Evolution’s speakers (faster sounding than Khorns) the base is flat verses the aliveness and vibration of a nice walking bass line. Low piano notes should vibrate too. “Grandmama's Blues” by Cyrus Chestnut on the "Earth Stories” album is a great test track https://open.qobuz.com/track/2003813  or even “Ham Hocks and Cabbage” by the Christian McBride Trio https://open.qobuz.com/track/10462550. Lower Tom drums also not quite there.

The low mids..heck all the rest (room still not treated and it’s boomy ) get ‘er done. Your gear is great and my contact over at Spacial has provided great service.

I have to consider if’s my streamer adding/subtracting to the bass quandary. I’ll swap out my other streamer and dac.

@donsachs Yahsureyoubetcha I'm using Hijiri XLR's from a LuminX1 streamer into the Raven PRE and Cardas Clear Beyond XLR's from the pre into the Blackbird Monoblocks. 

I boosted the base a bit more w/ the roon parametric equalizer at 20 and 40 hertz.

Rather than take the pre and monoblocks 200 feet or so to the other speakers up and over hill and dale, I used the Lumin AMP w/ X1 streamer and compared that to the Blackbird Monoblocks and the Raven Preamplifier. Apples to apples; heck no. The Lumin AMP is 160W per side into 8Ω. It's a class A amp. The tubes vs solid state sounded too close to call. Take that SS.

@atmasphereI was just thinking sub(s) and your post said it better. I'm not sure how to attach a sub(s) to the Raven Pre? Must be an easy way? 

T H A N K you both.

@phono2024 No hiss.

No hiss with past other units. (Macintosh 275, PrimaLuna, and Rogers High Fidelity) Way back a Fisher 400 did hiss, growl and bite.

@phono2024 Upon retiring and finally being able to put together a room/system (and after many years of research and trials) I knew I wanted 300B Mono blocks. The Blackbirds and Ravin are world class. If your speakers are efficient enough, then the Blackbird mono's have terrific synergy w/ the pre.

@brbrock I got the Spatial Pre and Mono's. In itself I couldn't say the Ravin is the cat's PJ's as I'm thrilled with the whole system/room the Raven pre is the heart of.

I was able to compare the Spatial suite to 1.) a Lumin Amp w/ Lumin X1 and 2,) a Roger's KWM-88 MK2 Integrated Amplifier with the Lumin X1 and also a Grimm MU1/Weiss 501. Speakers are K horns and REL subs. Power is treated and ethernet is all cleaned up (After rack shows up, will update systems).

The Spatial suite using the Grimm MU1 is the best of the three. It's more musical and there's no listening fatigue. Nothing wrong with the others.  May let Lumin stuff go but not the Rodgers.

(After warm up) I can turn up the volume and with nothing playing standing a half and inch away from a speaker I can't hear anything,

The Ravin is tops. If your speakers are efficient enough the Raven Pre and Blackbird Monos are synergistic masterpieces. There's a waiting list for a reason. I got more than I paid for. Happy camper!

@fthompson251 No over basseness. (If that’s a word) Uncoloured. Feel no need to tube roll but naturally will someday.