I have dedicated audio room 14.5x20.5x9 ft. Currently have Marantz Reference CD/Intergrated paired to Magnepan 1.7's with REL T-7 subs. For the vast majority of music I love this system. The only nit pick is that it is lacking/limited in covering say below 35 hz or so. For the first time actually buzzed the panel with an organ sacd. Bummer. Thought of upgrading subs to rythmicks but then I will need to high pass the 1.7's. Really don't want to deal with that approach.
Enter the Double Impacts. Many interesting things here. Would certainly have a different set of strengths here. Dynamics, claimed bottom octave coverage in one package, suspect a good match to current electronics.
I've read all the threads here so we do not need to rehash that. Just wondering if others out there have FIRST HAND experience with these or other Tekton speakers
Tom, I’ve been listening to Steve Coleman’s ’Invisible Paths: First Scattering’ (2007) a lot. As well as Tony Allen ’The Source’ (2017). Give them a listen if you haven’t already.
The Bad Plus is quite a departure from Coltrane/Hartman : ) They have a number of albums, so you’ll have to sort that out (they vary in apporach)...’Made Possible’ leans more mainstream. Or try ’Never Stop.’ @brotw may have some up to date recommendations since he recently heard them live.
Thanks for the suggestion gents. I not only ordered the Coltrane/Hartman cd but a bunch of jazz classics from Miles, Cannonball, Mingus, Lee Morgan and both Coltrane and Hartman. Once I finally get all of my new components having new material to listen to will be fun. Picked up a few Bad Plus cd's also. I'm not familiar with them but look forward to doing so.
A totally off topic question here. Has anyone experimented with getting their system off the grid? I ask because I noticed dramatic sound improvements from two components of mine that are.....my CF DAC is battery powered and my Vinnie Rossie power supply to my MZ2 is supposedly off the grid using ultra capacitors to provide current. The noise floor was lowered dramatically allowing the music to shine. Just wondering if the rest of my system would benefit from being off the grid and was wondering if others here had tried doing so.
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, the epitome of a timeless classic. I’ve had that recording for over twenty years and still listen to it on a regular basis. Charles
That’s great! I’ll definitely give it a listen especially since it isn’t something I would normally spin and have been exposed to, other than live. Wrapping up the evening in a similar vein to how I started, though with a 50 year gap...the classic, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.
I've had the pleasure of hearing The Nutcracker performed many times over the years. Didn't work out this year. That is, right up until tonight. The DI's brought the performance home big time. I don't know about you guys, but there are times when listening at home I feel like I'm not missing out on much (at least sonically).
David, Gotta love your 4 yr. old son. Thinkin ahead. What a hoot. Reminds me of a trip to Wisconsin about 12 yrs ago with my daughter. A week long trip in Dorr County. Riding into Green Bay it had to be 110 degrees on the asphalt. Only time I've had heat exhaustion. Took 6 liters of fluid to get me right. The next day a rain of Biblical proportion came down down and frankly we really didn't care. Rain was better than heat. Our tandem recumbent had to gain an extra 8# from fluid retention. Your son would of thought that soooo cooool in his rainproof fortress!
Alright , time to get on track. The system is toasty warm. Time for the DI's to recreate a performance of The Nutcracker, Semyon Bychkov and the Berliner Philharmoniker. OBTW, Bychkov conducted the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra early in his career--my hometown.
@david_ten not many suspensionless bikes grab my attention but who needs suspension with tires like that. Could be the ultimate comfort trail bike as long as your not facing big drops. Here in the Santa Clarita area we have plenty of big rocks and drops so 4-5" suspension is a must. I still need to try one of those. Happy trails.
Saved a bit by going with a 2017 vs a 2018...the florescent green is actually functional for me, since I do a lot of urban riding...a safety thing from my motorcycling days.
david, Bacchetta gives you a choice of three colors-blue, then there's blue, and the last choice is blue. I went with blue. Good thing it is a really cool blue!
Interesting you mention the Tekton meet. I was thinking the very same thing earlier today! What about Chicago this summer? I'll nominate brother teajay. After all, we all want to hear the Ulfs, right?
@brotw they back burned Annadel and about 2/3rd's of the park is closed indefinitely. All of Shultz, lawndale, pig flat, marsh, south Burma, ridge and two quarry. Hopefully in a year it will return but there is damage from the big CATs that ran up and plowed it. It is so dry now, no mud at all.
My 2014 Trek Fuel 29er is somewhere between @david_ten racer and @greg22lz bike packer. Greg, love Annadel Park for mtbing. That orange clay can be tough to scrub off the tires. Hopefully it didn't all go up in smoke.
James, this will be my first (fat bike). I did a last hour pivot to another Salsa model...could not resist carbon, upgraded components and a more conventional frame/bike. Full circle back to the 80's rigid mt bikes I grew up with; albeit carbon over steel. I'll be dropping the 5" floaters for Fours. And moving up from 26 to 27.5 wheels once my son is on his own bike. I need a low stand-over height when he's behind me (likely another year).
They have become wider in their focus, so it depends on your planned usage.
@corelli One last post before the derailleur really gets off track...for this thread. : )
I've been figuring out the best bike for my son (behind me on the rack)...as well as being future proof and something that doesn't feel like the bike equivalent of a 'daddy van' and adding something different to the stable. I'm close to finalizing on a mid-tail old school style mt bike (but stretched geometry). It's a Salsa Blackborow fat bike. I'll need to tweak it so he can ride safely on the back (stoker bar, foot pegs, skirt, pad, seatbelt, etc.)....it will be interesting and fun to do. The rack is long enough that I can have panniers behind him.
David, my last bike purchase was also a bit unconventional. I ride a Bacchetta carbon fiber recumbent. But no dealer in Michigan carries this model. (I was able to test ride an aluminum model with the same frame geometry so I knew it to be a good fit)
So I spoke to the owner in Florida and he put together a model with all the equipment I specified. He then put this in a really BIG box and shipped it to Michigan. The only issue was the rear derailleur--an issue with that model. So they exchanged it for a sram xo affair. A $100 upgrade. Now that's service!
(Does this sound a bit like Aric Audio?)
And 15,000 miles later, much like my DI's, it was money very well spent.
So you're right David, interesting parallels between these hobbies.
@corelli I was clocking over 3K miles living in Upstate NY, but life changes and a move to steamy NOLA has limited me to around 1K mainly city bike errand runs.
In some ways, the bike hobby is as crazy as the audio hobby. I'm getting ready to order a bike I have to drive 5 hours to pick up in Houston. If I can get someone to drive my pickup there, I might just make it a two-day ride.... : )
It will look even better when the brushed aluminum transformer covers are added. While aesthetics are secondary to sonics to me, I love the look of the new amp.
I too enjoy the discussion regarding associated hear driving the DI/SE's. There doesn't seem to be one good or bad way to drive them, just different flavors for different tastes. And yes, dealing directly with the owner/builder that is passionate about their craft is very rewarding.
Tom, looks like Aric is has done a major rebuild on your amp. You a going to be a very happy camper once you get all this new gear assembled and broken in. Like the substantial look of the amp.
I really enjoy the fact this thread has served as such a great resource on associated gear to drive our DI's. More importantly, it's nice that small businesses like Aric's have benefited. People like this who actually care and have a "can do" attitiude are becoming a rare commodity in our world of "bigger is better."
LOL, the sedentary time this hobby generates has to balanced somehow. Good for you Corelli, for me it's the treadmill.
@mac Makes sense the footers would transfer less vibration when under less compression, hence the benefit for the larger Gaia I's. Thanks for pointing that out.
Could be that benefits of a DAC upgrade may be partially obscured if first reflection points/acoustics and speaker isolation are not addressed first.
@david_ten Really enjoyed Bad Plus at San Fernando Perfoming Arts Center (CSU Northridge) with Brad Mehldau Trio. Seeing fingers on the strings while hearing is so cool, makes me wish I could play bass. Stanely Clark at the Catalina Jazz Club put on a great show as well.
Bill, keep posting. I conceded (at least to myself) some time ago. I've really appreciated all your posts and the great info you have placed on this thread.
Charles, to be honest, come the end of the season, I'm ready for a change. I bought a pair of cross country skis 2 years ago and find this a great winter sport. Easy on the joints, lots of fresh air and wildlife. Love it. And heck, Michigan winters and tubes were meant for each other!
Greg, sounds like biker heaven. I enjoyed a trip to Yosemite and Northern California a number of years ago. Very memorable trip indeed. We drove into Yosemite one evening in April. Snowed 13" that night and we were "trapped" in the park. Next morning, in full sun and blue sky, the trees were heavy with snow. Magnificent. Just magnificent.
Corelli, During the winter do you resort to stationary cycling at home or a gym? My outdoor track interval workouts are done until around mid March. Charles
@grannyring Bill, did you ever sort out the values of the inductors on your version of the DI? Mine is an earlier run so if I ever get around to upgrading my crossover it would be great to have that info.
OBTW, biking in Michigan has come to a close. The mileage/post battle wasn't even close. DI posts-4000 Bike mileage-2525
mac, I must say you've got a lot of new toys coming your way! You'd think it was Christmas or something. I'd really like to see the chassis Aric is using. Any pics?
Aric, Thank you for your clearly explained reply. I certainly realize that there’s more than one way to design and build an excellent sounding amplifier. I do like exposure to various perspectives and continue to learn from knowledgeable builders such as yourself. Charles
@333jeffery - Someday perhaps! I think my first 1kV triode will likely be the 805 or 845, as I've got the basics on a design down for those. The GM70 is very similar, but in all cases these designs are not cheap to do right. Using over 1,000 volts and requiring 2-3 stages to drive these huge tubes is a very deliberate complexity. The 300B, and 2A3 are next in line as far as needing low current, high voltage swings. The easiest tubes to drive are the Pentodes or Kinkless Triodes (KT88, KT120, KT150). The general rule is the less stages in the signal path- the easier it is to make an amp that sounds transparent in my opinion.
@charles1dad Those are good questions! For a cost no object, I would likely go the exclusive film cap route in the power supply- since even the best 'lytics will tend to drift with age (however good quality modern caps last MUCH longer than those of the 70's and 80's). What I like to do in most cases, is use electrolytics bypassed with small film in the first stages where massive filtering is required, and then have the last stage be pure film since it's the last part of the filter before the audio stages.
As far as coupling? That's another tough one. Inter-stage trafos are technically superior in the phase region (where multiple stages are required), and also when you need a step up or impedance matching transformer. However iron has it's drawbacks in terms of frequency extreme rolloffs, so you trade "possible" phase issues for "possible" response issues. However in practice using good quality parts- these issues are small and splitting hairs so long as the design is done right.
I for one think that high quality caps can get a design that sounds phenomenal so I typically don't look into the interstage transformers much. However, on a tube that requires a huge voltage swing and lots of low current to drive it (ex: 845, 805, GM70), it's almost necessary to use an interstage trafo as there's so much in the signal path otherwise.
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
