2. amps-preamps
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Tube Preamp, Amp or Int for holographic imaging?

I am pretty new to High end, but was drawn to it after hearing some music with a holographic soundstage. Since then I've been on a quest to reproduce it in my own apartment.

I listen exclusively to vinyl music at home(nothing against CDs, I just personally find Vinyl more charming and collectible), and am currently hooked up to a Planar 3. I am using my home theater receiver as an amplifier, since I don't yet have a second system.

I've been using the Graham Slee Era Gold V for a preamp. It sounds great in everything except its ability to project the sound forward and leave the notes hanging in the air (at least on my system). My main goal in audio is, at present, getting that holographic soundstage, and I have read that tube amps do it best. My main question is, would it be enough to switch the phono preamp to a tube (probably the EAR or anything else someone wants to recommend), or should you have both preamp and amp be tube? In that case, what would be a good integrated for exclusively vinyl under $1k used (Jolida is the only well reviewed one I know of)?

Finally I have played around extensively with speaker placement, and some dampening. I get 'some' sense of depth (maybe imagined), but the images rarely seem to suspend in air. Also, the music still seems to come from behind the speakers most of the time, and I feel if I could just get the voice and front instrumentals to jump forward a foot or so I'd be perfectly happy.

Thanks for reading, any input is welcome.
superapplekid

Showing 1 response by apbiii

apbiii
39 posts
 
Not sure what cartridge you are using but I would be looking at the turntable / cartridge before I started making changes in the rest of the system.

I was recently at a local dealer and listened to his high end system which consisted of some very nice PSB speakers and a bunch of Macintosh components. The turntable was a relatively inexpensive unit with a moving magnet cartridge. I was appalled at the lack of focus in the image and strongly suspect it was due to the turntable / cartridge.

If you have a good retailer in your area I suggest you take your turntable in and try it in another system that you know images well. If that is to your satisfaction you could use the same procedure with other components in the system to find the offender.
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