@earthtones,
Thanks for the response.
Feedback, or more importantly, the lack of, seems to be a feature that makes Vandy's sing.
Bob |
I'm sure you will fall in love with these new amps.
I notice you are using Roon. I love what Roon does, but it's not the best sounding program for digital. JRiver is a much better sounding program to use for digital. Matt Clott, who now write for TAS is a very close friend who is a digital guy. He's been going back and forth with Roon vs others and what control programs sound best and why. I am now using only JRiver through my The Memory Player by Laufer Technik.
You may also want to try JRiver vs Roon to see what your thoughts are. I'd be curious to what you hear. |
I hadn’t considered that Roon software could be an issue, except when playing with DSP. If I raise a frequency band really high, say 70db, just to see what happens, the result is bad distortion, but I don’t know if that’s because I was overloading the USB input to my DAC. DSP aside, I don’t see how there could be degradation. Red book CD all the way through double rate DSD all sound very good generally, depending on the recording, with DSD sounding the most natural. But even DSD doesn’t quite match the best of my LPs, played on my VPI Classic 4 with Kiseki Purpleheart mounted to an SME 312s to a Pass XP 17.
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Ask Richard about DSP. It can be heard as of today. No one makes anything with DSP that can't be 'heard'. That's why I like analog tuning of the bass vs using DSP.
Many will tell me I'm full of it as THEIR DSP works best etc... Those are my ears though as well as some friends ears.
Digital is a strange bedfellow. It's SOOOO dependent on how we connect it to the electrical grid in our homes. Even DAC;s can sound different in each system. This is why I finally decided to upgrade my electrical feeding my system.
I had the Synergistic Research's top Powercell 10 and Basis cords. Once I switched to an AQ Niagara and Hurricane cords (will upgrade the server or DAC to the Dragon source), my system finally took shape. I can honestly say my digital sounds as good as most of the analog systems I've heard. Basically, they have figured out how to lower 3 types of jitter. Keeping the digital hash off the line that feeds my system is HUGE in lowering the noise floor. That just changes everything for the better.
Sorry to go off script, but since I can no longer use analog, I had to find the best digital that I could afford. It's a great discussion. |
Richard Vandersteen mentioned to me the best Amps (besides his M7-HPA which are US$60K a pair) he has heard with the Sevens are the Ayre MXR-20's.....
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The MXR's are a great amp to my ears also. I'd love to hear as shootout. Also, the Brinkman and AR amps work great with his speakers. You need a zero feedback design for Vandy's to sing. Just like you need to be fully balanced to get the most out of Ayre.
The true key to power is the preamp though. The best Ayre product to me, is the KXR/20 preamp. For my money, it's the most neutral preamp I've ever heard and I've heard it with tubes, SS and hybrids. I've heard it with Vandy's, Magico's, Wilson, ML, Maggies, Dynaudio, Avalon, B&W and many more. I'd put that preamp with their 9k VX5/20 and it would sound better than the KX5/20 pre with VXR/20 stereo amp. |
I have the KXR20 and MXR20's with my Sevens. Both upgraded from original versions. The upgrade was substantial and more so with the pre over the amps.
Sounds sublime!
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thanks for sharing Darth. I know that Ryan, Gary and the guys at Ayre feel the same way. Too many folks seem to buy expensive amps and don't even think about the pre. |
Anyone compared mxr-20s and ARC REF 250se with 7s . |
Thanks for sharing. All very interesting. I got to hear the Kento/M5-HP combo at Audio Connection. I was blown away. Just an amazing speaker for the price. It truly is CLOSE to the 7's and the amps are close to the M7-HP's. It's really an amazing price point for what you get.
Johnny Rutan took me aside and auditioned the CAD CG1 passive grounding device. They make a larger and better CG3 as well as a new reference device. HOLY COW....this is a must get for most folks I believe. the small one was hooked up to the RCA out on the DAC. It made a huge difference and it was 100% positive unlike some of the grounding devices I've heard and that include the Entreq ones I've heard, which are good, but there was something about it that didn't make me feel is needed it in my system. This CAD device is the next purchase for me. I know there are only a couple of dealers in the US, but I think they have a guarantee. You can call and ask Johnny if you want to, but it took the Treo's (I used to own them so I know what this device does) to another level. The power cords were the AQ Tornado's and the speaker cables were originally the AQ Castlerock, but once we put on the William Tell copper (what I own) the system took on a new level in every area. It lowered the noise floor GREATLY. Even with dedicated lines as I use, it will make a large difference. Sorry to go on and on, but have wanted to share that bit for a week now.
The other thing that Richard fully explained was why you need a true zero global feedback amp for his speakers to sound their absolute best as he shared with earth tones. I changed my system to a zero global feedback amp when I got the Treo's as that's what makes them sound their best. I also feel that the glare you get from an amp that uses feedback is something I don't enjoy the sound off regardless of how good the amp is, but that's totally my thoughts. Some may not even heard the difference or care. JMHO |
@veerapaneni Randy has my old VXR-20 or did, which some say sounds better than the MXR-20 , and of course he has the REf250 as well. Randy is my dealer for RV’s amp, which i love.
best to you, hope you are enjoying the 7’s magical as they are.
jim |
@darthlaker system was i believe the inspiration for the paint color i picked for my 7’s ;-) ya man !!!!!
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What color did you go with? I ended up going with Audi Havana black however in hindsight I think I would’ve done one of the cool Bentley Crimson colors in a really cool pearl |
After waiting a grueling three weeks after I placed my order, I finally have in my possession a set of M5-HPAs. I have them connected between a Pass XP-22 and Vandersteen 5A Carbons. Cabling is AQ Water interconnects and four foot Anticables 3.1. I have had the M5s running for twenty four hours. In a word, they are amazing. I’ve never heard holographic, clearly layered deep soundstaging like this. Ascribe any positive attribute you want. They deliver. I would put them up against any amplifier hi-passed to a sub. On top of that, they run cool and don’t hog power!
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happy for you. Can't wait to hear your thoughts once burned in etc... They get even better once you hit 500 hours. I'm sure you will love them for a very long time. |
@tomic601 - thanks - cool that you liked the finish on mine.....!!! :) cheers
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