Hi Folks,
Thanks for the input. Yes, some additional details would be helpful, so here it goes.
Sonus Faber, Grand Piano Home (newer front ported)
MIT speaker cables
Transparent ic's
Musical tastes (not necessarily in order of preference):
Classical (usually symphonic, but I also love pieces for strings, or piano)
Rock/Pop (Beatles, Bowie, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, 80's new wave, Alt Country)
Folk & Roots
The Shunyata Taipan Helix is on my list, just based upon readings, and I'm not familiar, yet, with the Electraglides.
This whole AC path is new to me, so thanks for the questions and suggestions. Looking forward to further discussion.
neutron |
this really is the first time i'm tossing my hat into the arena. i haven't used any after market pc's yet, and it seems that, inevitably, i'll be expanding my budget (why does this always happen). i tried getting in on the "electraglide sotu" dutch auction tonight, but got priced out. i can't figure whether they're snake oil or the real thing, as i keep reading some stellar reviews, as well as more than a few sordid tails. anyway, these are my current thoughts. i have to admit that i do find them intriguing.
so, in particular order:
shunyata taipan helix alpha, used, or on closeout. by the way, i wish i new as little as "knownothing", this would be alot easier. by the way, i have an inquiry into "the cable company", so thank you so much for that great lead. i trust that this cord won't add any color to the music...that's a joke, okay :)
audience powerchord
electraglide sotu. they seem to be out there
analysis oval 10
kaplans. they also sound intriguing, and they won't break the bank.
acoustic zen tsunami. though, i don't know where these should sit in the hierarchy.
the krell is a tad bright with the sonus faber's, though i suspect it would be a tad bright without the sonus faber's, and so, i would like something that may warm up the music with an offsetting tad.
again, thanks everybody for taking the time. the involved discourse is proving invaluable, if not a little overwhelming.
updates, as further hijinx ensue. |
I'll 2nd that "knownothing". thoughful and insightful, thanks very much bob. the more i research, the more i'm inclined to move the kaplans up the ladder.
given the brightness of the krell integrated, anybody with thoughts regarding the kaplans vs shunyata taipan helix alpha? also, is it worth pursuing the electraglide sotu?
thanks again for all the help, folks. |
woo hoo,
just bought my first power cord here a few minutes ago, the taipan helix. now i just need 2 more (wall -> power cond., integrated -> power cond., cdp -> power cond.), and an outlet.
now, some advice on where in the line the taipan should go (oe do i just try each point in the line), and what else should i get. |
ok nasaman, you got me there. i'm getting a little ahead of the game, but an opportunity arose to buy the audience speakers, so i jumped at it. right now, i still have the stock pc on the cdp. earlier on, knownothing suggested the taipan vx, and i'm presently leaning in that direction (especially since i've tossed the budget out the window), but acquiring another audience "e" is not out of the question.
now i also have some interesting reading with regards cable construction. i think it'll be helpful getting acquainted with some of the fundamentals.
but right now, i'm like that little electron whose been bitten by some energy and jumped headlong into that higher shell. pretty soon though, i'll emit enough light (or spend money, in this analogy), and dutifully fall back to my original state, where i'll be content. |
hi emorrisiv,
i spent enough on the pc's to nicely compliment my electronics, and not enough on the pc's to either adversely impact my lifestyle, or impede such things as my charitable endeavors. as for the krell; the sale of my previous amp and preamp covered a substantial percentage of the cost incurred by the krell. additionally, purchasing an entry level krell integrated amp manufactured in china is not all that expensive in the greater scheme of things...and that truly is nice.
ps all, i have given the audience speaker cables more time to burn in, on the recommendation of terry from audience, and i could not be happier with the results.
- neutron |
wow!!! got my first power cord today. taipan helix alpha, used, great deal from audiogoner. a real pleasure to do business with, martay49, heartily recommended.
i'm now waiting on an audience powerchord "e".
back to the taipan...well not quite yet. with stock cord, everything was to bright, or voices blended into each other, bass was deep but not well defined, etc. now the taipan stuff. out of the box, and sitting between power conditioner and the krell integrated. haven't tried directly into con ed power, or from the wall to power conditioner yet. from the very first note of the 2nd movement of sibelius's 2nd symphony, a whole new world opened to me. soundstage becomes huge, in both breadth and depth. bass is now tight, amazingly well defined (imagine my shock, tympani's have character), and deep...viscerally deep. never thought that the sonus faber's were capable of moving so much air, the way the live performance demands it move. notes once misplaced, now have a place in space, they decay or dissipate the way my ears recognize as being right, i can tell that cymbals are made of metal, without sounding shrill...and there is a 1st violinist as well as a 2nd!!!...well, i think you get the message. i know you do, as you're the same folks who helped me find this road to ac lunacy. a lunacy that i now fully embrace.
i can't wait to get the powerchord "e", and continue with the experiment, and then on to ic's and sp cables.
i'm tapping my feet again. i'm not missing the tube stuff i traded for the solid state stuff. the new krell s-300i, at least to me, now sounds amazing...the reason i purchased it to begin with.
thank you, one and all, for your ideas, enthusiasm, and for helping this kindred spirit down the road to sonic bliss.
-gary |
with my limited experience, i'll certainly agree with knownothing and digsmithd. you can get the taipan helix nicely discounted from retailers, or from the cable company, or right here. i bought mine from agon for $350 (1.8m), and feel it's worth every penny (despite having only a few listening hours, so far). additionally, folks here love this stuff, resulting in supply that is well cared for, and often times fully broken in.
scheduled to get the audience powerchord e today. will post my findings sometime soon. |
hi folks,
please, not wanting to distract from this fascinating diy discussion. i'd certainly like to hear more. where do you get plans for assembly, what raw materials and tools are needed, and how do you decide on materials. i would imagine that the materials are dictated by application.
i would also like to provide an update, and ask for more ideas...
hooked up the new powerchord "e" last night (utility --> conditioner), and got in about 2hrs listening. the taipan helix is conditioner --> integrated. boy was i disappointed. granted the powerchord is new out of the box and needs some time, but it seemed as if i took a giant step back in the direction of edgy narrow and shallow brightness. tried again this morning. now with about 5 hrs, the music is making a comeback. patience says to give it time, and i will. figured i'd test it a little though, so i put on leo kottke's "6 and 12 string guitar" to see what i'd get. well let me tell you, i can feel the wood character of the hollow body acoustic coming through on deeper notes. string plucking and strumming is coming through with definition, and the soundstage is opening up again. audience must burn in their cables prior to shipping, as i think this should be taking a lot longer. i know it still has a ways to go before plateauing.
so, i'm getting a bit out of control here, but changes need to be made, now that i've committed to the cable upgrade path. i bought some au24 speaker cables, and i'm very much looking forward to hearing them. i believe the choices have been spot on so far, and i will then happily get off that merry-go-round for a spell (knowing full well that there definitely must be many different stunning combinations available).
i now need interconnects, and would like to run some possibilities by you, in no particular order:
audience au24 (don't know if i would spring for the "e")
purist aqueous anniversary
kubala sosna fascination
consider this an official solicitation of your varied and welcomed opinions.
thanks,
gary |
hi folks,
just chiming in with my experiences over the last couple of weeks. in many ways i feel that it has been to much, to soon. undisciplined...definitely introducing to many variables at one time.
purchases:
1 taipan alpha helix
1 au24e pc
1 pair au24e ic's
1 pair 2.5m au24 speaker cables
the following, edited slightly, is excerpted from an email i shared with nasaman. i hope it sounds somewhat coherent (pun intended)...
...as for the shunyata. after purchasing the taipan helix, i then bought an audience au24 "e" pc. now faced with the dilemma of proper placement, i experimented with where to place each cord. bottom line, i found that while the au24e's transparency very admirable, and i like and get the idea of not introducing any color to the music, i ultimately decided to go with the shunyata from the quintet into the krell.
a slight detour; the krell was bright to begin with (i come from a history of tube equipment, audio research, with a linn lp12 as my primary source). in a bid to reclaim space in my small nyc apartment, i am trying a solid state integrated, ripping all music to hard drives (apple lossless), with cd's as my backup (now, all in binders). a major goal in this project is to push the krell in a more analog direction, while retaining the strengths inherent in solid state designs...end of detour.
the au24e seemed to bring out more brightness, and while everything was tight, i lost a good deal of the bass slam that krell seems to excel at. i now have the shunyata attached to the krell and into the quintet. i am very content not to change that combination. the taipan restores the bottom end, is fast and natural, and it has also taken most of the bite out of the top end harshness. that's not to say that i am losing anything, i don't think. actually, i find the taipan a better match for my electronics. the note decay of cymbals is accurate and natural, and you get that sense that you are hearing brass, without any harshness. the taipan also allows for a more expansive soundstage. it seems an appropriate match for the krell, and i am happy to leave it that way (unless i move up the shunyata ladder...not likely anytime soon, given prices). the au24e is now from con ed power and into the quintet. i may have to try another cord there, given it's affect on the krell.
i also bought an au24e ic for the cdp into the krell, and au24's for the speakers. again with the speaker cables, the overly bright sound was back. my 10 year old set of mit terminator4's allow for a much more robust natural sound, and so are once again connected (i gave the au24's about60 hours). it seems i have to rethink the whole audience thing. i was expecting great stuff from the au24e's, and i believe great stuff is there, but with my system at least, that synergy is not. i still want to try other speaker cables, with purist aqueous anniversaries, and kubala sosna facinations on the top of my list. i don't quite know what i think about the au24e interconnect betwwen the cdp and integrated. i am still using the stock pc from the cdp. i will no doubt look to get another shunyata. most likely the taipan vx, or python vx, (if i feel like eating macaroni and cheese for awhile). i also plan on replacing the current wall outlet.
the shunyata, krell, cambridge, sonus faber, combo, to me, is a real winner, and would strongly recommend trying it out. i get wide and deep soundstage, naturalness in note decay, fast tight response all up and down the frequency range, and i'm enjoying the bass that has been lacking for quite some time.
hope this helps, and that the rambling wasn't to exhausting.
thank you again, one and all. your input is very much appreciated, and i hope that it continues.
-gary |
