CH Precision L10 & M10 : My votes for the Best SS amps (for the past 5 yrs till 6-2021)

[arnies]

Hi Lloyd,
Thanks very much. I continue to be amazed at how the Arrakis just allow whatever is upstream of it to be heard - So far I have not been able to find the limit of these speakers can do.

 

[LL21]

I am not surprised!

 

[Mike Lavigne]

It's certainly true here.
I have a drum and bass track from the 90's with some deep bass, cut as a 45.
I can play it at 33 and my companion will near shit themselves in astonishment.
There's an intro, then as it builds out of nowhere comes a disembodied bass note that energises the whole room and makes your eyeballs shake. It causes you to question the laws of physics.
As the tune builds, that bass note becomes the bassline. But nothing beats the shock of that first hit. The depth, power and solidity are mind boggling.

could it be RR-12, Dafos?

it's from 1983.

 

[adyc]

I now have the CH L10 true dual mono preamp (4 box version) that has replaced my CH L1 true dual mono preamp (4 boxes) paired with my CH M1.1 mono block amps running in active biamplification mode powering my biamplified Rockport Arrakis speakers. Just a few comments on what I have read on this thread.

I do have the grounding switch on the L10's set to linked which ties signal ground and earth ground together (as I did on the L1's using the supplied jumper). I also use the L10 in no global feedback mode (local feedback only). I do prefer the no global feedback setting on the L10 as it provides a more involving and organic musical presentation (this is with the M1.1's set to zero global feedback as well). After about three weeks of break in on the L10's, my CH dealer visited me and we did some further listening evaluations. First we wanted to see the effect of adding some global feedback using the M1.1 feedback setting which allows adding global feedback in 10% increments. And since I run the M1.1 amps in active bi-amplification mode we only added the feedback to the bass drivers of the Arrakis speakers and left the global feedback at 0% for the tweeters, mid range and mid bass drivers. Over the course of three days, we compared 0%, 10% and 20% feedback on the bass drivers and each time we tried this, we both preferred the 10% global feedback setting on the M1.1 mono's for the bass drivers. Images were more right sized, bass was even more textured and the overall sound was just more natural to us. I look forward to hopefully hearing the M10 mono's later this year where the global feedback adjustment can be done in 1% increments.

As for grounding, one of the changes that CH has also made is adding a dedicated earth ground input (via banana connection) on the L10 power supply which did not exist on the X1 power supply used with the L1. I use a CAD Ground Control Reference (GCR) grounding box for my front end components and with the L1's, I connected the signal grounds of the 2 L1 boxes to the CAD GCR. I also started this way with the 2 L10's. With my dealer here, we compared grounding with the signal grounds of the L10's to the earth ground of the L10 power supply. We both felt that using the earth grounds of the 2 L10 power supplies was even more effective than using the signal grounds of the L10's. It improved the sound in similiar ways, just more so.

Thanks

Can you let us know how L10 compared against L1?

 

[Jeffy]

could it be RR-12, Dafos?

it's from 1983.

Yea Dafos or the Kodo Drummers

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Can you let us know how L10 compared against L1?

Exactly! I am very eager to know your perspective!

 

[LL21]

From MadFloyd on his own post about CH/Magico.

adyc said:
Any more update on L10 after more time with it [vs your existing L1]?

"MADFLOYD: It definitely has changed with break in. The bass was HUGE when I first put it in my system (when it already had 40 hours on it or so) and it was a bit on the dark side. Well it has totally opened up and while there isn't as much bass anymore, there is still more than with the L1.

The presentation has a lot more palpability and authority now. The soundstage is wider as well, which is a very welcome surprise for me. I don't hear any tradeoffs as the highs are still super sweet and clean. It excels on every genre of music and I can't image a better preamp; it's SO musical.

I attribute a lot of this to the new 'local feedback' setting. You can toggle between that and global feedback (the latter being what the L1 uses). It's a nice option to have - and very reminiscent of the L1 (which remains a great preamp) but I do prefer the local feedback setting."

 

[arnies]

Can you let us know how L10 compared against L1?

Two other design differences between the L10 and L1 that I forgot to mention above. First, the chassis of the L10 and its power supply, while they look almost identical and are the same physical dimensions as the L1 and X1 are quite a bit stiffer and denser than the L1/X1 chassis. A lot less vibration when you rap your hands on the case itself - a significantly stiffer case. And second, with the L1 and its optional X1 power supply you had to use 2 power cords - one for the L1 itself and one for the X1. With the L10 (using the 2 supplied umbilical cords from the power supply to the L10 head unit) only one power cord is required in total and that is for the L10 power supply.

I will try my best to describe how the L10 compares to the L1.

My initial comparison was with the L10 stereo with minimal break in (approximately 50 hours) compared to my 4 box L1 true dual mono setup. There were three things that struck me right away about the sonic differences. First, the L10 has a noticeably lower noise floor than the L1 - it just sounds quieter and you notice this right away. Second, the L10 portrays music with a very noticeable increased sense of ease and and effortless flow to the music that the L1 does not match (even though the 4 box L1 is very good). And third, across the frequency spectrum, the music is presented in a very easy to hear harmonically richer manner (the old term of "more meat on the bones" ).

Around this time, the second L10 arrived (actually the L10 head unit without the left and right channel boards) and the second L10 power supply. I then removed one of the channel boards from the first L10 stereo and inserted it into the newly arrived L10 head unit and setup the 4 box version of the L10 and commenced burn in again - this time for another 125 hours before I did any critical listening.

With the 4 box version of the L10 and the additional break in, I heard the three items above but I would say for sure that the sense of ease and flow to the music as well as the harmonic richness across the frequency spectrum were further improved along with a clarity to the music that I had not heard before. I would also say that with the 4 box version the musical performance is more expansive without any feeling of constraint to the music. Finally, the other improvements that I heard with the 4 box version is that the performer images are even better defined in their own space within the soundstage in my listening room and it provides an even better sense that the performers are projected more into the room with you.

The bottom line to me was that the L10 (and my main focus was the 4 box version of the L10 compared the 4 box version of the L1) provides me with an significantly more realistic and immersive listening experience that I have ever heard in my room. And for me, that says alot.

 

[LL21]

Fantastic, Arnie. You've continued to explore the outer frontier of high end audio...and sent a signal back thru deep space!

 

[arnies]

Fantastic, Arnie. You've continued to explore the outer frontier of high end audio...and sent a signal back thru deep space!

Thanks so much LLoyd.

I am lookng forward to hopefully hearing a pair of M10 mono's in my system later this year. If it's as good as I expect it to be, you will need to come visit me and have a listen for yourself!!

 

[infinitely baffled]

could it be RR-12, Dafos?

it's from 1983.

Code Of Practice - Can We Change The Future Remixes

Url: https://www.discogs.com/Code-Of-Practice-Can-We-Change-The-Future-Remixes/release/42085

Shared from the Discogs App

 

[LL21]

Thanks so much LLoyd.

I am lookng forward to hopefully hearing a pair of M10 mono's in my system later this year. If it's as good as I expect it to be, you will need to come visit me and have a listen for yourself!!

Amazing!

 

[VPN]

For those lucky audiophiles who own CH M10 amps, which amp stands are you using with the M10? Why?

 

[sggs11]

For those lucky audiophiles who own CH M10 amps, which amp stands are you using with the M10? Why?

I would love to hear the answer to this question, too. My M10s are inbound. I'm also eager to know about the Interconnects and Cables that you've most enjoyed with your L10/M10 combo if you're open to sharing. thank you in advance. SG

 

[MadFloyd]

I don't own M10s but do own M1.1s and I have dipped my toe into the HRS waters.

I started with HRS M3X2 platforms under each amp. Compared with my previous amp stand (which was nothing special) the difference was staggering in just how musical it became. The sound cleaned up and beauty just poured through.

I've since augmented this with HRS Nimbus footers (1.5" x 4) between the amps and the HRS platforms and the difference is not subtle. I'm now experimenting with HRS Vortex footers (in place of the Nimbus).

I am an instant fan of HRS. And of course I believe CH electronics are superb works of art. A great combination imo.

 

[JackD201]

For those lucky audiophiles who own CH M10 amps, which amp stands are you using with the M10? Why?

Critical Mass Maxxum with CS2s as the interface. CMS has been under my equipment for over a decade now beginning with the early wood framed ones. To me they clean up the sound but don't scrub off timbre and harmonics or fundamentally change the tonal balance. In other words, they do just what I need them to do and no more. Right now the Power Supply Chassis' are on CS2s on the floor since I moved from M1 Monos to M10s. I'll be ordering 4 Maxxum filters and the existing ones will go to the M1's new owner.

 

[Elliot G.]

ill be happy to let you know what we find. I should have mine mid November

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

It feels like the answer about the L10/M10 would be really interesting.

I don't own M10s but do own M1.1s and I have dipped my toe into the HRS waters.

I started with HRS M3X2 platforms under each amp. Compared with my previous amp stand (which was nothing special) the difference was staggering in just how musical it became. The sound cleaned up and beauty just poured through.

I've since augmented this with HRS Nimbus footers (1.5" x 4) between the amps and the HRS platforms and the difference is not subtle. I'm now experimenting with HRS Vortex footers (in place of the Nimbus).

I am an instant fan of HRS. And of course I believe CH electronics are superb works of art. A great combination imo.

What is your opinion on Vortex footers versus Nimbus footers?

 

[MadFloyd]

It feels like the answer about the L10/M10 would be really interesting.



What is your opinion on Vortex footers versus Nimbus footers?

It might be system dependent but for me while the Vortex 'calm down' the mids & highs and increase deep bass, they reduce the amount of midbass which results in too much of an anemic tonal balance.

Perhaps if I changed speaker position to accommodate this I'd have the best of both worlds but since I like where my speakers are now I will most likely use Nimbus under the amps.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Just out of curiosity, what are features you look for when looking for footers? Have you tried to incorporate a decoupling rack into your system? Just wondering which one to invest in.