Charles' Little 2-ch Hi-Fi System...

[Chops]

Now that I have the entire house all to myself (kicked the ex and her dumb son out a few months back), I pulled out my old faithful AV123 (GR-Research) X-Statik's with their fully upgraded crossovers and No-Rez, the Cambridge Audio CXN (V2) that I only used for a couple months before upgrading to the Auralic Altair G1 in the main system, the old faithful APC H15 that I've had for years, and a little S.M.S.L AO200 integrated amp (50w x 2 @ 8 ohms).

I got this little setup running in the master bedroom. Man, I forgot how good these X-Statik's sound tonality wise and how they image with a deep and wide sound stage. Will definitely be doing some tweaking as time goes on.

 

[Chops]

I've had David Gilmour's Live at Pompeii playing since yesterday morning, and I have to say, things are sounding better. Treble is still airy, but smoother than a few days ago, midrange and mid-bass is fuller and more present, and the bass has opened up with a bit more "oomph" while still being tight and punchy. The sound stage has also opened up more with great depth and width. Quite surprising considering the X-Statik's are being powered by this little SMSL amp (no tone controls used either).

Part of this might also be due to the electronics burning in as well. I know the Cambridge streamer has been sitting for well over a year, the little integrated for more than that I think, and all of those Maze cables for a couple of years. Can't forget the old Mojo Audio 8AWG cross helix vintage Western Electric power cord that's powering the entire system through the APC.

 

[Chops]

Here's a major switch-up to my normal system... Chinese knock-off clone stuff!

A BRZ Hifi Mark Levinson JC-2 preamp clone, Tara Labs locking RCA ISM Onboard interconnect clones, Tara Labs The One power cable clones, and even a single Kharma power cable clone. Clone stuff one of my brothers likes playing around with just for fun in one of his systems.

The only REAL piece of kit here other than the streamer, conditioner and speakers is the NuPrime STA-9 amp. This is one of the two that I sold years ago to one of my other brothers. I now have both of them back (borrowing them) for a bit so I can play around with gear and such in this room/system.

Surprisingly, the preamp is rather solid and heavy, gets rather warm considering it's supposed to be running in Class A. It's a stout unit. And shockingly, all of the cables are quite decent and of actual quality. They sure do have all the details done down to a "T", that's for sure.

The important thing here is, the sound has vastly improved over the little SMSL AO200 integrated amp. An even deeper and wider sound stage, a lot more focused imaging, deeper, tighter, harder hitting, a lot better controlled bass, a fuller midrange, and a smoother yet still extended top end.

Of course, I'm sure 90% is due to the NuPrime amp alone. Though I do remember my brother swapping out a Rotel RC-1572 MkII preamp for this BRZ JC-2 clone and this little preamp sounding considerably better. Just an overall more refined sound throughout. And that's what I'm hearing now, so who knows.

Anywho, some pics...

 

[Chops]

Now running a full loom of Chinese clone cables of Tara Labs power cables and interconnects, a couple of Kharma power cables, all very well built and do power cable things very well. The only "REAL" power cable in the mix is the Pangea AC-9 MkII that uses actual Cardas Grade One copper. That's like a $300 cable. I'm still using the Maze Audio 9awg Ref 4 braided speaker cables which are just fine.

Also running both NuPrime STA-9 amps in bridge mono mode. And I also have another Pangea Volcan audio rack that I need to get over to the house so I can get that darn dresser out of here and put it in the spare bedroom. The rack is actually made from leftover parts from the four Volcan racks I purchased 7 years ago when Hurricane Irma was headed our way.

Over time, I'll start getting back into designing and building some large format open baffle loudspeakers and subwoofers.

 

[Chops]

Changed things up a bit...

Back to using a single NuPrime STA-9, a pair of Magnat Signature 503's, and a single HSU STF-2 subwoofer, getting its high-level signal from the amp. Oh, and of course, my 3rd Pangea Vulcan rack that I bought years back. Everything else remains the same.

 

[Chops]

Drove 150 miles round trip yesterday to pick up something I've always wanted...

Finally found a near mint pair at a extremely good price. Bose 901 Series V with Series VI EQ and tulip stands.

I've heard the 901's several times before, a few times in Circuit City, and once or twice at the PX at MacDill Airforce Base. I have to say, they sound much better in my room. A lot more natural than in the showrooms. In the showrooms, they probably had the EQ jacked all the way up as well as the tone controls on the gear used with them.

I have all of the controls on the EQ set to "flat", and I really see no need to adjust them as the 901's sound pretty darn good in this room, the master bedroom. This room is roughly 13' x 16' x 8', and I'm powering them with one of my NuPrime STA-9 amps which puts out 120 watts @ 8 ohms... More than enough power for this room and these speakers. I have the 901's center part of the rear "V" about 31" out from the front wall. This distance also helps in the fact that I'm getting a much more balanced overall response out of them than what I remember in the showrooms.

The bass is quite punchy, detailed and extends a lot deeper than I expected, easily down to the low 30's, possibly a little lower from listening to a few of my very familiar pipe organ recordings. Midrange seems to sound good, though not quite as full as my Maggies in my main rig. And the treble seems fine to me as well. Obviously, not super airy, but open and extended enough for a pleasant, smooth sound that's non-fatiguing. They're definitely not lacking in either extremes like all of those clowns claim (no highs, no lows, must be blah, blah, blah). I really have no complaints with them honestly. However I do wish those tulip stands were a bit taller.

I have always been attracted to the 901's unique looks and design, and even more so, their use of multiple 4.5" drivers producing that kind of sound. I mean, I wasn't even playing them loud last night, and not only were both windows in this room rattling, but so were the sliding closet doors and the main door!

The above was when I was playing Boz Scaggs' Thanks to You. Boz's voice came through loud and clear, and all of those deep bass notes came through effortlessly and with authority.

This system is by no means a replacement for my mine rig, but it's just about as enjoyable to listen to. I'm glad I finally got my hands on a pair of these little suckers!

 

[Chops]

Just threw in a JungSon JA-1 preamp. Quite the solid unit.

 

[Chops]

Not that anyone on here cares (I have literally been the ONLY one posting in this thread for exactly the past year)...

Just replaced the stock Bose Series VI EQ for the 901s with my dbx DriveRack Venu360. Dialed in a quick and dirty rough version of the stock Series V EQ curve, and wow! What a drastic improvement over the stock Bose EQ with this literal 10 minute tuning via PEQ. I have barely scratched the surface with this obviously. When I get more time, I'll do more tweaking in the 8 band PEQ as well as the 31 band GEQ. I'll also try out the AutoEQ (basically room correction) via the included RTA mic. More to come!

 

[Chops]

Since no one is paying attention to this thread.

More pics of the bedroom system... Now sporting my father's vintage Kenwood GE-770B graphic EQ (just for show, not in the signal chain) and my trusty Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2 amp for some real power to the 901 V's, a solid 300+ watts per channel.

 

[Al M.]

Nice. What happens if you put the graphic equalizer in the signal chain?

 

[Chops]

Nice. What happens if you put the graphic equalizer in the signal chain?

Thanks!

For starters, all of the XLR cables would have to be replaced with standard RCA cables. LOL

On a more serious note, it would just act like the EQ that it is, tweaking frequencies here and there. But the dbx has both graphic and parametric EQs, both of which are used to tune the 901s already.

The system gets its signal from the balanced outputs of the streamer. The Kenwood EQ is getting its signal from the unbalanced outputs of the streamer. There's nothing connected to the outputs of the EQ.

 

[Al M.]

Thanks!

For starters, all of the XLR cables would have to be replaced with standard RCA cables. LOL

On a more serious note, it would just act like the EQ that it is, tweaking frequencies here and there. But the dbx has both graphic and parametric EQs, both of which are used to tune the 901s already.

The system gets its signal from the balanced outputs of the streamer. The Kenwood EQ is getting its signal from the unbalanced outputs of the streamer. There's nothing connected to the outputs of the EQ.

That's a very cool idea, making the graphic EQ have an active display even if it's not in the signal chain.

I was more wondering about transparency of the EQ, but that's obviously a moot point since testing that would involve a lot of cable swap.

 

[Chops]

That's a very cool idea, making the graphic EQ have an active display even if it's not in the signal chain.

I was more wondering about transparency of the EQ, but that's obviously a moot point since testing that would involve a lot of cable swap.

The last time I used this EQ in a system was back in the last apartment I lived at. That's when I was running the Parasound preamp, Odyssey Kismet stereo amp, JL subs and Sonus Faber monitors.

I that system, I couldn't tell the difference when the EQ was in the chain or bypassed, so I guess that says a lot about the quality of that EQ.

Besides, it was originally my father's EQ, and he didn't buy junk stereo equipment. LOL

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

how do yo like the 901's, always wanted a set out of nostalgia at this point.
What series 901?

 

[Chops]

how do yo like the 901's, always wanted a set out of nostalgia at this point.
What series 901?

As I mentioned several times before, they're the V's.

With the dbx DriveRack Venu360, they are excellent sounding. Natural, full midrange, airy smooth highs and detailed, textured bass all the way down to a solid 25Hz in this room.

They produce the traditional wide sound stage that covers the entire front wall with a solid center image, though a lot of people claim 901s don't produce a center image.

The thing is, with the dbx doing the leg work, these 901s do not sound like 901s you've ever heard before as far as dynamics and tonality are concerned.

Bass is not flabby or bloated. It's tight and agile. Midrange is not recessed or muddy. It's clean and natural, excellent vocal presence with both male and female vocals. Treble is not rolled off or absent. It has plenty of sparkle and space.

For all practical purposes, they sound more like tradional loudspeakers in that sense, with the physical size of larger bookshelf speakers with the power and dynamics of large floorstanders.

My 901 V's came with the series VI EQ which sounded decent, but that EQ is what holds the 901s back. If you use a flexible, customizable DSP like the dbx, miniDSP or the like and know how to use it, you can make these 901s sound rather amazing.

I am still totally shocked at how this system performs, and am just as happy to listen to it as I am my main system with Odyssey Stratos monoblocks, Pass Labs XP-20 preamp, dual SVS PB-1000 Pro subs and Magnepan 1.7i's.