Doctor's Orders-Part Two-The New Listening Room Of Steve Williams
- Thread starter Steve williams
- Start date
I finally had the opportunity to see Steve's new room. What a treat! First, Steve and his wife are very gracious hosts and made me feel at home from the moment I arrived. One of the great things about this hobby is getting to meet others that share the passion. Last time I visited Steve was at his home in Northern Calif. a lot has changed since then.... Lamm ML3, LL1Signature, Techdas, tape and, of course, the room.
I was very curious to see and hear the new space and latest setup. The room and treatments work well and certainly give the illusion of a much larger space. The music flowed from the system with clarity and when it was called for, punch. I can hear why people comment about the direct to disc "Hot Stix" LP. It was a great example of the scale and dynamics the system is capable of. Felt the the drum kit was in the room! At the other end was Lynn Stanley LP (I believe) with a gorgeous vocal and piano piece. It was a great piece and showed how the systems can be very 'soulful'. It was a great evening.
Thanks again Steve for opening your house and being a great host!
I was very curious to see and hear the new space and latest setup. The room and treatments work well and certainly give the illusion of a much larger space. The music flowed from the system with clarity and when it was called for, punch. I can hear why people comment about the direct to disc "Hot Stix" LP. It was a great example of the scale and dynamics the system is capable of. Felt the the drum kit was in the room! At the other end was Lynn Stanley LP (I believe) with a gorgeous vocal and piano piece. It was a great piece and showed how the systems can be very 'soulful'. It was a great evening.
Thanks again Steve for opening your house and being a great host!
I had the good fortune of once again hosting Ron Resnick a few days ago for a critical comparison of my two tone arms and cartridges
Ron's fabulous review can be found here
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-phantom-elite&p=383834&viewfull=1#post383834
Ron's fabulous review can be found here
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-phantom-elite&p=383834&viewfull=1#post383834
Yes, just read it. Great write up and thread. Sounds like a wonderful time.
Audiophiles are truly unique individuals. I say this after the past 36 hours when I hosted Bonzo75 at my house this weekend. Ked as everyone knows has been on a pilgrimage over the past year by traveling all over Europe to audition many different systems. Ked and Ron Resnick have taken a trip together to Germany last year to audition Avant Garde speakers. Med has been to Munich to hear the famous Western Electric horns and Poland to visit Elbereth and hear his wonderful system. Well 2 weeks ago Ked PM'd me and asked if he could come visit me and hear my system. Rather than making a fun trip and spend some time across the pond in America. It's great to have youth on one's side as Ked was making a whirlwind 2 day trip to the west coast. In that time there was a lot for him to hear and he was up to the challenge. I picked Ked up Friday evening at LAX and didn't get back to my house until 10:00 PM where we listened until almost midnight when Ked succumbed to exhaustion.
We awakened yesterday morning quite early and we found ourselves back in my music room shortly after 0800 where we listened until noon. Ked was fascinated hearing my turntable as well as being able to compare the two arms and cartridges. Med brought along several LP's that we played in order to give him a feeling of the two cartridges with music with which he was familiar. Hopefully Ked will chime in and post his comments here about what he heard
Shortly after noon we then set out for a 100 mile drive south to fellow WBF member C1ferrari to hear his wonderful system. Little did I know Sam lives 6 miles from the US/Mexican border. It took over 2 hours to get there but it was worth it to hear Sam's Dali Megaline 3 speakers and his wonderful system. Sam powers his speakers with 4 Atma Sphere mono blocks and I have to say it was the best I have ever heard these speakers.
We left Sam's house around 530 PM yesterday and from there drove 70 miles north to San Juan Capistrano where I brought Ked to meet our famous Philip O'Hanlon as well as to hear his big Vivid Giya G1 speakers powered by the new Luxman 1000 mono blocks. I love these speakers every time I visit Philip. The dynamics and coherent bass is simply wonderful to hear. We got home from Philip's house last night around 930 after stopping for sushi dinner and talking about what we heard that day.
Got up this morning at 0545 to drive Ked back to LAX where he hopped on a jet to San Jose California to audition yet another person's system in the SF Bay Area who uses Analysis speakers which Ked wanted to hear. Med returns this afternoon at 330 to LAX where he hops on another plane this evening for a red eye back to London.
Ked, it was fun and a lot of driving but a lot to hear. You totally wore me out. Hopefully you will find time to comment about what you heard
We awakened yesterday morning quite early and we found ourselves back in my music room shortly after 0800 where we listened until noon. Ked was fascinated hearing my turntable as well as being able to compare the two arms and cartridges. Med brought along several LP's that we played in order to give him a feeling of the two cartridges with music with which he was familiar. Hopefully Ked will chime in and post his comments here about what he heard
Shortly after noon we then set out for a 100 mile drive south to fellow WBF member C1ferrari to hear his wonderful system. Little did I know Sam lives 6 miles from the US/Mexican border. It took over 2 hours to get there but it was worth it to hear Sam's Dali Megaline 3 speakers and his wonderful system. Sam powers his speakers with 4 Atma Sphere mono blocks and I have to say it was the best I have ever heard these speakers.
We left Sam's house around 530 PM yesterday and from there drove 70 miles north to San Juan Capistrano where I brought Ked to meet our famous Philip O'Hanlon as well as to hear his big Vivid Giya G1 speakers powered by the new Luxman 1000 mono blocks. I love these speakers every time I visit Philip. The dynamics and coherent bass is simply wonderful to hear. We got home from Philip's house last night around 930 after stopping for sushi dinner and talking about what we heard that day.
Got up this morning at 0545 to drive Ked back to LAX where he hopped on a jet to San Jose California to audition yet another person's system in the SF Bay Area who uses Analysis speakers which Ked wanted to hear. Med returns this afternoon at 330 to LAX where he hops on another plane this evening for a red eye back to London.
Ked, it was fun and a lot of driving but a lot to hear. You totally wore me out. Hopefully you will find time to comment about what you heard
Wow, indeed a whirlwind tour! As I can see, there was no time for us here 
It would've been great to have you guys in the store, and hear YG, Evolution, Avantgarde, etc..
Maybe next time!
cheers,
alex
It would've been great to have you guys in the store, and hear YG, Evolution, Avantgarde, etc..Maybe next time!
cheers,
alex
I hope you and Ked had a chance to hear Sam's ( C1 Ferrari's) magnificent Studer A820! Truly, IMHO, one of the best front ends and certainly among the best I have heard.
Indeed we did. It was just as you said. I was trying to convince Sam to by pass the heads and use an external tape pre but hearing what we did one has to wonder if it is really necessary
I would think it would be very hard to improve on that Studer. Some people believe that by passing the heads and using an external tape pre, could in fact be a backwards move.
Wow, indeed a whirlwind tour! As I can see, there was no time for us here
Maybe next time!
cheers,
alex
Just landed. Typing quickly as I head to work, reports up later.
Alex, easier for me to do more frequent tours than do a long one. Next time I will definitely come over to yours, it will be interesting to compare kronos and kuzma and ortofon and koetsu. On my trips I am always trying to chase the answer to some questions on my mind at that time, and your gear sure has answers to some TT queries my mind is OCDing over
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Hi Steve,
Thank you for making the round trip to the southern part of San Diego County. It was a treat entertaining both you and Ked, mutual WBF members.
Your comments about our system reflect the graciousness of your very core.
Thank you for making the round trip to the southern part of San Diego County. It was a treat entertaining both you and Ked, mutual WBF members.
Your comments about our system reflect the graciousness of your very core.
Hi Davey,
Thank you for the generous comment (blushing). I'm in the midst of adjusting settings on a Pass Labs XVR-1 crossover and think I'm in the parking lot of the ballpark.
I don't believe I had the XVR-1 when I last had the pleasure of your company.I would welcome another visit.
Hi Steve,
Thank you for making the round trip to the southern part of San Diego County. It was a treat entertaining both you and Ked, mutual WBF members.
Your comments about our system reflect the graciousness of your very core.
My pleasure Sam.
I must admit that I have heard the Megalines on 2-3 prior occasions at shows but honestly they never sounded as nice and sweet as I heard it at your house
Kudos for everything you did to make such a wonderful sounding system. I really enjoyed our time at your house
Visit to Steve's
Flew Friday night to LAX. Steve picked me up, we went to his place, and though my body clock said 3am, I played my basic audition CDs on his Playback Designs. My CD tracks cover a Bach cantata choral, and duets from the cantata covering male and female vocals, followed by Scheherazade (Reference Recordings) and Channel Classics Mahler 2. Steve rarely listens to his digital, and rightly so.
I have heard the Alexandria X2S2 before, when I was in Mumbai over xmas, in a 22*19 feet room (belonging to a friend of Jazzhead's). The system comprised of a Vivaldi Stack with Transparent Opus cabling, Dan Agostino Momentums, and Dan Agostino pre. It was a stark contrast to Steve's set up in a 20*15 feet room (further reduced because of inches of treatment on either side). The Mumbai room was not at all treated, while Steve's had received a detailed makeover from an acoustics expert. Steve has JL subs, the Mumbai system had no subs.
Part of the reason for my visit to Steve was to look at how I reacted to powerful expensive solid state vs light wattage valves, albeit in different rooms.
As we played the digital, I did not see the same dynamics, fullness, bass, body and weight that I had sensed in the Mumbai system. Steve sensed I was not into his system yet, and we switched over to play one of my favorite violin pieces, the Bruch Scottish Fantasia, on tape. I have the LP for that, but Steve put the tape on his Studer-Doshi system. I was gobsmacked at the leap in the system - the tape unlike vinyl is crackle free. My jet lag was gone and I could not believe how much the system had transformed. The tape (and Steve's Techdas, as I was to learn later) add much more dynamics and weight and body to the system, so with the lighter wattage valve amps, it all balances out. However with his PD, more powerful amps would be required IMO.
In the morning we switched over to his Techdas for which I will detail in the post below
Flew Friday night to LAX. Steve picked me up, we went to his place, and though my body clock said 3am, I played my basic audition CDs on his Playback Designs. My CD tracks cover a Bach cantata choral, and duets from the cantata covering male and female vocals, followed by Scheherazade (Reference Recordings) and Channel Classics Mahler 2. Steve rarely listens to his digital, and rightly so.
I have heard the Alexandria X2S2 before, when I was in Mumbai over xmas, in a 22*19 feet room (belonging to a friend of Jazzhead's). The system comprised of a Vivaldi Stack with Transparent Opus cabling, Dan Agostino Momentums, and Dan Agostino pre. It was a stark contrast to Steve's set up in a 20*15 feet room (further reduced because of inches of treatment on either side). The Mumbai room was not at all treated, while Steve's had received a detailed makeover from an acoustics expert. Steve has JL subs, the Mumbai system had no subs.
Part of the reason for my visit to Steve was to look at how I reacted to powerful expensive solid state vs light wattage valves, albeit in different rooms.
As we played the digital, I did not see the same dynamics, fullness, bass, body and weight that I had sensed in the Mumbai system. Steve sensed I was not into his system yet, and we switched over to play one of my favorite violin pieces, the Bruch Scottish Fantasia, on tape. I have the LP for that, but Steve put the tape on his Studer-Doshi system. I was gobsmacked at the leap in the system - the tape unlike vinyl is crackle free. My jet lag was gone and I could not believe how much the system had transformed. The tape (and Steve's Techdas, as I was to learn later) add much more dynamics and weight and body to the system, so with the lighter wattage valve amps, it all balances out. However with his PD, more powerful amps would be required IMO.
In the morning we switched over to his Techdas for which I will detail in the post below
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SME 3012 Zyx vs Ortofon Anna + Graham
In the morning, we started with his Techdas. The LPs I use for demo are Bruch Scottish Fantasia, RCA Living Stereo Reiner' Pictures at an Exhibition and Scheherazade, Argenta Espana, and Schubert Winterreise (which has nice vocals and piano).
Again, the soundstage, tonality, dynamics and weight of the system increased tenfold compared to the digital. We heard the above alternating the SME3012+Zyx with the Graham+Ortofon Anna
I have heard the Ortofon A90 with Kuzma 4P arm on an Acoustic Solid TT (used price 4 - 5k USD), into musical fidelity amps and Apogee Divas. That was one of the best orchestral sounds I had heard reproduced. I had also heard the Zyx with Graham on GPA Monaco and Yamamura horns. I expected to like the Ortofon more based on that bias though realized this was a very different set up and comparison.
On Schubert Winterreise - We started with the Graham-Anna. Loved it. Then we moved to the SME-Zyx, and the piano was immediately more organic. The vocals were slightly fuller. I liked this more, though difference was marginal, and I was happy with both.
On Bruch Scottish Fantasia (Oistrakh). While the tape was better, I don't think the Techdas gave up anything. One can live with both. On this, the SME-Zyx was again better, now by a significant margin, with the tremors, timbre, tone, richness, immersiveness, all better than the Graham-Anna.
On Scheherazade - I have been to multiple live concerts of Scheherazade and love many different versions. You can see me air conducting Scheherazade as I am walking down the street.
We played most of the first movement, and first half of the second, which moves from playing individual instruments to brass dynamics. On this I preferred the SME-Zyx much more. It was richer on the individual instruments, and when multiple instruments were playing together, it was giving a more immersive soundstage, involvement, musicality, and fullness. The Anna in comparison was thinner. Though former sounded more colored, the color was just enough, not too much that would ruin the fun. The brass was great on the Zyx too.
Then we moved to Argent Espana, which is extremely fast and dynamic. Surprisingly, on this piece, I thought the color of the Zyx was a negative. I preferred the Anna. Damn. Is anything in audiophila easy? More dynamics, cleaner, less colored, all factors that suited this piece more.
Now we moved to Pictures at an Exhibition. On this Gnomus is dynamic with bass impacts - but Old Castle is the float like a butterfly to Gnomus' sting like a bee. However, on both I preferred SME-Zyx, though I could by now see in certain systems, if the Zyx adds extra coloring, it could be a negative.
Then we took Steve's LP of Bernstein NY Philharmonic Mahler 2. One of my favorite orchestral pieces, I have tickets booked for both Barbican and Royal Festival Hall this summer, and will also try to get the ones at Concertgebouw and Vienna Philharmonic later in the year. Again, on this, we listened to the first movement for a good ten minutes, and I preferred the SME-ZYX
Conclusion: I can't recommend the Graham-Anna when compared to the SME 3012-Zyx. Better to try an SME-Anna, or Anna with a heavier arm like Kuzma 4P to see if you get more fullness, and immersiveness. I want to try a London Decca which is supposed to be another neutral, extremely dynamic cart.
We then closed on Steve's system with tape - Bach Cello, Beethoven's piano trio, some jazz, and doors LA Woman. When the tape plays, it is more silent, the musicians are in the room, and Steve's system is excellent on intimate music like jazz and small ensembles.
Woofers: While we were playing, Steve during some passages put his woofers on and off. I could not see a need for the woofers in his system, but as I told him, the integration was not the best. I would prefer his system without the woofers, it sounds cleaner and does not give up anything.
Acoustic Curtains: Steve has acoustic curtains all round his room. We pulled back his curtains from some of the side walls and the rear wall - I could see some benefits to the curtains not being fully closed. I think with experimentation I would prefer a balance where the slap echo is reduced by pulling them, yet they are not completely pulled all around. On softer intimate music one could have them more open while on louder crescendos the room gets overloaded and there is more slap echo.
Steve did mention he owned ARC Ref 600 in his previous room, and prefers the Lamm 30w to them, and they pressurize his current room better and fill the room more than they did in his 33*18 feet room.
It is interesting how much Analog can transform the interaction of the system with the room and choice of electronics, while we debate with others on the forum over the choice of electronics, key should be to see if he has a digital source or a well set up analog.
In the morning, we started with his Techdas. The LPs I use for demo are Bruch Scottish Fantasia, RCA Living Stereo Reiner' Pictures at an Exhibition and Scheherazade, Argenta Espana, and Schubert Winterreise (which has nice vocals and piano).
Again, the soundstage, tonality, dynamics and weight of the system increased tenfold compared to the digital. We heard the above alternating the SME3012+Zyx with the Graham+Ortofon Anna
I have heard the Ortofon A90 with Kuzma 4P arm on an Acoustic Solid TT (used price 4 - 5k USD), into musical fidelity amps and Apogee Divas. That was one of the best orchestral sounds I had heard reproduced. I had also heard the Zyx with Graham on GPA Monaco and Yamamura horns. I expected to like the Ortofon more based on that bias though realized this was a very different set up and comparison.
On Schubert Winterreise - We started with the Graham-Anna. Loved it. Then we moved to the SME-Zyx, and the piano was immediately more organic. The vocals were slightly fuller. I liked this more, though difference was marginal, and I was happy with both.
On Bruch Scottish Fantasia (Oistrakh). While the tape was better, I don't think the Techdas gave up anything. One can live with both. On this, the SME-Zyx was again better, now by a significant margin, with the tremors, timbre, tone, richness, immersiveness, all better than the Graham-Anna.
On Scheherazade - I have been to multiple live concerts of Scheherazade and love many different versions. You can see me air conducting Scheherazade as I am walking down the street.
We played most of the first movement, and first half of the second, which moves from playing individual instruments to brass dynamics. On this I preferred the SME-Zyx much more. It was richer on the individual instruments, and when multiple instruments were playing together, it was giving a more immersive soundstage, involvement, musicality, and fullness. The Anna in comparison was thinner. Though former sounded more colored, the color was just enough, not too much that would ruin the fun. The brass was great on the Zyx too.
Then we moved to Argent Espana, which is extremely fast and dynamic. Surprisingly, on this piece, I thought the color of the Zyx was a negative. I preferred the Anna. Damn. Is anything in audiophila easy? More dynamics, cleaner, less colored, all factors that suited this piece more.
Now we moved to Pictures at an Exhibition. On this Gnomus is dynamic with bass impacts - but Old Castle is the float like a butterfly to Gnomus' sting like a bee. However, on both I preferred SME-Zyx, though I could by now see in certain systems, if the Zyx adds extra coloring, it could be a negative.
Then we took Steve's LP of Bernstein NY Philharmonic Mahler 2. One of my favorite orchestral pieces, I have tickets booked for both Barbican and Royal Festival Hall this summer, and will also try to get the ones at Concertgebouw and Vienna Philharmonic later in the year. Again, on this, we listened to the first movement for a good ten minutes, and I preferred the SME-ZYX
Conclusion: I can't recommend the Graham-Anna when compared to the SME 3012-Zyx. Better to try an SME-Anna, or Anna with a heavier arm like Kuzma 4P to see if you get more fullness, and immersiveness. I want to try a London Decca which is supposed to be another neutral, extremely dynamic cart.
We then closed on Steve's system with tape - Bach Cello, Beethoven's piano trio, some jazz, and doors LA Woman. When the tape plays, it is more silent, the musicians are in the room, and Steve's system is excellent on intimate music like jazz and small ensembles.
Woofers: While we were playing, Steve during some passages put his woofers on and off. I could not see a need for the woofers in his system, but as I told him, the integration was not the best. I would prefer his system without the woofers, it sounds cleaner and does not give up anything.
Acoustic Curtains: Steve has acoustic curtains all round his room. We pulled back his curtains from some of the side walls and the rear wall - I could see some benefits to the curtains not being fully closed. I think with experimentation I would prefer a balance where the slap echo is reduced by pulling them, yet they are not completely pulled all around. On softer intimate music one could have them more open while on louder crescendos the room gets overloaded and there is more slap echo.
Steve did mention he owned ARC Ref 600 in his previous room, and prefers the Lamm 30w to them, and they pressurize his current room better and fill the room more than they did in his 33*18 feet room.
It is interesting how much Analog can transform the interaction of the system with the room and choice of electronics, while we debate with others on the forum over the choice of electronics, key should be to see if he has a digital source or a well set up analog.
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