EMM MTRX2 Monos Home Evaluation

[Audire]

Jazz music

Today we’ve played exclusively Jazz music and mostly Vinyl. Among the titles, Dave Brubeck’s, “Time Out,” John Coltrane’s, “Blue Train” and “A Love Supreme,” Miles Davis’, “Kind of Blue,” “Sketches of Spain,” and Miles, “Miles,” Bill Evans’, “Trio ‘64,” Stan Getz’s, “Getz/Gilberto: 50th Anniversary,” Charles Mingus’, “Mingus Ah Um,” and many others.

I enjoy saxophones. It’s one of my favorite instruments both on and off the stage. (see pics below). I enjoy Paul Taylor’s modern jazz sax albums, but also various older artists. However, Jazz includes more than just saxophones. It includes a whole array of instruments, tones, and sounds. Hearing these properly arranged can be exceedingly pleasing.





With EMM MTRX2s and Magico M3s Jazz takes on a flavor above what one normally hears. It’s real and genuine. Wonderful details are unveiled. The sound penetrates your entire being. The drums on “Time Out,” are so impactful. The Magico bass excels with the MTRS2s. On “Mingus Ah Um,” the sax is so refined and musical. On Saxophone Colossus, Rollins skills shine more than ever and Watkins on bass is just magnificent. Who doesn’t like Miles! On “Britches Brew” the sound of the trumpet and the soprano saxophone sound like you’re at your favorite Jazz Club - but the soundstage has been transferred to the concert hall. It sounds larger than life.

There’s still that air or energy around the instruments which makes the listening experience magical, transcendent, and transforming. MTRX2s give you analogue tube-like sound. They are exceptional.

Pros and cons will be listed sometime hopefully within the next week.

I celebrated a great vinyl session today by ordering 15 new albums - mostly jazz … For us there’s nothing like the sound quality of vinyl …

 

[bryans]

I enjoy Paul Taylor’s modern jazz sax albums

Huge Paul Taylor fan

 

[Audire]

Huge Paul Taylor fan

Yes I like him a lot. I stream him from Qobuz, but considering purchasing most of his CDs. He’s fun to listen too. And it was my wife that discovered him …

 

[Audire]

Good morning,

Thanks for all your comments.

Today we’re testing our Qobuz Audiophile Test List. It consists of over 180 songs and nearly 12 hours of music. I listened to these off and on in the last few weeks prior to receiving the EMM MTRX2s. It will be interesting to hear the differences.

This a listening test which will test different aspects of the system. It tests tremble, mids, bass, attack and decay, frequency range, rhythm and timing, etc. It will help show us the synergy between the Magicos and EMMs.

You can view the listening list by selecting the link below. If you use Qobuz you can add a red heart to this listening list and then test your own system.

Qobuz Audiophile Test List

Some sample albums,

 

[Ground Control]

Huge Paul Taylor fan

 

[Audire]

Our listening test went well today. The amps excelled at everything we threw at them. The sound continues to be clear and dynamic. There’s excellent synergy with Magico speakers.

Going back to vinyl tomorrow.

 

[Audire]

Today we will be testing the MTRX2s with some more vinyl. What does the amp sound like at low volumes? What does it sound like at higher volumes?, etc.

So far the resolution and dynamics have been top shelf. The Magico bass abilities really shine thru with such a quality amp. And the mids and highs are to die for. These amps exhibit tight control over the speakers while at the same time sounding musical and clean. Everything is so clear. When the music ceases for a moment, you hear absolutely nothing. The blackest backgrounds - "The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between." (Mozart). Without this type of silence there is no real rhythm. The MTRX2s exhibit all the rhythm in any recording ….

I’m wondering if Shunyata can make some special 30A Omega Power Cables? They may put this already excellent sounding system on yet another level. I know when the 30A breakers go in that will change things as well.

Beginning the morning with some Julie London….

 

[Audire]

The Vinyl and MTRx2 journey continues. A few more fun albums.

 

[Audire]

Vinyl is magnificent. I enjoy having different carts. The two I’m using now are the Airtight Opus1 and the MSL Signature Platinum. They are both excellent.

Though at times I may play the same album, the various carts give the feeling of being at two great but different venues. I’m going to have to experiment with some other carts in the future.

The EMM trio (Pre, DA2v2 DAC, and TX2 Transport) and the EMM MTRX2s are awesome together. System synergy is perfect (for us). This said, at a later date I’m thinking of trying the EMM DS-EQ1 Optical Equalizer with a DS Audio Grand Master Cart. Because of the performance of his other products, I’m convinced that Meitner knows audio and has produced yet another master piece with his EQ1. My only concern is with the reports that DS Grand Master “carts” (not Meitner’s EQ) break easily and are expensive to repair.

We’ve played a lot of 33s so now we’re going thru some 45s. Some pics below of a few of them.

 

[J007B]

I noticed that you mentioned earlier about Shunyata Omega 30A PC’s. What PC’s do you run on you Pass? Speaker cables?

 

[Audire]

I noticed that you mentioned earlier about Shunyata Omega 30A PC’s. What PC’s do you run on you Pass? Speaker cables?

I‘m using Shunyata Sigmas. Right now though with the EMM MTRXs the power cables are Kimber 30A. I really like Shunayta, so I’m hoping if I go with the EMMs they will be able to make me two 30A Omegas. I also have an Shunayta Everest, but the amps are plugged directly into dedicated circuits. I’ll have to have my breakers redone as well - 20A —> 30A. That’s being priced out tomorrow.

 

[Audire]

Tomorrow these amps unfortunately go back to EMM. So, today is my last day of listening.
I’ll be playing several tracks I’ve already sampled and many other new ones. Fun music to remember the amps by.

An electrician will come by later today to give me a price on running the wire I desire. Installing this and a Shunayta Altaira Signal Ground system will improve the sound even more, but it’s already too amazing for words.

Later today I’ll be giving my final evaluation which includes the pros and cons of the amps (as I see and hear them).

 

[Audire]

J007B suggested I listen to The Ballad of Bill Hubbard on Roger Waters Amused To Death album. This is an interesting album. Here’s a YT video

 

[John T]

Audire, can you elaborate more on the Shunayta Altaira Signal Ground System? Nothing really on the website. I put my grounding system in. Conventional 5/8th two ground rods 10' apart. Bridged with 6awg copper wire. From the 200 AMP panel. Driving the damn things (even with an electric hammer) is a PITA! Its rocky ground, difficult to get very low resistance. I'm sure yours is sandy, which isn't good either. I was thinking about redoing mine. Ideally 5ohms our less is really good. There is material called Grounding Enhancement Material. You auger the holes, mix the enhancement material up, like mortar, and pour it around the ground rods. I don't know if it will improve things further sonically? I love what I am hearing now but always looking to improve further. It can be done for a few hundred dollars, and a little back breaking work! I have all 20amp 10awg dedicated circuits that I put in myself. Furutech NFC rhodium, their top tier outlet. OCD All The Way!!!

 

[Audire]

Audire, can you elaborate more on the Shunayta Altaira Signal Ground System? Nothing really on the website. I put my grounding system in. Conventional 5/8th two ground rods 10' apart. Bridged with 6awg copper wire. From the 200 AMP panel. Driving the damn things (even with an electric hammer) is a PITA! Its rocky ground, difficult to get very low resistance. I'm sure yours is sandy, which isn't good either. I was thinking about redoing mine. Ideally 5ohms our less is really good. There is material called Grounding Enhancement Material. You auger the holes, mix the enhancement material up, like mortar, and pour it around the ground rods. I don't know if it will improve things further sonically? I love what I am hearing now but always looking to improve further. It can be done for a few hundred dollars, and a little back breaking work! I have all 20amp 10awg dedicated circuits that I put in myself. Furutech NFC rhodium, their top tier outlet. OCD All The Way!!!

Your system must sound incredible!!!

The Shunyata Altaira’s will hopefully be released in the next couple months. As you noted there’s not much online about them yet, but from many others there are two different units - Signal ground and Chassis Ground. From what I presently understand Shunayta is making some cables for their new grounding units and they will have the normal tiers - Venom, Denali, Alpha, Sigma.

I began a thread called Shunyata Grounding System. It essentially has all the info we presently know, including a few pics. I’m comparing it against the Nordost.

Fremer upgraded his grounding using what I believe you described above. Here’s a video.

 

[John T]

Thank You, I am pleased with how my system has evolved. The Shunayta System sounds "involved". I don't see the video? I do understand source grounding, but if the outlet from the panel has a very low resistance, that has to translate in a lower noise floor. I think? I may do what I eluded to? It can't hurt and the potential upside isn't very much money. 6-8 bags of enhancement material, (40.00 a bag) two 5/8"s Ground Rod, 2 spare clamps. Less than 300.00 and a potential trip to the Orthopedic Surgeon!

 

[Audire]

Thank You, I am pleased with how my system has evolved. The Shunayta System sounds "involved". I don't see the video? I do understand source grounding, but if the outlet from the panel has a very low resistance, that has to translate in a lower noise floor. I think? I may do what I eluded to? It can't hurt and the potential upside isn't very much money. 6-8 bags of enhancement material, (40.00 a bag) two 5/8"s Ground Rod, 2 spare clamps. Less than 300.00 and a potential trip to the Orthopedic Surgeon!

I laughed above because of the mention of an Orthopedic Surgeon. That’s my life right now…. I’ll repost the video below. I know the earth ground and how it’s done is important. Placing it away from your house is as well.

Shunyata is supposed to come out with some videos on how to set up their new system. Here’s the video:

 

[John T]

Thank You, I also have a generator that runs the whole house when the power go's out, which happens more frequently than I like! I live in a rural area, 40 acres in the middle of a forest. Highly functional recluse! I would NEVER EVER run my Audio Gear Off Of A Generator! Asking for problems doing that. I purposely keep the standby generator off. When the power go's off I shut off all my dedicate breakers before letting the generator power the house. The enhancement material that I referenced comes in 40lb bags, its literally forms a cylinder of material that surrounds the ground rods, from deep in the ground to the top of the ground rods. Ground rods are typically 8' in length. The fellow with the house, that was one shoddy electric service before getting things sorted out. That looked like an accident waiting to happen! I couldn't imagine anything sounding "good" with that electrical mess? I don't understand the advantage of the Subpanel other than listening to music while the generator is running? The subpanel is still connected from the main panel and is grounded with the same grounding system? I'm not an electrician, but I would think for a subpanel to isolate Audio Gear, separate meter, separate feed to the meter, separate grounding system. I have read where some folks install a subpanel and then install ground rods for that sub panel. This is NOT the correct way to do this. Current can back flow and someone could get hurt, or worse. If I auger the holes and do the application that I referenced I will let you know if it pays sonic dividends.

 

[Audire]

Thank You, I also have a generator that runs the whole house when the power go's out, which happens more frequently than I like! I live in a rural area, 40 acres in the middle of a forest. Highly functional recluse! I would NEVER EVER run my Audio Gear Off Of A Generator! Asking for problems doing that. I purposely keep the standby generator off. When the power go's off I shut off all my dedicate breakers before letting the generator power the house. The enhancement material that I referenced comes in 40lb bags, its literally forms a cylinder of material that surrounds the ground rods, from deep in the ground to the top of the ground rods. Ground rods are typically 8' in length. The fellow with the house, that was one shoddy electric service before getting things sorted out. That looked like an accident waiting to happen! I couldn't imagine anything sounding "good" with that electrical mess? I don't understand the advantage of the Subpanel other than listening to music while the generator is running? The subpanel is still connected from the main panel and is grounded with the same grounding system? I'm not an electrician, but I would think for a subpanel to isolate Audio Gear, separate meter, separate feed to the meter, separate grounding system. I have read where some folks install a subpanel and then install ground rods for that sub panel. This is NOT the correct way to do this. Current can back flow and someone could get hurt, or worse. If I auger the holes and do the application that I referenced I will let you know if it pays sonic dividends.

Sounds beautiful there. We have a whole house generator as well and we don’t run the audio system off of it. Big no, no in my book as well.

The panel that was suggested to me was Equi-tech.… It’s supposed to be one of the best for us audiophiles. I have an electrician coming today so I’ll see what he says.

Yes please detail your grounding journey. I'm sure it will help a lot of us… especially me.

 

[John T]

Will do Joe, let me know what the Electrician says. I have heard good things about Equi-tech. William Blake Wrote: "The Road Of Excess Leads To The Palace Of Wisdom" or a special place to rest for a long period of time! LOL!! Its is beautiful here, for some too remote. Its a mile back in, the road to the house cost 10K back in the day, same road today 100K easy! Satellite internet, price I pay for seclusion!