New power amplifier?
Introducing My System
- Thread starter Thundersnow
- Start date
Is there something new for you on the HORIZON
New whisky glasses?
I'm looking to expand my hi fi horizons with this new device ))
))
You’ll expand your deadlift capability - thats for sure…
I am going to do a super super quick summary of my first impressions:
”Oh snap. This is something special!”
”Oh snap. This is actually worth the price tag as compared to GG3!”
”Oh snap. This is better in …. Everything!”
”Oh snap. Am I hearing things — end pun — or are these the kind of non fatiguing highs I usually associate with tape?!?!”
”Oh snap. This is something special!”
”Oh snap. This is actually worth the price tag as compared to GG3!”
”Oh snap. This is better in …. Everything!”
”Oh snap. Am I hearing things — end pun — or are these the kind of non fatiguing highs I usually associate with tape?!?!”
Running stock ones for the break in purposes (guess Linlaii 6sn7) but he's equipped with top crop Mullard ecc32 already. Working on getting him proper pentodes as wellCongrats on the Duracell Horizon
What are the triodes in your Horizon?
. Recti he's more or less settled - no RGNs yet...
”And so the game is afoot…” as they say. Version 1.0 of the Horizon tube rolling process brings in new players. The stock Chinese tubes and the KR recti have been returned back to their boxes. Stepping on to the pitch is a mostly British lineup, consisting of Mullard ECC32s, Siemens Branded Mullards EL34 XF3 and the Takatsuki 274B, my previous favorite from my time with Golden Gate 3.
Off the bat, the ECC32s make by far the biggest difference in sound. I should note, that even though they clearly have higher gain than the Chinese stock tubes, I am not fooled into hearing better sound through more gain. No, these bring such magic to the sound that I was floored when I first played them.
The EL34 bring nowhere near the difference in sound over the stock Chinese KT88s. The differences are subtle at best and are manifested in a very slightly “creamier” tone and possibly (not even sure here) a smidgeon more extension.
I have played with my many rectis so for now my Taka 274B does its job merrily.
Finally, I am right now listening to the Horizon as a pre/DAC combo. NAT preamp currently taken out of the signal path. I am absolutely loving the sound. I am NOT sure if this is better than with the NAT pre in, but the point is, Horizon as such is a splendid pre to connect to a streamer. Still haven’t played with my turntable setup or Studer through Lampi.
Hi guys,
Just to share my first impressions as I had an opportunity briefly to listen to Thundersnows' new Horizon.
I was shocked, astonished and surprised!
Deeply impressed by performance and overall musicality of Golden Gate 3, prior to listening to Horizon I thought to myself it will be marginally better, as I was unable to think of any better that could Horizon possibly bring to already excellent sound of the GG3 and to the whole system. But I was very wrong. My highest impression was an extraordinary rich and natural but linear and coherent sound. All in the right place, neutral, linear and organic. It reminded me a bit on my first impressions when I listened to Raal SR-1b trude ribbon headphones.
Thundersnow, congrats on the phenomenal upgrade!
NL.
Just to share my first impressions as I had an opportunity briefly to listen to Thundersnows' new Horizon.
I was shocked, astonished and surprised!
Deeply impressed by performance and overall musicality of Golden Gate 3, prior to listening to Horizon I thought to myself it will be marginally better, as I was unable to think of any better that could Horizon possibly bring to already excellent sound of the GG3 and to the whole system. But I was very wrong. My highest impression was an extraordinary rich and natural but linear and coherent sound. All in the right place, neutral, linear and organic. It reminded me a bit on my first impressions when I listened to Raal SR-1b trude ribbon headphones.
Thundersnow, congrats on the phenomenal upgrade!
NL.
I don't, no. But at the same time, I mostly listen to streaming music as the source, so not too worried there.
Thank you very much for the kind words, my friend!Hi guys,
Just to share my first impressions as I had an opportunity briefly to listen to Thundersnows' new Horizon.
I was shocked, astonished and surprised!
Deeply impressed by performance and overall musicality of Golden Gate 3, prior to listening to Horizon I thought to myself it will be marginally better, as I was unable to think of any better that could Horizon possibly bring to already excellent sound of the GG3 and to the whole system. But I was very wrong. My highest impression was an extraordinary rich and natural but linear and coherent sound. All in the right place, neutral, linear and organic. It reminded me a bit on my first impressions when I listened to Raal SR-1b trude ribbon headphones.
Thundersnow, congrats on the phenomenal upgrade!
NL.
And just a very quick update to my office system. I made new front panels (piano black MDF) for my Apogee Stage speakers. I didn't put any grill over the MRT (midrange tweeter). Holy moly, the extension that this speaker gets that way! Very nice. I just have to be a bit more careful around them now
I asked because I thought I heard a dirty record. You should try one. I guarantee it will be an epiphany. It makes a good purchase for your audio club.IMO record brushes only push the dirt around..
Congratulations! This is not a whisky glass, but I bet it can bring some joy too
So a quick update on the Horizon tubes. I am back to the stock LinLai KT88 and 6S7N tubes, as well as the KR recti. Call me crazy, but in my pursuit of sound I am mostly looking for linear and uncolored sound, rather than any hints of "creaminess" or "warmth" in the tone. This to me at least takes precedent even over the size of the sound stage, and other such audiophile notions.
So in that sense, the stock set of tubes gave me the most sense of linearity (so an even response across all frequencies) as well as a sense of uncolored sound (so the least amount of distortion in technical terms).
This is in many ways a personal decision because I can see how people may prefer "warmth" and "creaminess in the mids" in their sound -- and these are often the oh-so coveted audiophile qualities. It's just not my cup of tea. I like the most native connection and with the least bit of overhead in my DAC and I like as fewer pieces of material in my signal path to the speakers as possible.
In some ways, the active Apogee system in my office gave me a good reference as to what I miss or don't miss in the full-on tube sound at home, and I feel this current setup hits closest to home as far as my preferred sound.
This of course doesn't mean that I'm not open to further tube rolling. I would just like to find a combination that matches the qualities I aim for in the way I get them with the stock tubes -- and it seems like the qualities I am after don't coincide with most of the folks that are doing the tube rolling with the Horizon.
So in that sense, the stock set of tubes gave me the most sense of linearity (so an even response across all frequencies) as well as a sense of uncolored sound (so the least amount of distortion in technical terms).
This is in many ways a personal decision because I can see how people may prefer "warmth" and "creaminess in the mids" in their sound -- and these are often the oh-so coveted audiophile qualities. It's just not my cup of tea. I like the most native connection and with the least bit of overhead in my DAC and I like as fewer pieces of material in my signal path to the speakers as possible.
In some ways, the active Apogee system in my office gave me a good reference as to what I miss or don't miss in the full-on tube sound at home, and I feel this current setup hits closest to home as far as my preferred sound.
This of course doesn't mean that I'm not open to further tube rolling. I would just like to find a combination that matches the qualities I aim for in the way I get them with the stock tubes -- and it seems like the qualities I am after don't coincide with most of the folks that are doing the tube rolling with the Horizon.
Hello ! First of all, congratulations for your nice system ! I have a question about acoustic treatment in your room: I see Artnovion Alps panels on each side of your screen. Have you done acoustic measurements before using them? I'm thinking of using Artnovion panels on the wall behind my listening position and also on the wall behind the speakers, on which there's a screen. I've had measurements made with the REW software. Thank you for your advice
Hey @Rotatoubib thanks for the kind words! I’ve actually used another Portuguese company for room treatment — vicoustic.com.
I’ve done extensive measurements in REW myself but at the end of the day — for a minimal sum of money — Vicoustic will do an acoustic project for your listening room, along with 3D renders of the acoustic treatment in your space and projected impact on the room acoustics in RT60 figures, etc. You simply send them photos along with your REW measurements of the untreated space from the listening position.
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