Ked, Music First is the TVC that Keith is extolling. I guess he doesn't agree it's poor.
KeithR's "Dream Speaker" Search
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I just remembered it was their top of the line phono and not pre that I compared.
I fully agree on the limited value, but for people with technical knowledge it is of higher value than testing speaker drivers from Partsexpress.
My tests and measurements explained to me why I clearly preferred the Flex Connect box to the other two transformers in that particular system at that time. IMHO we should know what we are buying. As I say the problem is not in the measurements, it is in the abusive interpretations.Most systems using a preamplifier and an amplifier will have too much gain for high-efficiency speakers. The XLF's are 93.5 dB and I had such problem - I can imagine the situation with 100 dB speakers. Although I can select the output range of the Vivaldi, I prefer to use it at 2 or 6V.
BTW, I agree with your views on Lamm aspects you point - texture and soundstage are very strong points of sound reproduction for me.
I
Marc,
It's not surprising. I don't know exactly why (the impedance figures don't explain it) but I found Audion Black Shadow and Golden Dream amps to lack synergy with TVC and AVCs, and vice versa. The lower end Audions do better but TVC/AVC still isn't ideal for any of them. With solar having forced Audion and SET out of my Definitions system, I am back to using a TVC with all its benefits. Audion is best with an active pre, or drive it from a source directly (input sensitivity is high). Both work better than coil-based attenuators on Audion amps.
Phil
Phil, I've never had an audio experience like it. Firing up music, and things were initially really encouraging. Definition and details off the scale, basslines articulation etc.
Then as you wait for the music to wash over you and feel the passion, nothing. I guess "skeletal" is the term I'd use. Or "pixellated". The outlines were there. You could join the dots. But as a full blooded experience, as far away as you could imagine.
I'm well versed w Blue58's Java Triple Shot optologic passive which I also believe is an AVC type pre, going into 45 tubed monos, and his sound is hugely textured and colourful.
My dismissal of the Allegri didn't go down at all well w the designer!
Then as you wait for the music to wash over you and feel the passion, nothing. I guess "skeletal" is the term I'd use. Or "pixellated". The outlines were there. You could join the dots. But as a full blooded experience, as far away as you could imagine.
I'm well versed w Blue58's Java Triple Shot optologic passive which I also believe is an AVC type pre, going into 45 tubed monos, and his sound is hugely textured and colourful.
My dismissal of the Allegri didn't go down at all well w the designer!
Another point of reference, as Phil might remember, we tried TVC with McIntosh 601s and it was a loser compared with the matching active tube preamp.
Just like anything else, some things work and others don't. For instance, I don't like tubes with Dartzeel. I don't like ARC LS preamps with any amp
Just like anything else, some things work and others don't. For instance, I don't like tubes with Dartzeel. I don't like ARC LS preamps with any amp
If my primary musical genre preference were jazz then Pnoes/BD5/Mayers would be my favorite system.
Nord has a passive AVC and TVC in a single box with a switch that allows you to select one or the other on the fly. It's the Nord One. They measured both modes at 0dBV and normal source and load impedances. More or less as expected, the AVC mode is lower in distortion than TVC mode. Differences are not yuge and absolute distortion is quite low for both. Given a well designed AVC and TVC, this relationship should hold in general. Distortion deltas are greatest below 100Hz, and this does give the TVC its warmer sound.
so you can hear .008% vs. .004% distortion? Lol. that's like saying SS preamps measure better than tube preamps using THD criteria. i don't put any stock into it.
Jack Roberts compared the MF to the Emia and said this (the MF has been updated with better tformers since fyi):
"The Baby Reference looks bright and light; it is in fact much heavier, but it looks smaller and lighter. The sound of the Baby Reference is more powerful, darker, and bolder than the Emia. The Emia is quicker, has more finesse, delicacy and is smoother sounding."
So they are just different and probably system synergy determines the outcome. Maybe I'll have Brent bring over the Emia some time, although its not balanced in my fully balanced rig which isn't apples to apples.
For sure man, happy to swing by with it and enjoy some tunes! You're welcome here anytime to demo it with the Emia phono stage, I can maybe arrange another phono demo or two if curious.
Jack Roberts review was a good one, and I ended up choosing the Emia in part because it was easy to demo at home vs the MF and it worked out so well vs what I had before it (the EAR 912). I also had a really great experience with Slagle and Jackson, which I greatly value.
p.s., if anyone in SoCal has an Allnic phono and is willing to let me have a listen please PM me!
Jack Roberts review was a good one, and I ended up choosing the Emia in part because it was easy to demo at home vs the MF and it worked out so well vs what I had before it (the EAR 912). I also had a really great experience with Slagle and Jackson, which I greatly value.
p.s., if anyone in SoCal has an Allnic phono and is willing to let me have a listen please PM me!
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Yeah the absolute numbers are lower than I remembered. I agree that the Nord delta is in the noise. Though the trend that a simpler AVC has less distortion in the lower frequencies than the more substantial TVC is intuitive. It can play a role with some designs. But compared to SS or tube line stages, the passive AVC or TVC bass is almost always going to be cleaner. I think a lot of people conflate clean bass with lean bass. It takes some getting used to because it's not often encountered, to be honest.
Was Jack comparing silver to silver, copper to silver, or what? Balanced vs unbalanced is probably too significant a variable to make the comparison.
Was Jack comparing silver to silver, copper to silver, or what? Balanced vs unbalanced is probably too significant a variable to make the comparison.
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We need to hear a silver MF, in my opinion, to really draw any subjective conclusions in terms of MF vs Emia. But copper vs silver is still an interesting listen. And as a data point with TVCs, the Bespoke TVC fans such as @CKKeung who've heard both options seem to find the silver version better overall.
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Yes, I had directly compared Bespoke Copper vs Bespoke Silver and slagleformer Bent Audio Copper vs slagleformer Emia Silver.
The silver TVC & AVC were better than their copper counterparts in almost all aspects.
For MFA, I compared directly a Classic II Silver vs Copper Reference vs Baby Ref v1 copper vs Baby Ref v2 copper at a gathering.
Couldn't get any conclusion on silver vs copper at that gathering bcos they were diff models.
What my frds and I knew were that we liked the Baby Ref v2 most.
Whew! lotta work and time by you to get there and it's been interesting to hear about.
Don't know if this a fair question ... What, at this point, are your top three brands?
In terms of your preferences, Ron, what are the characteristics of jazz music that are less suited to alternative topologies?
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