Maybe a new thread “what did Al just say?” Or “understanding Al”
Ron’s New System
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
- Start date
Hahahah and don’t let me reply there eitherMaybe a new thread “what did Al just say?” Or “understanding Al”
shit sometimes the replies that are guessing what I meant are more accurate then my own thoughts so I just agree
Was Albert Einstein Autistic, Dyslexic, Dyspraxic or have ADHD?
Featured Image by Thomas Hawk, flickr.com Blog post updated on 3rd March 2022. Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955) was one of the world’s best-known scientists who […]
exceptionalindividuals.com
I’m no expert but experts who medicate me say yea.
Anyway ill try harder but I’ll also leave Ron’s thread alone a bit
And creat disinformation and conflicts in words in someone else’s thread for a while
Let Me see where morricab likes to post at
?
Yes, I remember you tried hard at that time. Unfortunately the thread was speculative and inconclusive and no one knows exactly what is the Alieno 250 OTL and if their claims are true.
I don’t know about you, but I definitely have better discernment today than I did 35 years ago.Are we supposed to have better ears today than 35 years ago?
And I did not mean to imply that I’d had one CJ system for 35 years. I’ve owned a lot of CJ amps or preamps, including at least 6 bought new in the last decade. I have been a true, myopically focused, defensive fanboy.
I’ve also had Krell, McIntosh, Levinson, ARC, Marantz, and several other systems. For the 15 years that preceded 2021, I typically had two to four systems spread out over several locations. CJ was always my favorite. We downsized in 2021 and I’m down to two.
The big break through for me was when I bought a used ARC LS28 to flip. At the time I was evaluating speakers using German opera as the test material. The lowly foundation series ARC LS28 presented the German lyrics more clearly than any other preamps I had, even when paired with the LP275Ms.
I started experimenting and comparing. When the dust cleared ALL my CJ gear from phono preamps to monoblocks were gone … replaced by ARC Reference series or Burmester Top line.
If something is on the master tape and you’re not hearing it clearly, that is the most annoying type of distortion in my opinion.
The serendipitous use of German lyrics for evaluation was revealing. My brain fills in missing bits of my native language. I have to work harder if there are missing bits in a second or third language. I had to work a LOT harder with CJ compared to either current ARC reference series or Burmester Top line.
For those who may be unfamiliar with the acronym YMMV, it stands for “your mileage may vary.” It simply means that your experience might not match with mine. My opinions are just that… opinions.
Sometimes its like a Van Morrison song from his "Stream of consciousness " period, hard to follow, but still good !
Figuring the signal path in your system I would say that the fact of the more critical path in your system, preamplfiier to speaker active crossover, is balanced helps you a lot more than the chemical grounds.
Ron,
Just read a post from Marty about SRA in another thread. Can you tell us something on how J.R. Boisclair optimized your cartridge SRA?
Better discernment, or we are simply adapting ourselves to compensate for ear decline?
I owned my first cj about 30 years ago, but can't consider myself a fan boy of any brand - I have owned too many brands along these three decades and really liked most of them.
For the last few years I balanced between the GAT/ART, ARC REF40/REF150 and VTL 7.5 mk3/Siegfried - I know I must downsize very soon. IMO I order them in terms of being "clear" as VTL, ARC and cj - the VTL is clearly the winner. But I prefer the ARC REF40 or the GAT to the VTL7.5. And I must accept that in terms of being clear and showing information on the recording the D'Agostino's or the Devialet monoblocks are clear winners, as well the very informative Robert Koda's I have been listening recently. They show us more what was in the master tape than any tubes. This to say that IMO how clearly information is presented is just one part of puzzle. Again IMO what currently matters me more is how the information is presented. Although YMMV, it is nice to know that we surely agree on the ARC choice ...
It is very interesting that you have had in-house these three companion pairs to compare to each other!
Have you put together whichever is your favorite preamp with whichever is your favorite amplifier? How did that mixed combination sound?
Of course we are adapting. Everyone’s hearing is less acute at 70 compared to at 35. By discernment, I mean that I know what I am listening for and how to discern its presence or absence. Even Bob Ludwig can still do a great job mastering.
But with good genes, regular professional cleaning, and a lifetime of wearing hearing protection when needed, some of us may continue to enjoy music to past ripe old age.
I hear better than many of my younger (40ish) friends.
It is possible to have a cultivated ear just like it is possible to have a cultivated palate. Some people ARE true divvies as well, but they are hard to tell amongst the chatterers.
For your favorite girl with guitar the conrad johnson's easily win - fuller, vivid instruments, easy sound - voices flow, a nice sound stage perspective. Continueness is key word with cj's. Friends always loved it.
For my Savall intimist or large scale recordings and Shostakovitch/Mahler the ARC REF40 with the Siegfried II is my choice. For a short time I owned an ARC REF750 - it was also excelled at symphonic music, but it was before I owned the XLF's, I can't compare it to the Siegfried II.
I found that the ARC REF40 / REF150 was extremely natural with voices in classic music - either Monteverdi or Schubert songs, extremely well balanced playing the Paniagua La Folia or Xenakis! The reason I prefer it in voices for classic over the cj's is that is shows more nuance, that is very welcome with dramatic music.
The VTL combo is extremely neutral and revealing - sometimes brutal, but majestic. It is by far the more clear system, great accuracy and control. Full range effortless, neutral but not liquid treble. Needs speakers that are not tilted up.
All comments based esseincialy on listening them with the dCS Vivaldi / Wilson Audio XLF, but with different cable looms.
This is a very interesting comparative report! Thank you!
I understand a lot of the impressions you are reporting.
You are aware that there are other means to contact another member (conversation) than in a random thread?
JR made a comment on the the thread micro is referring to, not sure why he is asking you here https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/using-wally-tools.37229/post-912026
You should not forget that most manufacturers specify the output voltage at 5cm/sec 1khz, but Zyx specifies 3.54cm/sec 1khz - the Zyx actually has more like 0.36mV