I had not listened for about 2 weeks. Was kind of pissed about one of the Audion SET 845 running microphonic. I used some white tacky putty and damped the chassis vibrations as well as I could so they would not circle back into the tube. That helped a lot. But, I walked away for a couple weeks being slightly frustrated. And I also flew to Texas to get the spinal injections of Mavix, PRP, Ozone and some other stuff. I'm already responding very well. My doc says I should recover 100%. I just need to give it 3 to 5 months to really set in place.
But stereo is what were here about. I fired up my system and was looking around Qobuz and saw a new, Deluxe version of A Charle Brown Christmas. I love this album and am very familiar with it. Right off I saw 24 tracks and was wondering what was up. I saw some tracks that were titled Take 3 and other odd names. Turnes out they were studio practice cuts. Right off I was impressed how well they were playing. After working through the unfamiliar tracks I went to the top and started the album. I was shocked how darn good it sounded. I had to stop it in the second song and open HQPlayer to compare to one of my CD rips. The Qobuz was leaps better. So good I bought the album. Anyhow, the real point was, as I sat there I was sort of thinking, what more do I really need to do. My stereo is totally satisfying. Its great. I want the amp fixed. But what would I really gain if I dumped another $60,000 into it. Actually, as its configured, its pretty simple. A server with a USB to a DAC. A interconnect to a pair of monoblocks that have volume pots in them. Amps to speakers. Thats about it. 2 ethernet switches. A stock switch and a Linear Solution switch. Power is from a single Torus RM20 fed with a 12 awg wire in a steel pipe.
Could I improve it. Sure. Would I gain a lot. Not sure. It's pretty darn good. Would it make music more enjoyable to improve it????? I don't think so. It was sort of hitting me that at some point the sound is good enough that continuing to shape it won't increase the enjoyment of the music.
If I was going to improve it, what would I get. I think there is a little smear in backing vocal. They aren't totally clear and distinguishable. I can still hear each of the kids' backing vocals in Hark The Harold Angels. I have heard them just a little more individualized and placed in space.
All in all it seems 17 watts or so is doing fine running my PAP Trio 15 speakers. I like the SET sound. Once you have lived with it for a while and gotten use to it, its very enjoyable. Can people pull their pants down and make a mess on it with technical jargon. Sure. But I don't know throwing technical this and that at audio improves enjoyment. I actually take issue with SS amps in that they seem to be too good. It's like there are no faults. It's just there. Go ahead and make fun of euphoric colorations. But once you live with them for a while and understand why they make you smile, you start to forget about the idea of perfections and relax into enjoying the music. I feel I am there and I am good with leaving my stereo as is for a while. One day I will have the one amp circuit corrected. But for now I'm good to leave it alone and play music.
But stereo is what were here about. I fired up my system and was looking around Qobuz and saw a new, Deluxe version of A Charle Brown Christmas. I love this album and am very familiar with it. Right off I saw 24 tracks and was wondering what was up. I saw some tracks that were titled Take 3 and other odd names. Turnes out they were studio practice cuts. Right off I was impressed how well they were playing. After working through the unfamiliar tracks I went to the top and started the album. I was shocked how darn good it sounded. I had to stop it in the second song and open HQPlayer to compare to one of my CD rips. The Qobuz was leaps better. So good I bought the album. Anyhow, the real point was, as I sat there I was sort of thinking, what more do I really need to do. My stereo is totally satisfying. Its great. I want the amp fixed. But what would I really gain if I dumped another $60,000 into it. Actually, as its configured, its pretty simple. A server with a USB to a DAC. A interconnect to a pair of monoblocks that have volume pots in them. Amps to speakers. Thats about it. 2 ethernet switches. A stock switch and a Linear Solution switch. Power is from a single Torus RM20 fed with a 12 awg wire in a steel pipe.
Could I improve it. Sure. Would I gain a lot. Not sure. It's pretty darn good. Would it make music more enjoyable to improve it????? I don't think so. It was sort of hitting me that at some point the sound is good enough that continuing to shape it won't increase the enjoyment of the music.
If I was going to improve it, what would I get. I think there is a little smear in backing vocal. They aren't totally clear and distinguishable. I can still hear each of the kids' backing vocals in Hark The Harold Angels. I have heard them just a little more individualized and placed in space.
All in all it seems 17 watts or so is doing fine running my PAP Trio 15 speakers. I like the SET sound. Once you have lived with it for a while and gotten use to it, its very enjoyable. Can people pull their pants down and make a mess on it with technical jargon. Sure. But I don't know throwing technical this and that at audio improves enjoyment. I actually take issue with SS amps in that they seem to be too good. It's like there are no faults. It's just there. Go ahead and make fun of euphoric colorations. But once you live with them for a while and understand why they make you smile, you start to forget about the idea of perfections and relax into enjoying the music. I feel I am there and I am good with leaving my stereo as is for a while. One day I will have the one amp circuit corrected. But for now I'm good to leave it alone and play music.
