One nice thing about the EL 509 tubes is that they are not very pricey, compared to the exorbitant amount you have to pay for KT150 tubes (particularly if you buy direct from ARC).
Thoughts on hearing a Wilson XVX Chronosonic System at Evolution Hifi
- Thread starter Lee
- Start date
Cool pics.
The spades need to fit straight onto the speaker terminals. The spades appear wide enough to fit fully on the speaker binding posts of your amplifier- so no need to offset them. You want maximum contact surface area. And tighten those speaker terminal nuts down to the torque specified by the amp manufacturer for a good, gas tight connection. In this case the manufacturer states 1/4 turn with a wrench beyond finger tight. I'd prefer a torque value myself.
The spades need to fit straight onto the speaker terminals. The spades appear wide enough to fit fully on the speaker binding posts of your amplifier- so no need to offset them. You want maximum contact surface area. And tighten those speaker terminal nuts down to the torque specified by the amp manufacturer for a good, gas tight connection. In this case the manufacturer states 1/4 turn with a wrench beyond finger tight. I'd prefer a torque value myself.
Elliot G.
Industry Expert
Sometimes this website and forums make me laugh, Guys want to argue about every little possible thing but then on the other hand good enough is ok. Sorry good enough is not ok when you are trying to get the best you can from a system.
If good enough is ok for you thats your choice but when one is trying to get music in your home everything matters. A great audio system is like trying to win a race. The race could be cars or running etc. but the result, measured in little time increments is won or lost by little tiny increments.
Audio is IMO the same , everything you dont do corectly looses something. Audio isnt about gaining its always about what you loose. It can never be better than where you begin. So if you don't do everything the best possible you loose, and loose and loose information and then your result is well just good enough.
The little things make all the difference between good enough, good, very good and WOW.
the devil is always in the details
If good enough is ok for you thats your choice but when one is trying to get music in your home everything matters. A great audio system is like trying to win a race. The race could be cars or running etc. but the result, measured in little time increments is won or lost by little tiny increments.
Audio is IMO the same , everything you dont do corectly looses something. Audio isnt about gaining its always about what you loose. It can never be better than where you begin. So if you don't do everything the best possible you loose, and loose and loose information and then your result is well just good enough.
The little things make all the difference between good enough, good, very good and WOW.
the devil is always in the details
The green labeled EL509S sells for 128 dollars purchased from McIntosh. If anyone owns a 3500 MKII, I suggest using these tubes, because the failure rate is very low compared to regular 509's.
I believe it's a question of the surface area needed to effect a perfect and reproducible connection between the spade lug and the amp. I stick the end of the lug through the eyehole all the way and tighten it down snugly. The "feel" is excellent. My impression is that the contact is superb and that Mac has done their homework. Thankfully, the AQ WEL Signature lug is a perfect fit, as you can see, to the binding posts of my XVX.
I just think it interesting, Mac's "eyehole connection" solution to the problem of non reproducibility that is similar to the RCA connector. How many times have I wondered, "Is this slightly less snug RCA connection adequate?" When is snug, snug enough? That's why I use balanced IC's whenever possible. This is why I like the RCA connector that you can screw down but there is still the issue of snugness and many manufacturers don't use this approach. Even if you believe there is inadequate surface area, the Mac eyehole solution provides a 100% reproducible very tight/snug spade lug connection between the amp and speaker. This is not debatable. What is debatable is whether there is adequate surface area. I trust McIntosh engineering that there is, for their amplifiers.
I just think it interesting, Mac's "eyehole connection" solution to the problem of non reproducibility that is similar to the RCA connector. How many times have I wondered, "Is this slightly less snug RCA connection adequate?" When is snug, snug enough? That's why I use balanced IC's whenever possible. This is why I like the RCA connector that you can screw down but there is still the issue of snugness and many manufacturers don't use this approach. Even if you believe there is inadequate surface area, the Mac eyehole solution provides a 100% reproducible very tight/snug spade lug connection between the amp and speaker. This is not debatable. What is debatable is whether there is adequate surface area. I trust McIntosh engineering that there is, for their amplifiers.
...it's not only about the snugness, or the reproduce-ability of the fit. Finally, it's a square peg in a round hole. There are always minute eddy currents on cables/wires, and anything less than tight and flush is "almost as good" as best practice.
I have no dog in this fight (she's at doggy day care today) and your system sounds fine from my house. But if one is making the case that this is a good practice, it is not. It's a work-around. Carry on with those fine tunes.
I have no dog in this fight (she's at doggy day care today) and your system sounds fine from my house. But if one is making the case that this is a good practice, it is not. It's a work-around. Carry on with those fine tunes.
I really appreciate the thoughtful comments. I have had many installations of Mac gear. The way in which I stumbled upon this eyehole connection was interesting. I always read the OM but not how to make a spade lug connection. I mean everybody knows how a spade lug works. Right? So after an installation I was checking the new amps and noticed the rather odd appearance of the spade lugs. It looked like a careless connection. I called the dealer and fussed at him. Didn't he know how to insert a spade lug?? I mean how could you miss the binding post? And you missed it repeatedly. Then I read the OM and sure enough, the dealer had it connected as per the OM. I read the OM again today and sure enough, its through the eyehole and cinch it.
As far as widening the spade lug, the WEL Signature spade lug fits around the Mac binding post just fine, no problems at all. It's just a question as to whether the conventional connection is as good as the eyehole connection. Personally, I like the eyehole better. I assume that when Mac was designing their new binding posts, they ran tests and discovered that the eyehole connection resulted in totally adequate surface area when compared to the typical connection. I am very thankful that I have both ways as an option. Maybe I'll switch back because of the uniformly negative thoughts, which I really appreciate. The next time I switch to my 1.25KW's maybe I'll go to the conventional connection and then continue on to use it when I switch back again to my 3500's.
I'm quite new to WBF but I'm an old soul when it comes to the high end. I like this forum quite a lot.
As far as widening the spade lug, the WEL Signature spade lug fits around the Mac binding post just fine, no problems at all. It's just a question as to whether the conventional connection is as good as the eyehole connection. Personally, I like the eyehole better. I assume that when Mac was designing their new binding posts, they ran tests and discovered that the eyehole connection resulted in totally adequate surface area when compared to the typical connection. I am very thankful that I have both ways as an option. Maybe I'll switch back because of the uniformly negative thoughts, which I really appreciate. The next time I switch to my 1.25KW's maybe I'll go to the conventional connection and then continue on to use it when I switch back again to my 3500's.
I'm quite new to WBF but I'm an old soul when it comes to the high end. I like this forum quite a lot.
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Elliot, you have a great speaker and repertoire and experience. I had no idea. I'm just a layperson who has managed to create a system he really loves. Thanks for the advice about the spade lug connection. Right now I'm listening to Stevie Ray Vaughn Couldn't Stand the Weather DSD64 downloaded off HD Tracks at volume 63% with the 3500 needles pegged to about 300 + watts most of the time. They can do this all day and don't hardly become even warm. The bass, pace, and vocals are amazing, as well as the transients, smooth and resolved as can be without even a trace of hardness. I know that your Divin Marquis sound fantastic.
3 hours of roller skating tonight. Can hardly wait. Who knows what might happen?
| Charles Updated System: Wilson McIntosh Audioquest Amps: McIntosh: MC3500MKII (2); MC1.25KW (2); MC2.1KW An Preamp: C-12000 An Sources: MCD12000 An; MVP881; MVP851; MR87; Marantz 510LV; Lenovo Yoga laptop Speakers: Wilson Chronosonic XVX Sub-Woofer: Wilson Thor’s Hammer; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover Cables Main System AQ: WEL Signature speaker cables; 24’ balanced IC; balanced 1-meter Dragon IC ; WEL Signature digital, Coffee digital coaxial cables; Diamond optical (2); Diamond USB; Dragon (5 HC, 3 source cords); Thunder & Monsoon power cords Cables Subwoofer System AQ: Redwood speaker cable; Wolf balanced subwoofer IC; Wind balanced IC to ActivXO; Hurricane HC; Firebird HC; Firebird Source; Dragon HC, power cords Power Conditioners: AQ Niagara 7000; Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines. Isolation: Wilson Pedestals; Bassocontinuo McIntosh Ultra Feet; X-material plinth Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD) Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes     |
#202  
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Elliot G.
Industry Expert
Elliot G.
Industry Expert
Its always good to hear that someone enjoys what they own. That is a great thing. Enjoy your system and your music. Im too old for skates lol. Hockey is long in my past. I am a decent golfer when I have the time which isnt right now.Elliot, you have a great speaker and repertoire and experience. I had no idea. I'm just a layperson who has managed to create a system he really loves. Thanks for the advice about the spade lug connection. Right now I'm listening to Stevie Ray Vaughn Couldn't Stand the Weather DSD64 downloaded off HD Tracks at volume 63% with the 3500 needles pegged to about 300 + watts most of the time. They can do this all day and don't hardly become even warm. The bass, pace, and vocals are amazing, as well as the transients, smooth and resolved as can be without even a trace of hardness. I know that your Divin Marquis sound fantastic.
3 hours of roller skating tonight. Can hardly wait. Who knows what might happen?
Charles Updated System: Wilson McIntosh Audioquest
Amps: McIntosh: MC3500MKII (2); MC1.25KW (2); MC2.1KW An
Preamp: C-12000 An
Sources: MCD12000 An; MVP881; MVP851; MR87; Marantz 510LV; Lenovo Yoga laptop
Speakers: Wilson Chronosonic XVX
Sub-Woofer: Wilson Thor’s Hammer; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover
Cables Main System AQ: WEL Signature speaker cables; 24’ balanced IC; balanced 1-meter Dragon IC ; WEL Signature digital, Coffee digital coaxial cables; Diamond optical (2); Diamond USB; Dragon (5 HC, 3 source cords); Thunder & Monsoon power cords
Cables Subwoofer System AQ: Redwood speaker cable; Wolf balanced subwoofer IC; Wind balanced IC to ActivXO; Hurricane HC; Firebird HC; Firebird Source; Dragon HC, power cords
Power Conditioners: AQ Niagara 7000; Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines.
Isolation: Wilson Pedestals; Bassocontinuo McIntosh Ultra Feet; X-material plinth
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD)
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes
#202
11-02-2024, 01:30 PM
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