Visit to Marc C.'s (SpiritOfMusic's) House in England

[cjfrbw]

I ordered a heavy periphery ring years ago for the SME to increase the purported stability with record flattening and additional flywheel stability.

Aside from the additional labor chores of dealing with it, I became afraid of it because I KNEW eventually, no matter how coordinated I might be, that heavy ring was going to klunk and kabong the tonearm or something else eventually.

I also couldn't, outside of imagination, really hear material improvement that made the extra implementations and labor worth it, either, so it was sold and moved along. I would wear it around my neck while putting the record on before putting the ring on, and it also could cause neck strain.

Hah, hah, the things we do!

 

[spiritofmusic]

Carl, you do know I'm an osteopath, don't you Lol...

 

[spiritofmusic]

Carl, this was one of the few occasions where what appeared to be an improvement, proved to be a bit misleading. A different sound appearing to be better. But just different.

No coincidence that the tt is specifically designed to avoid use of these additions.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Interesting experience today. A year ago, Blue58/Barry visited, but despite liking my overall sound, he felt there was some vagueness in my stereo image, that he described as "phasiness". I really didn't get his comments. However, putting GIKs back in my room on front wall and side wall reflection points, did tighten up the central image somewhat. However I still didn't quite get Barry's overall take on things.

So, fast fwd 12 months to today. Put the same lp on, Michael Hedges "Breakfast In The Field" on Wyndham Hill label, a fantastic sounding piece of wax.

And w the GIKs in, and my overall sound so much impvd over the year, it's really apparent how much my imaging and solidity of soundstaging has transformed the presentation of sound. So easy to hear now: gone is the vague, almost phantom central image I had where the guitar was slightly pulled R and L, like a poor non focussed pan. Replaced with a rock solid central image, good enough to touch, w sufficient ambient info reproduced across and back into the soundfield. This, plus all the other impvts I've wrought in the last few months.

Barry, your call was right. And I was wrong not to get it. I get it now Lol.

 

[cjfrbw]

When are you going to have another 'evaluation' visit from the fiendish Bonzo?

He will flog you to new heights of audio frustration and yearning.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Will have to measure it in dog years

 

[spiritofmusic]

New Terminator tonearm and Bocchino spades on Sablon spkr cbls installed, and the sound here is bubbling along v nicely indeed. So what is my next thought? Well, more changes Lol.

Considering moving the Stacore Basic Plus from under my Westwick balanced power transformer to under my Eera cdp, and installing Revopods or a Taiko Daiza platform under the Westwick.

I have some reservations about breaking up the winning team of Westwick on Stacore, but also know my cdp sounded sublime on the Stacore when I was trialling the platform two years ago.

And then there's the choice of Daiza or Revopods...

 

[spiritofmusic]

I'm finally seeing the light on the invaluable benefits of proper imaging to the realism spell of good stereo reproduction. I have to admit my Zus in the old room sucked at many aspects of a good sound. One major one was imaging.

Now I'm wrangling a way better sound here, w the invaluable help of having references from a half dozen great systems I've heard in the last few years, I'm finally excelling at proper imaging.

Way more depth and stereo cues, proper separation and pin point placement of instruments and especially voice.

An lp I always struggled w before, Genesis "Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", previously harsh and congealed, now spacious and delineated, layered and hugely dynamic. It's a really busy mix, feels like the tape is oversaturated in places. And previously, I could develop no love for the lp due to it's over dense flat feel. Now w the Bocchino Sablon spkrs cbls spades, and critically the new arm, the lp has unwound itself. It's still a demanding listen, but I'm really able to hear thru the mix, vocals really locked in, and a plethora of subtleties and studio tricks are fully intelligible.

If I'm hearing any lp for the first time w my changes, "Lamb..." is the one. Finally I can engage w it for the masterpiece that it is.

 

[Kcin]

Sometimes our latent sickness can be triggered by outside events.
My system was playing better than ever, upgrades where in the far horizon.
A malfunction in one channel of the Aesthetix Io has triggered a upgrade with
a extra Phono input and volume control. The importer does not reside in my
country and someone has a MBL amp for sale only 4 hours away from him. Perfect opportunity for a 2 day road trip and spending the rest of this year’s
vacation funds

Hi Lagonda,

Did you ever get your Aesthetix Io resolved?

 

[Lagonda]

Hi Lagonda,

Did you ever get your Aesthetix Io resolved?

I am still waiting, its only been 2 month i specified the new phono input
being able to handle a Van Den Hul Master Signature 1,1mv that i’m hoping
Santa will bring me for Christmas and 400 ohms loading for my Benz LPS.
No direct reply on my emails to Aesthetix i’m hoping the importer has more luck The smaller MBL amp i purchased in Sweden was not powerful enough for
the sub-towers, and a week after my road trip a Italien vendor put a 9011 big boy
amp for sale i had been looking for one 4 years, great timing !
New road trip, this time 4000 km in 2 days, was able to give the 9007 amp,
a VAC pre and a Krell FPB 700cx as partial trades and returned a happy man

 

[Kcin]

Nice- my update to Eclipse took about 2mos- However, I'm in North America.
FWIW I never had any real problems - other that self induced tube rolling - with my Io. I have the 2 inputs as well. Loading will be variable on the inside for you. It would be interesting to hear what the failure was.

Love your system! I have always admired the MBLs. One of my favourites-sounds like you now have a complete MBL family.

I may be imagining it but I believed you showed a room with your set up in some beautiful condo with a beautiful lady- now that's the environment that MBLs belong in.

Hope it comes together soon.

 

[Lagonda]

Nice- my update to Eclipse took about 2mos- However, I'm in North America.
FWIW I never had any real problems - other that self induced tube rolling - with my Io. I have the 2 inputs as well. Loading will be variable on the inside for you. It would be interesting to hear what the failure was.

Love your system! I have always admired the MBLs. One of my favourites-sounds like you now have a complete MBL family.

I may be imagining it but I believed you showed a room with your set up in some beautiful condo with a beautiful lady- now that's the environment that MBLs belong in.

Hope it comes together soon.

That was my old Martin Logan system in Miami and my old wife.
The MBL system resides in a dedicated room in a old house in the countryside and is rarely flanked by beautiful half naked women

 

[Kcin]

That was my old Martin Logan system in Miami and my old wife.
The MBL system resides in a dedicated room in a old house in the countryside and is rarely flanked by beautiful half naked women

LOL ... !

 

[spiritofmusic]

New tonearm and Bocchino spkrs spades fully bedded in. Uptick all round, I'm dropping my subs output a little because the sound is so much more precise and carved in space. Bass at a new level of articulation, imaging off the scale. Dropping subs output enabling me to hear way more into the music. Texture and warmth maintained.

Have just installed a Hiblow pump for my LT air arm, hoping for a quieter operation which certainly can't not help.

Awaiting Panzerholz piece and 4 Arya Audio Revopods to go under balanced transformer, and move Stacore Basic+ to under my cdp.

 

[KeithR]

thought you were done a year ago

 

[spiritofmusic]

Whatever gave you that impression? What, when I said I was? C'mon.

An audiofool saying he's done is like a guy when proposing on one knee saying he's done looking around.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I've listened to a lot of really stellar sounding systems in the last few years, some including components that I'd hated previously. And some components that I loved initially, but went on to disappoint. And some systems that I had huge expectations of, but turned out to be dire.

So, I loved the Cessaro Liszts/Bakoon SS/GP Monaco system, but was left exasperated by the same spkrs in the same room now thru Mola Mola Class D and Illusonic AD/DA to the Monaco tt, and unmoved by Liszts on Tron 211s and TW Acustic.

I was really impressed by Pnoes and esp Azzolina Gran Sfera horns on Mayer 46 tubes and Vyger analog.

Bowled over by User211's Apogee Duettas on 211 tubes, but hugely disappointed by Apogee Divas on Spectral/Kondo.

Pleasantly suprised by Anima horns on First Watt SS clones after previously excrable demos of the spkrs.

And of course, ongoing exposure to the evolution of Blue58's fantastically communicative AG Duos on 45 tubes and SGM/Aqua Formula.

But the one system I can genuinely say has left the most lasting impression on me has been the one I had not much expectation of ie UK Paul's Z-Axis Audio modded ML Spires on modded Sony DD tt w SAEC506 arm and Aidas Panzerholz cart/Concert Fidelity hybrid amps, full suite of Z Axis cbls, stands and balanced transformer. This system so ticked all the boxes, with a presentation of self effacing transparency, neutrality and ease. Indeed I've never heard a system before or since that got out of the way and let the music breathe as much, with as few archetypes as possible. Only maybe the Vyger/Mayer/Sferas horns come close.

And this sound has become my benchmark on where I would like my system to move twds. Not w any expectation I could really bridge the gap (Zus very different to MLs), but still, an aspiration twds more neutrality and transparency.

Well, w my recent changes, I really feel I've got closer. Way way closer. The new tonearm in particular has truly opened up my analog, the sound off lp has bloomed, but become way more precise and neutral. Imaging is so much closer to what I heard from the MLs, it's spooky. The Bocchino spades, added to all the other Sablon cbls upgrades I've made are really fleshing out my sound, timbral accuracy way more on a par w Paul's sound.

I always use Stomu Yamashta "Go" lp as my reference, it's my fave lp of all time, I never tire of it, and the openess, clarity and power of the sound playing it today, filling my room w pin point imaging and timbrally accurate orchestral accompanied fusion and rock, varied percussion and ambient electronic effects, is startlingly better than I've ever had before, and SO reminiscent of how I heard it at Paul's.

Today I really feel beyond happy w my sound and that my path on wrangling power and acoustics here are bearing fruit big time.

 

[Zero000]

FWIW Marc I put the Luxman M-800A on the bass panels and the 211s on the MRTs last night and used the Luxman C-800F to level match the output.

It turned out way better than I expected. The wife had to stop me listening to it early this morning.

Music just flowed out with a relaxed ease I have never heard my system achieve before. And it sounded way more integrated than I have experienced trying solid state and valve combinations before.

Good chance I will end up with a new detached listening room soon at 34 by 14 feet. That's gonna be interesting.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Justin, these epiphany moments are so rewarding. Mine atm is the tonearm, yours is this synergistic biamping. Maybe that Luxman really does have a strong tube-like sensibility, to mesh w yr 211s.

 

[Zero000]

Justin, these epiphany moments are so rewarding. Mine atm is the tonearm, yours is this synergistic biamping. Maybe that Luxman really does have a strong tube-like sensibility, to mesh w yr 211s.

What both the Luxman and 211s seem to really like is not having to reproduce the full frequency range.

There were hints of this being great years ago with my previous Duettas in a bake off where we did some bi-amping. Other attempts never really worked. This seems to. It uses a stupid amount of mains power to do, though. I daren't look at the electricity meter!!!

Be interesting to see if I stay in this mode. Will flip the Luxman power amp onto the MRT and 211s into the bass this week and see what happens.