Evolution...

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
9 of 10 upgrade I did in the past were unsuccessfull.
Didn't hear any improvement.
Must be my (Old) ears or brain or both.
I'm still wondering how others can hear
what I call small differences ? ? ? ?

Guy 13
 

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
Now it's the turn of the tube amplifier to have an upgrade.
My Decware SE-84C+ SET 2wpc came with Russian tubes.
Two SV83 pentode connected in triode mode.
One (No name I could not see the name) 6922
and a rectifier 5Y3 make : Ruby.
For the SV83 I tried the Gold Lion EL84, the Electro Harmonic EL84
and it was very difficult to tell the sound difference between the two makes,
what didn't help, was the fact thet my sound memory in my brain
(Like many audiophile) is very short,
I cannot memorized more than 3 seconds of music.
So by the time you shut off the power, remove carefully the tube with some gloves
or a clean rag, put the new tubes, put back the power and
wait for the tubes to warm up,
what I have memorized is erase from my music brain.
However, I did noticed a small improvement with the Gold Lion EL84,
but maybe it was my imagination.... ? ? ? ?
For the 6922 I had several different makes : RCA, Thomas, Sylvania, Electro Harmonic
and between all of them, could not hear any differences.
Now, the rectifier, many claim that the rectifier model makes a difference in the sound,
so the original Ruby 5Y3, the 5U4 RCA and the Sovtek 5AR4 no difference for me in the sound,
therefore,
I'm using the 5AR4 Sovtek, the Electro Harmonic 6922 and the Electro Harmonic EL84
and I am happy with the sound.
I don't know what else I could have done to improve the sound.
Maybe a pre-amplifier ? ? ?
That's a big investment for me.

Guy 13
 

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
I think this will be my last post here.
Not much to say about my Evolution and-or my upgrades.
My last upgrade was my speaker
and that speaker's upgrade was the one that I can confirm
that it made a HUGE difference on sound improvement.
For me, crossoverless speakers is an upgrade and improvement on sound.
For me and for the speakers that I've owned.
Extended range drivers put out more musical information.
The middle frequencies are more natural.
I cannot really comment on higher frequencies,
above 8-10KHz because my 71 years old ears cannot hear those higher frequencies.
For the lower frenquencies (Below 100Hz) of course an 8'' driver
cannot do a good job at reproducing those low frequencies.
Of course if an extended range driver is in a bass reflex enclosure that will help, maybe go down to
30 or 40 Hz, but that's not my idea, I want good bass in an open baffle configuration.
So two 12'' woofers (For the large area surface) and a plate amplifier to help
the poor little 2wpc amplifier to do a good job.
I set the plate amplifier at around 100Hz.
Sooooo that's it.
Not much comments from the AN members,
but it was fun for me to share my Evolution, upgrades and experiences...

Guy 13
 

[Guy 13]

A BIG thank you for the almost 3,000 views.
Look like my topic was not too boring
or that many views is maybe the AN members were just curious.

Guy 13

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
I'm asking you : Is this an up-grade
or just one of those expensive and do nothing to improve the sound ?
Flat speaker wires and wire support - spacer.

Guy 13

[Nick B]

Hi all.
I'm asking you : Is this an up-grade
or just one of those expensive and do nothing to improve the sound ?
Flat speaker wires and wire support - spacer.

Guy 13

I have never used flat/ribbon cables. I assume part of the reason could be the potential for static electricity. I have known a couple of guys in an audio club who have done this, but have never asked them about it.

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
First time I heard about flat speaker wires,
I thought is was only for running them under carpet,
at the time, I never knew it had something to do
with sound quality improvement.
For the speaker wire lifters,
I made some with mdf wood and tried them...
No difference in sound to my (At the time) 65 years old ears.
Minds you, my listening room's floor is ceramic tiles
over 12'' of reinforced concrete,
sooooo... I don't thing the floor would vibrate
or transmit vibrations to the sources...

Guy 13

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
One tweak I would like to try (Only by curiosity)
is bare wires each negative and
positive separated by a few inches from amplifier
directly to driver.
Suspended in the air.
Cost zero to a few pennies.
Did anyone tried that already,
if yes, what is your opinion on that tweak ? ? ?

Guy 13

[tmazz]

Tommy O'Brien, who is a member here (ampdesigner333) has a product in his Cherry line of amps that does exactly that. The In-Line Maraschino separates the power supply from the Class D amp modules such that the amp is small enough and light enough to hang in mid air suspended by a short run (like 6 inches) of speaker wire. I heard them at Shadowlight's and they sounded quite impressive. I only heard them with the short wire, so I cannot really say how much was due to the short cable vs the amp itself, but the combination was very good.

Here is a link to the Kickstarter campaign that was used to launch the amp:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/378044010/in-line-maraschino

[Guy 13]

Tommy O'Brien, who is a member here (ampdesigner333) has a product in his Cherry line of amps that does exactly that. The In-Line Maraschino separates the power supply from the Class D amp modules such that the amp is small enough and light enough to hang in mid air suspended by a short run (like 6 inches) of speaker wire. I heard them at Shadowlight's and they sounded quite impressive. I only heard them with the short wire, so I cannot really say how much was due to the short cable vs the amp itself, but the combination was very good.

Here is a link to the Kickstarter campaign that was used to launch the amp:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/378044010/in-line-maraschino

Thanks tmazz for your suggestion on the Maraschino amplifier.
I had a good look at their website with pictures and video.
First their amplifier is way over my budget.
Second, I don't see the advantage of the way to hookup their amplifier.
My idea was only to have bare wires from the amplifier (On a rack) to the driver
or amplifier and try to avoid any connectors. (Banana plugs, etc...)
Thanks any way for the suggestion.

Guy 13

[tmazz]

OK, when you said you were looking to try bare wire a few inches from the amp I assumed that your objective was to come as close as possible to eliminate the speaker wire itself.

[Guy 13]

OK, when you said you were looking to try bare wire a few inches from the amp I assumed that your objective was to come as close as possible to eliminate the speaker wire itself.

Hi tmazz.
Sorry about the confusion or my unprecise description of what I want to do.
I will (Again) blame that on old age. 

Guy 13

The distance between amplifier and speakers willbe approximately 10 feet.

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
I'm almost 100% sure that an upgrade with some Wilson speakers
and Classé audio amplifier with some several thousands of $$$ speakers cable
and Interconnects would not be an upgrade for me.
A few years back I went to an audio show in Saïgon (Planet Vietnam)
and the Wilson - Classé audio sounded terrible,
so terrible that I stayed for 15 minutes and saw many visitors leaving after only 5 minutes
induring that terrible soumd.
Yes, the acousting of the room didn't help.
But spending 50,000 USD plus is not what I call evolution or up-grade.
My opinion based on my (At the time) 65 years old ears.

Guy 13

[Guy 13]

Hi all. Reading all my comments, you saw that I have owned quite a few audio components.
Well, I went thru my memory, which doesn't work like when I was 30 years old, but still.
I made up a list of (To the best of my memory) all the receivers I've owned
and here it is :
(If some names I forgot come back, I will add them to the list.)
Marrantz
Realistic
Pioneer
Hitachi
Sound (Nippon Sound)
For the look, I think the Pioneer and the Realistic look the best
with all the dial, buttons, dial.

Guy 13

and wood case I like.

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
Now close to 4,000 views with my topic '' Evolution ''.
All the reply I got were from what I call '' Regular '' members.
I wont named them, because I am affraid to forget some and they will be
angry at me... 
But why all the other silent members don't post some opinions,
I would like to read them, that could help me to improve my post.
Please silent members come out of the dark.

Guy 13