New Year's thoughts for system upgrades?

[mdconnelly]

Yup, get rid of the grandkids 

Did you ask your local VS dealer if he stocks them?

Hah!  Yep, already in touch with our very own HomeTheaterDoc - Shane.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Or have you finally conquered the Nervosa?

Yea, I've pretty well conquered my nervosa.
With regards to sound quality, I couldn't be happier. There's not a single piece of my system that I'm looking for improvement on.

With regard to the pain in the butt factor, well now....that's a different story.
With the never ending drama and aggravation with the Squeezebox stuff, I've been kicking around the idea of going straight from PC to system and eliminating Logitech from the equation all together.

Unfortunately, that change will not only bring about a certain (high) cost, but also a chance in sound quality that I'm not sure I want to gamble with.
I'm afraid I'm dammed if I do, and dammed if I don't.

Bob

[Bigfish8]

Happy New Year Guys!

I have lost the Nervosa so I am doubtful I will pursue any upgrades to the system anytime soon.  When I turn it on it brings me joy and I figure that is the real end game! 

My goal for this year is to continue to add more music to my library.

Ken

[mdconnelly]

Ken, that is a very good place to be!

[StereoNut]

Ken, that is a very good place to be!

+1  We should all be that lucky, Ken! 

[hometheaterdoc]

I've made quite a number of changes in the last couple months of 2011....  not sure how much I'm going to change in 2012....

Major changes:

1) I actually have working 6C33C based tube amplifiers from the custom build project that was started quite some time ago.  They're not finalized at all.  There is still some mechanical issues that we've traced to the less than ideal multiple off the shelf power transformers.  So most likely we'll be re-working things and I'll be ordering custom wound power transformers.... but Sol is still trying to find a way to make it work with something else off the shelf.  Custom trannies would reduce the footprint as well and lower some heat and power draw. 

2) I added Abbingdon Music Research (AMR) to the lineup.  I finally have a few pieces here in stock and they are breaking in 24/7 with big dummy resistors on the power amp speaker binding posts so it isn't blasting music full time.  They're just about baked enough to do some serious listening.  Early listening tests proved very positive.

3) I brought back some Von Schweikert speakers...  no matter how much stuff I listen to over the years... no matter how many different brands of things I hear at shows, there's just something about what Albert can do with drivers and a crossover that floats my boat.  So I went whole hog and got a surround setup of 2 pairs of VR-35 floorstanders and the LCR-4 center channel.   Again, to keep domestic relations in good order for the most part, they've only been breaking in while actually listening or playing movies.  So it's a much slower process... and VSA stuff takes minimum 500 hours it seems for everything they make.  What I will say so far is that using a pair of VR-35s for rears is just absolutely crazy in my theater room space...  It's just too much of a good thing....The wife isn't a fan.  Essentially 4 subwoofers (since each VR-35 has a 10 inch woofer) in a speaker that is flat to below 20Hz in my theater room space is actually too much dynamics and slam.... it's freakin' scary how much snap the VR-35s have and can absolutely smack you upside the head when watching a movie.  This isn't your typical subwoofer rumble.  While watching one movie last week, the wife actually complained that it was vibrating her abdomen and making her sick.  Part of me wants to keep it for the novelty effect and to scare the crap out of people.  But more likely one pair of VR-35s stay for front left and right with the LCR-4 center and I go back to a small bookshelf size wall mounted surround speaker instead of the other pair of VR-35s back there.  I think I might be selling the other pair of VR-35s.... you listening, Mike?

4)  I got some of the Kanto powered bookshelf speakers.  I really liked the pair that Carl has, so I ordered some up to be my new office computer speakers and offer a nice affordable option to the iPod crowd of customers.  They work great.  I think John (Black Sand Cable) had these as a brand a while back, but I'm not certain.  That might have been where Carl got his.   For $300 for a pair, they're really quite something. 

Who knows what else 2012 will bring... I know the fast approaching due date of my very pregnant wife will alter my audio life in ways I can't even imagine just yet.... I have a feeling I won't be making it to many audio shows this year (missing CES already because I've been told I need to stay close to home hehehe), nor will I have as much time for anything audio related once baby arrives...  I will have to start him early on his music appreciation lessons....  It should be a great year!

[djdube525]

Hi Shane,

Have you listened to the AudioEngine 5s? I'm wondering how the Kantos compare.

Dave

[mfsoa]

I think I might be selling the other pair of VR-35s.... you listening, Mike?

This Mike sure is  


-Mike

[mdconnelly]

I think I might be selling the other pair of VR-35s.... you listening, Mike?

This Mike sure is  

-Mike

Damn, I was hoping he meant me!  Shane, PM sent.  Gotta hear how they stack up to the 10Ts!

[Carlman]

Lots of fun stuff here!  Good luck to everyone.  It's nice to hear Ken and Bob are 'done' to some degree and listening to music! Also nice to hear Shane is 'gearing up' for a new baby.  Good times!   I built a bike before Luke was born... I've ridden it twice... he's going on 8 months old now. 

I'm working with Rich on a couple of projects this year, mainly the Buffalo DAC with uber power supplies and output tranformers.  It's the only DAC I've heard that got it all right.  I love what my Scott Nixon does (makes music in an emotional way) but wish for a little more detail at the bottom and top.

I'm also going to work with Rich on a pair of subs.  Once those 2 projects are done, I don't know what else I can do to make it better.  Right now the system is at 80% of everything I ever wanted... and some days I wonder why I would change anything at all.

I am considering tweaks to my amp and preamp also. (caps, etc.)  Just depends on money. 

My main goal is to grow a new business and start a transition out of I.T.... or keep it limited to 1 day a week by the end of 2012.

[rollo]

  Shane the AMR DAC is a killer. Has my attention. Good luck with the line.


charles

[hometheaterdoc]

Also nice to hear Shane is 'gearing up' for a new baby.  Good times!   I built a bike before Luke was born... I've ridden it twice... he's going on 8 months old now. 

Which is specifically why I did some of the changes now... so if I do get 30 seconds to enjoy some stuff, it's with the cool new gear.... I have a feeling I'm not going to be able to do much, if any, playing with new gear for quite some time.... no more constant ordering and playing with new gear choices to see if they better my existing stuff.....so best to find some cool stuff now to have....

I'm also going to work with Rich on a pair of subs. 

Hmmm... whatcha doin' there?  The TBI demos I just sold would have been perfect... 

[hometheaterdoc]

Hi Shane,

Have you listened to the AudioEngine 5s? I'm wondering how the Kantos compare.

Dave

yeah... I heard them a couple of times.... they're surprisingly similar... I'd be curious if they were OEM'd from the same place...  going from sonic memory wouldn't be fair though...  I'd need to listen to them again now that I have the Kantos here...  I believe Mike C has a pair of the smaller ones and he seems happy with them.......

main differences for me were that the feature set of A5s wasn't as robust as the kanto.... now with the A5+, they are almost identical again... except that the Kanto is cheaper now given increased MSRP price of new A5+ model...

[hometheaterdoc]

  Shane the AMR DAC is a killer. Has my attention. Good luck with the line.


charles

Yup...  in early listening tests it is really quite something... the only major "issue" I've found so far is that even though it has preamp capability and analog RCA inputs, it only puts out max 2V before full bypass.... so you can run into gain issues with your setup if the amp isn't high enough gain or speakers high enough efficiency...  not the same as the high voltage outputs of the PS Audio or Antelope Audio Zodiac....  of course, for some folks that 2V max output is a very good thing and allows much more volume range flexibility....

sonic wise, it is really quite something.... and the chassis work of the units and their form and look is right up my alley.  I love it even more in person.... 

[BobM]

If you had to compare the AMR sonically to something we've likely heard, whay do you think it sounds like most?

- Bryston DAC
- EE Minimax DAC
- Benchmark DAC
- other?