Post by cooksferry on Aug 17, 2019 18:33:46 GMT 12
Slowly taking shape. Final position of left side speaker may have to move in slightly depending on how well the new cables fit. Deliberately made sure there is plenty of room above the Melody amp on the new rack as it puts out quite a bit of heat. Still a stand for the Pure AV supply to be made and all the wiring sorted out. Haven't played an lp in a couple of months and starting to miss it.
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Post by foveaux on Aug 19, 2019 19:25:01 GMT 12
Nice job Cooks, I like the 'symmetry' of all the gear in front of your chair and between the speakers. Will the stand for your PureAV fit behind the left speaker? But...can you clearly see the VU meters bouncing around on your Yammy from the seating position? Must book in for a serious listening session of your setup soon.
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
848 posts
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Post by deano1974 on Aug 19, 2019 20:00:40 GMT 12
Well done Robin, nice job Sir 😊
Manager & Product specialist at Rapallo AV & HI-FI
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Post by cooksferry on Aug 19, 2019 21:46:16 GMT 12
Nice job Cooks, I like the 'symmetry' of all the gear in front of your chair and between the speakers. Will the stand for your PureAV fit behind the left speaker? But...can you clearly see the VU meters bouncing around on your Yammy from the seating position? Must book in for a serious listening session of your setup soon. No the Pure AV will have to go where it sits now. Plan was for a PS Audio Dectec to fit between the racks but to put the PAV over by the left speaker would mean all new, and longer power cables. I'll live with it as is. I did have a thought about installing the PAV on its side between the two racks but I think I may get a neater routing of power cables with it out front. The stand for the unit wont be any more than 20mm high, enough to get it away from the floor. Definitely see the vu meters from the seating position, shame they're not the same size as the AS-3000 meters. I await an update on your journey with interest. If it goes to plan it might even be enough to tempt me up to Queenstown.
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Post by cooksferry on Aug 20, 2019 7:15:19 GMT 12
Well done Robin, nice job Sir 😊 Thanks Deano. Reasonably content with the new rack. Legs are solid steel bar (30mm chromed) so it's pretty solid. Still would like to be able to put a layer of Jarrah veneer on the top shelf to match the bottom Sole to Soul shelf. That will remain a possibility if I ever stumble across an off cut some where. The setup does look a lot neater than previous efforts and the room appears more spacious as well.
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Post by cooksferry on Sept 2, 2019 7:38:48 GMT 12
Another couple of baby steps over the weekend. Fitted the new Tellurium Ultra Blue speaker cable to the Yamaha A-S1100 and the Tellurium Black has gone back on the Melody Amp which had it's first fire up in a couple of months. With this set up I should be able to switch between amps in around 30 seconds, swap cables at the speakers and turn the selector knob on the Mapletree router and we're there. Simple floor stand for the Pure AV is finished. Turntable is leveled but still have to refit both sets of phono cables , check tracking force etc, hopefully this weekend. Biggest problem is the length of some of the power cables which are now way too long so a couple may have to be chopped and a new plug fitted. I'd love to fit all now fancy power cables but doubt very much that I'd hear and differences. Had to do a bit of wrestling with the Wireworld cable from the Cambridge 752 to the TV which is now about 50cm too long and just a bloody awkward cable at the best of times. If I get really excited I may even make up a couple of earth wires from the arms to the phono stage which I've never bothered with. In previous setups there's always been a very small amount of low level hum and it may be worth while trying this . Once all the above is done final task will be a play around with speaker position. At the moment there appears to be a very slight imbalance favouring the right hand speaker which has less free space around it. In the top pic above there are three cubes of records quite close to the speaker and I may move those over to the left hand corner of the room. Always trial and hopefully a modicum of success.
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Post by Owen Y on Sept 2, 2019 11:23:07 GMT 12
cooksferry - I frequently use wire 'clip leads' to hook up Grounding to my phono preamp (or SUT) Ground lug - eg if the Ground wire happens to be short, or temporarily to check when chasing hum issues.
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Post by cooksferry on Dec 18, 2019 6:15:00 GMT 12
It has been pointed out that the original title of this thread is more than somewhat misleading but with the addition of this one last update, baring a hardware failure, what I currently have is it. The final piece is a Hana ML cart purchased from Simon a few weeks back and though I do have it mounted on the Wand arm and have played a couple of sides (enough to put it ahead of the SL) it is yet to be fine tuned.
As of today I have 12 working days left 'till retirement and random audio purchases will be well of the budget, hence the scramble over the last couple of years to try and get a system in place that I could happily call my end game. Did I reach that goal? The answer, as with most things audio which rely on the subjective , is yes and no. There are days when the everything turns in harmony and others when chaos seems closer to hand. I am hoping that retirement and the chance to really relax will add the final ingredient to the mix. All in all it has been an interesting couple of years forsaking my usual caution to some degree .
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Post by colinf on Dec 18, 2019 7:37:36 GMT 12
Don’t worry about perfection, you can end up chasing your own tail. What matters is what you play on it!
AMR-iFi R&D
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Post by foveaux on Dec 18, 2019 9:10:50 GMT 12
Did I reach that goal? The answer, as with most things audio which rely on the subjective , is yes and no. There are days when the everything turns in harmony and others when chaos seems closer to hand. I am hoping that retirement and the chance to really relax will add the final ingredient to the mix. Of course your 'retirement' audio budget will stretch to cover a good bottle of 'operator lubricant' to remedy chaos and assist relaxation ?
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
848 posts
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Post by cartridgeguyonline on Dec 18, 2019 16:45:45 GMT 12
Of course you know Cooks that what will happen now is that one of your Children will decide to move home so they can save money for a house deposit/overseas travel and your music room will be turned into a spare bedroom. I speak from experience....
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Post by sub on Dec 18, 2019 17:48:15 GMT 12
Cooks, just because you will be retired, doesn’t mean your system willl remain the same! Had the same intent when I retired, but amplifier has been changed 4 times, cartridge five times, TT 3 times and speakers 3 times! Kept my long time cd player but added an Oppo 103 BR player. Congrats on getting to that magic moment, enjoy your retirement!
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Post by cooksferry on Dec 23, 2019 6:23:58 GMT 12
Congrats on getting to that magic moment, enjoy your retirement! I certainly hope so Sub. Getting tired of people coming into work and telling me I won't know what to do with myself or that I'll be back at work within a couple of months. A lot of people don't appear to believe that you can find enjoyment listening to music or relaxing with a book. I am fortunate that my wife encourages my past times, says I've earned them. She's a keeper.
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Post by deano1974 on Jan 7, 2020 17:08:17 GMT 12
How's retirement Cooks? Are you finally relaxing and synchronising with the universe 😉
Manager & Product specialist at Rapallo AV & HI-FI
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Post by cooksferry on Jan 7, 2020 20:01:58 GMT 12
How's retirement Cooks? Are you finally relaxing and synchronising with the universe 😉 Not quite there Deano, three days to go. Managed to have a fall in the garden a few days back and apparently have fractured one or some ribs which is putting a lid on things. Relaxing a little hard for now.
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Post by foveaux on Jan 5, 2021 19:43:02 GMT 12
How's retirement Cooks? Are you finally relaxing and synchronising with the universe 😉 deno1974, An update: I dropped by Casa Cooks this arvo and all is very well with 'is nibs. and a New Year gift for me - an overdue visit to his man cave for a listen to some exotic vinyl (Emmylou Harris, The Doors, No-man, The Who...) via his excellent system: Project/Wand/Hana + Project phono + Melody integrated Valve amp + Sonus Fabers. This confirmed to me how stunning sounding, and desirable, that a carefully configured system can be. especially with top quality import edition vinyl that Cooks has. Exemplary system indeed. and I'm getting to covet those Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors: nicely balanced, immersive sound and gorgeous cabinetry. Who've thought the 6in woofers and SF's cabinet deployment could 'do' such great bass? p.s. Cooks, reserve that scottish aqua vitae for an evening session
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
848 posts
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Post by cooksferry on Jan 7, 2021 7:48:30 GMT 12
Great to catch up Ian. Looking forward to checking out your Sanders system in your new room before too long. A bit of anticipation finally getting to hear the Wand tt as well. Re your remarks about the drums on the AP release of the Doors Riders On The Storm. Seems I have at least four vinyl versions of that track on both original and reissues so maybe on the next wet day a little comparison will take place.
On the 12sn7 tubes in your Maple tree pre, did we do a combined purchase on those. I do remember ordering some on eBay, but that's probably 15 years ago, memory fades. Hope for a catch-up a round the end of this month.
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Post by andrewp on Jan 7, 2021 9:43:18 GMT 12
So change for me...nothing.
Ive finally decided that nothing is on the block. Now that from a change-a-holic is quite something to behold. I think now in fairness my sound if I did up-scale something would just be "different" not so much an improvement. Ok...its taken quite some years to get here and many thousands of dollars...alot of which has been the finacial hit from re selling. Hope everyone here has had a safe start to the new year.
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Pundit
Post by neilsan on Jan 7, 2021 12:10:34 GMT 12
Now that's a surprise!!! HNY from us too.
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Post by cooksferry on Apr 20, 2021 8:41:49 GMT 12
While the music room isn't getting a lot of use a couple of small changes seem to be working quite well.
First to combat a perceived channel imbalance favouring the left I've moved the right speaker closer to the chair. Not by much, but enough that the system is more focused. Not sure if problem was down to my hearing or room but I can now sit and listen without wriggling about trying to find a better spot. This left right divide occured with both my amps and didn't change when I switched placement from down to across the room. Makes me think that my hearing was a major contributor for several years.
Number two change was to the internal volume output on the Cambridge 752bd. I've always had it set at 100% but have found the sound to have a tinge of hardness at times. Lowered the level to 75% and to my ears it now sounds much better. Bonus is that I have a wider range on both my amps to play with.
I do remain puzzled at the volume dial difference between my two amps. I have a db meter so can level match reasonably. On the Melody which is rated around 50w I'm usually sitting about 9 on the volume while the Yamaha which is supposedly outputting twice the power I'm closer to 12. The speakers are rated as a 4ohm load and the Melody does have taps for that. Not sure that would account to the difference though. Always intrigued my a little. With three different sets of speakers don't think I've ever had the Melody past about 10.
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Pundit
Post by Gryffles on Apr 30, 2021 12:42:26 GMT 12
While the music room isn't getting a lot of use a couple of small changes seem to be working quite well. First to combat a perceived channel imbalance favouring the left I've moved the right speaker closer to the chair. Not by much, but enough that the system is more focused. Not sure if problem was down to my hearing or room but I can now sit and listen without wriggling about trying to find a better spot. This left right divide occured with both my amps and didn't change when I switched placement from down to across the room. Makes me think that my hearing was a major contributor for several years. Number two change was to the internal volume output on the Cambridge 752bd. I've always had it set at 100% but have found the sound to have a tinge of hardness at times. Lowered the level to 75% and to my ears it now sounds much better. Bonus is that I have a wider range on both my amps to play with. I do remain puzzled at the volume dial difference between my two amps. I have a db meter so can level match reasonably. On the Melody which is rated around 50w I'm usually sitting about 9 on the volume while the Yamaha which is supposedly outputting twice the power I'm closer to 12. The speakers are rated as a 4ohm load and the Melody does have taps for that. Not sure that would account to the difference though. Always intrigued my a little. With three different sets of speakers don't think I've ever had the Melody past about 10. I would guess it will be a matter of gain. Valve amps generally have higher gain than SS
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Post by cooksferry on May 21, 2021 11:38:15 GMT 12
Been using the Yamamoto HA-02 headphone amp every night for the last month in my bedroom system. Something I've never tried with this amp is some tube rolling. The amp was designed with Western Electric 408a small signal tubes and there aren't a lot of alternatives to those. Took a punt on a couple of pairs of Nos NE408a tubes from an EBay seller yesterday. The NE(northern electric) variants were made in Canada and I believe have a different internal layout to the WE. Not expecting any earth shattering changes but worth a punt for little cost. When the Yamamoto amp first appeared the WE tubes were very cheap but since then there have been other amps like Little Dot that use the same tube so supply has got a bit harder and prices slowly creeping up. I do still have 3 matched sets of the western electrics as back up that Owen had been kind enough to test for me several years ago. Very happy now I didn't manage to sell the amp. Of the three full size headphone amps I still have I think the Oppo HA 1 would be the first to go. My aim to dive into digital audio using that with it's multiple inputs and functions was a bit of a dead end
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Post by cooksferry on Nov 20, 2021 8:57:26 GMT 12
Of the three full size headphone amps I still have I think the Oppo HA 1 would be the first to go. My aim to dive into digital audio using that with it's multiple inputs and functions was a bit of a dead end As per the quote above the Oppo HA1 did indeed get shown the door. Nice amp, never explored all the other functions. In it's place is my 2nd Violectric amp, a V280, big brother to my long held V200. The V280 comes with a balanced out that I required for my LCD3 and Oppo PM1. The Violectrics could be said to have a slightly warm signature, no bad thing playing a lot of modern CDs,have five step gain adjustment and a very nice fine detent volume control. Designed and made in Germany so high confidence in QC. Along with the amp the headphone collection has grown by one with a Grado SR325x, one of their new(same as the old) generation of headphones. Enjoying the sound but two typical Grado problems needed to be addressed, ear pads comfort and that bloody cable they use. Solutions to both have come from NZ maker Beautiful Audio. Their hybrid leather/merino pads are a major upgrade in comfort and their soon to be fitted cable adapter means a cable choice and freedom from the monstrosity Grado offer. Last but far from least my long term Grado SR60s owned since 1997 have undergone a pimp over and transformed from a rather ugly plastic effort into a wood/metal object of desire . Parts for this have come from Australia, USA, Indonesia and Poland. The drivers and ear pads are the only Grado part remaining and even these are brand new original SR60, the drivers via Addicted to Audio and the pads found in a track pack in my room since 2012 . The ear pads may be for the chop as I feel another pair of hybrid leather/merino pads may be just the right final touch.
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Post by Citroen on Nov 20, 2021 12:06:52 GMT 12
Haven't used my RS1i's for a few months now. Much more comfortable with the G cush pads.
Not heard of Beautiful Audio before. Looks like a one man band producing some fine products.
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Post by cooksferry on Nov 20, 2021 13:45:35 GMT 12
Haven't used my RS1i's for a few months now. Much more comfortable with the G cush pads. Not heard of Beautiful Audio before. Looks like a one man band producing some fine products. I did try the G pads when the GS1000 first came out. I had a long term loan of a pair and did put the pads on my RS1 but found I lost some of the intimacy that I liked with artists like Townes Van Zandt and Vic Chesnutt at that time. Below a few photos, a couple of the modified SR60. The head band is now leather instead of hard vinyl, the alloy gimbal/block set gives the ability to adjust tension on the rods and stop them twisting themselves and the cables around. Cable is from Koala Audio in Perth who also did a replacement balanced cable at a reasonable price for my LCD3 after the original failed. The Rosewood cups come from an Indonesian seller who does a variety of woods and finishes. Bottom pics of the new SR325x with the hybrid earpads from Beautiful Audio fitted. You can see in one shot the difference in size to a Gradio L cush pad on Foveaux's early SR325. Worth noting too the difference in cable size. The nylon sheathed x series cable is noticeably thicker, heavier and stiffer. Not really a win. The BA pads aren't cheap but the fact that I can now wear the phones in comfort for hours at a time makes them totally worth it.
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Post by Citroen on Nov 20, 2021 15:22:58 GMT 12
Whoa! That rosewood looks gorgeous, so glossy and lots of different deep tones.
My G-cush pads are starting to perish, so thought I'd look at the Beautiful Audio pads. The Large (G-cush replacements) are a bit dearer than the small L-cush replacements. Do they actually sit on the ear, or over the ear? Or just seem as if they are over ear?
The G-cush offers a larger soundstage, but loses out on bass and some midrange. But are much more comfortable. So just wondering which ones I should get?
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Post by cooksferry on Nov 20, 2021 15:45:50 GMT 12
Whoa! That rosewood looks gorgeous, so glossy and lots of different deep tones. My G-cush pads are starting to perish, so thought I'd look at the Beautiful Audio pads. The Large (G-cush replacements) are a bit dearer than the small L-cush replacements. Do they actually sit on the ear, or over the ear? Or just seem as if they are over ear? The G-cush offers a larger soundstage, but loses out on bass and some midrange. But are much more comfortable. So just wondering which ones I should get? Might be worth contacting Silvian who is BA and asking him. Personally I find the smaller pads to be more over than on ear but that changes depending on which foam inner you use. The one it came fitted with had more bass but also seemed a bit loose to me. Fitting the alternative foam really tightened things up close to the original sound. This could vary depending on model and tuning of the drivers which has changed over the years. I got a genuine Grado set of L pads via A to A and they cost $75 with freight. That's a good chunk towards the BA pads.
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Post by cooksferry on Nov 22, 2021 9:10:50 GMT 12
Had a couple of sessions with the SR60s using both original Grado S and L cush pads. Sound was fine, comfort not so much so just ordered another set of the small hybrid pads from Beautiful Audio. My Christmas present to myself for being good and not buying any lps all year. Citroen, the small BA pads definitely move the driver away from your ear, With the L cush the top of my ear was brushing against the driver, with the BA no contact.
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Post by cooksferry on Dec 3, 2021 20:13:28 GMT 12
Beautiful Audio pads now on modified Grado SR60. Much more balanced sound without loosing the things I enjoyed originally. These pads are the same leather merino hybrid that I have on my SR325x Grados. As a plus the latest pads came with three sets of different inner foam that can be used to tune the sound. New to me is a pair of very open weave design that look interesting. I plan to try each over a few days before settling on a favourite.
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Post by cooksferry on Jan 8, 2024 8:21:00 GMT 12
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