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Yesterday I received a T7 and have been listening to vinyl with it for quite a few hours yesterday. Prior to this I was using an EAR 834P c/w volume pot, direct to my amps. I have heard a couple of different preamps in my system, most recently the Bent TVC. I have not heard an active preamp in my current system.The T7 is a fantastic linestage. It has all of the transparency that I am used to with what was basically a passive system, with nothing unusual or negative introduced that I could hear, yet it does give a wonderful sense of dynamics and drive that I have not heard before and which is very welcome. The large scale dynamics, contrasting low signal to high signal is quite wonderful and adds a sense of something that live music has that I was missing with a passive pre before. Other than the increased dynamics, and no perceivable loss of transparency, there is not much else to say at this point about the linestage section.
I did briefly compare the T7 onboad phono section to the 834P thru the T7 and at first I would say the 834P is smoother sounding and the T7 more crisp and solid like.
Follow Ups:
My initial impressions resemble yours.I still have the EH tubes, and a set of Siemens waiting on the shelf, but I don't have the pleasure of comparing another good phono stage.
The last, best, phono stage I had was the Rat Shack Silver Wonder.
The T7 stomps that one, easily.
Randy
I'm a spy in the house of love
I know the dream, that you're dreamin' of
I know the word that you long to hear
I know your deepest, secret fear
- Jim Morrison
How's the phono section on that one? I'm appreciating the above mentioned dynamics and drive of the T7, but am wondering if I've gone too far towards SS sound now. I am quite used to an all tubes sound...
I find your thoughts on the ss thing interesting, Marc, and I wonder if in a couple of months I'll be feeling the same way. I can almost feel it now in fact. The T7 is super clean sounding which impressed the heck out of me for an active preamp, but I wonder about its long term musicality staying power. I can't believe I am saying this after only 1 day of listening. It's very transparent and dynamic and I'm most shocked about this, but there are some things in life where you know if it impresses the heck out of you immediatley it won't in the long term. I wonder if the T7 is one of those. However, coming from a passive pre system I do value the equivalent in immediate transparency plus the added dynamics that the T7 has and I do wonder if one can get that from a similar priced tube only preamp. I kind of doubt it. Not for $1200, in a factory pre-built unit. Maybe one of the ASL pre's do, but there has been very little word on the 'net about their preamps. One thing I might consider doing is keeping the 834P, or maybe trying the Hagerman Coronet phono, and keeping the T7. If there is one thing in the system that I want to be transparent (straight wire with gain), that is often not (except for passives of course), is the preamp.When it comes to getting a musical and synergistic system with the T7, maybe the poster above, darkstar, has it right, using a 300B amp and a Thorens table...
and I use it with both the Fet-Valve 550 ex and a pair of Welborne 2A3 Moondogs. It sounds great with either and gives me a choice of speakers horn or conventional.I don't think you'll grow tired of this clean, dynamic sound. - I know I won't!
Cut-Throat
I agree with your take on the EAR 834P verses the phono section of the AVA. However, I think NOS tubes there help...I'm using Mullarc CV 4004's. Tyson...which Siemens are you using in the line stage? I'm still stock there.
I'm using the ECC81:http://www.thetubestore.com/siemensecc81.html
I tried the ECC81's in the 550ex, and just didn't like them there.
In the Linestage, the ECC81's were better than the Brimar/mullard/Amperex, which all sounded a bit too "tubey" to me. I haven't tried the JJ's, but would like to, if I can find a place w/good prices.
What tubes are you using in it? I've tried a bunch and the Siemens gave best results (no loss of transparency or dynamics, slightly more body to the sound).It's funny, my last gear was expensive and very pretty. My AVA stuff is very plain looking, but sounds better. Love it when that happens.
I'm using the stock Tesla (J J Electronic) for the linestage, and I replaced the stock 12ax7 phono tubes with some NOS Seimens.I'm considering trying some different amps. I want to get away from all of the tubes and heat that I have with my current amps. You seem to be in tune with the good value for money gear. What affordable amps are truly fantastic these days, besides the AVA hybrid you have? Solid state or tubes or hybrids, with excellant current capabilities...
Depends on what you consider affordable. Comparable amps I've heard in A-B are the Spectron Musician (more emphasized transients, more prominent detail, but lacking the smoothness of the 550ex) and the Parasound JC-1 (smoother than the 550ex with better macrodynamics, but not as good with microdynamics and gradations). Those are the best I've heard recently. I heard a Marsh amp a while back that was supposed to be a giant killer, but I didn't like it at all, very solid state (grainy) signature. I used to own Odyssey Stratos amps (the 3 channel, the 2 channel, and the dual-mono), and they are good, but the 550ex is definitely better.After hearing the JC-1's, I'm willing to bet their little bother's, the "Halo" amps from parasound are probably worth checking out. The sad thing is that after getting the 550ex, I've kinda stopped looking at any other amps :-( or is that :-) ?
In a quick comparison between a "warm" amp and a clean detailed one with very fast settling times, the "warm" amp usually wins as the detailed one shows what is going on all through the system (some of which can be nasty). But when everything is brought up to snuff the more detailed Spectron will reward you with warmth, smoothness, and incredible spatial and harmonic detail.Still, if you are short on budget for the front-end (meaning source in this case) you can't go wrong with the AVA gear. I have owned and loved it. In fact, I venture to say that many of todays "high-end" amps don't come up to the sound quality of my old Fet-valve 300i, a 1990 model. And it has proven its durability.
I wouldn't say the 550ex is warm. The JC-1's are warm, as was the Dual Mono Odyssey Stratos I had before. I picked up an old AVA Omega III amp used a while back, and it is also warm sounding. But the new FetValves are not warm at all. Clear, dynamic, detailed, and smooth (as in not grainy) is how I would describe it. I can, of course, make it sound warmer using Mullard tubes in it, but it loses too much detail (just like you said). The EH tubes are the best match for the 550ex I've used.I heard the Spectron in 2 systems, mine (VMPS RM40's, AVA T7, Bolder Mensa DIO DAC), and in the owners system (Accuphase DP-65 directly driving the Spectron, using Selah Audio Excelarray's). I think both systems are up to snuff enough to say that the character of the spectron is extremely detailed, but it tended to emphasize leading edge transients at the expense of the full roundness of the "center" of the note. When I listen to music, each note has an attack (initial transient), bloom (the "middle" of the note), and decay. The spectron did GREAT at the attack and the decay, but the middle of the notes were not as full as they should have been.
Don't get me wrong, the Spectron is a great amp and it did certain things as well as I've heard any amp, period. But I do think it would probably be better mated to a tubed preamp so that there is a little more body to the sound overall. JMHO, of course.
Hi Tyson,I've added a Shakti stone to the Spectron and moved my Mite power cord from the cd player to the amp. The Spectron is sounding much smoother and more relaxed now. I've tried a few tube amps since and the Spectron comes out on top. You'll need to come over again and have another listen. I've also bought a Bel Canto SET 40 amp, although it is still breaking in. I still believe that I need to find a different ic between my cd player and the Spectron. I'll probably be trying a pair of Empirical ic's. I'll definitly be needing a pre-amp with the Bel Canto, I'd like to try your AVA again. I'm not getting enough gain with the Accuphase cd player and the Bel Canto.
I'm full this weekend, maybe next? Drop me an email.
The problem of the middle of the note not quite being right is one that I too had noticed with the Spectron. It was why I bought the Atma-spheres. But once I heard what was going on I just rebalanced my system and now I have the best of all worlds. It is my (often stated) opinion that any fine amp should be worked with until you find the right mix of cables etc (Frank Van Alstine notwithstanding.)Mind you my entire system is SS and I have it all. It is annoying the hell out of my friend with the $5600 dollar 13 watt SET. If you are starting with a clean, neutral, sweet amp you can do anything. (The Fet-valves are one such amp IMHO, as are the Brystons SST.) Of course, this presupposes that the amp chosen can drive the load chosen.
I'm starting to think that once the Spectron amp is dialed in it can't be beat. I haven't even tried a lot of different ic's yet. I'll probably be ordering a pair of Empirical ic's here soon. The Shakti stone really pushes the performance of this amp even further. I forgot what power cord are you using on the Spectron?
I am using the Audience Power Chord (cute name, eh?).I get the same effect as a Shatki stone by 1)using ERS sheets and 2)just for giggles stacking the Bryston 4BSST on top of the Spectron. The tranformer core in the Bryston loads down the transformer on the Spectron and lowers the noise floor slightly. I have lots of old transformers at home that are not as pretty as the Stone (in fact are downright ugly) but do the same job...for free....
I've got my MII on a Kinetic Systems BenchMate, and my front end on the Vibraplane. I've also got a half sheet of Stillpoint ERS on the toroid.The transients are as noted, downright frightening, and the body of the notes themselves, full and rich, with a natural bloom, (and no harmonic distortion).
Now I just need some Remote Sense cables...
that you will like the sense-cables a lot better than what I think I am seeing connected to the Spectron. Is that Zip cord?
12 Ga CarolCo on suspendors to the Dunlavy SC-IVs.John Dunlavy used and recommended 12ga all the time, he was notorious for fooling people in high-end vs. cheap speaker cable comparisons.
a stranded cable. They are plated with a pure tin. The idea was that tin reduces the strand-to-strand interaction without the cost of lizt wire. Seems to work. After about a week they really seem to smooth out nicely, (they sound just fine new, but do get more relaxed over time).
Some cat in Singapore just bought my EVS DAC on eBay, so I get the sense I'll be ordering those Remote Sense cables sooner than I thought...
loves balanced! Seems to be even quieter and deeper in balanced.
"It's funny, my last gear was expensive and very pretty. My AVA stuff is very plain looking, but sounds better. Love it when that happens."
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I have had my T7 for about a year and use it driving a Fet-Valve EX and also my Welborne Moondogs. Very, Very nice pre-amp!When the gear I'm using sounds better, it becomes very pretty!
Cut-Throat
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