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BEST-EVER-sounding music system this WE

98.177.47.90
Posted on November 28, 2022 at 15:03:01
jeffreybehr
Audiophile

Posts: 5719
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Joined: December 10, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 13, 2004
 Every once in a while--maybe once per year, when the sun and the moon and all the other planets and stars...and my nasal congestion...and my hearingaids, etc., are aligned--I find that my music-reproduction system sounds better than ever.. This Saturday evening, it happened again, and I have to write that the system sounded better than it EVER has in about 65 years of being an audiofool.. The music was Edward Elgar's Organ Sonata, o. 28 (orchestrated by Gordon Jacobs), Richard Hickox conducting the BBC National O. of Wales, recorded by Chandos (in multichannel, of course) and released on SACD CHSA 5049.. BEST...EVER.

Frontend is still an Oppo '203 discplayer driving via HDMI my Marantz '8805 pre/pro. Mid-fi frontend? Maybe.. Backend is still the Serenity Super-7s with their humble AQ GO-4 speakercables.

Changes in my system from the last best-ever event? Surely the biggest difference is the return of my Atma-Sphere MA-1 v.3.1 poweramps but this time with a additional main-PS bypass caps and also after replacing a few slightly noisy output tubes.* Other changes are the inclusion of AudioQuest's best interconnects, Dragon balanced (XLRs).. These 3- and 5-meter singles are quite expensive, but now I know that they're worth every penny.

I've been experimenting with several SETs recently, but I'll be selling them soon.


* I use Russian Winged-C 6H13Cs and in the frontend a mix of Tung-Sol round-plate 6SN7GTs and BRIMAR curved-plate CV1988s.

 

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RE: BEST-EVER-sounding music system this WE, posted on November 29, 2022 at 10:16:50
acres verde
Audiophile

Posts: 723
Location: Big Easy
Joined: November 13, 2004
 Those VIVAs are absolutely no slouch but I assume you are preferring the Atmas.

 

Certainly of the 4 30-to-60-Watt SETs I tried..., posted on November 29, 2022 at 15:58:06
jeffreybehr
Audiophile

Posts: 5719
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Joined: December 10, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 13, 2004
 ...the Viva Auroras were the best sounding...highly resolving and gorgeously musical.. But I'm changing speakers to those with 86dB sensitivity, so 30 Watts simply won't work.

 

RE: Certainly of the 4 30-to-60-Watt SETs I tried..., posted on November 30, 2022 at 07:36:39
acres verde
Audiophile

Posts: 723
Location: Big Easy
Joined: November 13, 2004
 86 db into 8 or 4 ohms? So whatcha gettin'?

 

HHR TLS-2s, a Walsh-type full-range system., posted on November 30, 2022 at 11:53:10
jeffreybehr
Audiophile

Posts: 5719
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Joined: December 10, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 13, 2004
 See link.

 

RE: HHR TLS-2s, a Walsh-type full-range system., posted on November 30, 2022 at 12:41:37
Sibelius
Audiophile

Posts: 1368
Location: S.F. Bay Area
Joined: April 4, 2000
 What is it about these that makes them so difficult to drive? I see the mfg. recommends 400 watts! My little Avalons have roughly the same specs (87dB, 5Ω nominal) and I get plenty of volume with my 20 watt Linear Tube Audio ZOTL Ultralinear + integrated (I know, I know, not a real OTL, but that's what they call it) and even on my 8 watt Wavelength 300B amp. I don't listen above 90 dB peaks (and that's LOUD to me, even on Mahler) so I'm using not much more than 2 watts of my amps power. My speakers don't go nearly as low, so perhaps that's what those 400 watts are for. Or, I guess if you have a cavernous room and listen at live concert volumes. I can't do that even when the wife and daughters are out of the house.

Enjoy your new setup, I'm sure it will sound magnificent!

 

Don't know; maybe Dale listens at higher levels or..., posted on November 30, 2022 at 16:33:02
jeffreybehr
Audiophile

Posts: 5719
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Joined: December 10, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 13, 2004
 ...likes more dynamic punch than I do.

 

omni directional speakers always measure less than their real efficiency. , posted on December 1, 2022 at 14:17:32
Ralph
Manufacturer

Posts: 4774
Location: Minnesota
Joined: April 24, 2002
 This is because the microphone, place at one meter, simply does not pick up all the information leaving the speaker diaphragm.

It bounces around in the room though. Speakers like this need to have room from the wall behind them and the side so early reflections don't get interpreted has harshness.

In general once you are back a bit from the driver, they act as if they are about 5-6dB more efficient.

The concern I would have with them is that of any 'full range' driver, which is to say that they are never full range and Doppler Effect is well known to increase their distortion.

 

TY, Ralph.. We'll hear them next week in my musicroom. , posted on December 2, 2022 at 10:21:28
jeffreybehr
Audiophile

Posts: 5719
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Joined: December 10, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 13, 2004
 They'll be about 5' (1.65m.) away from the front and side walls, and I have delicious-sounding MA-1s (v.3.1) ready for them...and a pair of PS Audio M1200s for summer use.

 

RE: Certainly of the 4 30-to-60-Watt SETs I tried..., posted on December 6, 2022 at 03:31:25
cellailuca
Audiophile

Posts: 267
Location: Roma
Joined: January 27, 2021
 30 W is 14.7 dB more than 86 dB SPL/1W/1m.
In a normal listening room (15-30 square meters, medium wall absorbption) this means than you can easily get more than 95 dB SPL.
The comfort zone for 90% of listeners is 70-75dB SPL average, 85 dB SPL peak.
Above 80 dB SPL hearing is temporarily impaired.
You may desire more than 15 W just to boost bass in case your speaker cuts 6-10 dB below 80 Hz (which is a common problem).
After many years of listening I use a bass-high loudness circuit of my design or an equalizer to compensate for the ambient bass-high loss and I do not need more than 10-15 W.
I use both OTL and standard PP.




Omnes feriunt, ultima necat.

 

Here we are 3 days AFTER 'next week' and still no word..., posted on December 12, 2022 at 11:22:20
jeffreybehr
Audiophile

Posts: 5719
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Joined: December 10, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 13, 2004
 ...on where they are other than 'in Phoenix', which is a VERY large place.. Still waiting for the shipping Co. to return my call.

 

These several comments on speaker sensitivity, listening levels..., posted on December 12, 2022 at 11:25:20
jeffreybehr
Audiophile

Posts: 5719
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Joined: December 10, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 13, 2004
 ...power required, etc., is encouraging.. I definitely will try the 30-Watt Auroras with the TLS-2s.

 

RE: BEST-EVER-sounding music system this WE, posted on December 29, 2022 at 15:21:25
bk12
Audiophile

Posts: 77
Location: FL
Joined: October 21, 2004
 Jeffrey, glad you are still loving the MA-1s. I really do miss those amps, loved them!

 

This pair was YOURS?!?! (NT), posted on December 29, 2022 at 21:26:50
jeffreybehr
Audiophile

Posts: 5719
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Joined: December 10, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 13, 2004
 .

 

RE: Certainly of the 4 30-to-60-Watt SETs I tried..., posted on April 2, 2023 at 09:18:01
Retsel
Audiophile

Posts: 1239
Joined: April 17, 2000
 The amount of sound pressure capacity you need is a subject of differing opinions and significant debate. Most music is severely compressed so there is not a lot of need for headroom to reproduce the dynamics, although most would tend to play that music louder to make up for the poorer dynamics.

But really well recorded music can have 20 db or more of dynamic peaks which could be truncated if the amp is not capable of reproducing such peaks. If you want to reproduce the sound pressure in a symphony concert hall, you probably would want to be able to play at about 95 db for the crescendos plus additional headroom for dynamics. If you want to have the capability to reproduce a rock concert, then you probably would want to play even louder - over 100 db. This is why some design for 105, 110 or 115 db output (and some even more) to play music at actual event levels and to cover the dynamic peaks in the music. Of course, this may not be good for your hearing....

Retsel

 

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