Description

My objective is to duplicate the sound of a good jazz venue as best I can. I'll never match it but getting close is fine. I've had various audio components through the years and tubes particularly DHT tubes/ASSET have gotten me the closest.  So this is where I will settle down and appreciate.
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Components Toggle details

    • BPT Signature 3.5 plus
    Balanced AC power is fantastic !! 1800va balanced isolation transformer/conditioner.  All aspects of music reproduction are improved for every single component.
    • Tripoint Tripoint Troy.
    A wonderful grounding box component. When added to my system it increased the sense of natural sound quality and emotional engagement. The Troy has a humanistic and “soulful “ quality to it.
    • Coincident Speaker Tech Total eclipse 2
    This wonderful speaker is transparent,open and involving. It`s large yet completely disappears as the source of sound within the room. Very easy to drive,94db and 14 0hm impedance (Minimum 10 ohm). I replaced the stock Solens capacitor with the Duelund CAST in the crossover.
    • Coincident Statement linestage
    Superb performance. In my opinion , a masterpiece by Israel Blume. As would be expected, a wonderful match with its sibling the Frankenstein MK II.
    • Coincident Speaker Tech Frankenstein mark 2
    A terrific 300b SET amplifier that is the foundation of my system. The EML XLS 300b tubes are a superb match with this amplifier.  

    Acquiring these 300b SET mono blocks changed the course of my music listening experience. They elevated the emotional engagement, tactility and “breath of life “ realism.
    • Yamamoto YDA-01
    Wonderful music lover's DAC that has a very natural/organic sound quality. Duelund CAST addition(output coupling capacitors) makes it sound even better. It has a very minimalist circuit/design that was implemented well.
    • Ocellia Silver Reference IC
    Very natural and pure sounding with excellent tone and timbre preservation.
    • Ocellia Silver Reference Speaker Cable
    Same qualities/ comments as the IC.
    • Star Sound Technologies Sistrum Apprentice component platforms..
    These Star Sound platforms are mandatory in my system. Effectively managing resonance and vibration leads to a very noticeable sound improvement with every component and especially the speakers. Excellent product.
    • High Fidelity CT1 Ultimate Digital cable
    A highly impressive digital cable that mates beautifully into my system. Contributes to the natural sound presentation.
    • Pro-Ject Audio Systems CD Box RS2T
    This is a superb Redbook CD playback transport. It’s both high resolution and impressively natural.

    . I’m  using the  excellent Fidelizer Nikola II LPS. Splendid pairing.  
    • Lavricables Grand and Master series Power Cables.
    Pure silver wire and unshielded power cables. These are used with all of my audio components. They are very open, transparent, high resolution with beautiful natural tone and timbre presentation.
    • Abbas Esoteric Audio 3.2SE
    Built by renown Ukrainian Abbas Zulfugarov. NOS DAC utilizing the classic Phillips TDA 1541 multi bit chip. Two 6080 tubes in the analog stage. 5 various rectifier tubes in the power supplies.

     3 separate toroidal transformers (And 2 chokes ) for the power supplies.A very serious and successful upper tier DAC implementation. Using with the Abbas SPDIF and power cable.
    • Frankenstein tubes.
    Tube complement 
    EML XLS 300b output.
    RCA 5U4G rectifier (1953)
    RCA 6EM7 driver (1960s).

Comments 1956

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Also check that the bypass capacitors are properly soldered back in...no cold solder joints.

jetrexpro

Also are the resistors you put in at least 20watt rating? If not they could be burning up and that would be what you smell. Resistors should not smell unless they are getting too hot.

jetrexpro

Joe, perhaps they are not 1.2k restistors. Did you measure them before putting them in? Maybe they are a much lower resistance like 1.2 ohms? It's unlikely but is it possible that you have cold solder joints on both resistors? Perhaps the grid resistors on both channels became unconnected during the job? All of these would seem unlikely since the plates on both tubes are becoming red. The most likely thing I can think of is the resistors are the incorrect value.

jetrexpro

Rebbie great review of the Spatial M4's. Happy they are providing wonderful music. Open baffles are super cool since they are a relatively simple design and as you said in your review, the box around the speaker is gone. I tried it with my grandfather's University coaxial speakers and enjoyed the music they were making until my wife told me that "these huge pieces of ply wood need to go away now!"  Regards Jet.

jetrexpro

Charles you are welcome any time!

jetrexpro

Ditto Charles, glad to see your system details.

jetrexpro

Bill, I was thinking the same thing about your amp. It is sounding so good, its in the sweet spot -:) I wouldn't upset the apple cart by changing parts at this time.

Pretty soon I'll have something to say about the new AN Kaisei power supply caps, but so far every time I've got home from work this week the sound of these caps change and I have no idea how long the break in takes.

Regards to all of you SET guys and here's to a great weekend!

jetrexpro

Rebbi, AN speakers don't have to go in corners to sound good. Please hear them with your amp. As Charles said there are some great speakers as well, Coincident among them but there should be a special synergy with AN speakers.

jetrexpro

You have many great speakers to choose from. Audio Note Speakers would be the natural choice with an Audio Note amp. Not everyone likes AN speakers. To find the speakers you will love I would suggest taking your amp with you when you audition speakers. That is what I did and I have been a happy camper ever since. If you find speakers that are above your budget save for the speakers you love. don't compromise -jet

jetrexpro

If they'll have me I'm pitching my tent on that musical mountain top with Charles, Dan and Brett :) Jet

jetrexpro

Charles, Sounds like your amp likes the voltage drop of the GZ37's like mine does. I am not sure if it is purely the voltage drop that makes our amps sound more relaxed or it is the sound of the tube.
It depends on what music I am listening to. For Jazz I much prefer the relaxed groovy GZ37's. For Rock I can go either way and for classical I prefer the GZ34.

jetrexpro

I've got both CV378/GZ37 and 5AR4/GZ34. The GZ37 drops more voltage and my amp sounds more relaxed and groovy more the way real musicians feel when they play with better give and take and breath. The GZ34 makes my amp sound quicker and more dynamic.
Jet

jetrexpro

I didn't want to be left out so I stopped by the local record shop here in Park Slope called Music Matters hoping they might have Sarah Yaughan- Clifford Brown and sure enough they did. Picked it up and spinning it now. Hi Sarah and Clifford! thank you for stopping by and giving me a personal concert. Great sounding stuff on re issued vinyl.

jetrexpro

Hi Charles, I have PM'd you to get some more info on 300b tubes you have tried. Thanks in advance!

jetrexpro