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Music Reference/RAM Labs C-4 pre/amp

 My brand new Music Reference/Ram Labs C-4 pre/amp has been added to the following components in my system. 2 S.A.R. Labs LW-25 monoblocks (25wpc). The sources are an OPPO BDP 83 standard unmodified version (also a new addition to my system). My turntable is a vintage 1980's Merrill Heirloom, with periphery weight and Screw down clamp. It's fitted with an SME 3009 MK-III tone/arm. The tone/arm was still in the original box never opened. The cartridge is  a Grado Sonata. Connecting this to the C-4 is an Opera-Consonance MK-II phono pre with separate power supply, with built in M/C transformer. My loudspeakers are late 70's vintage Kenwood LS 770's. Cable products are as follows, DIY interconnect, Kimber cable 8TC speaker wire, and generic power cables. The one exception the OPPO which is connected by a bottom of the line ps audio cable. connected to a Hammond 900va isolation transformer.

I also own a Sony ES680 which I use as a transport to feed my Museatex Melior DCC (digital pre/amp) which still has to be integrated into the system.

     I must remind anyone reading this, that in the strictest sense of the word "audiophile" my system does not qualify as an audiophile system.
   
  That being said how is it possible?…that when I read a record review, I can hear on my sub $5000 system the exact issue the reviewer was, complaining about or for that matter, praising about that same recording. What it does though is take me to an alternate reality for awhile. For example losing 3 hours while using the following titles. I have an eclectic music collection covering from rock & pop to regae, blues jazz & some classical & opera.

The following selection was used in this "first listen" which the only source was the OPPO.

Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here" (SACD), James Taylor "Hourglass." (SACD).

Alison Krause "New Favorite" (SACD), Norah Jones "come away with me" (SACD).

Peter Gabriel Shakin' "The Tree" (SACD),  Mark Knopfler "Privateering" (redbook).

 I find that the Pink Floyd sacd version takes me back to when I first heard it on vinyl. My Redbook CD versions were lacking something. I have quite a collection Floyd which I hardly listen to anymore as they didn't sound good with my old system. With the new pre/amp added I'm going to have to re/listen, and where they sound thin replace them with sacd versions.

James Taylor "HourGlass" what a fantastic recording, I was never much of a James Taylor fan until I heard this sacd. Subtereanean bass on "GAIA." Even the songs I didn't much care for at first required a second listening after hearing the recording quality on this single layer sacd.

Alison Krause + Union Station "new favourite" I am absolutely floored by Gerry Douglas' virtuosity on the lap steel guitar "goosebumps" on the 1st track (let me touch you for awhile). Union Station has kindled an interest in bluegrass music which I never had before. These guys are BlueGrass Giants. The title song a classic. What can one say about Alison Krause's voice except spectacular.

Norah Jones "come away with me" Norah Jones seems to attract the best of the best when she records an album. Bill Frissel a fretboard genius is just one example of that quality. Such tasteful licks.

Peter Gabriel "Shakin the tree". To me this sacd is a mixed bag because it is a compilation
therefore some of the songs don't fit, there is no continuity in the production values, different studios, different producers. I have some other sacd's which were taken from pcm masters, I hope they sound better.

Mark Knopfler "Privateering" Here is the case of a redbook cd which in my system sounds "as good as," or if not as good as, "dam'n close" to the sacd's I listened to in this listening session. The pcm version was taken from a DSD master.l                               

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Post #2

As stated before the Music Reference/Ram Labs C-4 is a new addition to my system.
I discovered the C-4 through another thread in this circle about a modern tone control circuit ( A small survey on a tone control project from Roger ). I started that thread because of flaws I was unhappy with in my music system at that time. I am disappointed in the way the music industry keeps coming up with new recording formats so as to keep reselling us the same music over and over. Examples are DVD audio, sacd (which I happen to like). However some sacd's are pcm masters converted to sacd which really don't deliver on the promise of the sacd format. pcm format cd's mastered from dsd master tapes do sound good. As I noted in my last post regarding Peter Gabriel's "shakin the tree" (a pcm mastered sacd) and Mark Knopfler's (DSD mastered redbook cd) "privateering".

   Cutting to the chase I was after a modern approach to a simple tone control circuit which could ameliorate the the objectionable sound of some of the cd's in my collection so that I wouldn't have to replace my over 700 cd collection. The tone control Roger discussed in that thread was already present in the C-4 pre/amp. Therefore I bought one, I trusted in God & in Roger's word that I would be happy with my purchase. And I am very happy….I'm not sure if it's because of the vacuum tube factor or just a basic synergy between the C-4 and the S.A.R. Labs LW-25's (a simple 25 watt mosfet amp) or a combination of both factors, but "even without using" the bass & treble controls some poor sounding recordings in my collection have improved substantially. Prior to introducing the C-4 to my system I was using the Museatex DCC as a pre/amp. It has a digital volume control which could have been part of the problem I was experiencing with poor sound on some cd's. I would be remiss, in not including the fact that some of the synergy could very well be the OPPO BDP 83 as well. 

I have yet to introduce the Museatex & Sony Transport into the equation, as I have yet to hookup the analog source. So another report ……….soon.

[Roger A. Modjeski]

Music Reference/RAM Labs C-4 pre/amp

 I was using the Museatex DCC as a pre/amp. It has a digital volume control which could have been part of the problem I was experiencing with poor sound on some cd's.

Thanks for the nice comments on the C4 preamp. The comment about digital volume controls is well noted. Some digital volume controls suffer from bit resolution loss at lower levels. This must be studied carefully before selecting one. I am still a believer that a good resistive volume control going directly into the grid of a tube is an excellent way to do the job. There is absolutely no voltage or current on the wiper, no distortion no noise. This is how the C4 and all my preamps are done.

Although some digital is done very well, some is done very poorly as John Atkinson's measurements in Stereophile will show.