Valhalla - GK1

Malcolm Fear · « **on:** 17 Jul 2003, 11:24 am »

Let's put all improvements to GK-1 here.
Using the Linn philosophy, first there was Nirvana, then Valhalla.

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Jul 2003, 11:34 am »

I built a GK-1. Bloody fantastic.
I tried Auricaps at C1, C19 and C21.
I thought that this sounded much better.
This is the GK-1 I took to the AKSAfest. Larry did an A/B test with his standard GK-1 against my Auricap modded GK-1.
I preferred my GK-1 against Larry's.
Interesting to note that Larry has since modded his GK-1 to include Auricaps at the same points.
Definitely worthy of a "Valhalla" badge.

Seano · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Jul 2003, 11:22 pm »

Malcolm, I know you are well meaning but.........unless I have my mythology screwed on backwards......

Nirvana is paradise,

Valhalla is death after glory.

Now glory is all well and good but if death follows then where is the fun in that!!!

I think I'll stick with Nirvana at this stage if it's all the same to you. Unless of course you can come up with something better than Paradise.

How about Adelaide?

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 Jul 2003, 11:48 pm »

I recollect there were discussions with the name when Linn Sondeck went from Nirvana to Valhalla.
I thought it cute that Hugh used "Nirvana".
I was being cheeky in suggesting Valhalla.

AKSA · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Jul 2003, 12:49 am »

Seano, Mal,

I do like your impish suggestions....

I had originally considered two levels of improvement almost two years back.

The first was enlightenment, the second, Nirvana.

It might still be possible to call the first tier Nirvana and the ultimate something else. Like you, Sean, I have reservations about Valhalla. It takes what is mostly a theological (almost Buddhist) concept

and then shifts the philosophy towards soldier/glory, the macho Viking image of death in battle.

Not sure this is where I want to go. I am concerned about the litigious aspects of building my products, listening carefully, then entering heaven in glory. I feel that while subjectively vain-glorious, there are some unnecessary complications, and I feel some obligation to preserve the mortal coil whilst enjoying the world of AKSAs.

So, how about Karma, then Nirvana? Or Enlightenment, then Nirvana?

Cheers,

Hugh

Raj · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Jul 2003, 05:06 pm »

Hi

How about ?

1) basic stage = Initiation
2) stage 2 = Savikalpa
3) stage 3 = Nirvana

Or

Stage

1) Initiation
2) Nirvana
3) Sahaja

Savikalpa is the stage just before Niravan (nirvikalpa), the highest state obtainable is Sahaja Smadhi - higher than Nirvana............

http://www.srichinmoy.org/html/library/questions_answers/samadhi_qa.htm

There has to be initiation - all transcendental practices demand it, without a preceptor there can be no learning..............

Thanks
Raja

SamL · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Jul 2003, 09:43 pm »

What about this..

1. GK1
2. GK1 - N (Nirvana)
3. GK1 - D (Divine)

Grumpy_Git · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Jul 2003, 09:52 pm »

samL

Your proposal would interrupt to much with the heavily discussed and finalised designations for the three ranges of GK-1. The GK-1EL, GK-1M, and GK-1R. I prefer the full name for the upgrades, it provides a nice bit of life to the products after the very reserved and mechanical coding system.
Nick

PS: Anyway, we dont count it is in the end all up to Hugh!

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AKSA · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Jul 2003, 11:26 pm »

Ah, Nick,

'the very reserved and mechanical naming system'.

Hmmm. I do agree with that. But what do you expect from an Anglo with a genuine pommy grandmother whose Aussie husband was trained as a Doctor in London, whose other grandparents were country squires here in Australia, and who was sent to the Aussie equivalent of the British Public Boarding School?

Bloody hell, you should hear me speak, you'd almost think I was a Pom myself! And my mother, who also speaks French bless her socks, caused great confusion when she last visited the UK because no-one could place her county - but they all KNEW she came from the British Isles!

I'm half ashamed to reveal all this, because in the UK I'm classed as an alien according to the Immigration Act of 1968.

Maybe I should call these products Foreplay, Sex, and Afterglow (I love Dan Schmalle's approach, very droll...)

Mick Maloney calls his products after wines; Syrah, Cortese, Grange, Merlot, etc. Very swish.

Give me your ideas, you know I'll listen?!

Cheers,

Hugh

cmscott6 · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Aug 2003, 01:01 pm »

Thanks for the recommendation, Malcolm. I just tried the Auricaps. Oh my, oh my. Seemed to add more depth to the already great image of the GK-1. For whatever reason drums, which sounded great, now just sound fantastic - completely three-dimensional, especially cymbals and hi-hats.

Also, the bass was fuller and more pronounced. (This is good in my system

) I was surprised at that, as some have hinted that the Auricaps tend to attenuate the bass a bit.

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Aug 2003, 10:19 pm »

I'm glad you like the Auricaps. I put them into my system without telling my wife (best sounding board ever). She listened to Leonard Cohen (10 New Songs, track 7, Alexandra Leaving), and started crying. She found a whole lot more emotion with Auricaps.

I have also removed two sets of RCA sockets, by soldering flying lead interconnects directly to the circuit board for "cd in" and "pre out". We can hear an improvement.

I am in the process of inserting Black Gates electrolytic caps and Riken Ohm resistors. I will report back.

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 Aug 2003, 08:34 am »

I have started putting in Riken Ohm resistors and a Black Gate capacitor (C4) into the GK-1.
I started by putting in the Riken Ohms in the signal path. I found the sound more mellow (a good thing).
I then put in some more Riken Ohms at other points (on Hughs advice) and the Black Gate.
Initial reaction is "Who turned up the sub-woofer". A much better bass. I have also read other peoples comments of "the sound is now coming out of a black background". I now understand.
Makes me think I should put Black Gates elsewhere.

blizzard · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 Aug 2003, 11:27 am »

Hi Malcom,
1. Specifically, which resistors did you replace with Riken Ohms?
2. Did you use a Standard Black Gate for C4?

Thanks,
Steve

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 Aug 2003, 08:59 pm »

Hi Blizzard

Resistors
R11, R22, R9, R5, R26A, R26B

Capacitor
Black Gate Electrolytics 25V PK

DSK · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 Aug 2003, 12:50 am »

Hi Malcolm,
I've had BG's and Rikenohms (or Kiwames) in the back of my mind for some time, your results seem very encouraging. Many suggest BG's take 200-300 hours to really open up and strut their stuff, so your GK-1 is likely to get even better yet. I've seen the occasional comment that PK's aren't that great so, given the space constraints on the GK-1 board, I'm glad to hear they made a definite improvement in the GK-1.

One question re the Rikenohms making the sound "more mellow". Have they dulled the leading edges of transients at all (losing that bite we hear at the live performance) or made the sound euphonically lush and soft ? I know some people prefer this romanticised sound (lovers of old style tube amps) but I prefer transparency over lushness.

Thanks for sharing your tweaking results and please let us know your impressions as the parts burn in further.

Cheers,
Darren.

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 Aug 2003, 01:22 am »

Hi Darren
I don't feel I have lost anything in the leading edge of notes. It justs seems a little sweeter overall. It will be informative to try the GK-1 at a friends place, who owns Ambience ribbons. I use 6 inch full range Diatones (plus an active sub woofer). Some could say that I don't have a leading edge to begin with, so I wouldn't know if I lost it!!

DSK · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 Aug 2003, 02:27 am »

Malcolm,
Funny you should mention Ambiences (unless you knew ?) ...I have the Ultra 1600's with rebuilt Hovland crossovers. They are extremely transparent, with a huge and airy soundstage, and wonderful imaging. They have no harshness at all and readily reveal new tweaks. Matched with less than high end gear they can sound a little mechanical or harsh (eg. so so solid state gear) as they don't hide anything. Straight out of the box they are terrible. However, burned in and matched with top class gear, they come closer to the live performance than any speaker I have heard. Detail and delicacy from the mids on up are stunning and world class. The presentation has a wonderful ethereal quality. My new room is reasonably large and I had felt the bass was a little weak. Last week I finally pulled out the SPL meter and CD of test tones and spent hours playing with speaker positioning. Hugh knows my system pretty well and had felt the same about the bass. He dropped in this week and before anyone had said a word, he exclaimed "My God, what bass!". If the room is wide enough, the Ambiences are best with no toe-in. I have them about 4.5' off front wall, 5' off side walls and 9' apart. If your friend doesn't already have the Hovland crossovers, they are very worthwhile.
Sorry about the rant, but the Ambiences (like the AKSAs) are relatively unknown and underestimated in their home country, and I hate to see fellow audiophiles spending huge sums on gear that does not reach their performance level.

Sounds like time to tweak my GK-1 again, where did you buy your BG's & Rikens ?

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #17 on:** 22 Aug 2003, 02:57 am »

Go to "Two Channel Audio". Someone is asking about Ambience.

I don't think my friend (Vic) has modded his Ambience. He used to drive them with Audio Research Classic 60 (Hovlanised). He replaced that with an AKSA 55. We're in the process of modding his AKSA 55. He currently has an Audio Research SP-9 (Hovlanised). He is in the process of moving to a GK-1.
I like the Ambience a lot.

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 Aug 2003, 03:00 am »

Hi Darren
Parts Connection has a good price on Black Gates and Riken Ohms.

Larry · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 Aug 2003, 10:04 am »

Hi, Darren,

Did you happen to have listened to VAF DC-X ? I'd like to hear your comments on it, strong and weak areas of DC-X, with comparisons to Ambiences.