[ekovalsky]

Severe attack of audiophile nervosa!  Just when everything sounds great I'm tearing up my system    I took some pics before the major upheaval.  

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=164

RM-40's are heading off to Tony D'Angelo this week in preparation for the RM-X.  PS Audio HCA-2 amps are loaners while I'm awaiting a replacement Classic 250, which will probably be sold upon arrival, perhaps to be replaced with a Jeff Rowland 302/4 if I can negotiate a fair deal on a new one.  The P1000 A/C regenerator may be sold for a BPT 3.5 Signature.  The Contours rack will be replaced either with a custom Billy Bags Pro stand or Townshend Seismic Sink stand.

the dCs stack is definitely a keeper!  the SF Line3 preamp may stay or go, depending on how the dCs Elgar Plus drives the new amplifier directly with its digital volume control.  If it stays it will probably take a trip to Chris Johnson of Parts Connexion for an update to SE+ status.

Also have 96 sq ft of 2" Respond wall panels and 4 x 6' Geometrix bass traps on the way from Acoustics First.


Note on the PS HCA-2 amps:

I received them earlier this week since there was no replacement C-250 available at the factory.  Out of the box a single unit did a rather poor job driving the RM-40's -- anemic bass, lean midrange, shrill treble.   A second amp and vertical biamping helped a lot.  Despite their efficiency the RM-40's definitely need a lot of power.  After running them continuously now for a few days these amps have dramatically improved and sound quite good, despite their low cost, cheap internal parts, and poor laboratory measurements.  A pair of these used can be had for just over $2k, and are a killer combo for the big VMPS ribbons.  I'm sure some modifications, like replacing the $0.09 coupling caps in the output section with Blackgates, would make them even better.[/url]

[zybar]

Eric,

I am sure you will be very happy with the new gear once it arrives.  

I should have my BPT 3.5 Sig in the next week or so.  I will let you know how that goes.  My guess is that it should superior to the P1000 (never thought the PS Audio power plants improved the sound in any system I heard it in).

Keep me posted on the room treatments...that might be my next thing after I get my 40's.

GW

[Housteau]

You have a very nice home.  I noticed that directly behind your listening position is the opening to the other room.  Do you close that off for listening?  I was just curious being lead to believe that while an open space in a wall between the speakers could be ideal, but not behind the listener.  Do you notice any ill effects from that opening?

Dave

[warnerwh]

Best wishes to you. Hope you have your new speakers by Christmas.  Don't know why you're having audiophile nervosa now.  I'd be getting it when I got the new speakers.  Haven't heard anything about how easy they are to set up!  And remember to do some stretching exercises before you decide to move them an inch one way or the other.  Looking forward to your impression of them.  Cheers

[John Casler]

OK I went to page two of your gallery and now I know why you are such a happy guy

I mean RM/x's on the way, a beautiful house, a beautiful wife, and a kid that would melt anyones heart, with eyes as big as Arizona!!!

Life doesn't get much better than that, noway, nohow!!

Can't wait to hear how you like the "speaks" and the tales of set up, and componentry.

[jgubman]

Are you going to also replace that scary glowing speaker wire?

Just kidding, looks like an awesome set-up, wish I could hear it. I just was droolling over a dCs stack this weekend at one of the local shops.

Good luck w/ the RM/Xs and whatever amps you end up with.

[ekovalsky]

Things are looking good, B tells me the cabinets are done    but weren't dry enough to pick up today.  He says they're "unbelievably gorgeous" so I'm really chomping at the bit to lay eyes (and ears) on them

Funny how the Acoustic Zen cables glow bright white with camera flash.  Under normal lighting they are very dull grey.  I may try their newer, phatter cable called Double Barrel   and also some skinny wire called Pursang from the Roomlens/Argent guy.  

I have largely followed John Dunlavy's advice on speaker setup, and it works quite well with the RM-40's.  Not surprising, since his speakers somewhat resembled the bigger VMPS models.  I'm expecting new challenges with the RM-X but room treatment products should help out.  

As for my room, I usually listen at night (once wife and baby are asleep) so the doors have to be closed.  I'm getting drapery panels on a rod to slide across the glass doors when closed.  Since I sit so close to the closed doors there is no time delay from the reflected sound compared to the direct sound.  With the doors open things are fine too, since the fireplace wall is about 25' away from my listening position (meaning sound has to travel 50 feet to reflect off the wall and back to me) and there is lots of furniture in between to diffuse.  The stack stone on the fireplace works pretty well as  a diffusor too!

I'm narrowing my amp choices to the Rowland 302/4 (new, $$$$), Linn Klimax solos (used but with warranty from Linn dealer $$$), and Bryston 14B SST (mint used $$).  All have low enough gain to be driven directly by the dCs Elgar Plus without needing too much digital attenuation.  Since the RM/x are so efficient most amps with 30db or more gain will need a preamp or passive volume control with the dCs.  The Rowland has the major advantage of passively biamping each speaker with just a single set of XLR inputs from the dCs.  A few old friends of mine, whose ears I trust, have heard its plain 302 sibling and say it is the BOMB.  One put his money where his mouth is -- he has a 302 on order and is getting rid of his monster Halcro sculpture/amplifier.

The Bryston is the value champ of the group, but I haven't been thrilled with their other amps in the past (midrange, soundstaging) and it will run hot.  The Linn and Rowland stay pretty cool even when driven hard.  The Linn amps are tiny and are known to mate well with the dCs.  

Ampzillas painted black (sans gold trek logo) are the obvious favorites around here, but their high sensitivity would require a preamp or passive volume control.   Always thought they ran hot too, but that may not be the case.

Yeah I'm a happy guy, at least when I'm not at work  

[jgubman]

Did you give any thought to a Boulder 1060 or two Clayton M-100s? How about the Pass Labs offerings?

Never heard or seen the Rowland, hopefully I'll get my chance in Jan. at CES! If your buddy traded in a Halcro on them, that's really saying something.

I got a chance to listen to the Boulder 1060 this weekend (hooked up to B&W 805 sigs...) and they were very impressive.

Sounds like any way you go, you're going to have the best system around! Glad to hear your RM-Xs are on the way. I'm really curious to see that walnut inlay. I was hoping to catch a sneak peak when I was picking up my RM-40s last week, but I guess Dorne still had them.

[ekovalsky]

Dorne's had them for just over four months now  

Clayton:  Supposed to be excellent.  But pure Class A so not for me in Arizona!

Pass:  Considered these but high gain (30db) would require preamp, which I'm trying to eliminate.  The x2.5 preamp is supposed to be great though, and it with a pair of X600's (used) would be less than the new Rowland 302/4 or used Linn Klimax Solos.

Edge:  Supposed to be great, but really want balanced inputs (best output on dCs)

Boulder:  rather send the baby to college !

[John Casler]

Ampzillas painted black (sans gold trek logo) are the obvious favorites around here, but their high sensitivity would require a preamp or passive volume control.

Actually the input sensitivity can be adjusted by request.

Here is what the Website states:

Input Impedance and Sensitivity
  1 volt R.M.S. across 50kohms for 200 watts into 8 ohms on the unbalanced input.
  (note: the impedance value can be adjusted to any value up to 1 megohm-consult the   factory)
  +/- 1 volt R.M.S. across +/- 70kohms for 200 watts into 8 ohms on the balanced input.