AudioCircle

Community => Regional Audiophiles => Carolina Audiophiles => Topic started by: richidoo on 28 May 2019, 01:12 pm

Title: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 28 May 2019, 01:12 pm
Come have some fun and meet new friends from AudioCircle at richidoo's house (Cary, NC) on Saturday, June 22nd, 2019, 1PM to 8PM

Please RSVP in this thread. Please indicate if you need directions, I will PM.

My System:
Legacy Focus SE speakers
ICEedge 1200AS2 amplifier
Auralic Vega DAC
SOtM sMS-200 or Allo USBridge
Curious Cables USB pigtail
JPS Labs ICs and SC
Black Sands Silver Reference 5 PCs
Sansui TU-717 tuna
WiFi with 50Mbit WAN
Roon w/Tidal HiFi, Sonos w/Spotify
Acoustic treatments always in flux
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 11 Jun 2019, 08:04 pm
T-11 bump
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: dflee on 12 Jun 2019, 12:55 am
Some day Rich. Some day.

Don
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 15 Jun 2019, 04:06 am
Next weekend!

Who's coming?
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: Rusty Jefferson on 15 Jun 2019, 07:27 pm
Dag! Folks down there must be busy in the summer.  :D
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 16 Jun 2019, 03:05 pm
A Happy Father's Day bump for the G2G next Saturday. Newbies very welcome, drop by and meet new friends.

I have been experimenting with bass treatment and speaker positioning. Speakers are on the short (fireplace) wall now with the biggest bass traps you have ever seen in the front corners. The SBIR seems to be finally defeated, at long last.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 19 Jun 2019, 12:44 pm
T-3 days

About 5-6 people coming so far
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 22 Jun 2019, 01:41 pm
Liftoff @ 1PM
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: dflee on 23 Jun 2019, 01:42 am
Report and pics or it didn't happen.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 23 Jun 2019, 03:40 am
Hey Don!
It was a small crew this time, but we had a great time. I got some good advice on acoustics and help positioning my speakers after I moved moved them to the short wall. My friend Sol Samet brought his latest I-60 amp, it blew away my ICEedge 1200AS2. I think I finally succeeded in convincing him to build me one. Good chili, good conversations. Someone brought a preamp to try, but it didn't make the cut. No pics unfortunately. Hope to see you at the next one!
Rich
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: jtwrace on 24 Jun 2019, 05:46 pm
Hey Don!
It was a small crew this time, but we had a great time. I got some good advice on acoustics and help positioning my speakers after I moved moved them to the short wall. My friend Sol Samet brought his latest I-60 amp, it blew away my ICEedge 1200AS2. I think I finally succeeded in convincing him to build me one. Good chili, good conversations. Someone brought a preamp to try, but it didn't make the cut. No pics unfortunately. Hope to see you at the next one!
Rich
Which pre?
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: nc42acc on 25 Jun 2019, 07:47 pm
This shitty opamp based piece of crap. Too bad you weren't there to get your ears ripped off.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: jtwrace on 25 Jun 2019, 11:12 pm
This shitty opamp based piece of crap. Too bad you weren't there to get your ears ripped off.
What was it?  I'm sure you all finally enjoyed the meet without me. 
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 26 Jun 2019, 02:09 am
I'm sure you all finally enjoyed the meet without me.

Wrong. We didn't know what to think without you telling us.  :P   You were missed, obviously.

Got your system dialed in yet?
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: jtwrace on 26 Jun 2019, 03:23 am
Wrong. We didn't know what to think without you telling us.  :P   You were missed, obviously.

Got your system dialed in yet?
For the most part but been really busy and haven't listened in a while.  I need to take care of some firmware beta testing I'm doing so that will happen very soon

 (https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=195950)
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 26 Jun 2019, 04:32 am
I know the feeling. That's my clue that my system ain't right. When it's right I crave listening, but it's rare.

Good luck on the testing.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: poseidonsvoice on 26 Jun 2019, 11:07 am
Rich,

Sorry to miss the GTG, been busy with the puppy and all...and Rich, I thought you had stuff dialed in with treatments, etc...? Any new measurements that have helped your cause?

Jason looks like he is enjoying life though, and that's important too!  :thumb:

Marty...what pre, more details puhleese... :icon_lol:

My DS is gone for multiple reasons, one of them is I suspect the support will be gone/discontinued in 2 years as soon as the TSS double decker shows up and also because PS Audio is going the way of the 'dodo bird' by not supporting Roon in their latest installment of the Bridge III card while trying to reinvent the wheel with their own 'Octave' software implementation.

Best,
Anand.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: nc42acc on 26 Jun 2019, 11:18 am
(http://i67.tinypic.com/e680h5.jpg)
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: poseidonsvoice on 26 Jun 2019, 11:27 am
Wow. So surprising. Beautiful piece though.

I guess you guys compared Vega direct and Vega + Hattor?

Should’ve thrown my silver TAPX into the mix! :wink:

Best,
Anand.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: nc42acc on 26 Jun 2019, 12:28 pm
Has a 1.25db tracking error from L to R channels. Probably not set correctly at time of build.  Also the opamps are suspect so I am going to try some alternatives. Sol said it measured really well other than that. 
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: poseidonsvoice on 26 Jun 2019, 01:12 pm
Has a 1.25db tracking error from L to R channels. Probably not set correctly at time of build.  Also the opamps are suspect so I am going to try some alternatives. Sol said it measured really well other than that.

A 1.25 dB tracking error is audible to you guys? Was it audible in your Von Schweikert setup?
In room L/R response deviations from loudspeakers are usually substantially greater than 1 dB.

Not that 1.25dB tracking errors in audio electronics (not speakers) is excusable. Perhaps the measured in room response of the Legacy’s plus the tracking error of the Hattor shifted the response too much to become audible. That I can believe.

Best,
Anand.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 26 Jun 2019, 01:53 pm
Rich, I thought you had stuff dialed in with treatments, etc...? Any new measurements that have helped your cause?

I can't see anything in the measurements that corresponds with the problems (I think) I hear.
Moving the system to the short wall and adding bass traps seemed to improve the (SBIR?) problem, but it caused other problems. The room always sounds much better without bass treatments, but the echo can be annoying sometimes. The room is pretty good for bass, but no room is perfect. Marty says I'm being too picky.  :lol:
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: dflee on 26 Jun 2019, 02:06 pm
Rich:
Nah, You picky. Who'd a thought.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: jtwrace on 26 Jun 2019, 02:38 pm
I can't see anything in the measurements that corresponds with the problems (I think) I hear.
Moving the system to the short wall and adding bass traps seemed to improve the (SBIR?) problem, but it caused other problems. The room always sounds much better without bass treatments, but the echo can be annoying sometimes. The room is pretty good for bass, but no room is perfect. Marty says I'm being too picky.  :lol:
Since you've never been happy with any system since I met you, I think it's deeper than "picky".   :P
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: nc42acc on 26 Jun 2019, 03:36 pm
No I didn't notice the imbalance. Since it uses dual potentiometers I can adjust one side and get it to match to .25db. It just didn't sound as good with the preamp in the chain vs running the Vega direct. I didn't do but a small sampling so it may be fine. Maybe Rich can tell us what he heard with it in the loop.


A 1.25 dB tracking error is audible to you guys? Was it audible in your Von Schweikert setup?
In room L/R response deviations from loudspeakers are usually substantially greater than 1 dB.

Not that 1.25dB tracking errors in audio electronics (not speakers) is excusable. Perhaps the measured in room response of the Legacy’s plus the tracking error of the Hattor shifted the response too much to become audible. That I can believe.

Best,
Anand.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 26 Jun 2019, 04:27 pm
Since you've never been happy with any system since I met you, I think it's deeper than "picky".   :P

Yeah, Marty is a true southern gentleman, he politely hints at the real truth.  :lol:
This is what happens to someone who hunts the "invisible elephant in the room" for too long.

As for the preamp, very few opamps deserve to be in a high end signal chain, and very few designers can make those few opamps reach their high potentials. Usually low THD is all they expect or require.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: Rick Craig on 26 Jun 2019, 04:53 pm
Sorry I couldn't make it - at the tail end of my vacation. I have a Benchmark AHB2 amp I wanted to demo.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: nc42acc on 26 Jun 2019, 05:21 pm
Yeah Rich I really tried to find that hidden elephant last Saturday to no avail......You are not too picky you just have a audible image you are trying to reproduce and nothing has hit the mark.


Yeah, Marty is a true southern gentleman, he politely hints at the real truth.  :lol:
This is what happens to someone who hunts the "invisible elephant in the room" for too long.

As for the preamp, very few opamps deserve to be in a high end signal chain, and very few designers can make those few opamps reach their high potentials. Usually low THD is all they expect or require.
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 26 Jun 2019, 05:54 pm
Sorry I couldn't make it - at the tail end of my vacation. I have a Benchmark AHB2 amp I wanted to demo.

Enjoy the last of your vacay!! See you next time Rick
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: poseidonsvoice on 26 Jun 2019, 06:40 pm
Yeah Rich I really tried to find that hidden elephant last Saturday to no avail......You are not too picky you just have a audible image you are trying to reproduce and nothing has hit the mark.

And only Rich knows the audible image he seeks! Till next time...I look forward to Rich’s worldwind audio adventures! To infinity and beyond!!

Best,
Anand.

Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: Scott L on 10 Aug 2019, 11:59 am
With respect to op-amp based pre-amps, them using op-amps does not automatically make them either good, or bad, from the start. I just re-acquired an op-amp based pre-amp that i used 40 years ago. It is really quite good. AGI 511a

I have also dabbled in *streaming* since I met you guys a few years back. I was able to acquire service to TIDAL, through the "art of the deal". I use a Blue-Sound OS. I realize it's no where near top-of-the-line, but it was a gift. I'm wondering if you guys consider streaming a viable alternate to hard-copy playback ?
Title: Re: G2G 6/22
Post by: richidoo on 10 Aug 2019, 09:31 pm
Hi Scott!
I think most in our group stream high-rez audio as the main source now. but a couple do still listen to CDs and hirez disks.

I have heard a lot of good things about the Blue-Sound.

You are right, some opamp ICs are worthy of the world's very best amplifier designs. And the same opamp can sound terrible when used in a way that does not reveal its true potential. It's all in the skill of the designer. The best amplifier I ever heard uses opamp input stage and the rest is discreet. Most budget audio components with typical opamp current and voltage amps fail to impress me, but they still play music and that's still far better than silence. I often listen to my Sonos analog outputs, they are very good, more than adequate to enjoy any kind of music. It's only when you compare it directly to a high end DAC that you can hear the benefit of discreet, balanced, high power output stage, etc.