TOUR of LDR3.V25 Passive Preamp with new V25 LDR preamp controller

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Randy

"I did have a few issues with the unit. If you have an appleTV like I do, you either have to change remote settings or unplug it like I did. The remote worked OK after that. It took me a little time and checking out the Tortuga website to figure out how to operate the controls. Once I got the hang of it, it seemed to work fine. I didn't delve to deeply. I just changed the volume and the switched inputs."

Are you kidding me (us)?

SFDude

Are you kidding me (us)?

I don't think so, since the Tortuga preamp uses an Apple Remote to control its functions. And anyone with an Apple TV will also have an Apple remote so that will be confusing for the units to figure out which device a remote is sending to it.

-dave

ssglx

I have two appletv's and a tortuga preamp. All of the remotes work independently with no confusion of signals between them.

WC

There are three different settings on the appleTV remotes so you can run multiple appleTVs in the same room. I would have changed it if the preamp wasn't just a visitor. The appleTV is a gen 2 version which is somewhat obsolete at this point and rarely used.

tortugaranger

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I also have an Apple TV (little black hockey puck) which uses the same silver apple remote model. Personally I keep my TV off when playing music so any potential conflict is made moot.

That said, each Apple remote has an ID number between 0 and 255 which can be easily changed. When you pair an apple remote with a Tortuga preamp you're teaching the preamp the ID number of the remote. The preamp ignores input from apple remotes with a different ID. The Apple TV responds in a very limited fashion to the Tortuga Apple remote because the Tortuga remote is not paired with the Apple TV.

There's a 1 in 256 chance that both remotes might have the same ID which can be changed in a given remote by holding down its Menu and Center buttons for 5 seconds.

Cheers,
Morten

Randy

I don't think so, since the Tortuga preamp uses an Apple Remote to control its functions. And anyone with an Apple TV will also have an Apple remote so that will be confusing for the units to figure out which device a remote is sending to it.

-dave

No idea what I was talking about. It was late.

tortugaranger

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No idea what I was talking about. It was late.


Glad I'm not the only one who does that.  :lol:

tortugaranger

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A quick update on the tour.
ozarktom is up next.

1) audiogurujax (FL)
2) WC (IL)
3) rklein (OH)

4) ozarktom (MO)
5) mlundy57 (OK)
6) srclose (OK)
7) mrvco (CO)
8 ) tubeburner (WA)
9) SFdude (WA)
10) mamba315 (CA)
11) SoundsGood (LA)

OzarkTom


tortugaranger

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The tour train continues it slow journey across county.
Next stop is mlundy57 in  Oklahoma.

1) audiogurujax (FL)
2) WC (IL)
3) rklein (OH)
4) ozarktom (MO)

5) mlundy57 (OK)
6) srclose (OK)
7) mrvco (CO)
8 ) tubeburner (WA)
9) SFdude (WA)
10) mamba315 (CA)
11) SoundsGood (LA)

mlundy57

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arcman67

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Hello, I'm really thinking of going Passive and the LDR3 looks like the perfect preamp. My goal is total noise free, black background. I just purchased a great deal (discontinued--stock still exists) on a new NuForce STA200 class a/b power amp. This amp blows me away on my system. Anyway, I am running ZU omen Defs (ii) which are quite sensitive (101db, plus super tweeter). I hear a slight hiss with sizzle noise (very faint) thru speakers. I took my Peachtree NOVA PRE out of the system and tried my Oppo direct to amp (switched volume to variable) and tried the Bluesound NODE 2 streamer direct (switched volume to variable) and everything was dead quite. On the Nova pre, I bypassed the "gimmicky" tube and the noise was still there. So it seems the noise is coming from the Peachtree. To be honest, the noise is so faint, i only hear up close. However, I know it's there now...so I might as well address as I continue to upgrade my system.

The Schiit Freya seems to have some noise issues as well for some users. Channel Islands preamp looks nice.

Just curious from Tortuga users, is the LDR3 dead quiet?


glynnw

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I think mine are 2. somethings and are DEAD quiet

kernelbob

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I have an LDRxB and an LDR1B in a biamped system (with the LDR1B ahead of the bass amp for level matching).  The Tortuga preamps are DEAD quiet.  This is as one would expect since there are no active devices in the signal path.  One important point that frequently does not get enough attention is that there are also no switches, potentiometers, or capacitors in the signal path.

It isn't that the Tortuga's do a "good enough" job, they sound better than any active preamp or attenuator that I've heard.  That includes transformer-based and resistor array attenuators, both of which use switches in the signal path.  Switches and potentiometers are evil.

Best,
Robert

kernelbob

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By the way, my Tortugas are both version 2, running off an Optima 12 volt 750 CCA marine battery.

Robert

arcman67

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Any issues with loss of dynamics,major out mismatches from input to input, etc that all the naysayers point to? The longest non speaker cable in my system is 1 foot.

arcman67

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This also turns me off from the FREYA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHMZlDsEeL8

glynnw

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Over the years I have tried many passive and active pre's, using a TVC before the Tortuga. The Tortuga immediately sounded more crystal clear. Drum strokes were better and metal guitar strings were REALLY metal. I noticed no loss of any kind, but when I added a tube buffer, very similar to the one Tortuga now sells, it did flesh out everything a bit.  But now no hum at any time, any volume.  I also use a tube amp and it is still dead silent.  I have been thinking the last few days about how I now sense no stridency at all.  I highly recommend the Tortuga, and no, Morten doesn't bribe me or give me a discount to say these things.

kernelbob

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Hi arcman67,

Dynamics is where my Tortugas excel.  When I finally decided to audition one, I expected to hear the same limitations that I had heard in other passives, both switched resistor arrays and transformer units.  With the Tortuga, I was amazed that it had an even better sense of dynamics than the active preamp that I was using at the time (an ARC REF3).

Other qualities:
1) very black backgrounds resulting from an absence of active devices
2) outstanding timbre of instruments as well as a sense of solidity of instruments
3) increase in L/R soundstage
4) deep soundstage with excellent positioning of instruments

Can you clarify what you mean by "major out mismatches from input to input".  Since each source device will have it's own set of attributes (output level, output impedance, etc.) the output level of that device will vary.  Assuming that there are differences between final system output from different sources, why would that matter?  Sound to me like grasping at straws to find some reason to throw stones at the Tortuga.

Everyone that I know who has tried one has reported similar results to mine.

Best,
Robert

tortugaranger

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This also turns me off from the FREYA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHMZlDsEeL8

The volume stepping with all Tortuga LDR preamps is very smooth and quiet. Our most recent V25 controller has 99 steps + mute over a -60 to 0 dB range at ~0.5 dB per step. Even though the steps are discrete there's actually no discrete switching (no relays etc) going on as volume goes up/down. The step adjustments are done through small scheduled changes in the control voltage to each LDR. These analog control voltages come from DACs controlled by the processor. Unlike DACs used in music playback, the DACs used on our controller are not required to have wide dynamic bandwidth and instead provide essentially steady state voltage output except for small changes when volume is changed.