[Nuance]

 
If you can, hold on to the PS Audio DL III for another 30 days so we can hear about your perceptions after that period of time.
 
Steve

Too late!    It's been in my system for about a week now, and he isn't getting it back.  HAHA!

Great post, Terry.  I've been fortunate enough to go along with you on most of your journey, and I am sincerely happy you've reached the end.  It was fun, but I bet you're glad it's over.  Too cool.   

[TJHUB]

Terry,
 
While it is true that each person may hear frequencies and tones differently, the characteristics of music playback that you are looking for seems to be a description of what we all are looking for.
 
Tube rolling may be less of which brand and model of tubes in general sound good to our ears, but more of which tube has near perfect synergy to the circuitry of a particular model component.
 
If you can, hold on to the PS Audio DL III for another 30 days so we can hear about your perceptions after that period of time.
 
Steve

As Nuance posted, he already has my PS Audio DAC.  To be honest, I'm happy the DAC isn't still in my possession.  Switching back and forth between the two DACs was just proving that they sound different.  Both DACs have positives and negatives.  I was looking for what the Music Hall gives me and I suspected that Nuance would prefer the sound of the PS Audio. 

I knew Nuance would appreciate the sound of my Music Hall DAC when he last visited, but I also knew it wouldn't be what he wanted.  I do however feel the Music Hall with the Mazda tube would be much closer.

It was very difficult to intellectually chose which DAC was "better" for me.  What I told Nuance was that I tended to listen to the Music Hall over the PS Audio.  I guess that means that's the one I preferred, but I knew it wasn't everything that I wanted.  It wasn't until the addition of the Mazda tube that things really came into focus and I feel like the DAC has become what I am looking for.  Comparing it to the PS Audio now just wouldn't prove anything more than the two DACs sound different.  If I were to compare the two DACs again, am very confident that I would chose the Music Hall a second time.

 

[carusoracer]

Sounds like it has been a long but fun journey to find the right sound.
Your statement about knowing what your tastes are and then being able to articulate that to a knowledgeable Vendor is spot on.
I can also attest that you have it exactly what describes the Mazda sound, although some vintages are better than others. It also sounds like you would like some of the more expensive Telefunkens.
Nice post.

[TJHUB]

Sounds like it has been a long but fun journey to find the right sound.
Your statement about knowing what your tastes are and then being able to articulate that to a knowledgeable Vendor is spot on.
I can also attest that you have it exactly what describes the Mazda sound, although some vintages are better than others. It also sounds like you would like some of the more expensive Telefunkens.
Nice post.

Thank you sir.  My venture into tubes turned out good, but I was very concerned at times that I made a mistake.  I really started to worry that I wouldn't find the right tube for me.  Luckily I did, and I don't feel like I had to settle for a certain sound.  I got what I wanted in the end. 

For the record, I did try a Telefunken tube.  Actually it was the first one I tried.  It was TERRIBLE!  It sounded VERY dark.  The bass was thick, the midrange sounded recessed and hollow, and the highs were just dead.  I was told by another Telefunken tube owner that his started out the same way, but got much better when broke in.  I've heard every NOS tube I've listened to change during break in, but I do not believe that the Telefunken tube I had would have turned into what I wanted.  Maybe I just had a bad one?  I don't know.

[OgOgilby]

Too late!    It's been in my system for about a week now, and he isn't getting it back.  HAHA!

Have you considered the Cullen Circuits Level-3 or Level-4 modifications for your PS Audio DAC III (mentioned in the first post)?

Review here: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/psaudio6/cullen.html

[Nuance]

^ Nope.  I like how it currently sounds, plus I have no money, so...

[Houston1]

First of all, let me tell you that all of you guys are awesome.  It is nice to visit a forum where everyone is so respectful of one another.

I originally learned about Salk speakers by Nuance's speaker search.  I have also been following TJHUB's post concerning tube DAC's.

I am a new audiophile and this is my first post to the salk forums.  I am currently saving my $$ for a pair of salk speakers as I am rebuilding (and upgrading) my audio system.  I am curious if the tube-DAC/solid state amp combo would give you similar results with "fools" bi-amping a tube amp for the mid/upper range and using a solid state amp for the low end.  Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated 

[Nuance]

That's an interesting idea, something that TJHUB has experimented with, but using different speaker cables instead of tubes and SS gear.  I'll let him explain better.

Welcome to the forums, Houston1!

[TJHUB]

That's an interesting idea, something that TJHUB has experimented with, but using different speaker cables instead of tubes and SS gear.  I'll let him explain better.

Welcome to the forums, Houston1!

My success with a "hybrid" speaker cable is my own private business Nuance.  As a non-believer in cables sounding different, I'd expect you to not throw this information around willy-nilly.     

 

[Nuance]

That's an interesting idea, something that TJHUB has experimented with, but using different speaker cables instead of tubes and SS gear.  I'll let him explain better.

Welcome to the forums, Houston1!

My success with a "hybrid" speaker cable is my own private business Nuance.  As a non-believer in cables sounding different, I'd expect you to not throw this information around willy-nilly.     

 

Its so hard to tell when you're joking or serious on a forum. 

Come on - the man wants to get a feel for how things will work out.  Help a brother out. 

[Rocket]

Hi,

I haven't read your whole thread but I'm wondering what level of quality parasound preamps and amplifiers are in your system?

I have a pair of ht2's (non tl) and they are a very good speaker.  I find that every time I either purchase a really good cd or perhaps a component change they really rise to the occasion.  Its pretty easy to hear any differences.

I currently have 2 dacs i.e. bel canto dac 2 and perpetual technologies p3a (modwright level 2) and to be honest the differences are fairly minor.  My advice would be to listen to a number of different components in your system to ascertain which component will give you they best bang for buck.

Btw I think that the salk speakers are that good I've spent about $5500US on a new amplifier that I'm importing to Australia.

I hope you go well with your search and take my comments for what they are intended as friendly advice  .

Regards

Rod

[TJHUB]

That's an interesting idea, something that TJHUB has experimented with, but using different speaker cables instead of tubes and SS gear.  I'll let him explain better.

Welcome to the forums, Houston1!

My success with a "hybrid" speaker cable is my own private business Nuance.  As a non-believer in cables sounding different, I'd expect you to not throw this information around willy-nilly.     

 

Its so hard to tell when you're joking or serious on a forum. 

Come on - the man wants to get a feel for how things will work out.  Help a brother out. 

I don't mean to sound too serious.    I don't like discussing cables because there are far too many know-it-alls out there that will tell you cables don't sound different.  I know they do, and I'm tired of all the close minded people out there.  So no, I won't share my hybrid speaker cable story outside of the WAC; and even that's difficult. 

[TJHUB]

Hi,

I haven't read your whole thread but I'm wondering what level of quality parasound preamps and amplifiers are in your system?

I have a pair of ht2's (non tl) and they are a very good speaker.  I find that every time I either purchase a really good cd or perhaps a component change they really rise to the occasion.  Its pretty easy to hear any differences.

I currently have 2 dacs i.e. bel canto dac 2 and perpetual technologies p3a (modwright level 2) and to be honest the differences are fairly minor.  My advice would be to listen to a number of different components in your system to ascertain which component will give you they best bang for buck.

Btw I think that the salk speakers are that good I've spent about $5500US on a new amplifier that I'm importing to Australia.

I hope you go well with your search and take my comments for what they are intended as friendly advice  .

Regards

Rod

Rod,

I think my Parasound gear sounds great.  I haven't been able to detect any coloration or issues with the preamp or amp.  Are there better?  Certainly.  Can I fault them in any way?  Not yet.  I find the pair transparent and true the the source.  I've done little testing to prove anything to myself, but I can tell you the pair sounds "better" than anything I've owned to date. 

I completely agree that my Salk HT2-TLs make it very easy to discern the slightest change in sound from any piece of gear I've listened to.  I have yet to change anything in my setup without hearing a difference; no matter how small the change. 

If you haven't read the thread, then you may not know I have found what I'm looking for and I'm currently VERY satisfied with my setup.  It is by far the closest I've ever been to the sound I had in mind that I wanted to achieve.  I have a very strong feeling there could only worse instead of better if I change anything.  That's what I believe anyway. 

As far as DACs go, I have found no two that sound alike and the differences are much bigger than I would have ever expected.  Nuance is welcome to comment here as he has heard every DAC I've tried.  The PS Audio DLIII and the Music Hall are bar FAR the best DACs I've listened to.  I get a very strong connection to both of them. 

The funny thing is, since I'm new to tubes, I thought I'd try a tube damper from Herbie.  I put the thing on the other day and the change is surprisingly bad.  I'm still trying to figure out if I crazy or not, but I think the tube damper has to go.  I'll get this all figured out by Saturday afternoon.

 

[Rocket]

Hi,

Glad to hear that you have find a replacement that you like.  Jim's speakers certainly do reveal any issues further up the chain and poor quality recordings don't sound that good on these speakers but every now and again I come across a gem of a recording and it sounds great on my system.

Interestingly enough I've just removed my tube preamp from my system and I'm currently using a bel canto pre1 that I really like at the moment.

Best wishes

Rod

[TJHUB]

Hi,

Glad to hear that you have find a replacement that you like.  Jim's speakers certainly do reveal any issues further up the chain and poor quality recordings don't sound that good on these speakers but every now and again I come across a gem of a recording and it sounds great on my system.

Interestingly enough I've just removed my tube preamp from my system and I'm currently using a bel canto pre1 that I really like at the moment.

Best wishes

Rod

One comment I'd like to make is that I often read statements like "poor quality recordings don't sound that good on these speakers", but disagree.  I find my HT2-TLs very forgiving to most material.  I can listen to music on the Salk's that I hated on my previous B&W 800 series speakers.  This may have something to do with the fact that I have painstakingly took a tremendous amount of time tweaking everything into perfection.  My speaker placement, listening position, subwoofer, and audio gear have all come together to deliver the sound I was looking for and the best in-room frequency response I've ever had. 

Nuance and I have listened to very wide variety of music on my setup.  I think he would quickly agree that we both find the Salk's more forgiving than anything.  Also, the only reason I purchase Salk speakers was after hearing Nuance's ST RTs.  We listened to a lot of different stuff that night too, and I remember thinking that his Salk's were very forgiving as well.  Nuance?

[Cavafy]

 : Nice to meet you again TJHUB. I replied to your query on another blog asking if there were any more users of MH DAC 25.2 out there. Then the thread was sabotaged.

Just an update: I have been using a NOS Siemens Cca tube in place of the Mullard in my MH DAC and it does souind terrific. Even some CDs that I had given up as a lost cause now sound quite acceptable. My 'litmus test' for a DAC (or a CD player) is to listen to chamber music through it. I have CDs and SACDs of quite a few of the standard works  and have been ignoring them for years because I couldn't bear the shrill ness and edginess of the sound. I wasn't sure what the culprit was, but now I'm pretty sure that it was mainly the old DAC that I was using before getting the MH. Mind you ! thatb DAC was consderably betterthan just using the DAC in my SONY  XA777 or whatever. As I said inthe now dead thread, I am now looking suspiciously at my Polk LSi 15 speakers.

I also hear that there will soon be an upgrade for my Nuforce Amps to V3. They are currently V1 so I hope that I can leapfrog over V2.

I'm also tempted by a new 6922 tube, but I'll let someone else try it out first because it's expensive. Any one curious about this tube can find details at: http://www.kosmic.us/crl-gold-interconnect.html

            Cavafy

[TJHUB]

: Nice to meet you again TJHUB. I replied to your query on another blog asking if there were any more users of MH DAC 25.2 out there. Then the thread was sabotaged.

Just an update: I have been using a NOS Siemens Cca tube in place of the Mullard in my MH DAC and it does souind terrific. Even some CDs that I had given up as a lost cause now sound quite acceptable. My 'litmus test' for a DAC (or a CD player) is to listen to chamber music through it. I have CDs and SACDs of quite a few of the standard works  and have been ignoring them for years because I couldn't bear the shrill ness and edginess of the sound. I wasn't sure what the culprit was, but now I'm pretty sure that it was mainly the old DAC that I was using before getting the MH. Mind you ! thatb DAC was consderably betterthan just using the DAC in my SONY  XA777 or whatever. As I said inthe now dead thread, I am now looking suspiciously at my Polk LSi 15 speakers.

I also hear that there will soon be an upgrade for my Nuforce Amps to V3. They are currently V1 so I hope that I can leapfrog over V2.

I'm also tempted by a new 6922 tube, but I'll let someone else try it out first because it's expensive. Any one curious about this tube can find details at: http://www.kosmic.us/crl-gold-interconnect.html

            Cavafy

Ha!  I'm glad you found me again.   I sent you a private message on AVS regarding the whole situation.  Sorry I let that guy get to me, but he is a destroyer of threads and a complete jerk.  I tried to shut him down before he started his typical crap, but of course he wouldn't go away.  I was not about to give him the satisfaction of getting any responses from me.  If I ever met that guy in person...

Anyway... Now I can thank you for the tip on Brent Jessee.  By your recommendation, I decided to give him a call, and I'm really happy that I did.  Good guy, very knowledgeable, and great tube purchasing policy.  He steered me toward my Mazda tube and I couldn't be happier.

I think your Siemems tube probably sounds very similar to my Mazda.  It was one of the tubes Brent recommended to me.  He just thought the Mazda fit the description of sound I wanted. 

I'll check out that tube you mention, but I've decided it's time I just start listening instead of upgrading.  We'll see how that goes for me... 

You may find these two threads interesting regarding some of my experimenting with the Music Hall DAC:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=72341.0

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=72475.0

 

[Cavafy]

Well, I'm glad that I strayed onto this thread because  I now know what my next speakers are going to be, even if I have to wait 3 months for Jim Salk to build them. I have been wanting to move up from my Polks for some time now but I was finding it very difficult to decide between several (too) expensive options.

It seems to me that, once you have a chain of fairly decent equipment - not big-bucks but well above Circuit City - then the next upgrade should be to very good speakers otherwise you won't really be able to hear the difference that upgrading some other component really makes. Reading this forum it seems that the Salks really are something special; I reckon that 3 months is about the time I need to save for the HT3s anyway.

[TJHUB]

Well, I'm glad that I strayed onto this thread because  I now know what my next speakers are going to be, even if I have to wait 3 months for Jim Salk to build them. I have been wanting to move up from my Polks for some time now but I was finding it very difficult to decide between several (too) expensive options.

It seems to me that, once you have a chain of fairly decent equipment - not big-bucks but well above Circuit City - then the next upgrade should be to very good speakers otherwise you won't really be able to hear the difference that upgrading some other component really makes. Reading this forum it seems that the Salks really are something special; I reckon that 3 months is about the time I need to save for the HT3s anyway.

Other than hearing Salk speakers for yourself, you have no idea what you're in for.  I have heard nothing that sounds like they do.  You are really in for something special if you get the HT3s.

[audiocrazy]

Well, I'm glad that I strayed onto this thread because  I now know what my next speakers are going to be, even if I have to wait 3 months for Jim Salk to build them. I have been wanting to move up from my Polks for some time now but I was finding it very difficult to decide between several (too) expensive options.

It seems to me that, once you have a chain of fairly decent equipment - not big-bucks but well above Circuit City - then the next upgrade should be to very good speakers otherwise you won't really be able to hear the difference that upgrading some other component really makes. Reading this forum it seems that the Salks really are something special; I reckon that 3 months is about the time I need to save for the HT3s anyway.

I upgraded from Polk Lsi series(LSi15, LSiC, LsiFX) to all around Song Series speakers and I'm very pleased.
I had the same issue with LSi15 sounding little bright even with my Cary Audio V12 Tube Amp. But with SongTowers the music is so much better than my exceptation.
I think the wait is worth it.
Hope it helps.