Maggie 3.7s vs 20.1s?

medium jim · « **Reply #180 on:** 24 Mar 2012, 03:48 pm »

Kevin:

I agree about the preamp thing....it would still be interesting to see what the difference was. When I first put my Bottlehead Foreplay into the system, I had to turn the gain up well past 2:00 and was worried a bit, but again, it was the choice of pots and that they have shunts, so they react more linear.

I love 'brick's tale of how he rigged his Crown System to blow fuses when he was away! I wish I did that in the day as my Girl Friend always fiddled with my system and I had to reset all the controls back, oh well...

Jim

thunderbrick · « **Reply #181 on:** 24 Mar 2012, 03:56 pm »

Thing of it is, I didn't do ANYTHING to make that happen! Unless, of course you consider testosterone a "room treatment."

Had I known what I had done I could have patented the process and listed it on A'Gon, with free shipping from Sweden.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #182 on:** 24 Mar 2012, 04:00 pm »

Was out late yesterday picking up the amps, and before I take my soccer moms on a photo field trip

, am sneaking in 45 minutes with Telarc's American Adagios, as recommended on another thread.

Edit: The 2:00 setting on the pre is higher than the 1.6s needed, but I have switched out an amp and speakers, so who knows? For that matter, who cares? It's just an observation, anyway.

Edit, Part Deux: The Telarc CD swings from intimate little chamber passages to sweeping moments of grandeur, depth, and warmth that make one's eyes pop out!

medium jim · « **Reply #183 on:** 24 Mar 2012, 06:04 pm »

Thanks....

thunderbrick · « **Reply #184 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 03:10 am »

Update: Listening to American Adagios, a disc I do NOT know well

, for several hours was very nice, but I couldn't help feeling the lower midrange was a bit muffled, distant, or sucked out. Something seemed missing so I engaged Warp 1 by hooking the Moscode up full range. A different sound, a little more airy so far, but so far not quite the bottom-end "wumph!" of the Parasound. Yet.

Noise floor on both is VERY low!

Further listening has the Moscode waaaaaaaaay out in front. Much more detail, air, separation of instruments, and a good, solid but not dominant bottom end. No suck out Parasound-style. Maybe not quite the depth of the Parasound, but I am still evaluating.

Another cut has the cello suh-weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

and a little more forward.

The next piece is even less sucked-out, nice balance.

Can't wait for the larger cuts, and the vocals on cut #9.

Stay tuned, campers!

mgard · « **Reply #185 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 03:16 am »

thunderbrick, I enjoyed looking at the pictures of your new Maggies and your room. You have much more space to dial in your sound than I do. Everytime I listen, I have to move furniture. I think your wife is going to be happy when you play some tunes for her. I agree with you on the stereo. NO TOUCHIE.....

~Mike

thunderbrick · « **Reply #186 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 04:07 am »

Crap! Just lost a bunch of comments when I hit the wrong button!

Short version, Moscode 300 hybrid destroys the Parasound. No mid-range suck out, hearing percussion details I missed with SS, but maybe not as much depth.

On a flute solo the SS amp seemed to clip. Symptoms were glaring harshness at higher volumes, amp seemed to be running out of gas, and crescendos sounded like someone cutting glass. On the Moscode there might have been a hint of harshness at just one point. Maybe.

Copland's Variations on a Shaker Melody was just sweeeeeeeeeeeeet! Light, lilting, soaring, whatever you want to call it.

Gershwin's Lullaby for Strings? Just right, but something else is going wrong. I am getting a strange clicking sound, like a rock stuck in a tire. Could the amp be having some heat issues? Hit the stop button and the sound goes away.

Start Barber's Agnus Dei (chorus) based on Adagio for Strings and clicking sound returned. Will give it a few minutes and return to "Play". Crap, tapping returns! Anyway, better delineation among voices, no suck out. Odd noise goes away for a few minutes, comes back, goes away...................now I am getting paranoid!
Is it me, or is it still there? Maybe a little clipping? Hard to tell. Will shut down amp after this cut.

Will play the same piece in the morning, then try a different CDP.

Tomorrow will be Telarc's Masters and Commanders CD, (which despite great reviews I have never been all that impressed with!) maybe some Dire Straits, and then it's on to VINYL!!!!!!!!!!!!

And then I'll start the bi-amping and maybe give the Moscode some help. First with the Parasound, and then the Hafler and BGW boat anchors.

G'nite, Gentle Readers!

berni · « **Reply #187 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 07:49 am »

How loud are you playing this tracks?
I had some similar issues with my old ss amp(2x270w 4ohm) when playing loud, even the protection went went on. Before that a harshness in sound and a bit forward sound like you also discribe.
The 20.1 just want it all to play right and to achieve that you need power on the bottom and a good sounding amp on the other end. So you must have a great amp, or a good combination when biamping. How far into the room are your speakers?

thunderbrick · « **Reply #188 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 01:29 pm »

According to my Rat Shack meter, under 60db with occasional peaks into the 60s. Not blasting or too loud to converse.

Will add a 2nd CDP today with the same disc and see what happens. In the past I've had some odd noises out of the 1st CDP, but not close to the same degree.

berni · « **Reply #189 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 01:39 pm »

60 db are you shure??? not more???

thunderbrick · « **Reply #190 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 01:57 pm »

I would have thought it was louder, myself, but that's what the meter indicated. That CD is pretty mellow music, nothing real pompous or dynamic.

The speakers are 6 1/2' from the back wall, and about 6' from the sides, maybe more.

berni · « **Reply #191 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 02:01 pm »

Ok, but peaks can go 10db or more above the music...
How far from the speakers are you sitting?

thunderbrick · « **Reply #192 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 02:08 pm »

Very true about those peaks, it's just that this particular CD doesn't have many peaks. Just long, slow, gentle passages for the most part.

I am sitting about 14 or 15 feet from the speakers, I have about 2' of wire protruding from the floor, so I have some flexibility in moving the speakers.

berni · « **Reply #193 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 03:20 pm »

If I can advise you, go more into the triangle with the speakers, as I can calculate you are further from them then they are apart...

thunderbrick · « **Reply #194 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 05:30 pm »

Yep, but if I spread them much wider they'll block my remote control from running the system!

I have switched from the Arcam CDP to a Marantz DVD/SACD/CDP to see if the noise goes away. So far so good!

After I play the Adagios again I'll toe the speakers in a bit, and consider relocation my audio rack.

Eventually I'll go to a bi-amp test, but just chillin' today!

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #195 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 05:56 pm »

Instead of spreading them apart, could you scoot the chair about 6' closer?
Just for grins.....

Bob

thunderbrick · « **Reply #196 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 06:16 pm »

Nah, this chair's been in the same spot for 10 years, and I'll probably be found dead in this spot! Besides, my wife hovers around constantly trying to rearrange the listening room.

Should she smell any weakness on my part, she'll POUNCE and take over, aside from the detached garage, the last bastion of testosterone in my (her) house.

The noise is gone, so it must be the CDP.

After another cut or two I'll start moving the speakers, which are about 10' apart.

berni · « **Reply #197 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 06:20 pm »

If so, you leave them apart as they are, just closer to you into the room.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #198 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 06:32 pm »

I will try that, Berni! Already looking at ways to tweak the set up.

Noise gone, and Marantz sounds very nice!

Master and Commander is next on the program!

Update: The 20s are now almost 12' apart and slightly toed in.

SPLs running right up to 90db, but doesn't seem that loud, even with the volume setting at barely 1 o'clock. Very smooth and easy to listen to.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #199 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 06:43 pm »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 25 Mar 2012, 06:32 pm

Master and Commander is next on the program!

Now you're talkin'.