So Cal Listening Session

Mad DOg · « **on:** 2 Aug 2004, 05:06 am »

Ok everyone...

I've decided to set a late August or early Sept date for a listening session! I'm open to suggestions as far as dates are concerned...Based on what works for the majority of the folks, I'll go with that date...Please weigh in ASAP as I'd like to see if I can get Jim Merod (Bluport Jazz), Steve McCormick (McCormick Audio) and Robert Lee (Acoustic Zen) to come as well.

Here's a list of gear I will definitely have in addition to my personal systems...

Onix H34 Integrated tube amp
Onix CD-1 CD player
Selah Audio SA-1 monitors (arriving 1st wk of Sept)
Gallo Nucleus Reference 3s (possibly w/ optional bass amp)
Onix Reference 3 floorstanders (hope these arrive in time)
Perpetual Tech SOCS software for Reference 1s (maybe)
Rocket RS250MkII monitors

folks are welcome to bring other gear as well! ie. shokunin and his Rowland monoblocks!

hint, hint...

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 05:18 am »

I'm tentatively free on any given weekend so far. As long as we decide soonish, I should be able to clear it up. First week of september-ish would be nice so we can hear the SA-1 monitors.

I'll be building a pair of mbow1 monitors in a week or two, probably in an unfinished cabinet. If I get it completed without any problems, I could bring it if anyone wants to check it out. It mates a hiquphon ow1 tweeter with a gr-research m130 woofer.

Thanks for offering your place as the venue!

shokunin · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 05:40 am »

I vote to push it out to early to mid September to get the most gear in. I'm hoping to hear the Ref 3's, when do you think they might come in MD?

I can bring whatever you think might be useful, just let me know. Is sa-dono driving down for this?? It'd be great to see y'all again, its been almost a year.

Mad DOg · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 05:43 am »

Quote from: shokunin

I vote to push it out to early to mid September to get the most gear in. I'm hoping to hear the Ref 3's, when do you think they might come in MD?

I can bring whatever you think might be useful, just let me know. Is sa-dono driving down for this?? It'd be great to see y'all again, its been almost a year.

i'd like to do early to mid sept, too, just wanted to give some option and see what folks were leaning towards...

i'll check to see when the Ref 3s are supposed to be arriving...

Mad DOg · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 05:44 am »

Quote from: ooheadsoo

Thanks for offering your place as the venue!

no problem...we used to do this at my place quite often...

Sa-dono · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 07:07 am »

Quote from: shokunin

I vote to push it out to early to mid September to get the most gear in. I'm hoping to hear the Ref 3's, when do you think they might come in MD?

I can bring whatever you think might be useful, just let me know. Is sa-dono driving down for this?? It'd be great to see y'all again, its been almost a year.

I am hoping to drive down for this.

Like I told MD elsewhere, this session is NOT going to happen the first weekend of September. I would guess mid September is best.

MD will have to break-in all of the speakers, as well....unless I get to have some fun.

And you definitely have to bring those 201's. If John has the SOA, I'd love to hear that amp as well. Bring your Hydra too, so we can compare it with the BPT Sig 3.5.

Russtafarian · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 04:11 pm »

Hey! I'd love join you guys. I've got three pieces of gear I could potentially bring down:

Pioneer 563a with transformer-coupled DAC analog output. With this we can spin some hi-rez software.

DIY 100wpc six-channel tripath digital amp. I'd like to hear how my little frankenstein project stacks to some big-league amps.

Equitech 2Q balanced power conditioner. The original balanced power conditioner designed for recording studio and concert PA systems. This is one big-ass toriodal in a box, capable of delivering a full 20 amps of AC current. Let's see how those audiophile PCs stack up to a serious piece of pro gear. Requires a 20 amp AC wall recepticle.

Keep me posted.

Russ

Jon L · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 07:53 pm »

I'd be very interested in hearing/comparing Gallo with Onyx ref 3.

Mad Dog, did you turbomod your P3A yet?

Date-wise, pls don't make it 9/18 Saturday; anything else is doable.

Mad DOg · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 08:18 pm »

Ok...Let's try to set the date for Sat. 9/11. Given all the gear, this might very well be an all day session! Please PM me your email address so that I can create a distribution list to keep you all updated...Thanks.

Mad DOg · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 08:24 pm »

Quote from: Jon L

Mad Dog, did you turbomod your P3A yet?

No, i haven't...can't afford it at this moment...

John Casler · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 08:40 pm »

That is a "LOT" of equipment. There is enough there for a week of listening.

Speakers:

Ref Ones
Ref Threes
Gallo Ref 3
Selah SA-1 monitors

Amps:

Aragon Palladium II
Son of Ampzilla
Onix H34 Integrated tube amp
Jeff Rowland M201s (if shokunin can make it)

Power Conditioners:

BPT 3.5 Signature
Shunyata Hydra (if shokunin can make it)
Equitech 2Q balanced power conditioner (if Mad dog installs his 20A Hubbell outlets)

That offers a lot of variables

WOW!

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 08:50 pm »

Don't forget the mbow1 if I get it finished in time

Which I should be able to do. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one.

Mad DOg · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 09:08 pm »

mikeCTM2, JackStraw, skchow, msteindler, cryotweaks, KeithR, hifitommy:

you guys planning on making it? anyone else?

zybar · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 09:17 pm »

Quote from: John Casler

That is a "LOT" of equipment. There is enough there for a week of listening.

Speakers:

Ref Ones
Ref Threes
Gallo Ref 3
Selah SA-1 monitors

Amps:

Aragon Palladium II
Son of Ampzilla
Onix H34 Integrated tube amp
Jeff Rowland M201s (if shokunin can make it)

Power Conditioners:

BPT 3.5 Signature
Shunyata Hydra (if shokunin can make it)
Equitech 2Q balanced power conditioner (if Mad dog installs his 20A Hubbell outlets)

That offers a lot of variables

WOW!

Guys,

Having just hosted a gathering and not having that much equipoment (but a lot) to swap in, it was quite obvious that it was too much. With this much gear you won't be able to properly evaluate each piece and gets pretty frustrating.

Shrink the list and enjoy the pieces you decide to play with.

Just my usual two pence.

George

PhilNYC · « **Reply #14 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 10:05 pm »

Gotta agree with Zybar here. We've been doing the NY Audio Rave meetings every month since last September, and I think we've come to the conclusion that each component/item needs at least an hour in the system for everyone to get a real grip on it (even longer if dealing with tubes)...a shootout with 10 components is going to take a 10 hour meeting...

Just adding a couple of cents...

Mad DOg · « **Reply #15 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 10:24 pm »

philNYC and zybar,

yes, having held numerous listening sessions in the past, i totally agree with you guys...this was a thread to get some feelers out for date preferences...getting such enthusiastic responses so far is great as it is always better to be in the position where you have more gear than you know what to do with than not enough gear. too much gear means we can pick and choose what we want to listen to...not enough gear means we get to pick and choose whether we want scratch our head, scratch our butt, or scratch our back...

somehow i like the first predicament better!

Sa-dono · « **Reply #16 on:** 3 Aug 2004, 03:02 am »

Quote from: Russtafarian

Hey! I'd love join you guys. I've got three pieces of gear I could potentially bring down:

Pioneer 563a with transformer-coupled DAC analog output. With this we can spin some hi-rez software.

DIY 100wpc six-channel tripath digital amp. I'd like to hear how my little frankenstein project stacks to some big-league amps.

Equitech 2Q balanced power conditioner. The original balanced power conditioner designed for recording studio and concert PA systems. This is one big-ass toriodal in a box, capab ...

The Equitech is the one piece out of those I would like to hear.

Sa-dono · « **Reply #17 on:** 3 Aug 2004, 03:03 am »

Quote from: John Casler

That is a "LOT" of equipment. There is enough there for a week of listening.

Speakers:

Ref Ones
Ref Threes
Gallo Ref 3
Selah SA-1 monitors

Amps:

Aragon Palladium II
Son of Ampzilla
Onix H34 Integrated tube amp
Jeff Rowland M201s (if shokunin can make it)

Power Conditioners:

BPT 3.5 Signature
Shunyata Hydra (if shokunin can make it)
Equitech 2Q balanced power conditioner (if Mad dog installs his 20A Hubbell outlets)

That offers a lot of variables

WOW!

Well I already know what I want to focus on...and it's not those PII's or speakers.

JackStraw · « **Reply #18 on:** 3 Aug 2004, 02:09 pm »

Quote from: Mad DOg

mikeCTM2, JackStraw, skchow, msteindler, cryotweaks, KeithR, hifitommy:

you guys planning on making it? anyone else?

Sure, I'll plan to be there 9/11. I promise that I won't bring any equipment whatsover.

Jon L · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 Aug 2004, 04:51 pm »

Wait a minute... Nine-eleven, ring a bell?

Oh, well, I guess Temecula is as safe as it gets if something does down

We should concentrate on 3-4 components, and let me express my interest in these.

Gallo vs. Onyx ref III
powered by Son of Ampzilla vs Palladium II (or Rowlands if they show up)

Everything could be done with Equitech in and out of system.

This should be doable in 3-4 hours, and if people want to stay late for others, hey, we can all sleep over