Bigman80
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The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 30, 2021 12:30:38 GMT
And now playing its very lovely heart out for me, an oldy but goldy Concordant Exhiliarant valve preamp, very kindly loaned to me by a Wammer  Here's mine 🤣🤣 Garage quality    |
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Post by antonio on May 1, 2021 2:13:58 GMT
I've just told you on the Wam to give it a wipe, come on here and it's still not done.  |
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 27, 2021 16:11:43 GMT
A couple of new toys. 10wpc class A amp, a Chi-fi implementation of the 1969 John Linsley Hood circuit.  Densen DM20 preamp  |
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Bigman80
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The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 27, 2021 17:04:26 GMT
A couple of new toys. 10wpc class A amp, a Chi-fi implementation of the 1969 John Linsley Hood circuit. Densen DM20 preamp Didnt you have a similar amp before,Jerry? Hows the Densen |
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 27, 2021 17:24:43 GMT
Yes, well remembered!
I had a version without power meters, so obviously not as good.
Very pleased with it, even better than I remembered. It's very seldom I can return to a component without being immediately bored with it but I had a strong urge to get one again when I saw it on ebay.
The Densen pre has had a complete internal and external refurb at the Danish factory and is good as new. It only arrived today and I'm still just starting to get my head round the presentation. It's certainly very good. Very fast and detailed, but with a noticeable heft and solidity to it. I suspect it takes a while to warm up, at first the tonality was a bit plastic sounding (whatever that means - kind of fake and not quite natural, a saxophone sounded more like an oboe) but after an hour or so it's becoming much more realistic.
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 27, 2021 17:29:26 GMT
The Plan here is to cut down on the box swapping and to select items for the long term that can be swapped about.
So I've now got 5 power amps (2 tranny class AB, 1 tranny class A, 1 class D and a pair of valve monoblocks).
And I've now got a Concordant Exhilarant valve pre (superb!) and the solid state Densen.
Hopefully that lot will keep me smiling for quite a while as regards amplification!
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Bigman80
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The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 27, 2021 17:44:36 GMT
jandl100Yeah, i remember it. Defo better with VU meters lol Thats a nice little stash of parts now, but i dont believe for one minute that you won't get anything new lol
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Post by macca on Aug 27, 2021 18:55:10 GMT
you can't stop Jerry, since I've had to stop I was hoping to live vicariously through you.
Like the look of that JLH, looks like it should be a hundred watts not ten.
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Post by brian2957 on Aug 27, 2021 19:03:43 GMT
You've been very quiet of late matey  |
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Post by antonio on Aug 28, 2021 4:13:37 GMT
You've been very quiet of late matey Agreed, it must be 2 months since his last box swop  |
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Post by antonio on Aug 28, 2021 4:21:21 GMT
The Plan here is to cut down on the box swapping and to select items for the long term that can be swapped about. So I've now got 5 power amps (2 tranny class AB, 1 tranny class A, 1 class D and a pair of valve monoblocks). And I've now got a Concordant Exhilarant valve pre (superb!) and the solid state Densen. Hopefully that lot will keep me smiling for quite a while as regards amplification! I can see you've really cut back on the box swopping there Jerry, in fact we might not have to send you to the clinic after all Didn't know you had tried an early version of the Lindsay Hood, will it drive your MBL's ok, hope you like the new version. As for the Densen DM20, it's certainly a well thought of pre, never heard one to my knowledge, but have enjoyed Densen whenever I have heard them, including my previously owned Densen cdp |
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 28, 2021 14:18:14 GMT
I was getting a bit tired of new (to me) amps that didn't do what I wanted so got sold on through straight away with the inevitable financial hit. So for a while now I've kept hold of the amps I really liked. I'm a fully paid up member of the Pipe & Slippers Club as the 2 class AB tranny amps are Quad 303 and 606ii. Actually they don't sound P&S to me at all. The 303 especially was a revelation ; taut, highly resolved and exciting. Not what I expected. The class A is the little Chinese JLH jobbie. It's superb imo, and drives my MBLs just fine. Power is overrated. The class D is a Behringer (boo, hiss) A800 - 220wpc and sounds as good as any class D I've heard, and I'm a fanboy of that tech. And the valves curtesy of Primaluna Prologue 7 valve monoblocks. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 28, 2021 14:43:07 GMT
I was getting a bit tired of new (to me) amps that didn't do what I wanted so got sold on through straight away with the inevitable financial hit. So for a while now I've kept hold of the amps I really liked. I'm a fully paid up member of the Pipe & Slippers Club as the 2 class AB tranny amps are Quad 303 and 606ii. Actually they don't sound P&S to me at all. The 303 especially was a revelation ; taut, highly resolved and exciting. Not what I expected. The class A is the little Chinese JLH jobbie. It's superb imo, and drives my MBLs just fine. Power is overrated. The class D is a Behringer (boo, hiss) A800 - 220wpc and sounds as good as any class D I've heard, and I'm a fanboy of that tech. And the valves curtesy of Primaluna Prologue 7 valve monoblocks. 🤣🤣 pipe and slippers Jerry? No chance. You still need to sample a 686 before you can hang up you Box Swapper tendancies. |
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 28, 2021 15:24:14 GMT
I'll wait for the Next Best Thing to come along then pick up a 686 dirt cheap on the used market.  But yes, I would like to hear one in my system. I did hear a Neurochrome in Alan Firebottle's system a couple of months back, and I certainly enjoyed his system. No comparisons were made, though. |
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Bigman80
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The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 28, 2021 15:31:38 GMT
I'll wait for the Next Best Thing to come along then pick up a 686 dirt cheap on the used market. But yes, I would like to hear one in my system. I did hear a Neurochrome in Alan Firebottle's system a couple of months back, and I certainly enjoyed his system. No comparisons were made, though. 🤣🤣 savage. It's gonna take something very special, and I suspect being very expensive to budge my 686. Not saying it can't be done, but I'm yet to hear it. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2021 16:41:58 GMT
I'll wait for the Next Best Thing to come along then pick up a 686 dirt cheap on the used market. But yes, I would like to hear one in my system. I did hear a Neurochrome in Alan Firebottle's system a couple of months back, and I certainly enjoyed his system. No comparisons were made, though. 🤣🤣 savage. It's gonna take something very special, and I suspect being very expensive to budge my 686. Not saying it can't be done, but I'm yet to hear it. I "don't want" to hear it.... |
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 3, 2021 6:28:56 GMT
New toy I'm still stuck in the past, I'm afraid. This one's about 20 years old.  Enlightened Audio Design TheaterMaster Ovation stereo DAC/preamp (and surround processor). I'd expected to only use it as a preamp, but I'm surprised how good the DAC sounds. But then I do tend to prefer older digital tech. Only got it yesterday, but impressed so far. It's standout ability is tonal richness. Very realistic and draws me in to the sound. And yes, the faceplate design is based on Jeff Rowland designs, with permission allegedly. |
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Bigman80
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The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 3, 2021 6:51:13 GMT
New toy I'm still stuck in the past, I'm afraid. This one's about 20 years old. Enlightened Audio Design TheaterMaster Ovation stereo DAC/preamp (and surround processor). I'd expected to only use it as a preamp, but I'm surprised how good the DAC sounds. But then I do tend to prefer older digital tech. Only got it yesterday, but impressed so far. It's standout ability is tonal richness. Very realistic and draws me in to the sound. And yes, the faceplate design is based on Jeff Rowland designs, with permission allegedly. Certainly good looking! Densen not lasted long then? |
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Post by misterc on Sept 3, 2021 9:49:05 GMT
Jerry you go through as much equipment as myself lol, your 'new dac pre amp' id a very well balanced piece of kit, had a few in over the years good all rounder.
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 3, 2021 11:06:48 GMT
The Densen is here for a while yet, Oli, hopefully it's a medium/long term keeper. That's the Plan anyway. It's a good piece of gear and synergises really well with my new XiangSheng DAC05Aii.
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Post by gninnam on Sept 3, 2021 16:24:54 GMT
Looks very cool and a bonus it also sounds good |
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Post by macca on Sept 3, 2021 16:28:47 GMT
Guess I'm the only one who doesn't like the look of it. That blue display is awful, I'd have to gaffer over that.
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Post by antonio on Sept 3, 2021 22:35:25 GMT
As soon as I saw the photo I thought Jeff Rowland Jerry, never heard of the company though. Does it have analogue inputs, many dac/pre's say they are pre's but only for the digital side of things, would it be that difficult to make dac/pre using a passive volume control? Where did you get your XiangSheng from and are you going to change the valve?
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 4, 2021 2:15:33 GMT
As soon as I saw the photo I thought Jeff Rowland Jerry, never heard of the company though. Does it have analogue inputs, many dac/pre's say they are pre's but only for the digital side of things, would it be that difficult to make dac/pre using a passive volume control? Where did you get your XiangSheng from and are you going to change the valve? Hi Dave. Yup, the EAD has 3 analog inputs as well as 4 coax and 1 optical digital. I tend to prefer active preamps to passives. The XiangSheng 05Aii DAC came up on UK ebay as a 2021 model, opened but unused. I couldn't resist it as I enjoyed the XS DAC 01A so much. No plans to roll the valve in the XiangSheng atm, I much prefer the solid state output. If a used Western Electric comes along I might be tempted, though. What valve do you use in yours? Do you prefer it to the solid state output? My preferences with my current preamps are all down to synergy. I prefer the EAD standalone to the EAD with any of my 3 DACs. I've become really impressed with the EAD's onboard DAC! The XiangSheng DAC works really well with the Densen DM20 pre, though. That's a great combo. Sometime soon I'll put my Concordant Exhilarant valve pre back in and see how it fares against the EAD. My whole plan of campaign these days is to hang on to gear I like rather than move it on when the next shiny new toy comes along. That way I can assess different combinations of pre and power amps and DACs. I am starting to run out of storage space, though! I'm going to have to rearrange things a bit. The financials take a bit of a hit as well. |
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 4, 2021 20:43:02 GMT
The EAD's resting mode may be more to Martin's taste - after a seemingly arbitrary time (varying from about 10 to 40 minutes) of receiving no commands it reverts to a minimal 4-dot display. Pic here also showing my 2 Quad amps, the 303 being currently in use, and goosey and froglet.  |
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 9, 2021 19:42:10 GMT
2nd system  From the top : Duck Pioneer DVD player, used as a cdp. Teac minidisc player (I have 100s of live concert recordings off radio), and Nobsound NS-08P Bluetooth receiver and preamp. Audiolab MDAC (resting), Phonic Max250 power amp. Primaluna Prologue 5 power amp (resting). All feeding into B&O CX100 speakers, fully refurbished and a Jamo SUB200. I mainly stream with Bluetooth 5 aptX HD. I love Bluetooth! - it's my secret shame. |
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Post by gninnam on Sept 9, 2021 20:13:38 GMT
What are the speakers to the right of the duck?
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 9, 2021 20:27:21 GMT
Duck lol......silly, but had me laughing
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Post by antonio on Sept 9, 2021 21:46:35 GMT
What are the speakers to the right of the duck? I believe those are his B & O CX100's |
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 10, 2021 8:11:18 GMT
What are the speakers to the right of the duck? Yup, B&O CX100. Quite an interesting design, metal cabinet that feels solid, weighty, and well braced. Very low levels of midband colouration, they sound very clear and clean. Good bass depth for the quite small cab size, although the Jamo sub adds a useful bit of clean heft and takes it to well below 40hz in room. |
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