Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 14, 2018 16:00:39 GMT
They have masses of bass and it sounds low to me. I don’t know what it would be like very loud (big amp territory) in a huge room, but I suspect it would still be impressive. I’d love to get them in a huge room and really hear them unleash.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2018 16:05:02 GMT
They have masses of bass and it sounds low to me. I don’t know what it would be like very loud (big amp territory) in a huge room, but I suspect it would still be impressive. I’d love to get them in a huge room and really hear them unleash. Planets in a huge room! That's kinda like a lightweight boxer taking on a heavyweight. But hey, I could be the fool talking here! S. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 14, 2018 20:00:51 GMT
To give you an idea, they sound quite a bit bigger than Snell Js. The only thing I don’t really know is whether they still hold together at very high SPLs. The thing is, they just don’t lead to to seek higher volume because they are so full sounding, That’s always been a problem with bigger speakers for me. They tend to collapse into the box until you wick them up.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 15, 2018 17:30:13 GMT
I might end up doing nothing with them for months, but I’m getting an Exposure X and a Nait 2 to sit alongside the Claymore. My aim is to re-live the 80s and have a bit of fun comparing them with different kit. For completeness I may add another Tma3 and possibly an OA21. I can’t think of anything else of that day which was a contender.
Ive always fancied having a collection. I don’t like loads of space taken up, but the cream of 80s integrateds is something that will only take up a little space and give me endless fun in a second system. That’s the theory. Let’s see if I even manage to wire them up in the first month or two!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2018 18:17:29 GMT
The X is a decent little amp. Can easily live with one again.
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 15, 2018 18:20:58 GMT
It will be a good test for the Claymore. Incidentally I was reading an article about the Claymore yesterday and saw a pic of one with the same transformer as mine, Colin had posted Andy said it was one of the past 20 made because only these had this transformer. He reckoned the owner should never sell it! Made me very happy to have the same one!
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 15, 2018 19:28:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2018 5:00:53 GMT
Lid off, lid off, lid off, lid off  |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 16, 2018 8:12:38 GMT
It doesn’t land til Weds or Thurs but it will be the first thing I do. For an integrated, they are impressively built
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2018 8:32:45 GMT
Glad to see the volume goes up to 10
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 16, 2018 9:31:44 GMT
It’s missing an indicator to show what number it stops being Class A tho. I’m guessing “6”  |
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Post by macca on Oct 16, 2018 11:11:25 GMT
That picture takes me back. There was a time when that was a very serious and desirable bit of kit and way above my pay grade. Now here it is in 'nostalgia alley.' Time flies.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 16, 2018 11:33:37 GMT
I didn’t really like them at the time. I loaned one to try against my Tma3 with ES14s. I also loans the. Able and ended up buying that, but returning the amp. I only used vinyl at the time and I recall the Myst being a lot better, I had heard a VIi/Viii combo at a dealers and loved it, so I figured the X was simply not up to that standard.
Strangely I trod another later in life when I had a big Exposure pre/power. I found it had the same signature with only a few limitations. I’ve since had Tma3s which haven’t done a lot for me.
It’s examples like this that have led me to doubt the value of relying on past experiences to predict current performance. Maybe the Tma3 simply had a great phono stage and was less good on line level? Maybe my tastes have changed? More likely I feel, is that trying something at a later time with different kit in a different room is very likely to produce different results. It’s happened too many times to me now for it to be an anomaly.
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Post by macca on Oct 16, 2018 17:01:25 GMT
. It’s examples like this that have led me to doubt the value of relying on past experiences to predict current performance. Maybe the Tma3 simply had a great phono stage and was less good on line level? Maybe my tastes have changed? More likely I feel, is that trying something at a later time with different kit in a different room is very likely to produce different results. It’s happened too many times to me now for it to be an anomaly. God yes! I don't know how many times I've said the same thing but nobody listens to me. There are so many variables especially if vinyl replay is involved. I think it is only the likes of us, who have box-swapped our way through a ton of stuff and been able to mix and match at length and at leisure from the 'stable' of kit that we own at any one time who actually realise this. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 17, 2018 10:00:05 GMT
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 17, 2018 10:10:23 GMT
Just out of interest, does anyone know why they fit a felt disc between volume knob and case? Anything to do with static perhaps? Again, I won’t take the amp away from stock, but it’s ugly and spoils the feel of the pot. I will likely remove and store it, as I can’t see any useful purpose for it. I recall seeing ten same thing on some old 70s kit, but nothing else.
Edit: I soon worked it out. The PCB is set away from the front plate and that means the knob shaft doesn’t protrude much. You need to have the knob as close to the fascia as you can. The thin felt is just to maintain minimum distance without scraping the graphics.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 17, 2018 10:24:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2018 13:03:10 GMT
Sounding good?
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 17, 2018 13:07:12 GMT
Like having the love of your life back in your arms after years apart Seriously, seriously enjoyable. I’m just using it with my modded Minstrels too, but it has that Exposure signature in spades, diamonds, clubs and hearts. It makes having a second system essential |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2018 15:08:18 GMT
The pcb is very well labelled with component values etc. Very neat and tidy.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2018 15:54:05 GMT
I'm quite fond of the Exposure X. Nice amp. Plenty punch for a 35w! Can easily fill a medium sized room without effort.
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 17, 2018 16:46:53 GMT
Farlowe era amps have a really distinctive flavour that it’s hard to forget once you’ve “got” what they are about. I had such a fab time with my “old friend”, I’d imagined going back to the Campion would sound less musical. I’ve expected it before when I’ve heard a great amp thatt I’ve enjoyed, yet every time I go back to the Sonneteer, I’m surprised by just how good it really is. It has a Zen-like effortless quality, yet it seems to have more clarity than anything else I’ve had. Nothing has outdone it musically either although the Exposure is just as compelling in a different way. That doesn’t stop me loving the Exposure and being determined to keep it. It’s a wonderful amp and ridiculously musical. I will have great fun rotating it with the Claymore in a separate system, or maybe I need 3 setups |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 17, 2018 16:48:26 GMT
The pcb is very well labelled with component values etc. Very neat and tidy. The old models had more circuitry for some reason. I don’t understand any of it, but I’d love to know what was taken out. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 17, 2018 22:38:09 GMT
I always wanted to try Monitor Audio Studio 10s but they rarely appear. Instead, I have managed to bag a pair of Studio 5s which will be with me soon. These are simply a case of “buy, try, then let them fly”. I have hopefully bought at a price that will allow me a free audition before selling on. I already have 5 pairs of speakers so I don’t need more.
I will be knee-deep in renovation work and travel all too soon, so this little pause may as well be enjoyable. It’s also been good to “bake off” some great kit against my Sonneteer/Duevel system.its really affirmed everything I thought about them. I think it’s the best system I’ve had.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 25, 2018 9:45:51 GMT
One thing I’ve benefited from by playing with cables is breaking out my Spicas. They truly are wonderful things and my version are vanishingly rare,  |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 25, 2018 9:48:08 GMT
Studio 5s incidentally are now missing in transit. Dropped off at a DPD store on Monday and still showing as sitting there. Looks like I will never see them,
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2018 13:18:59 GMT
 Bloody criminal. First time I have seen a pic of Spicas before. Very interesting. What is the cross over like ? If there is one .
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 25, 2018 13:32:34 GMT
The crossover has a lot of components. I’ve seen it described as fifth order and also first orer Butterworth. All,I know for sure is that it’s meant to be the “magic ingredient”. The designer, John BAU was actually a professional mathematician. He believed you could use mathematical theory to “time align” drivers using the crossover. It all went way over my head, but the results of both the TC50 and Angelus were utterly mesmerising. He was also very big on pair-matching drivers and crossover components. Here’s a pic of the original crossover. Mine have more going on and use supposedly audiophile components. They are in a box which was bolted to the rear of the cabinet.  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2018 14:46:19 GMT
Interesting that the inductors are kept far apart and the closest two have 90 degree orientation.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 25, 2018 16:05:33 GMT
My crossovers are split fir bi-wiring. I didn’t hav epics of the boards but I think they went when I lost all my Photobucket pics.
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