Messages

16

HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Ethernet cable

« on: February 07, 2017, 09:47:59 PM »

Anyone here with experiences on tweaking the Ethernet cable chain ? JB has in another thread posted about using optic fibre.

For myself, even changing the Ethernet cable from the NAS to router makes a noticeable difference. I've tried LAN filters (like the one from SOtM) and the difference is very obvious too.

17

HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: Tube amplifier basics

« on: February 07, 2017, 05:00:27 AM »

Hi Watchdog. Thanks for the very informative pointers on owning a tube amplifier. I own a 1977 Luxkit by Luxman A3700. It uses four (4) EL34 and four smaller tubes. The tubes are not the same brands. I also use an Audio Research SP9 as my pre amp and a pair of JBL L100T for my speakers.

The sound is good especially the vocals.

Questions: someone is offering me a quad set of original National Electronics EL34's. Another is offering me a quad set of original SED "Winged C" El34's. Which quad set is better for you? Or should I change my tubes at all?

Thanks

Hi there and welcome !

I would do neither actually. The original Winged C are not in production and I don't think the price will be cheap. No experience with the National EL34s.

Yes, you should change your tubes. I don't know your bias arrangements, but if you don't have individual bias pots for each power tube, better to get a matched quartet. Decent and affordable current productions EL34s would be the Electro Harmonix EL34 or 6CA7 (I like this one better), or the JJ E34L. The EH EL34 is the most linear sounding, while the JJ has a fatter and meatier sound. The EH 6CA7 is somewhere in between.

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HifiCafe.SG Lounge / Re: Happy Holidays and have a safe and prosperous New Year

« on: January 28, 2017, 06:41:17 PM »

Wishing everyone and their loved ones a great Lunar New Year, good health, prosperity and good fortune.

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HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Neutral Cable Reference I Road Tour

« on: January 20, 2017, 12:47:54 PM »

Neutral Cable of Italy has allowed me to arrange for a road tour of their flagship USB cable, the Reference I.

This is a 7N solid silver Teflon insulated cable and retails for EUR 500 (0.8m) or EUR 600 (1.2m).

http://www.neutralcable.it/en/digital-cables#ad-image-0

I'll let the participants talk about their system and findings on this cable as the tour progresses. The cable has been passed to the first participant and we look forward to his findings.

Participants

1. benlzy
2. onepunch
3. shadowmoses

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HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: HiFi visiting in Sarawak

« on: January 20, 2017, 12:44:18 PM »

7 more houses to go once I sort out the photo....

Wow ! That is some tour. Don't keep us waiting too long

21

HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: Tube amplifier basics

« on: January 05, 2017, 01:26:09 PM »

Any thoughts on the Mcintosh Tube Amps? They should be one of the living legends in this area, right?

The Mcintosh MC275 comes to mind. But never heard one in an extended session, so I can't really comment on the SQ.

22

HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: Tube amplifier basics

« on: January 05, 2017, 12:11:05 AM »

Hi watchdog,

Thanks for the great info, since you have good experience with tube amp, any chance for you to list a few model that we can explore? Regardless of price point. Prefer integrated.

Hi there, this is very much dependent on taste. However here are some of my thoughts on some of the amplifier brands that I have personally listened to or owned :-

1. Line Magnetic.

I think this Chinese brand offers great value for money and is very solidly built. I have a friend who owns the LM219ia and I have listened to it a fair bit. Great amplifier and tone, albeit a more vintage type of sound.

2. Conrad Johnson

Doesn't seem to get as much press or publicity as some of the other brands on the market. In it's heyday, this brand was considered one of the great tube amplifier companies out there - personally I still think it is up there with the best. The older models had a more vintage tubey sound to them. The current line-up, especially those with Teflon capacitors sound far more linear and open. I was about to type that they don't have integrated amplifiers anymore, but guess what ? They do now !

3. Leben

Japanese company with very nice tone. I can't speak for all the models, but the CS300XS I have doesn't bother to go for a neutral open tone, but takes a more musical approach.

4. Cayin / Spark

This is the other Chinese tube amplifier company that I take rather seriously. Almost fully point to point wired, built like a tank and very reasonably priced. What's there not to like ? The models I owned, the A50T and A88T didn't bother trying to sound like a vintage amp, they were are as modern sounding as can be. Want a lush, liquid and fat tone ? Look elsewhere.

BTW, many of the integrated tube amp designs are a power amp with a passive pot and input selector - the high input impedance of tube amps make them a great match with passive preamps so long as you have enough voltage to play around with from your source. Feel free to explore the many tube power amps out there too.

23

HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: upgrade of wall plug

« on: December 28, 2016, 07:38:37 AM »

The Oyaide PC-004 requires plenty of burn-in. Not sure whether your PC plug is new ? It can sound a bit hard and brittle before burn-in. I've used Hubbell and Oyaide but not Sine in my system so I can't comment on the tone.

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HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: upgrade of wall plug

« on: December 10, 2016, 11:33:06 PM »

The Sine one has the advantage of having a very complete look.

My preference is to use the aluminum face plate sold by some hifi shops or Koba in Chinatown, and just use your own outlets of your choice.

Some tips for those thinking of doing this. There are two sizes, the faceplate for the single UK outlet, and the double UK outlet (same as the Sine one in JB's post). I strongly recommend the double faceplate over the single one. Both only accommodate a single US duplex outlet. The single UK faceplate has a lot of difficulties fitting the US outlet, unless you are willing to cut aggressively into the outlet. You will probably end up breaking off not just the ears, but any part of the mounting tabs projecting from the outlet body.

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HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: using NAS to stream DSD file through Ethernet to Marantz NA11S1

« on: December 04, 2016, 11:31:54 PM »

I recently had a discussion on NAS with some hifi friends. The entry level NAS models from Synology are easier to tweak for audio use as they use an external wall wart and standard DC plug. Makes it easy to combine it with a linear power supply. On the other hand, the higher end models have an onboard power supply.

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HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: HiFi visiting in Sarawak

« on: December 04, 2016, 03:35:17 PM »

There is another guy with a very high end setup - Joe Ling. But I believe he is in Miri.

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HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / ISSE 2016

« on: November 27, 2016, 11:33:46 AM »

http://singaporehifi.blogspot.sg/2016/11/international-sound-sight-exhibition.html

Pictures are up. Detailed write-up will follow soon. Let me know which setups you guys liked and why.

28

HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: The preamp thread

« on: October 30, 2016, 03:54:40 PM »

Sometime I also wonder whether a preamp is needed in the chain, since most high end CDP can output about 2V, and power amp only need 1v input to output max power. But in actual audition, having a preamp will make the system sound better as have more dynamic range and better bass.

When using CDP source, the preamp actually only giving buffer gain and there is not much stage gain, my conclusion is that with preamp, it has a more stable quiet power supply, the preamp gain stage has some reverse isolation gain so that any junk noise from power amp will be attenuated before reaching the CDP source, and preamp able to output more current and voltage to drive long interconnect cable. All this characteristic make using a preamp sound better than without.

Yep. Somehow, adding an active preamp (a good one that is) brings the guts and glory that is commonly lacking in the passive preamp approach.

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HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: Power cords

« on: October 24, 2016, 06:51:20 PM »

One comment on plated connectors (whether its the IEC, AC plug or AC receptacle). I found that un-plated connectors have a fuller and more wholesome sound. However, from a pure resolution point of view, plated surfaces like rhodium tend to have a spotlight effect with very obvious highlighting of microdetail. Gold for me has uniformly sounded warm and a little bit thick.

BTW, for the elementa PC, it was only bundled from a certain point onwards - I recall that the earlier customers of the BAC did not get the power cord. Don't feel bad about it. I just got an Elite BAC, and there is no power cord given either !

30

HiFi Audio Equipment Discussion / Re: USB Audio

« on: October 23, 2016, 11:29:57 PM »

Definitely - quite a lot of developments in this area. Both the microrendu and the SOtM sMS-200 are well worth looking into. I've personally heard the SOtM and it was not holding back the setup in any way.