Some big tubes

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Bill and/or Mike (?) and Ron
Many thanks
John
The Atlas will be up for sale to part finance a TT upgrade sometime next year. Love the Etna. It's all and more than I could have wished for. The HRS damping plates mated well with the earlier CJ gear. The Wavacs generate a lot of heat and the HRS plates probably do some good.
All the best
Pradeep
 

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Listening impressions with the sofas removed
 

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Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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A rare experience for me listening with the sofsa gone for new upholstery. The sofas have occupied the same spot in my listening room for over a decade , within shaking hand distance of B&W CDM 9NTs, ML Odysseys, Quad 2905s and now the Rockport Aviors.
It's certainly a wee bit larger soundstage with extension well beyond the speaker boundaries. This is more noticeable in the space between the speakers and the near side wall. The soundstage was somewhat attenuated in this area with the sofas. Visually it's a much nicer cleaner image . The sofas did make for a cluttered and untidy look.
Sonically I much prefer the SQ with the sofas. The highs are a little harsh now. The sofas provide absorption at the first reflection point and this makes a huge difference in a largish room that has no formal treatment apart from some Kashmiri rugs and some decorative panels.
FAIK, it could just be a case of ingrained bad habits...
Thank you for looking
Pradeep
 

Johnny Vinyl

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May 16, 2010
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Good on you for removing the sofas and giving us your impressions on the differences you noted and sound you preferred. On another note, visually I prefer it with the sofas. It makes the room look warm and cozy.
 

amirm

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Apr 2, 2010
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Yes, it was nice to hear the feedback "before and after sofa" :). Ordinary furnishings can and do act as acoustic products even though they don't look it. And big sofas do more of that given their large surface area and thickness.
 

Nevillekapadia

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Pradeep, with or without sofa's the place looks superb.

Look forward to hear about the turntable upgrade down the path.

And most of all, can't wait to have a seat in the music chair. As you said this hobby does bring life long friendships.

Neville
 

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Yes, it was nice to hear the feedback "before and after sofa" :). Ordinary furnishings can and do act as acoustic products even though they don't look it. And big sofas do more of that given their large surface area and thickness.
Thanks Amirm, I can't resist the temptation to post a pic of after the sofa makeover, if only to acknowledge the one person who has a huge behind the scenes role- the wife. Seriously, huge SQ improvements with the return of the sofas. Decent aesthetics go with good SQ image.jpg
 

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Thanks Neville. Looking forward to your visit. The TT upgrade is mostly fantasy at this point.
Keep in touch
Cheers
Pradeep
 

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Newest gizmo from Munchen. The new Gen Lyra SUT, though Lyra prefer to call it a MC step up interface. Replaces a Ortofon 80 SE SUT . The Lyra is clearly in a different league. No serial No so I guess this is a pre commercial production model. Mated to a Lyra Atlas going into the MM input of a Nagra VPS phono. Initial impressions : this is a class act. Surprisingly getting best results not with a 47k ohm loading as should be the case with a SUT/ MM input interface but with a 330 ohm loading.
 

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jfrech

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I like the fact the integrated their phono pipe...one less set of interconnects to buy...and one less connection break...I suppose you're liking this set up better than the Nagra internal trannies?
 

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Thanks John
If I am not mistaken all the top flight SUTs like the Kondo Slz have a hard wired I/c.
What the Lyra Erodion has done is narrowed the gap between the MC and MM inputs to the extent that I am unable to decide whether I prefer the Etna into the MC input or the Atlas/Erodion into the MM input. Early days yet. If you are looking for a SUT, the new Lyra Erodion is as good as it gets
Pradeep
 

sujay

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Hi Pradeep,
Just got around to reading this thread about your set up. Absolutely fabulous. The thumbnail doesn't do justice to how warm and inviting the room and set up actually looks when seen up close in some of the photos that you have posted. It was great to catch up in Munich and downing a few glasses of whiskey!

I am itching to make a trip to Delhi to get to listen to your rig......hopefully soon. In the meantime, this is an open invitation to you and anyone else in the forum interested to make their way down to sunny Johannesburg for an aural treat.....I promise I will make it worth your visit.

Once again, great room and set up

Cheers

Sujay
 

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Hi Pradeep,
Just got around to reading this thread about your set up. Absolutely fabulous. The thumbnail doesn't do justice to how warm and inviting the room and set up actually looks when seen up close in some of the photos that you have posted. It was great to catch up in Munich and downing a few glasses of whiskey!

I am itching to make a trip to Delhi to get to listen to your rig......hopefully soon. In the meantime, this is an open invitation to you and anyone else in the forum interested to make their way down to sunny Johannesburg for an aural treat.....I promise I will make it worth your visit.

Once again, great room and set up

Cheers

Sujay
Many thanks,Sujay

You are most welcome to visit. I promise to improve upon the brew. The weather is pretty horrid at present, almost 45 deg Celsius with 40% humidity but the music is nice.

Always a delight to host any like minded forum member.
Cheers and see you soon

Pradeep
 

SCAudiophile

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Sep 11, 2010
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Beautiful room, home and system....the Wavac, Rockport and Musical Fidelity gear must make things sound wonderful! I've not heard the rest of your gear but imagine it is similarly excellent and very musical. Thank you for posting!
 

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Beautiful room, home and system....the Wavac, Rockport and Musical Fidelity gear must make things sound wonderful! I've not heard the rest of your gear but imagine it is similarly excellent and very musical. Thank you for posting!
Many thanks for looking and posting.
The system is down since the weekend as both the Lyra Etna and the Talea2 arm probably need to go back to the manufacturers . Hopefully all manageable
Best
Pradeep
 

Ron Resnick

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Jan 24, 2015
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Dear Pradeep,

The N.A.T. Magma 160 watt SET amplifier is, I believe, the only SET mono amp close in power output to the Wavac. By any chance have you ever heard the N.A.T. Magma?
 

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Dear Ron
I have heard of the NAT but not actually heard it. The Wavac uses the RCA 833 tube which is a current production tube while the NAT has a GM 100, a more powerful NOS tube rated at 170watts. I don't recall seeing the NAT amps at Munich but there were many rooms that I missed.
I suspect there may be considerable sonic differences between the Wavac and the NAT Magma
Best
Pradeep
 

SCAudiophile

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Sep 11, 2010
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Many thanks for looking and posting.
The system is down since the weekend as both the Lyra Etna and the Talea2 arm probably need to go back to the manufacturers . Hopefully all manageable
Best
Pradeep

You are very welcome....had some unexpected downtime myself on Thursday night and all day Friday...never a happy thing for an audio-nut. Best of luck getting everything up and running!

Ron: I heard the smaller Transmitter (but still big by tube standards) NATs; they are special in how they sound and what they convey. I don't know how they compare to the Wavacs, Ayon Audio Titan Monos, big LAMMs or other top-end tube amps but I did like what I heard on the first pass. Those tubes, and the ones in the larger NAT Magmas certainly make an impression in the room. Unfortunately for me, tube gear in general has low WAF no matter which way I could think about moving...
 

bonzo75

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You are very welcome....had some unexpected downtime myself on Thursday night and all day Friday...never a happy thing for an audio-nut. Best of luck getting everything up and running!

Ron: I heard the smaller Transmitter (but still big by tube standards) NATs; they are special in how they sound and what they convey. I don't know how they compare to the Wavacs, Ayon Audio Titan Monos, big LAMMs or other top-end tube amps but I did like what I heard on the first pass. Those tubes, and the ones in the larger NAT Magmas certainly make an impression in the room. Unfortunately for me, tube gear in general has low WAF no matter which way I could think about moving...

Ayon Audio is very different design, haven't heard it but with KT 150 tubes it can go up to 300w in tetrode and 400 in pentode. That's power. On control, the NAT can handle a lower impedance than Ayon. Big Lamms are hybrids, as compared to NAT or Ayon, and depending on 1.1 or 2.2, power and class A vs AB will differ. You can tube roll them. Not to mention that geographical location will make a big difference.
 

mullard88

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Jun 5, 2010
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Your room is a visual treat, with or without the sofas. I feel so relaxed just looking at the photos.
 

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