L1 question

tunes

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Nov 9, 2013
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I've an L1 preamp arriving this week. Can't wait to get it in the system. I adore the Nagra Jazz, though i have really missed having more than one balanced xlr input and stoked about the synergy with the c1/x1 combo.
Any L1 users out there? If so, and you are using the dual monaural config, what power unit do you use? Internal L1 psu, shared X1 psu, or dedicated X1?
Looking for actual user experiences with any of these power configs.
Jack, have you tried these various versions of the L1?
Thanks
Chris
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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Dear Chris,
i write from Italy and i am new in this forum.

I have L1 C1 X1 and 2 A1 in mono.

Now i have X1 dedicated only to L1 because i have only one board.
Also i am very interesting to know if X1 work better with only 1 board or is the same with 2 board.

Beginning of may will arrive to me a second board to connect also C1 to X1
I will do one test checking if L1 sound better with x1 with only 1 board or same with X1 connected also to C1

If L1 sound worse in future i will buy a second X1 without board and i will put this second board to new X1

I will let you know

Regards
Gianluigi
 

JackD201

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Apr 20, 2010
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Hi Chris

I'm using stereo L1 with a dual supply X1. The dual X1 feeds the L1 and the coming P1. The other dual supply X1 feeds the D1 and C1.
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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Hi Jack,

have you tried if L1 is better with X1 using only 1 board or if quality is the same if you use x1 with 2 board,for P1 for exemple?
 

tunes

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Nov 9, 2013
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Gian,
I only have one X1 with one reg board for my C1. I am considering a second x1 with two reg boards. CH suggested using an x1 with one reg board for the L1 and using another x1 with 2 reg boards for the c1 and p1 since only one source would be operating at any one time.
Chris
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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Good idea,thanks
Now i have L1 and C1 with X1 with only 1 board.
I bought a second board that will arrive beginning of may,so i will try if sound is the same using X1 for both L1 and C1 or not.
If is the same ok,if L1 is worse i will buy in future a second X1 without board and i will put the board i buy now
 

tunes

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Nov 9, 2013
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Gian and Jack
If you end up going with a P1, this is what CH has said about using the x1 with p1.
"You will gain 5dB of signal to noise ratio on the voltage MM/MC input, and 3dB on the current MC inputs."
Chris
 

MadFloyd

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Can someone explain why the L1 has a D/A converter?
 

JackD201

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Hi Ian

The I1 has a DAC the L1 doesn't, at least not that I know of :)
 

MadFloyd

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I'm still confused.

The Features tab of their L1 page (here) has a section on D/A (pasted below for convenience):

Modularity
Three L1 configurations are available:

- Monaural operation, with 8 inputs
- Stereo operation, with 8 inputs for each channel
- Monaural operation, with 16 inputs

Volume control
For each channel two R-2R ladder network in balanced mode control the volume. Tight tolerances high-grade metal film resistors as well as fast switching, distortion-free analog switches are used to adjust precisely the listening level. Each ladder has the following features:

- 20bits R-2R ladder network
- 118dB volume range in 0.5dB steps, from -100dB to +18dB

Analog signal path
Extreme care has been given to the timing of the audio conversion. The clocking section of the C1 is based on two ultra low jitter digitally controlled VCXOs to support synchronously every available audio sampling rates.

When equipped with the optional synchronization board, the C1 can be used with external clock generators or it can transmit the D1 SACD/CD drive a synchronization clock in order to slave it.

D/A conversion
The digital to analog converter boards are full dual mono with one board per channel. A dedicated set of regulated power supplies has been built for each channel in order to keep the channel separation at its maximum. Each channel is using four R-2R converter in a balanced design to create directly from the D/A conversion process an analog balanced signal.

Volume control
An integrated volume control is embedded into the C1, which can be turned off in case an external analog preamplifier is used. It has been done with a mix of analog and digital steps to ensure the best possible resolution at all listening levels. Coarse steps are done with relay-driven resistor-based dividers, while the fine steps are done into the DSP engine in floating point.

Analog stages
All analog stages inside the C1 are built only with discrete components, no operational amplifier have been used into these sections. This deliberate choice warranties the shortest path for the audio signal and allows the use of custom-made building blocks. All analog stages have the following features:

- no use of global negative feedback
- operating mode in pure class A
- fully symmetrical design

No capacitors have been used in the signal path to ensure the maximum transparency.
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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The D/A conversion is only in C1.
If you see below also in volume control and analog stage are talking of C1

L1 is 100% analog and only line preamp and is no possible add extra board.
 

VPN

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Dec 28, 2013
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Hello,

I first bought a CH L1, which is on a SRA Scuttle Mk.3 Rack, and noticed a marked sonic difference using it with and without the spikes. In my system, with my rack, it sounded better without the spikes, with its regular feet on the SRA rack. Without the spikes it had more body and better decay. With the spikes it had less body and the decay was too short.

Now I am testing a CH X1 with the CH L1. I see three options of staking the two units, with the L1 on top of the X1:
a) using spikes both for the L1 and the X1
b) spikes coupling the L1 to the X1, and no spikes on the X1
c) no spikes both on the L1 and X1

Has anybody done a sonic comparison of this sort?

Thanks,

VPN
 
Last edited:

MadFloyd

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I don't have the answer you are looking for, but I am curious as to whether you tried your L1 with the spikes AND the footers (for the spikes - I forget the actual name of these but they are are flat and made to sit under the spikes).
 

MadFloyd

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Yes, I used the CH footers under the spikes.

Thanks for the response. I don't have the L1 but I do have the P1 and I haven't tried it without the spikes - so thank you for posting about the sonic difference you heard.
 

tunes

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Nov 9, 2013
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VPN,
I haven't tried a sonic comparison but have my CH units on HRS nimbus footers.
Very satisfied with the result. I tried stacking my X1 unit with spikes but one of the four spikes was slightly loose and would rattle so i removed them altogether and run the units that way.
I have not tried the spikes with spike footer discs that CH now supplies with their gear.
Chris
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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every amp or preamp when using spikes for my experience has less body and sound is little more body
So everyone has to try which is better solution
I suggest you to keep X1 without spikes and on top put L1 with spikes on X1 so you avoid vibration pass from X1 to L1
Also I have L1. X1 P1 and M1 mono
 

gian60

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2016
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Sorry
I wanted tell that with spikes sound is little more open not body
 

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