Epiphany, have you had one in audio?

[DaveyF]

Today, I was at a felow 'philes house to hear his new amp ( which shall go nameless), because he felt that he had an epiphany (in his words) and wanted to get my impression.
Now, I have NEVER had an epiphany in the audio hobby and sadly to say, today was no different.
My friends amps cost him just shy of $90K and he was ecstatic over them. My impression was that they were superior to his prior pair of BAT's but given the difference in price, I couldn't personally see a justification for the excitement
So, I guess I've either been a jaded 'phile for too long or my expectations for that kind of money are too great. Anyone here had an epiphany when listening to audio gear and if so, what caused it and when was it

 

[JackD201]

The first time I heard a high end TT with a properly set up MC playing an original pressing of Radka Toneff's Fairytales. I've been collecting records for the better part of 30 years. I bought my first album at the age of 11. Up until the early part of 2004 however I had been playing records on either my folk's Thorens or Revox TTs and later my own SL-1200s. These were pretty much just MM affairs and not set up with much attention to detail. If it tracked properly, that was good enough for me. From 1991 I had gone digital and records were limited to dance music for DJing. I still have an elephant's graveyard of CDPs and DACs. Sometime in 2004, I was over at a new friend's house and we listened to his TNT with a Clearaudio Stradivari cart. I was floored. I bought an Aries 2 and the Strad soon after and my Tascam CDR Pro feeding my Levinson 360S vis AES/EBU suddenly got very little playing time. My friend gave me the Radka Toneff album as a gift. This guy got me hooked and wanted to keep me that way. I tried to close the gap. An Audioaero and a Wadia 7 came and went. During this period I upgraded to a TNT-HRX with aPhantom arm and a small arsenal of carts came on their heels. Out went the Strad and in came a Koetsu Urushi Wajima later traded up to a Jade Platinum, a Dynavector XV-1s, a Graham Nightingale and a ZYX Airy 3 S. A double stack of Emms came in after the Wadia which had transport problems. Ironically the CDSD would have transport problems too. Against each other, I had resigned myself to the fact that for my tastes Vinyl was better everywhere except the bass. I switched over from the HRX to a TW Acoustic AC3 in 2008 and the gap widened as the TW has a much lower noise floor than the HRX. Iretained the Graham and added a Graham II. The XV-1t, MYSonic Lab Ultra Eminent BC and A90 entered the picture, the gap widened again as these three carts were displaying excellent low end dynamics and had better articulation and pitch than the other cartridges when compared to the EMMs. Well except the Koetsu which remains a favorite just for what it is. Colored but beautifully so. Digital hung in there only because there was so much music I liked that was only available on CD.

A second epiphany came in as I took delivery of the EERA Tentation. Suddenly the gap closed in a big way. What I always liked about LP was the sense of space. It just felt unconstrained. Yes a lot of it was due to my listening to LPs from an era when compression was not yet as abused be that as it may, the new player had freed up quite a bit of space even on CDs I had resigned to being borderline unlistenable. This was just a few months ago. It reached a point where I went through some serious optimization on my LP rig. Fortunately I have a friend who is great at setting up TTs. Now I'm at a point where for the first time I can switch between either without being bothered. It's what I've been after for a long time. I guess you can say I am very happy now and that I haven't a single upgrade in mind for my front end. Tape would have been one but we have no technicians and going with an overseas one has costs I can't justify. Hi-rez is another but *** catalog is still too small to warrant buying a DAC that can handle more than 24/96 which incidentally is where my DCC2 SE tops out.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Epiphany...is that a sudden realization? One was the first time I heard a really good pair of active monitors outside of the studio and realized that my former idea of upper midrange clarity was not. The other was not so sudden. It was the discovery of comparing components at home, blind. That was a slower process, but it changed everything. And yes, testing at home is not controlled or statistically valid, but I'm not trying to prove audibility, I'm just trying to decide what matters to me.

Tim

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Mine came about 4 years ago when I realized I could not distinguish between my very expensive Speaker cables and a pair of 6 AWG welder cable ... From that point I tested myself and conducted the same with several other audiophile friends. The results were pretty consistent : they could not distinguish either ... once the knowledge was removed ...
The second epiphany was to see how even when confronted with such (to me) clear outcome many of my audiophiles friends continue to buy ever more expensive cables and extolling the virtues of these "superior" cables ..

 

[MylesBAstor]

I think the longer one is involved in the hobby and keeps and open mind, the more realizations one comes to!

For me there are three events in particular that come to mind:

1) The very first time I heard a "real" high-end system in 1977 consisting of ARC tube gear, Quads and a Linn tt. Whoa.....
2) The first time I heard tube gear in my system. A friend brought over a POOGED Dynaco preamp -- and I couldn't believe how much more musical it was than my VA modded Hafler 101 preamp. Next day, sold the Hafler and bought a used cj PV5 soon followed by a Premier 3.
3) The first time heard the Accoustat 2+2 electrostatic speakers back when Sound by Singer was in it's according to Kal, second location on Lex Ave. This translated into a planar fest, beginning with Maggie 3as and later, falling in love with the midrange purity of electrostatics.

 

[RogerD]

I have had a few. The first one was back in the early 1970's when I heard Futterman OTL's with Fulton J's, I was hooked.

2. Listening to my "psychoacoustic" speakers in my system and realising how much ambient info there can be in recordings.
3. How different equipment can be improved by using low noise components.
4. Improving clarity,dynamics,PRAT,ect. using EMI/RFI suppression techniques.

 

[audioguy]

1. The first time I heard a pair of Dunlavy SC V's set up correctly. Ran home, sold my Wilson Watt/Puppies.

2. The first time I heard analog done correctly. Ran home and bought a VPI TNT 3.5.

3. The first time I heard digital room correction (at CES in about 1991). Ran home and became an employee of the company

4. The time I heard a pair of the large Maggies (20.1's) with some ginormous ARC tube amps playing piano music. I have yet to hear anything like it on any system at any price -- ever!! (I recently considered purchasing a pair of 20.1 but the local dealer had no idea -apparently- how to set them up.)

5. The first time I heard an audio system placed in a purpose-built and acoustically treated room. Ran home and had my room re-done.

(Is there a pattern emerging here )

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

The year was 1972. A friend of mine invited me to a small gathering of other friends that were meeting at the home (rather basement apartment) of a new twenty-something guy that had moved into the neighbourhood. He had befriended him, and wanted us to see this apparently great audio system he had. None of us were into gear at the time, but we were all music lovers and the invitation was thereby gratiously accepted.

I cannot remember what the gear was, but I do know that it included some huge-ass speakers, a couple of amps, a R2R and a turntable. I had never ever seen anything like it before, and I thought I died and went to heaven after he finished playing Jimi Hendrix' version of Star-Spangled Banner. It could perhaps have had something to do with other "tweeks", but that is when I had my first audio epiphany. I knew from that moment on that music played through "components" was something I had to investigate. A few months later I was in possession of my very first Pioneer, HH Scott and Kenwood audio system. I was 18 or 19.

 

[mauidan]

About six years ago, I heard a Esoteric P-0 transport (see picture below) with a EMM DAC. It was the first time that I heard Redbook CDs sound really good.

 

[caesar]

Hearing great source material !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Old Listener]

... Ran home, sold my Wilson Watt/Puppies.

2. ... Ran home and bought a VPI TNT 3.5.

3. .... Ran home and became an employee of the company


5. .... Ran home and had my room re-done.

(Is there a pattern emerging here )

Epiphanies give you the runs! (g)

Bill

 

[JackD201]

I think the longer one is involved in the hobby and keeps and open mind, the more realizations one comes to!

For me there are three events in particular that come to mind:

1) The very first time I heard a "real" high-end system in 1977 consisting of ARC tube gear, Quads and a Linn tt. Whoa.....
2) The first time I heard tube gear in my system. A friend brought over a POOGED Dynaco preamp -- and I couldn't believe how much more musical it was than my VA modded Hafler 101 preamp. Next day, sold the Hafler and bought a used cj PV5 soon followed by a Premier 3.
3) The first time heard the Accoustat 2+2 electrostatic speakers back when Sound by Singer was in it's according to Kal, second location on Lex Ave. This translated into a planar fest, beginning with Maggie 3as and later, falling in love with the midrange purity of electrostatics.

Myles, What's POOGED?

 

[mep]

Myles, What's POOGED?

I believe these were mods for Dynaco gear that ran in the old Audio Amateur magazine.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Myles, What's POOGED?

A series of articles that ran in Audio Amateur on modding equipment some years back.

To wit from someone at Audio Kharma:

Jung, Walt and Dick Marsh, "Pooge-2: A Mod Symphony for Your Hafler DH200 or Other Power Amplifiers," The Audio Amateur, 4/1981


Its systematic examination of parts and topology and execution that can lead to appropriate, cost effective, and more importantly, sound effective changes that will improve an otherwise competent usually inexpensive audio piece.

The Hafler/Dynaco gear is a perfect example of very competent gear built to a price point. By optimizing judicious component replacement, you can acheive a higher quality level of sound.

Usual changes
-reducing extra contacts in audio signal path if not needed (bypass switches, remove extra jacks/connectors internal and external, replace cheap switch gear with better)

-Use improved replacement parts (Hi quality film caps instead of electrolytic coupling caps, bypass caps on power supplies, higher value/quality Power supply caps with bypasses, HEXFRED/Hispeed rectifiers instead of standard, improved transistors, resistors, and inductors, improved internal wiring and input/output connectors or layout)

-Radical changes (change transformers to toroids or externalize power supply, redesign or substitute entire amplification stages, change topography of exisiting design, sub more advanced low noise IC's (op amps), reoptimize gain structures or phono equalizers, add power supply regulation)

In short, the ol' hot rodding of decent gear into something greater than what you started with. A great way to learn DIY techniques and build something without starting from scratch.


I don't remember what the acronym stood for anymore. Perhaps Kal or someone else remembers.

My friend had rebuilt a Dyna PAS3 with better parts (caps, resistors, etc), simplified the circuit (less gain, though better sound) and among other things, a huge outboard power supply. He went whole hog on this project!!!

 

[RogerD]

I am a firm believer in pooging,I guess that makes me a pooger, on 2nd thought that sounds nasty.

 

[cjfrbw]

I am a firm believer in pooging,I guess that makes me a pooger, on 2nd thought that sounds nasty.

It does rhyme with "booger".

 

[audioguy]

Epiphanies give you the runs! (g)

Bill

Clever They used to give me "the runs" to spend money!

 

[c1ferrari]

Epiphany

and hopefully, not hyperbole In no particular order:

1. Hearing the Hill Plasmatronic tweeter
2. Listening to Beveridge loudspeakers
3. Listening to high-end analog tape, 15 ips/2 track/no NR, on a Studer A820

devert -- I dig those pics

 

[mep]

I’ve had a couple of epiphanies lately. In reality, more like lightning bolts hitting me in the ass on the side where my wallet resides. And I believe my epiphanies are proof that either I have gone crazy and/or deaf, or I can be intellectually honest with myself and decide based on how something sounds which is the better component. I know some people want to argue 20 pages worth of blind-testing rants that audiophiles are incapable of setting aside their biases when they are sighted. At least for me, I know that is a crock of crap.

Most people know that I’m a tube/analog guy. I have a Counterpoint SA-5.1 preamp that I have over $5K invested in when you consider the initial purchase price and the cost of modifying/rebuilding the line stage, phono stage, power supply, new power transformer, new DACT volume pot, new umbilical cord with Cardas wire, and all new RCA jacks. I have had numerous SA-5.1 preamps over the years dating back to around 1988. I have always come back to it because I haven’t found anything that sounded better and that includes a McIntosh C2300 I bought. So it would be very fair to say that I’m emotionally and financially invested in this preamp. Plus, I do like the way it looks.

I also have a Jadis Defy 7 MKII amp that I bought from the original owner that looked like brand new when I bought it. The Defy 7 was somewhere around $8500 when new and I bought it for $2,700 which I thought was very fair. Tim loves to talk about how audiophiles listen with their eyes because they love staring at their expensive gear and I get what Tim is saying. I do think the Jadis is beautiful. A shiny chrome chassis with massive output transformers, 12 KT-88 tubes reflecting off the chrome, and gold accents on the faceplate make it stand out.

Epiphany #1: My Jadis blew an output tube and I ordered a new matched set of 3. While I’m waiting for the tubes to arrive, I put in my Phase Linear 400 Series 2 to hold me over until I get my new tubes in. I don’t really expect much because it’s solid state and it’s old. It had been gone over by a tech before I bought it and he did replace the filter caps. I listen to it and I think that it sounds really good. I really like the bass and the overall speed of the amp seems somehow faster. My new tubes arrive and I install them and re-bias the amp and press it back into service. Nagging thoughts creep in where I start asking myself if I’m missing something and now my system doesn’t sound as good as when the Phase Linear was pulling the amplifier duty. I swap out the Jadis for the Phase Linear and I like what I’m hearing. A few days go by and I put the Jadis back in thinking I must have been mistaken and surely the Jadis is the better amp. Nagging thoughts creep back in that my system really doesn’t sound as good with the Jadis. I pull the Jadis out and put the Phase Linear back in and I smile. This cycle repeats itself until I finally come to the conclusion that I must admit there is no doubt in my system the Phase Linear is the better amp. Much the better which shocks me to say that.

Epiphany #2: After waiting 5 months to get my 5.1 back from Mike Elliott for the power supply rebuild, it shows up with the left channel dead. After I sent it back, I bought a Yamaha C2a to hold me over. I had never heard of this particular preamp before. I looked up the specs on the net and saw a picture of how it was constructed. I paid less than $400 for this preamp. I hook it up to my Phase Linear and I really like the sound. All of my sources sound great. The biggest surprise was my digital rig. It never sounded better. The gap has closed between my analog sources to the point that I’m surprised. My Otari MX-55 playing through my Amex 350s still rules the roost which is somewhat reassuring. My 5.1 finally comes back and I put it back in the system. It sounds really damn good, but I’m thinking not as good. I swap the preamps several times over the course of a couple of weeks and keep coming back to the same conclusion; the Yamaha sounds more transparent and has more detail. Jennifer Warnes “The Well” has several songs where you can hear every breath she takes and even when she opens and closes her lips. The Yamaha brought all of this into stark relief and when I put the 5.1 back into the system, not so much. I finally decide to go with the gear that gives me the best sound and resign myself to the fact that I have had my butt whooped by older solid state gear. It’s a hard pill to swallow on several levels, but the truth is the truth.

In summary, even though I was wedded to tubes and my pieces in particular, my ears told me what gear was telling the greater truth. And this occurred even though I always knew what was in my system. I listened to my ears and not my eyes. So much for DBTs in my case. Expectation bias, eye candy, and financial investment couldn’t convince me that my tube gear was better. The fact that I have less than $800 invested in both the C2a and the Phase Linear 400 Series 2 made my head spin and still does. I will turn in my audiophile credential cards now as I’m sure I will be asked for them.

And one last thing…if I was homeless and pushing around my possessions in a shopping cart while trying to raise enough money to buy a bottle of Ripple to get my homeless buzz, my Ampex 350s would be in that shopping cart because they are all that.

Mark

 

[MylesBAstor]

and hopefully, not hyperbole In no particular order:

1. Hearing the Hill Plasmatronic tweeter
2. Listening to Beveridge loudspeakers
3. Listening to high-end analog tape, 15 ips/2 track/no NR, on a Studer A820

devert -- I dig those pics

Those are pretty good epiphanies!!!