New Additions

Blue58

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Just though I'd share a pic of the two new additions to my system.

On the left a Denafrips Terminator DAC which is a r2r DAC and I'm running it NOS from the SGM2015 at DSD256. So far it sounds very good but it may have a few quirks that I'm trying to iron out, especially when sending 384K and DSD256. The Amanero doesn't seem to like switching between resolutions.

On the right a Java Triple Shot, a preamp using optocouplers. It sounds as clear as a bell with huge soundstage but may have a cool personality. I've just added a SR Blue fuse to try to bring a touch more organic feel to the music.

I'm sure I can get the best out of both units and then decide if they're keepers.

Hope you like.
IMG_0953.JPG
 
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spiritofmusic

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The work of the audiophile is never complete.
So, I’m gathering you’re picking up major improvements with the new dac and pre, but some caveats on tonal balance?
Are you confident you can improve upon this?
 

Blue58

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The work of the audiophile is never complete.
So, I’m gathering you’re picking up major improvements with the new dac and pre, but some caveats on tonal balance?
Are you confident you can improve upon this?
Most confident and already getting there.
I'm surprised there isn't more interest with the DAC being r2r and the Pre using optocouplers. Both technologies are somewhat rare but maybe I didn't mention the magic words Lampizator or Dartzeel :rolleyes:
 

analogsa

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It sounds as clear as a bell with huge soundstage but may have a cool personality. I've just added a SR Blue fuse to try to bring a touch more organic feel to the music.

Fitting an SR fuse to this particular preamp will have a very minor, if any effect.
 

spiritofmusic

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Why not? I’ve had pretty marked impvts replacing all the fuses in my gear w SR Blacks.
Perhaps the preamp was the least impvd.
 

analogsa

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This particular unit is passive and there is no direct audio circuitry powered from the mains. The light source is about the only part affected by the fuse and is not signal carrying. A dramatically different situation to any active device.
 

Blue58

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This particular unit is passive and there is no direct audio circuitry powered from the mains. The light source is about the only part affected by the fuse and is not signal carrying. A dramatically different situation to any active device.

I'm not technically inclined to understand how an optocoupler works and trust what my ears tell me.
Changing the IEC to a gold Furutech improved the sound and likewise changing the fuse. I'm very cynical when testing tweaks but if it sounds good then it stays.
The Java even performs better on mag-lev footers and with a good power cord.
Everything matters as they say.
Thanks for your input.
Blue58
 

spiritofmusic

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Just returned from a fascinating visit to Barry and his new system of SGM with most recent filter updates>T&A Dac8>new Java Triple Shot optologic preamp>new home made 45 tube monos>AG Duos, all on heavy duty Rogoz stand w some additional Rollerballs isolation.
I’ve heard a fascinating evolution of his sound from a slightly dark and recessed Audio Aero front end, to a much more dynamic and fuller SGM/Dac8, and now a big step up with his Java preamp finally dispensing with the lossy and limiting internal digital volume control of his dac.
Initial impressions was of a dramatic increase in resolution, lower noise, tiny details, reverbs, lines buried deep in the mix, all being revealed positively, but not in an unmusical forensic fashion, always in service to the music.
This could have been deeply dislikeable (as in my own system experience installing a ruthlessly revealing and deeply unmusical Townsend Allegri passive linestage), but very much the opposite: cut after cut was a revelation, never did I feel the need for “less”.
Even torturing Barry with avant prog metal meisters Voivod was a really rounded musical experience.
On his choices of Sarah Vaughan, Mingus, and my asks of Britten “Ceremony Of Carols”, London Grammar, and more, the music was revealing, relaxing, musical and communicative. It helps that Barry is such a great host too.
If there is any caveat, it’s that the Java maybe highlights the upper mids rather than lower down. But this is a flavour rather than a bias/coloration, and is nowhere near a dealbreaker.
And can probably be ameliorated by certain mods to the Dac8, and different choice of fuses and pwr cords.
In conclusion, Barry has taken a big step forward to a truly impressive final sound. He really can stop thinking about any major component upgrades/changes, and just spend a little more finetuning the sound. He’s to be congratulated for getting to a rare place for audiophiles: resolving, emotional and evenhanded.
 
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Blue58

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Just returned from a fascinating visit to Barry and his new system of SGM with most recent filter updates>T&A Dac8>new Java Triple Shot optologic preamp>new home made 45 tube monos>AG Duos, all on heavy duty Rogoz stand w some additional Rollerballs isolation.
I’ve heard a fascinating evolution of his sound from a slightly dark and recessed Audio Aero front end, to a much more dynamic and fuller SGM/Dac8, and now a big step up with his Java preamp finally dispensing with the lossy and limiting internal digital volume control of his dac.
Initial impressions was of a dramatic increase in resolution, lower noise, tiny details, reverbs, lines buried deep in the mix, all being revealed positively, but not in an unmusical forensic fashion, always in service to the music.
This could have been deeply dislikeable (as in my own system experience installing a ruthlessly revealing and deeply unmusical Townsend Allegri passive linestage), but very much the opposite: cut after cut was a revelation, never did I feel the need for “less”.
Even torturing Barry with avant prog metal meisters Voivod was a really rounded musical experience.
On his choices of Sarah Vaughan, Mingus, and my asks of Britten “Ceremony Of Carols”, London Grammar, and more, the music was revealing, relaxing, musical and communicative. It helps that Barry is such a great host too.
If there is any caveat, it’s that the Java maybe highlights the upper mids rather than lower down. But this is a flavour rather than a bias/coloration, and is nowhere near a dealbreaker.
And can probably be ameliorated by certain mods to the Dac8, and different choice of fuses and pwr cords.
In conclusion, Barry has taken a big step forward to a truly impressive final sound. He really can stop thinking about any major component upgrades/changes, and just spend a little more finetuning the sound. He’s to be congratulated for getting to a rare place for audiophiles: resolving, emotional and evenhanded.
You’re too kind Marc.
What’s great is that these listening sessions give another take on the systems sound and stop you going down Acoustic dead ends. It also helps discover new music like the Britten though not sure the Vovoid sounded as good as Marc makes out.
My Avatar shows the Denafrips Terminator insitu which Marc didn’t hear and he may have been further impressed with the sound as the Terminator is even more resolving and dynamic than the T+A however I’m not sure it’s such a great match with the 107dB Duos. Testing still in progress.
I look forward to a return visit to Marc’s system after all his system changes have settled.
Cheers
Blue58
 

spiritofmusic

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I’m getting there Barry. The last 48hrs have been really productive.
I gather your SR Blues are coming thru, and you’re really happy with your sound?
 

spiritofmusic

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Just thought I'd resurrect this thread which has been dormant for over 6 months.

Blue58/Barry has become a really close friend of mine since I first met him some 5 years ago, and I've always admired his sound, and indeed been somewhat envious of the results he's achieved.

Certainly he's been more focussed and indeed practical than me in getting the kind of end result that is to be hugely admired.

His system has always been based around his decade old pair of AG Duos Omega horns. I've heard plenty of criticisms of these spkrs, but tbh the results he's achieving puts a lot of much more expensive spkrs to the sword. Yes, deep bass can be a little discontinuous, but this is not a barrier to me (or him) personally, and the dreaded tube honk that others hate is not apparent to me (us).

They're beautifully complemented by Barry's own design and made custom 45 tube amps. Now I'm no expert in the world of tube amps, and I've heard criticism that these tubes can be overly warm and wallowy, but again we LOL don't subscribe to this, certainly when the magic of these amps lights up the Duos.

Sablon cables have been a mainstay, from the Corona and Panatella initially, to the current Reserva, w some other changes planned soon. I'm a proud Sablon Reservas owner too, and the revelation in tone and texture is a thing to behold.

Barry's main areas of change have been in going from the Audio Aero as cdp/dac/preamp 5 years ago, to the T&A Dac8 performing similar duties via the SGM server from 2015, to running the Java Triple Shot preamp from 2017, to his current setup that I heard for the first time today, comprising the SGM into new Aqua Formula XHD dac into Java Triple Shot.

The Aqua is 200 hrs into an advised 400-500 hrs burn in, w SR Blue fuse burning in too. I'm awaiting Barry's email to remind me specifically what we listened to, but we got in a good selection of classic jazz vocals in F Sinatra and B Holliday, Americana in Ryan Adams live, big classical Aaron Copeland, Miles Davis classic quintet, some other jazz, and some prog rock in Rush and Genesis.

I'm still collating my thoughts, but my abiding opinion after my 3 hr drive home was that Barry has absolutely hit a home run w this current setup.

His system has always been open, immersive and dynamic, but counterbalanced by some attributes that detracted from total success.

His Audio Aero was a little dark in tone, and soundstage recessed well behind the front wall.

His T&A as digital player/preamp was msybe a little grainy, and his T&A thru the Java was a little too sparse and cold.

But put the Aqua Formula XHD in the mix, and things are transformed.
There was always the possibility that the fantastic dynamics of the Dac8 might be lost, but tbh this really hasn't happened.
What has emerged is pretty much what Mike Lavigne reported from his short Formula ownership, a real "space" machine. The Aqua absolutely opens up air and dimensionality. This is not a kind of artifice of the machine, it's a true representation of the space the artists are recorded in. I can tell it's not a player artefact because it totally varied depending on the recording - Yes Relayer didn't have much air, Sinatra and Copeland had it in spades.

But even more impressive was the timbral accuracy, vivid texture, and "as close to analog as you can get" tonal color and density. This was startlingly lp-like and absolutely helped suspend disbelief.

This combination of density and color, timing, space and delicacy produced zero fatigue, maxxed immersion, and revelation after revelation.

For me this truly was digital coming of age, playing so much in analog territory, it was a startling education.

The only thing that in the end "gives the game away" that this was still digital, is a slightly processed sound on one or two tracks (which could be more a mastering artefact than the fault of digital), and absence of the last degree of what I call "elasticity", a kind of flow that I still only hear from lp, but even here the Aqua was v good.

Credit also goes to Barry's Java preamp, it v much convinces as a dead neutral open window to allow the Aqua to strut it's stuff.

Concluding, Barry absolutely has excelled, his taking a punt on Java and esp Formula has taken his sound to a very special place, where digital really steps on the toes of the best analog.

I'm having a little cry now LOL, in a stroke he's leapfrogged my sound in leaps and bounds. Bravo.
 

morricab

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Just thought I'd resurrect this thread which has been dormant for over 6 months.

Blue58/Barry has become a really close friend of mine since I first met him some 5 years ago, and I've always admired his sound, and indeed been somewhat envious of the results he's achieved.

Certainly he's been more focussed and indeed practical than me in getting the kind of end result that is to be hugely admired.

His system has always been based around his decade old pair of AG Duos Omega horns. I've heard plenty of criticisms of these spkrs, but tbh the results he's achieving puts a lot of much more expensive spkrs to the sword. Yes, deep bass can be a little discontinuous, but this is not a barrier to me (or him) personally, and the dreaded tube honk that others hate is not apparent to me (us).

They're beautifully complemented by Barry's own design and made custom 45 tube amps. Now I'm no expert in the world of tube amps, and I've heard criticism that these tubes can be overly warm and wallowy, but again we LOL don't subscribe to this, certainly when the magic of these amps lights up the Duos.

Sablon cables have been a mainstay, from the Corona and Panatella initially, to the current Reserva, w some other changes planned soon. I'm a proud Sablon Reservas owner too, and the revelation in tone and texture is a thing to behold.

Barry's main areas of change have been in going from the Audio Aero as cdp/dac/preamp 5 years ago, to the T&A Dac8 performing similar duties via the SGM server from 2015, to running the Java Triple Shot preamp from 2017, to his current setup that I heard for the first time today, comprising the SGM into new Aqua Formula XHD dac into Java Triple Shot.

The Aqua is 200 hrs into an advised 400-500 hrs burn in, w SR Blue fuse burning in too. I'm awaiting Barry's email to remind me specifically what we listened to, but we got in a good selection of classic jazz vocals in F Sinatra and B Holliday, Americana in Ryan Adams live, big classical Aaron Copeland, Miles Davis classic quintet, some other jazz, and some prog rock in Rush and Genesis.

I'm still collating my thoughts, but my abiding opinion after my 3 hr drive home was that Barry has absolutely hit a home run w this current setup.

His system has always been open, immersive and dynamic, but counterbalanced by some attributes that detracted from total success.

His Audio Aero was a little dark in tone, and soundstage recessed well behind the front wall.

His T&A as digital player/preamp was msybe a little grainy, and his T&A thru the Java was a little too sparse and cold.

But put the Aqua Formula XHD in the mix, and things are transformed.
There was always the possibility that the fantastic dynamics of the Dac8 might be lost, but tbh this really hasn't happened.
What has emerged is pretty much what Mike Lavigne reported from his short Formula ownership, a real "space" machine. The Aqua absolutely opens up air and dimensionality. This is not a kind of artifice of the machine, it's a true representation of the space the artists are recorded in. I can tell it's not a player artefact because it totally varied depending on the recording - Yes Relayer didn't have much air, Sinatra and Copeland had it in spades.

But even more impressive was the timbral accuracy, vivid texture, and "as close to analog as you can get" tonal color and density. This was startlingly lp-like and absolutely helped suspend disbelief.

This combination of density and color, timing, space and delicacy produced zero fatigue, maxxed immersion, and revelation after revelation.

For me this truly was digital coming of age, playing so much in analog territory, it was a startling education.

The only thing that in the end "gives the game away" that this was still digital, is a slightly processed sound on one or two tracks (which could be more a mastering artefact than the fault of digital), and absence of the last degree of what I call "elasticity", a kind of flow that I still only hear from lp, but even here the Aqua was v good.

Credit also goes to Barry's Java preamp, it v much convinces as a dead neutral open window to allow the Aqua to strut it's stuff.

Concluding, Barry absolutely has excelled, his taking a punt on Java and esp Formula has taken his sound to a very special place, where digital really steps on the toes of the best analog.

I'm having a little cry now LOL, in a stroke he's leapfrogged my sound in leaps and bounds. Bravo.

Duos can be totally awesome when driven with a superbly natural source and electronics and a total disaster otherwise. This is due to their ultra high sensitivity and resolution in the mid highs. Like a microscope for sound...for good or bad but this means the potential is pretty high.
 

microstrip

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(...) The only thing that in the end "gives the game away" that this was still digital, is a slightly processed sound on one or two tracks (which could be more a mastering artefact than the fault of digital), and absence of the last degree of what I call "elasticity", a kind of flow that I still only hear from lp, but even here the Aqua was v good.(...)

If the AG Duo's make poor digital sound like poor digital it is a good sign. :)

The AG's are a great electrical match to SET's - very high impedance and sensitivity. If my room was wider I would not resist to borrow a pair of Trio's ...
 

Blue58

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I’m blushing.
Thank you for the very kind and thoughtful comments after your visit yesterday Marc. I’m still in disbelief myself at how Analogue sounding the Aqua Formula XHD sounds and this after only 200 hours use.
I’m glad you enjoyed playing a variety of tracks, mainly streamed from Tidal and upsampled to 705/768 KHz courtesy of HQPlayer, which highlighted how each is recorded differently.
I look forward to a visit to your place soon to give your system the thumbs up.
Cheers

Ps. I must update my avatar now.
 

spiritofmusic

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Barry, can you list those tracks, I'm too tired to do so chasing Ra's two new kittens around the chapel (RIP her old cats Raz and BanBan).
 

Blue58

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Barry, can you list those tracks, I'm too tired to do so chasing Ra's two new kittens around the chapel (RIP her old cats Raz and BanBan).


Some of The tracks we played yesterday were:-

Ruggiero Ricci Fantasy on Bizet’s Carmen
Duke Ellington Three J’s Blues From Blues in Orbit
Frank Sinatra Lonesome old town from Only The Lonely
Rush YYZ from Moving pictures
Genesis Los Endos From A Trick of The Tail
Needlepoint The Diary of Robert Reverie, Title Track
Miles Davies Freedom Jazz Dance From Miles Smiles
Aaron Copland Buckaroo from Rodeo

The above were quite useful in showing great timing of big band, soundstage and dynamics of classical, sweet highs of violin and ability to separate dense rock mixes and of course how great Frank and Nelson were.

By comparison the T+A Dac8dsd does tend to make various recordings sound slightly similar though there’s nothing I miss from its presentation.

If there’s one negative of the Aqua it would be a slight reticence in bass impact however it’s only had 200 hrs burn in, including the SR Blue fuse and still plenty of scope to experiment with isolation. I remember MikeL said the Taiko Tana was a must for the older non XHD Aqua but that’s out of my reach currently.

Thanks again Marc
 

spiritofmusic

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Hi Barry, hopefully more people will chip in, nice at is speaking w you only, there's a whole community out there.

Things of note that really upped the realism/illusion of being there:

Frank really sounded like the legend he is (er, Mr Blue Eyes obviously LOL). I loved the fact that he really filled the room in terms of energy and density, I guess this is where the staging and dynamics of horns come to the fore, but now we had the Aqua absolutely nailing analog creaminess and continuousness. Frank was a joy to behold.

Violins on the orchestral were truly authentic in timbre and tone, I'm by no means a classical expert, but after numerous live concerts I'm really getting a taste for strings, and the Aqua beautifully rendered attack, wood, reverb beautifully.

Even on constrained recordings like Rush YYZ, it was informative to hear more thru the mix. Not much one can do with a 1981 early digital recording, but the space and nuances around NPeart's ride cymbal patterns brought an extra level of insight to a track I've been air drumming to for three decades now.

All in all, no hint of weakness or equivocation w this dac, it combines certain facets I've rarely if ever heard in the same unit.

Air and density, verve and introspection, delicacy and muscle.

What I took away was that digital in this guise was doing the trick that only the best analog does, in nailing the fullness of music without hyping any frequencies, or adding false fullness or euphonic glow etc. This was music that felt closer to what was recorded rather than the usual digital interpretation so common in cdps and dacs.

If Mike L moved away from this to the MSB 3 box, the latter must be a Hell of a player, because the Aqua gets nothing wrong, and all the important things right.
 

asiufy

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Marc,

There's a reason I recommended an Aqua DAC for your system :)

Barry, congrats on the Formula! I am not a fan of tweaks and footers in general, but the Aqua did improve significantly in the bass with the use of different footers and/or better rack/isolation. Bass tightened up significantly.

The AGs are wonderful, and your impression of them mimic mine. As morricab put it, they're true "microscopes for sound", so through them, you're really listening to the true character of the partnering electronics.


cheers,
alex
 

spiritofmusic

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Alex, the Formula XHD is absolutely fabulous at Barry's.
I'm coming from a strict opinion point of view that states digital has an almost insurmountable mountain to climb to even challenge the best analog.

Not only is the Formula striding effortlessly up that mountain, it's camped at the summit, is pouring itself a nice beer (or is that coffee, it's usually cold up there), has put it's shades on, and is staring down into enemy analog territory having a wry laugh to itself.
 

spiritofmusic

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Update on Barry's sublime sound. Since I last visited, he has:
1- completed burn in on Aqua Formula XHD dac
2- acquired some Bocchino terminated King Sablon interconnects and power cords
3- come back from a very relaxing vacation in Hungary and Czech Republic LOL.

On my last visit, I got to hear the Formula dac for the very first time, and was hugely impressed. My only caveat was a slight homogenousness to sound in terms what seemed to be an archetype of air in every recording, even stuff I know to be v closed in and flatly mastered.

Today I heard the same general presentation, but this airiness seemed a lot more natural and organic, yes there is "different" air from recording to recording.

What had taken a massive leap forward was a huge increase in texture and tangibility. Now this enhanced airiness was on top of, and surrounding, greater tonal density and quicksilver dynamics.

What you might call the complete package. A lot of this I feel is down to that final Aqua burn in, but critically also these Bocchino Sablons cords which on this evidence are truly sublime.

Barry can (although he won't) truly sit back and contemplate a hugely impressive sound, organic, natural, expressive.

But I still have one gripe. No tt.
 
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