Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

Jbraswell said:
I am curious to see if you decide to ditch the external phono once you have a chance to hear a good quality integrated amp with a built-in internal phono.

The biggest downside is losing gain adjustment but it has never really bothered me. Maybe I am just oblivious too.
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Yeah I did consider this idea as well. Just looking at reviews I'm FAIRLY certain that the JC3+ is better than what's in the 5805 but it's probably close ish...
 
Mather said:
Yeah I did consider this idea as well. Just looking at reviews I'm FAIRLY certain that the JC3+ is better than what's in the 5805 but it's probably close ish...
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As you move up the equipment food chain you’ll find the ML phono section is quite good. You will also find, the higher up you go, and you seem to be on that mission, that the JC+3 is extra special. It’s one of the very best at less than really stupid prices. It’s the best piece of gear you have in your system and worth hanging on to, imo.
 
OMC said:
As you move up the equipment food chain you’ll find the ML phono section is quite good. You will also find, the higher up you go, and you seem to be on that mission, that the JC+3 is extra special. It’s one of the very best at less than really stupid prices. It’s the best piece of gear you have in your system and worth hanging on to, imo.
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I appreciate the knowledgeable info, and I agree. I know my table and that stage are both end game level for me. I'm honestly not on a quest to constantly move up, but I've wanted since day one to try to EVENTUALLY remove the AVR from the two channel music side of the equation, and it's hard not to jump when I get offered a 5805 at nearly a third of total cost. At this point really the only thing that's on the table in terms of subtractions would be the sub. I have to evaluate that one...
 
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Mather said:
I appreciate the knowledgeable info, and I agree. I know my table and that stage are both end game level for me. I'm honestly not on a quest to constantly move up, but I've wanted since day one to try to eventually remove the AVR from the two channel music side of the equation, and it's hard not to jump when I get offered a 5808 at nearly a third of total cost. At this point really the only thing that's on the table in terms of subtractions would be the sub. I have to evaluate that one...
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Your speakers are full range enough in your room to negate the need for help from a sub. At this point I’d guess it is hindering more than helping. I’d experiment with the system without it and go from there.
 
OMC said:
Your speakers are full range enough in your room to negate the need for help from a sub. At this point I’d guess it is hindering more than helping. I’d experiment with the system without it and go from there.
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Yes I'm planning on doing some tests with the B10 sub in the near future to see if I miss it. It's really only filling in the spots at about 45 Hz and below and it's very tightly tuned through the DIRAC so it's not boomy or reflective etc, I don't think it's hurting anything but at this point yeah it may not be necessary either. We'll see. The other thing is with the extra power the 5805 would afford (500 watts) that would likely tighten up any low end bass through the L100s that maybe the Arcam can't quite power as coherently.
OMC said:
Sorry if I missed it but can you demo the ML in your system? That’s instrumental in making $$$ decisions.
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I'm checking around but it doesn't look like it. My contact is actually with the manufacturer so if they don't have B stock then it's unlikely, and they don't currently have any. But I'm still checking.

No matter what I end up with, if anything...

(yeah right)

...it may have to be a leap of faith, which is partly why I'm leaning the ML 5805 way as I could likely almost better my purchase price on resale if it came to that. The other consideration is going cheaper on something like this used Gold Note IS 1000 Deluxe @ $3995 CAD.
preview_Gold_Note_IS-1000_Deluxe.jpg
But the price difference between this and the ML isn't huge and I feel like the sound difference (and resale difference) likely would be larger.

Another question for y'all. Wall mounted bass traps, are they only effective for rear ported speakers? Like if I had to try to tune the room a bit with the removal of the DIRAC, with L100s being front ported, would speaker back wall treatments do anything? I'm guessing not really? I MAY be able to get away with some treatments behind the L 100s but that's the only spot since it's the main (and only) livingroom.
 
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Mather said:
Yes I'm planning on doing some tests with the B10 sub in the near future to see if I miss it. It's really only filling in the spots at about 45 Hz and below and it's very tightly tuned through the DIRAC so it's not boomy or reflective etc, I don't think it's hurting anything but at this point yeah it may not be necessary either. We'll see. The other thing is with the extra power the 5805 would afford (500 watts) that would likely tighten up any low end bass through the L100s that maybe the Arcam can't quite power as coherently.

I'm checking around but it doesn't look like it. My contact is actually with the manufacturer so if they don't have B stock then it's unlikely, and they don't currently have any. But I'm still checking.

No matter what I end up with, if anything...

(yeah right)

...it may have to be a leap of faith, which is partly why I'm leaning the ML 5805 way way as I could likely almost better my purchase price on resale if it came to that. The other consideration is going cheaper on something like this used Gold Note IS 1000 Deluxe @ $3995 CAD.
View attachment 190700
But the price difference between this and the ML isn't huge and I feel like the sound difference (and resale difference) likely would be larger.

Another question for y'all. Wall mounted bass traps, are they only effective for rear ported speakers? Like if I had to try to tune the room a bit with the removal of the DIRAC, with L100s being front ported, would speaker back wall treatments do anything? I'm guessing not really? I MAY be able to get away with some treatments behind the L 100s but that's the only spot since it's the main (and only) livingroom.
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Factory connections? Ride that one. Hard! 😎 Future resale of that deal makes it a virtual no-brainer. You could look at it as a long term loan with little to no cost. Condition and appearance are crucial as you go up the price scale.
 
OMC said:
Factory connections? Ride that one. Hard! 😎
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Oh trust me, I know. They are literally the sole reason I have every single piece of gear I own. I do okay at my job but no way could I afford most of this stuff without their help. Part of my thought process is that I don't know how long I'll have this perk, if they switch jobs it's done. But if I take advantage of the deals as they come then at the very least I'll be in a position to trade up in the future if I want to try to change anything up and I no longer have access through my guy. I'm not trying to make upgrading a race against time. But it's kinda also not NOT a race against time...
 
Mather said:
Oh trust me, I know. They are literally the sole reason I have every single piece of gear I own. I do okay at my job but no way could I afford most of this stuff without their help. Part of my thought process is that I don't know how long I'll have this perk, if they switch jobs it's done. But if I take advantage of the deals as they come then at the very least I'll be in a position to trade up in the future if I want to try to change anything up and I no longer have access through my guy. I'm not trying to make upgrading a race against time. But it's kinda also not NOT a race against time...
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That’s really very nice and considerate of your contact to share that price with all of us.
 
Room acoustics can make a $$$$ system sound like crap just as a great room can make an average system sound like art. Proper speaker placement is critical to getting your money’s worth out of everything, EVERYTHING, upstream and it doesn’t cost you anything to push things around. Room treatment can be critical In extracting the system’s very best but finding the best spot in your workable area pretreatment can yield superb results.
 
OMC said:
Room acoustics can make a $$$$ system sound like crap just as a great room can make an average system sound like art. Proper speaker placement is critical to getting your money’s worth out of everything, EVERYTHING, upstream and it doesn’t cost you anything to push things around. Room treatment can be critical In extracting the system’s very best but finding the best spot in your workable area pretreatment can yield superb results.
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So what you’re saying is @Mather needs a new house.

Hey @Mather could you bribe the local gas company to say there is gas pipe under every square inch of your property?
 
Lee Newman said:
So what you’re saying is @Mather needs a new house.

Hey @Mather could you bribe the local gas company to say there is gas pipe under every square inch of your property?
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I mean... maybe?

What I really need to do it turn the backyard garage into a dedicated listening room, but then I'd also have to build a tunnel under the house to get to it so I don't have to go outside in the winter. And also winterize it. And maybe side step the permit office because there's absolutely zero chance the previous owner got permission to build it so I'm pretty sure I'm not getting permission to build a tunnel to it.
 
Mather said:
I mean... maybe?

What I really need to do it turn the backyard garage into a dedicated listening room, but then I'd also have to build a tunnel under the house to get to it so I don't have to go outside in the winter. And also winterize it. And maybe side step the permit office because there's absolutely zero chance the previous owner got permission to build it so I'm pretty sure I'm not getting permission to build a tunnel to it.
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I meant more on the lines of get a new house and prevent awkward discoveries in the future.
 
Mather said:
I mean... maybe?

What I really need to do it turn the backyard garage into a dedicated listening room, but then I'd also have to build a tunnel under the house to get to it so I don't have to go outside in the winter. And also winterize it. And maybe side step the permit office because there's absolutely zero chance the previous owner got permission to build it so I'm pretty sure I'm not getting permission to build a tunnel to it.
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Maybe a covered walkway might be an easier solution. I can’t see you as a tunneller…
 
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