Let's See What Makes Your Vinyl Spin!

I seriously have to reconsider all that I thought I knew about separates and systems in a box. I got set of KEF Ls50W for desktop speakers and thought I would hook my turntable up to them for shits and giggles and boy oh boy have they completely impressed me. KEF is pretty much taking $1000 off these right now.ATT00001.jpg
 
AnthonyI said:
My little vinyl corner is coming together nicely, tomorrow we raise the ELACs and work on a little toe in with the Polks :)
.........and do I have the best wife ever?! Check out the Drum lamp she got me for my birthday :)
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..........still holding out for a room, lol
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Your "little" corner is a nicer dedicated space than most people get. It's looking great! Is it open to a larger space to the right?
 
displayname said:
Your "little" corner is a nicer dedicated space than most people get. It's looking great! Is it open to a larger space to the right?
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It is, that corner is a little less than 1/4 of the size of the entire room, but I can't move much around and we have low ceilings down here as well. I think my wanting for a room is more about having more control of the space i'm in than anything else, with the current setting and now having somewhere I can sit in front of the system, I'm just going to do my best to dial in the sweet spot. And yes, I do realize my "little" corner isn't anything to whine about ;)

Interesting little side note on the ELACs. So they're sitting on the floor at the moment and the spinning going on on the PLX is more or less to get the cart burned in a bit, but I'm kind of amazed at the spaciousness produced by the ELACs. Even from the floor, when sitting in my chair, the sound is still filling the space really well, it's not like your hearing the sound coming from the floor so to speak, it still sounds like it's coming from the space behind and around the rack, I hadn't listened to the ELACs for a long time and this just reinforces what a nice little pair of speakers they are. I think my temp stands are going to be a couple of cinder blocks with a coat of Plasti-Dip on them for now.
 
The set-up has gone through a big evolution these past few months. The PrimaLuna Prologue has been replaced by a Leben CS300xs and the Focal Chorus have been replaced by Zu Omen Dirty Weekends. The amp has been in the system for about a month and the speakers just a few days but I can definitely say the Leben was a huge win, it is a little hard to describe but everything is just more musical, it flows effortlessly. There is detail, air, body it doesn't feel like anything is missing or trying too hard.
I'm still dialing in the speakers but I am really enjoying them already. Going from stand mounts to full range speakers do what you'd expect, everything is fuller, bigger, more crisp. I haven't been hit by any of the fatiguing high end that some people find with Zu's but time will tell. So far, it has been a huge step forward. Leben.jpgZu.jpgZu 2.jpg
 
LeBlade said:
The set-up has gone through a big evolution these past few months. The PrimaLuna Prologue has been replaced by a Leben CS300xs and the Focal Chorus have been replaced by Zu Omen Dirty Weekends. The amp has been in the system for about a month and the speakers just a few days but I can definitely say the Leben was a huge win, it is a little hard to describe but everything is just more musical, it flows effortlessly. There is detail, air, body it doesn't feel like anything is missing or trying too hard.
I'm still dialing in the speakers but I am really enjoying them already. Going from stand mounts to full range speakers do what you'd expect, everything is fuller, bigger, more crisp. I haven't been hit by any of the fatiguing high end that some people find with Zu's but time will tell. So far, it has been a huge step forward. View attachment 26212View attachment 26213View attachment 26214
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Warmer sounding electronics are definitely a good move with Zus. Nice system!
 
I recently purchased a new phono stage a couple weeks ago. Upscale Audio had an extra 10% off used gear deal, so I picked up the Musical Surroundings Nova II for nearly half the $1,200 retail price. I'd been running the N&G budget fave Vincent PHO-8 for a couple years or so, but was ready to move on. My initial impressions were not as jaw dropping as I presumed they'd be, but after some more time with the unit it's clear it's a huge step up. First off, the soundstage is definitely broader. It's hard to quantify this particular improvement, but it's there. The biggest change though, is the detail coming from the Nova. Previously what I would have heard as sound is now so clearly resolved that I know the material(s) making the sound. Splashy metallic sounds? Now obviously a tambourine riding on a hi-hat. "Bass" line? Upright bass, finger plucked, with a little fret chatter at the end. The cliche of hearing records all over again absolutely applies. The design is a little unusual in that it utilizes a rechargeable battery pack to help reduce noise. I can't really hear an audible difference between battery and charging mode, but my upstream pre amp and amp combined, cost the same as the used price of the Nova, so better components might reveal even greater performance. Oh, I nearly forgot! The PHO-8 gain for MM is 40db, which is where I have the Nova set as well. The NOVA plays so much louder at this same db gain. I don't understand why that is. It has a lower noise floor, but that can't explain how I go from maxing my volume to having to dial back to 70% of full volume or less to achieve the same SPL to the PHO-8. Shouldn't gain be the same? Pics show smaller PHO-8 as reference.....20191210_090511.jpg20191210_090357.jpg20191210_090422.jpg
 
A bit of a revision to my media room system after water damage. i replaced the Denon ABR-X7200WA and that I was using as a preamp and Emotiva XPA Gen 3 amp with an Arcam AV40 and added an ATI AT525NC and Rotel RMB-1075 to the ATI AT542NC I already had. Still waiting on some firmware bug fixes, Dirac, Auromatic 3D, and Dirac Bass Management software, but even with a basic setup it sounds great.

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The rest of the system is the same:

JBL Synthesis SCL-2, SCL-4, and Revel C763L speakers with 4 x Deep Sea Sound Mariana 18S passive subs running off a SpeakerPower SP2-12000 amp and a pair of Seaton Sound SubMersive HP near field subs. A VPI Super Prime Scout with a Hana SL cart, Sutherland 20/20 phono pre, Oppo UDP-203 for the digital discs, and a Aries Mini w/LPS for streaming.

It’s nice to be finally be able to be back in my home, listening to my collection, and relaxing. The last 3 months have been taxing and I’ve missed my music like mad.

I hope everyone’s holidays have been good and Happy New Year.
 
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Made a lateral but very different speaker change.
These odd looking fellows are the Usher T-515.
You really won't see info about these anywhere because the importer and manufacturer ultimately found these didn't have enough margin to justify importing. They made it to a show or two in the US and the distributor has had them in his home for personal use in his bedroom system until he decided to replace them.
Two 5 inch drivers with a 1 inch cloth dome tweeter. Everything about these should be a downgrade from my JBL Studio 580s based on specs and reputation. Smaller drivers, smaller cabinets, less volume, less efficiency, less R&D, lower intial retail price tag. But it's a great lesson in finding speakers based on sound, and the room you're working with. And the price was right so I figured at the very least it's a fun experience and saving money if I end up selling my JBLs.
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So how are these working out? Wonderfully so far. I plugged them straight into my amp leaving it in 10 watt triode. At about noon on the dial they are easily hitting comfortably loud volumes in my room.
These don't go as deep and they don't have the same amount of bass impact. That's to be expected, physics is physics. But they still provide satisfying bass in my room 99.9% of the time so far, and it really cleaned up some bass bloat the JBLs had. Also much faster and more textured in the mid-bass ranges which is a fun change.
These also don't have quite as wide of a stage as the JBLs, one of JBLs best traits. But the imaging is much much sharper by comparison, and the system has much better depth. I also would occasionally notice the crossover point annoyingly with the JBLs, and these have a smoother transition. Top end on these is what really sold me. It's so well integrated, detailed, and natural. If someone was a big fan of horn instruments they might still choose the JBLs, but vocals, strings, and imaging on these is much better in my opinion. I think with a nice fast 8 inch sub these would be unreal, but I'd rather upgrade the speakers in general than make that investment.

The build quality on these is also MILES above the JBLs. You'd never know until you get close up or lift them. The odd tube body has some sort of sand type material build into the walls, making them heavier than expected, and very inert. The ol' knock test makes it really stand out. Another nice little touch is that there is no plastic anywhere on the body. Steel stands, bass spikes, aluminum caps on top and bottom. The black is actually a faux leather in place of a black plastic or veneer.

Because of the price, these are an easy experiment, and the very thin bodies combined with the front ports make the placement in my room much easier and resolves a lot of issues. In a larger room they'd need more power and the JBLs might still win out, but in my room these are simply a better fit. They aren't perfect, but they are certainly a fun change so far, and there is a very real chance they are kicking the JBLs to the curb.
 
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displayname said:
Made a lateral but very different speaker change.
These odd looking fellows are the Usher T-515.
You really won't see info about these anywhere because the importer and manufacturer ultimately found these didn't have enough margin to justify importing. They made it to a show or two in the US and the distributor has had them in his home for personal use in his bedroom system until he decided to replace them.
Two 5 inch drivers with a 1 inch cloth dome tweeter. Everything about these should be a downgrade from my JBL Studio 580s based on specs and reputation. Smaller drivers, smaller cabinets, less volume, less efficiency, less R&D, lower intial retail price tag. But it's a great lesson in finding speakers based on sound, and the room you're working with. And the price was right so I figured at the very least it's a fun experience and saving money if I end up selling my JBLs.
View attachment 28462

So how are these working out? Wonderfully so far. I plugged them straight into my amp leaving it in 10 watt triode. At about noon on the dial they are easily hitting comfortably loud volumes in my room.
These don't go as deep and they don't have the same amount of bass impact. That's to be expected, physics is physics. But they still provide satisfying bass in my room 99.9% of the time so far, and it really cleaned up some bass bloat the JBLs had. Also much faster and more textured in the mid-bass ranges which is a fun change.
These also don't have quite as wide of a stage as the JBLs, one of JBLs best traits. But the imaging is much much sharper by comparison, and the system has much better depth. I also would occasionally notice the crossover point annoyingly with the JBLs, and these have a smoother transition. Top end on these is what really sold me. It's so well integrated, detailed, and natural. If someone was a big fan of horn instruments they might still choose the JBLs, but vocals, strings, and imaging on these is much better in my opinion. I think with a nice fast 8 inch sub these would be unreal, but I'd rather upgrade the speakers in general than make that investment.

The build quality on these is also MILES above the JBLs. You'd never know until you get close up or lift them. The odd tube body has some sort of sand type material build into the walls, making them heavier than expected, and very inert. The ol' knock test makes it really stand out. Another nice little touch is that there is no plastic anywhere on the body. Steel stands, bass spikes, aluminum caps on top and bottom. The black is actually a faux leather in place of a black plastic or veneer.

Because of the price, these are an easy experiment, and the very thin bodies combined with the front ports make the placement in my room much easier and resolves a lot of issues. In a larger room they'd need more power and the JBLs might still win out, but in my room these are simply a better fit. They aren't perfect, but they are certainly a fun change so far, and there is a very real chance they are kicking the JBLs to the curb.
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Just seeing this change.. really cool. Would love to hear how you found them! How are they working out?
 
Slimwhit33 said:
Just seeing this change.. really cool. Would love to hear how you found them! How are they working out?
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Loving them! Actually had the dealer over this weekend and we did some changes with placement that are working out nicely. I've also kicked the amp back over to 20 watt pentode mode for these. 10 watts has a sweeter top end, but the dynamics are much bigger with 20 watts for these. I'll probably still bounce between the two settings from time to time honestly. One of the more fun aspects of this amp is being able to make that change quickly.

So far they check all the boxes, and do some things better than the JBL's. Not everything, but select things. I feel like I should revise a previous statement about the depth. When I say "much better depth" I was a little over excited. I went from zero depth, to a very small amount. It's not going to blow anyone's mind. Limitation of the placement and the room. The biggest things are the tone is more natural to me and bass is also tighter and more fitting for the room. Honestly one of the biggest things that started to stand out to me with the JBLs was I became very aware of the crossover point. It wasn't constant, but there were times when I felt like I was listening to a top end and bottom end coming from two different boxes. Coincidentally New Record Day just reviewed the Studio 530 bookshelves a few days ago, and he pointed out some of those same notes on the crossover. I think a lot of people wouldn't notice it, but it's kind of one of those things that once you notice, you can't un-notice to an extent. I actually hear this from people that go from Zu's back to 2 or 3 way crossovers.

How did I find them? The distributor/dealer is actually in DFW and we've become pretty good friends over the last year-ish. He recently got in some SEAS Thors for his personal use (DIY speakers using the same drivers that you'd find in Joseph Audio speakers). The Thors lead to the Usher's finding their way back onto the market. When I was demoing the Polk L200s we went to his place to try them on a few different amps, and while we were there we paired these Ushers with his Duventi just to see how that worked out. Obviously given that they are in my house now, you can guess how that went, lol.
We're about the same age which helps for moving from dealer/client to friends that just hang out and listen to music, and he's also introduced me to a lot of other really good people in the audio hobby.

Another fun change that happened, added a Cambridge CXC to my system which pairs quite nicely with my CXN. But now the budget for the 2020 is focused on speakers. And wedding planning, but I'm hoping speakers can happen too!
 
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