Author Topic: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009  (Read 18696 times)

Offline hometheaterdoc

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Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« on: August 19, 2009, 10:06:04 AM »
Everyone,

It's "Grand Opening" time for my new place.  Saturday, September 12th, 2009.  We'll go from 4PM until whenever everyone leaves.  If folks want to come earlier than that, no problem... but not before noon if at all possible :)

As of right now, there will be multiple setups on display, but the majority of time will be spent listening in the main 2 channel room unless others object..... 

There are still some goodies that haven't yet arrived that will hopefully be on display for folks to listen to.  But mostly, this will be a meet to show you what's new at my place and hear my new spaces.  I'd like to keep the gear swapping to as much of a minimum as possible.... or rather that we limit the gear swapping to what I have on hand here because I do have a number of potential setups in each room.

Gear will include, but isn't limited to:

Harbeth Loudspeakers' Monitor 40.1, the all new P3ESR in rosewood finish & Compact 7ES-3 speakers

Era Loudspeakers' Design 14 floorstanders, Design 4 & Design 5 bookshelf speakers, as well as their matching center channels and surrounds

Leon Speakers' Horizon Ultima LCR with Ultima Surrounds

Butler Audio amplifiers including Monad monoblocks and TDB-5150

Oracle Audio DAC1000 DAC and preamp combo

David Belles electronics including the new SA-30 pure Class A amplifier

Peachtree Audio Nova integrated amplifier solution including integrated ESS DAC

Running Springs Audio power conditioners including Dmitri, Jaco, and Haley

JPS Labs Cables throughout including Aluminata, SuperConductor 3, SuperConductor Q, and UltraConductor2. 


I haven't decided if it's going to be a BBQ or if I'll just order some pizza.  But plan to bring your own beverages if you don't like my selection of adult beverages and soda.  Anything else you want to bring along is fine by me.  I'll try to have a few munchies for everyone.

Email or PM me for directions.  If you can find Carl's, I'm just up the street practically :)  Post here if you know you will be attending so I can get an idea of a head count.  Looking forward to it!  See you all very soon!
Shane Sangster
Used to be Night & Day Audio.......

Offline stereofool

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2009, 10:28:40 AM »
I'm IN  :D!
Steve
Have you ever noticed.... Anyone going slower than you is an idiot...and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

Offline mdconnelly

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2009, 10:51:16 AM »
Shane, count me in but it'll be early and, unfortunately, short since I'm heading out of town the next morning.

Looking forward to seeing your fully decked-out place and see and hear all your new toys! :drool:


Offline Rob S.

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2009, 01:34:01 PM »
 :D   I'm in also.

Rob S.

No new money spent on audio!!  but starting in 2012!!

Offline richidoo

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2009, 03:55:43 PM »
I got a preview last week and it was sweet, Belles / 40.1s.  Shane says it sounds even better when the room is setup for max audio instead of max WAF.  :D

Can't wait. Thanks! 
Looking forward to seeing everyone again, and welcoming Rob S down from WV.
Rich

Offline Carlman

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2009, 07:31:47 PM »
Cool, out of town guests!  Welcome, Rob!  Looking forward to meeting you..
I plan to be there also.. Looking forward to it.. let me know if you need help, or chairs... or whatever I have.

-C
I really enjoy listening to music.

Offline hometheaterdoc

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2009, 06:00:13 AM »
Update:

The room is starting to sound even better now that I'm getting closer to having all the panels positioned... I will likely still have to do some stuff with the flooring and bass trapping at a later date.  But not just yet... I want to enjoy having no projects for a little while first, no matter what it sounds like :)

One new gear addition that I can now reveal to the mix of equipment to listen to at the upcoming meet.  The LFD MCSE integrated amp, based on just a few hours last night right out of the box, is definitely a keeper.  I'm looking forward to folks getting a chance to listen to this thing.  It's just remarkable how good it sounds right out of the box and how much it went in the right direction in just a few hours of play time...

Several more goodies are still planned to be here by the 12th.  Until they actually show up, they will remain a surprise as I'm still trying to work out the logistics.  Another pair of speakers I planned to have won't be here in time because of a backorder situation...

Looking forward to having folks over.  It's really starting to sound good....
« Last Edit: August 28, 2009, 06:14:05 AM by hometheaterdoc »
Shane Sangster
Used to be Night & Day Audio.......

Offline richidoo

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2009, 09:47:13 AM »
I split off the LFD discussion, I think we will be talking about it a lot in the weeks to come.

http://www.audionervosa.com/index.php?topic=1591.0

Offline chrisa

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #8 on: August 28, 2009, 03:05:17 PM »
sounds great.  I'm in too.

Offline bpape

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2009, 03:07:06 PM »
I was lucky enough to hear the Belles/40.1 combo at AKFest a couple years ago.  Even in a crappy hotel room, you could hear that it had the potential to be something sweet.  I'd love to hear it set up properly in a room with some space to play with.

Bryan
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Offline hometheaterdoc

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2009, 05:43:46 AM »
The Belles amp works extremely well with the Harbeth.  Very transparent with a ton of resolution without faking it and ending up forward and harsh.  I'm hoping the VT-01 preamp arrives in time to use for the get together.  I'm assured it will and I'm hoping I have enough time to put some hours on it before the show... it will be stock tubes as I don't have ones to roll in it.

I'm also hoping that I'll have a Sol version of the Twisted Pear Buffalo32 DAC to show off.  Rich brought over his stock unit and we had a listen to it without a lot of time on it.  I could hear the potential, but it definitely needed some changes to compete with the Oracle.  All kinds of new parts have been ordered to make some changes.  Here's hoping Sol has enough time between now and the meet to get the unit together so we can listen to his progress.

I was going to finally bring the Acoustic Zen Adagio speakers out of their boxes and see if anyone liked the sound of them at the meet and wanted to take them home.... they've been in storage for over a year and I honestly forget I still have them most of the time.  I keep saying I need to open them back up again every time I notice them.  But I think Henry may have taken care of them for me.  I brought them over to his house last night and I must say, after a little bit of playing to get things loosened up in them, they were just about perfect for his room and equipment.  I had forgotten how absolutely incredible they can sound with the right gear combination.....  It was a late night getting home after listening for a while (and I have a feeling Henry was up a little later after I left).  I could totally live with Henry's setup for quite some time.  It was absolutely singing last night even in a less than ideal room setup.  Good company and great sounding music... doesn't get much better than that....

more goodies hopefully to announce as we get closer to the date....
Shane Sangster
Used to be Night & Day Audio.......

Offline richidoo

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2009, 06:30:31 AM »
I didn't know you still had those Adagios! Anyone but Henry and I would be jealous!  I heard them at RMAF 06 with Response 100W tube amps, and Modwright preamp, one of the very best sounds I ever heard. Much more musical than his other big speakers.

Offline bmr3hc

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #12 on: September 06, 2009, 07:17:12 PM »
I plan to attend the G2G. Not sure of the time due to work. I want to thank Shane for bringing over the Adagios. These are great speakers. I have owed Maggies for 15 years and Spendors for 4 years. Both are special. The Adagios are magical. Midrange is reminiscent of the Maggies. Not quite as transparent, but you don't feel like you are missing anything. The bass region is very impressive with my tube amp. Clean, deep and quick.The circular ribbon tweeter will get you in high heaven. The best part is the speaker is still in the breaking -in mode. This is a keeper. Never thought I would consider selling my Spendors until I heard the Adagios. Rich you got to hear these with the Music Reference tube amp and the Conrad Johnson pre-amp.

Henry
« Last Edit: September 06, 2009, 07:23:20 PM by bmr3hc »
"If music be the food of love, play on."  Shakespeare

Offline richidoo

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #13 on: September 06, 2009, 07:59:58 PM »
Rich you got to hear these with the Music Reference tube amp and the Conrad Johnson pre-amp.

I'm all over it!!  Shane told me your new system is a rare example of perfect system synergy.  Those speakers were in my favorite system at my first RMAF, 06 with Response Audio 100W amps and Modwright preamp. I played Beethoven 5th Symphony on it, I couldn't believe how incredible it sounded. I have heard Acoustic Zen's newer bigger speakers - neither are as wholesome and magical as those Adagios. Congrats  Henry!

Offline hometheaterdoc

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Re: Audio Get Together - Saturday, Sept. 12th, 2009
« Reply #14 on: September 11, 2009, 11:38:56 AM »
All right, everyone!  Tomorrow's the day!

Updates:

An Exemplar Audio DAC is in the house as of about an hour ago thanks to the rep for the company.  This is a demo piece as far as I can tell and doesn't need any break-in.  It's got two inputs, a coaxial and this one is installed with the optional AES/EBU connection.  Three sets of outputs: balanced XLR, an RCA set that are labelled as transister out, and an RCA set that are labeled as tube out.  5 minutes out of the "tube out" RCA set has shown a lot of promise.  Very different than the Oracle....

A Belles VT-01 tube preamp is also unboxed and breaking in as of about an hour ago.  This, unfortunately, is a brand spankin' new unit with no time on it at all.  I'm feeding the Oppo Blu Ray player into it with audio CD on repeat at the moment and will run it non-stop until the meet tomorrow.  It's definitely not going to sound as good as it can... but hopefully folks will get the chance to hear some of its potential.

I know that parts got delayed in shipment.  So I don't have confirmation yet on whether or not a Sol creation will make it to the meet.  He's dramatically altering a Twisted Pear Audio Buffalo32 DAC kit for me to see if we can make it sound in the same league as the Oracle.  Stock it wasn't even close.... but you could hear the potential.  No idea if it will make it and if it does, it will not be fully broken in at all....  but may provide some entertainment for those interested.

Acoustics wise, it's really starting to come together... only a couple more panels to put up... but I fixed the stairwell ringing and hallway ringing... so the upstairs room is sounding much better... now lots of cleaning up and a few final component hookups to have everything playing music in time for tomorrow...

I've heard from a few folks privately via email.  But if folks can re-confirm now that the date is upon us if you know for certain you will be attending, I would really appreciate it.  I just want to know so I can make sure I have enough munchies and drinks.  If anyone would like to bring something, you're more than welcome.  I don't do healthy at all... but the better half is pushing me to BBQ some chicken and stuff instead of ordering pizzas... so I guess that sort of counts?  It's as healthy as I'm going to get anyways :) hehe 

I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

Shane
Shane Sangster
Used to be Night & Day Audio.......