Ice is nice!

[shep]

I'm sure you can have your cake and eat it too, providing; a deep wallet, a lot of time to spend, seriously good ears, unlimited access to the latest and best hi-end gear etc. The majority of us (look at our audio journey, the money spent, the endless nights trying to figure out not only what we hear but what we want to hear!) are on a hit-or-miss mission. Sometimes we get it right and keep right on going because we arn't sure we can trust our perceptions...ain't called nervosa for nothing! I've been dabbling (or is it babbling) in this for 40 years and I sure would like to get to a place where I can call it quits and just enjoy without wondering and questioning!
Back to the matter at hand: I wish someone else would jump into the pool with this Ice stuff and share their experience. As it stands, this particular example that's now relentlessly burning in, is very musical and doesn't seem to be harmonically threadbare or enrichened. Maybe my ears are too middle age or I'm too far out of the loop of the really good stuff.  :shock:I just had a horrible thought: each step on the ladder is two resistors. Each resistor needs burning in. That makes how many hours per volume setting? I don't know how long Vishay take to settle. groan. I'll be ready for the home for the bewildered soon.

[richidoo]

Machine distortion can be very enjoyable and comes in many flavors, and can be combined into endlessly entertaining combinations. To me it is abstraction. I hear it as different and separate from the music so I have to get rid of it or it drives me nuts. The Ushers have made me a lot more sensitive to it.

I learned a lot thinking about this thread today.

[miklorsmith]

What I'm "thinking of" is the furthest thing from musical separation possible, what I'm "saying" may not match up to that.  Stupid words.

[richidoo]

Yeah, I know what you mean. Too bad we live so far away, we could listen to examples and get all worked up trying to explain what we mean while frantically swapping gear.     That would be fun!

[Carlman]

Yeah, I could hear it now... "No, THIS is warm... NO, THIS is warm... Hey, what do you mean, 'THIS'?... "  ARGH! haha  Oh wait, I've had these conversations in person.  Gear swapping to define your terms is its own hobby.

[shep]

The amp is sounding better every day...more open and relaxed. I wish I could find a way to promote Michael Mardis, who is a very talented guy. I told him to redo his website and make some specific offerings. This is my third amp from him so I know of what I speak. I can't speak of the well known examples of the Ice. module, like Bel Canto or Wayred, but this little minimalistic amp plays in their league, I'm sure. The sound is suave, dynamic, even-handed, transparent, grain-less, very transparent with rock solid imaging. Another 250 hours to go and at this rate it will be a killer amp for under 1000$ I wish I could here it on other speakers using another source to get a better idea. I woud love to play with other cables too but that is out of the question, here in the wilds of Southern France.

[Carlman]

That's great to hear, Shep! 
I bet it's 'great to hear' as well.

-C

[shep]

  what did I say weird again? not male box, not tea shirt, ahh got it! I'm slow. The amp isn't. Anybody in Manhattan? I'm coming for a month on the 15th of Dec. I do apt. painting and generally anything for money!!! Help finance my addiction!

[Carlman]

I didn't think you said anything weird.  Hm, which is somewhat out of character, haha.
I'm just happy your system is breaking in and sounding better, nothing weird about that!

[shep]

gotta be weird. Doesn't it say i'm obsessively audiophilatic? Some has to stand up and be counted around here! As long as they let me bring my gear to the home for the bewildered...
I've been reading on-line issues of various hi-fi "rags". Shouldn't do that...The good thing is I can't afford any one it and if I could I would have a nervous breakdown trying to decide the undecide-able. OR....if I were super rich, I would employ some poor soul to bring in and set up a complete system every month. He or she better be damned good!

[shep]

The amp took a leap tonight at 50+ hours and more importantly, I re-did the speaker placement and got a major improvement across the board. It can never be said enough times that the room is an equal partner in the whole synergy and no matter how good the gear, if the room doesn't play there's just no way you're going to have the best sound out of the equipment. I am a happy camper. I have now a huge sound stage, pin point imaging, great bass and the whole thing is beginning to gel. I can't wait for the burn in to finalize. I was basing speaker placement on another space and it just wasn't happening until I did something radical;
moving the speakers as far apart as possible, toed-in to face the "head" and much closer to the back wall than I'm used to. BINGO!

[miklorsmith]

Outstanding.  No matter how long you're in this hobby there are always plenty of surprises waiting to strike.  Any photos of that bugger yet?

[shep]

my system is so minimalistic I'm ashamed to show it...and the amp is small. Well I'll try later

[miklorsmith]

If the amp is small, make the picture bigger.    I like little amps.

[richidoo]

I like little amps.

That's what she said       That's what they all say, more like it

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