tokenbrit wrote: ↑2019-08-09 01:16
B here too. For me it's upright vs grand -A sounds ok until you listen to B, then you realise that A is (more than) a bit one dimensional. A just presents the main note that's struck whereas B includes the other notes in the chord and resonances that makes it sound like a real piano, piece, and performance.
Agreed, there is a lot more body in the sound of the instrument. The playing also sounds much more well rehearsed; like the player practices on an electric or upright and is enjoying letting loose on an eight-footer.
Is this strictly a comparison of rips? If so, this is a far larger difference than anything you've previously posted.
Ron The Mon wrote: ↑2019-08-09 04:39
Is this strictly a comparison of rips? If so, this is a far larger difference than anything you've previously posted.
Yes, the shift between clips is so pronounced that it's hard to believe they are the same recording.
I didn't say this was a comparison between rips. Although A is newly ripped.....
I was listening to A, and feeling pretty pleased with myself that the new rips sounded rather good, when I remembered that I also have this album on vinyl. The digital recording is by ECM. A is the iTunes rip on my LSNAS played through my ADS/3. B is the LP on a full-house (Urika 1) LP12. I left the single source buttons off on the Sagatuns, although the LP12 does use the best input, the ADS/3 the next one.
From observation to understanding the road can be long - Carlo Rovelli
I'd knock all this digital nonsense on the head! - unless you're entertaining family with kids and need to play some nursery rhymes or have a 'Lift Music' greatest hits CD you want to rip :D
David Neel wrote: ↑2019-08-09 10:26
I was listening to A, and feeling pretty pleased with myself that the new rips sounded rather good, when I remembered that I also have this album on vinyl. The digital recording is by ECM. A is the iTunes rip on my LSNAS played through my ADS/3. B is the LP on a full-house (Urika 1) LP12. I left the single source buttons off on the Sagatuns, although the LP12 does use the best input, the ADS/3 the next one.
Would be interesting to compare the ECM CD played back on a very good CD transport vs the LP.
Matt
Matt
Modified mains distribution / Macbook / Exposure pre + power (both modified) / JBL3677
My 8 year old grandson thinks the masterplug sounds best because “the piano sounded nice” and with the Pro Elec “it didn’t even sound like a piano!”
Personally, I thought the masterplug had a great pulse which was missing with the Pro Elec. Also, it was enjoyable to duet with the Boss through the masterplug, but was difficult with the jumbled sound of the Pro Elec.
You still don't know whether the direction of the cord on these two strips is the best one, right? The slightly stiffer and more detail oriented sound of the Pro Elec is something I associate with a cord in the wrong direction. At least in power cords, where the effect is more pronounced.
I enjoy music more with the Masterplug too although I prefer the sound of the Pro Elec which seems to soften the slightly analytical sound of the Majik-1.
OK, but unless it's the exact same model of cable on these two strips and you have tried both directions, you have no idea which direction is optimal. It could be "with text" (text runs toward the strip) or "against text" (text runs toward the plug) that sounds best.
If you can buy the strip in a store, I recommend you look through the wrapping (magnifying glasses can be helpful) and buy two identical strips but with the cable in opposite directions. Then bring them home and compare them in your system.
If you order the strip online, there's a risk you'll get a lot of the same direction of the cable. I've recently ordered 250 power cords and they were all the same direction (the best one, yippee). Other times I've had 10-20% in one direction and 80-90% in the other.
I don't think I could live with the 32.5. Maybe a 32 would be OK. Perhaps it doesn't come across so much in this clip but the 32.5 is veering too much towards that full on in your face relentless Naim sound that I don't like.
I think I'll get the 12S serviced at some point though.
Certainly doesn't come across in the clip, and I have felt aurally pinned to a wall by Naim amps before so know what you mean by "that full on in your face relentless Naim sound" :/ If anything, the 12S came across more like that due to the relative lack of musicality... The 12S had similar sound to the 32.5 in the clips, but was noticeably less musical.
I'd have thought, though, that servicing the 12S (& the 160) would bring the 12S performance closer to the serviced 32.5... Naim do have a signature so not sure that serviced 12S vs 32.5 will change it that much to move away from the sound that you acknowledge you don't like :? I could be wrong - have been before & will be again ;) No harm finding out I guess except, possibly, in some financial outlay. You do seem to be enjoying trying out all this old gear so why not...
You're welcome. It's fun following along on your old gear odyssey to find the music. Thanks for sharing.
Just a thought, since I could relate to your comment about Naim: have you tried a Tundra in your system? To me, Fredrick's boxes are somewhere between Naim & Linn: less overtly warm than Linn; less tiringly relentless than Naim - more true to the input and to the music above all. If you still have your Kikkin, you'd just need a tidy Tarandus'd Tundra and your search could be over. Unless you're having fun playing and don't want to go 'home' yet ;)
I'll probably get the 12S serviced as well as the 160 but I like them as they are.
Feel that I've finally found a good partner for Kan 1s. As much as I enjoy Katans, its the Kans which I really want in the main system.
Both are musical, IMO, but sound quite different; I wonder how much of that is down to the age/service status of some of the items?
I'm not sure if Naim is particularly popular in these parts, but I would certainly be interested in hearing more of these combos, once fully warmed up.
Re. the .5 mods; yes, I believe it was Guy Lamotte, but everything during 'JV era Naim' had to be approved by the man himself e.g. an excerpt from an interview regarding attempts at a more powerful, but musical, Nait:-
JV: "...Well, we've tried making it more powerful," Julian jumped in. "When I was away on holiday, some of our people cooked up a more powerful version and presented it to me on my return."
tokenbrit wrote: ↑2019-08-14 20:15Just a thought, since I could relate to your comment about Naim: have you tried a Tundra in your system? To me, Fredrick's boxes are somewhere between Naim & Linn: less overtly warm than Linn; less tiringly relentless than Naim - more true to the input and to the music above all. If you still have your Kikkin, you'd just need a tidy Tarandus'd Tundra and your search could be over. Unless you're having fun playing and don't want to go 'home' yet ;)
I took quite a lot of funds out of the system for spending on other things. With what's left, I'm enjoying spending up to about £500 per component on the second hand market and then selling what doesn't work with little loss. A second hand Boazu would be tempting though but can't really afford second hand Sagatun/Tundra. I sold the Kikkin when I bought the black KK, also sold now. It's a good idea though and I agree about the Lejonklou sound - much more lifelike than Linn and not tiresome like Naim.
I'm very happy with the office setup now (Nait/Keilidhs) and that's the one that actually gets used most often.
AlbannachFE wrote: ↑2019-08-14 21:30Both are musical, IMO, but sound quite different; I wonder how much of that is down to the age/service status of some of the items?
I'm not sure if Naim is particularly popular in these parts, but I would certainly be interested in hearing more of these combos, once fully warmed up.
Re. the .5 mods; yes, I believe it was Guy Lamotte, but everything during 'JV era Naim' had to be approved by the man himself e.g. an excerpt from an interview regarding attempts at a more powerful, but musical, Nait:-
JV: "...Well, we've tried making it more powerful," Julian jumped in. "When I was away on holiday, some of our people cooked up a more powerful version and presented it to me on my return."
