Most Musical Gain Setting (Linto)

[markiteight]

I did a search and didn't find an answer, so apologies if this has already been covered.

Is there a musical advantage to one gain setting over another in a Linto? I have noticed on rare occasions the red "overload" LED will illuminate on my Linto so it might be a good idea to lower the gain, but as it is a semi-permanent change I'd like to make sure I won't be making things worse before I start cutting things.

Thanks!

[markiteight]

Well it seems nobody has an answer, so let's make one!

https://youtu.be/gDWZ70UDqnQ
https://youtu.be/DLIvXMOBQV4

[beck]

Great videos markiteight and great music. :-)

Top clip is a little more controlled and bottom clip a little more lush. Both sound great but if I had to choose it would be the (less precise) lush version.

[Defender]

I prefer the second clip. It flows better to me. I assume its the lower gain setting?

[V.A.MKD]

Well it seems nobody has an answer, so let's make one!

https://youtu.be/gDWZ70UDqnQ
https://youtu.be/DLIvXMOBQV4

Second Clip for me ...

[kampak]

Agreed

Definitely clip #2

nothings wrong with control in here, but some instruments have more colour - as they should,
others remain more "controlled", which is a good thing... more music for my ears at least

[tokenbrit]

2nd.

[Defender]

what REM LP is that?

[markiteight]

And we have a winner, by unanimous vote!

The first clip is factory default setting with jumpers intact: 64dB gain. Second clip is with jumpers cut: 54dB gain and volume on Exotik raised 10dB to compensate (I didn't spend much time exploring volume matching as it sounded pretty close to me this way). The clips don't really do justice to how big the difference really is.

Great videos markiteight and great music. :-)

Top clip is a little more controlled and bottom clip a little more lush. Both sound great but if I had to choose it would be the (less precise) lush version.

Thanks beck! That's an interesting description and I can hear what you're talking about in the clips. In the room I actually hear much greater control and sense of rhythm with the gain reduced, but in a relaxed and natural way - not at all forced or exaggerated like what is often associated with some Naim equipment. This relaxed yet precise flow naturally leads to a much better understanding of how all the individual musicians fit together to make the music as a whole.

What really sold me on the reduced gain was that when I diverted my attention away from the music to read some incoming messages on my phone, I stayed "tuned in" to the music. That never happened before. Usually if I try to multitask I have to actively shift my focus from one task to the other, but even as I type this sentence I'm remaining engaged with the music (currently being served a healthy plate of Phish). This tells me that my brain is having a much easier time processing the sensory input it is receiving - so much so that it can do it with hardly any effort at all, and that is the most fundamental goal of the Tune Method.

Even that description doesn't do justice to what I'm hearing, so let's try a silly analogy. What I had before was like broccoli for the ears. I like broccoli, and it's good for me, but I don't crave more after I finish the last piece. Now, my ears are tantalized, titilated, energized. When the record is over my brain cries out "more..MORE! GIVE ME MORE!!!"

This...this is candy for the ears.

If a Linto is capable of pumping out this much music, my little pea brain can't fathom what Entity (let alone SINGularity) can do!

what REM LP is that?

Green. Arguably their best effort.

[beck]

It is a great thing to be able to be happy for others getting great music from their system and I am truely happy for you! :-)

[V.A.MKD]

It is a great thing to be able to be happy for others getting great music from their system and I am truely happy for you! :-)

+1 ...

[Defender]

that makes me think of cutting the wires too - what you have to do is remove the boards? Maybe it was a cumulative effect because you than also have re-torqued the bords and the housing screws.

[markiteight]

that makes me think of cutting the wires too - what you have to do is remove the boards? Maybe it was a cumulative effect because you than also have re-torqued the bords and the housing screws.

The links are located on the underside of the circuit board, so yes it has to come out. I had adjusted all the fasteners to their optimum values a few weeks ago and I used those same settings when reinstalling the board. That's a great suggestion though.

When I removed the Linto from the system I noticed that two of the power cables had settled and were in contact with the T-Kable. When I put the Linto back and hooked everything up, the T-Kable was hanging free and clear, the only points of contact being where it exits the LP12 and where it connects to the Linto. Could this have caused a more substantial change than I expected? Given beck's recent experiments with cable positioning it may be worth exploring further.

[ThomasOK]

I didn't realize I'd been away form the forum this long. Days flow differently when you are on lockdown. I also prefer the 54 version over the 64 version. I'll be interested if you try it to see how much the cable orientation had to do with it.