Charlie1's System

Share your journey!

Moderator: Staff

User avatar
V.A.MKD
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 862
Joined: 2019-10-09 15:33
Location: Skopje / Europe
Contact:

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by V.A.MKD »

Charlie1 wrote: 2021-10-05 09:56 Thanks Vlado.

I restored a deleted file if anyone wants to compare...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lr4wq97tksk9x ... 6.mp4?dl=0
New is better ... much better ...
Music First ...
Vlado
tokenbrit
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2039
Joined: 2012-03-22 19:47
Location: New England

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by tokenbrit »

Charlie1 wrote: Not finished setup yet but Kans are already much happier...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0f60v1w5yybdu ... 4.mp4?dl=0

That sitting room was weird - HiFi Heaven mixed with musical monotony

...

I restored a deleted file if anyone wants to compare...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lr4wq97tksk9x ... 6.mp4?dl=0
Are these both with Troika/L2 LP12, and same electronics?
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

tokenbrit wrote: 2021-10-05 14:20 Are these both with Troika/L2 LP12, and same electronics?
Yep - some consistency for once :)

The system is clearly sat between speakers in the sitting room clip, but that's minor compared to the musical differences I heard between rooms.
tpetsch
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 342
Joined: 2020-08-17 18:46
Location: United States

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by tpetsch »

tokenbrit wrote: 2021-10-05 14:20
Charlie1 wrote: Not finished setup yet but Kans are already much happier...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0f60v1w5yybdu ... 4.mp4?dl=0

That sitting room was weird - HiFi Heaven mixed with musical monotony

...

I restored a deleted file if anyone wants to compare...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lr4wq97tksk9x ... 6.mp4?dl=0
Are these both with Troika/L2 LP12, and same electronics?
New setup sounds much more in tune Charlie.
Rega P10, Aphelion II, Aura. Naim CB 32.5/HC, Naxo 3-6/HC, 3x250 into K20/DMS.
tokenbrit
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2039
Joined: 2012-03-22 19:47
Location: New England

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by tokenbrit »

Charlie1 wrote: 2021-10-05 14:54
tokenbrit wrote: 2021-10-05 14:20 Are these both with Troika/L2 LP12, and same electronics?
Yep - some consistency for once :)

The system is clearly sat between speakers in the sitting room clip, but that's minor compared to the musical differences I heard between rooms.
So what changed from when it was in the bedroom before, when you couldn't get it sounding right, because it sounds pretty good now ;)
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

You're gonna wish you hadn't asked that.

This system was in the bedroom before but with the Saras. It had been like that for a while. However, 95% of my listening in this room is late at night at very low volume. Unfortunately, the Saras don't play nicely at very low levels, or not passive with a 160 they don't. So, this was a problem I'd not found a fix for. Tukans/Katans don't match well. I was thinking of trying Wakonda/2 x LK140/Aktiv Ninkas because late night / very low volume is the one time I miss Linn amps, but not on all songs.

Moving on, I got the Karma deck for the study system comprising 42.5/110/Kans but that didn't turn out well cos of the Karma and so I started nicking bits of the bedroom system to check things. I then moved the best setup (Troika deck/32.5/160/Kans) to the sitting room which was another 'fail' and that setup is back to the bedroom. This fixes the Sara issue.

The study has been abandoned and it wasn't getting much use anyway.

The office is great and best left alone.

I'll probably use Karma deck/42.5/110/Saras in the sitting room for non critical listening with my wife once a week or so - mainly classical whilst reading or web browsing.

Lastly, I have Ninkas coming and will probably still try Wakonda/1 x LK140/Ninkas in the bedroom. I can see me selling the 42.5/110 and running a 90s LK-based system but we'll see.

Oh, and for some insane reason I recently bought a classic Quad 33/303 pre/power out of curiosity.

You don't think I'm obsessed do you?
Last edited by Charlie1 on 2021-10-05 22:58, edited 7 times in total.
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

tpetsch wrote: 2021-10-05 20:10 New setup sounds much more in tune Charlie.
Good to know you hear the same - tx for listening!
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

Finished tweaking setup - Nothing else I can do now - without experimenting like beck

80s classic that thankfully doesn't get much radio airplay:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5mzb0mtsb4qh7 ... 3.mp4?dl=0
tokenbrit
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2039
Joined: 2012-03-22 19:47
Location: New England

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by tokenbrit »

Charlie1 wrote: 2021-10-05 22:38 You're gonna wish you hadn't asked that...

<yikes>

You don't think I'm obsessed do you?
As long as there's not going to be a test :p
Charlie1 wrote: 2021-10-06 14:39 Finished tweaking setup - ...

80s classic that thankfully doesn't get much radio airplay...
Finished (for now ;) although you should leave alone, other than playing LPs, because that's sounding good :)
User avatar
V.A.MKD
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 862
Joined: 2019-10-09 15:33
Location: Skopje / Europe
Contact:

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by V.A.MKD »

Charlie1 wrote: 2021-10-06 14:39 Finished tweaking setup - Nothing else I can do now - without experimenting like beck

80s classic that thankfully doesn't get much radio airplay:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5mzb0mtsb4qh7 ... 3.mp4?dl=0
Great tunefulness and music easily going on ....
Music First ...
Vlado
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

Thanks gents! :)
User avatar
ThomasOK
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4358
Joined: 2007-02-02 18:41
Location: United States
Contact:

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by ThomasOK »

Charlie1 wrote: 2021-10-03 17:11 What do folks think of concrete floored hifi rooms? It's calmer, clearer, but maybe a bit of lifelessness creeping in.. One big advantage if using a vintage / coloured system is that the nasties are kept to a very minimum. I reckon suspended floors exacerbate sibilance, peaky Kef B110 drive units, etc.
Latest track is sounding good. But I am quoting this post as you risk setting me off with the "peaky KEF B110" comment. I had a major tussle on the Linn forum before it's demise with a person who posted that the Isobariks couldn't be any good because they used the "peaky" KEF B110 drivers. My post at the time was rather lengthy (imagine that?!) but here is a shortened version.

The B110s in Linn Isobariks and Kans are not particularly peaky. Linn modified these drivers in a couple of ways. One was to put a damping piece on the back of the magnet assembly and paint the basket and magnet with something along the lines of auto undercoating, presumably to control resonances in those parts. The other mod is simple but important. It involved burning four small holes in the cone between the dustcap and the voice coil former. This ventilates the voice coil improving power handling. Importantly it also has the effect of allowing the air trapped behind the dustcap that caused the upper midrange resonances to flow through the holes thereby removing the resonances. Since he didn't want to accept my comments on this I was forced to produce a frequency response graph made of my own 1980 Isobarik by another loudspeaker company in a speaker clinic they did at the store I then worked at. Not only were the supposed peaks notable by their absence, but the company who made the measurement said that it was the most ideal frequency response they had ever measured, including on their own speakers.

The same modifications were also applied to the Kan B110s.
The LP12 Whisperer
Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer and above all lover of music.
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

Interesting - thanks Tom!

Surprised they measured that well.

My Briks don't sound peaky tbh, but the Kans do - or at least it's noticeable if the room or recording exacerbate it - which the bedroom does a little bit. The study was much worse but then it had a lot more reflections bouncing around. If not the drive units then I guess it could be aging caps.

Kan 2s weren't peaky at all in the study, but I enjoy 1s more.
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

Probably not everyone's cup of tea but this is how a pair of speakers should play early U2 in my book :D ...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0b5cn2qtw0tj1 ... 3.mp4?dl=0

Never felt my 140s/Ninkas really delivered with this type of music, especially with Charka-based amps.

I think old Larry (and Adam) are a bit under rated tbh.
beck
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2752
Joined: 2012-10-22 22:25

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by beck »

I like it. :-)
Playing cd’s…………
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

Cheers beck

I thought I was holding the phone a good way but turns out it was causing some unpleasantness.

Recording this stuff is an art form in itself!

Better versions...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/g3xtuaxumqtl3 ... 0.mp4?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/heaoub6fmacxd ... 8.mp4?dl=0
Last edited by Charlie1 on 2021-10-07 13:22, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Tendaberry
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 982
Joined: 2010-08-30 16:08
Location: Hamburg

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Tendaberry »

Much better!
tokenbrit
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2039
Joined: 2012-03-22 19:47
Location: New England

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by tokenbrit »

Charlie1 wrote: 2021-10-07 12:50 Recording this stuff is an art form in itself!

Better versions...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/g3xtuaxumqtl3 ... 0.mp4?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/heaoub6fmacxd ... 8.mp4?dl=0
I prefer track (U)2: it shows off the rhythm & tunefulness of your setup - rock solid (vs the delicate China Crisis song*)

* nothing against your system
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

Thanks fellas

I'm happy now
User avatar
ThomasOK
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4358
Joined: 2007-02-02 18:41
Location: United States
Contact:

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by ThomasOK »

I agree with the toke man, I like the second clip better. Sounding good.
The LP12 Whisperer
Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer and above all lover of music.
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Spannko »

Absolutely bang on charlie1! The recording and distribution industry should’ve stopped right there instead of thinking up ways of selling us what we’d already bought but in an “improved” format 🤬🤬🤬

The Troika’s sounding fab, and what a great combination with the Kans! You clearly had a destination in mind and you haven’t stopped fettling until you got there. Well done 👍
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

Thanks Spannko - yep, you're right - A vague musical memory has been driving it
FairPlayMotty
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 769
Joined: 2018-08-28 11:10
Location: Scotland

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by FairPlayMotty »

Spannko wrote: 2021-10-07 17:32 The recording and distribution industry should’ve stopped right there instead of thinking up ways of selling us what we’d already bought but in an “improved” format 🤬🤬🤬
If only they'd kept to 78rpm..... In the real world we've this wonderful thing called technological progress. Sure it has hiccups along the way. But there's a reason my TT has yet to be connected since my 2019 house move - my digital streamers and servers sound magnificent irrespective of what eon of music I throw at them. I encourage you to build a streamer. it's easy and cheap. The idea of digital music being, "fragile" or non-musical is bunkum. To be fair I shared that view whilst I owned an Ikemi but technology improves apace and at low cost these days. People too easily forget taking LP pressings back to the record shop a number of times before getting a good LP.
Everything is a remix: Copy, Transform, Combine.
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by Charlie1 »

Found the speakers were not centred in the room by a few cm. Also pulled the LP12 away from the wall a bit more.

One of my fav tunes - shame I can't seem to prevent the vocal sibilance caused by the phone as it's not there in the room
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fijf2lpwc15n7 ... 2.mp4?dl=0
User avatar
springwood64
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 789
Joined: 2008-10-13 18:19
Location: UK

Re: Charlie1's System

Post by springwood64 »

Sounds amazing listening to your recording on my laptop with headphones. Out of curiosity I played the same track on Spotify in the same web browser, and there's no comparison. Your phone recording is much much more enjoyable.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
Post Reply