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Donuk's system

Posted: 2019-05-06 19:13
by donuk
I used to have vinyl - LP12, Uphorik, Dynavector, &c
Got rid of it all a few years ago - suddenly the cottage got a lot bigger.
Now have Melco, Linn ADS/Kat, and the speakers are Totem Model 1 Signatures.
I have had two amplifiers out on the racks (Isoblue) for some time. The problem is that I have been undecided between my Tundra 2 and my Linn Klimax. In my view they both do some things better. To such an extent that I tend to change them over every week.

After some contemplation I have now decided to use both simultaneously - bi-amping my speakers.

Both are connected from an output from the streamer by Linn silvers, and I use split K400 cables to both.

It has been necessary to spend a little time calculating and experimenting to fit a simple attenuating voltage divider network at the input of the Linn Klimax to approximate the gains.

And the result? Lovely. Speakers disappear even more behind a confident tuneful presentation. I have used the Linn to drive the main drivers and the Lejonklou to drive the tweeters. I may experiment further, but I am still at the stage of playing through old favourite tracks and hearing just a little bit more of the music.

Donuk beautiful downtown York.

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2019-05-06 20:59
by Defender
interesting that it works for you - but x-check after a while.
I am saying this because it not really worked whenever I had the chance to hear bi amping with two different amps.
It might sound more impressive (hifi) in the beginning but also somehow disconnected.
However Linn/Lejonklou pairing might be an exception.
Please keep us updated.

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2019-05-08 09:20
by donuk
OK Defender, I have to admit, you have a point.....

So I have lived with bi-amping for a few days. Some things are better.
There is an even wider sound stage, and more detail in the music comes through. It is possible to hear hidden instruments a bit better on many tracks.

I have tried swapping the amplifiers around. Perhaps surprisingly, I prefer having the Linn Klimax Twin driving the tweeters with the Lejonklou Tundra doing the rest of the work. I would have thought, given the power difference, that it would work the other way round. But no, apart from anything else, there seems to be a tiny bit more bass with the Tundra doing the work. (Although this could be caused by the inevitable inaccuracy of my homemade attenuator placed at the Klimax input to give both amplifiers equal gain.)

The bi-amping sound seems to produce an enhancement in the middle frequencies; a bit like having the presence control enhanced on an old fashioned amplifier. This effect I suppose could be the result of the cross over frequencies not quite dovetailing properly.

Anyway I have put the links back in the speakers and powered up just one amplifier. More musical, more rounded, more focussed but a narrower presentation. More green this way too......

My problems are not over though. I still have to decide which amplifier best suits my system and my ears - the Tundra or the Klimax. I suppose I will just have to give them one week on and one week off again so neither of them gets upset.

I am forming the view that many hifi upgrades are simply the process of substituting one set of strengths and weaknesses for another. When you get a new component in a system you immediately hear what it does better; then the faults grow on you and you want to try something else, which for a while sounds better...... All good for the dealers.

Donuk beautiful downtown York.

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2019-05-08 18:45
by Defender
mmh now I am unhappy - I really hoped you would be the exception ;)
I know what you are saying because I am through that many times too. Actually I probably have sold more musical devices for some more impressive ones.
Thats why I am so happy the closing of the Linn forum was making me go to that forum. Here is soo much really good and usefull experience available.

In your case I would recommend to try your 3 possible setups (with Klimax only with Tunra only and both bi-ambed for a longer time).

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2019-05-09 10:19
by sunbeamgls
Sounds like time to try a couple of monos on dem.

Tundra and Solo options :)

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2019-05-09 15:38
by tokenbrit
By "Tundra 2", do you mean version 2.0, or is your Tundra Stereo at Tarandus level, at least, if not the latest v2.5? Otherwise, can you borrow a later/latest spec Tundra 2 to see if you think it's worth upgrading your Tundra 2(.0?) assuming an updated Tundra helps you settle on one .. or the other?

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2019-05-11 16:37
by Ozzzy189
Don's tundra isn't tarrandus and I have offered to lend him mine. Mine is a 2.2
A 2.5 would be a very interesting test however and I personally would just stick with one amp. I still prefer the stereo too.

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2019-05-22 07:38
by mrco99
Even though Tundra 2 is already a highly musical amplifier, the Tarandus upgrade makes quite a difference. And then the last upgrade to 2.5 is again a noticeable improvement on top of that.

I don't know if your Klimax (Twin?) is Dynamiked, but I would heartily advice a listen to the latest 2.5 Tundra amp - it may make any future switching between both of your current amplifiers obsolete.

Cheers from Amsterdam, Marco ;-)

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2019-05-22 21:54
by ThomasOK
mrco99 wrote: 2019-05-22 07:38 Even though Tundra 2 is already a highly musical amplifier, the Tarandus upgrade makes quite a difference. And then the last upgrade to 2.5 is again a noticeable improvement on top of that.

I don't know if your Klimax (Twin?) is Dynamiked, but I would heartily advice a listen to the latest 2.5 Tundra amp - it may make any future switching between both of your current amplifiers obsolete.

Cheers from Amsterdam, Marco ;-)
+1. I feel the 2.5 may be even a bigger upgrade than the 2.2 (Tarandus) although I haven't had all three together to do the comparison. But I did find the 2.5 to have a lot of that Tundra Mono sound.

I do sympathize with Donuk's conundrum. When I first got in the Tundra 1.0 stereo I compared it to Klimax Solos and was surprised that some music was more tuneful on the Solos and other pieces on the Tundra. I had another guy here come in and listen and he heard the same thing. What was surprising was that the Solos were more tuneful on simple music like a singer and a guitar, but the Tundra was more tuneful on more complex music with a number of different musicians. Because of the power difference I had expected it might be the other way around, but rated power obviously has nothing to do with the ability of an amp to sort things out musically. I have also never been happy with two different amps in a bi-wired or biamped situation. Substituting one set of strengths and weaknesses for another is indeed an apt comment for many system "upgrades".

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2020-03-16 11:28
by donuk
Lets all chase away our corona blues and share the progress of our systems.

Mine is essentially the same with a couple of improvements.

It now is:
Totem Signature One speakers on Linn Kan Stands; Akurate DS (Katalyst), Linn Klimax Twin amplifier (to latest spec), Melco S100 Switch, Melco N1/A, Isoblue rack, Linn K400/2 speakers cable, Linn Silvers interconnect.

Had a bit of luck in recent weeks. Through the initiative of David at York's Sound Organisation, I was able to send my ancient Linn Klimax Twin back to Linn for an upgrade of the power supply to Dynamic. When they looked at it they realised the amplifier board was too old - so for an extra fee they offered to replace that board as well. So I now have effectively a new Klimax Twin. Which sounds lovely.

Also of the weeks I borrowed, from my friends at Sound Organisation, a Melco Switch S100. As I have said elsewhere, I borrowed it really to verify my suspicion that switches did not really make much difference to real world systems. Boy, was I wrong. I love what it does.

When I got my amplifier upgraded, I borrowed the S100 switch again. The improvements were magnified.

So, dear reader, I have bought one. No regrets. Do at least try to hear one......

I friend of mine who is a more capable tunedemmer than I am, came in a few days ago to hear it all. He has an exotic valve and electrostatic system. Said it now sounded much more like his own system - praise indeed.

If I knew how to post an image, I would

Cheers donuk beautiful downtown York

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2020-03-16 12:10
by beck
Good to hear from you again Donuk as you are partly responsible for me shamelessly using my time on this forum making far too many posts! ;-)

And good to hear that you are on track with your system. It is when we forget about it all and just gratefully take in the music playing that we know we are on the right track.

I would love to see your system! :-)

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2020-03-17 10:38
by Charlie1
Glad you're having fun Don and the switch is a success.

I tend to just use dropbox for pics and videos these days. The basic free account lets you upload quite a lot. Once uploaded, Just click the option to create a web link and copy it into your post.

If you want the picture to appear instead of just a link, then click the 'image' button (to right of asterisk button) and paste the link into that.

Re: Donuk's system

Posted: 2020-03-17 11:23
by donuk
Thanks for the advice Charlie1.

I will have to get brave one of these days and explore dropbox. But the thought of another on line account and another password......

Something to do while hiding from the virus.

Donuk beautiful downtown York