The setup
After I made the decision to sell my Kairn-Klout-Kaber combo and endless listening sessions I could finally make up my mind and I have decided to go for the "kick-ass" system as proposed in a different thread:
- LP12 /Ittok LVIII/b/Adikt/"Sole"/Lingo I
- Frederik's Kinki2
- Squeezebox receiver "SBR" (the duet- the funny remote) fed from a Synology NAS and controlled with a iPod Touch using iPeng.
- AVI ADM9.1
Preface
Last week I setup the NAS and started ripping my small cd collection (120 CDs vs.1200 LPs). I hooked it up to my old system to test and I was quite impressed by the SBRs sound, way better than my old Nakamichi CD player, but as well a bit harsh.
Then on Friday my Kabers and Klout were carried away by an old Linn lover who lost his system recently in a divorce. So he was all bliss to have found my old kit.
Yesterday the ADMs have arrived and eversince they played non-stop almost (on the analogue connection), I only went to bed very late and this morning I ran out quickly to get a toslink cable to connect my SBR to the ADMs. And this brings them to a completely different level (the DA in the SBR is not bad, but the one in the ADM is simply a lot better sounding).
First impression - Digital only
I must admit I am completely and utterly impressed by the ADMs.
What they deliver without being broken in yet is just astonishing.
When they play it's simply just plain fun and all you want to do it to hear another track you haven't heard for a long time.
The sheer thought of comparing them to a three times as expensive Majik-I and 109 combo (incl cables) makes me :lol:
There is no comparison *full stop*
But, how does it compare to my old kit:
Speed, dynamics,transparency and FUN are the keywords...
The ADMs better the old system in every respect
I am now still waiting for the Swiss customs to clear my Kinki to be able to hook up my LP12 to hear....
- To be continued -
My new system - LP12+Kinki2+SB receiver+AVI ADM9.1
Moderator: Staff
The Kinki has arrived today....
The analogue - first LP verdict
The Kinki has arrived, had to change the plug on the power cable to Swiss standard. Hooked up. Lingo on, TALK TALK "the Colour of Spring" Side 1, LP12 on, tonearm in to first track "Happiness is easy".
Instantly gobsmacked, what a difference to the Kairn's MM-pre section...
Clarity transparency and very very nice flow of music.... wonder how it plays once burnt in...
Who needs an MC? .... only if you want to eat pitiful burgers
..... or you're into D&B or Rap...
Happiness is really easy....(if you own a Kinki)
The entire kit keeps on getting better with every hour it plays.... treble harshness is slowly going away, everything gets more focus...
Did I make the right decisions changing to this system..... I am not looking back. My old combo was very nice, sure but this is... another world.
- to be continued many records later-
The Kinki has arrived, had to change the plug on the power cable to Swiss standard. Hooked up. Lingo on, TALK TALK "the Colour of Spring" Side 1, LP12 on, tonearm in to first track "Happiness is easy".
Instantly gobsmacked, what a difference to the Kairn's MM-pre section...
Clarity transparency and very very nice flow of music.... wonder how it plays once burnt in...
Who needs an MC? .... only if you want to eat pitiful burgers
..... or you're into D&B or Rap...
Happiness is really easy....(if you own a Kinki)
The entire kit keeps on getting better with every hour it plays.... treble harshness is slowly going away, everything gets more focus...
Did I make the right decisions changing to this system..... I am not looking back. My old combo was very nice, sure but this is... another world.
- to be continued many records later-
A few days and many many albums later.....
I have been faced with a few burn in related things.....
The ADM
After about 40 hours of listening and constant improvement, the ADMs highs started to worsen (digital and analogue), they somehow lost their transparency and some distortion started to appear listening at low volumes, furthermore the highs started to sound a bit shut in as if the phase would have been inverted... At higher volumes everything sounded ok, so I have continued listening.... After about another 10 hours this effect has gone again and now the high are less sharp than in the beginning and the distortion is gone.... whatever caused this, it felt a bit bizarre....
The Kinki was in operation for about 24 hours up to now and it becomes warmer and rounder with every hours more.....
Am going on holiday next week and early May a friend comes around with his sub and we will explore how much the sub will add to the overall impression. My gut feeling says that the sub will not add a lot, but after having read so much information regarding the addition of subs to systems I am looking forward to this test.
The ADM
After about 40 hours of listening and constant improvement, the ADMs highs started to worsen (digital and analogue), they somehow lost their transparency and some distortion started to appear listening at low volumes, furthermore the highs started to sound a bit shut in as if the phase would have been inverted... At higher volumes everything sounded ok, so I have continued listening.... After about another 10 hours this effect has gone again and now the high are less sharp than in the beginning and the distortion is gone.... whatever caused this, it felt a bit bizarre....
The Kinki was in operation for about 24 hours up to now and it becomes warmer and rounder with every hours more.....
Am going on holiday next week and early May a friend comes around with his sub and we will explore how much the sub will add to the overall impression. My gut feeling says that the sub will not add a lot, but after having read so much information regarding the addition of subs to systems I am looking forward to this test.
It's sometimes hard to tell from descriptions whether a strange sound is due to normal variations or a fault. But I do recognise the things you are describing from the "burn in" process of some products. Every time it happens, I get really surprised that the sound can change so much and then suddenly change back.
I have noticed this phenomenon in all soldered connections and also in some components. I once had to drop the use of one type of component that I found had very strong variations in sound quality during the first months. So much that it became difficult tuning the circuit to the optimal value - it seemed to change from day to day.
Nice to hear that the Kinki 2 gets better! If you aren't already doing so, I suggest you keep it plugged into the mains at all times (except during thunderstorms or when going away for a long time). It consumes less than 5W of power, so the electricity cost and enviromental effect is minimal.
I have noticed this phenomenon in all soldered connections and also in some components. I once had to drop the use of one type of component that I found had very strong variations in sound quality during the first months. So much that it became difficult tuning the circuit to the optimal value - it seemed to change from day to day.
Nice to hear that the Kinki 2 gets better! If you aren't already doing so, I suggest you keep it plugged into the mains at all times (except during thunderstorms or when going away for a long time). It consumes less than 5W of power, so the electricity cost and enviromental effect is minimal.