Paaf system

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Spannko
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Spannko »

Videos would be nice too!
Paaf
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Yeah the IKEA stuff is cheap.

Nice idea with video, then I can make a little Tour.
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

I found a small oak board that I immediately put to good use. The PSU of the NAS now rests on it, on the desk, with three silicone feet.

I have performed many many small tunings of NAS/switch/cables the last few days, and I test each step with the tune method. Each step improves the sound and the end result is simply awesome, I can hardly believe it's the same system.

The OCD is back in full glory... :)
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Many many free tunings later... Wowww.

Every step was 100% tune method, so I'm not surprised that it sounds much more tuneful.

What awes me, almost shocks me, is how much better the sound is too. Many little sound details suddenly appear adding to the musical experience, songs that used to have big boomy bass now sound almost dry, other pieces suddenly have a cool bass line that was just some vague noise before, instruments or voices are placed without effort into the room, songs that sounded digital and artificially airy now sound solid and clean... and so on.

(And that's going from a tuned system to even more so.)

This is quite rewarding and deliciously and dangerously addictive!
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Latest configuration. Questions? Comments?
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Speakers etc.
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Tendaberry
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Tendaberry »

Nice headphone stand :-)
Paaf
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Yeah, I like it too, although I suppose it is not entirely optimal since it's constantly pushing the cushions so to speak... :)
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

If someone has great ideas for different placement or best upgrades... shoot!

Today I upgraded data cables for nas/switch/dsi.
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

I fixed my left speaker! There was a slight buzz at approx 7-800Hz and I eliminated several theories after doing corresponding tests.. I unscrewed the tweeter and wiped randomly around its edge mounted it again and... no buzz!

Then spent like an hour swearing ... trying to change the data cables of a wall mounted 50" TV. Gah, why did they design it like that! I had noname utp and now microconnect.. The frustration was worth it! Whoa, movies now have very lovely engaging music!
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Several step by step tune improvements modifying the placement of network gear. I can't believe how good it sounds now! Several songs I had to double check if it's really the same song I heard some week ago!

(For instance, an old Rolling Stones song suddenly sounds like its a new remake in 24bits/96kHz... nope, it was just the same old CD rip!)

Next project is bigger...
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Paaf
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

New in the house: a newly built HAKAI and a newly built HAKAI NAS.

HAKAI is a real beauty designed by Guru Lejonklou! :)

I read how people sold their expensive ADS/KDS after building their HAKAI. Therefore I expected a MASSIVE improvement.

In my system, HAKAI does play every song better or just slightly better than the DS part of the MDSi. Not a single song is better on the MDSi. So, the early assessment from me is: Better! :)
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Re: Paaf system

Post by sunbeamgls »

Paaf wrote: 2018-11-19 04:03 New in the house: a newly built HAKAI and a newly built HAKAI NAS.

HAKAI is a real beauty designed by Guru Lejonklou! :)

I read how people sold their expensive ADS/KDS after building their HAKAI. Therefore I expected a MASSIVE improvement.

In my system, HAKAI does play every song better or just slightly better than the DS part of the MDSi. Not a single song is better on the MDSi. So, the early assessment from me is: Better! :)
Good stuff - just on the point of selling a DS and replacing with HAKAI, its worth reading the wording carefully, as I know that at least one of those posts refers to HAKAI as being good enough as a second source (alongside an LP12 as a main source). As I read that, it doesn't necessarily follow that HAKAI is better than the ADS in that system. ADS with Katalyst is a massive step up from the streamer in an MDSi.
KSH/0; KEBox/2; 3x Tundra Stereo 2.5; PMC fact.12. Blogger. Exakt Design. SO measuring.
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

I have now gone through all USB ports and picked the best one, and also the best sata-cable direction... *phew*

Thanks Sunbeamgls! :) What you write is good to keep in mind. I tried to locate the text you refer to, but I couldn't find it. Do you have a link please? I also have two preliminary comments about it. a) I have myself compared MDS with ADS years ago in a local shop and the difference was quite noticeable. b) A friend built a HAKAI and he says it was much better than his ADS which he promptly sold.

Therefore, I suspect something is askew with my HAKAI. Not a major error, just one point of optimization that I have overlooked.

I will try other interconnects, right now it's old Audioquest Ruby, tomorrow I will get Linn Black and another day later Linn Silver.
David Neel
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Re: Paaf system

Post by David Neel »

Paaf wrote: 2018-11-20 20:36 I have now gone through all USB ports and picked the best one, and also the best sata-cable direction... *phew*

Thanks Sunbeamgls! :) What you write is good to keep in mind. I tried to locate the text you refer to, but I couldn't find it. Do you have a link please? I also have two preliminary comments about it. a) I have myself compared MDS with ADS years ago in a local shop and the difference was quite noticeable. b) A friend built a HAKAI and he says it was much better than his ADS which he promptly sold.

Therefore, I suspect something is askew with my HAKAI. Not a major error, just one point of optimization that I have overlooked.

I will try other interconnects, right now it's old Audioquest Ruby, tomorrow I will get Linn Black and another day later Linn Silver.
I suspect that the point of optimisation that you have overlooked is burn-in. My experience with Hakai is that there is a lot of change during burn-in, and a big dip before it stabilises (assuming I've reached that point!).

Sunbeamgls was referring to me: I said a while back that Hakai was good enough that I'd use it as my second source rather than my ADS/3 - because as a second source it would let me sell the ADS/3 to fund Fredrik's upcoming MC phono stage. I was careful then not to say I thought Hakai definitively better. I've recently posted more comparisons in the Hakai Playground, and comments indicate that the ADS/3 comes in last - but I feel that the 3160 Hakai has yet more to come. And my ADS/3 is light years ahead of the ADS/1 I upgraded from.
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Paaf
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Thank you David Neel!

HAKAI is now slightly better thanks to Linn cables Black IC. The only negative compared to Audioquest Ruby is that the deep bass became weaker.

Borrowed Linn M109 speakers. Fun to compare sound to the old DQ8! The bass is very weak but good positioning helps. More details. Kind of "boxy" sound but totally agree about the musicality! Nice!
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

HAKAI now performs well. The software was the culprit! One way to install really kills the joy of the music. Another way lets the music flow!

I also got my first Linn Silver IC pair and... oh boy, now it sounds really good.

Surely now there's nothing more to tweak... now I've reached nirvana, right? ...Wait, let's just also try placing books on top of units. Insane idea but hey... So I put some on MDSi, HAKAI and one of the headphone amps. WOW! OMG! Yes!
I got that idea in this thread https://www.lejonklou.com/forum/viewtop ... f=1&t=4457 - thanks Sunbeamgls!
I noticed that size and weight of the book matters a LOT. In one case the direction made a definite difference too.
tokenbrit
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Re: Paaf system

Post by tokenbrit »

Care to elaborate a little on the more musical method of installation?
Last edited by tokenbrit on 2018-11-28 00:08, edited 1 time in total.
Paaf
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Yes, of course. For installation, do not use the "install" choice in the menu after booting on the usb-stick, this is super tempting, but for some reason totally kills the music. Instead just do exactly as per the instructions with two usb-sticks.
tokenbrit
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Re: Paaf system

Post by tokenbrit »

Much appreciated, Paaf. I should be building my Hakai within a few weeks. Just waiting on the case and power supply to arrive... Will make a note of your guidance, thanks.
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

No problem. Let me know if you need some help when building it.

When I upgraded to Black IC, it wasn't very nice the first few songs, then quickly it started sounding good. When I upgraded to Silver IC mk1 it was awful and bright for a few songs... then quickly started changing into sounding very good. Both were second hand, so I assume they were used. Did anyone ever experience this?
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

I have a feeling that Radio Paradise (at 320k mp3) is more musical than FLAC in my own NAS?!
Last edited by Paaf on 2018-12-01 19:20, edited 1 time in total.
tokenbrit
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Re: Paaf system

Post by tokenbrit »

Paaf wrote: 2018-11-28 03:30 No problem. Let me know if you need some help when building it.
Will do - tack så mycket. It won't be for a few weeks at the earliest though as the nano160 power supply is delayed...
Paaf
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Moved music to the HAKAS NAS.
Disconnected Ethernet from the MDSi.
Disconnected the QNAP NAS and moved it away.
Gave the good placement to the HAKAI NAS, on wood board and damping feet etc.

And now AGAIN I sit with a wide open mouth.. wow. WOW! More tuneful, more feet stomping AND more hifi!
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Re: Paaf system

Post by Paaf »

Well isn't this hilarious.... I fine tuned the placement of little feet under a little board on which I place the PSU for the NAS. After many AB tests, I was content. Some hours later I was in "regular mode" not "extreme tune method nerd mode" - and compared this perfectly tuned thing with simply placing the PSU on the desk. It was the same! LOL!
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