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Post by HD Music & Test on Feb 8, 2023 10:15:08 GMT
As I've been saying all along, RF is the real hidden sonic disruptor here
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Post by palace on Feb 8, 2023 11:16:57 GMT
As I've been saying all along, RF is the real hidden sonic disruptor here I agree emphatically I have stated previously, I live on a hill in Ealing it is RF central surrounded by phone and radio transmitters on 2 sides airports on the other 2. My wife put up a strip of white LED's 250ish around the kitchen window at Christmas, even unconnected to a power source 240V mains via a SPSU about 10% of them glow. I am upto 120 clip on ferrites on all power & digital/HDMI leads. Recently I have concentrated on the WiFi modem the Virgin input & the ethernet coax to the Virgin HD box & the leads to and from the modem SPSU the picture on my WiFi connected PC & it's operation are equally improved. My son & daughter-in-law in Fleet require none. I now have a stunning Sony HD TV picture, likewise from the Virgin HD box & from the Sony DVD player, I am slowly re recording music programs that I recorded 2-3 years ago as they are now so much better audio & picture recordings, as for the DAC & Turntable, silent background then music better than ever... |
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Post by julesd68 on Feb 17, 2023 15:29:03 GMT
My thoughts on a visit to John today to hear the latest incarnation of his system. The major change since my last visit is the introduction of the Leo B clock.
In my previous session there were many things I enjoyed about the system but overall I found it a bit too cuddly and warm for my taste, especially with electric guitar tone that just didn't rock hard enough.
First track up was Dream Theater 'Awaken the Master'- OK I'm hearing something a bit different but couldn't quite get my head round the change yet. Moving to Steven Wilson I'm suddenly aware of a wealth of new detail in the mix which is effortlessly and expansively reproduced. Sumptuous it was. Fast forward to Shostakovich 10, my favourite live recording, all the tension and drama is there with gobs of startling dynamics and depth to the sound. My only question mark here was that the horns were much hotter than I have heard them on any previous occasion but that could just as much be recording as system ...
Now for guitar. Yee haw - GnR 'Paradise City' had massive impact with the kick and snare drum whilst Slash's Les Paul / Marshall combo sounded incredibly potent and crunchy, what a change from last time around! Lari Basilio sounded absolutely astonishing with every ounce of timbre and string details on display here - spellbinding! Also mind-blowing was the acoustic guitar sound from Rodrigo y Gabriela's Symphony no 25 - I can't add enough superlatives to describe how accurate and vibrant this came over. Close your eyes and you feel like you are in the studio ...
A few things to note. It's not only the best I have heard John's system sound by quite some way, his R26 and Temple monos have also kept up with the changes and then upped their game some. The depth, decay, slam and ambience the system delivers now is quite something, with the relatively small Gold Note speakers proving such a shrewd acquisition and out performing many floorstanders I have heard with tremendous grip, depth and drive in the bass. And yes, the Leo B has made quite the difference here. Happy days!
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Post by John on Feb 17, 2023 15:54:03 GMT
A great visit Jules. So good to hear the feedback and talking about the sounds we heard. The system works well for the music I enjoy. Hard to imagine how it gets better in my room.
I think the cabling is the issue. Keeping electric current away from my signal cables requires a degree in 4 dimensional thinking and where I suspect that slight bit of hotness lies. But it's not like I listen to horns
What my system does well is rock with a big open sound that invites you into the music.
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Post by stellabagpuss on Feb 17, 2023 17:06:45 GMT
Sounds like you had a blast, the LB clock strikes again. And Jules has summed it up nicely, with the LB clock in place, the sound literally does a 360,forget warm sweater,more like speedo's 🤣
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Post by julesd68 on Feb 18, 2023 9:23:37 GMT
I will be interested to see where John's system goes from here - there are no obvious improvements to be made!
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Post by MikeMusic on Feb 18, 2023 10:03:14 GMT
I'm sure something will come along  |
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Post by John on Feb 18, 2023 10:46:30 GMT
I will be interested to see where John's system goes from here - there are no obvious improvements to be made! The only thing I can think off is that slight leading treble which I am pretty sure is in the cabling somewhere at the back of my system.
I do feel like I have arrived. The system will not do deep organ bass music and other genres with really deep bass, but I am more into the texture and just do not really listen to that music to go back to baffless bass drivers like my friend has. Plus integration would be a pain.
Before the latest upgrades I was thinking I needed a better power amplifier. But I no longer feel that.
Its not uber high end in any way and neither would I want that but it is an impressive system |
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Post by stellabagpuss on Feb 18, 2023 11:05:39 GMT
It's great to hear that you reached a place,you could have probably only dreamed about a year ago.
New amps are a possibility for you but with noise floor so low,and the precision and detail retrieval of the LB R26,l guess it would be a small gain.
What a breakthrough couple of months it's been,and of course.....Shielding.
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Post by MartinT on Feb 18, 2023 19:55:12 GMT
Thank you, John, for inviting me to me hear your system today. To say it bears no resemblance to the one I heard a few years ago is simple fact and I required a complete brain reset.
John has built an extremely capable system that works very well in his small space. The Gold Note speakers are the stars of the show, amazingly open and detailed with the sort of midrange that I love and separates the can-do's from the would-be's (apostrophes intended). But that's not even their best strength: the bass is remarkable in power and depth for standmounts and compares well with anything equally small I've heard at any price. As well as presenting ambience and note decay really well, they can image* well and do dynamics real justice. Focus is not quite there yet, but I sense that it's just a matter of fettling the system some more. We also heard a treble 'zing' that was most obvious in the complex Shostakovich piece we played.
The Gustard R26 is probably the first R2R DAC I've not pulled a face at and I believe John when he says that an external clock is essential. To be fair, I say that about my X26 Pro, too. I would say it's just a touch less 'in the room' with fine treble detail, and it has a bit less slam than the X26 Pro, but really I can't fault it and it seems to suit the character of the speakers well.
We did try the Harmonic Technology clock cable I brought with me, and detail, punch and bass depth all took a step up. However, the projection was 'up-front' and perhaps a little relentless, which could be a system mismatch although I have to say the HTs don't have a couple of hundred hours of burn-in on them yet.
I did tell John that his system has converged with mine some more and we proposed that attention to the same things: power, grounding, supports etc. are probably responsible for a recognisably similar style of highly open and involving music making.
Excellent system, John, and outstanding speakers.
* this is an area where attention to grounding and perhaps a little toe-in will help get the focus right.
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Post by stellabagpuss on Feb 18, 2023 20:57:38 GMT
Another great result John....Premier League stuff. 🤣
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Post by John on Feb 19, 2023 9:38:40 GMT
First of all thanks for coming over I enjoyed our conversations yesterday.
I guess a few reflections I have had two friends come round to hear the system, both would have experienced my open baffles, as I pointed to Jules without that journey I probably not have got the Gold Note Evo A3. I still remember how many different speakers I heard to get me to these fantastic speakers and how each one sounded different. It is a shame they are not well known no real reviews on YouTube and only a few online reviews.
I have to share my thoughts on what have been the key stepping stones to where I am now.
The Gold Note A3. They have great texture, punch and depth. Just amazing speakers.
The R26 a step up from my A22 at the time. I could not even begin to imagine at the time on how important an external clock option is on what the DAC is truly capable off.
IFI Zen stream Initially used via WIFI to help reduce noise. I finally went ethernet and could hear a improvement straight away. Adding an Optical ethernet converter helped take it all to another level. I went from mostly using BT to using Qobuz as my system could finally do the provider justice.
The Leo Bodnar clock is great value. Thanks Tony you were right about it and the combination with the R26 just transformed the DAC. It took away the warmth and gave more detail, depth and clout.
Last but not least was shielding. This gave more clout and further reduced the noise floor. I still feel not quite yet there. With the extra resolution my sound can still be hot but i believe it is RFI it is just about finding out where and eliminating it.
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Post by John on Feb 19, 2023 9:45:03 GMT
I had the speakers toed-in but after last week re-arranging of the system power supplies I got extra resolution but at the price of the zing you heard ( toe-out a fraction took some of the edge off). Its a case of finding out what is causing it to resolve the issue.
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Post by John on Feb 19, 2023 15:04:26 GMT
I did a bit of work on my system today.
Shielding to all the grounding cables and creating space where I can from grounding and signal cables.
I have moved my grounding box next to my belden extension block and moved speakers back to how they were positioned last week.
To early to be sure but starting to look promising
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Post by John on Feb 21, 2023 17:22:24 GMT
A quick update the edge Martin and Jules were hearing is gone. Have the speakers now slightly toed in with no issues.
Sound is effortless and natural This is totally subjective but that sense of being immersed into the music is the best way I can describe what I am hearing
What a ride in the last year
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Post by julesd68 on Feb 21, 2023 18:27:38 GMT
OMG John, looks like I'm going to have to come over again soon!  Great that the speakers are even better implemented in your set-up. |
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Post by John on Feb 21, 2023 18:38:06 GMT
Its not huge Jules more a felt sense of rightness
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Post by HD Music & Test on Feb 21, 2023 18:55:54 GMT
A quick update the edge Martin and Jules were hearing is gone. Have the speakers now slightly toed in with no issues. Sound is effortless and natural This is totally subjective but that sense of being immersed into the music is the best way I can describe what I am hearing What a ride in the last year It's really satisfying when it all comes togther John
I know it's taken you a while to get there. but now you can relax and just enjoy natural fliuid music in your own envirnoment great work sir
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Post by mattspl on Feb 21, 2023 20:07:01 GMT
Good to hear you are continuing to perfect your system John.
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Post by John on Feb 26, 2023 9:54:48 GMT
Chatting with Martin I was forced to reflect on my time with Open baffles
For me I liked the lack of speaker colouration and then what I managed to achieve with the bass. The sound was more forward I really needed a bigger room. I enjoyed the openness of the sound. But in honest I rarely listened to more than one hour and I guess that has been the biggest change I can listen to hours without any fatigue
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