Sub
theory
October
29, 2015
Marc,
I
run dual subwoofers at line level, each sub connected directly to my preamp. I read
recently about some people "daisy-chaining" their subs. I'm not quite sure what
is meant by that concept and if it is something I should consider. The way I’m
configured now seems pretty easy and straightforward, and it seems to work well, Do you
have any thoughts/suggestions on this notion?
Another
question: my subs are from a different manufacturer than my main floorstanders, but I
always thought that with bass it does not matter nearly as much. Do you concur?
Sheldon
Simon
Daisy-chaining
means going into one subwoofer and then out of the same sub into the next, so only one
output from the source is necessary. This requires a pass-through output from the first
sub, so whatever it is fed can also be fed to the next sub. The only advantage of this
would be reduced cabling. Honestly, the way you have your stereo subs configured is ideal,
especially for music.
As
for using subs from a different maker than your speakers, I don't think this is worth
worrying about for the most part. After all, companies like SVS and JL Audio specialize in
subwoofers, and these will mostly be used with speakers that those companies don't make.
One exception I can think of is Wilson Audio; their subs are really designed to match the
powerful bass of their speakers and often must cross over lower than usual. I personally
wouldn't use Sasha 2s, for instance, with any subwoofer other than a Wilson WATCH Dog or
Thor's Hammer. -Marc Mickelson
Inside
IKEA Aptitlig
October
26, 2015
Roy,
I
stumbled across your article and thought I'd throw my support as well for the IKEA
Aptitlig. They make a fine base upgrade to the original Formica base for my Acoustat 1+1
electrostatics (and are Roomba-proof).
For
your information, the large Aptitligs are not completely solid, as I found out while
digging my drill bit a bit too deeply, past the roughly 8mm of solid "skin," but
they aren't hollow either. I'd say they are about two-thirds solid with gaps between the
ribs only half the width of the rib. With all the glue, one can imagine this construction
helps damp resonance even further.
Dave
Johnson
Reference
6?
October
19, 2015
Marc
I’m
sure you already know about the newest member of the Audio Research family: the Reference
6 line stage. Any plans to road test the new kid on the block?
Bruce
Feinstein
Not
only have I heard about the Reference 6 -- we
posted a news story on it over the weekend -- but I've actually heard it, though only
in pre-production form, when I visited Audio Research in early September. I will be
posting a blog about the visit as soon as I'm able to finish it. And yes, we've already
put in a request for a review unit, so you'll read our "road test" at some
point. -Marc Mickelson
Mono
y mono
October
13, 2015
Marc,
I
haven't traded e-mail with you for quite some time, but I have continued to enjoy The
Audio Beat tremendously, so thank you!
As
opposed to my very complicated main system, which is based on the Legacy Whisper speakers,
subs and DSP -- with so many cables it makes my head spin (and therefore makes it
difficult to tackle issues of power conditioners, cables, vibration and isolation) -- I am
attempting to change my bedroom system into a very simple, purely mono listening
experience (due in no small part to past discussions with you).
I
was planning on using my top-line LFD integrated amp and phono amps. These are
British-built, no-frills solid-state gear, and I am planning on purchasing a Palmer
turntable and mono cartridge, possibly the Ortofon Cadenza, and perhaps upgrading my
Harbeth Compact 7ES3s to 30.1s.
Here
is my big question for you: is it enough to have a mono cartridge to play mono LPs or do I
need I stereo/mono switch on either the phono stage or preamp because neither of my LFD
products have a switch? (I am hoping the switch is for switching a stereo LP to mono, say,
for example, if I want to hear an early Dylan MoFi stereo release without the extreme
separation). Can you please explain to me how this all works and what I need to play my
mono LPs? Any comments on my planned system and do you have any recommendations on mono
cartridges?
Jeff
Levine
You
don't need a mono cartridge to play mono LPs. A stereo cartridge will do it. In
fact, most (perhaps all) of today's newest mono LPs are cut with stereo cutter heads and
not to the same specs as vintage mono LPs, so playing them with a stereo cartridge may
make the most sense. However, I can say from a lot of experience that a mono LP played
with a mono cartridge does sound better than played with a stereo cartridge, even a
contemporary mono LP. There's a directness and purity that are endearing, and they are not
the same with a stereo cartridge. A mono cartridge will also reduce noise from small
scratches and groove damage. If you have a mono cartridge, you don't need to use a phono
stage or preamp with a mono switch. Even with a stereo cartridge playing a new mono LP,
such a switch isn't mandatory, but it can lock in the center image if your cartridge
mounting isn't optimal.
As
for which mono cartridge to buy, Ortofon has a few MC models that I'm sure are very good,
but the one I would choose is the Audio-Technica AT-33MONO, which is a low-output
moving-coil (.35mV) from Audio-Technica's top series of cartridges. It also appears to be
a from-the-ground-up mono design, not just a modified stereo cartridge. You can't buy it
in the US, but it is available on eBay directly from Japan, where it's made. It will cost
around $300. If your phono stage has enough gain, this cartridge should provide all of the
sonic splendor of your mono LPs. -Marc Mickelson
Ypsilon
amps and "natural timbres"
October
5, 2015
Marc,
I
just read with great interest your
report on the Aaudio Imports system with Ypsilon electronics. I was wondering if you
found the system to have SET-type natural timbres (I just don’t like the word neutral
that most reviewers use, as to me it usually means lacking full harmonic structure),
microdynamics and transparency, given the SET 100 Ultimate amps in the system.
I
know this was a totally new system for you, so it's hard to isolate contributions, but if
the overall system had these characteristics, then I would imagine the Ypsilon amps must
be contributing something toward these characteristics. Perhaps Aaudio may give you a pair
of SET 100 Ultimates to review! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Ashish
Varma
I
think what you're describing is what I was getting at with the sentence, "That the
Ypsilon electronics can sustain such extreme treble resolution is noteworthy; that they
can do so while still sounding natural is an aberration." That is, the Ypsilon
electronics had the definition and speed, especially in the upper regions, to keep up with
the massless Lansche plasma tweeter, but they didn't achieve this at the cost of a more
easeful, natural portrayal of the music -- a true oddity for audio electronics. I would
love to review the SET 100 Ultimate amps, but Aaudio doesn't stock them, due to their high
cost, so I'm sure a demo pair -- other than the amps in Brian Ackerman's listening room --
doesn't exist. -Marc Mickelson
Joining
the TAB reader list
October
1, 2015
Marc,
Would
you kindly add me to your distribution list?
I
am particularly interested in the Ayre KX-5 Twenty/VX-5 Twenty review.
Mike
Kuoppis
You're
on the list. If others want to join TAB's reader e-mail list and find out about
new articles first, they can send a message to rl@theaudiobeat.com.
As
for the Ayre review, it's underway, although I can't say for sure when it will be
published. However, you'll see it first now that you're on the reader list. --Marc
Mickelson
