Charles System

[Apexorca]

Originally Posted by Charles

ps. I have downloaded Radioactivity. I really like this type music. But on my system while there are some very interesting bass notes that I really like, it's the overall presentation of the sound. The bass itself seems no more special than the mid and treble. It's great sound top to bottom. If you haven't tried this music (Kraftwerk) try it. The sound field is monster. I'm going to download all their albums. On volume level 50% which is the natural level for me the Hammer never exceeds 2-3 watts and the XVX 4-5 watts. It's surprising how much sound my system will produce with very low wattage. I'd love to hear Carl's system. He would probably like his Fenice better. I might too. For that matter all your systems.

Best again,

Charles

I'm really happy that you liked my music tips and also to see how Thor handles the lower end and to test your system over all. Kraftwerk were very keen on having perfect recordings. Of course their recordings are analogue, on Tape, R2R.
The sound is much better on vinyl and master copies on tape are even better. I'v been comparing this carefully. My CD's have no chans at all to Vinyl and Tape.
Apart from the demonstration side of this music I think it's good music. It has influenced a lot of genres as well and is almost epic.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Apexorca

I'm really happy that you liked my music tips and also to see how Thor handles the lower end and to test your system over all. Kraftwerk were very keen on having perfect recordings. Of course their recordings are analogue, on Tape, R2R.
The sound is much better on vinyl and master copies on tape are even better. I'v been comparing this carefully. My CD's have no chans at all to Vinyl and Tape.
Apart from the demonstration side of this music I think it's good music. It has influenced a lot of genres as well and is almost epic.

I recently downloaded Trans Europe Express from HD Tracts. Tremendous is all I can say. What great sound and I like the dialog too. These downloads are remasters. The sound quality while not up to your two track and vinyl, just blows me away on my XVX. The sound field is huge from one wall to the other and very deep. Every instrument clear and precise. It's serious and intense yet you know the group is having a lot of fun at the same time.

Soon I'll be downloading The Man Machine and Computer World.

[Apexorca]

Originally Posted by Charles

I recently downloaded Trans Europe Express from HD Tracts. Tremendous is all I can say. What great sound and I like the dialog too. These downloads are remasters. The sound quality while not up to your two track and vinyl, just blows me away on my XVX. The sound field is huge from one wall to the other and very deep. Every instrument clear and precise. It's serious and intense yet you know the group is having a lot of fun at the same time.

Soon I'll be downloading The Man Machine and Computer World.

The Man Machine is a great album. The mid bas will hit you hard in the chest. The grafic estetic/pictures of this album cover and so is also very cool.

[Charles]

Carl, I have been listening to Man Machine. You are right about the mid bass. Powerful but not overdone. These recordings are audiophile grade even though 16/44. If I didn't know better I would swear they were 192/24.

I always had thought I would have to live with a 40 Hz peak in my system. It was present sub or no sub. As I mentioned for the most part it was pleasing and easy to forget. It was only on rare recording where the bass was quite excessive that the memory was aroused.

However, the peak is gone. Vanished and no dip elsewhere. This has nothing to do with the new Hammer. Rather it came from correctly phasing my system and could not be done without the Watch Controller.

It is clear that Wilson has made significant improvement to the Hammer over the course of its 9 year run. It comes from the cabinet using the latest version of X-material. The interface with the XVX is perfect to my ears and cannot be noticed. The 15" drivers are awesome to behold. This is one powerful subwoofer. It's ability to convey very soft yet extremely low frequency notes into the room is very impressive. It does this better than the old Hammer and is much quicker also. It does not lag the XVX which has lightning quick woofers.

If you don't already have it, Live In Prague with Hans Zimmer I believe you would enjoy. With my Alexx/Thor the bass was excessive. With the XVX/Thor it is much more balanced; therefore much more pleasing. However, if I had understood this phasing technique the Alexx/Thor bass peak I believe would have been eliminated also.

Summing it up, I think even if you don't enjoy the music of the Kraftwerk albums you should possess them. They are a reference as to how to record music. I enjoy their music immensely. Soon I will download Computer World.

[Apexorca]

Originally Posted by Charles

Carl, I have been listening to Man Machine. You are right about the mid bass. Powerful but not overdone. These recordings are audiophile grade even though 16/44. If I didn't know better I would swear they were 192/24.

I always had thought I would have to live with a 40 Hz peak in my system. It was present sub or no sub. As I mentioned for the most part it was pleasing and easy to forget. It was only on rare recording where the bass was quite excessive that the memory was aroused.

However, the peak is gone. Vanished and no dip elsewhere. This has nothing to do with the new Hammer. Rather it came from correctly phasing my system and could not be done without the Watch Controller.

It is clear that Wilson has made significant improvement to the Hammer over the course of its 9 year run. It comes from the cabinet using the latest version of X-material. The interface with the XVX is perfect to my ears and cannot be noticed. The 15" drivers are awesome to behold. This is one powerful subwoofer. It's ability to convey very soft yet extremely low frequency notes into the room is very impressive. It does this better than the old Hammer and is much quicker also. It does not lag the XVX which has lightning quick woofers.

If you don't already have it, Live In Prague with Hans Zimmer I believe you would enjoy. With my Alexx/Thor the bass was excessive. With the XVX/Thor it is much more balanced; therefore much more pleasing. However, if I had understood this phasing technique the Alexx/Thor bass peak I believe would have been eliminated also.

Summing it up, I think even if you don't enjoy the music of the Kraftwerk albums you should possess them. They are a reference as to how to record music. I enjoy their music immensely. Soon I will download Computer World.

I'm glad that my recommendation was so spot on for you and that your system obviously makes the best of it.

About the discussion of how bass is produced. It's tricky to get good bass. Quite often problems with bass in some frequencies is not just the cause of the room acoustics. One example is my room. When i used Sf Futura I had some bass frequencies that was a bit disturbing. When I bought The Sonus faber with even more bass I was ready to do a lot of acoustic treatments to deal with more problems in the bass region It was expected. To my surprise, The Sonus faber with more deep bass did not giving more bass problems in my room. It gave me over all much better bass with no acoustic problems at all. How is that? I'v heard it in other systems as well. My very unprofessional explanation is that the system produces more but clean controlled bass and it does not start the bad acoustic results in the same way.
To get good powerfull clean bass is expensive but in a lot of rooms it does not make more bas problems. It often reduces them instead.
Speakers/systems that are producing much bass has to be very accurate not to start the room.

Your "new" better bass is probably "helping the acoustic" to better performance.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Apexorca

I'm glad that my recommendation was so spot on for you and that your system obviously makes the best of it.

About the discussion of how bass is produced. It's tricky to get good bass. Quite often problems with bass in some frequencies is not just the cause of the room acoustics. One example is my room. When i used Sf Futura I had some bass frequencies that was a bit disturbing. When I bought The Sonus faber with even more bass I was ready to do a lot of acoustic treatments to deal with more problems in the bass region It was expected. To my surprise, The Sonus faber with more deep bass did not giving more bass problems in my room. It gave me over all much better bass with no acoustic problems at all. How is that? I'v heard it in other systems as well. My very unprofessional explanation is that the system produces more but clean controlled bass and it does not start the bad acoustic results in the same way.
To get good powerfull clean bass is expensive but in a lot of rooms it does not make more bas problems. It often reduces them instead.
Speakers/systems that are producing much bass has to be very accurate not to start the room.

Your "new" better bass is probably "helping the acoustic" to better performance.

I appreciate and believe I understand your points. It is relatively easy to achieve good satisfying bass. But the next 15% becomes difficult and the last 1% almost impossible.

I did not know what I was looking for in bass until I heard it in my new system. The XVX is lightning fast with incredible sound stage and resolution. I have not changed my level on my WC. I changed my phase from 0 to 90. At first I went to 180 and this cut the 40 Hz note too much. The 90 degree leaned out my bass perfectly. The new Hammer is much quicker than the old one.

I found that last 1%. Computer World is audiophile grade. Sound stage wall to wall with excellent depth. The XVX shines on music like this. The bass is one piece and as fast as the mid and treble. Not over done. I think you know what I mean. It's a case where a little less is more because you hear the gradations, the articulation, and the resolution of the bass better.

Best to you my friend, and thank you for the tip,

Charles

[Apexorca]

Originally Posted by Charles

I appreciate and believe I understand your points. It is relatively easy to achieve good satisfying bass. But the next 15% becomes difficult and the last 1% almost impossible.

I did not know what I was looking for in bass until I heard it in my new system. The XVX is lightning fast with incredible sound stage and resolution. I have not changed my level on my WC. I changed my phase from 0 to 90. At first I went to 180 and this cut the 40 Hz note too much. The 90 degree leaned out my bass perfectly. The new Hammer is much quicker than the old one.

I found that last 1%. Computer World is audiophile grade. Sound stage wall to wall with excellent depth. The XVX shines on music like this. The bass is one piece and as fast as the mid and treble. Not over done. I think you know what I mean. It's a case where a little less is more because you hear the gradations, the articulation, and the resolution of the bass better.

Best to you my friend, and thank you for the tip,

Charles

I know what you mean about the bass. I don't think I'v got the same level as you on that, but I'v got one step up with Krell 350MC compared to Gryphon Antileon Signature. Though, Gryphon is good at that compared to other well known brands.

Your system must now be as good as it gets.

The best to you to.

/Apexorca

[DaveM]

Charles,

Very impressive system! I have one suggestion that would make it better. There are much better USB cables than the AQ Diamond. I have one that my wife and I found was much better and was basically the same price. It didn’t smear the sound for a classical DSD Tchaikovsky recording like the AQ Diamond did on my system.

Dave

[Charles]

Originally Posted by DaveM

Charles,

Very impressive system! I have one suggestion that would make it better. There are much better USB cables than the AQ Diamond. I have one that my wife and I found was much better and was basically the same price. It didn’t smear the sound for a classical DSD Tchaikovsky recording like the AQ Diamond did on my system.

Dave

I really appreciate this thought. Without going into specifics, the AQ Diamond USB is solid silver and made similar to other topline AQ cables. I also use Diamond Optical cables for my MVP881 Blueray player, MR87 tuner, and my Marantz LD player. In my system there is no smear. I will include my system signature below. I use all AQ for cables, power conditioning, power cords, and IC's. I use solid silver almost exclusively.

It's the classic example of the fallacy of making the assumption that a cable that sounds better in one system will also sound better in a different system. Many reviewers use a Coffee USB. I previously used a Coffee. My cables etc., because they are all solid silver (where possible) from input to output, would sound brittle and clinical (no warmth) in many systems. However, in my system, silver sounds spectacular.

Thanks again for the interest in my system.

Best

Charles

____________________
Charles Updated System
Most recent updates: AQ Diamond USB replaces AQ Coffee; Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx replaced by Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; new subwoofer crossover; new Galaxy Grey Thors Hammer
Amps: McIntosh 1.25KW’s (3) set on floor on custom made cultured marble slabs
Preamp and DAC: McIntosh D1100
Sources: McIntosh MCD1100 SACD player, MVP881 BR player, MVP851 DVD player, MR87 tuner, Marantz 510LV Laser Disc player, ASUS laptop USB (JRiver Media Center 23)
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic
Sub-woofer: Wilson Audio Specialties Thor’s Hammer (1) horizontal lie and Wilson Watch Controller (abbr: WC)
Cables main system: Audioquest Wel Signature speaker cables and balanced IC (preamp to amps); Wel Signature AES/EBU balanced digital IC for CD playback; Audioquest Diamond optical (1) for tuner, (1) for BR player, and (1) for LD player for total of (3); Diamond USB cable; McIntosh MCT cable for SACD playback; Dragon power cords (5 HC cords and 3 source cords for total of 8); Thunder HC power cord for tuner; cables for DVD player not listed
Cables subwoofer system: Audioquest Redwood speaker cable (1); Wolf balanced subwoofer IC from WC to amp; Wind balanced IC from preamp to WC; Hurricane HC (2) and Dragon HC (1) power cords
Power conditioners: Audioquest Niagara 7000 (1) and Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines with no. 10 wire straight out of fuse box
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD) solid walnut cabinet on large casters; holds all sources and preamp; also, Niagara 7000; 11 feet minimum distance from speakers
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes
AC: Dedicated to this room only, an ultra-high efficiency and quiet recently installed Ruud split system 3-ton heat pump.
Room (mancave): 40’L x 15.5’W A-frame; max ceiling height 8’ min 5’; wall within wall construction built of 2 x 6’s; built over garage with custom hardwood floor with gym seal with over 40 Lowes stiffened wooden I-beams supporting floor; complete isolation from rest of house

[DaveM]

Originally Posted by Charles

I really appreciate this thought. Without going into specifics, the AQ Diamond USB is solid silver and made similar to other topline AQ cables. I also use Diamond Optical cables for my MVP881 Blueray player, MR87 tuner, and my Marantz LD player. In my system there is no smear. I will include my system signature below. I use all AQ for cables, power conditioning, power cords, and IC's. I use solid silver almost exclusively.

It's the classic example of the fallacy of making the assumption that a cable that sounds better in one system will also sound better in a different system. Many reviewers use a Coffee USB. I previously used a Coffee. My cables etc., because they are all solid silver (where possible) from input to output, would sound brittle and clinical (no warmth) in many systems. However, in my system, silver sounds spectacular.

Thanks again for the interest in my system.

Best

Charles

____________________
Charles Updated System
Most recent updates: AQ Diamond USB replaces AQ Coffee; Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx replaced by Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; new subwoofer crossover; new Galaxy Grey Thors Hammer
Amps: McIntosh 1.25KW’s (3) set on floor on custom made cultured marble slabs
Preamp and DAC: McIntosh D1100
Sources: McIntosh MCD1100 SACD player, MVP881 BR player, MVP851 DVD player, MR87 tuner, Marantz 510LV Laser Disc player, ASUS laptop USB (JRiver Media Center 23)
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic
Sub-woofer: Wilson Audio Specialties Thor’s Hammer (1) horizontal lie and Wilson Watch Controller (abbr: WC)
Cables main system: Audioquest Wel Signature speaker cables and balanced IC (preamp to amps); Wel Signature AES/EBU balanced digital IC for CD playback; Audioquest Diamond optical (1) for tuner, (1) for BR player, and (1) for LD player for total of (3); Diamond USB cable; McIntosh MCT cable for SACD playback; Dragon power cords (5 HC cords and 3 source cords for total of 8); Thunder HC power cord for tuner; cables for DVD player not listed
Cables subwoofer system: Audioquest Redwood speaker cable (1); Wolf balanced subwoofer IC from WC to amp; Wind balanced IC from preamp to WC; Hurricane HC (2) and Dragon HC (1) power cords
Power conditioners: Audioquest Niagara 7000 (1) and Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines with no. 10 wire straight out of fuse box
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD) solid walnut cabinet on large casters; holds all sources and preamp; also, Niagara 7000; 11 feet minimum distance from speakers
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes
AC: Dedicated to this room only, an ultra-high efficiency and quiet recently installed Ruud split system 3-ton heat pump.
Room (mancave): 40’L x 15.5’W A-frame; max ceiling height 8’ min 5’; wall within wall construction built of 2 x 6’s; built over garage with custom hardwood floor with gym seal with over 40 Lowes stiffened wooden I-beams supporting floor; complete isolation from rest of house

Hi Charles,

I appreciate where you are coming from with consistency in brands. I am in the process of doing the same. The AQ Diamond just seems to be getting long in the tooth as it was designed over 9 years ago and it seems that many cable manufacturers are making improvements every 3 or so years. Maybe it is just marketing on their behalf. I wish I wasn’t a cable believer as this is just another area to complicate things!

In the end, it matters what you like!

Dave