klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,689
|
Post by klinemj on Oct 15, 2012 10:48:10 GMT -5
Live listening update...ZZ Top "Tres Hombres" Bus/Jesus and LaGrange...continuing the trend! I have been listening to this CD heavily this week as I just got it, and I can only say, "awwww....take me with you Jesus!!!!"
The drums really stood out for me on this one...much more depth and punch and the snare is so realistic.
And with that...I must run to my office.
Signing off for now!
Mark
|
|
|
Post by paintedklown on Oct 15, 2012 10:54:30 GMT -5
Paintedklown, I used to fight the same sibilance battle when I was having the b&w803. Might be the aluminum tweeter being fussy. Problem totally resolved when I change to penaudio speakers. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Sadly, I am inclined to blame my B&Ws aluminum dome tweeters as well (and have many times on this very forum), and for the short time I had the MMGs in my system, I wasn't fighting them to not sound harsh. I hated sending them back (as they are stunning sounding), but I had the realization I was more of a "bass head" than what I had considered myself. Either way, it's all good, because I ended up using the funds from the MMGs to put toward the XSP-1, which I needed more than new speakers, as I am just using my Yamaha receiver as a pre-amp now...it's not the most elegant solution for critical 2 ch listening. Anyway, back on topic. I think Mark has had to run off to work, so we will all be waiting with baited breath for his return to listening and opining.
|
|
|
Post by rclark on Oct 15, 2012 10:58:15 GMT -5
What, it doesn't sound exactly the same as a USP? The improvements are audible? Crazy talk!! Nice review Mark, I'm glad that whole system worked out the way you had hoped.
|
|
|
Post by garbulky on Oct 15, 2012 11:01:24 GMT -5
Paintedklown, I used to fight the same sibilance battle when I was having the b&w803. Might be the aluminum tweeter being fussy. Problem totally resolved when I change to penaudio speakers. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Sadly, I am inclined to blame my B&Ws aluminum dome tweeters as well (and have many times on this very forum), and for the short time I had the MMGs in my system, I wasn't fighting them to not sound harsh. I hated sending them back (as they are stunning sounding), but I had the realization I was more of a "bass head" than what I had considered myself. Either way, it's all good, because I ended up using the funds from the MMGs to put toward the XSP-1, which I needed more than new speakers, as I am just using my Yamaha receiver as a pre-amp now...it's not the most elegant solution for critical 2 ch listening. Anyway, back on topic. I think Mark has had to run off to work, so we will all be waiting with baited breath for his return to listening and opining. You could also try seriously experimenting with speaker position. Especially with most important first: 1. Toe in and 2. The distance your speakers are apart. 3. The distance to you. The toe in I think is the biggest thing. I have axioms and some people have commented they are a little bright. I haven't found this to be the case but I can see that some people may think that. Anyway, it took a lot of experimenting with toe in to get the right sound. Even an inch change made a big difference. Also, a lot of times 2 and 3 also influenced what was too much and too little. This may help you with harshness. I use 12 db RCA line attenuators that appear to take a VERY VERY slight prominence off of the treble to give a more laid back soundstage. That may be another cheap way to experiment too.
|
|
|
Post by villock on Oct 15, 2012 11:24:11 GMT -5
What, it doesn't sound exactly the same as a USP? The improvements are audible? Crazy talk!! Nice review Mark, I'm glad that whole system worked out the way you had hoped. Crazy talk indeed. That's not going to fly around here. You've messed with the wrong forum buddy Thanks Mark for giving us your impressions right away, much appreciated. I am most interested in the phono section so I eagerly await your comparison.
|
|
|
Post by Dark Ranger on Oct 15, 2012 12:01:57 GMT -5
Just wanted to say that I'm enjoying the updates. Mark has a very nice system capable of high resolution from source to speaker. It's great to see the XSP-1 take everything to a new level, and for a reasonable price, too. It's just a shame that Mark doesn't like his very much.
|
|
|
Post by UT-Driven on Oct 15, 2012 12:22:43 GMT -5
Love this live updating! Thanks Mark. Me too, this is really nice. I look forward to getting my Steely Dan CDs out when mine arrives at the end of the month. I wish I had a turntable setup. Doug
|
|
|
Post by Golden Ear on Oct 15, 2012 13:31:48 GMT -5
Mark,
I have noticed when I have XDA connected directly to the amps I hear more detail and when I have USP in the chain those micro details and micro dynamics were masked. So when I read your comments it just makes me wonder why USP masked detail instead bringing them out.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2012 13:50:22 GMT -5
Mark, I have noticed when I have XDA connected directly to the amps I hear more detail and when I have USP in the chain those micro details and micro dynamics were masked. So when I read your comments it just makes me wonder why USP masked detail instead bringing them out. Because no matter what you add in a signal chain, it degrades the original signal. Believe it or not.... But you can have components that lessen this degrading effect.
|
|
|
Post by Dark Ranger on Oct 15, 2012 14:20:48 GMT -5
Because no matter what you add in a signal chain, it degrades the original signal. Believe it or not.... But you can have components that lessen this degrading effect. +1 It's basic physics. It's also why I listen to my music in a vacuum chamber, because my previous anechoic chamber just muddied the sound way too much. With the true vacuum chamber, the noise floor is incredibly low and I hear music the way it's meant to be heard!
|
|
|
Post by monkumonku on Oct 15, 2012 14:32:40 GMT -5
Because no matter what you add in a signal chain, it degrades the original signal. Believe it or not.... But you can have components that lessen this degrading effect. +1 It's basic physics. It's also why I listen to my music in a vacuum chamber, because my previous anechoic chamber just muddied the sound way too much. With the true vacuum chamber, the noise floor is incredibly low and I hear music the way it's meant to be heard! You know, the thing is that we all fuss so much about trying to bring "realism" into our houses - to recreate the original venue and make it sound like the people are right there in the room. But when you go listen to live music, just how perfect is that? The room has its own acoustic problems, there is ambient noise from people talking around you or moving around, cell phones going off, etc. When we listen to live music are we constantly evaluating the equipment they use and wondering what sort of cables are employed, the response curves and specs of the equipment, whether they got the toe-in right, etc., or focusing on enjoying the music? Or checking to see if they are using cable lifters? Just sayin'... ;D
|
|
|
Post by Golden Ear on Oct 15, 2012 14:42:58 GMT -5
+1 It's basic physics. It's also why I listen to my music in a vacuum chamber, because my previous anechoic chamber just muddied the sound way too much. With the true vacuum chamber, the noise floor is incredibly low and I hear music the way it's meant to be heard! You know, the thing is that we all fuss so much about trying to bring "realism" into our houses - to recreate the original venue and make it sound like the people are right there in the room. But when you go listen to live music, just how perfect is that? The room has its own acoustic problems, there is ambient noise from people talking around you or moving around, cell phones going off, etc. When we listen to live music are we constantly evaluating the equipment they use and wondering what sort of cables are employed, the response curves and specs of the equipment, whether they got the toe-in right, etc., or focusing on enjoying the music? Or checking to see if they are using cable lifters? Just sayin'... ;D +1 Acoustic play very important role. Take for instance a live classical performance performed in open arena vs concert hall in amsterdam. The sound will be very different because in concert hall it will add early reflection and reverberation that give us cue the size and shape of the venue because the wall shape and structure, whereas open arena with no walls will just be direct sound. This is just my 2 cents opinion..
|
|
emovac
Emo VIPs
Saeed al-Sahhaf
Posts: 2,456
|
Post by emovac on Oct 15, 2012 14:49:05 GMT -5
I'd rather listen in my living room, drinking my own bourbon! Live shows are about 50/50 from a venue/acoustics standpoint, not to mention the distractions.
Glad to see the success of the XSP. The right equipment does matter and makes a difference in sound quality. Thanks for the updates.
|
|
|
Post by GreenKiwi on Oct 15, 2012 14:53:28 GMT -5
Because no matter what you add in a signal chain, it degrades the original signal. Believe it or not.... But you can have components that lessen this degrading effect. +1 It's basic physics. It's also why I listen to my music in a vacuum chamber, because my previous anechoic chamber just muddied the sound way too much. With the true vacuum chamber, the noise floor is incredibly low and I hear music the way it's meant to be heard! Oh, I just take the speaker cables and jam them right into my ears.
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,689
|
Post by klinemj on Oct 15, 2012 15:08:14 GMT -5
LOL! I will be running out to drop off my passport renewal, then once I return...it's time for Steely Dan, Allison Kraus, Janis Joplin, REM, U2, Grateful Dead, Dire Straights, and Springsteen all on CD.
Then, I will play some vinyl...Toto ("Rosanna" and "Africa", Stones ("Can't you hear me knockin'..."), and Steely Dan (various from Gaucho).
For those wanting classical - while I have some, I don't listen to it often enough to know the comparison vs. my other gear. So, I won't be able to offer perspective there.
And for those wanting a comparison to RCA from the USP-1...I'll get to that but it will likely be a couple weeks out. I have some very busy days leading to an Oct 30th trip to Germany (hence the urgent need for passport renewal...).
More later tonight!
Mark
|
|
emovac
Emo VIPs
Saeed al-Sahhaf
Posts: 2,456
|
Post by emovac on Oct 15, 2012 15:29:37 GMT -5
Mark, try Springsteen - Human Touch if you have it. Track 3 - 57 Channels should bring some smiles.
|
|
|
Post by jamscape on Oct 15, 2012 16:39:00 GMT -5
Wow! Sweet review Mark. Thank you so much for the effort. Just so I'm clear though... You will be keeping the XSP-1? :-)
If you have time, could you give some impressions of the operation of the unit as it relates to things other than sound quality. I know you already mentioned the volume control being an improvement over the USP. This sort of thing is what I would be interested in next. Have you tried the tone controls? Are there any "pops" or such when switching inputs or when engaging/disengaging the tone controls etc... Do you feel the amount of adjustment in the controls is adequate and fine enough to be useful. How is the display quality and information. These little types of things about a products operation can add or detract from the overall experience of using it to varying degrees. Anyway, thanks again for all your efforts.
Joe
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,689
|
Post by klinemj on Oct 15, 2012 17:43:24 GMT -5
I'll get more into operational details and phono stage next, but I am ready to declare my overall CD listening comparison "done for now" and summarize it all.
First: This thing is a WINNER. And, I don't mean "winner, winner...chicken dinner"...we're talking "top quality Filet Mignon and fresh lobster all perfectly cooked with perfect side dishes kind of winner"
Second: I am most definately keeping it, and if Emotiva declared the USP-1 "Analog Bliss", this has got to be "Analog Nirvana". Having lived with and loved my USP-1 for a few years, the XSP-1 really stands out as a significant sonic improvement. And, I really liked my USP-1...and I will keep using it in a second system!
Third: I keep trying to find some music that sounds worse than before, but I can't. My approach on listening tests is to first listen to things that have sounded poor on my old system and see if the new thing makes those better. Then, I move on to things I know well and love and have always sounded great - to see if they sound any worse. Then, I move to things that sounded "OK" and see what happens. The end result with the XSP over the USP is that the worst stuff sounded hugely better, the great stuff still sounded great and I noticed at least slight improvements, and the OK stuff sounded a lot better.
What is different is what I listed in my very first post on this review and added specific points to along the way with my "live" updates. Much more clarity. Much more separation of individual sounds...this results in a deep and wide soundstage that is really clear.
Music that sounded "flat" before has depth. Music that was confused/a wall of noise becomes coherent and clear in time and space. Subtle details that were lost in the noise are there...perfectly presented and distinct for their own nuance the artist added.
I have heard people say that their system is "very revealing" to explain why a particular recording sounds bad on their system when that same recording has sounded fine on mine. I always took that as a person's excuse for why their system, in frank terms, sucked. I will say that the XSP (plus my ERC-2 + nCores + Maggies) are indeed quite "revealing"...they reveal all the sounds that were intended to be played in more detail than I ever imagined.
Bottom line...the XSP-1 for me is WELL worth it..the best pre-amp I have ever owned and it's hard to imagine a whole lot better.
From now on, I will test out operational details and the phono stage. Then, in a couple weeks (once I return from Germany) I will revert back to the USP for a reverse comparison and see if these statements still hold. FYI, so far in operational details - it's great. No odd noises on toggling inputs, the dimming function is very nice, the volume control is fantastic over the USP-1's - allowing a far better ability to fine-tune volume level, and while I have not tried the tone controls - I did toggle them on and off, and it's nice to see in the display that they are either off (shows as "direct") or on. And, the display is large enough for my soon-to-be-50 year old eyes can easily read it from ~12-14'.
Mark
|
|
|
Post by Jean Genie on Oct 15, 2012 18:16:09 GMT -5
Mark, thank you very much for the review/updates. One thing I wonder and you might want to keep in mind; the Maggies have a fairly long break-in period (I believe Magnepan suggests 100 to 200 hours) and they improve incrementally over that time. Do you think some of the improvement in SQ that you attribute to the new pre may be, to some degree, due to the 1.7s settling in? I'm curious to know if even your USP-1 sounds better when you re-introduce it to your system at a later date.
g
|
|
|
Post by rclark on Oct 15, 2012 18:27:32 GMT -5
Yeah Mark, in other words, could it completely be your imagination at work and when you plugged in the xsp, the Maggie's suddenly make a huge jump in break in performance at the same time??
Rofl. I'm sure he's quite past break in.
|
|