klinemj
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Official Emofest Scribe
Posts: 15,088
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Post by klinemj on Sept 14, 2012 16:13:39 GMT -5
I hope to be able to say that by tomorrow AM! I just got home from work, and now I go to see my daughter play soccer. After that...it's assembly time!
Mark
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Post by ansat on Sept 14, 2012 16:25:30 GMT -5
Its a shame your family didnt make it to emofest. But then again if they did I dont think you would of had time to attend  |
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Post by GreenKiwi on Sept 14, 2012 16:35:17 GMT -5
is the -6db because balanced connections usually run with a +6db signal over single ended?
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Post by GreenKiwi on Sept 14, 2012 16:36:34 GMT -5
mark, do you have your XPS order in yet? Sounds like they are taking orders.
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Post by rclark on Sept 14, 2012 16:41:42 GMT -5
Compared to my battery powered Virtue it was immensely clearer, and the Virtue is clear as a bell. Buy when I reinstalled it after demoing the Ncores it was definitely muffled sounding. That effect has dissipated as the weeks have gone on, but I definitely noticed it right off.
If it's that much better than. A highly modded tripath powered completely off the grid, then I have no doubts Mark will notice it too.
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Post by rclark on Sept 14, 2012 17:14:22 GMT -5
Hmm. So the demo units were well burned in when I got em, apparently it's more like 24 hours or so before they work best Mark. (reading elsewhere)
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bootman
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Typing useless posts on internet forums....
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Post by bootman on Sept 14, 2012 17:34:51 GMT -5
Hmm. So the demo units were well burned in when I got em, apparently it's more like 24 hours or so before they work best Mark. (reading elsewhere) I'm not that big of a fan of burn in except for headphones and speakers. (well tubes do need to warm up.  ) But pink noise for +48hrs will do the trick regardless of your views on burn in. If you want to download a mp3 sample... www.pinknoisemp3.com/ |
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Post by rclark on Sept 14, 2012 18:05:49 GMT -5
Oh I don't believe much in burn in either, except for capacitors, those definitely burn in, and speaker drivers need to loosen.
Either way, everyone with Ncores has reported they need some time to settle in. The unit is littered with very tiny caps so I can believe it. Plus crossovers and caps sound best warmed up, so it's good to just leave these amps on all the time, I believe they only pull a couple of watts each at idle, obviously given their size, low ohm capability and low heat, they are super efficient.
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klinemj
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Official Emofest Scribe
Posts: 15,088
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Post by klinemj on Sept 14, 2012 21:51:47 GMT -5
Oh, did Pink release a new album? I don't really think I'd want to listen to that for 48 hours...not even 30 minutes, actually.  ;D Mark |
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klinemj
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Official Emofest Scribe
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Post by klinemj on Sept 14, 2012 21:55:51 GMT -5
Tony...I really would have liked them there (as you can tell by my posts...I am a "family man" and proud of it! I am even letting Emma watch the last 15 minutes of her show before I test out nCore #2!) But you are right...I would not been as active at Emofest had they been there.
greenkiwi...the difference in gain is really just that Emo amps tend to have really high gain. And I don't have the XSP on order yet...they are only taking orders from people who were on the old preorder list. I hope they get a LOT of them in the first shipment!
T-5 minutes until amp #2 goes live...crossing fingers that I didn't make any mistakes.
Mark
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Post by GreenKiwi on Sept 14, 2012 22:41:00 GMT -5
mark here's hoping it didn't go nuclear and you've now been happily enjoying it for the last 40min
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Post by Dark Ranger on Sept 14, 2012 23:23:38 GMT -5
I regret to inform the Lounge that Mark is no longer with us. When he fired up nCore #2 for testing, he began to feel a strange tingling sensation through his head and down his spine. Thinking nothing of it, Mark fired up nCore #1 and proceeded to cue up an album.
Within 5 seconds of experiencing the stupendous performance and astounding quality of the nCores, Mark heard a trumpet call from the heavens. Immediately, three angels descended into his living room, surrounding him with brilliant light. The three angels, women of flawless beauty, spoke things not fit for mortal men's understanding. Their voices were like the roaring waves of the ocean, sweeping over Mark with unyielding power. All he could do was stand motionless, transfixed upon the nCores now pulsing in a blaze of red.
Behold, should Mark ever return to us in this lifetime, he will be a changed man from within...
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Post by garbulky on Sept 14, 2012 23:28:06 GMT -5
Well welll....?? It's been hours! You have commitments to your anonymous forum member garbulky! ;D ;D
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Post by garbulky on Sept 14, 2012 23:29:12 GMT -5
I regret to inform the Lounge that Mark is no longer with us. When he fired up nCore #2 for testing, he began to feel a strange tingling sensation through his head and down his spine. Thinking nothing of it, Mark fired up nCore #1 and proceeded to cue up an album. Within 5 seconds of experiencing the stupendous performance and astounding quality of the nCores, Mark heard a trumpet call from the heavens. Immediately, three angels descended into his living room, surrounding him with brilliant light. The three angels, women of flawless beauty, spoke things not fit for mortal men's understanding. Their voices were like the roaring waves of the ocean, sweeping over Mark with unyielding power. All he could do was stand motionless, transfixed upon the nCores now pulsing in a blaze of red. Behold, should Mark ever return to us in this lifetime, he will be a changed man from within... ;D. Let us mourn the passing of our buddy into audio nirvana. May he be forever swept up in waves of aural ecstasy. |
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Post by paintedklown on Sept 15, 2012 0:04:15 GMT -5
You guys are cracking me up! ;D I am guessing that Mark will be posting his review tomorrow, after he has had a bit of listening time. I too, am excited to see what he thinks of his new amps and 1.7 setup. I can imagine that he has indeed been swept away to audio nirvana.  |
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Post by ansat on Sept 15, 2012 0:14:14 GMT -5
You guys are cracking me up! ;D I am guessing that Mark will be posting his review tomorrow, after he has had a bit of listening time. I too, am excited to see what he thinks of his new amps and 1.7 setup. I can imagine that he has indeed been swept away to audio nirvana. I think I might of finally found my excuse to hit the parts express tent sale. As long as mark would allow me to be in the same room as his precious. sent from my phone. sorry for the short response |
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Post by rclark on Sept 15, 2012 0:31:30 GMT -5
I'm kinda concerned about the USP-1 in there. I hope it isn't holding things back too much. They deserve better.
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Post by Dark Ranger on Sept 15, 2012 1:18:42 GMT -5
I'm kinda concerned about the USP-1 in there. I hope it isn't holding things back too much. They deserve better. You've got a serious personal stake in this upgrade, bro! If memory serves, he's planning to get an XSP-1 when they arrive on the slow boat... EDIT: typo |
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Post by rclark on Sept 15, 2012 1:31:15 GMT -5
Lol, Sure.
I want him to be able to enjoy these now, he's waited so long, and the USP isn't exactly a dream preamp, specs and measurements-wise. The Ncore's are extremely revealing of your gear and if your gear is crap, your experience will likely be crap.
The Erc-2 worked great in my setup but I have an awesome battery powered ldr attenuator, so essentially ERC-2 straight to the amps with a high end volume knob. The USP may or may not work well here.
Incidentally, if you will notice post #1, it was my advice that led him here, so I'm here to enjoy his experience, but thanks....
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klinemj
Emo VIPs
Official Emofest Scribe
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Post by klinemj on Sept 15, 2012 6:36:15 GMT -5
I'm back! I was able to pry my daughter away from the theater about 10:15, so I could listen a bit. I'll need to listen more today when I am more awake. But I'll share initial impressions - which are quite positive!
First, I was listening via ERC-2 to USP-1 (in hi/low pass mode, with hi filter set to 50 and low set to 50 also) to the nCores. Given the USP-1 does not have XLR outs, I have RCA outs going to RCA/XLR adapters. I had my sub on, but down low...don't need much w/the Maggies.
I put in Eric Clapton Unplugged expecting to listen to a song or two, then move on. Immediately, I noticed the sound was not as brash on the high end...it was every bit as clear, but less intense/fatiguing on the high end. But, the bass didn't sound right. I realized that in wiring up the gear, I had moved my Maggies & didn't put them back in the right position, so I pulled them out a bit from the wall. That fixed that.
So, I restarted the CD. I had the same impression on the high end, but not the whole soundstage sounded more in balance with very clear separation of all the players in space. As the CD played, I kept hearing little details that were brought out in a more clear way than I had ever heard them...some very subtle finger movements on Eric's guitar strings, the feet shuffling on the floor, etc.
As I said, I intended to listen to 1-2 songs and switch CD's. But, I found myself wanting to listen to more. Eventually, I was through the whole CD. The subtle aspects in Eric's voice wavering, the tight little bell rings on signe, all the fine guitar work with subtle detail really drew me in.
I was getting pretty tired from a long day, and briefly dozed off in audio nirvana near the end.
I woke up and dropped in Radiohead "In Rainbows". It, along with Coldplay "Mylo Xyloto", have become my acid tests on some aspects of systems...Radiohead for "air" and soundstage. Coldplay for making a bad/confused recording sound decent.
I listened to part of 15 Step, all of Bodysnatchers, and House of Cards. Again, many more subtle details were revealed, and some the harsh edges in the upper end were gone. The soundstage was excellent...need to re-listen to fully compare as it was after 1 AM and I was pretty tired.
Bottom line...my experiment has been a success so far!
That said, I have changed a LOT in my system the last few months. I went from Denon 2930ci to ERC-2. I sold my Paradigm Studio 100's and have been listening mostly to my old B&W 202's until my Maggie 1.7's arrived (then re-arrived!), and now the amps.
The biggest of the changes was the Maggies...night and day difference moving from a box sound to a sonic hologram. The ERC-2 took off a lot of high-end harshness and added a lot of clarity. I would say the nCores had a similar effect of similar magnitude as the ERC-2, but adding this on top of the other changes has made a big change for the better in my system.
I'll listen more over the coming days and see what new things I think of...but overall so far, this has been a good investment! I do intend to hook the XPA-2 up again after I've had more time w/the nCores to see what going back sounds like.
And, I am indeed looking forward to the XSP-1...I am expecting yet another step change w/it!
Thanks to rclark for giving me the idea to try these in the first place. Without his prompt, I would likely not have known nCores exist. There are just so many things out there one could try that finding something new worth trying is like finding a needle in the world's biggest haystack.
Mark
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;D
