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Post by audiobill on Dec 17, 2015 13:52:12 GMT -5
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Post by ncred02 on Dec 17, 2015 13:59:33 GMT -5
Maybe I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. If the Yaqin and the Axioms are a synergistic match, and I'm beginning to think they are, maybe I should just smile & let it be? I'm suspecting that my bud, garbulky, won't be quite so enthused about this combo as I, but it's my ears I'm trying to please! ![???](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/huh.png) ? thats the ticket!!
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Post by mfeust on Dec 17, 2015 15:05:30 GMT -5
Hey Boom, How about looking at getting the XSP-1 modded?
Mark
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Post by Boomzilla on Dec 17, 2015 16:10:05 GMT -5
Hey Boom, How about looking at getting the XSP-1 modded? Mark garbulky would kill me - He wants it! LOL
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Post by Boomzilla on Dec 17, 2015 16:11:29 GMT -5
And, of course, should I opt to keep the Yaq, I'll have the irony of a $3K pair of speakers driven by a $300 integrated amp! LOL But again, "beauty's where you find it" (with further apologies to Madonna). ![](https://49.media.tumblr.com/b65e64e03b532ad81c326fbffe2873e5/tumblr_mwtpfxIkr91slccufo1_500.gif)
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Post by vneal on Dec 17, 2015 18:59:30 GMT -5
BAT McIntosh Audio Research Conrad Johnson VAC Lamm VTL Jadis*** Cary
All make NICE tubed preamps for stereo
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Post by Axis on Dec 17, 2015 19:02:19 GMT -5
BAT McIntosh Audio Research Conrad Johnson VAC Lamm VTL Jadis*** Cary All make NICE tubed preamps for stereo I have a feeling that Lonnie is going to make his Tube amps Balanced. That is just the way he rolls.
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Post by Boomzilla on Dec 18, 2015 6:07:20 GMT -5
So my strategy is to keep the Yaqin until Lonnie comes out with a balanced tube preamp? That could work!
In the meantime, I guess I need to burn up the Emporium! LOL
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Post by mgbpuff on Dec 18, 2015 6:34:38 GMT -5
The XSP-1 already has tone controls. Just add a tube buffer to its output. They even sell balanced tube buffers, but they're expensive. Look at the Audio Horizons products.
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Post by Boomzilla on Dec 18, 2015 6:59:16 GMT -5
I've used a tube buffer (both with and without the XSP-1) before. It didn't sound as good as the Yaqin integrated. Apparently, not all tubes sound alike! LOL The tube buffer that I used (the Yaqin CD3) did add some slight tube bloom to the sound, bur still lacked the soundstage & treble dynamics that the Yaqin VK-2100 brings to the party. the Yaqin integrated also has better bass than the CD3. Go figure - same tubes from the same manufacturer, but one sounds significantly better than the other!
This discrepancy is what makes me reluctant to invest thousands in a "name brand" tube preamp. What if I spend the $$$ and then find that the $300 Yaqin sounds better? So until I hear what I want in my own system, I'll just keep what works. My el-cheapo Yaqin integrated lacks remote volume, so I'm back to the digital volume control of the Oppo, but by turning down the Yaqin's volume knob, I can keep the Oppo in the top 10% of its digital volume range without significantly damaging the digital input by truncating bits.
The proof is in the listening, and the Oppo / Yaqin combo sounds GOOD with my Axiom speakers.
At this point, one temptation is the Shengya CV-2 tube preamp. It has remote volume control, and I could use my mighty XPA-1Ls with it. Would it have the benefits of the Yaqin integrated? Probably the only way to find out is to gamble the $760 to find out.
The other temptation is the McIntosh C220, but the "find out price" here is significantly higher - between two and three thousand. I'd also expect the Mac to sound more "neutral" than the Yaqin integrated, and I'm not sure that that's what I want. If I wanted neutral, I already have the XSP-1 (which may yet be my ultimate choice). Although the Yaqin sounds ravishing on certain material, it is NOT as neutral as is the XSP-1. And although I sometimes enjoy being ravished (sonically, guys; sonically), will the thrill persist?
If all I wanted was some tube bloom, the inexpensive tube buffer would do the trick. But the Yaqin integrated just "clicks" with my speakers in a way that previous amps haven't. Time will tell...
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