Post by SticknStones on Apr 15, 2009 12:30:17 GMT -5
Hello everyone! I had this posted on AVS but find myself gravitating away from the site as there is too much silliness going on so I find myself hanging out here most of the time.
I bought my unit from the Christmas sale and am beyond pleased with the purchase. Here are my original comments back in January. It is kinda funny as I re-read it again as my wife never discovered the purchase (bad eyesight and never watches TV) so I pulled off the duct tape after about a month and have a seamless transition into my new stack.
I have been playing CD's out the wawzoo now and cannot wait for the ERC. I want to work my way up the stack and improve as much of the devices I have as they are quite old.
____________________________________________________-
January Post on AVS
Interesting day today! Checked Fed-ex last night and was all set for arrival today. Finally at 3:15 I see the truck pull up...guy takes forever to get out..finally does.. grabs a package and it ain't no bigger than the palm of his hand.....I said uhh.. hey there buddy you got something else on your truck for me....he said Nope!!!! Uhh well I am expecting a big package... he said maybe another truck. In the mean time my wife gets her box of vitamins.
4:45 Another Fed-ex truck and this time he pulls in the drive-way...Good sign..Less walking! He hikes the box on his shoulder and sez this things heavy and I said "Yeah Baby" gave my signature and were done!
Okay, slight Panic! I gotta get this out of the box..put the box in the attic...and get the wires hooked up before Little General (That's the cute 110# accountant wife that I forgot to tell that I was buying this) gets home.
Lucky for me I prepped everything yesterday all hooked in 20 minutes flat.
I have enough time for a quick sound test!
Equipment:
Denon 3803 now just running surrounds, B&W 804's LR, XPA-3, DVDO VP20 and a decades old Technics CD Player(Oppo Universal BDP-83 coming later)
Turn off the sub and had the LFE+Main at 40Hz.
Songs that I have memorized: As an ex-musician drummer that used to play covers you get in the habit of writing the measures of songs where the parts are difficult and then you can read the music play very slow and work it up to speed. I have a habit of listening to music this way and spent some pre-time on three songs so that I could get a good feel for the before and after (Not very scientific but its only me that I am trying to make happy here).
1) The The- Mind Bomb - "Good Morning Beautiful" When I played this without the EMO the kick drum had an almost cardboard sound to it not impressive and one of my major upsets with my system. Okay, it was night and day difference and I did have punchy bass, and very clear mids and highs. Life is Good! Without the EMO I was listening this to 0 to -5 and here I was happy at -17 but did crank it.
2) Foo Fighters "Let it Die" from their latest. This song starts with electric finger-pick and has some snare rim plus high-hat keeping time and works up to an explosive intro that continues to build until the song ends.
This is important folks.......I did not know that upon completion of each line in the verse of this song that there was a very low relay of the verse that would play before the next line and it sounded like a two part harmony. I thought wow that is cool and Foo Fighters pass the test too. I had this too loud and my ears are ringing a bit right now. I am 53 but still like my rock new and old.
Not much time left for loud so I decided since the bass was performing well to play with some songs that were always irritating to me in the past because there was so much low low hertz that I call Under-Hertz in the song.
First up - David Bowie from the Earthling with a song called "Battle for Britain". Bowie is always messing with different styles and this is what I would call Rock-Fusion. It sounded great on this system where before it was just noise. Here I could understand the compositional intent!
Next - U2 Zooropa - okay now just some stuff I like alot - Charlatans UK, Stanley Clarks "School Days", Neds Atomic Dustbin (Band uses two bass players 1) on High Bass 2) Traditional.
Ut ohh TIMES UP for now!!
Wow I am a very happy camper!
Okay now a little black duct tape on the EMO pwr button...turn the led's off..see how many days before I have to explain myself....
Put on that acoustic channel she likes and skip to the forum and write you guys a novel.
Here are some pics of the setup. Christmas still going on and the picture of the sailboat is the other toy that gets alot of my Audio budget.
In closing I really do think even with my cheapo CD player as my source here that just the change in the amp alone made a substantial, audible difference for me! I think the forum is great to share ideas get a little confidence built up to do the purchase, and most of all grow our knowledge in this great hobby of ours!
I was not even in the market for an amp, I was going to buy a Blu-Ray and upgrade my 5 year old Denon with a new AVR. All the new AVR's are struggling with integration and some problem or another so I was in wait mode till things stabilized and somehow I fumbled onto the forum and you all made a difference in changing my platform to separating the amp from the head unit or AVP.
I will keep hanging out with you all see how the XMU goes as I am not in a big hurry. Next will be the ERD's and as a 4ohm speaker I think the Denon can drive them till I get to the next stage.
Thanks Everybody
The other man toy.....in my backyard
My other fulltime job as gardner
I bought my unit from the Christmas sale and am beyond pleased with the purchase. Here are my original comments back in January. It is kinda funny as I re-read it again as my wife never discovered the purchase (bad eyesight and never watches TV) so I pulled off the duct tape after about a month and have a seamless transition into my new stack.
I have been playing CD's out the wawzoo now and cannot wait for the ERC. I want to work my way up the stack and improve as much of the devices I have as they are quite old.
____________________________________________________-
January Post on AVS
Interesting day today! Checked Fed-ex last night and was all set for arrival today. Finally at 3:15 I see the truck pull up...guy takes forever to get out..finally does.. grabs a package and it ain't no bigger than the palm of his hand.....I said uhh.. hey there buddy you got something else on your truck for me....he said Nope!!!! Uhh well I am expecting a big package... he said maybe another truck. In the mean time my wife gets her box of vitamins.
4:45 Another Fed-ex truck and this time he pulls in the drive-way...Good sign..Less walking! He hikes the box on his shoulder and sez this things heavy and I said "Yeah Baby" gave my signature and were done!
Okay, slight Panic! I gotta get this out of the box..put the box in the attic...and get the wires hooked up before Little General (That's the cute 110# accountant wife that I forgot to tell that I was buying this) gets home.
Lucky for me I prepped everything yesterday all hooked in 20 minutes flat.
I have enough time for a quick sound test!
Equipment:
Denon 3803 now just running surrounds, B&W 804's LR, XPA-3, DVDO VP20 and a decades old Technics CD Player(Oppo Universal BDP-83 coming later)
Turn off the sub and had the LFE+Main at 40Hz.
Songs that I have memorized: As an ex-musician drummer that used to play covers you get in the habit of writing the measures of songs where the parts are difficult and then you can read the music play very slow and work it up to speed. I have a habit of listening to music this way and spent some pre-time on three songs so that I could get a good feel for the before and after (Not very scientific but its only me that I am trying to make happy here).
1) The The- Mind Bomb - "Good Morning Beautiful" When I played this without the EMO the kick drum had an almost cardboard sound to it not impressive and one of my major upsets with my system. Okay, it was night and day difference and I did have punchy bass, and very clear mids and highs. Life is Good! Without the EMO I was listening this to 0 to -5 and here I was happy at -17 but did crank it.
2) Foo Fighters "Let it Die" from their latest. This song starts with electric finger-pick and has some snare rim plus high-hat keeping time and works up to an explosive intro that continues to build until the song ends.
This is important folks.......I did not know that upon completion of each line in the verse of this song that there was a very low relay of the verse that would play before the next line and it sounded like a two part harmony. I thought wow that is cool and Foo Fighters pass the test too. I had this too loud and my ears are ringing a bit right now. I am 53 but still like my rock new and old.
Not much time left for loud so I decided since the bass was performing well to play with some songs that were always irritating to me in the past because there was so much low low hertz that I call Under-Hertz in the song.
First up - David Bowie from the Earthling with a song called "Battle for Britain". Bowie is always messing with different styles and this is what I would call Rock-Fusion. It sounded great on this system where before it was just noise. Here I could understand the compositional intent!
Next - U2 Zooropa - okay now just some stuff I like alot - Charlatans UK, Stanley Clarks "School Days", Neds Atomic Dustbin (Band uses two bass players 1) on High Bass 2) Traditional.
Ut ohh TIMES UP for now!!
Wow I am a very happy camper!
Okay now a little black duct tape on the EMO pwr button...turn the led's off..see how many days before I have to explain myself....
Put on that acoustic channel she likes and skip to the forum and write you guys a novel.
Here are some pics of the setup. Christmas still going on and the picture of the sailboat is the other toy that gets alot of my Audio budget.
In closing I really do think even with my cheapo CD player as my source here that just the change in the amp alone made a substantial, audible difference for me! I think the forum is great to share ideas get a little confidence built up to do the purchase, and most of all grow our knowledge in this great hobby of ours!
I was not even in the market for an amp, I was going to buy a Blu-Ray and upgrade my 5 year old Denon with a new AVR. All the new AVR's are struggling with integration and some problem or another so I was in wait mode till things stabilized and somehow I fumbled onto the forum and you all made a difference in changing my platform to separating the amp from the head unit or AVP.
I will keep hanging out with you all see how the XMU goes as I am not in a big hurry. Next will be the ERD's and as a 4ohm speaker I think the Denon can drive them till I get to the next stage.
Thanks Everybody
The other man toy.....in my backyard
My other fulltime job as gardner