Inoculator

@rlow So far I have tried all JJ and NOS RCA in buffer/NOS Tung Sol in gain stage. Will need to do more mix and match experimenting. Things are just too thick sounding with the all NOS configuration I tried, at least for nearfield.

Oh, are they NOS Tung-Sol too? Sorry was thinking just the RCA were NOS. Have not heard the NOS Tung-Sol, so disregard my comments about being balanced - that would be for new production TS 6SN7. I can see how JJs would be a good match with Gungnir Multibit A1 though, so it makes sense - leaner and more incisive to balance the GA1 warmth and smoothness.

@rlow yeah NOS tung-sols as well. I would like to try the new production tung-sols, as I have enjoyed other new tung-sol variants. Seems they have just a hint of tube "magic" via a nice spatial/full sound, but don't sacrifice technicality.

Choosing between those DACs is tough!

@dubharmonic how is your journey comparing those two going?

They're different enough that I haven't been able to choose one over the other.

How do you know it's an A1? I'm curious to ID mine.

@Woland I am no expert, a buddy of mine who has done a ton of A2 vs A1 comparisons as well as toyed around with modding the A1 identified it for me. I think there is some way to tell by serial, but some as they transitioned are harder to identify without opening it up. Having previously owned an A2, this is for sure different. Hesitate to say better, but synergy wise with my chain it seems to be working great.

Thanks @Inoculator. I've seen a few discusisons on IDing via serial number, but none seem definitive.

Your table might have been made before the new belts were released (March). I presume a Neo PS came with the table, and you'll use the Swagman (24V AC out transformer version, right?) into that?

That's almost 300% less wow and flutter ! You gotta be willing to pay for that !

@Biodegraded I will have to look into that! I read it as these belts have been in use on the P8/P10 and now are available to upgrade other decks. But if not the case my nervosa would for sure lead to me buying them, haha.

Def. Hire movers. We just moved after 10 years in a home. Moved with a dog, 2 cats and 3 kids. Ended up using PODS to store and move stuff since we had to have interim housing (inlaws house). The PODS do a number on your stuff...lots of stuff shifted during transit, made it such a mess. Never again myself
....maybe I will never move again!

Congratulations on the new house and kid. I agree with others, movers are worth the cost. Our moving company made our move out of the city so much easier and offered an extra guy to help when a storm was coming.

Mazel tov! Even if it's just 10 minutes away, hire movers. Especially with the animals and toddler. Just do your due diligence when getting quotes, look up reviews, etc. Just doing the work of sorting what will go and what won't is going to be a Herculean task, let alone the actual moving.

Hmm, I appreciate the contrast between work mode and dedicated listening. I often use my Beyer DT880 instead of my ZMF for the same reason.

@Cryptowolf yeah I have found it to be a nice balance. Still sounds incredible via the SS buffer, just a lot sweeter, more restrained, gobs of microdetail but they are not slapping you in the face. Tube mode just begs for your attention. Speakers disappear, soundstage becomes deeper. Bass gets a bit more bloated and less precise, and vocals sound more natural, but less accurate compared to ss buffer.

I have a Saga + in my 2.1 system and it is everything you describe. The way you put it really hits home for me.

I am spoiled with all the great record spots around me. This is an example of trust the old timer hole in the wall crate digger spot for used vinyl, not the hipster "indie" record store spot for used stuff. Unfortunately everyone takes their collections when they fall out of the hobby to the hipster spot who overvalues everything.

Could it rather be HAF - she got the ok on the house she wants because it'd match your target speakers? ;)

@Biodegraded haha probably a little column A, little column B. Funny enough, I had not super seriously considered the Klipsch Heritage stuff until I saw a house that was pretty open concept with big vaulted ceilings in the living room. Then I was like, oh yeah, I need some speakers that can step up and fill this space.

If you haven’t already, try to demo the Klipsch heritage series. It is very different sounding from the Grahams and the current gen floorstanders and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

Gateway drug, for sure. Chased the dragon all the way to Yggdrasil. Trying to be done...

Was thinking to sell mine after going Soekris (the rest of my system is the antithesis of yours, I think) but will likely keep it in case I want some of the old-school R2R sound back again.

@rlow Love to hear that as that is exactly what I am hoping for from the Freya+ with this nearfield setup. DAC2541 just did not stage correctly with my speakers. Mainly grabbed the Freya+ just because I need BAL-SE conversion for the Gungnir Multibit A1, but tube buffer is a bonus for sure.

didn't like the DAC2541 eh?! did you end up grabbing the gungnir and freya from the guy up near seattle??

@shredical Yeah the DAC 2541 was great with Auteur/SW51+...but it REALLY did not play nicely with my speakers. Guy in Seattle wasn't willing to budge on price, but scored the Freya+ with some NOS tubes via USAM and the Gungnir Multibit A1 from a buddy that had a spare.

Seems you already know what you will get. Then why not! Just make sure you would have enough distance (8-9 ft or longer).

A good point @Vtory, I am a sucker for looking for validation...and my wife is a bit less thrilled about whim $1k speaker purchases. I think I will snag and report back though, will be fun to try out and is relatively low cost all things considered.

Zu are generally too expensive for what they are. You'd be better off picking up some Tekton Lore. Better speakers for the same price. I've heard both Zu and Tekton.

@dematted Did you land on the black filter like most folks around here? Sounding good to me, just curious. Could already tell a difference after about 30 minutes warm up...something really special coming together here.

Yes, I prefer the black filter. Not sure why, but it just sounds a bit more natural/effortless to me in its sonic presentation. You can also play around with custom filters if you like the DIY stuff.

All the same for me (color, cord, filter). Although for certain tracks the red (linear) filter provides better sonic placement cues. But any song that's got too much reverb or ringy at all in the treble and it's back to black.

Even my subpar pressing sound pretty dang enticing from it, killing me every time I have to stop listening to join a zoom meeting during the workday.

That’s so great to hear! Glad you got something you love after two disappointments.

Really lives up the Rega trademarks, very energetic/lively sounding, but not in a fatiguing way. PRAT king for sure.

I was a jazz band kid back in the day, so was TOP obsessed during my teen years. Loving this recording!

TV for you tonight: KCTS, 8.30-10pm - Tower of Power: 50 Years of Funk and Soul.

Do you have a preference for gimbals? Curious of what features you are looking for in a table at these price ranges.

@Gazny I have never had a unipivot, but initially wanted to give it a try with an old VPI scout, but was sent the wrong model and damaged. Ultimately I am agnostic at this point, have only tried gimbaled arms. Originally was looking for a deck to pair with my Zu 103r. Ordered the P8 with no cartridge planning on trying out that combo.

But it is more fun for them to be FOTM and move on. This is why Drop model sucks. They constantly have to have the need for yet ANOTHER product to keep the cycle going.

I was really hoping for 800, oh well. even with their pseudo 900 dollar price I don't think I will bite. Luckily SBAF has a better headphone in the works. So I will stick to that in the near future.

In the age of instant gratification, waiting 9 months is too long.

Is the OG HD800 driver even made anymore? I thought they revised it for the HD800S

Interestingly enough the Gungnir Multibit A2 actually had better synergy, but I parted with it when downgrading whole chain to SE. Thinking the 2541 might be a reasonably priced option with better synergy.

"Zach has talked on live-streams about a sub-1000 closed-back he's working on with a more harman-esque tonality..." Ok thanks. I was hoping for a Verite V2 with a more even tonality or something similar.

KossxDrop Porta Pro +++

What if they pull the same crap with the 580 and make it low impedance