Tube Preamp, Amp or Int for holographic imaging?


I am pretty new to High end, but was drawn to it after hearing some music with a holographic soundstage. Since then I've been on a quest to reproduce it in my own apartment.

I listen exclusively to vinyl music at home(nothing against CDs, I just personally find Vinyl more charming and collectible), and am currently hooked up to a Planar 3. I am using my home theater receiver as an amplifier, since I don't yet have a second system.

I've been using the Graham Slee Era Gold V for a preamp. It sounds great in everything except its ability to project the sound forward and leave the notes hanging in the air (at least on my system). My main goal in audio is, at present, getting that holographic soundstage, and I have read that tube amps do it best. My main question is, would it be enough to switch the phono preamp to a tube (probably the EAR or anything else someone wants to recommend), or should you have both preamp and amp be tube? In that case, what would be a good integrated for exclusively vinyl under $1k used (Jolida is the only well reviewed one I know of)?

Finally I have played around extensively with speaker placement, and some dampening. I get 'some' sense of depth (maybe imagined), but the images rarely seem to suspend in air. Also, the music still seems to come from behind the speakers most of the time, and I feel if I could just get the voice and front instrumentals to jump forward a foot or so I'd be perfectly happy.

Thanks for reading, any input is welcome.
superapplekid

Showing 2 responses by sufentanil

Tvad is right on the money. You need to have speakers, proper positioning, and an appropriate room for the best imaging. This implies also amplification/preamplification that is appropriately mated to the speakers. That said, I find that having tubes in the entire process (preamp + amp +/- source) raises the probability of holographic imaging, with the tube amp probably being more important than the tube preamp.

Michael
Superapplekid, I've heard some Boston Acoustics (a model similar to the VR3 I think) and, at least with the setup I heard them in, I wasn't too impressed with the sound or the soundstaging.

If you have a relatively small room, and you're after holographic imaging, you can get some used Totem Arro's in your price range. They will present you with the most three-dimensional imaging you've ever heard. If you get tubes in the amplification, then you'll be even better. My experience was best with a Jolida 302b integrated amp with these speakers. It's hard to bear for the price.

Other options would include some high-quality monitors, such as JMLab Electra 906, PSB stratus mini, or Paradigm Studio 20's. (Hey, I did include at least one non-Canadian speaker!) My experience is that all other things being equal, the monitors tend to soundstage better than floorstanders at the same price.

I do recommend that you start with your speakers, and then with the positioning within the room.

Good luck!

Michael