stewie

Responses from stewie

bi-amping for VSA 4JR's
Same cables. 
bi-amping for VSA 4JR's
I recently bi-amped my VR4 genIIIs with great results. For tubed mids and tweets I bought a pair of Will Vincent's (autospec) Dynaco mk iiis (he has an identical pair for sale here now, I do believe), and for the bass cabinets I'm using a recapped... 
New tubes suggestions?
Yes, winged c's. As for the jolida 100a, my NOS favorites in order are: Sylvania 5751 gold brand, gold pin: fantastic mids, balanced highs and lows. GE triple mica black plates 5751. Mullard cv4004. But a great tube at a very reasonable price is t... 
$3000: upgrade Tyler Linbrooks or amplification?
Newbee, it may be that nothing hangs on the difference b/t our points of view. I'll just say that--to take a concrete example--I didn't know the bass I was missing in my Kef Reference 3s until I heard the VR4s. On the other hand, the Kef's had a m... 
$3000: upgrade Tyler Linbrooks or amplification?
I've never heard your amp, but in general I think the differences in amps and pre-amps is smaller than most audiophiles imagine, once you get to a certain level of build quality. Speakers are another matter. That said, I'd be reluctant to spend 3k... 
CD has laid back and uninvolving sound
Get a cd from ECM label--Marcin Wasilewski Trio's _January_, or Bobo Stenson's _Cantando_, say--and see what you think. CD recordings don't get any better than ECM (IMHO), so that might be a good benchmark against which to measure your best vinyl. 
some 70's and 80's receivers seem to be popular
In the last 7 years I've only run 70s power amps: yamaha ca-1010 and 2010, and Kenwood supremes: models 600 and 700m. The latter two have been recapped, and are as sonically rich and warm as any amp you're likely to find. 
Dynaco/SS Bi-amp w/ Von Schweikert query
Thanks Bd and Tpsonic--very helpful. 
New McIntosh system problem... need advice
I'd strongly echo Thorman on tubes--not only fresh ones, but 12ax7s (that's what your c220 uses I believe) that will give you more of the highs you feel are missing. For a good run-down on tubes and their sound, google Joe's Tube Lore. Not everyon... 
Personal Preamp Evolution.
Kenwood 700c (1977). Kenwood 700c restored (2006). It's been a hell of a ride. 
how much would you say a good set up cost
Jax2: my point is simply that the sonic quality ceiling on amps, cd-players and such is reached more quickly, though lord knows the price ceiling is not. Audiophile reviewers/manufacturers, I realize, like to promote the idea that the difference b... 
Preamp recommendations up to $2000
I would have thought that "neutrality" was the ideal for a preamp. That is, if possible, the preamp should do as little sonically to the source signal as possible. I'm not sure what's meant by "presence" exactly, or "openness," (no criticism of yo... 
how much would you say a good set up cost
$ spent on speakers will have the greatest effect on how your system sounds. I'd invest in the best speakers I could afford. If your budget is, say, 2k, (and that's an enormous amount to spend, I realize, for most folks) I'd put at least 1200 into... 
A good fit for my PrimaLuna Prologue Two?
There are, or were, some VR 4 iii HSEs for sale in the classifieds a few days ago. I share your taste in music, and have a similar room set up, and the VRs are just superb. 
the best CD player between 6'000 - 10'000 $ ?
A 2k cd player with between 4k and 8k sitting on the top to be used for something that will make 4-8k's worth of difference.