Manfred's Presentation

mannitheear escreveu:

The new transportable mini Can rack....

Hi man, very cool indeed ... its really a beautifull rack for your CanSystem!!!

Biz Man

I still have no knowledge at all about German gears unless the very high end and costliest like Burmester and MBL ones.
Almost the same for the French brands and mostly for those Luso-French, which I even understand the reasons, but let me feeling with a huge pity for that.

Goansipife escreveu:

I still have no knowledge at all about German gears unless the very high end and costliest like Burmester and MBL ones.
Almost the same for the French brands and mostly for those Luso-French, which I even understand the reasons, but let me feeling with a huge pity for that.

German brands I like the most are Beyerdynamic, because they don't exaggerate on the current can hype, Dr. Feickert Audio for well engineered and beautiful turntables,  StSt for turntables with inhouse made direct drive and worldwide unique weight balanced suspension, Sonus Natura of course, Weidlich Audio for passive time coherent speakers, the Wall Audio tube amps and ME Geithain for their unique active monitors. But with the exception of Beyerdynamic and Geithain these are very small artisanal manufacturers with great flexibility. And all of them offer an excellent service level but avoid snobisic attitude.

But electronics like Antiton and JPA I couldn't find yet here...

Yes Beyerdynamic too but the only stuff I have good knowledge is mine DT 880. Nothing else. Even Dr. Feickert Audio I've already heard talk about but never listen them to. The other ones unfortunatly none

Speaking about AntiTon only Anti Lenco and EnFase and I agree those two are amazing

Just listening to Prokofiev  on the can system anTiTon antiDac and enFase with the AKG K701 - and having the original sound in the ear I'm not less than amazed. Underrated cans for authentic timbres, and the stage, resolution and definition are very mature, too!

PS: Honestly I did not listen with the AKG for very long time but believe at the moment I could happily live with this single can only.... crazy....but it's only valid with the extraordinary anTiTon can frontend!

mannitheear escreveu:

... Underrated cans for authentic timbres, and the stage, resolution and definition are very mature, too!

PS: Honestly I did not listen with the AKG for very long time but believe at the moment I could happily live with this single can only...

I have the AKG Q701 and i like them very much... indeed the KXXX AKG's are underrated cans

Biz

TD124 escreveu:

I have the AKG Q701 and i like them very much... indeed the KXXX AKG's are underrated cans

Biz

...except the K812, which is imho very overrated and has flaws which the driver of the K6xx and K7xx don't have...

The new self built audio rack has finally the space for all relevant components except turntable and phono pre.

All wood, no metal, no screws and variable shelf heights.

Surface is not treated yet, it will get a simple wood wax finish which will darken the color and intensify the wood grain
.

mannitheear escreveu:

The new self built audio rack has finally the space for all relevant components except turntable and phono pre.

All wood, no metal, no screws and variable shelf heights.

Surface is not treated yet, it will get a simple wood wax finish which will darken the color and intensify the wood grain

Hi man, you've just glued the wood? Its really a nice work... you're becoming a wood master!!!

Its rigid? What kind of wood is used?...

Biz

Hi Paulo,

yes, the main idea is as rigid and light as possible with straight paths for dissipation of energy to the floor.

I was inspired by 2 German racks but adapted to available materials, my possibilities and skills and modofied to my needs and own ideas.

The frame is made from massive beech, the shelves are plain MDF and doubled with smaller birch plywood panels for more stiffness. The frame is glued with joints. The 3 main shelves (upper, lowest and middle) rest on 4 hardwood balls each (instead of spikes). The other shelves are only pushed into slots from behind.

Rigidity is as expected to the left and right but back and forth it's a bit flexing, so I will add 2 braces on the left and right side.
There are 2 more racks with about half the height in the make, one for the phono pres. and the other for the hometheater components.

It's far away from masterly, but I'm satisfied for the first attempts. The sound is also much better, of course!

Biz, Paulo!

mannitheear escreveu:

...The frame is made from massive beech, the shelves are plain MDF and doubled with smaller birch plywood panels for more stiffness. The frame is glued with joints. The 3 main shelves (upper, lowest and middle) rest on 4 hardwood balls each (instead of spikes). The other shelves are only pushed into slots from behind...

Good work, its really a well thought rack... the shelves seem thin but you don't have very heavy material on that rack. If the system sound better this means that the rack is doing the job

Agradecemos por partilhar a recepção do novo brinquedo.

mannitheear escreveu:

...

Well, this is a real showcase of an Arno unboxing... you've done some great photos and this two i'll use them in the future if you give me permission

Have you compared the stock Arno mains cable with the black special one? It will be interesting...

I'am preparing an operation called "travel & listen" in some countries and i'll speak of that soon here in the AAP... this could be a cool thing!

Tell us a bit about the sound since you've some time...

Biz Man

I sent you a mail with the pictures in better resolution.

Our daughter is here currently for a few days, so there is no time for real listening at the moment. I'll try the black special cable later! BTW which devices have the best benefits from a upgrade power cable? There are endless possibilities to combine and testing power cables is really a painful job ...

mannitheear escreveu:

... BTW which devices have the best benefits from a upgrade power cable? There are endless possibilities to combine and testing power cables is really a painful job ...

Thx for the pictures Man, i apreciate and i'm glad you've your daughter for some days with you... its more important than gear comparisions

About the cable i had very good results with the Arno and the definitive version (yours) have been optimised with that câble. In fact its a unfinished cable project and i'm going to explain! For some time now i'm working on active polarized cables comparing the results with and without active biasing... this one was a surprise since it was better than the polarized version so i'll kept him like that and the Arno stock version is a simplified version of this one. With the Arno you will be able to ear the differences for sure...

In a general point of view i prefer the cables that give audible good results to be plugged in the sources... i guess that Enigma will be happy to be feed by him! But theory and experience sometimes aren't in the same mood so a try will be the best way to go. You can try at first with the new Arno

TD124 escreveu:

...
Have you compared the stock Arno mains cable with the black special one? It will be interesting...

I'am preparing an operation called "travel & listen" in some countries and i'll speak of that soon here in the AAP... this could be a cool thing!

Tell us a bit about the sound since you've some time...

Biz Man

Today I had a bit time to listen, but did not yet compare the mains cables...

It's a not easy to write about Arno sound!

The first track I listened was "Dance with Waves" from the Anouar Brahem Album "The Astounding Eyes of Rita". What can I say: I never heard the magical bass clarinet on the left channel so focused, materialised but floating like "out of nowhere" and heavenly nuanced! The microdynamics are exceptional and I suppose this makes all kind of music sound as subtle and heartfelt as one can wish! And on the other hand, the stage is perfectly organised, the instruments and voices have the natural substance, bass is deep, full and tight. Macrodynamics and attack are great, despite of the small size and relative lightness of the amplifier, all is pure and naturally flowing but extraordinary detailed at the same time without any artificial edge. Currently the "La Folia" vinyl is spinning: the dynamic attacks are frightening and shake the room without any audible compression and Arno remains totally unimpressed.


For me and now, this Arno does simply everything I would want or expect from an amplifier!

Bold words, I know, but this Arno is now already after only a few hours of listening for me one of the handful of endgame devices I was lucky enough to discover the last years!

Biz, Paulo!

mannitheear escreveu:

... For me and now, this Arno does simply everything I would want or expect from an amplifier!

Bold words, I know, but this Arno is now already after only a few hours of listening for me one of the handful of endgame devices I was lucky enough to discover the last years!...

Yeah Man, thats great and i'm glad of your joy. Your words are almost the same than Pat so, beside the different systems, its possible to have similar results. You have listened the Arno with the Extremi or with the Ref8Sign?

Pat with the first Arno had excellent results with the Anniversary's and a bit less with the Davis Monitor One... but now he says that both work wonderfully! Infortunately i wasn't able to go check (listen) last week in his room. I get a lot of pleasure with yours here at home with the D80's R despite they're hard to drive...

Biz Man

Hi Paulo,

until now I did listen only with the Extremi.

Biz!

TD124 escreveu:

...

Have you compared the stock Arno mains cable with the black special one? It will be interesting...

...

After the first hours with the white stock cable and some hours with the black special one I made a first comparison. At first I thought the black special could be a bit "too much" of everything, it appeared more defined, more accentuated and has better dynamics. But the white one sounds in comparison even a bit soft and vague, so the black seems indeed the better cable with a "blacker" background.

Can you tell me how the anTiTon power cables I already have can be categorised qualitatively?

in chronological order:

- round cable with silver-grey sleeve (thicker)
- round cable with silver-grey sleeve (thinner)
- braided cable black
- braided cable black/blue

mannitheear escreveu:

...Can you tell me how the anTiTon power cables I already have can be categorised qualitatively?

in chronological order:

- round cable with silver-grey sleeve (thicker)
- round cable with silver-grey sleeve (thinner)
- braided cable black
- braided cable black/blue

Well i don't think in quality but in result cos a cable can give better results in a Dac than in an amp or the opposite. With great amplifiers and préamplifiers i would consider the special black as the better and the others like that:

1 round cable with silver-grey sleeve (thicker)
2 round cable with silver-grey sleeve (thinner)
3 braided cable black/blue
4 braided cable black

But with some Dacs or phonos the braided cable black/blue may give superior results so only a try can say wich is the best...

Biz Man

After long silence I think that I found something that transforms the system to a new level by adding a sense of natural energy dispersion which I wanted desperately since I heard that in Pat's system but couldn't really achieve!

As Paulo told me recently: if the music plays in front of you, what more could you ask for?

It's a speaker cable made of an inexpensive industrial cable from Lapp. Instead of using a 4 x 6 qmm configuration ( i presented it here but the old one was not transparent enough with the Extremi) the new cable uses a 16 x 0,75 qmm variant.

My single hope is that it's not only a dream.  

Here some funny photos from the current setup which is necessary because the cable I have for evaluation is only 3 m long but normally 6 m are needed.




As high end rack serves the well known 5 Euro Ikea Lack table which became famous decades ago as turntable stand for LP12....

Hey Mann,

I've always been a fan of more, smaller strands. Just as an example, the internal cabling of my loudspeakers have 70 strands per phase.

What would you say are the largest aural differences to the previous cable?

ricardo.canelas escreveu:

Hey Mann,

I've always been a fan of more, smaller strands. Just as an example, the internal cabling of my loudspeakers have 70 strands per phase.

What would you say are the largest aural differences to the previous cable?

Hi Ricardo,

the largest difference is a feature of the system I've been looking for years but was not able to achieve the desired extent. It is the sensation I wrote many times about, namely that the energy of the instruments and voices seem really to emerge from the place where they are virtually placed instead of a plain projection.
The new cable means a major progress for me in this regard. Hand in hand comes an increase of the illusion of the recording space. It's better defined and at the same time more real in the sense that it is completely detached from the listening room, speakers etc.
But there is even more, like more natural timbres and greater coherence in the sensation that for example percussion instruments have bigger impact without being louder or because some frequencies are enhanced, on the contrary my old cable seems to glow more in the presence, but in comparison that glow feels artificial.
With all that comes the impression of a more real and touching presentation.
Of course all these differences are subjective and subtle but at large the difference is for me very big, although I expected nothing like that also because the price of the new cable is a fraction of the old and the cable material itself is far from audiophile or exclusive but generic industrial.

ricardo.canelas escreveu:

... I've always been a fan of more, smaller strands. Just as an example, the internal cabling of my loudspeakers have 70 strands per phase...

In the past, French audiophiles had great regard for a type of industrial cable called Leonische! This industrial cable for mobile measurements was made of more than 600 strands for a copper diameter of 2.5mm².

A French brand of cables that I really like (Esprit Cables) continues to manufacture according to this technique... but there are different and sometimes contradictory schools on the internal geometry of speaker cables... and others too

TD124 escreveu:

A French brand of cables that I really like (Esprit Cables) continues to manufacture according to this technique... but there are different and sometimes contradictory schools on the internal geometry of speaker cables... and others too

I was tempted to look for Esprit cables, but they are rather expensive and currently I don't want to spend that amount of money for the system. Actually I didn't search for a speaker cable at all but got the offer to try one and accepted, but honestly more out of solidarity or friendship than real interest because I did not believe that it could bring me further.

mannitheear escreveu:

... I don't want to spend that amount of money for the system. Actually I didn't search for a speaker cable at all but got the offer to try one and accepted, but honestly more out of solidarity or friendship than real interest because I did not believe that it could bring me further.

One of these days you can try this ones that have the same technology as Esprit and Ricardo likes. You have a silicone dielectric and very thin strands of copper... a bit like a Litz without individual insulation

Its what i use in internal on my Massaï speakers...

Silicone thin strand cable


Biz Man

Hi Paulo,

The Lapp cable has 16 cores and each core 0,75 sqmm.
8 cores are used for + and 8 for - which gives a healthy 6 sqmm in total.
I wonder what the influence of this structure is on the sound.
Perhaps the C and L has a good relation or electromagnetic interference is minimized by the multi-Quadcore structure or whatever.
Insulation is PVC and the conductors are specified as fine copper strands but without Information of the diameter. It's surely not as thin as the silicone cable you suggested.

Biz!

Hey,

There is a 'simple' way to run a controlled experiment, with controlled costs if you want Mann.



These are the cables I use of the umbilical on the cassia, because I need the phases for each channel from the x-over. Ping me if you want the reference or you want me to build you some 'normal' 2 phase loudspeaker sets

TD124 escreveu:

Its what i use in internal on my Massaï speakers..

At first I thought these Massai speakers were your fullrangers from tabula rasa but in the rodar topic you mentioned that they are new?

Just curious

Biz, Paulo!

mannitheear escreveu:

TD124 escreveu:

Its what i use in internal on my Massaï speakers..

At first I thought these Massai speakers were your fullrangers from tabula rasa but in the rodar topic you mentioned that they are new?

Just curious ...

Well, Yes! these are the last and definitive version of my Massaï... the driver have been changed, and modified by me, also i've modified a bit the internal damping, the size remains the same! This changed completely the sound cos i've lost 1 or 2dB and a bit of speed but received in change a better bass, linearity and better integrated highs with a very beautiful medium (voices and baroque strings are just superb). With Arno it sounds really very "audiophile" with a magical compensation... this first pair goes to Stephane to replace his Ref8Sign!!! Biz Man...