Living@Rethm Club

[prem]

Kushnava, it probably is your cables picking up some rf or emi. Properly set up, there should be zero noise. You could try shielded interconnects and power cords

 

[Kushanava]

Ok.Some Updates.

1. I have played around with Positioning and have currently fixed a position of around 8ft from the front wall and 2.5 feet from side walls.

2.I am yet to update the cables as I first wanted to test a different amplification. I borrowed the Cayin 50T and used it for 2 weeks.The details and airiness was certainly less than the sugden , but there was a greater synergy with the amp.There was more warmth on the voices and more rounded high frequencies which allowed a more relaxed presentation. This only proved what Jacob has been suggesting.

So i have put my sugden on sale and have started to look for amplifiers.I am in a dilemma on whether to go for Rethms or specialist "amplifier manufacturers". So my question to the experts are what are my options other than Gaanam ..(in a similar price range)...Jacob suggested "Eastern Electric Minimax" as a low cost option.Has any one tried this?What about Lebens /Ayons etc under the same price bracket of Gaanam ?

 

[jai1611]

I had tried Leben 300xs before getting the Gaanam with my Rethms. The Leben had richer tone. Other differences were more subtle and frankly I can't comment on them with any degree of confidence. In the end, i went with the Gaanam as I liked the idea of staying in the Rethm system and was a bit worried that the richer tone was too much of a good thing given the Lampizator DAC up the chain.

 

[Kushanava]

@jai..interesting. do you mean to say gaanam's are more neutral than lebens?? Which to you is more musical???

 

[jai1611]

@jai..interesting. do you mean to say gaanam's are more neutral than lebens?? Which to you is more musical???

I mean the particular Gaanam I owned (V1) was more neutral than the Leben 300xs. Cant say to what extent it can be extrapolated.

At this level, its more about synergy. As it was, with the rest of my chain and the Lampizator DAC, the Gaanam worked very well. With a very neutral sounding source, I suspect the Leben would have done better.

 

[heliumflight]

I have listened to Mr. Jacob's entire set-up at AVM (5L+)and didn't like single diver setup. You have to carry your own cross and ask yourself is this the sound you can life for the next 5 years? What will Leben do when the house signature is of Rethm ..BTW I have also listened to Leben 300xs

 

[Kushanava]

@heliumflight..I am happy with the presentation. Its about tuning it to my liking.

 

[heliumflight]

If you like the presentation, then you will be fine. Regarding fine running that can be taken care with cables. Just received Mogami 2803 and quite a bit of change it makes in making sound quality deep and extracts every bit of detail.

 

[prem]

Kushnava, I have had Dehavilland 845, Red Wine Audio, Gaanam and Lyrita Audio 2a3. I have liked all four amps with the Rethms. I personally prefer a SET amp to a push pull.

 

[Kushanava]

Kushnava, I have had Dehavilland 845, Red Wine Audio, Gaanam and Lyrita Audio 2a3. I have liked all four amps with the Rethms. I personally prefer a SET amp to a push pull.

@Prem -Thanks again.
When you say Gaanam - is it the latest iteration?
What is the order of preference ? Which one do you think has the most relaxed presentation ?Also one more thing that is also a differentiator is the new driversover the lowther. Does that call for a different amp signature .. may be a thicker presentation vs a a more solid and focused SET?

 

[prem]

Rethm will never give you a thick presentation. If you are getting one, something is wrong in the set up.

I personally like low powered SET with Rethm. My Gaanam is a little different from the current iteration. Mine was a prototype model.

Unless something is terribly wrong, Rethm always throws up a relaxed presentation. Ideally it should sound very natural and like there is no amplification.

Also the new driver is not very different from the Lowther. It's a bit more relaxed in the midrange but that's more because it's a 7 incher

 

[mpw]

Ok.Some Updates.

of around 8ft from the front wall and 2.5 feet from side walls.

what is your listening distance from the front of the speakers ?

 

[Kushanava]

@prem-The sound is absolutely not thick.Infact the sound is getting thinner and more transparent which I really like.Thatswhy when I am trying to drive at high volumes with the sugden I feel I am losing the warmth and hence the need for tubes.i dont have any experience with tubes and it is absolutely unknown territory for me.different tibes sound different and thats why the question on the tone that will suit the rethms
@mpw..I listen from about 9 ft from the drivers..

 

[prem]

Kushnava, very difficult to answer your question. Each tube brings its own sound. It's like choosing a perfume. It's a very personal decision. You need to hear different tubes and hear for yourself which tube floats your boat. Choosing the tube is more important. Then you can look at the different amps that use this tube and freeze your brand

 

[arj]

@prem-The sound is absolutely not thick.Infact the sound is getting thinner and more transparent which I really like.Thatswhy when I am trying to drive at high volumes with the sugden I feel I am losing the warmth and hence the need for tubes.i dont have any experience with tubes and it is absolutely unknown territory for me.different tibes sound different and thats why the question on the tone that will suit the rethms
@mpw..I listen from about 9 ft from the drivers..

The sugden is not really the best amp for very high sensitivity speakersand it may sound relatively thin with them.
I found that out with Merlin's..but only when compared to the leben. Else I was quite ok with them

 

[prem]

Kushnava, if you have the budget and have to go blind, go with Gaanam. You can't go wrong with it

 

[Naturelover]

Kushnava, if you have the budget and have to go blind, go with Gaanam. You can't go wrong with it

I was told the same thing by Rethm owners when I decide to go for Rethm speakers and I have not regretted the decision.

Maybe you could also try out different cables. Hydra found drastic change when he replaced his cables. Post 404 on his "Baby steps" thread.
Borrowing from Local FMs might be possible. magma might be willing to loan a pair from his stable. Maybe Jacob himself?

 

[mpw]

the rethm gaanam will be a good choice - if you have the funds along with the cables which rethm makes or recommends. That way you are plugged into the " rethm sound " in totality much like other "cults" like Naim ( to name one ).

Prems amp - is a highly modified one and i dont know if these can be attempted in India and its a case of improvement in his rig over a multi - year period. Besides his rig has tweaks which only a few would really try to attempt.

For plug and play - just get the gaanams and be done with it.

regards

 

[Kushanava]

Hi all ..yesterday night was full of surprise...Ever since I got my ifi Micro Dac , I have been using a coaxial output from philips dvd player into the dac. I was playing the "Hazir 2" and suddenly the dac ran out of battery.I was desperate to listen to music and pulled out my old marantz cd 48 which has been sitting on the rack for the last 2 months.To my surprise , I was stunned by the natural /organic and real sound. The voices were more holographic and sounded really good and I felt that the details were there but more on the background rather than in your face.
Now this opened out a lot of questions.

1.Was it the sugden that made the sound thin or the ifi Micro dsd dac ? I remembered , Sugden Cd players using the same philips chip as in the marantz 48. Does that bring in greater synergy between source + amplification ?

2.marantz dac > ifi dac ?

3.Or is it because i am using an ordinary transport , with ordinary coaxial cable with the Ifi ?

Don't know the answer .

 

[arj]

Hi all ..yesterday night was full of surprise...Ever since I got my ifi Micro Dac , I have been using a coaxial output from philips dvd player into the dac. I was playing the "Hazir 2" and suddenly the dac ran out of battery.I was desperate to listen to music and pulled out my old marantz cd 48 which has been sitting on the rack for the last 2 months.To my surprise , I was stunned by the natural /organic and real sound. The voices were more holographic and sounded really good and I felt that the details were there but more on the background rather than in your face.
Now this opened out a lot of questions.

1.Was it the sugden that made the sound thin or the ifi Micro dsd dac ? I remembered , Sugden Cd players using the same philips chip as in the marantz 48. Does that bring in greater synergy between source + amplification ?

2.marantz dac > ifi dac ?

3.Or is it because i am using an ordinary transport , with ordinary coaxial cable with the Ifi ?

Don't know the answer .

This is a miss by us as well...on Hindsight the biggest reason for thin sound has been the Source even in my experience (transport + DAC + Cable + Power supply)

The older phillips dac chips were more full bodied although lower on detail than the newer chips ( and thats a good thing). BTW can you use that as the transport instead of the DVD ? DVD drive suck as transports unless it is a Oppo or that category

But since the iFi comes with good heritage, i would also suspect the cable..whats the coax cable you are using ?Canare and Mogami are real value for money and good