oracle1974
Well-Known Member
Should we rename the thread "Making giant steps...."?
congratulations.
Regards
congratulations.
Regards
Making baby steps into Hi-fi
- Thread starter hydra
- Start date
Thank you, folks! 
Prem, you bet! This is indeed endgame as far as the speaker and amp goes. I'm also having second thoughts about a DAC upgrade. I'm actually very happy with the way the whole system sounds as a unit right now. I will take it easy on the upgrades. Except for maybe experimenting with cables, or maybe an online UPS somewhere down the line, I think I'm actually set for life.
Venu and mpw, please do visit; you're always welcome. It would be great to meet you in person too!
mpw, You'll have a great time here! And there are a couple veggie restaurants here that are arguably better than BTH too
Guys, the music the amp makes definitely lives up to the promise its looks make! This baby is all show and go
Prem, you bet! This is indeed endgame as far as the speaker and amp goes. I'm also having second thoughts about a DAC upgrade. I'm actually very happy with the way the whole system sounds as a unit right now. I will take it easy on the upgrades. Except for maybe experimenting with cables, or maybe an online UPS somewhere down the line, I think I'm actually set for life.
Venu and mpw, please do visit; you're always welcome. It would be great to meet you in person too!
mpw, You'll have a great time here! And there are a couple veggie restaurants here that are arguably better than BTH too
Guys, the music the amp makes definitely lives up to the promise its looks make! This baby is all show and go
Love the looks of the amps. Congratulations Hydra.
M
mpw
Guest
hydra,
was in EKM from 2001 - 2003 & in Kozhikode 1999-2001. Roamed around EKM a lot and i know a fair bit..
BTH - in those days was - top of the chart ( for me ) for lunch and thats what came to mind .. drooool ..:clapping:
anyways.. anything else apart from the Rethm's will be OT.
Ofcourse, congratulations are in order for FM Jacob too of Rethm.
njoi !!
mpw
was in EKM from 2001 - 2003 & in Kozhikode 1999-2001. Roamed around EKM a lot and i know a fair bit..
BTH - in those days was - top of the chart ( for me ) for lunch and thats what came to mind .. drooool ..:clapping:
anyways.. anything else apart from the Rethm's will be OT.
Ofcourse, congratulations are in order for FM Jacob too of Rethm.
njoi !!
mpw
M
mpw
Guest
maybe its not baby steps anymore into hifi anymore..
)
mpw
)mpw
Thank you, Capt.!
mpw, wow! I didn't know this! The BTH Thaali is indeed memorable
Oracle1974 and mpw, the baby steps were me finding my way, and learning what to look for, and understanding what it was that I really wanted. Once I was sure of what I wanted to achieve, I did stretch a bit longer and higher that I really would have, considering my basic nature, but I'm fairly sure I've found my setup now. Baby steps helped me get here with minimum disappointments and financial waste. Any future steps would be very small. I'm back to baby steps
mpw, wow! I didn't know this! The BTH Thaali is indeed memorable
Oracle1974 and mpw, the baby steps were me finding my way, and learning what to look for, and understanding what it was that I really wanted. Once I was sure of what I wanted to achieve, I did stretch a bit longer and higher that I really would have, considering my basic nature, but I'm fairly sure I've found my setup now. Baby steps helped me get here with minimum disappointments and financial waste. Any future steps would be very small. I'm back to baby steps
oracle1974
Well-Known Member
Work took me to kochi on numerous occasions last year and hopefully will be frequenting kochi more often this year too. BTH is my favourite too. With permission of other followers of this thread request hydra to adulterate this musical thread with recommendations of eating places in kochi.
Here's one one pic of the most of the system. I'm now running out of space in the room, and I need to find a place for the TT and it's pedestal. I'll need to figure out a new rack, and a way to lift the amps off the floor at least by a bit, to protect them. I've not tidied up, so I apologize for the mess.
hydra, this is a great looking setup! Congratulations!
From what I have been talking to Prem and others a simple sandstone slab works very well as a base - if you can accommodate that in your room.
If you are looking at a rack stick to a complete wooden rack.
As others have said already ... no more baby steps! Congratulations again!
Absolutely stunning! :clapping:
The finish on the amps as well as the speakers is amazing.
Hoping to get a dose soon!
Congratulations!!!!
The finish on the amps as well as the speakers is amazing.
Hoping to get a dose soon!
Congratulations!!!!
apk
Well-Known Member
Congrats Hydra on the rethm amps! Am sure the synergy with the speakers is fantastic.
Is the unit on the left hand side the pre-amp section or is that a separate power supply?
Best,
APK
Is the unit on the left hand side the pre-amp section or is that a separate power supply?
Best,
APK
Thanks, guys!
Nikhil, I need to raise the amp by about 5 to 6 inches off the floor for safety (water spills, vacuum cleaner collisions etc), and to be able to clean under it easily enough. I'll have to sacrifice audiophilia a bit here But I do plan to get a good enough rack for them to make up! I'll also be getting a rack for the rest of the equipment.
For the really short term I'm actually thinking of putting them on two 3ft long two by fours laid across the width of the two units (like rails), and then raising the contraption with two short two by fours under it, on each end, perpendicular to the long ones. My vacuum cleaner closely avoided a disagreement with the amp yesterday night.
@Naturelover, I look forward to meeting you in person!
@apk, oh yes, the amp and the speakers work with each other like a match made in heaven! The unit on the left is the power supply. The unit on the right contains the amp electronics (sans the power supply). The preamp and power amp are two separate units, with separate power supplies (fed from the power supply unit on the left via umbilical cords), but housed in the same box.
Nikhil, I need to raise the amp by about 5 to 6 inches off the floor for safety (water spills, vacuum cleaner collisions etc), and to be able to clean under it easily enough. I'll have to sacrifice audiophilia a bit here
But I do plan to get a good enough rack for them to make up! I'll also be getting a rack for the rest of the equipment. For the really short term I'm actually thinking of putting them on two 3ft long two by fours laid across the width of the two units (like rails), and then raising the contraption with two short two by fours under it, on each end, perpendicular to the long ones. My vacuum cleaner closely avoided a disagreement with the amp yesterday night.
@Naturelover, I look forward to meeting you in person!
@apk, oh yes, the amp and the speakers work with each other like a match made in heaven! The unit on the left is the power supply. The unit on the right contains the amp electronics (sans the power supply). The preamp and power amp are two separate units, with separate power supplies (fed from the power supply unit on the left via umbilical cords), but housed in the same box.
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I borrowed a pair of Rethm Taalam Speaker cables from Jacob George today evening for audition, in my setup. I wanted to see how much difference they would make in my system.
Every single Rethm setup I've listened to (except my own) use these cables. I wanted to take things one step at a time, and see how much difference they would make, before getting them. For that, I needed to run my system with my old cables (Chord Silverscreen 2) for a while, so I could be honest to myself when I made a trial switch.
As always, Jacob George is a gentleman, and he never tries to sell his products. When I'd asked him about the speaker cables, he asked me to try his spare set in my system and see for myself whether I wanted them or not.
The Taalam cables are basically a solid ribbon of silver, end to end, protected by a loose, spiral silicone sleeve/jacket. There are no connectors or terminations really, in the conventional sense, with the two ends of the ribbon simply being a bit wider, and cut neatly into the shape of a spade connector. The ends are also adorned by two thick half cylinders of wood (not sure what kind) placed on two sides of the ribbon, forming a full cylinder, and serve as a grip, and a sealing cap for the jacket. There are two separate cables per channel encased separately in their own sleeves, color coded at the wood 'grips'.
I played the system for about an hour before I swapped the cables. And yes, they make a difference: A very positive difference. I'm dead certain that they improve the tone of the music, specifically the midrange somewhat, and the highs substantially.
The difference in the highs is very easy to hear. There's a lot more subtlety in the highs and more information out there at the same time. Cymbals sound very life-like, and like they are right here in the room. The subtlety and delicacy of the brushes on the cymbals (something I always listen for when I look at new kit) is goose bump inducing! The "fairy dust" (how I like to refer to the sound of the trailing decay of the brushes on the cymbals, and the trailing end of the sound of female vocals) feels so soft and sparkling at the same time, that I can almost picture the soft spray and glitter of the "dust" in the air as the music plays.
I think that the presentation of the music is also much more open, with an even wider stage than usual, but that's something I'm not completely certain yet, with just about an hour of listening to the Taalam cables.
Right now, I'm completely sold on a pair. They definitely work very, very well with the Gaanam and the Trishnas. The improvement they make over my old speaker cables is substantial.
I'm keeping these for a week, just to see how much (and if) things regress when I switch back to the Chord Silverscreens. The difference there would be as telling (perhaps even more telling) as the current change.
I'd like to request the cable non-believers to let me willingly and happily suffer any snake oil they might think I'm taking.
Every single Rethm setup I've listened to (except my own) use these cables. I wanted to take things one step at a time, and see how much difference they would make, before getting them. For that, I needed to run my system with my old cables (Chord Silverscreen 2) for a while, so I could be honest to myself when I made a trial switch.
As always, Jacob George is a gentleman, and he never tries to sell his products. When I'd asked him about the speaker cables, he asked me to try his spare set in my system and see for myself whether I wanted them or not.
The Taalam cables are basically a solid ribbon of silver, end to end, protected by a loose, spiral silicone sleeve/jacket. There are no connectors or terminations really, in the conventional sense, with the two ends of the ribbon simply being a bit wider, and cut neatly into the shape of a spade connector. The ends are also adorned by two thick half cylinders of wood (not sure what kind) placed on two sides of the ribbon, forming a full cylinder, and serve as a grip, and a sealing cap for the jacket. There are two separate cables per channel encased separately in their own sleeves, color coded at the wood 'grips'.
I played the system for about an hour before I swapped the cables. And yes, they make a difference: A very positive difference. I'm dead certain that they improve the tone of the music, specifically the midrange somewhat, and the highs substantially.
The difference in the highs is very easy to hear. There's a lot more subtlety in the highs and more information out there at the same time. Cymbals sound very life-like, and like they are right here in the room. The subtlety and delicacy of the brushes on the cymbals (something I always listen for when I look at new kit) is goose bump inducing! The "fairy dust" (how I like to refer to the sound of the trailing decay of the brushes on the cymbals, and the trailing end of the sound of female vocals) feels so soft and sparkling at the same time, that I can almost picture the soft spray and glitter of the "dust" in the air as the music plays.
I think that the presentation of the music is also much more open, with an even wider stage than usual, but that's something I'm not completely certain yet, with just about an hour of listening to the Taalam cables.
Right now, I'm completely sold on a pair. They definitely work very, very well with the Gaanam and the Trishnas. The improvement they make over my old speaker cables is substantial.
I'm keeping these for a week, just to see how much (and if) things regress when I switch back to the Chord Silverscreens. The difference there would be as telling (perhaps even more telling) as the current change.
I'd like to request the cable non-believers to let me willingly and happily suffer any snake oil they might think I'm taking.
Thanks for that correction, Prem. For some reason, I'd always been under the impression that the cables were all silver.
I also got the brand name of the cables wrong. They are Raagam cables. Taalam is the name of their rack.
I guess I should be careful of what I write in the middle of the night, while under the influence of heady music.
Congratulations Hydra I'm happy it worked for you. Unless one knows what to look for, is inclined to concentrate solely on listening and has enough experience with resolving gear, one may not find differences between cables.
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M
mpw
Guest
:beer:
agree with captains point. hydra IMO if the differences are apparent and worth it then dont even bother to re-check with the chord cable installed back.
In any case the speaker cable is only one not from the rethm stable ( from what i see ) - might as well sort that out too. so its all one big ( happy :lol: ) rethm family !!
mpw
I guess I should be careful of what I write in the middle of the night, while under the influence of heady music.
agree with captains point. hydra IMO if the differences are apparent and worth it then dont even bother to re-check with the chord cable installed back.
In any case the speaker cable is only one not from the rethm stable ( from what i see ) - might as well sort that out too. so its all one big ( happy :lol: ) rethm family !!
mpw
ranjeetrain
New Member
Congrats Hydra!
Silver cables do have a easily different sonic signature than copper. It's very easy to hear on any fairly resolving system. No surprises at all that you like the tone.
Oh yes, like Prem mentioned already, main conductor is copper and return is silver, as George's philosophy is signal should be able to return faster than it goes. I'm sure George has decided this configuration after due experiment.
Silver cables do have a easily different sonic signature than copper. It's very easy to hear on any fairly resolving system. No surprises at all that you like the tone.
Oh yes, like Prem mentioned already, main conductor is copper and return is silver, as George's philosophy is signal should be able to return faster than it goes. I'm sure George has decided this configuration after due experiment.
M
mpw
Guest
A beautiful, well-constructed speaker with class-leading soundstage, imaging and bass that is fast, deep, and precise.