Malvai's TT Setup

[malvai]

This is a thread on Malvai's TT and other audio equipment.

@Asit: just a few pictures of my listening room!

My pre-power combo has been replaced with an Accuphase E460. For simplicity's sake... the sound is awesome!

Unfortunately, i don't have a great camera... Nor is my room brightly lit... but here it goes anyhow!

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/8354/cimg3796.jpg
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/2082/cimg3801s.jpg
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/8788/cimg3802b.jpg
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/366/cimg3798z.jpg

 

[denom]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Hi Manav,

What happened to the Krell & Jeff Rowland???? Sudden change to Accuphase??? Kya hua bhai??? I cannot believe that you dumped the pre-power combo
Something big must have happened to necessitate the change

 

[malvai]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

What happened to the Krell & Jeff Rowland???? Sudden change to Accuphase??? Kya hua bhai??? I cannot believe that you dumped the pre-power combo Something big must have happened to necessitate the change

Nothing major bro... with a baby around, i started evaluating the set up from a safety point of view.... the Krell being a class a amp, would get really hot. and my baby boy has started crawling so... i started auditioning...

at first i tried out the Bryston 4 BSST2... it was AT PAR with the Krell on sonics.

but then, I started thinking on a whole different course. As the Accuphase E 460 was launched recently, I decided to just listen to it once. And that changed everything.

The sonics on this amp are at par with any pre-power combo. The detail, the rich mid range, the tight bass attack and the glorious tone and timber just blew me away!

The only thing that I regret letting go of is the JRDG Coherence 2. I still have it and somehow have been putting off creating a For Sale thread for it (the Krell is already sold)...

But i guess, as much as i love it for its sound and build, it will eventually go... Though at this moment, it's locked away safely...

Now coming back to the decision on the Accuphase E460. While it is sonically a superb amp, it is also a convenient one box solution. At a later stage I will buy the options boards:
1. AD 20 (this is a MM/MC board) that can be simply slotted into one of the two slots at the back... so that will reduce one more IC from the chain.
2. DAC 30 board. This again, goes into one of the two slots at the back. This is a pretty good Dac as it allows one to connect the CDP into it (so the CDP can be used purely as a transport) and it also allows a USB from the laptop/comp. The board does 24/192 for CDP and 24/96 on USB!

In short, this one box will simplify life to no end for me, without a compromise on the sonics!

 

[anm]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Manav - how much did you spend on that accuphase? pm me the juicy details.

 

[grubyhalo]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Nice setup!

 

[Asit]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Thanks a lot Manav for the pictures, and for sharing with us the story behind the E460. Whatever camera you have, the pictures conveyed a nice sense of your system. It actually looks quite beautiful as a whole. My only mild complaint is that the speakers are perhaps too close to each other. How far apart are they? I may be wrong though in my eye estimation. BTW, those speakers have some presence.

Some questions:
a) What is that black thing on the back?
b) What is the base on which you have placed your TT?
c) Does the TT have a dust-cover? If not, what do you do to keep the dust away?

Denom,
Do not worry about it. I do not mind at all. It is not absolutely necessary to keep all discussions strictly on my TT or on the general subject of TT.

Regards.

 

[malvai]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Thanks Asit for your kind words on the PQ!

My answers are in green, below...

Thanks a lot Manav for the pictures, and for sharing with us the story behind the E460. Whatever camera you have, the pictures conveyed a nice sense of your system. It actually looks quite beautiful as a whole. My only mild complaint is that the speakers are perhaps too close to each other. How far apart are they? I may be wrong though in my eye estimation. BTW, those speakers have some presence.

Some questions:
a) What is that black thing on the back?
The balc thingee is a extra thick curtain that i am experimenting for sound absorbtion... soon i'll have a more permanet solution, as this works for now... (there is a glass window on half the wall which rings on the HF, behind the curtain, the cutain has deadened this!)
b) What is the base on which you have placed your TT?
The TT is kept on a 1 inch glass sheet. I do not find any difference with or without this sheet, so basically the sheet is just there...

c) Does the TT have a dust-cover? If not, what do you do to keep the dust away?
Yes i had bought the Clearaudio dust cover and usually i cover the TT with it when I am not listening to it...

 

[Bluu]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Manav - won't the glass sheet introduce ringing or other sonic contributions that you don't want? Why not just remove it? Unless its acrylic or Plexiglass and not regular glass.

Asit sir, did you have any trouble leveling the Cello? Did you merely eyeball the placement or did you use a bubble leveling device thingy?

 

[malvai]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Manav - won't the glass sheet introduce ringing or other sonic contributions that you don't want? Why not just remove it? Unless its acrylic or Plexiglass and not regular glass.

Asit sir, did you have any trouble leveling the Cello? Did you merely eyeball the placement or did you use a bubble leveling device thingy?

Bluu, to answer your question on glass and ringing - no, thickened & toughened glass does not induce ringing.

also, to elaborate a wee bit more, see, different materials as base bring in differences in the sonics... with my earlier TT - project 2 expression, a teak base gave the music more body, MDF kept the warmth and body of Teak but also softened the entire presentation, and finally the glass sheet, it took away the warmth and made the HF's more defined.

Now the 2 Expression TT had an ortofone rondo red cart, which is very warm for my liking, so the glass worked best for me...

once i bought the Clearaudio Ambient, I tried the three sheets again and found that the Clearaudio Ambient, does not get affected by any changes on the base!

So, i just kept the glass sheet (it goes well with the acrylic cover!)

 

[sidvee]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Great looking setup Manav:clapping: - love those hulking B&W's and I tend to agree with you on high end integrateds sounding as good as separates if not better in some instances. I had the good fortune of listening to a Symphonic line kraftquelle integrated at a Hyd. audiophile's place and IMO it left nothing to be desired.
Cheers
Sid

 

[malvai]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Great looking setup Manav:clapping: - love those hulking B&W's and I tend to agree with you on high end integrateds sounding as good as separates if not better in some instances. I had the good fortune of listening to a Symphonic line kraftquelle integrated at a Hyd. audiophile's place and IMO it left nothing to be desired.
Cheers
Sid

Thanks sidvee!

and yeah, you're right! an accuphase e460 or 560 or even a kraftquelle leave nothing to be desired... and they simplyfy life to no end!

The accuphase further simplifies life due to its option boards for both a phono and a dac of world class standards....

Plus, the build quality - truly outstanding... only rivalled by the grossly overpriced and overrated Dratzeel integrated amps...

 

[malvai]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

My only mild complaint is that the speakers are perhaps too close to each other. How far apart are they? I may be wrong though in my eye estimation. BTW, those speakers have some presence.



Regards.

Asit the speakers are about 8 and half feet apart (measured from the centre of each speaker...)

 

[captrajesh]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Lovely setup there Manav.

 

[jls001]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

I have only realised the pit i have fallen into when i bought the lenco..have now got a special bearing to replace the custom one and also committed myself to a Thomas Schick Tonearm..also got a DL103... will wait for all that to be shipped and set in over the next 3 months

@arj: which Lenco is this? Is the Schick the 12 incher? Are you planning a new plinth to accommodate the arm (assuming it's 12")?
Joshua

 

[arj]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Joshua,
this is the L75..i did have a Birchwood plinth made, this is a 12" but i plan to have a separate base for the tonearm. will work out the logistics once i get it since this has a 2-3 mont waiting time.

 

[arj]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Thanks sidvee!

and yeah, you're right! an accuphase e460 or 560 or even a kraftquelle leave nothing to be desired... and they simplyfy life to no end!

The accuphase further simplifies life due to its option boards for both a phono and a dac of world class standards....

Plus, the build quality - truly outstanding... only rivalled by the grossly overpriced and overrated Dratzeel integrated amps...

Awesome setup Malvai...an accuphase is something i dream about owning one day, there is something really simple, refined and elegant about their music

I too believe that there is nothing like simplicity in an audio chain..

 

[malvai]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Thanks arj... yes the accuphase is very refined, very detailed and rich sounding amp... its unlike anything I have heard till date (symphonic line included!)

 

[malvai]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

asit,
at a later date, try a Ortofon Rondo Red on your TT... you will be amazed!

 

[Hiten]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

Manav bro thums up to you. Nice upgrade. How much the lowest accuphase integrated model will cost ?

 

[malvai]

Re: My New TT : The Cello from Scheu Analog

I am guessing so parden me if wrong. After X hrs. of play cartridge will have little more compliance then original and low frequencies will be more accurate, tracking will be improved so increasing tracking weight a wee little bit will help stylus tip in following grooves more precisely. In short SQ with more fidelity.

Manav bro thums up to you. Nice upgrade. How much the lowest accuphase integrated model will cost ?

Hiten, i think the Accuphase E250 would cost about 2.5L INR.