Welcome to soundevaluations

PRIMARY IN HOUSE REFERENCE SYSTEM:

Sources

Analog

Sota Star Sapphire turntable(suspension compliancy at minimum-rubber feet screwed in mostly)

Eminent Technology ET2 straight air-bearing tonearm with Wisa air pump + Airtech Surge Tank Air  Reservoir.

Denon DL103 moving coil, conical tip cartridge. VTF adjusted (most of the time) @ 2.64gr. VTA readjusted for every record & on the fly while playing if needed.  Thin (self adhesive) cork applied on cartridge body sides, front and a tiny bit below to absorb or reduce plastic resonances.

Duelund 1.0 silver flat conductor in oil impregnated silk as interconnect from tonearm to step up; non-shielded.

Denon AU-310 step-up transformer. 1:10 ratio (20dB gain).  Fixed output cable bypassed by 2 inch Duelund 1.0 silver flat conductor w/female RCA + custom copper + Mogami shield interconnect to preamp.

Tascam BR-20T 'broadcast' 1/4 inch 2 track half track reel 2 reel analog deck.

Ampex AG-440B (vintage 1969) 1/2 inch 2 track half track analog mastering deck.



Digital


NEC CDR-602 cd-rom reader as transport. SPDIF out on custom multi-solid core copper.

ART DI/O A/D-D/A converter (stock but tube taken out) 7V output on 1/4 jack. Cheap plastic (better than 'full chromed') male 1/4 jack to fem. RCA adapters. Custom multi solid core copper RCA terminated.

Custom all tube preamp with separate power supply:  CETRON "Patato Masher" JAN 5R4 WGB or 5Y3 WGTA USA or RCA 5Y4 GT (all three - long black plates) rectifier + 20H choke.  ASC PIO, Cerafine caps  Signal path: 7025A (12ax7A variant) + two (1 per channel) 6c45pi (Russian high transconductance triode) for phono section - passive RIAA correction EQ curve - followed by Sylvania 6gu7 for line section.  Allen Bradley carbon resistors, P.E.C. 100k potentiometer, Jensen 'pure copper foil silver leadout paper in oil type' output cap.

Custom multi solid core copper short interconnect.


Audio Note Kit One 300B before mods


Custom all tube power amp:  modified Audio Note KIT ONE.  Supply: Audio Note mains, Chelmer 5u4G rectifier, 10H choke, Mundorf , LCR caps.  Signal path: Only one Rogers or Sylvania 6sn7GT input/driver, 0.22uf Audio Note copper foil in oil coupling cap, directly to 300BC Shuguang DHT+ 'EI core' Audio Note output trannies.  Allen Bradley carbon resistors.  7W/ch. at less than 1% THD, mainly 2nd harmonic, bandwidth: -0.8dB @ 10Hz & -0.7dB @ 20kHz (-1.3dB @ 30kHz).  No feedback.

Shuguang 300BC solid carbon black plates 

or...

Nelson Pass First Watt F4 'Class A push-pull impedance converting ('current follower') solid state power amp.  Signal path: one JFET input + 3 parallel complementary pairs of MOSFET outputs, DC coupled, no feedback design.  25W/ch./8ohm & 40 to 50W/ch./4ohm.  A plastic sand filled 2.5 pound dumbbell weight sits atop front chassis for more authoritative low frequencies.

Custom 'shotgun' bi-wire copper speaker cable (12 ga equivalent).

Custom mid-sized (50 pound) birch ply 2-way vented monitor loudspeakers.  Matching stands. External passive x-over.  Impedance: 8ohm nom., 6ohm min.  Sensitivity: 92.5dB/2.83V/1W @ 1m.  Anechoic frequency response: 37Hz to 30kHz +/- 2dB.  In room response: flat down to 30Hz, -3dB @ 27.5Hz, -6dB @ 25Hz.  Listening chair position: 1 inch thick 'rippled' foam pad partially-covered back wall at 14 inches from ears, front baffle at 92 inches toed in to cross at 'nose tip'; separated 80 inches between centre of baffles.  Loosely based or inspired on 'reverse LEDE' principle where only the back wall has acoustical treatment.

Preamp & power amps use identical custom 10 ga manually braided fine multi strand copper terminated with Wattgate (cryo treated) male & female 'IEC' connectors.

Turntable/arm sit on 'sandboxed' top shelf of custom equipment stand.  Latter is very sturdy, made out of  real wood sporting four 4 X 4 inch posts & two other removable shelves; preamp in middle & solid state amp on the bottom.  Tube amp sits alone on shelf on bricks on 'spongy' orange hockey pucks on bricks on cement floor.


SECONDARY - FRIEND'S - REFERENCE SYSTEM:

Garrard 401 in custom birch/cherry/birch sandwich plinth + SME 3012 on external custom 'CNC machined' extruded bronze pod + Denon DL103-R + internal Lundahl step up + Cary Audio PH-302 (5AR4+6sl7+6sl7); all the former sitting on a massive 'quatro sand filled pillars' industrial strength welded steel.  Pathos Twin Tower 35w pure class A 'inpol' on 'sandbox' + huge 180 pound custom 2-way vented speakers with integral wooden horn loaded tweeter.  93dB/2.83V/1W @ 1m., 8ohm (6ohm min.).  30Hz to 25kHz +/- 2dB anechoic; in room response: -3dB @ 25Hz, - 6dB @ 21Hz.  Similar cabling, listening conditions/positions as primary system (see above).

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RATINGS

The ratings represent my personal appreciations & are separated  in 2 distinct categories; the sonics & the music.  To lessen confusion & get a 'snapshot opinion' of a record, I've decided to assign numbers for the sound & letters for the music.  Slight revisions may follow at a later date.


The sonics

10 - Outstanding in every way.  Major DEMO material.  From the musicians to the recording venue, be it the miking, mixing (if any), mastering, cutting, plating and pressing; everyone got it right.  It also means that I wouldn't alter any parameter even if I had access to the Master Tape myself and believe me I'm finicky!  Between multiple versions of the same recording, this one would be my first choice.  Dynamic, little or no compression, wide bandwidth full body sound, natural tonal balance, detailed but sweet highs, immediate, intimate, big & airy soundstage and low listener fatigue would justify (but not necessarily regroup all) in large part this perfect score.

9.5 - Close to perfection with only a very slight caveat to keep it from the top.  Could maybe reach a '10' if minor adjustment made to reference system or upgrade somewhere in chain.  DEMO-worthy nonetheless.

9.0 - Excellent sound with a few minor re-adjustments would be welcomed but still impressive stuff.

8.0 - Very good sound but an invitation for a competing reissue.

7.0 - Good to fair but far from 'showcase material' & begging for an improved version.

6.0 - Barely passable.  Lots of irritating qualifiers.

5.0 - At this point (and below) the sonic flaws outweigh the positive qualities & are probably embedded in the original sound take and/or subsequent mix down stage.  Unfortunately if so is the case, a remastering will yield only modest or limited gains.

4.0 down to 1.0. - Going downhill...Heavy handed Compression, 'brick wall' Limiting.  Listener fatigue.  Tendency to lower volume.  Trouble listening all trough the end.

0.5 - Absolutely the Pitts, the WORSE you can imagine.  Nothing can save this piece of crap from the can.  LOUD, HEAVILY COMPRESSED, HARD LIMITED, THIN, AGGRESSIVE, EXTREMELY BRIGHT or (less commonly) EXTREMELY DULL and VEILED.  Instant EAR FATIGUE.  

The Music

Listed below are some of the descriptions that can encapsulate the major music scores.

A+  Masterpiece, Extraordinary music, Captivating singing, Sublime compositions, Supreme musicianship,      Superb arrangements.  A definite 'Must Have'.  Instant 'CLASSIC'.  Historically important/relevant.

A    Great music, impressive musicianship / singing, etc...Worthy of any record collection & well worth searching for.

B+  Excellent, strong material.  Worth looking into closer.  Keeper for sure.

B    Good and still relevant but mixed in with lesser or 'filler up' material.  Lacks some polishing or direction.

C    Slightly disappointing, look out for discount price only.

D    Mostly boring .  Pass on this one.

E    Approaching 'rock bottom'.

F    Total Failure.  You can't get lower than this.

If an album varies a lot in sound quality with certain tracks stunning & the remainder just 'so-so' then a combined rating will be applied; same goes for the music aspects.  For example: 6.0-9.0/C-A could be applied.  I find this combined rating a better reflection of the album's true merit rather than the other solution which would average everything to a 7.5/B in the above case.  If only one or two tracks on a  lenghty album are subpar, I may decide to discard them; especially if their short or 'non important' (filler up) so as not too bring down an otherwise outstanding recording.

Take note that no company can sway me or 'buy a favorable outcome' but if you - be it a label, distributor, etc - wish to send me lp's or cd's for FORMAL REVIEW, I will diligently do so.  Just don't expect an automatic rave review.  I strive to be the fairest possible with 'no strings attached'.  You can contact me by Email for details and arrangements.

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