New phono.

The PV-1 to now...
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roberto
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Re: New phono.

Post by roberto »

Jonty, please keep us posted with your new ET-5. Happy listening!
ML CLX BF-210 Stage X Motion 4. CJ 120SE amp ET7V2 pre, Holo May Kte Dac. Mac Pro. Power Cond. BPT Signature+ 3.5, Gaia II Feet. USB Lush^V3. Nordost SPM IC and Spk. Shun Mook, BCanto CD2 CD3. Linn LP-12/Unitrack tonearm/Denon DL103R MC.
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Re: New phono.

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Hi Roberto,
Will do, I'm at 50 hours now and it's changed within that time already I'll give more detailed feed back at 100 hours.
P.S I'll give you feed back also tonight re the MP3.
Looking forward to it.....
Jonathan.
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Re: New phono.

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Jonathan,

The first thing that I did find, was the bass, deep, robust, with the right energy on every note. Then the stage. I did opens wide and with the right sense of 3D. Vocals are without any sore-throats, and the timbre of the wind instruments is metal! For the clarinet or oboe, you can hear the wood, and with the strings, Oh boy! The silky sound of the strings, percussion instruments are very dynamic and you can hear every detail...please keep us posted please!
ML CLX BF-210 Stage X Motion 4. CJ 120SE amp ET7V2 pre, Holo May Kte Dac. Mac Pro. Power Cond. BPT Signature+ 3.5, Gaia II Feet. USB Lush^V3. Nordost SPM IC and Spk. Shun Mook, BCanto CD2 CD3. Linn LP-12/Unitrack tonearm/Denon DL103R MC.
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Re: New phono.

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Hi RJ,
Just reading your post again and seeing that you mention using a CAV45 integrated, is this in addition to what you have i.e. Your Gat2
I've been out of the loop as you know, have you replaced your system components recently...? if so would be interesting to get feedback re your system as it is now.
The ET5 is now about 140 hours in and has been evolving ever since I fired it up on Monday, i'll give it another listen tonight and post my observations regarding the break in process thus far.
Jonathan.
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Re: New phono.

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I'm now at 140 hours and it's mostly remained unimpressive in fact it's arguably worse than when I first un boxed it. It sounds shut in with very little life.
I've put in my notes words like vague, rollled of at the frequency exstreams. Lacking in dynamics, image remaining between the speakers, no layering of image, thin sounding lack of body, and sounding matter of fact lacking drive and timing. In fact the queen song (I want to break free springs to mind when I'm listening) if I hadn't read so many reports about the Teflon caps taking so much time to break in I'd be in a state of disspare right now....!!
Trying to remain Patient. Will report back at 300 hours and counting...!!
Jonathan. :geek:
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Re: New phono.

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Jonty, please read this review of the ET-5 by Tone Audio: http://www.tonepublications.com/review/ ... amplifier/

Happy listening!
ML CLX BF-210 Stage X Motion 4. CJ 120SE amp ET7V2 pre, Holo May Kte Dac. Mac Pro. Power Cond. BPT Signature+ 3.5, Gaia II Feet. USB Lush^V3. Nordost SPM IC and Spk. Shun Mook, BCanto CD2 CD3. Linn LP-12/Unitrack tonearm/Denon DL103R MC.
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Re: New phono.

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Not to worry Jonty, give it plenty of time...

It will settle after a while, this change in sound is just typical of new components and they do take time to burn in. Just enjoy the music and the burn in time will run in gradually whiles you are listening. All of a sudden at one point, a sort of veil will lift off and suddenly the music is presented effortless. The soundstage appears in full 3D effect and your speakers will disappear, leaving just the performance right in front of you.

When this happens you will notice straight away. Sometimes I miss the low-end or entry level gear such as NAD, Musical Fidelity and Arcam, or Bose for that matter. Just unbox, plug and play away and the music comes to life! No bloody waiting time and all that burn in nonsense...

With high-end audio, these parameters are very different and patience is virtue, you cannot tell what it sounds like right out of the box, no way. Even if the item is used or not previously, these components need to be run in for a while to sound their best and bring the music to life.

Just relax and enjoy mate, you will be amazed eventually.
Cheers, RJ
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Re: New phono.

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Thanks Roberto, RJ,
I've been through this scenario ever since I got into hifi over 40 years ago. My ET3 took time to break in and improved dramically after 4 weeks and continued to do so for months.

I always remember my ProAc tablet sig sounding shut in when I first got them, then suddenly after a couple of false starts and about 3 weeks later, just produced this huge 3 Dimensional sound stage and threw of the chains so to speak.
But you you know how it is, no matter how experienced an audiophile you are, especially having moved large amounts of money your not happy untill it produces the goods. As luck would have it there was a step change last night and a noticeable move in the right direction as the sound had opened up with much better timing and scale. So I'll keep you all updated as it continues to settle in.
RJ I'm interested in what you've been doing to your system have you made some changes...? you mention using a cav integrated.. do you still have the Gat ect.
Cheers,
Jonty.
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Re: New phono.

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Jonty, I do know that RJ loves my speakers...all I can say is, the ET-7 brought to my system a new way of listening experience. My system has never gave to so much pleasure as it is right now. This is what C-J is. It just sounds right! Take your time, listen to old music, the one that it is in your ears, and do not expect what you had before. Search for what it is good, and take your time to get accustomed to it. It is not a magnified glass, it just gives to you enough detail, and the right size of the instruments. Then, other things will come to you soon.

Happy listening!
ML CLX BF-210 Stage X Motion 4. CJ 120SE amp ET7V2 pre, Holo May Kte Dac. Mac Pro. Power Cond. BPT Signature+ 3.5, Gaia II Feet. USB Lush^V3. Nordost SPM IC and Spk. Shun Mook, BCanto CD2 CD3. Linn LP-12/Unitrack tonearm/Denon DL103R MC.
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Re: New phono.

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Hi Thanks Roberto and RJ,
I'll keep everybody updated but much more encouraging as I'm not half way through the Teflon breaking period and it definitely improved last night.
Will post again at the 300 hour point.
Jonty.
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Re: New phono.

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Hi All,
260 hours and has taken a big step forward it’s now woken up, much better image size and scale,with better width depth, cleaner and clearer sounding with much improved timing and rythem..😀. It’s still has a wandering image but the whole thing is now improving all the time.
Will give another update next week but much happier now.
Jonathan.
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Re: New phono.

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Hi all,
Thanks Roberto for getting in touch, yes I’ve put around 700 hours on the ET5 to date and it’s really only now that it’s beginning to sound consistent, in fact it was still showing noticeable signs of improvement after the 500 hour mark, particularly in layering, scale and size of the Sound stage, It also sounds cleaner and clearer more of that comming out of the Fog... and is still doing so.
(In my experience this will likely continue for six months in varying degrees)
Suffice to say that every evening it sounds a little bit better each time I listen to it, with slightly better 3 dimensional layering, with more information in the frequency extremes.
Having listened to old favourites I have never heard my system sound so open with such realistic Soundstaging and heard things more clearly.
And on the odd occasion something indeed I’d never heard or noticed before in a well known piece, and all in such a musically engaging way.
Happy, Very......
Jon.
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Re: New phono.

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Roberto what is the other new purchase apart from your new ET7....?
Jonathan.
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Re: New phono.

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Hola Jonathan,

It took a lot of time in yours. The new ET-7 has less Teflon Capacitors. They are located at the most critical places in the design, making to take a less time to show the blooming freshness sound of C-J. And the question that arise is: when it is going to stop to blooming?...

The other unit that I got is the One Twenty SE Power Amplifier. Together, both units had brought to my system, a unique sweet, mellow, non fatigue, open, wide stage, and incredible sense of 3D, the right size of the musical instruments, and a transparency that it is unmatched.

The Classic One Twenty SE, is using the KT-120s. If you do a comparison between the 6CA7/EL34 vs KT-120s, the difference is obvious. The 6CA7 exhibit more warmer, tubby sound, and I do believe that it is a matter of liking. On the other hand, the KT-120 has a very mid range zone, where it does a marvellous job. You sense that the signal is like coming from the preamplifier, it does not being touched at all!.

If your speakers has a high sensitivity, over 90dB/m, you can try its brother, the Classic 62SE. Its an incredible power amp too. And you can order the way you want. Usually comes with the KT-120 power output tubes, but if you do an special order, they with put the super quality parts, using the teflon capacitors and the metal foil resistors.

You made a good choice, Jonty. Your system is going to sing every day, better and better...
Warm regards from Costa Rica, my new friend!
Roberto.
ML CLX BF-210 Stage X Motion 4. CJ 120SE amp ET7V2 pre, Holo May Kte Dac. Mac Pro. Power Cond. BPT Signature+ 3.5, Gaia II Feet. USB Lush^V3. Nordost SPM IC and Spk. Shun Mook, BCanto CD2 CD3. Linn LP-12/Unitrack tonearm/Denon DL103R MC.
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Re: New phono.

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Hi Roberto,
I’ve decided not to come and visit you in Costa Rica for my own protection, as I think l would fall in love with your set up
and wouldn’t be able to leave your listening room....!! All this ending in what are a supreme pair of speakers in the ML CLX.
I used to own a pair of Arieus i and a pair of the Electromotions so I can’t even imagine what yours can do on the end of your ET7 and Classic One Twenty SE. Thanks for all your advice and knowledge it’s great to have somebody so willingly able to give Sound advice....
Best Wishes,
Jonathan.
Last edited by JONTY on Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New phono.

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You are welcome any time...you never know which hole, the rabbit is going to jump...the thing is to jump! I am really enjoying my system as never before...I am going to up-date a pic of what I have now...
Have a very happy listening!
Roberto.
ML CLX BF-210 Stage X Motion 4. CJ 120SE amp ET7V2 pre, Holo May Kte Dac. Mac Pro. Power Cond. BPT Signature+ 3.5, Gaia II Feet. USB Lush^V3. Nordost SPM IC and Spk. Shun Mook, BCanto CD2 CD3. Linn LP-12/Unitrack tonearm/Denon DL103R MC.
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Re: New phono.

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Hi Roberto,
When you do post your pictures, I’ll post mine also, do you have a record deck I didn’t see one in your equipment list...?
Keep making good music with your friends I really enjoyed what you and your friends do it’s very accomplished.
I am currently using a bugle boy 6922 valve and rate it very highly in my ET5,it’s very open fast and neutral sounding with excellent imaging capabilities.
Jonathan.
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Re: New phono.

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Hola, here is my system...
DSCN2476[1].JPG
DSCN2476[1].JPG (5.53 MiB) Viewed 2199 times
This is what I am really enjoying now. The turntables, I have three, one Goldmund studio, one Lynn LP-12 and one Oracle Delphi V -MKII

I am no longer playing analogue. If you want to enjoy digital, you must stop to listen analogue. The eternal debate!

Be well my friend,
Roberto.
ML CLX BF-210 Stage X Motion 4. CJ 120SE amp ET7V2 pre, Holo May Kte Dac. Mac Pro. Power Cond. BPT Signature+ 3.5, Gaia II Feet. USB Lush^V3. Nordost SPM IC and Spk. Shun Mook, BCanto CD2 CD3. Linn LP-12/Unitrack tonearm/Denon DL103R MC.
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Re: New phono.

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G'day Jonty,
sorry for the late reply... I had sent you a private message sometime back explaining what I have in my system now. seems like you didn't receive that message.

I thought I'd send you a PM instead just to keep things short and explain why I made these changes.
anyway, to summarize:
pre amp- PV15 modified
power amp- classic 60se
speakers- martin logan Ethos
phonostage-rega aria
tt- rega rp3 with separate power supply
sacd/cd playback- McIntosh mcd301 modified
power conditioning- Nordost QX4, QBase8 & Thor voltage stabilizer
interconnects: DHLabs silver sonic ( all throughout)
speaker cable: DHLabs Q10 bi-wire signature series
power cords: all Nordost Heimdall version 2 for all components including Nordost power cords for ML Ethos.

I traded in my Cav45 for the Classic 60se. Although I do miss that magical midrange of EL34's, having the KT120's delivers more weight and heft in the full frequency spectrum, especially in the bass. There is also better transient control with the KT120's and the ability to make the Ethos perform at a higher level. The 60w/ch of KT120 power in ultra linear push-pull topology, is more than adequate to drive the Ethos to its full potential. I don't know though whether this would be adequate to drive the CLX full range... I guess I would have to revise the amplification if I were to go down that path. that's about it for now mate.

trust your cj amp is now giving you a more musical sense of high quality playback, which you are experiencing at a much higher level as it settles in...
The teflon caps take a long time indeed.
Cheers to cj!
RJ
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Re: New phono.

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Hi RJ,
Thanks for getting in touch and taking the time too explain how your system has morphed since we last spoke.
I particularly noticed your ML Ethos and wonder how they have influenced/Impacted the sound since changing your amps around, will you end up with the Classic se pre if one comes along...? as you rate it very highly or are you happy with your modified PV15...?
I’m going to let mine settle down for six months as my TEA2 SE phono stage is still bedding in and will take a while being a phone stage to come fully on song.
The only thing that I may look at in the future for mine is a pair of ML classic 9 loudspeakers should a pair come along at a good price but am happy still with my AP Avanti for the time being.
AB
Jonty.
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