Two steps forward. One step sideways

uglymusicuglymusic
edited April 2012 in Systems
After blowing up a couple of drive units on the OBs, taking some time off and getting sidetracked with a load of family stuff, I finally got my big rig back together again last week.

I put my old NVA Statement Passive Pre back, plus my remaining set of working NVA Super Sound Pipe interconnects. The passive is manual, of course, but I'm not using it for volume control, instead it's there just as protection for the speakers. So I'm using the digital volume control in Audirvana + just as when I was running without a pre.

With the extra ironmongery in circuit, I expected the window to be a bit foggy. But nothing could be further from the truth.

It all sounds very little worse than the pre-less set-up without the extra set of interconnects. So I'm left pointing at the Tellurium Q Ultra Black speaker cables I bought and installed just before the OBs replaced the RR3s. This stuff is fantastic. It's all positives with no downsides at all, as far as I can hear. It adds so much to the sound and experience of the system, but hasn't managed to expose any weaknesses. 

What I'm hearing now has so much of the positive characteristics I thought I was developing from the OBs - the airiness, detail, naturalness and a stereo image that extends dramatically above the level of the speakers. 

There's only one thing missing at the moment. I don't think the Royds have the persuasiveness, the ability to suck me right into the music that I was getting with the OBs. But I can't play one after the other, so I can't be 100% certain.

However, I continue to be amazed by the little Royd RR3s. They're being fed by cables that retail at about the same as they did when new, and the cables are connected to amplifiers worth five times as much. And they just get better, the better signal I feed them with. I can't think of a pair of small speakers I'd want more. 

The OBs will make their return sometime soon.

Comments

  • JimJim
    Two steps forward. One step sideways

    I thought you and SWMBO were having dancing lessons
    :))
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    No that's Two steps forward. One step sideways. Twenty broken toes :-)
  • JimJim
    Ouch!!
  • JimJim
    Right back on topic now.  I know exactly what you mean.  It often takes a move away from something to appreciate where we were.

    I listened to all the cable nay-sayers a few years ago and went to basic stuff.  I wasn't enjoying the music as much.  In the last 6 months I've replaced all my cables (nearly, got a couple to go) with Kimber which I used for years. 

    Everything is groovy again!
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    I'm completely knocked out by what I'm hearing.

    I've had the system up since Thursday, but refrained from saying anything because I couldn't believe how good it all sounds. I wanted to be sure, in a way.

    As I say, I think the OBs will win out in the end. Perhaps on bigger baffles in another room; perhaps just with more tweaking here, but for the moment I keep looking for the 15" bass cone Joe Akroyd has hidden somewhere :-)
  • JimJim
    Get them OBs back and running and you'll be loving His Bobness!!
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Is that a threat or a promise? ;-)
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    edited April 2012
    Sounds good Dave. :)>-
    I'm really looking forward to hearing the new big speakers at some point.
    I'm blissfully happy with my setup at the moment, and feel not at all motivated to change, and have just spent several years hifi budget on a car... :((
    But...one needs to keep the hobby alive. Keeps me off the streets at least.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    edited April 2012
    Cars vs hi-fi. Always a problem.

    I solved it by spending not a lot on an old something interesting - my Subaru Legacy Twin Turbo estate. £1600 off eBay. It's not the most fuel efficient thing on the road, but it's paid for :-)

    What did you get?
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    edited April 2012
    Yes Dave, but I'm not the boy racer that you are... B-)
    I went for a 2008 Daihatsu Sirion. I love Daihatsus and got a great deal on one on ebay (only 20k on the clock), though not cheap ina absolute terms for me at £3500. That's nearly as much as my power amp and speakers combined for goodness sake...!
    I'm seeing the car as a kind of investment TBH. I'm dropping a day at work next year to enable me to complete a Level 3 Counselling course on Fridays. I'm excited about the course, but losing a days pay will mean a lot less spare money. If the course goes well, I may continue on to a diploma/degree which will mean even more time off work. My hope is that by buying a decentish car now, hopefully it won't be a drain my depleted funds through repairs or heaven forbid, replacement, over the coming years.
    Famous last words...?

    Anyway, back on planet on-topic...
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    That has to be a bargain!
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    edited April 2012
    It's very sensible, economical and roomy.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180863936521?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

    Just like my Tesco corduroys.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    That's pretty cool. I think eBay is a great place to buy cars.

    I'll stick to my Tesco meerkat in flyer's gear with a low-slung guitar t-shirt :-)

    (I kid you not)
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