Now now Keith, you know how i feel about my new toys..... These make my 50ASL's sound dull and boxed in. Have you heard the ADAM Tensor range yet? i know House of Linn in Manchester have also started stocking them....
Raj Hi, never heard them here, They always have a large room in Munich, I have listened to the Olympos,Multi towers jobbies, I am not a great fan of ATC so no need to convince me! vb Keith.
Anyway, back to my system; It's been a long road to such a simple solution. Now that streaming is the norm, the standard seems to be simplified these days - this is as simple as it get IMO.
A 500GB ATV which plays directly into the Lavry DA11, then a balanced out connection to the Deltas.
Cables are; Lifatec 470 strand glass TOS/TOS, and VanDamme StarQuad silver plated OFC. The speakers use some fancy IEC lead that came with them, the rest i've made myself from 2.5mm and 4mm flex using 15A schurter IEC and MK toughplugs. Theres a twin MK socket behind each speaker, each has its own dedicated 6mm 32amp radial supply from a dedicated CU.
They're a complicated design. Heils Motion Transducers for HF and MF, 9" kevlar bass driver. Spec is like nothing else. The cabinets are twin skin with sand between and the front baffle is 35mm aluminium honeycomb: All hand crafted in Germany.
Woofer
Number 1 Basket Ø 9" (228 mm) Cone material HexaCone
Midrange
Number 1 Type X-ART Velocity transform ratio 3.5:1 Diaphragm weight 0.7 g
Tweeter
Number 1 Type X-ART Velocity transform ratio 4:1 Diaphragm weight 0.17 g
Built-in Amplifiers
Woofer 1 Type PWM Amp. power RMS / music 200 W / 300 W
Midrange 1
Type PWM Amp. power RMS / music 200 W / 300 W
Tweeter 1
Type A/B Amp. power RMS / music 50 W / 100 W
Control panel
EQ 80 Hz ±6 dB
General data
Frequency response 32 Hz - 50 kHz Crossover frequencies 800 / 2800 Hz Input impedance 10 KOhm Weight 63.9 lb (29 kg) Height x Width x Depth 22" (560 mm) x 13" (335 mm) x 13.5" (340 mm) Warranty 5 Years
It's not a great deal when you look at the construction and spec, in fact I doubt I could buy the equivalent quality 6 mono blocks, 2 3-way active x-overs and a pair of 3 way passive standmounts for £10K. Then there’s all the cables and racks needed etc!
On the digital side; I don’t need to use iTunes for playback. The ATV uses it own OS. It works like this:
ATV has a 500GB HDD I rip music in iTunes on a dedicated laptop which has an internal 2.5" 1TB HDD.
This is sync'd (copied over) with the ATV as you would with an iPod/iPad.
This means I don't actually stream across a network but play direct from the ATV which is controlled by an iPod Touch with remote app.
The laptop isn’t needed for playback so is put away once new music's sync'd over to the ATV. I also have a 1.5TB USB HDD which the laptop is backed up to too. Which means I have 3 copies of my music, 1 'live' version on the ATV, 1 'library' copy in the laptop and 1 'backup' copy which I keep in a safe place...
The only limitation at the time was the 500GB HDD, I have 1000's of albums so I've created a playlist in iTunes which holds 1200 ALAC albums, the rest I can stream from the laptop to the ATV if I want to or just alter the playlist. Now large 2.5"HDD's are common place (some are 1.5TB now!) I may either have the ATV modded or sell it and buy a McMini. Either way I'll stick a 1TB drive in either next.
The only dilemma is the hi-res files which I have very little of. The ATV only outputs at, or down samples everything to 16/44.1 when syncing. I’ve tried a few of my 24/96 files back to back with laptop>USB>DA11 and ATV>optical>DA11 and to my ears they sound identical so it worth faffing about, I don’t know....
The apple TV has it's own OS? That's news to me Raj - is there any benefit to using other playback software or would there be compatibility issues?
There are significant differences between some 'bit perfect' players (yes - I know it's just 1's & 0's...) on Apple MAC Minis & some of the LapTops I believe, but perhaps the ATV is decent enough by itself?
IT runs OS 3.0.2. which is a stripped back Apple OSX. It only keeps what is need for Media playing and streaming, has Frontrow etc etc. Has its own CPU and RAM too! its basically a stipped back Mini it can be easily hacked too. I use mine in standard apple format as i found this to be more stable.
Theres nothing to be gained by using another player software, it plays bit perfect and has been measured to do so. So the only dilemma is do i need to go hi-res and try the likes of Pure Music etc....
If they (pure music/amarra etc) are compatible I guess you might try the free trial period.
I like Decibel, which itself is a small stripped out player. I start iTunes & Decibel together & Drag'nDrop albums into Decibel. It sounds significantly better than iTunes imo, and that's almost all playing standard redbook rips. It'll do any resolution though, I even tried 352khz & it was fine.
It has a free trial period, but the actual full license is under £30! I do not know if will be compatible though - it requires a 64bit MAC (not necessarily a 64 bit O/S 32bit is fine).
I agree but for some reason i don't hear these thing, i must be one of the lucky ones i prefer to buy music than hifi. I have way way to much money and time invested in my music collection. I have 1000's of vinyl too. All in all i must have 4-5000 albums here, in London and LA with friends who also enjoy the hobby.
Theres nothing to be gained by using another player software, it plays bit perfect and has been measured to do so. So the only dilemma is do i need to go hi-res and try the likes of Pure Music etc....
Bit-perfect is only part of the story.
Try iTunes against Decibel, Pure Music or Audirvana, say. They're all bit-perfect, but all sound remarkably different.
Raj.....the Tensor Epsilon's that were on fleabay proved too much of a temptation for me so Ive bought them :-D Really looking forward to hearing them in my system. Been using Genelec 8040a's for the last few weeks and I can't get on with them. Rear porting creates a big problem in my room. The metal dome tweeter also sounds slightly hard and edgy to my ears.
The Epsilon's are superb. Far superior to my Genelecs - less bloated bass and sweeter treble being the main points. I always felt the Genelecs metal tweeter sounded unrealistic. Maybe the Adam's tweeter design is more forgiving. Either way I can't see me changing from these speakers for a long time.
At the same time I bought a four year old Audio Note M1 line preamp. Too early to comment on how this compares to the Lightspeed. Always wanted to own an Audio Note pre.....if only to see why people rave about them.....even if the M1 is near the bottom of the range.
They are sitting on crappy bookshelves at the moment. I need to jig my room around a bit so that I can put them on stands. It's clear that I need to sort out the acoustics in my listening room next - too many reflective surfaces + suspended wooden floor + resting speakers on bookshelves does not make for optimal sound reproduction. Having said that the bulletproof cabinet construction and front porting means they sound much better than my Genelecs did in the same location......and Oh that tweeter sounds sooo good :-D
You should be able to find some stands to fit but if you find it difficult let me know i could have a smaller and taller version of mine made for you too.
Nice Pics, those Epsilons are handsome looking things. Wait till you get them on some proper stands with a bit of space around them. The imaging is almost spooky, I've had quite a few people thinking sounds are coming from outside the house........ till i press mute and the smile on their faces says it all
Beautiful room Spacey. I have heard some Adam Actives when I was at Hamish's house last year and they were fab. I built some OB's using 2 X15" eminence alphas and a Visaton B300 each side and powered them actively with a four channel Tripath amp from sure electronics via a Rane AC22B active crossover and was very pleased with the results. My ambition is to build a set of DIY cabs for Tannoy MG's and power them actively via perhaps a miniDSP set up.
Comments
:-D
I hope it works, I can't help you any more right now as I'm off out for a Cream Tea!
=P~
Stands in production
very best,Keith.
vb Keith.
What'dya
make of the OSS then, apparently The Prodigy use two pairs of them when
mixing/mastering and experimenting with new music
Keith.
Anyway, back to my system; It's been a long road to such a simple solution. Now that streaming is the norm, the standard seems to be simplified these days - this is as simple as it get IMO.
A 500GB ATV which plays directly into the Lavry DA11, then a balanced out connection to the Deltas.
Cables are; Lifatec 470 strand glass TOS/TOS, and VanDamme StarQuad silver plated OFC. The speakers use some fancy IEC lead that came with them, the rest i've made myself from 2.5mm and 4mm flex using 15A schurter IEC and MK toughplugs. Theres a twin MK socket behind each speaker, each has its own dedicated 6mm 32amp radial supply from a dedicated CU.
They're a complicated design. Heils Motion Transducers for HF and MF, 9" kevlar bass driver. Spec is like nothing else. The cabinets are twin skin with sand between and the front baffle is 35mm aluminium honeycomb: All hand crafted in Germany.
Woofer
Number 1
Basket Ø 9" (228 mm)
Cone material HexaCone
Midrange
Number 1
Type X-ART
Velocity transform ratio 3.5:1
Diaphragm weight 0.7 g
Tweeter
Number 1
Type X-ART
Velocity transform ratio 4:1
Diaphragm weight 0.17 g
Built-in Amplifiers
Woofer 1
Type PWM
Amp. power RMS / music 200 W / 300 W
Midrange 1
Type PWM
Amp. power RMS / music 200 W / 300 W
Tweeter 1
Type A/B
Amp. power RMS / music 50 W / 100 W
Control panel
EQ 80 Hz ±6 dB
General data
Frequency response 32 Hz - 50 kHz
Crossover frequencies 800 / 2800 Hz
Input impedance 10 KOhm
Weight 63.9 lb (29 kg)
Height x Width x Depth 22" (560 mm) x 13" (335 mm) x 13.5" (340 mm)
Warranty 5 Years
Yes they're on the pricey side: £8400. These replaced some ATC SCM 50-ASL's i bought new back in December 2009.
My old system was: 500GB AppleTV/ BMM DAC1-HDR/ SCM-50ASL's
My new system is: 500GB AppleTV/ Lavry DA11/ ADAM Tensor Delta's
The ADAM range with prices can be found at Jordan Acoustics.
It's not a great deal when you look at the construction and spec, in fact I doubt I
could buy the equivalent quality 6 mono blocks, 2 3-way active x-overs and a
pair of 3 way passive standmounts for £10K. Then there’s all the cables and
racks needed etc!
On the digital side; I don’t need to use iTunes for playback. The ATV uses it own
OS. It works like this:
ATV has a 500GB HDD I
rip music in iTunes on a dedicated laptop which has an internal 2.5" 1TB
HDD.
This is sync'd (copied over) with the ATV as you would with an iPod/iPad.
This
means I don't actually stream across a network but play direct from the ATV
which is controlled by an iPod Touch with remote app.
The laptop isn’t needed for playback so is put away once new music's sync'd over to
the ATV. I also have a 1.5TB USB HDD which the laptop is backed up to too.
Which means I have 3 copies of my music, 1 'live' version on the ATV, 1
'library' copy in the laptop and 1 'backup' copy which I keep in a safe
place...
The only limitation at the time was the 500GB HDD, I have 1000's of albums so I've
created a playlist in iTunes which holds 1200 ALAC albums, the rest I can
stream from the laptop to the ATV if I want to or just alter the playlist. Now
large 2.5"HDD's are common place (some are 1.5TB now!) I may either have
the ATV modded or sell it and buy a McMini. Either way I'll stick a 1TB drive
in either next.
The only dilemma is the hi-res files which I have very little of. The ATV only
outputs at, or down samples everything to 16/44.1 when syncing. I’ve tried a
few of my 24/96 files back to back with laptop>USB>DA11 and
ATV>optical>DA11 and to my ears they sound identical so it worth faffing
about, I don’t know....
There are significant differences between some 'bit perfect' players (yes - I know it's just 1's & 0's...) on Apple MAC Minis & some of the LapTops I believe, but perhaps the ATV is decent enough by itself?
I doubt much would be compatible anyhow, but it seems a decent approach to take by Apple.
B-)
I like Decibel, which itself is a small stripped out player. I start iTunes & Decibel together & Drag'nDrop albums into Decibel. It sounds significantly better than iTunes imo, and that's almost all playing standard redbook rips. It'll do any resolution though, I even tried 352khz & it was fine.
It has a free trial period, but the actual full license is under £30! I do not know if will be compatible though - it requires a 64bit MAC (not necessarily a 64 bit O/S 32bit is fine).
It’s not possible to load programs on the ATV is kind of a closed OS so only plays media and that’s it!
When its hacked it’s possible to upload programs on it but it gets messy. File integrity is more important IMO
Most these differences are probably in our heads anyway!!
:O
I agree but for some reason i don't hear these thing, i must be one of the lucky ones
i prefer to buy music than hifi. I have way way to much money and time invested in my music collection. I have 1000's of vinyl too. All in all i must have 4-5000 albums here, in London and LA with friends who also enjoy the hobby.
I hope my system never costs more than a third my music collection cost me, it's one of my rules
James
Excellent James, Hope you like'um. My Deltas took me by suprise at first, then realised theres things i just didn't hear properly before.
sounded unrealistic. Maybe the Adam's tweeter design is more forgiving. Either way I can't see me changing from these speakers for a long time.
At the same time I bought a four year old Audio Note M1 line preamp. Too early to
comment on how this compares to the Lightspeed. Always wanted to own an Audio Note pre.....if only to see why people rave about them.....even if the M1 is near the bottom of the range.
The Tensor range are quite special, the attention to detail both physically and audibly is second to none.
What stands are you using?
Post some pics too
I've found VanDamme StarQuad Cables to be an excellent match, got these from eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380243923952
You should be able to find some stands to fit but if you find it difficult let me know i could have a smaller and taller version of mine made for you too.
Nice Pics, those Epsilons are handsome looking things. Wait till you get them on some proper stands with a bit of space around them. The imaging is almost spooky, I've had quite a few people thinking sounds are coming from outside the house........ till i press mute and the smile on their faces says it all
These are the stands I'm having built:
Steve
Cheers Steve. Have you posed pics of your system yet?
PS, Moving again soon........