I am enjoying my analog system, but what can I do to improve?


I currently have Technics 1200G turntable with Dynavector 17XD cartridge playing through Kitsune LCR 1 MK5 phono pre and Allnic L7000 preamp. My amps are Pass X350.5 and Benchmark AHB2 driving Sound Lab ESL speakers. My system sounds great, but I am wondering how I can take my system to another level. What do you think?

128x128chungjh

Dear friends : I respect all your opinions and for me exist 3 main issues in that system:

 

first is to have the rigth room/treatment and this should be does by the speaker/room treatment retailer (s ). @chungjh needs some one with the knowledge levels and " tools " to do it. Soundlabs speakers are just great and trhough adequated room treatment and even that small room it can shines.

second that terrible transformer coupled preamp that the best it does is to destroy the cartridge signal. No matters which analog items analog rig he owns today or in the near future that Allnic must goes out.

and third a tonearm rewiring as headshells options with good headshell wires. I seen that almost all of you gave as advise to change the TT/tonearm but no one of you posted why the Technics tonearm ( other than its internal wire ) must be changed no one of you stated the problems with no one stated why a better cartridge can’t be handled by the Technics tonearm.

 

Obviously that’s to easy to post any kind of room/system advises/changes using the other gentleman money, even some one siad to take out a wall or something like that.

The OP said:

" My system sounds great, but I am wondering how I can take my system to another level. " Yes, that another levl is not specified but he said " sounds great " so what’s coming? For me: fine tunning that room/system.

 

R.

Dear @chungjh : In other Agon thread a gentleman that posted here posted there:

 

"" The current Technics SL-1200G is a fine turntable at its price point. It is stronger on rythmic drive and bass coherence than it is on tonal refinement, but an excellent performer nonetheless. ""

The tonearm rewiring fix and improves that " tonal refinement " and the overall tonearm quality level performance.

 

R.

 

 

@ruauliruegas, you say the transformer coupled preamp must go. I assume this applies to all transformer coupled preamp? or just my combination. Are you recommending OTL preamps?

 

@rauliruegas , the key with the Technics is "for the price." For the price it is a great turntable. My problem with the arm is that it is heavier and has more inertia than it has to have. This is why most if not all of the finest arms today are straight and not "S" shaped. It is not a neutral balance arm and it's vertical bearing is high above the record surface increasing warp wow. It has unnecessary contacts and removable head shells always add mass. For the money it is fine but chungjh's speakers are not "for the money" loudspeakers.

You are absolutely right that room treatment is mandatory for Sound Labs speaker but in a much different way than point source dynamic speakers. The wall directly behind these speakers needs to be deadened to prevent the back wave from overwhelming the front wave. Otherwise, because these speakers are dipole line arrays they are extremely directional and in most cases no other room treatment is required. 

Sound Labs and other full range ESLs are very amp sensitive or rather amps are very Sound Labs sensitive. Because of the ESL's wild impedance curve and reactive character many amps just do not do well on these speakers and many will actually burn out trying to drive them. They either require an amp that does not care about speaker impedance like the Atma-Sphere MA2 or an amp that can drive a 0.5 ohm reactive load at high levels without burning out like the JC 1+. High powered SS class A amps will usually do OK. Other tube amps need not apply at all. Amplifiers really make a huge difference with these speakers. I would consider in this case the speaker, amps and room be looked at as one unit, the most important one in any system but in this case they are inseparable. 

All the other issues you talk about are important and should be addressed but IMHO are secondary. I would also suggest to chungjh to have a good idea where you want to head with this and not to waste money on minor diversions. Do not waste money modifying equipment you do not plan to keep in the end. Save and buy the equipment you want permanently and can afford. Then you can deal with minor issues and other problems that might arise (like my turntable's feedback problems). 

 

Dear @chungjh  :  Applies to all transformer coupled preamps as the L7000.

 

Btw, you don't need to make any change with the Pass X350 that's very good design and handled perfectly your 545 speakers, don't worry about amp you are totally safe there.

 

R.