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On The Feeding And Care Of Vienna Mahlers

As already you may have gleaned from several threads, I have fallen in love with the Vienna Mahlers during the 2006 RMAF, where I listened to them repeatedly and at length in the excellent Rowland / Soundings / Sumiko suite. At the time, they were driven by a Primare CD21 CD player, Rowland Concerto preamp, Rowland 312 stereo amp.

No longer able to resist, I decided to retire my Maggies IIIAs, and ordered a pair of Mahlers in Rosewood livery during late August, and have received them a couple of weeks ago, crated in their coffins. Soon after, they were hoisted up the stairs to the loft with the help of a stout hand-cart and of a 'few good men'--you know who you are. . . and thanks a bunch guys! Why is it that anything good has to weigh almost 200lbs?

Well, now they are all connected, via a set of emergency Monster speaker wires, while my trusted Cardas Golden Refs are awaiting to be shipped to Cardas for retermination. They are at the end of a fully balanced chain consisting of TEAC Esoteric X-01, ARC Ref 3, Rowland model 7M balanced (latest series made 1989 with trans-impedance modules and rear primary power switches). ICs are Audioquest Skys. Temporarily, I am running the Mahlers with woofers facing outward, speakers cantered in by perhaps 7 degrees. Speakers are approximately 22 inches from a half wall behind them, and are standing about 77 inches apart center to center. Because of the shape of the listening loft -- which has a passage on its right leading to the stairs -- i cannot center them evenly from the side walls: the front of the left speaker is 28 inches from the wall, while the right speaker sits 60 inches from the right wall. The listening loft is a carpeted area having stippled walls approximately 17 feet x 19 feet with a half wall along the long side where the system is situated. The ceiling is coffered with a max height of perhaps 12 ft. The half wall opens to an even larger area that extends downstairs to the house entrance. The carpeted floor of the loft is in turn covered by an extremely thick 9 X 12 ft wool rug. A couch sits close to the windows opposite the stereo.

At approx 60 hours of break in, the Mahlers were already making wonderful music; the treble opening nicely; midrange already solid and textured; the bass deepening; staging and imaging fleshing out. At 68 hrs some -- I trust temporary -- excessive warmth sat in. I can only guess about their sound once they stabilize, and only then I will write a full review. In the meantime I'd like to hear from other audiophiles about their experiences/opinions of the Mahlers.

Here are some possible topics for discussion:

Any experiences connecting speaker wires to Mahlers via maggie Pins? The socket on the 5-way binding post of my Mahlers is marginally too narrow for the Maggie Pins on my Cardas Golden Ref speaker wires. . . I can fit 1 connector out of 4 only.

Total speaker break in time, and expected performance/sonic fluctuations during break in.

The eternal debate. . . woofers out or woofers in?

Experiments with bass and treble management dip-switches?

Effect of front grilles on/off?

Ideal distance from back wall / side walls?

Ideal angling?

Amplifiers and speaker wires that in your experience match well or do not match well with Mahlers.

Things that in your view Mahlers excell at, and areas they may not do so well.

That's it from my end. . . . 'tis your turn now guys & girls!

Guido
guidocorona
jax2
3,031 posts
 
Hey Guido - I do hope I can join y'all next year. I don't know, one of those shows every six years or so is about my fill, though I had a great time experiencing this year's show. The Mahlers are too big for my moderately sized listening space, though I liked them more than the Beethoven minis, I would definitely consider the later to succeed my Silverline Sonatinas someday. Not anytime very soon...too many other priorities right now. What's the rest of your system you're using with the Mahlers?

Marco
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Hi Marco, rest of system is TEAC X-01 Limited, ARC Ref 3, JRDG 7M monoblocks, Audioquest Sky XLR, Cardas Golden Ref Speaker wires, Shunyata Anaconda Helix Alpha on X-01, Purist Anniv on Ref 3.
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
No, that Sumiko methodology is proprietery. If you bought new from a Sumiko dealer, then I think they'll do it free. If you bought used, then you'll need to find a consultant, most likely at a Sumiko dealer. I think you'll find it worth paying a fee.

One thing I know for certain, is that Soundings turns the bass speakers in toward each other. The do the same on the Straus. Also, the speakers are a good ways into the room in every set up I've seen by Soundings.

I can tell you that they use a Rob Wasserman CD, "Duos", and use the Jennifer Warnes cut of "Runaway Horse". The same cut on her album "Famous Blue Raincoat" won't do because it doesn't have the same bass content and the vocal isn't as well recorded. They move the speakers around until the female voice and bass come into balance, with great extension and a solid image. You've heard the result, but you haven't been through the progression, but you can still get pretty close if you remember how good they sounded.

Dave
jax2
3,031 posts
 
I can tell you that they use a Rob Wasserman CD, "Duos", and use the Jennifer Warnes cut of "Runaway Horse". The same cut on her album "Famous Blue Raincoat" won't do because it doesn't have the same bass content and the vocal isn't as well recorded.

That's my favorite cut on the Rob Wasserman album. Great recording! Haunting! You may want to note it is only on the 20th Anniversary version of Famous Blue Raincoat as a bonus track, and is not on the original version of that album at all. I believe it's originally written by Emmylou Harris, whereas the original Famous Blue Raincoat is all Leonard Cohen covers, of course. Great cut on the Wasserman album though! Haven't heard that 20th anniversary Raincoat though...it'd be hard to top the Wasserman version.

Marco

PS...the Wasserman CD is titled "Duets" and not "Duos". There's another amazing cut on there...Angel Eyes. Damn, what an amazing vocal range that singer has...I think it is Cheryl Bentyne.
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Thanks guys, the speakers are brand new. Purchased them from Sumiko on accommodation. prob of course is that Sumiko is in Berkeley and I am in the middle of Texas.
I will probably switch places of the two speakers and have woofers pointed inwards by the end of the weekend. I will fiddle with detailed placement only after I have my Cardas wires reterminated and break-in more or less complete. No point obsessing while sound is still changing and I am using my standby Monster wires. Dave, what's the estimated break in time for your Beethoven Baby Grands?
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