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Help with System Musicality

I'm reaching out to my fellow A'goner's with an issue I'm sure many of you have faced before. My current system (VPI Scoutmaster/Zyx R100H, First Sound Presence deluxe MKII, Edge G8+, Volent CL2i speakers, Mac Mini music server, and Sonore DSD DAC nad MIT, Analysis plus, and Wireworld cables...sounds extremely accurate, revealing, etc.... But that's the problem. It's not music! My favorite system of all time, before Desert Storm war, was Project 6.1 with Kiseki Blue Gold, Vac in the box phono, Reference line 2a, Air Tight el34 Amp, and totem Model 1 with Purist Audio cables. i couldn't have been happier and have been chasing the same enjoyment since then. I want that magic back! Looking for suggestions to upgrade/change system. I like warmth, holographic soundstage, realistic bass, and in-the-room presence with an emotional connection. I'm desperate...listen to %95 jazz. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. First corrective step @ $3K.
Ag insider logo xs@2xcommunique1
cymbop
315 posts
 
This is an oversimplification, but the answer is tubes.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,300 posts
 
Tubes is as easy a short answer as any. 👏👏👏
hew's avatar
hew
159 posts
 
I'd take a bet that if you got rid of the Edge amp and replace it with a tube amp or maybe even something from the Pass XA line much of the magic would return. Also, definitely consider going back to the PAD cables.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
It seems from the description and lingering regret that the power amplifier change is a meaningful factor. I can't imagine the Edge amp sounds anything like an Airtight el34 amplifier. One variable but a significant one I believe. I think your missing that fine tube amplifier.
almarg's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
almarg
9,670 posts
 
02-05-15: Jmcgrogan2
I am not familiar with your speakers though, do they have ribbon tweeters? Perhaps this may be causing problems too.
Good guess, John. Yes, they do, and it appears that the crossover point to the ribbons is at a relatively low 1900 Hz.

Communique1, the one suggestion I would offer is that before going to an EL34-based or other tube amp, first try to research whether others are using these particular speakers successfully with tube amps. I couldn't find an impedance curve for the CL2i or any other Volent speakers, but its specs (4 ohm nominal impedance, 88 db efficiency on a per watt (rather than 2.83 volt) basis, 180 watt power handling) are somewhat suggestive of the possibility that it may be designed to perform best with solid state amplification.

Also, I would suspect that its impedance rises significantly in the vicinity of the crossover point (1900 Hz). If so, the interaction of that impedance variation with the relatively high output impedance of a tube amp will result in greater emphasis of frequencies in that vicinity than would result from interaction with the negligibly small output impedance of most solid state amps. Increased emphasis of frequencies around 1900 Hz is likely to be perceived as increased brightness, which is not what you want.

I'm not saying that a tube amp wouldn't be helpful, or would be the wrong thing to do. I'm just suggesting caution.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al
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