Never stop experimenting/learning.
Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval 8...OMG!!
I seriously can’t believe what these cables are doing to the sound in my rig. I had them awhile ago and couldn’t justify the price (used) so I pulled back and returned them. I grabbed them again yesterday since my local stereo shop still had them hanging there.
Well let me say that I’ve always been a believer in cables making changes to the sound because I can hear it but I’ve never had speaker cables that changed the sound as dramatically as this. The way it’s untangling the music, the way its making everything sound real, the way it’s full top to bottom without any harshness is pretty crazy.
This is on a system that isn’t highly resolving yet all of these differences are completely noticeable. I’m not talking about a little more resolution here, a little more top end sparkle there, fuller bass here... I’m talking about did I just get a different amp, this can’t be the same dac, these can’t be the same speakers, kind of changes.
I’ve had this sound in my systems before but that was with higher end gear for sure... it makes me wonder how much I was leaving on the table without these cables in my rig at that time.
Have any of you had similar experiences with the Solo Crystal 8’s as well? I’m thinking that these are end game cables for me.
Well let me say that I’ve always been a believer in cables making changes to the sound because I can hear it but I’ve never had speaker cables that changed the sound as dramatically as this. The way it’s untangling the music, the way its making everything sound real, the way it’s full top to bottom without any harshness is pretty crazy.
This is on a system that isn’t highly resolving yet all of these differences are completely noticeable. I’m not talking about a little more resolution here, a little more top end sparkle there, fuller bass here... I’m talking about did I just get a different amp, this can’t be the same dac, these can’t be the same speakers, kind of changes.
I’ve had this sound in my systems before but that was with higher end gear for sure... it makes me wonder how much I was leaving on the table without these cables in my rig at that time.
Have any of you had similar experiences with the Solo Crystal 8’s as well? I’m thinking that these are end game cables for me.
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- 107 posts total
To @rodman99999 Preamp: 6SN7 tubes on preamp. Two signal/input tubes and two driver tubes. A quad of N7s. Cary SLP-98 with F1 type of mods, caps, hexfreds. Now using Sylvania vintage 6SN7GT Black plates. Just ordered a set of TJ Fullmusic to try for fun, to hoard and save off the Sylvanias if possible. Amp/Input: 12AU7 signal/input and 12AT7 driver tubes on each amp. Using Mullard vintage M8136 and CV4024 in these spots. |
@decooney- If what you have in your preamp, doesn’t include a pair of the following(50’s, Sylvania VT-231, T-plate, two hole, bottom-gettered, green label), try some. They have excellent clarity/air, strong bottom end(without coloring the mids) and they’re monsters at sound staging(solid, in all three dimensions): https://www.ebay.com/itm/MATCHED-PAIR-NOS-Sylvania-JAN-CHS-6SN7GT-VT-231-Two-Hole-Tube-STRONG-115-/183966921859 I can’t swear to that particular eBay seller’s ethos, just good pics of the specific tubes. Ever tried any bottom-gettered Ken-Rads or Tung-Sols(especially Round Plates), in your preamp? They make beautiful music, mated with Sylvanias. Nice pre, btw(I use Cary monoblocks). |
rodman999994,051 posts I have a quad of the 2-hole bottom gettered now and they do sound nice and airy for sure. Used them for years on three different amps. Keepers for sure. But, with AP cables, maybe a change is in order. Back to AP Crystal Solo ICs: With the new and 1/2 way broken in interconnects (2 pairs), these tubes put me right on the edge of where I want to be. One pair mixed with another pair of full copper ICs in-stream is really nice. Add two pairs in the path and wow, it’s amazingly open, detailed, massively deep sound stage - but I lose a bit of lushness as it seems none of the signal gets rounded off (as designed). Why? What comes in is what comes out (as designed as I take it now). Nice, just more than I’m use to with hi-reso music content, even with a 16-bit ladder tube DAC . So, a few more considerations to try: 1) Let the AP ICs burn in some more beyond 150 hours (yes, likely). 2) Try some different (softer) input tubes on the preamp later; next. Premium Full Music 6SN7s are next. 3) Let my QS mono 120 tube amps, caps, burn in more past 300hrs (eliminate other variables). An audio colleague friend of mine is reminding me again about "patience" when adding/changing components, tubes, cables, and letting things settle in. Even after 45 years of this with audio, every day is a new day of learning with audio it seems, and that’s what keeps it fun and interesting too. ** Mixing Analysis Plus Crystal Solo cables within tube audio gear has been a new experience so far. Looking forward to more "experimentation", and now with these AP cables as others noted in this thread. :) ** |
- 107 posts total