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Raven owners - how's your mid-range?

I've replaced my 30 year-old Rega Planar 3 with the Raven AC and the luscious midrange I used to have is GONE!!!!
With the same Hadcock GH 228 and ZYX Universe that I had on the Rega, the Raven has increased treble information and energy, but has removed the palpable 3-dimensional depth I used to have with the Rega 3.
I've also mounted a Dynavector DV1s on a new Continuum Copperhead tonearm with even MORE devastating results.....hugely emphasised treble energy, but 2-dimensional recessed mids!
I have tried all combinations of VTA and VTF with little improvement in the mids.
Have any of you also experienced this in a high mass table?...or are there any ideas/suggestions for bringing back my beautiful midrange?
halcro
alnolan
31 posts
 
Elinor,can you please explain how using Stillpoints for feet can bring about the recessed mids Halcro was hearing.
david12
1,454 posts
 
I auditioned a Raven one this week and was very impressed, detailed, dynamic, deep wide soundstage. It is made magnificently, the best German engineering standards. The UK importer I listened with, had quite strong views on arms. He did'nt think Rega based arms were a good match. In the UK, it can be sold with a very good Jelco Vivid arm, for just £300. Good matches were a new Ortofon arm, and the Graham Phantom. There is a useful thread on Pink Fish, the UK forum
http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32706&highlight=raven
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
Midrange is back!!!
I suspect the Copperhead arm cabling needed more than 70 hours burn-in (who woulda thought?)...unless someone knows that the Dynavector DV1s needs that much?
The Raven/Copperhead/DV1s combo now outperforms any front end I have heard (and I have listened extensively to Rockport Sirius and Continuum Caliburn/Cobra).
Full review will follow in about 2 months........I'm off to put another record on!
elinor's avatar
elinor
275 posts
 
If mechanical isolaton of the table is insufficient, leading edge transients are smeared amd frequency bands will lack focus. I am not certain Halcro really meant that the mids were recessed or were unclear. Mecahnical isolation of the table was not the main point of my response. Set-up of the arm and cartridge were.
dgarretson
2,614 posts
 
What platform are you using underneath? Some decoupling can be important with an unsprung TT. A Raven owner turned me on to the Promethean-style platform that I use under my mass-loaded TT. The spring platform adds resolution to the treble while removing edginess, fleshes out the midrange, and improves bass articulation.
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