Thanks Roberts4152.
Update: I'm currently trying a Bryston SP2, and although it's day job is a pre/pro, the analog 2 channel bypass portion of it is the well-regarded BP26 pre. Although I've lost a little bit of air from the Modwright, it's sound is much much quieter (balanced) and the soundstage is much wider. Tradeoffs, tradeoffs, tradeoffs. My cables for this setup are the measly Mogami/Neutrik balanced cables that I've burnt in for about 200 hrs and so far it sounds very good. I don't think this will be my final setup (I miss the air around instruments) but so far haven't figured out how to match my Modwright to the ATC's without all the hum. Even tried a set of ground lift adapters on the XLR's and while at first they were fine, they began humming later in the session!!?
A second huge variable is that I take delivery of the new Ridge Street Audio Sason speakers next weekend. Long story but the ATC's were simply a great find while I waited for the Sasons to be built. Steve @ Ridge had offered a 45 day trial as he begins to introduce these speakers to the larger market, and I took him up on it. He is driving over from Indiana next Saturday and we'll set em up and compare to ATC's. The comparison is whacked, of course, cuz ATC's are active and use their own amps. Everything past the preamp changes. But it's all about the system, so I'll be using the Modwright, then maybe the SP2, to drive a Krell KSA-100 for now. Will update l8r.
Back to the preamp search, two new and completely pardoxical preamps joined my list. The MBL 5011, and the Bent TAP TVC preamp. One uses incredibly sophisticated (and expensive) topology, the other is a passive pre with active switching (including HT bypass, invert polarity, etc).
Update: I'm currently trying a Bryston SP2, and although it's day job is a pre/pro, the analog 2 channel bypass portion of it is the well-regarded BP26 pre. Although I've lost a little bit of air from the Modwright, it's sound is much much quieter (balanced) and the soundstage is much wider. Tradeoffs, tradeoffs, tradeoffs. My cables for this setup are the measly Mogami/Neutrik balanced cables that I've burnt in for about 200 hrs and so far it sounds very good. I don't think this will be my final setup (I miss the air around instruments) but so far haven't figured out how to match my Modwright to the ATC's without all the hum. Even tried a set of ground lift adapters on the XLR's and while at first they were fine, they began humming later in the session!!?
A second huge variable is that I take delivery of the new Ridge Street Audio Sason speakers next weekend. Long story but the ATC's were simply a great find while I waited for the Sasons to be built. Steve @ Ridge had offered a 45 day trial as he begins to introduce these speakers to the larger market, and I took him up on it. He is driving over from Indiana next Saturday and we'll set em up and compare to ATC's. The comparison is whacked, of course, cuz ATC's are active and use their own amps. Everything past the preamp changes. But it's all about the system, so I'll be using the Modwright, then maybe the SP2, to drive a Krell KSA-100 for now. Will update l8r.
Back to the preamp search, two new and completely pardoxical preamps joined my list. The MBL 5011, and the Bent TAP TVC preamp. One uses incredibly sophisticated (and expensive) topology, the other is a passive pre with active switching (including HT bypass, invert polarity, etc).