Lector CDP 7 Experiences, Placement Tweaks

Hi there,

new to Audiogon, I wanted to share my experiences with my Lector CD 7 (Version 3? blue Display) that I have now had for a year. I would be keen to know what recommendations you have to tickle the best sound out of this great box!

1. Tubes: After having read a recommendaton to switch to Gold Lion tubes (who ever recommended had apparently tried the lot - thanks again!) , I ordered a pair not expecting a huge difference in sound - mistaken! I had tried Telefunken and Brimar NOS, which where honestly in total no better than the originally supplied JJ's and was already to spend serious money. Instead ordered a pair for 60€ and have never looked back.
They are better in every respect: bass is deeper, tighter and has much better drive. The trebles are maybe a bit less tinkleling, but sound less technical and the soundstage grows immensely. Foremost, the midrange, which I considered a bit thin and husky with many voices suddenly has great pitch.

Get some!

Power Lead: I bought a Stein Music Excel Power Chord which is originally designed for power amps and I also run on my Rowland Capri (not on my power amp though!). Not easy to get hold of outside Germany and not cheap at approx. 700€, this thing really adds dynamics, whallop and richness to the CD. Probably other wires out there that do as well, so upgrading the power chord is a MUST to get the best from your Lector.

Placement: I have been fiddling with this for a year now and the player changes it's character with every change one makes. These are my findings with feet straight under the chassis:

Hard Ceramic Spikes:
Bass is faster, thinner yet differentiations in sound are better to hear - but the drive is missing and the midrange and treble sound washed out and too lean.

Wooden Blocks: Sound pretty good, but every thing has a slight ring to it - probably OK if youo system sounds a bit muffled and dull.

Ceramic and Felt Feet: Can't remember who porduces these, but they are essentially three small ceramic tubes between a felt top and bottom layer treated with C37 lacquer. Not bad in total, especially the bass contour, but dynamics drop a notch - good if you prefer a more relaxed sound over speed.

Cork: Cut these myself from the box of a bottle of Cardinal Cisneros Brandy! and use them successfully under my component pedestals - under the CD they drain the life out, yet create an unfavourable ring. NO!

Akytna Aris: worked nicely, but in total didn't fit the sound of my system that well.

So, what next? Strange, but true - I get the "best", most system integrating sound from those rubbery feet originally suppied. They are far from perfect, but summing up the player was tuned for/with these and they are a good compromise.

As far as the pedestal or rack goes, I find it makes very little difference. It sits on a solid 35kg block of wood (cork below and above) with a small 22mm wooden board inbetween. I've tried it on all kinds of other "racks" including light Ikea tables and this was never crucial to the sound.

HOWEVER, what I do find crucial is the placing of the power supply. I tried dampening the setup at first and again it drains the magic from the sound. My ideal setup now is a fairly solid block, a light wooden board with brass screw-caps underneath and the regular rubber-footed box on top. Somewhere the power supply seems to need a "hard-connection" that makes it ring. I place a 2kg acrylic block on top of the housing to round it off.

Just to complete the details: I have the rear ground switch set to "off". And to put sound into perspective; my system consists of: Wilson Benesch Curves, modified Forté Model 3 by Nelson Pass, Jeff Rowland Capri, signal and speaker cables all JH88 by Jürgen Henseler and Velodyne DD12 (run off 2nd pre-amp output and cut-off at ~42Hz). My room is 7 x 4,5m and the speakers (more on those soon) are well off the wall - 80cm to rear of cabinet)

Look forward to your experiences comments, thoughts and suggestions!