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Mirko

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Posts posted by Mirko

  1. On 6/3/2022 at 7:57 PM, Idontknow said:

    At least for me. After having acquired a new tube amplifier to compare against all my others,  I can honestly say I have finally found the holy grail tube amplifier or any amplifier for that matter to match with my room and my Forte I's. More on that later. Many people say tubes sound warm. I disagree, in fact if anything sounds warm, it's solid state amplifiers. Why? Because the vast majority of SS amps sound rolled off and muffled to my ears. There's just no spatial separation to speak of and unless you have a dampened room and you are extremely familiar with songs, you won't realize this. To me, that's what warm sounds like. After having worked with the First Watt SIT3, I really like this amp, but I like the First Watt F3 even more. First Watt SS amps are the only solid state amps I've heard that genuinely have a tube sound, meaning they sound holographic. No other solid state I've ever compared or tested to date has produced this effect. 

     

    I never bothered with reviews. There's too many factors and just too many conflicting opinions, too many differences of music types, listening levels and the list goes on. And then we have these nut cases who think they can judge a product purely by how it measures. That's a joke and I'm not ashamed to say it. So, how did I do this? I purchased lots of different amps and borrowed many amps. It's the only way to truly be sure what you will learn to like in your own room with your own ears. What I or someone else likes, doesn't mean everyone else will like it. There's just too many factors, so I don't even bother. So, this is about what I like. 

     

    My listening buddy Mirko says you can just EQ a solid state amp to make it sound like tubes. We tried this with a Parasound A23 Halo and it actually didn't sound too shabby but still, I prefer the First Watt SS amps more. He also brought the EVO400 integrated back after a couple of years of break in. I have to admit, it blew me away on the Forte's. It no longer sounded bright, brittle and harsh as compared to when we first got it. We recently compared the Decware Zen SE84UFO to the SIT3 and EVO400 too. I mainly play jazz and classical but mostly jazz. You can read my comparison here if interested but I'll explain something here I didn't in the review. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/decware-se84ufo-zen-vs-first-watt-sit3/post?postid=2395882#2395882

     

    Imagine a string hanging down and you pour water down the string. Water will fall into each texture of every strand with ease. This is what a Decware Zen is like with Heritage speakers. It is without question one of the most amazing sounding amps you will ever hear with jazz. Even Andrew Robinson can't put it away in fact it is only recently that popular YouTubers started testing these Zen's, which is pathetic to say the least. It amazes me all the nonsense these guys review, but leave out these custom made amps to order. There are several others they miss as well. They're all too caught up in all the marketed crap as far as I'm concerned and I want no part of it. It amazes me that reviewers of their caliber have never heard these things until recently. Almost as bad as these measurement heads. 

     

    The SIT3 reminded me of honey being poured down the string, not water. It seemed like instruments had a thicker sound to them. It had a slightly bigger sound and broader soundstage than the Decware Zen at higher volumes. BTW, in case you didn't know this, Decware strives to emulate the sound of the Zen in all their amps. It's the standard by which all their amps are made but they have to make them more powerful to handle more volume. The Zen just had a sweeter, prettier sound like silk. The SIT3 was still absolutely wonderful too but just tended to have a thicker meatier sound to it. Steve Guttenberg, the Audiopheliac likes the SIT3 because he says it has a meaty kind of sound to it with bass. For jazz, it just doesn't quite have the finesse as the tiny Zen.

     

    So what's my problem with the Zen? There are sometimes certain types of jazz where you just want to turn it up some and it sort of starts clipping. The SIT3 OTOH just keeps on going without fatigue. Then, when I heard the EVO400 again, it was like a Decware Zen on steroids. The bass is tighter and cleaner than any solid sate amp I've ever heard. It had everything going for it except it's very heavy, runs extremely hot and you're gonna need a well ventilated area to place this beast. It's LOUD!, LOUD as F...............! without any distortion using the Heritage line. Ultra tight, ultra clean. It's actually way overkill for my needs. To me, it's more about how nicely a component sounds at low volume with jazz, not how loud the volume is. But still! it's nice to have that extra power and volume on tap when called upon. It's human nature to think something sounds better whenever it's played louder. It's throwing more at you, but for me, a product has to sound sweet, warm and pretty at low volume to be great IMHO.

     

    Incredibly the Evo had a pretty sweet sound and balls to it! It sounded like water trickling down every texture of the string. What was the issue with the EVO? Unless we ran it with the Aretha tube preamp, the soundstage shrunk by about 20% in my guesstimation. Even Mirko agreed. He started asking me questions about the Aretha. So now you'd have to pay an additional $1900 at least to add that effect into the Evo400. We did this with the Zen as well. Finally I got my brand new Dynakit ST35. Mirko thinks I'm just hearing things and he'll be roasting me again soon I'm sure. Normally I have to sit and listen to things a while to really take them in but I was very familiar with these songs I was playing and how they sounded and the ST35 just sucked me in. That night, I never went to bed. I played jazz all night till the next day, refusing to sleep because this little ST35 just wouldn't quit!

     

    Mirko has a completely different sounding room. If you clap your hand, it will have an echo in the room. My room is far more sound deadened. If I clap my hand, there's pretty much no echo. Personally, I think it's harder to judge sound in a room that isn't treated and I think this is why Mirko thinks most amps sound alike. There's no way Mirko can come into this forum and say his room is treated, it's not. He doesn't believe all these differences I talk about, but I disagree. When you're by yourself, playing jazz at moderate listening levels and not blasting the sound, you really do tell differences between components. All the subtitles, whatever they may be become evident. I wish the Zen had the power of an Evo400 but I wish the Evo400 was smaller, lighter and took up less space since it sounded so close to the Zen with jazz. The Zen just doesn't have the might of that Evo400 nor would we expect it to at just a few watts per channel. 

     

    I think the problem with audio reviews is most people fail to put matters into proper context. For example, they don't consider enough about how rooms, listening levels, tastes in music can affect ones opinions. IMO, you just have to be in your own room yourself and YOU (the listener) ultimately have to decide. So! despite many other amps I have tried but not mentioned, it doesn't matter. This tiny Dynakit ST35 I finally received is absolutely the sweetest thing I've ever heard to date. I can hear Mirko already... You're just bias because you just got it.

     

    But really! This little thing sounds warmer than the Zen, equally as sweet, but man, it has balls! It's got weight and meat on the bone and it's only 17.5 watts per channel but still way more power than the Zen. It's been said that it's the best of all the Dynaco amps ever and I absolutely would have to agree, it most definitely is! It's the most perfect amp I've ever heard to date. After going online, researching videos, I dropped my jaw in disbelief at how few if any reviews there are on this amazing tube amplifier. None of these big YouTubers have even reviewed it, what a shame!  These guys spend WAY too much time with marketing gear, they really do! I can't say this little ST35 is the best thing for you guys, but for me, nothing sounds nicer to me, nothing! It has all the qualities of the best amps all in one for me. Every time I test amps, there's just always something that bugs me. Not this little ST35 though! Thank you for making me the most awesome amp Kenny! It's time to sell the rest.

    2 out of three listeners agree the Evo trumps the 35. “Idontknow” being the one vote for the 35. 

    • Haha 1
  2. 44 minutes ago, Idontknow said:

    It absolutely astonishes me how people don’t even know about this amp. And all these knuckle heads on YouTube haven’t even heard it. jeeez, what a shame! They have no idea what they’re missing. Even yesterday after comparing it to the First Watt SIT3, not even that could compare!

    D0AC6B76-3704-4BAA-8E58-86D0267E6C27.jpeg


     

    This is laughable. 

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  3. I grew up with the HIIs and Own the H4s.  The Heresy IV vs a Heresy II is no comparison.  You have nearly a full range speaker vs non full range speaker.  The top end is smoother and less harsh too.  The bottom is more extended (even more so than what is specified imO) and punchy, and controlled.  H4 all the way.  Hours of listening with no screech or shouty mids and zero fatigue.  Do I want more bottom end? Maybe sometimes.  Even At night I listen to these with no subs.  Also, the H4s throw a wide sound stage that isn’t as sensitive to listening position like the H2s.  They are just awesome.  My two cents. 

    • Like 1
  4. Ok. I’ll admit; I’m a bit of a knucklehead on this one.  I just recalled that I’m running the two subs in stereo mode and the impression I got may have very well been due to sound mix.  Meaning; less bass in the recording in the left channel.  DOH!!! Sure enough, as I’m listening to sorcerer, the bass is in the left channel and the stereo imaging is perfect even for the low end bass.  So foregive me, but clearly I was thinking too much on this one.  Imagine someone trying to equalize a right sub when there’s no bass mixed in the right channel.  Lol.  Oops.   Had I run the two subs in monoaural mode then this would have been an issue, but it’s not. Sorry;  first time in my life using two subwoofers.  I appreciate everybody’s feedback. Thx 🤞🏼

  5. 5 hours ago, ClaudeJ1 said:

    Center front and center rear is the best way for the room, with your head smack in the center, if possible. End of problems...............but you probably won't do it because you will get all kinds of other "opinions" here that are different from the applied science by Todd Welti of JBL reasearch.

    Thanks I’ll try this but my room just won’t allow this, however I’m gonna have some fun experimenting with this.  

    • Like 1
  6. Just when I thought I didn’t need subs with the Heresy IVs, my friend brought over two REL t5i that I got to audition I my room in stereo mode, and I must say, I really enjoyed listening to it.   My memory of the short audition, and I seem to recall that the bass felt like it emanated from the floor which made sense to me. that they were down firing woofers... and offered really cool kick drum shake and impact and were super fun to listen to.   They offered a dimension to the music I truly enjoyed.  So I thought I might dive back into the subwoofer world and went out and got me a REL t9i to borrow from the audio shop (stereos unlimited in San Diego-HIGHLY RECOMENEDED). It was recommended for my room size (450 sft) that I go with a larger sub. But they only had one at the time so I borrowed it and    Set that up and it sounded great! Room filling, but just didn’t seem as musical as a dual sub setup in stereo, so I returned it and landed on a pair of dual smaller t7i they had in stock (these have the front firing woofer with a passive down firing woofer).  Back into to my room.  However for whatever reason, the left sub seems to offer little impact to the room and most of the bass seems presented by the right sub.  It’s almost as if the left sub offers half the power.  The right sub is charged from the corner, and the left sub is 1/3 along the wall from a stair case adjacent to the speaker (I’m sure the corner on the right helps with  charging the room but no real corner on the left.). I am pretty sure I did get the phasing set with the two subs.   I’m curious to know if there may be a better way to setup stereo subs and to see what others are doing out there and to see if any others experience an unbalancing of sorts.  My room may be difficult to setup being its pretty reflective in here (tile with no sound treatments). Wondering if the two subs may actually be canceling each other out partially.  My delema is wondering if I’m missing something on the setup, and wondering if the left sub is actually moot.  I do like the sound of the t7s as they do feel like they fill the “air” of the room more, but it’s the balancing that’s got me curious.  How are others addressing this?  Through volume levels or positioning?  Right now the subs are located on the outside of the speakers running in two channels through the speaker terminals of a primaluna Evo 400 integrated amp. 
     

    The RELs really do offer a nice tone to the bottom end of the music that I’ve been enjoying so I’m glad to have made the dive back into subs. I just want to do it right. 
     

    Thanks in advance.

    Mirko
     

     

  7. On 12/8/2020 at 9:05 PM, JeffLebowski said:

     

     

    I feel the same about tweaking bad recordings with something like tone controls. Question for you. If you can't do that with the PL, could you add a SUB to it to help with bad recordings? I use my sub to compensate for harshness etc. when playing records that I probably got quality pricing pressings of when I had no money. Hey wait, I still have no money.

    LOL.

    Seriously, a SUB really helps me. I only use it maybe 10% of the time but when I do it really changes a bad recording into a listenable one.

     

     


    its interesting that you mentioned the sub, bc I actually got rid of my sub with this setup.  I find the heresy IV and the prima luna to provide a perfect amount of bass. When I had the sub it felt obtrusive and I turned it off, and then just got rid of it altogether.  For movies I can see the use of a sub, but for music which is 90% of my listening, I have no use for a sub.  To address the adjustment, I have been looking into some preamp options.  I’ve really been eyeing to sell or trad some gear to get a McIntosh preamp.  I have the McIntosh MHA headphone integrated amp/dac and it pairs nicely with the Primaluna to allow, CD, Optical, and USB DaC, but it will not allow for sound tweaking, as it’s strictly a DAC and pass through at that point. Which gives me the thought to maybe look into other options to pair or put in between the two or replace the headphone amp all together with a dedicated “preamp”.  The Primaluna has a Home theater pass through that I run it through and it works really really well.  Low noise, and great sound, using the preamps remote as the volume control.  

    • Like 1
  8. On 11/25/2020 at 12:36 PM, PrestonTom said:

    Over at Audio Science Review there is a review (mostly measurements) of the Heresy IV

     

    Note: This is not done by their regular reviewer and I can not speak regarding the competence of the measures presented (they may or may not be accurate - I have no idea). 

    The review is not favorable. This is just an FYI. If you don't like what you see, don't beat up on me (I have certainly never heard or measured this speaker). 

     

    https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/klipsch-heresy-iv-speaker-review.17853/

     

     

    Look how he tests his speakers, To me that says it all.  I totally disregard this “opinion”. Saying it’s a “Non neutral”. Speakers with “Underwhelming bass” is something I 100% disagree with.  Just trust your own ears and go listen to them. 

    • Like 1
  9. On 10/13/2020 at 8:30 PM, tivorocks said:

    Great thread.  Simple question.  I currently run my Forte iiis with a Marantz 250 and Marantz 3300.  I have never owned a line pre without tone controls in my life.

    Frankly, I am apprehensive about the EVO 300/400 investment and giving up the loudness button that I have grown quite accustomed to (I know I know haha).

    In honesty, my tone controls are generally always flat, but I am a rocker and a loudness button junkie of sorts.  Did any of you miss those options when you went Primaluna?

     

    ted 

    I feel ya on that and coming from a pioneer solid state world I’ve certainly missed the EQ tweaking I could do.  However I will say that over time and with break in the primaluna 400,  I’ve found it to sound exceptional, almost perfect...on good recordings.  For bad recordings or pressings I wish I had a preamp to tone things to my likeing.  Some people have told me why play bad recordings.  Haha. But seriously, I’ve made the jump with no tone controls and have been in audio heaven.  I currently have the Evo 400 paired with the heresy IVs and they do match incredibly well.  I’ve listened to this Evo 400 with the heresy IIs, and it’s not so much as pleasing through that setup. For whatever reason, it didn’t sound that good when I tried that with friends speakers but that could have been attributed to the amp “break in” period.  Over time I have noticed that the sound of the amp has become more “mellow” and more enjoyable.  I’ve been a huge skeptic for breaking periods as well. Not sure if it’s placebo or a real thing. I’ve just enjoyed the amp. 
     

     

    • Like 2
  10. It’s a great amp and after a long history of being in the solid state world I took a dive into it.  I am very pleased with its sound.  I will say that I enjoyed good solid state prior to jumping into this amp (McIntosh MHA headphone/integrated Pioneer SC 09TX, SX 1050, SX 1280, NAD).  I have listened to the primaLuna Luna amp through the new Hersey IV and KLF 20s.  Currently I have them hooked up with the KLF 20s.  This combination provides a very nice clear and crisp open sound With the deep bottom end. Some may find the sound of the amp to be a little bit brighter than the solid state amps I mentioned.  Some might say more “airy” or whatever adjective.  The mid range through the amp sounds very pleasing, and the bass is very present.   I will say the whole debate for me on solid state vs tubes is pretty silly bc honestly I love the sound of my McIntosh amp and I’m still longing to repurchase a pioneer SX amp that I mistakenly got rid of.  Lesson learned.  
     

    I don’t like to run this amp with a heat wave of 100 plus degrees, as my house has a hard enough time keeping cool up with the A/C.  It’s good to have the solid state amp instead of the small heater (Evo 400) in these conditions.  


    One thing worth mentioning is the amp has an input for preamp or home theater , and you can use a “Bypass”.  Unfortunately,  I found it wasn’t that quiet (however note I use very efficient speakers).  I use my Mcintosh amp as a digital preamp for the Evo.  The aux inputs are much quieter I’ve found.  The reason being is that the bypass input has the gain set to unity so you can use whatever preamps volume instead of the primaluna volume.   But believe it or not it got quieter over time. Basically There was a slight hum that could be heard through my highly efficient speakers.  I’ve found that overall it’s provides a slightly wider sound stage than my very good McIntosh solid state.

     

    I did hook the Evo 400 up to friends heresy IIs, and I must mention that I didn’t like the sound of the combination. The Heresy II can sound A bit harsh and thin in my opinion through this, with no subs. It’s unbelievable how different the Heresy IVs sound vs the old Heresy II.  
     

    In a nutshell,  this Evo 400 sounds very good.  It’s basically the best sounding thing in my setup.
     

    edit: I did compare the headphone stage vs the McIntosh Headphone/integrated amp.  I found it to be a close tie.  The McIntosh headphone amp is just super warm, super quiet, and provides the bass.  The Primaluna has a very excellent headphone amp. But Best in the world as claimed by Kevin Deal in his videos?  I don’t think so.   The solid state just provides a super quiet clean sound. But the tube provides a nice crisp detail sound that has more emphasis in the higher frequencies. And during quiet passages, you know you’re listening to a tube amp. 

     

    E7A08CB4-1BFF-452A-8996-BF8C420A4D45.jpeg.8f7b334fa5340c6f899356796c1021fa.jpeg

    • Like 3
  11. 1 hour ago, MechEngVic said:

    I'd say that's a resounding endorsement for the quality of a speaker many times older than the latest Klipsch offerings. I love the KLF series! I owned and sold Chorus II's and thought nothing would come close, but having bought and modified a set of KLF-10's, I'd say now that the only thing the Chorus does noticeably better is loudness. No doubt that amp does its share.


    Makes one wonder why Klipsch didn’t make a heritage versions of the KLF and chorus series.  Probably a cost decision. 
     

    The Chorus IIs are an insane speaker and I’ve never had a listen but I’ve been very intrigued.  That’s the one with a rear firing 15 inch woofer right?  Before I got my new IVs I was responding to an ad to get a pair of Chorus IIs sold overseas (sold in PX To our service men and women).  As I was driving to pick them up the guy told me “never mind, been playing music all morning and afternoon and can’t let them go, they sound too good.”  Haha . I totally understood. Thankfully I was out on a job site nearby and didn’t even waste gas For that.  

  12. Sort of a newbie post here but thought I’d share my experience with my new subject audio gear.  A little back ground: I’ve grown up with Klipsch my whole life starting with the Original Heresys as a kid growing up in a house with music on all the time.  And those speakers remained in our family into my adulthood.  I remember how great those speakers sounded.  Good no matter what you threw at them.  Rock, Jazz, blues everything, and they were always linked to a Pioneer SX 1050.  

     

    I grew up, got a decent job adulting and once afforded, I was able to find audio bliss in the Klipsch KLF 20s paired with a vintage receiver (pioneer SX 1280).  I remember just how amazing that sounded.  Boy could that system play detailed at high volumes.  Probably still hands down the best sounding mids I’ve ever encountered.  Fast forward years later.  I Got married, moved into a tiny tiny house.  And sadly, ended up (begrudgingly) selling my stereo system to get something smaller that would fit in the space.  Then, it was a pioneer AVR with B&W CM8 speakers.  Those speakers I loved, and thought just how amazing they were for the size.  Actually it was mind blowing how good those speakers performed and were closest thing that reminded me of my Klipsch KLF 20s,  which produced the sweet buttery mids.


    Forward 10 years later and I ended up divorced.  Back in my mind I always wanted that “sound” that I first fell in love with.  So now that I had my own place, a bigger space, I Sold my old audio gear and went and purchased a Pair of Heresy IVs And a Primaluna Evolution 400.  All I can say is WOW!   Lockdown has been way easier to handle with this new situation I was in for sure.  A friend of mine has the old Heresy IIs and I was able to try and compare the sound of them hooked up to the Primaluna and I will say this: The Heresy IV is a COMPLETELY different speaker than the Heresy II.  In fact they sound so incredibly different that I know for sure I wouldn’t be happy with a H2 and Primaluna pairing.  The H4s however, provide a big beefy detailed and robust sound from top to bottom that is very Easy to listen to and wasn’t ever fatiguing as the HII.  For that reason the H4s are an amazing speaker and kudos to the Klipsch designers for knocking it out of the park.  So good in the low end that I actually got rid of my subwoofer too.  I had no need for it.  I thought just how very happy with the sound I have achieved with this system and think it is as good if not better than my original setup. After spending 2-3 months with the H4s I think they are worth every penny. 
     

    Then, I saw an ad on Craigslist for a pair of KLF 20s For CHEAP.  “Ok” I thought, “do need them?”  Probably not.  “Would it be good to see them again?”  “Hell yess!” I thought. And bought them from the kind gentlemen.  Ok, a bit of an impulse buy but hey, no wife now so....  I got back and hooked them up.  And again, another worldly experience.  Hearing these speakers again brought me back, and these  speakers in 2 channel are just amazing!! they sound incredible!  That Low end I remembered!  That subterranean and tight bottom end with that clear Open detailed mid and top end.  That towering soundstage. Bliss.  But here’s the amazing thing. After comparing these two speakers I have even MORE appreciation for the H4s.  Because It’s simply amazing how close the much smaller H4s are in sound and what they produce.  Some might say that they would expect the comparison to be like Apple and oranges,  but It is more like Navel Orange vs Cara Cara Oranges.  Both are excellent.  I will say that there is more of an open spaciousness and clarity in detail the KLF 20s provide.  Vocals and mids are completely utterly untethered and  Smooth.  Suffice to say; I think I’m keeping both sets of speakers. 

    D5D31BC4-775C-446D-A321-022B7EF2085E.thumb.jpeg.291bce672f0b9a44ccf76104317a5e7d.jpeg

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