RAPTORMAN Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 I hooked up my EMOTIVE SIRA PREAMP today to replace my CAT SL1. The Sira has its own volume control and input setting selector. The Sira is SCREAMING LOUD I jumped up to turn the volume to zero but it was still loud. I had to stop the CD because it was unbearably loud. It was the same thing when I played my TT. Now, what's wrong with this preamp??? Is it because the gain setting is too high or is there something else that I should be doing?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAPTORMAN Posted July 26, 2005 Author Share Posted July 26, 2005 I got it from Agon. There is no manual. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Sounds to me like you've got the tape outputs hooked up to your amp's inputs. Just a guess, but if your volume control is on 0, and you've still got output, that's really what it sounds like to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAPTORMAN Posted July 26, 2005 Author Share Posted July 26, 2005 Refrain from laughing everyone. Ben, you are absolutely CORRECT. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Good deal! At least nothing got blown up. Another argument for SET... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebse2a3 Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 ---------------- On 7/26/2005 9:36:44 PM RAPTORMAN wrote: I got it from Agon. There is no manual. Thanks ---------------- I'm not familiar with this preamp but just a thought that you might be able to download a operating manual from the manufacture's webb site if they have one. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAPTORMAN Posted July 26, 2005 Author Share Posted July 26, 2005 I will contact Emotive Audio 2morrow see if I can get a manual. I am listening to it right now and the BAT VK P10SE phono stage with the Emotive Sira sounds so beautiful. I never heard the Khorns this way. Amazing just amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 Raptorman, please follow up after you get some hours on it, on what you think of your new pre. My CAT has a lovely mid range, but I've become more aware that it's weak in bass and highs. Gary's BB Xtreme, which isn't even broken in yet, is way superior in some respects. Looks like I'm going on a preamp search! Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 Larry, I'm quite convinced that Gary's new toy is an excellent unit, but in case there is anybody near you who owns.....of course, a Transcendent Sound GG (you might ask at their forum, too)....that might also be a contender.... . Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 ---------------- On 7/27/2005 8:47:10 AM LarryC wrote: Raptorman, please follow up after you get some hours on it, on what you think of your new pre. My CAT has a lovely mid range, but I've become more aware that it's weak in bass and highs. Gary's BB Xtreme, which isn't even broken in yet, is way superior in some respects. Looks like I'm going on a preamp search! Larry ---------------- IMO, It might be a mismatch with your amp. I've had the CAT in my system and it sounded breathtaking. The extention and dynamics were amazing. I'm using cone speakers with ribbon tweeters so it might be a different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAPTORMAN Posted July 27, 2005 Author Share Posted July 27, 2005 Raptorman, please follow up after you get some hours on it, on what you think of your new pre. My CAT has a lovely mid range, but I've become more aware that it's weak in bass and highs. Gary's BB Xtreme, which isn't even broken in yet, is way superior in some respects. Looks like I'm going on a preamp search! Larry ********************************************************************** Will do Larry-- but don't expect any big audiophile words from me. You know I'm just a regular fellow who enjoys sweet, smooth music with great imaging,liquidity, deep and wide open soundstage with tons of detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 ---------------- On 7/27/2005 8:58:35 AM Guy Landau wrote:IMO, It might be a mismatch with your amp. I've had the CAT in my system and it sounded breathtaking. The extention and dynamics were amazing. I'm using cone speakers with ribbon tweeters so it might be a different story. ---------------- Thanks, Guy. I don't think it's specifically an amp mismatch, I actually think something's gone awry with it as the bass has dropped and a somewhat peaky edge has appeared in the upper midrange across all the sound sources. I don't think it's the amps, which are independent monoblocs with the most linear sound I've ever heard on these K-horns. OTOH, I've always had some dissatisfaction with the bass and lower middle range, which could be a mismatch of the CAT with the total combination of my small living room, silver speaker wire, etc. The sound sources (a TT setup very close to garymd's, a Wadia CD system, and Magnum Dyna tuner) are very neutral. While one choice is to send it to Ken Stevens (CAT) to get it checked out, which I may end up doing, what I heard from the BBX improved the tonal balance over what I'd ever heard from the CAT. The trick is to match up with the rest of the system, which is especially revealing with OTL amps, silver, etc. I see this as system matching and balancing of inevitable sonic differences across even very good equipment. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 Will do Larry-- but don't expect any big audiophile words from me. You know I'm just a regular fellow who enjoys sweet, smooth music with great imaging,liquidity, deep and wide open soundstage with tons of detail. ---------------- We have a LOT in common (hm, I'd have to be a regular fellow?)! I'm just not sure I can handle 19 tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 ---------------- On 7/27/2005 8:55:26 AM mdeneen wrote: Hmmmm.....maybe we should fire up the old BBX RoadShow for ya? mdeneen---------------- Mark, I'm not against the idea, but it might be a good idea for me to give Gary's another listen, this time on the correct phono input and after it fully breaks in. I'm sending you an e-mail. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 " silver speaker wire, etc" At the risk of getting panned to hell and back on this one those really could be your problem. When I first setup my speakers I ran them with Synergistic all silver speaker cables and there was next to no bass. Switching to a hybrid set of Van Der Hull cables (can't remember the model now - brown on the outside) that were MUCH cheaper the difference in the presentation was huge. Bass in spades - relatively of course. If you can borrow an alternative set of speaker cables it might well be worth trying out. In my limited experience silver speaker cables are not such a good match for Klipsch speakers in general - B&W's seem to love them - but I am yet to hear a Klipsch speaker that does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 I tend to agree with Max here. I've had the same result running a pair of Goertz silver speaker cables with my Khorns. I've owned a Wadia 861 for a while and it too tend to sound lean in many systems. I'd try some copper or carbon speaker wires first before making drastic changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 ---------------- On 7/27/2005 10:16:59 AM maxg wrote: " silver speaker wire, etc" At the risk of getting panned to hell and back on this one those really could be your problem. When I first setup my speakers I ran them with Synergistic all silver speaker cables and there was next to no bass. Switching to a hybrid set of Van Der Hull cables (can't remember the model now - brown on the outside) that were MUCH cheaper the difference in the presentation was huge. Bass in spades - relatively of course. If you can borrow an alternative set of speaker cables it might well be worth trying out. In my limited experience silver speaker cables are not such a good match for Klipsch speakers in general - B&W's seem to love them - but I am yet to hear a Klipsch speaker that does. ---------------- Max, Guy -- I agree with all your points. I'm realizing I've given too much priority to midrange purity in my equipment selections over the years, which shows mostly in the bass. Someone dropped by my place over the weekend to demo the new Basis speaker cables (yes, Basis is moving into wire!!) -- a great improvement, but a great price as well. I'll have to think about that, and am thinking the preamp issue comes first (maybe it doesn't have to...) since bass may not be the only problem. Thanks! Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 ---------------- On 7/27/2005 10:24:48 AM Guy Landau wrote: I've owned a Wadia 861 for a while and it too tend to sound lean in many systems. I'd try some copper or carbon speaker wires first before making drastic changes. ---------------- IMHO, Wadia is very neutral and clear, and my own intuition and preference is to balance it with the rest of the system. Maybe I'll have to have a longer-range plan which contemplates speaker wire change. Maybe. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 ---------------- On 7/27/2005 10:44:40 AM LarryC wrote: Someone dropped by my place over the weekend to demo the new Basis speaker cables (yes, Basis is moving into wire!!) -- a great improvement, but a great price as well. ---------------- Try some lamp cord! PWK didn't design Khorns for exotic wires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 ---------------- On 7/27/2005 11:37:49 AM Parrot wrote: ---------------- On 7/27/2005 10:44:40 AM LarryC wrote: Someone dropped by my place over the weekend to demo the new Basis speaker cables (yes, Basis is moving into wire!!) -- a great improvement, but a great price as well. ---------------- Try some lamp cord! PWK didn't design Khorns for exotic wires. ---------------- How much does the Basis wire cost (if I may ask)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.