Steve's hi-fi adventures.

[David A]

9 hours ago, Steever said:

 

I agree with respect to being fiddly. But use fosters familiarity with the shape and which is left and right. Once in, they're very comfortable for a "universal fit" IEM.

That's true I guess. After I finish building my new system, if i've got enough surplus funds I'd like to build a simple, high quality setup incl: a pair of Focal Stelia cans and iFi GO bar Keinsei for my desktop & travel. Though for air travel, yes a pair of good value iem's like yours would be more practical.

 

Edited September 13, 2024 by David A

[Steever]

The mail man is my best friend. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Dita Navigator dongle-DAC. 

It’s a solid little thing. But it is milled from billet. While smallish, it’s about twice the size of my Dragonfly Red. 
I’m finally free of the CCK normally needed to get digital out of an IOS product. 
 

Sound compared to the DF Red?

Spectral balance is improved (the DFR could sound a little bassy and soft sometimes). 
Much more transparent and defined room acoustic (the DFR could sound a little thick). 
Better imaging. 
The bass!!!
 

The DFR is considered a benchmark by many, myself included. And it’s well earned. This more modern and more expensive DAC is better in so many ways though. 

 

Edited September 19, 2024 by Steever

[Steever]

Look Ma, no grills!

 

 

B&W P7 headphone mod #2 before refitting the pads. 

Edited November 15, 2024 by Steever

[Steever]

Was playing Talking Heads’ Speaking in Tongues on vinyl today and decided to play around with capacitance loading on the phono stage. 
I use an Audio Technica ART9XA (not the older ART9) and it’s run in now. 

 

I flicked back and forth between 1uF (default setting) and 220pF. The stage seemed to move further away from me each time I went to 220. It also gained a slightly more liquid or organic sound. I think I like this and will leave it here for a few sides to see how it goes longer term. 
 

[Grimmie]

Very interested in the phono stage Steve, do you run it with the power supply? I'd guess so. Have you compared it to others at around the price? It does look like it has the flexibility and adjustability I want, wonder how it sounds.

[Steever]

On 21/12/2024 at 4:03 PM, Grimmie said:

Very interested in the phono stage Steve, do you run it with the power supply? I'd guess so. Have you compared it to others at around the price? It does look like it has the flexibility and adjustability I want, wonder how it sounds.

Heya.

Yes, I use a PSX-R with it. It’s very good by itself but adding the power supply is a worthwhile investment. This tends to be the case with much of the Cyrus equipment. I’m looking for a couple more, one for my tuner and another for my cd transport. 
 

Anyway, I didn’t audition the phono stage against others in the traditional sense. I had the current model Dynavector before this and just bought the Cyrus on a whim because the rest of the system was Cyrus and a quartz one became available. I wasn’t disappointed in the gamble. There’s also many reviews online of the Phono Signature and it tends to be rated well, even by those who wouldn’t normally buy any of the other Cyrus products. 
 

It’s easy to use and very versatile. Apart from a recent play around with some settings though, I tend to set and forget. It’s back at 1uF now. 
 

I’m a nobody in the big world of hifi but I’d definitely rate it. 

[Grimmie]

Thanks for that @Steever, I've been on the hunt for the best part of two (more?) years. Trouble is, I haven't found one that betters my Vincent 701 by enough to lay out several thousand dollars.

 

I want;

one that has two inputs, one and both MM and one optional MC for future adventures.

plenty of adjustability loading and capacitance, preferably from the front controls rather than dip switches or load plugs.

one that will be a clear audible upgrade over my Vincent.

 

I reckon the Cyrus may be the phono but with the power supply is stretching the budget to breaking point.

 

Wonder if I can get a home demo anyhow. Recently done that with a Gold Note PH10 and that was very impressive but no capacitance adjustability which has me hesitating. Fab sound though.

Edited December 22, 2024 by Grimmie

[russell66]

On 22/12/2024 at 8:23 AM, Grimmie said:

Thanks for that @Steever, I've been on the hunt for the best part of two (more?) years. Trouble is, I haven't found one that betters my Vincent 701 by enough to lay out several thousand dollars.

 

I want;

one that has two inputs, one and both MM and one optional MC for future adventures.

plenty of adjustability loading and capacitance, preferably from the front controls rather than dip switches or load plugs.

one that will be a clear audible upgrade over my Vincent.

 

I reckon the Cyrus may be the phono but with the power supply is stretching the budget to breaking point.

 

Wonder if I can get a home demo anyhow. Recently done that with a Gold Note PH10 and that was very impressive but no capacitance adjustability which has me hesitating. Fab sound though.

Someone in Perth has one with the PSXr. Really nice combo. He lent it to me for a while at the same time I was using the one in my Supratec pre amp, which is suppose to be world class. Eventually the same person purchased a supratec after borrowing mine. I don’t think he hangs on here though. (He still kept the Cyrus) 

I am back for several weeks in March, if your no sorted by then I’ll see if I can catch up with you both.

Compared to what I have had and heard the Cyrus gives nothing away, and I could have easily lived with it. Plus it adds usability and flexibility that others don’t.

 

[Steever]

On 22/12/2024 at 11:23 PM, Grimmie said:

Thanks for that @Steever, I've been on the hunt for the best part of two (more?) years. Trouble is, I haven't found one that betters my Vincent 701 by enough to lay out several thousand dollars.

 

I want;

one that has two inputs, one and both MM and one optional MC for future adventures.

plenty of adjustability loading and capacitance, preferably from the front controls rather than dip switches or load plugs.

one that will be a clear audible upgrade over my Vincent.

 

I reckon the Cyrus may be the phono but with the power supply is stretching the budget to breaking point.

 

Wonder if I can get a home demo anyhow. Recently done that with a Gold Note PH10 and that was very impressive but no capacitance adjustability which has me hesitating. Fab sound though.

 

I've heard some good things about Gold Note recently.

If Cyrus wasn't a thing for me currently, it's likely I'd be trying out and living with their super integrated and phono stage. 

[Steever]

No changes to the system for a while now. I’m pretty happy with it as is although, a new equipment stand is in the works and should arrive in a few weeks. 
 

Tonight I switched everything else in the house off and put on some lazy jazz by The Bill Charlap Trio on Blue Note.
 

 

 

 

[Steever]

This weekend saw me down in Bendigo visiting my father. Apart from the social aspect of my stay, I was really hoping to help out with getting his music system sounding more listenable. My father loves music but the sound in his room was almost painful which discouraged listening. Plus, with multiple amplifiers, it was far from ergonomic for him and his lovely wife. 
 

His system consisted of a two box valve pre, a couple of Redgum monoblocks, Marantz home theatre receiver, a Cyrus tuner, Cambridge Audio CD/DVD player, restored Mission 770 Freedom speakers and an assortment of Jaycar cables and unused rear and centre speakers. 
 

He’d also recently removed all the carpet from his living room in favour of hard flooring and a new rug. 
 

Sound wise, it was terrible. The room is incredibly live with strong reverb. His amps are also old and had seen use in PA systems over the years. And his Jaycar cables were little better than anything available at Bunnings. 
 

I stripped everything away from the equipment end of the room. He had about 11 pieces of equipment in total. 
 

He’d also recently had a lovely old Sansui AU-777 amplifier restored and it was sitting not being used. 

Instead of the 3-bay stand with excess equipment, he’s now down to a single bay with three pieces. 
 

 

 

At the heart of the system is his AU-777 amplifier. We kept the CA CD player and Cyrus tuner. 
 

 

All his old cables are gone. I ran a new Wireworld Nova optical cable through the wall to a little DAC hidden away by the tuner. I also installed a hand made Nordost Flatline RCA cable for his CD player and Super Flatline speaker cables to his restored Mission Freedoms. 
 

 

 

 

 

Not connected is my father’s AU-222 amp. I moved it inside from the shed. 
 

 

The system now sounds wonderful when compared to the old one with tired old amps and questionable quality cabling. It’s now much more listenable and “organic” sounding giving me a new appreciation for the older Sansui amp. 
 

The room was still very live so we installed a couple of layers of underlay under the rug to address at least some of the first reflections. The left wall also has double roller blinds which, when both layers are down (with 10cm gap between), tames things nicely. 
 

It’s much better now but more treatment is unlikely given mandates from his MoWaF. 
 

As the hours mount on the newly restored amp, it sounds better and better. Goal accomplished. 

 

 

 

Edited February 15 by Steever

[Steever]

Payment for services rendered;

 

 

They should play nicely with my Cyrus One if I ever get a second system up and running. 

[wen]

the Mission  770 freedom look superb, and well matched to the Sansui 777. Can't believe you only have one system running