Made some system changes

[JoeG]

I have moved to a full suite (interconnects, power and speaker cables) to Silent Source Music reference. This includes 2 pair of Interconnects, 1 from the Technics to the Seduction, and 1 from the Seduction to the line stage. I have found myself listening all day to TP001-008 again, and not wanting each reel to end. It's like listening to them for the first time. I am finally getting the system gestalt into a place that can realize the magic that really lies on the tape. TP003 "Arnold Overtures" really put it over the top. Even my dogs (who were in another part of the house) thought we were having a thunderstorm with some of the percussion heavy passages. The B reel of TP004 "False Accusations" really impressed me with the sharp pick on the strings playing, with Cray's voice set solidly in the middle of the soundstage. One big leap in the resolution and inner detail, even a lower listening levels, is largely due to the SS Music Reference speaker cable. At the same time I changed all the cables, I put a new generation Walker Audio Velocitor on my amps. I am using a pair of Consonance Cyber 800 tube amps (78 watts), as opposed to the big Wolcotts. I still have the Wolcotts, but really like what these Cyber 800s are doing. This was a crazy expensive experiment, but I don't see these cables leaving the system now (much to my wife's chagrin).

[mikel]

hi Joe,

congrats on 'getting your new groove on'. whenever some system performance 'thing' advances clearly it is so much fun to listen to all your best sounding recordings (The Tape Project would be this for most of us). it's like Christmas morning.....everything is new and fresh.

i read Mike Malinowski's review of those cables. from what you and Mike say they must be special. i've not heard Silent Source cables (or those amps) yet.

enjoy.

[JoeG]

Hi Mike-

I hope that Honda snow mover is keeping your driveway clear. You guys at higher elevations east of the pacific coast from CA all the way to your neck of the woods have had a big year. I love the low light picture of your driveway you posted.

These Silent Source cables are really something. The only cable in my entire system not SS is an Omega Micro Active PC on the Seduction tape head pre. The Silent Source Music Reference is crazy expensive, but I am really delighted with the low volume level resolution of inner detail that has revealed itself on both LP playback on the Walker TT and tape playback on the Technics. The Kharma shines in resolving the "little bits". Of course it doesn't hurt that the tape deck was a rebuild by Jeff at J-corder before heading over to Doc's for the mods.

Lloyd Walker was over the other day for a listening session and his comment was: "I just noticed the big Wolcotts aren't in your room. What are these amps?"
I told him and we kept listening. When he was leaving he said "Damn, those amps sound really good".

Consonance has had issues with North American distribution, and reliability on some of their products, but the Cyber line (their flagship) has great fit and finish, and very impressive abilities, provided you take the time to pair power and cable matches. At $4000.00/pair US retail, quite the bargain. I believe Bob Levi did a review on them at PFO....

[docb]

You guys at higher elevations east of the pacific coast from CA all the way to your neck of the woods have had a big year

We live at about 30 ft elevation looking out on a bay, and we just woke up to 2" of snow. This prolonged winter is getting tiresome. I am ready for some scorching hot weather, like anything over 50 degrees F.

[rbwtapeinterlink-Bob]

You know something guys, I complain when we get anything over 5 inches of snow here in Baltimore. I love hot weather. I can always come into an airconditioned area (smile).

At any rate, is seems that Joe G has got a really good grove going. It's great when you can settle back and pretty much know that your system will remain intact at least for a little while. Plus, you've got enough music (TP Tapes) to last a while. I don't envy you because I will get there someday soon my friend.

Bob W.

[ironbut]

I've heard nothing but good things about the Consonance gear. And I know that those Kharma's require careful feeding so that says a lot.
I do my system tuning by ear (except for the low bass) which takes forever (but I'm in no hurry). It's very reassuring to know that if I get the sound optimized for my tapes, that if my vinyl rig has issues that it's that front end that I need to concentrate on. Finally, a true reference that I can count on,.. thank god!

Joe, please give us a long term update on those amps if you don't mind.

[JoeG]

I was quite surprised about what I was hearing. The rest of my system is very resolving and my ears are very picky. I had grown accustomed to the synergy between the Kharmas and the 220 tube wpc of the Wolcotts, thinking that only another megabuck amp would unseat them.

My friend, up until recently, was the North American distributor for Opera/Consonance. he brought a pair over for a listen one afternoon, and in that short time, I was intrigued, given their inexpensive (by High end audio standards) retail price tag. He told me if i was really interested he could get me a new pair at a reasonable price as he was leaving Consonance to pursue other business opportunities.

keep in mind that what I am hearing in my system with these amps includes the fact that they are cabled with products that exceed the retail price of the amps 2x, and I still have the Wolcotts. I just can't bring myself to sell them. But, I also have no immediate intention of putting them back in any time soon, as I am currently enthralled with these little 78 watt gems from China.

The bass slam, control and articulation is better with the Consonance, they don't give anything up to the Wolcotts in the mids, but the Wolcotts have the edge with respect to upper frequency extension, due no doubt to their higher power and the octet of EL34 output tubes in each amp as opposed to the quads in the Consonance.