Beers'n'Tunes at Promusica, Chicago

"The word "nagra" comes from Stefan Kudelski's mother tongue (Polish) and stands for "[it] will record"."

guess the off humor skimmed right passed and landed in indiana.

It must be water, Pat.

Jon and Patevil nice to meet both of you yesterday. Interesting evening of music and discussion.

The Airplug "GT" was really something. It's amazing how when it's right that it is just immediately noticeable.

quote:

Originally posted by ferenc:

quote:

Originally posted by Peter Williams - Ainm Eile:
Jon

Slightly off topic but I thought I should mention that many of the recordings I have done for the NAIM label feature my Royer SF12 in many 'high visibility' parts of the multitrack recordings. Along with my treasured Fostex printed ribbon mics too of course, and Crookwood Paintpot M/S mic pre's.

Also, what was the feeling about the listening session? Any discoveries?

Cheers

Peter

Hi Peter,

Anyway to learn what recordings were done with the help of the Royer SF-12? I have SF-24, R-121, 122 but not SF-12 and I know the majority of the Naim CDs quite well. So I wonder... :-)

Hi ferenc

To be precise - my SF12 is a Speiden dating from before they became Royer products - I use a Crookwood Paintpot pre because of the amount of gain needed and the paintpot is very quiet and allows me to use it in M/S mode as well as Blumlein crossed pair configuration depending on the job at hand.

Leave it To Last, Flamenco Havana, Antonio Live!(2000), Touch Wood, Meet Me In London, Ghetto Paradise, and Honour Simplicity - Respect The Flow all feature the SF12 and Fostex amongst others..

Cheers

Peter

Hi Peter,

many thanks for the answer, I have all the recordings you mentioned and I like them a lot

Jon just returned last night from a few days with the guys in Chicago listened to some great music at promusica, some of the transfers Ken has done LP12, ARO,TROIKA, SUPERLINE TO NAGRA are just fantastic If any of you get the chance pay them a visit, Sgt Peppers was just awesome.
You may even be able (for a fee) Ken do do some transfers of your favourite albums to hi-res files. I will certainly take some discs with me next time or I will have to buy the nagra.

Hi Paul

They told me you were about to visit - despite your dislike of flying!

The nagra is stunning, absolutely stunning. Am strongly pondering purchase, in which case I can save you the trouble of sending your vinyl to Chicago :-)

well some beers in chicago sorry its blurred for obvious reasons!

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
well some beers in chicago sorry its blurred for obvious reasons!

Thank god that's blurry. It's like I was the one that was jet lagged during your visit. Post forum stress I guess. Me on the right, in case any snipers are planning a visit. Ken center and Chris West from NANA. Mark, our third partner was holding the fort. Fun and informative visit. After 20 years, it still seemed like old times. Well the lite version anyway. Hold on to your hats folks!

I'll keep posting in this thread. If anyone has questions they'd like to ask about anything HIFI. I'll try to answer. I noticed in another thread about using a 10M toslink cable. Not recommended. They're opaque and the industry generally believes you can run coax further though also not recommended at those lengths. If you get a glass instead of plastic tos, that would be optimum over a long length.

quote:

Originally posted by js:
I noticed in another thread about using a 10M toslink cable. Not recommended. They're opaque and the industry generally believes you can run coax further though also not recommended at those lengths. If you get a glass instead of plastic tos, that would be optimum over a long length.

That's interesting js. There does seem to be differences of opinion over this. I'm currently using a (good quality) 14 Meter long coax between my PC & DAC. The sound quality, whilst not the best I've heard using the same DAC being fed by a Macbook, is nevertheless pretty good and there are no audible indications of drop -outs.

Is it correct to assume that because it works it's OK, or will there be an overall slight degradation of sound quality?

John, I had a great time as you say very tame compared to years ago! but what has not changed is the music, lots and lots of it, the store is fabulous pretty much all you could wish for...
well...if this store was known to more people, there would be many more folks listening to great sounds at home.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
if this store was known to more people, there would be many more folks listening to great sounds at home.

Agreed in spades

quote:

Originally posted by tonym:

quote:

Originally posted by js:
I noticed in another thread about using a 10M toslink cable. Not recommended. They're opaque and the industry generally believes you can run coax further though also not recommended at those lengths. If you get a glass instead of plastic tos, that would be optimum over a long length.

That's interesting js. There does seem to be differences of opinion over this. I'm currently using a (good quality) 14 Meter long coax between my PC & DAC. The sound quality, whilst not the best I've heard using the same DAC being fed by a Macbook, is nevertheless pretty good and there are no audible indications of drop -outs.

Is it correct to assume that because it works it's OK, or will there be an overall slight degradation of sound quality?

Getting lock doesn't mean that it's working well. I'd take up Munch on his very kind offer. It should be the best overall solution and certainly worth a try. In a controlled 1m run I prefer coax but at that length, glass should be the way to go. Cost effectiveness will be your call.

quote:

Originally posted by Frank F:
Hi JS

Gary1 said that I should ask you about my Konnekt 8. When I use it with my Vaio it only shows as speakers - not as digital. I am using Windows Vista, can I bypass the internal sound card and go digital out to the Konnekt. The control panel shows DAW no problem btw

FF

Unfortunately I'm unfamiliar with the Vista control panel as we avoid it but I'm sure we can get through this. First lets see if we can get it to play without the Vista mixer. Download Media Monkey and use this ASIO plugin. Computer will have to be newer than 6 years or so. There's others for older and in general but I like this one. http://home.scarlet.be/ruben.castelein/MM/plugins/out_asio%28dll%29%20SSE2.dll Save to desktop and then open 'My Computer', 'C', 'Programs', 'Media Monkey', 'plugins' and drag it in. Close and then open MM normaly. Select tools, options, output plugins. Select ASIO and then configure. Select TC Near as device. Buffer size as 3 and shift output channels to 2. Uncheck the rest. If no sound, first replay the same track from the start and next try other channels and make sure the TC is set to 44 and 'none' in 'prevent from sample rate change'. You will then go directly from your MM player to the TC. If you have a cable length issue, use a 1m (or less) dig cable and a longer firewire connection.

...and thanks for your advice regarding cable length js. The PC is only a temporary source; I'm getting a Mac Mini & iTouch from "Santa" which will be my rather more permanent solution!

I do hope Santa comes early this year!

quote:

Originally posted by Frank F:
Hi JS,

Thanks, sorry for being a bit of a computer novice but I have tried things in the past and had to re-format so it is good to have some guidance,

Thanks again

Frank

The firewire is pretty tolerant of length so if you use a laptop and you're not too far from your kit, it's like a having a very nice wired remote. Just tape over the speakers or at least close the lid when listening. I know.

John
have you tried our dc1 digital coax lead?

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
John
have you tried our dc1 digital coax lead?

We used to use the Theta cable but were left without something to sell that we really liked until you introduced the DC1. Now it's our all time fav. and we've tried a lot but of course not everything.

To those that try dig cables. Keep them short or at recommended lengths. There have been discussions here about not hearing differences in dig cables which I've always felt were quite large. Lesser cables do mask this a bit more as your not starting from an extremely tuneful spot. I've found that they also suffer from direction and length much as signal cables do in other applications but in a way that can be more detrimental. If you don't hear these things, your bottleneck is elsewhere.

I was trying to be more general in my help but hey, it's a Naim forum and you're doing folks a favor by bringing this up and maybe the generalities will help some. Fab cable. I'm still surpised that so many think tos the way to go. I do know that the Tos transievers are variable, limited and plastic cables more so. I also preferred an excellent coax to the ATT true glass interface that many here are unaware of and was clearly better than tos. So many interesting observations on the board that we've already been through many years ago and running. We were choosing dig cables and their direction BEFORE Naim ever made a CD player yet if I post that here I get 'How could they sound different'. Fortunately a respected member posted he was surprised that they do sound different a day later in an unrelated thread. Folks, the cable is more important here than in the analog domain and a DC1 is where I would start.

One thing that I am disappointed about is that the industry didn't adopt BNC as the connection of choice. Not an option for cable makers if there's nothing to connect it to.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
John
have you tried our dc1 digital coax lead?

Whats the DC1? No sign of it on the main naim website, unless I'm looking in the wrong place...

quote:

Originally posted by jon honeyball:

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
John
have you tried our dc1 digital coax lead?

Whats the DC1? No sign of it on the main naim website, unless I'm looking in the wrong place...

It's Naim's digital coax cable. Jon, when do you get your kit back?

quote:

Originally posted by jon honeyball:

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
... our dc1 digital coax lead?

What's the DC1?

It is a digital co-ax lead (ours).

Price List has it at £175.

quote:

Originally posted by js:

quote:

Originally posted by jon honeyball:

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
John
have you tried our dc1 digital coax lead?

Whats the DC1? No sign of it on the main naim website, unless I'm looking in the wrong place...

It's Naim's digital coax cable. Jon, when do you get your kit back?

Ta -- I have emailed Dr Pete to add one to the pile of things he is bringing on Tuesday.

The truckload of naimboxen has apparantly left Salisbury and will be here tomorrow. Dr Pete has instructed me to unpack everything and get it warming up for Tuesday.

quote:

Originally posted by Adam Meredith:

It is a digital co-ax lead (ours).

Price List has it at £175.

And now ordered -- I have a special use for it.

But why no mention on the website under Cables/connectors?

quote:

I have a special use for it.

now now Jon keep it clean, children around!
It used to be on the site at some point an update it must have got swiped.