Other Peoples Systems

Marco

I more or less agree with everything that you say. The cost of a good rack, sorting out the mains (albeit leaving the fuses in) and set up is very effective, even with top notch systems.

The only complication is of course that all racks change the sound and to quote an instance, I think that Quadraspire degrades the sound very badly, but that is only my view. Someone else will think the opposite.

At the end of the day, it is all down to endless experimentation to find an exclusive sound that suits your ears ........what a horrible bloody thought.

Regards

Mick

this thread was not about Mana and Mains, but about other people's sistems and how you feel about them.

We can change every single topic, from jaw-dropping speakers to cartridges, by simply asking "but have you ever heard of Mana and Mains?" I wonder though if that's the way to go.

Herman

One must be flexible old chap.

Regards

Mick

I just like a little variety of subject matter.

I have heard two systems that made me aware of the limitations of my own. The first was Tom A's (pre mains and bases). It made me grin incessantly. There was no one thing that stood out, it just sounded funky. The second was Dave J's. It had oomph in spades, and it didn't sound 'hi-fi'.

quote:

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Originally posted by Marco:
Well, strange as it may seem, there is a perfectly logical and acceptable correlation between the effect of equipment supports and the mains on the performance of other people's systems and, in turn, what we feel about those systems.

So please contribute something constructive of your own for a change, rather than moaning like an old woman. Why don't you tell us of your experiences?

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No one here disagrees with the point about the importance of stands and mains. Most people do whatever they can about it. My constructive point, however, was that the point you were making is so universally applicable and obvious it's virtually meaningless in the current context.

It's an excellent topic for a thread (it's been done a thousand times before, but that goes for a lot of topics), but maybe it's not the best idea to parachute it into every thread you happen to run into.

That's why I think I'll decline your invitation - us usual accompanied by a mean spirited remark - to join you in your OT-expedition, and talk about my experiences with your current hobby-horse Mana & Mains.

I liked Other People's Sistems fine as a subject.

(Oops, did I say horse?)

Herman

This talk about mains and the "sensitivity" of high cost equipment is nonsense.

A mega-buck system on the same mains supply should sound better than a cheaper system. If it does not then it is not worth the extra. Similarly, if you have to spend mega-bucks for the boxes and then have to spend even more on separate spurs and fancy mains blocks to make it work, you have more money than sense.

cheers

Nigel

Marco,

I'm actually with herm here. Thread drift happens, but this thread would have been nicer if it had stayed closer to the original topic.

Although M&Ms are one of my vices , neither Mana nor Mains are a necessary factor for other people's systems to impress me.

For example, a few years back I was extremely impressed by a system that is very, very far off the usual forum fare here: Platine Verdier tt, Shindo amplification, Klangfilm drivers in an open baffle. No Mana, no mains optimization, but a bl***y great system. I was also impressed by a system that used a cheap CD player (a much -modified Technics, I believe, a Lundahl MagAmp and Phy-HP drivers built into a wall.

I mention these experiences because I sometimes think that this forum tends to limit the subject matter at hand too much, and keeps at ceratin subjects even though there are any number of alternatives. There is a whole world of hi-fi out there that doesn't exist on this forum, and other schools of thought can provide valuable experiences, too.

Markus

"If you have to spend mega-bucks for the boxes and then have to spend even more on separate spurs and fancy mains blocks to make it work, you have more money than sense."

Why use "have to"? This pastime is surely a pleasure, not the obligation you seem to imply. No one 'has to' to buy anything, they do it out of choice. Money spent on improving mains etc is money well spent, especiallly the more capable the system is. At what point does money take over sense in your opinion?

Going all obsessive compulsive on your mains supply is not a given. There's no universal panacea and there's nothing new being mooted here that hasn't been discussed a thousand times before either. How come all these Mains Martyrs are suddenly preaching as if it's a new concept? Ever read an original Naim manual from the Seventies?

Regardless of what you do to your mains supply the fact remains if you've common mode noise and harmonics already on there then all you'll do is exagerate the effect by giving it an easier path. End result? Well I no longer use Naim gear for one.

Be careful out there.

P

Talking about other people's systems is really dull. I did find talking about Marco, Mana and Mains the most interesting topic in the Universe 940 topics about them ago. But now I have a new passion, something that tells you more about a person than a music reproduction system ever could: other people's cisterns.

Alex

Sheesh! Nothing polarises opinion more than Mana and Mains! (I have done tinkering with both to good effect, but, back to the 'other peoples systems' topic).
My mate Pete has been on a voyage lasting well over a year trying to find a power amp to drive his B & W N801's. He has a panasonic DVD/TEAC transport into a Tag Processor ( Yup, he's starting to cry over that one - no more Tag?!?) into the 801's. He was originally using Arcam amps but after listening to n umerous diff makes settled on a Bryston 2 channel to drive the 801's, and is getting another Bryston 5 channel to drive the other five speakers in his room. By the way he's into DVD's big style.
I have a tiddy Yamaha processor bolted onto my Naim system. In surround obviously there is no contest - his system sounds really good - as it should for what he's invested in it. But, in two channel I really feel there is no contest - the Naim kit just sounds clearer! True the B & W's Generate more physical bass, but they sound dull to my ears.
The SBL's I have seem to image better, and start & stop far more efficiently, If you understand what I'm trying to describe.
Anyway, my next upgrade is to a CDX2, and my mate intends to borrow that from me (when run in of course) to see how that affects his 2 channel sound.
So, there you go, just contributing to this thread...

Sorry to be dull...

But I liked Mick Parrys' main system; nice big open sound.

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and happy