- #Xm26 tube electronic crossover network kit upgrade
- #Xm26 tube electronic crossover network kit full
I traded the M3A unit in for a new M3B unit which performed well for six months until a channel went out.
#Xm26 tube electronic crossover network kit upgrade
This unit started out as an AI M3A which I purchased in 1989 and decided to upgrade in 2015. Next up is the new Audible Illusions Modulus 3B. I think this unit clocked in around $3.5k and can be had used for $2.5k while new units are north of $12k. Btw- the CAT has been enhanced over the years along with its price. The CAT SL-1 Signature is over 20 years old and it's a testament to its design and implementation that it is able to compete effectively with the following three preamps which are of current vintage. I purchased this unit used in 1994 and except for a blown resistor, which Ken Stevens, the founder of CAT fixed In 1999, it has been a tank. This preamp, along with my VPI table and cables, has endured for over two decades, everything else has changed numerous times. Modifications include significant tube rolling: Amperex 6922 PQ's white label and GE 5751 triple mica black plates in the phono stage (even though CAT doesn't recommend the 5751's) with corresponding old stock tubes in the line stage. So here are the preamps - starting with my CAT SL-1 Signature- it has been one of the constants in my system since 1994.
#Xm26 tube electronic crossover network kit full
On a side note, the original Bedini 25/25 is the only solid state amp that I have ever been able to enjoy, for any period of time, driving the speaker mids/highs or full range. When that was the case, I almost always chose the warm tube sound (acknowledging its flaws and weaknesses in my then (Quicksilver, Dynaco and ARC) tube amp implementation versus the somewhat bright and edgy transistor defined sound (of my, at the time BEL, Hafler, Classe, First Watt, Sunfire, ARC and Bedini)). This was often presented as a choice between the "tube sound" and the "transistor sound". In the past, I felt as though one had to make a choice between warmth and definition. Until this comparison, my music bias has led me to prefer the warm side for the mids and uppers and fast, comparitvely edgy, high-definition for the bass (that is why I bi-amped with the pont-to-point wired Fire Bottle on top and a Class A solid state on the bottom). For some reason the "forest of conga's" which really start to become apparent 2 minutes in was much smaller and more compressed than it used to be when I was using a pair of Magnepan 3.6r's- I hope to have this addressed by the time I finish writing this article. Recently I was making great advancement on air, coherency and realism on some cuts, when I put on my copy of one of my standard test cuts: Bob James' Snowbird Fantasy. Some of the artists I currently use to test my systems are: The Beatles, Dire Straights, Alan Parsons, Thelma Houston, Joe Cocker, Glenn Campbell, Tracy Chapman, Bob James, Supertramp, the Crusaders, etc.Īs soon as I make headway in one area, I have to go back and check the others to make sure they I haven't regressed in another. However, now that my system has reached a pretty discriminating (but not necessarily expensive) level, I find myself drawn almost exclusivity to the subset of well-engineered albums within that range. My tastes range from rock to blues to Americana and some country and classical- basically everything. This helps guide my recorded music efforts, where I'm continually trying to achieve it all: soundstage, coherency, space, impact, realism, sound floor, noise floor, tonal balance, etc. I listen to live music at least once/month, but typically closer to once/week.
Tweaks: VPI Magic Bricks, wood clothes pins, etc. Speaker Cables: Alpha-Core Goertz AG-3 Divinity
Mid/tweeter amp- Inspire Firebottle 18 watt SEP SUT (used for CAT, AI and Doge 8): EAR MC-4, CSPP has built-in SUT Tonearm: VPI JMW Memorial 12.6 with silver wiring I have been tube rolling for decades and For me, one of the greatest features of tube equipment is the ability to quickly swap tubes, and, to varying degrees, change the character of your equipment. So while I am stating my interpretation of the results here, yours undoubtedly will vary.Īnother key factor is the type, make and year of the tubes utilized. Needless to say, the interaction among different components plays a huge part in the overall sound of a system. I have listened (almost) exclusively to vinyl for the last 39 years. Most of these pre-amplifiers have been enhanced in some way- I will go into detail on each set-up after I list my associated equipment and bias.
I thought I would share my recent experience with attempting get the best phono sound out of a few highly regarded tube pre-amplifiers/phono stages that I could get my hands on, namely: the Coincident Statement Phono Stage, Convergent Audio Technology SL-1 Signature, Audiblie Illusions Modulus 3B and Doge 8 LP (pronounced dough-she). Convergent Audio Technology Signature vs.
Preamp shootout: Coincident Statement Phono Stage vs.
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