[ReasonablyLucid]

w00t!

closeup of the NOS tubes:
http://bigredwa.com/LPNW/New%20Setup/DSCF0175.JPG
My halfassed attempt at a rear picture:
http://bigredwa.com/LPNW/New%20Setup/DSCF0178.JPG

what a long day at work knowing that was back at home unwrapped and begging to be plugged in

I upgraded from a headroom MOH reference and the mpx3 kicks that things ass all over the place. I spent the past 8 hours or so listening to some of my music and hearing things I didnt before. FAR more detail in the mpx3.

Edit:
Btw this is the maxed out version. Has all the upgrades done to it plus an extra special one (read further).

I cant remember who told me but someone said that the stock tubes would sound "OK" in it.
Er... wrong! lol They lasted a total of 90 minutes or so in there. The paper that came with the amp said it will sound its best after 60minutes of continus operation so I kept thinking the stock tubes would get better. I finally said screw it and threw in the tubes that were reccomended for me to get. (kenrad nos in the driver, sylvania nos's in the outputs).
SOO Much better than the stock electro-harmonix tubes.

Anyway you probably notice the extra headphone plug on the front, no its not dual outputs.
The left plug is comming straight from the tube output, the right plug has a crossfeed filter applied to it first

.
Someone here said that I was probably the first to have crossfeed installed on a singlepower amp (I asked mikhail for conformation on that one).

I need crossfeed for headphone listening or else I get a headache easily

. Mikhail kept telling me in our email exchanges thtat I wouldnt need it with the mpx3 but I got it anyway because I didnt want to take any chances. I started out listening to the amp without the crossfeed and I did so for 4 hours (Which is a record so far

) but then BAM, big headache. Well crap

So I gotta use the crossfeed on it and I noticed somthing really intresting about it. The crossfeed on here has less "tubey" sound to it than without crossfeed. I actually quite like it, espically on some recordings where the tubey sound gets a little overwhelming. The crossfeed sort of opens up the sound.
About the only way I can describe it is you move away from the stage more so they are in front of you, without the crossfeed it seems like you are in the middle of the stage.

Ill probably post more after some sleep and more listening

I was starting to get bored of my music but then I got this and the music is fun again. I didnt know what I was getting myself into when I bought this because ive never heard a tube amp before but so far im extremley happy with it.

 

[meech]

Congrats on the new toy. I gotta tell you,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,YOU AIN'T HEARD NOTHIN' YET !!!! Wait til about a month from now when the caps burn in. If you like what you hear now, then you're in a for a big treat in a few weeks. I was totally in love with my amp when I first got it (it was an upgrade from an RA-1). At the time it was literally the best sounding amp I had ever heard. All of a sudden, I came home one day and listened to it and something was definately different. I didn't ask for this change, but boy did I like it. The sound just opens up on these things in a way that you don't even feel you need in the first few weeks. Once it does, you can never go back

!


By the way, I'm using the same tube combo as you do (Ken Rad followed by 2 Sylvannia's). Very nice combo. Hirsch just gave me a tip to get even more bass if you're interested. Keep the Ken Rad in the driver position but replace the Sylvania's with a pair of Tungsol Vt-231's.

Enjoy.

 

[stryker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReasonablyLucid w00tI cant remember who told me but someone said that the stock tubes would sound "OK" in it. Er... wrong! lol They lasted a total of 90 minutes or so in there.

That was me, trying to make you feel better about not shelling out more cash for NOS tubes.

Of course, if you HAVE the NOS tubes in your posession, the EHs suddenly become, shall we say, unworthy.

Interesting that you feel the mpx3 is that much more detailed than the MOHR. Whatever it is, Mikhail sure knows how to squeeze out some beautiful sound from those tubes.

 

[ReasonablyLucid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stryker That was me, trying to make you feel better about not shelling out more cash for NOS tubes. Of course, if you HAVE the NOS tubes in your posession, the EHs suddenly become, shall we say, unworthy. Interesting that you feel the mpx3 is that much more detailed than the MOHR. Whatever it is, Mikhail sure knows how to squeeze out some beautiful sound from those tubes.

Well hey I gave the EH tubes a chance. mikhail said it will take at least 60minutes of operation for them to sound decent, i gave them 90 then put the NOS tubes in.
Dont think ill touch those EH tubes again for quite a while

The most noticeable detail is in gituar's in music. Come through much much better now. Espically since I listen to rock. Hell theres this one song that I Wasnt even aware there was a gituar solo in it (not a very good recording), now I can hear it

 

[tom hankins]

Congrats on your new amp. I also jumped from a Headroom MOHR with stepped atten. to a Singlepower and the difference was the same for me as you.

Glad the crossfead section has worked out for you. Have fun.

 

[ReasonablyLucid]

I think I need to invest in a A/B switchbox or somthing because I keep finding myself reaching up to the amp and switching to the normal output on some songs because the full tube sound sounds better on a few of my fav songs.

I gotta keep it on the crossfeed for extended listening though. Mostly because Im a freak

migranes = bad JuJu

 

[ReasonablyLucid]

Hmmm... whats the max the volume dial can go up on this thing?

When it gets to about 4 o'clock (im not playing anything this lound, blackness test) i hear this sort of.. pulsing hiss and a crackle for every notch up of the volume. Is that normal?

Id never listen to it that high (my normal position is 11 or 12 o'clock, 1 on a good song

, btw the volume is lower through the crossfeed) im just testing the limits of this but I know a couple friends that do listen to it that loud

Just wondering if that sound is normal.

 

[Mikhail]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReasonablyLucid Hmmm... whats the max the volume dial can go up on this thing? When it gets to about 4 o'clock (im not playing anything this lound, blackness test) i hear this sort of.. pulsing hiss and a crackle for every notch up of the volume. Is that normal? Id never listen to it that high (my normal position is 11 or 12 o'clock, 1 on a good song , btw the volume is lower through the crossfeed) im just testing the limits of this but I know a couple friends that do listen to it that loud Just wondering if that sound is normal.

A stepped attenuator is a make-before-break switch that is quiet when switching levels most of the time. But, at higher levels and on occation, a small amount of switching sound is normal. This only happens during the volume adjustment at high levels where there is more sensitivity.

 

[ReasonablyLucid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikhail A stepped attenuator is a make-before-break switch that is quiet when switching levels most of the time. But, at higher levels and on occation, a small amount of switching sound is normal. This only happens during the volume adjustment at high levels where there is more sensitivity.

I thought I had the Nobel volume control. Didnt order the stepped attenuator

*Wonders if he got somthing for free*

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReasonablyLucid I thought I had the Nobel volume control. Didnt order the stepped attenuator *Wonders if he got somthing for free*

The way you described it going up in notches makes it sound like you a stepped atten. A regular pot would be smooth through the process.

 

[Mikhail]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReasonablyLucid I thought I had the Nobel volume control. Didn’t order the stepped attenuator *Wonders if he got something for free*

It was included in the upgrade package for your order. Stepped Attenuators are the way to go for the higher level of performance in models like your upgraded MPX3. We use a special attenuation curve to give you a wide range of positions. Check your email and we can discuss further details.

Thanks,
Mikhail

 

[ReasonablyLucid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikhail It was included in the upgrade package for your order. Stepped Attenuators are the way to go for the higher level of performance in models like your upgraded MPX3. We use a special attenuation curve to give you a wide range of positions. Check your email and we can discuss further details. Thanks, Mikhail

Singlepower rules!

 

[ReasonablyLucid]

Where did my amp go?!

it suddenly changed!

I accidently left it on overnight last night (oops, fell asleep in my computer chair and didnt turn off all my stuff before stumbling to bed) and I seems like a different beast now.

I think it was the final leg of burnin or somthing. There is a lot more punchy bass now than previously and it seems the amp got slighly louder because im now listening to it on a notch lower than I was.

 

[meech]

Congrats. There's one more stage to go. That's the stage when you have the realization that " Wow, I've been listening to my music for 2 hours straight and not once did I analyze the sound of the system "

[size=small]MISSION ACCOMPLISHED !!!!!!!!!![/size]