[Skylab]

Always better to track heavy than light (within reason). So I'd believe the Shure.

 

[tomjtx]

Well I'm 3 days in now and this thing is still impressing me.
Piano sounds great, none of that pinging you sometimes get with lesser SS gear.

Thank goodness for spring break, we professors get it too

Back to listening

 

[shaizada]

I just wanted to throw in an update as well.

Right out of the box, the Nighthawk sounded amazing! However, I'm seriously going through quite a break in period as the sound has actually become quite bad right now, but it's amazing how much these things change.

I've heard a well broken in Nighthawk, so I can't wait for the sound to take it's rightful upturn back to what I remember the Nighthawk sounding like.

At this point of the burn in (about 40 hours in), I'm not happy listening to the thing! But, I just can't wait to get through the whole burn in process and settle down with the REAL Nighthawk

If I'm happy about the sound, you guys will hear it from me. If I'm disappointed at any time, you get to hear that too! Just to let everyone know...the break in period is DEFINITELY a roller coaster ride.

 

[tomjtx]

Try a Hagerman riaa board.
Put any line source into it and it converts it to a phono equalized signal.
Run it 24/7 till your burned in.

Less wear on your needle too.

However I'm not having any downs with this.
My listening didn't end till 1:00am and it still sounds great.

 

[Audio Addict]

I drove up to Ray's today as he took a break from work to have a vinyl listening session with the F-117. Ray, Mike, Wayne and I spent a good 3 hours just listening to it in his rig, which obviously it was voiced with.

It really didn't matter the type of music you listened to, it reproduced all with great dynamics and tonal quality even at the loudest levels along with being dead silent the entire time. I honestly can't wait for mine to achieve that level. This really shows there is an end to the burn in. Now if I only had that Granite Audio phono burn in CD.

 

[shaizada]

Plugged the Nighthawk back in.

Sorry guys, I'm going to have to eat my words back. It's taken a sudden turn UP in sound again. Thats why you just don't comment on the sound when you get a new piece of equipment in. Too much fluctuation and variation!

Anyhow, sounds fantastic again....bass is strong and linear, mids are full and elegantly rendered with amazing speed and articulation. Highs have that transient attack again that makes your arm hair stand on end. This guy totally took me by surprise again.

This is more like it...more like I remember the full broken-in version sounding.

Listening to The Who - Who's Next on 200g Classic Records. I'm in HEAVEN. The drums have such impact, the voice is hauntingly real and in the room 6 feet ahead of me. The guitars have crunch and power. Cymbals shimmering.... and it is supposed to get better. MAN! Can't wait....

Right now it's moved back in the right direction in terms of sound quality, but still NOT the level of a fully burned in unit. Frikkin BURN IN!

Guys, get it on and see if it floats your boat. There is a 30 day return policy so there really is NO RISK whatsoever. Just make sure you burn it in well before deciding (as my posts attest to it, the break in can really throw you off).

 

[shaizada]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomjtx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Try a Hagerman riaa board. Put any line source into it and it converts it to a phono equalized signal. Run it 24/7 till your burned in. Less wear on your needle too. However I'm not having any downs with this. My listening didn't end till 1:00am and it still sounds great.

Thanks for the suggestion. Did you ever figure out a replacement for your Koetsu Rosewood? Would love to know where you go from there especially being spoilt with the midrange the Koetsu has. That bloom is such a Koetsu thing

EDIT: Looks like I confused you with Gopher who posted in your thread on Audiocircle...he's using the Koetsu apparently.

 

[jp11801]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaizada /img/forum/go_quote.gif Plugged the Nighthawk back in. Sorry guys, I'm going to have to eat my words back. It's taken a sudden turn UP in sound again. Thats why you just don't comment on the sound when you get a new piece of equipment in. Too much fluctuation and variation! Anyhow, sounds fantastic again....bass is strong and linear, mids are full and elegantly rendered with amazing speed and articulation. Highs have that transient attack again that makes your arm hair stand on end. This guy totally took me by surprise again. This is more like it...more like I remember the full broken-in version sounding. Listening to The Who - Who's Next on 200g Classic Records. I'm in HEAVEN. The drums have such impact, the voice is hauntingly real and in the room 6 feet ahead of me. The guitars have crunch and power. Cymbals shimmering.... and it is supposed to get better. MAN! Can't wait.... Right now it's moved back in the right direction in terms of sound quality, but still NOT the level of a fully burned in unit. Frikkin BURN IN! Guys, get it on and see if it floats your boat. There is a 30 day return policy so there really is NO RISK whatsoever. Just make sure you burn it in well before deciding (as my posts attest to it, the break in can really throw you off).

really? I have NEVER experienced this alleged roller coaster ride of burn in. Not to say that things not may change "slightly" over time but really this hyperbole does no any service, least of all you and RSA. Oh and I have had literally dozens of new products in my house over a decade or so of audio insanity.

Carts and drivers I get as there is mechanical process to the break in but solid state gear yeah it changes but not to the degree you profess.

One thing that changes during the process is our perception and expectations .

Glad to see you enjoying the phono pre and hope all that purchase it dive deep into the vinyl waters.

If you like the classic Who's Next try the Decca east coast pressing it ROCKS as dies the Hoffman mastered cd

 

[shaizada]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp11801 /img/forum/go_quote.gif really? I have NEVER experienced this alleged roller coaster ride of burn in. Not to say that things not may change "slightly" over time but really this hyperbole does no any service, least of all you and RSA. Oh and I have had literally dozens of new products in my house over a decade or so of audio insanity. Carts and drivers I get as there is mechanical process to the break in but solid state gear yeah it changes but not to the degree you profess. One thing that changes during the process is our perception and expectations . Glad to see you enjoying the phono pre and hope all that purchase it dive deep into the vinyl waters.

John,

Hyperbole might be a little too strong a word

I'm experiencing a few things that I happened to voice. The sound had taken a wrong turn for worse and I mentioned it. Things changed for the better, and so I mentioned that as well.

This is not meant to "service" me or RSA at all. It's just a simple experience that I wanted to mention as it HAPPENED right here in my setup. You've had dozens of audio products in your house and so you would have your own experiences to share. I am having my own experiences, so I felt like sharing those as well.

I actually had a talk with Ray about this discrepancy and he told me to simply expect it. It's part of the process of the component settling in. True or not, doesn't matter as my ears heard the changes which isn't something that has to be proved or disproved ...just personally experienced. In the end, I'll either like it or not. I would have gained nothing but more experience.

Also I completely agree to your comment about perceptions and expectations. Just as the component is settling in, so is our comfort level and experiences. It's quite a mind trip.

Thanks for chiming in! Also, a while back we talked about you possibly coming over. Would love to have you over and talk analog. We can listen to some tunes together and have a beer or something. PM me if you're ever coming down these parts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp11801 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ..If you like the classic Who's Next try the Decca east coast pressing it ROCKS as dies the Hoffman mastered cd

Really?! Damn it, now how am I going to find that particular pressing? Do you own it by any chance? Thanks for the heads up...I'll try and seek it out. Maybe I'll find it on ebay. I do have the MCA Masterdisc version, but I'll get a hold of the Hoffman mastering as well.

 

[jp11801]

Oddly the one thing that changes when we listen to our rigs is our state of mind. As I read your comments they read as a roller coaster ride going from nirvana to unsatisfying to nirvana. Maybe I am sensitive to this but I feel that these hyperbolic (my impression you can feel free to differ) statements do not help and serve to drive people into this rabbit hole of burn in which is largely overstated. Often burn in is simply our ears getting used to the sonic signature of a component.

It's pretty easy to document this with an ADC and I've gotten to the point that often I'll validate my "in the moment" thoughts with snapshots to take the variable of me out of the equation.


Hyperbole (pronounced /haɪˈpɜrbəli/[1], from ancient Greek ὑπερβολή 'exaggeration') is a rhetorical device in which statements are exaggerated. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally.

Unfortunately the Ancient Greeks understood this concept that is often lost on the web where things are taken literally

 

[shaizada]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp11801 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oddly the one thing that changes when we listen to our rigs is our state of mind. As I read your comments they read as a roller coaster ride going from nirvana to unsatisfying to nirvana. Maybe I am sensitive to this but I feel that these hyperbolic (my impression you can feel free to differ) statements do not help and serve to drive people into this rabbit hole of burn in which is largely overstated. Often burn in is simply our ears getting used to the sonic signature of a component. It's pretty easy to document this with an ADC and I've gotten to the point that often I'll validate my "in the moment" thoughts with snapshots to take the variable of me out of the equation.

That definitely makes sense. When I read my comments, I can see how that can easily be read as hyperbole. Well, the change in sound for the worse also got me somewhat disappointed so maybe some of that also leaked in the following comments. Then when things got better, I was so happy about it that it must have come through strongly.

Anyhow, makes me think about commenting on a new piece of gear...best to comment once things have settled down for more meaningful impressions.

I'll just take this roller coaster ride by myself for now. No point giving anyone any false impressions as that is just not my intention.

By the way, I am listening to the Live In Gdansk 5 LP set right now as I write this....I'm very happy the way everything is sounding. More comments after things have settled down with the phono stage.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

The F-117 I have here is not going through a roller coaster ride between good and bad - more like just drifting between good and very good while waiting for excellent, which I think will take a better cartridge than my $199 Ortofon Blue. I took the day off today to go to the shooting range, a mini-meet with Blutarsky and Sherwood, church, and then the Bounty Hunter movie. I am beat.

I plan to do a lot of listening Sunday.

Can you guys recommend a very good cart for under $400-450 that would noticeably beat the Ortofon Blue M2? I may still have to wait before upgrading, but I'd like to read up on a few carts.

 

[Skylab]

If you can find someone who will sell you a Benz ACE for that price, that would be the way to go. Benz does offer a pretty generous trade-in credit - but I think even then the price would be about $550. GREAT cartridge though.

 

[immtbiker]

Ironic that you brought up the Benz Ace,
I have a Benz Ace Low that has been used twice and then I got a Lyra Helikon and safely stored it the Swiss Benz back in the beautiful box for the iast 3 years (bubble level and all). I believed it is the Red one,
If you are interested, PM me, and I can sell it to you at 1/3 the retail. At the time it cost me $500 but you can have it for a trade or approx $175. I'm not out to make any money on this, I just want it to have a good home other than a dusty drawer.

 

[shaizada]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ironic that you brought up the Benz Ace, I have a Benz Ace Low that has been used twice and then I got a Lyra Helikon and safely stored it the Swiss Benz back in the beautiful box for the iast 3 years (bubble level and all). I believed it is the Red one, If you are interested, PM me, and I can sell it to you at 1/3 the retail. At the time it cost me $500 but you can have it for a trade or approx $175. I'm not out to make any money on this, I just want it to have a good home other than a dusty drawer

Now THAT is just awesome of Aaron. Larry, I wouldn't even think twice on this

Enjoy it and THEN after you're done with it, trade it in with the amazing trade-in program Benz offers. Thats a WIN-WIN and Aaron just went up in my "cool" books. VERY nice of him!