Reality check

analog_sa · 10th November 2003, 08:49 PM

Having moved to a GC type of amp some time ago i noticed that good as it is i nevertheless listen a lot less to music. Previously my main amp was a PX25 SET which for various reasons (mostly weight and unsightness) is stuck in my secondary system where i seldom listen.

Seeing everyone going full circle with the non-inverted fun i also thought it was time for a change. In one of the cupboards i keep a few old projects/commercial amps like a Leak Stereo 20, a Point one, a Quad set and a few others. For some, probably nostalgic reason i took the Quad out and plugged it in place of the GC. Didn't expect much as i know the soft and mellow Quad presentation, but also remebered that i listened to a lot of music through it.

I should point out that i only use the Quad monoblocks, the pre is a bit disastrous, no matter how nostalgic one feels. They are in absolutely original condition - oil caps and fat carbon resistors - not quite my cup of tea, or so i thought. And yes, i use nice power cords and inteconnects soldered directly to the boards.

Well, since the Quad got plugged in place of the GC i must have listened to about 50 LPs. The sound is unremarkable, but very, very musical. A mechanical and humaneless qualty is gone and very little, if any detail is missing. Surprisingly, even the bass is acceptable. Best of all the little amp seems really happy driving my Sonus Fabers which used to make the GC sweat and collapse.
And all this with 32uF and a little choke.

Who and what to blame? Is the GC not really suited to my musical and sound tastes? Am i simply going nuts?
One thing i know for sure is that ASAP i'll put together a nice PP valve amp. And i won't use piles of Black Gates/Cerafines, which i now realise, screwed up the sound of my PX25 as well. Nope, i'll be back with valves and quite likely PIO (oh my god, did i write this?), paper in beeswax and other low tech caps.

Goodbye Gainclone.

Peter Daniel · 10th November 2003, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by analog_sa
Am i simply going nuts?

I don't think so. It's just that usually we are getting used and accustomed to a certain sound that sooner or later it won't intrigue us anymore and becomes an everyday reality which is always doomed for boredom. Change is good and looking for new adventures in hi-fi is nothing to be ashamed of. I wonder when my time comes?

grataku · 10th November 2003, 09:30 PM

I had the gainclone on for a grand total of 6hrs, it was like wearing my wife hills..., not that I would know how they feel...

but you get the idea...
I was only too happy to go back to my old, broken in mountain boots, the aleph-X.

10th November 2003, 08:49 PM	#1
analog_sa diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sofia	Reality check Having moved to a GC type of amp some time ago i noticed that good as it is i nevertheless listen a lot less to music. Previously my main amp was a PX25 SET which for various reasons (mostly weight and unsightness) is stuck in my secondary system where i seldom listen. Seeing everyone going full circle with the non-inverted fun i also thought it was time for a change. In one of the cupboards i keep a few old projects/commercial amps like a Leak Stereo 20, a Point one, a Quad set and a few others. For some, probably nostalgic reason i took the Quad out and plugged it in place of the GC. Didn't expect much as i know the soft and mellow Quad presentation, but also remebered that i listened to a lot of music through it. I should point out that i only use the Quad monoblocks, the pre is a bit disastrous, no matter how nostalgic one feels. They are in absolutely original condition - oil caps and fat carbon resistors - not quite my cup of tea, or so i thought. And yes, i use nice power cords and inteconnects soldered directly to the boards. Well, since the Quad got plugged in place of the GC i must have listened to about 50 LPs. The sound is unremarkable, but very, very musical. A mechanical and humaneless qualty is gone and very little, if any detail is missing. Surprisingly, even the bass is acceptable. Best of all the little amp seems really happy driving my Sonus Fabers which used to make the GC sweat and collapse. And all this with 32uF and a little choke. Who and what to blame? Is the GC not really suited to my musical and sound tastes? Am i simply going nuts? One thing i know for sure is that ASAP i'll put together a nice PP valve amp. And i won't use piles of Black Gates/Cerafines, which i now realise, screwed up the sound of my PX25 as well. Nope, i'll be back with valves and quite likely PIO (oh my god, did i write this?), paper in beeswax and other low tech caps. Goodbye Gainclone.

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10th November 2003, 09:30 PM	#3
grataku diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: -	I had the gainclone on for a grand total of 6hrs, it was like wearing my wife hills..., not that I would know how they feel... but you get the idea... I was only too happy to go back to my old, broken in mountain boots, the aleph-X.

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