integrated vs separates...your thoughts?

If you want to try a tube pre on the cheap, and you don't mind very simple DIY, get a Bottlehead Quickie. You'll get all the tube goodness you need.

 

If albums were recorded and mastered better then it would be less difficult to get good sound across your music library. Look for the gear that has been popular for years or even decades. There is a reason.

 

Playing music really loud every now and then is fun but I agree a more modest volume sounds better. My ears have always been sensitive to high treble so I prefer a nice warm presentation.

 

subtle plug for McIntosh?

 

I think for the price especially it's an excellent performer. It sounds great and the phono stage is stupid good for a mid 80s pre.

 

I've known about the Bottlehead Crack for quite a while but I did not know they did stereo components...I think one of these might be my next upgrade

 

Just got the red swirl CD of Communiqué by Dire Straits and it sounds phenomenal...Can't wait to hear it on the new setup. So thankful for this forum, it's a lot of fun hunting down the best masters!

 

I see you're in Toledo do you hit culture clash or allied very often?

 

Funny thing is I work at Allied lol

 

Well I have a Mac tube tuner but that is it. The good thing is that there are probably 7 or 8 speakers that have long histories, all different types too. Same with amps and TT. Digital is the one area where newer players may be the best.

 

Well we probably know each other. I've bought hundreds of records and a turntable from the store on Reynolds. I'll be in tomorrow or Thursday for more.

 

There's a good chance I might have sold your table to you haha. I'm the younger guy with brown hair and glasses. If you see me feel free to say what's up.

 

I think I'm heading down the path towards a mc275 or a SS if I stick with that. It's hard to beat their amps

 

Small world. It is a great store, I recommend it to many people.

 

Thanks man, I try to treat the customers as best as I can. Pretty cool to talk to fellow forum members who've shopped here. Just a few days ago I spoke to one.

 

There are advantages and disadvantages to both and there are excellent and not so good of both. After years of separates I prefer integrated amps these days.

 

I enjoy separates, but I've heard some nice integrated as well. I run a couple of Carver amps now as well. Love them.

 

What Carvers are you using atm?

 

Two C-500. Both stock and in great condition. They sound great bridged or bi-amped too. I was told they would sound grainy bridged. But I don't think so at all.

Currently I have Left channel to woofer and Right channel to mid/highs.

Before I had an outlaw audio 755 on the woofers and the Mids and highs seperarted L/R on each side. I also tried bridged tri wired.

 

I prefer separates.

 

What cart are you using now? Also... did the tube pre you're using help at all with the harshness? I'm in a similar situation, but I think I need to move to a MC cart from my current Bronze MM. The problem is the can of worms that comes with going from a MM to a MC cart... but that might be worth another thread.

 

2m black and I do really love it and it's hard to give up on it. The tubes really didn't warm it up as much as it just made everything much better. Kind of one of those "lift the veil" upgrades like a great phone stage upgrade.

I might just be getting fussy after not making changes for an extend period or the time on my cart is catching up to me. Not everything is harsh. Jazz and acoustic music really pops and sounds warm but it's the rock and roll comes off a little hot.

 

Sounds very familiar. I was listening to my Wish You Were Here album yesterday and I wouldn't change anything about the way my system sounds... but playing the Police, Zenyatta Mondatta and it sounds a little harsh. I'm curious if I went with a warmer MC cart if it would smooth out the harsher albums, w/out taking anything from the joy of the ones that sound perfect now.

 

Part of it might be that some records just sound better than others. It's pretty undeniable that the most serious people in this hobby are mostly in the MC camp.

 

Both! I use the pre-amp section of a freshly capped Sansui AU 717 solid state integrated amplifier (good switching capabilities, phono section, tone controls if needed...) into my Dynaco ST-70 power amp with NOS tubes. I have Klipsch Quartet speakers and the sound is very dynamic with great tone presentation. Great match, I like the idea of the tube pre-amp though.....