Recent content by jas0_0

Just as an update, I’ve been trialling a Croft 7R Power amp for a week or so now. It was new demo model, so may still be burning in, but the sound is beautiful. Still getting some fatigue, but I now convinced that’s just down to my room and planning to get curtains, a bigger rug and some...

Thanks stereoman, good advice. Will play with room treatment first before investing in any new speakers.

I owned and loved a Cyrus 8XPD - compact half width design and fantastic sound. If you don’t need the digital bits, the 8a is the same amp without the DAC I’m afraid I don’t know your Quad speakers, but if they’re voiced like their amps - quite warm - then the addition of some Cyrus sparkle...

The Croft 7R arrived and I’ve been demoing against the Quad. Despite being new and probably needing time to burn in, the Croft is the immediate winner. In comparison the Quad’s highs sound artificial and closed in. Pianos, voices and strings all sound so much more natural through the Croft...

Great room treatment suggestions... will investigate. Cno I really appreciate all your patient advice - thank you.

Thanks Dave - I'd never seen these before. EAR ampification sounds very tempting! I also just read the Sound-on-Sound review and they seem like they could be perfect for my room. Will see if I can track down a pair.

So I took the Spendors and AE1 Actives back to Audio Gold - the Spendors reluctantly... they are beautiful things but they didn't solve my problem. Once it's sorted with the Proacs I'll see what pennies I have left and hope no one has bought them. However I didn't return home empty handed - a...

I agree about the AE1a and I can quite see why you went for them. I found that I just let tracks play out when listening. The bass really is astonishing for such small cabinets and easily competed with the much larger Spendors. Their cohesive sound made everything sound great, and not dull in...

Yes I think you’re right - the Nord seems to be the problem in my room. I’m listening right now with the Spendors and though the detail and soundstage are just beautiful, certain notes of Chopin’s Nocturnes are having an unpleasant compression effect on my eardrums. I just went back to the...

So I've just spent an interesting afternoon with a used set of Spendor SP3/1R2s and some Acoustic Energy AE1 actives, comparing at home with my Proacs - both on loan from the great people at Audio Gold in North London. The Spendors were first on the end of the Nord power amp. Simply stunning...

Thanks Cno and BW, I gather the Sparkos op amp in the Nord gives a warmer, more class A sound, so will start with that, then move on to experimenting with speakers if it doesn’t solve the issue. I think I’m more inclined to change the speakers rather than the amp, as I think this will make the...

Thanks Mac - I will do. Further listening with the Mullard reveals much better separation between instruments, which actually helps to tame some perceived brightness as my ear is drawn into the nuanced top end detail, rather than just hearing a treble mush.

Thanks - interesting idea for cables. Currently I have Van Damme 4mm copper cables with screw-on banana plugs for the main wires and small lengths of the Van Damme replacing the rods that came with the speakers. Do you think that will do the trick?

Hi all, a quick update on my quest to tame system brightness. I replaced the stock ECC83 line stage valve in my Croft pre with a NOS Mullard and the result has been interesting. The sound is now definitely fuller. For example Paranoid Android by Radiohead had sounded particularly lean, and is...

Ha - just seen how old this thread is... As you were.