Ellisdj review Arcam

[ellisdj]

Ps cno i am ruining my review here if I answer any more

I won't tell anyone!

I can't give you a technical description of the Klimax DS....but it's one of the best digital sources you can get. You need to put one on test...if you can get hold of one.

Recently at the axpona show in the states the room that won best sound price exempt was using a basic pc transport using a jcat femto usb card.

I dont doubt the linn is great though. I have heard a linn streamer when I demo the ref 1 and SF Oylmpicas. Wasnt top range one mid range I think.

 

[ellisdj]

If you saw the bascom king interviews I linked to on the other thread. Legendary amp designer.

He says he uses a laptop with win server 2012 and audiophile optimiser instead of a valve modded oppo and any other source.

Says a lot right there

 

[ellisdj]

*It's a monster power amplifier we are dealing with hear lads ! Now come on the Arcam was a pony and the luxman is horse *man_in_love* come on hurry with that review *smile*

Thats not what I meant, the arcam is still fantastic but if you see one of these luxman in the flesh its a different level of quality of product.

It doesn't look it in the photos i doubt my vids do it any justice either

looked good to me mate 

Cheers

Ps who was after a playback video of the aristocrats?? I put it on today is a great sounding CD

I mentioned the album to you a while back I have another album you would like its a live cd blues rock but the recording quality is really good even though it's live it's Jeff kollman the album is called guitar screams live you will like it .

 

I will get that next thanks

 

[ellisdj]

Seemorebits

If your still reading did you contact plinth design re the ceradiscs isolators?
I am in contact with now and he said he hasnt received anything so checking in case its been lost in translation.

Looks like there might be another gem product on its way. Early days yet

 

[Electro]

*It's a monster power amplifier we are dealing with hear lads ! Now come on the Arcam was a pony and the luxman is horse *man_in_love* come on hurry with that review *smile*

Thats not what I meant, the arcam is still fantastic but if you see one of these luxman in the flesh its a different level of quality of product.

It doesn't look it in the photos i doubt my vids do it any justice either

looked good to me mate

Cheers

Ps who was after a playback video of the aristocrats?? I put it on today is a great sounding CD

I have seen the Aristocrats live and have met Guthrie Govan a couple of times he is one of the best guitarists around at the moment.

If you like the Aristocrats you will love "Chad Smiths Bombastic Meatbats", they will really light up your KEF's with mega dynamics especially with the new amp!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQJLYZ2306U

 

[Blacksabbath25]

How's that review going mate *smile*

 

[ellisdj]

I am hoping to have the amo review up at the weekend with some recorded playback demos as well.

I filmed a review for the pioneer hrm6 headphones this evening. Hopefully get that up tomorrow at some point.

Cheers for asking

 

[ellisdj]

Luxman M700u Power Amp Review is uploading now.

I have been on a tight time scale with work commitments - I filmed this early hours of this morning, so sorry if I look tired.

I am going to try and get some demo videos up this weekend so you can hear the amp in action aswell

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Well done mate I would keep it to if I had £6500 too

that's why I brought the Yamaha A-S2100 and its matching cdplayer because of the quality of the build and the very good sound and your right about feeling that you spent your money wisely when you look at the luxman I get the same feeling with the Yamaha .

but it goes to show that the people on here say that all amplifiers sound the same it's completely rubbish as you have find out and by the sounds of things the luxman sounds like it's a very good match sonically for your speakers too .

can not wait to hear it running and I am afraid your probably have to do the house work for the next 10 years if your wife lets you buy it but it would be worth it I think *smile*

 

[ellisdj]

Cheers BB

I have managed to get 1 playback video up. I dont have the money for it right now - and I have a lot more amps to try first.

I have another one here for my next review and will update on that one in a week or so.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Cheers BB

I have managed to get 1 playback video up.  I dont have the money for it right now - and I have a lot more amps to try first.

I have another one here for my next review and will update on that one in a week or so.

What is the make of the new amp you tease

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Cheers BB

I have managed to get 1 playback video up. I dont have the money for it right now - and I have a lot more amps to try first.

I have another one here for my next review and will update on that one in a week or so.

ok

what's the best price you seen one of these luxman going for then ? as there must be some ex dem ones around a bit cheaper then £6500

about the UVs I turn mine off but I think the UVs give a proper audio file look to the amplifier nice old school look but when I got mine it was not the selling feature for me the build and the sound quality was .

would you say the luxman is better then the Arcam and worth the extra money

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Cheers BB

I have managed to get 1 playback video up. I dont have the money for it right now - and I have a lot more amps to try first.

I have another one here for my next review and will update on that one in a week or so.

What is the make of the new amp you tease

it's a Luxman Andrew and yes it's teasing me too ......come to me you no you what me I am only £6500

 

[Andrewjvt]

Cheers BB

I have managed to get 1 playback video up.  I dont have the money for it right now - and I have a lot more amps to try first.

I have another one here for my next review and will update on that one in a week or so.

What is the make of the new amp you tease

it's a Luxman Andrew and yes it's teasing me too ......come to me you no you what me I am only £6500 

Im aware he has the luxman amp but i read it that hes finished with the luxman and now is testing another new amp??

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Cheers BB

I have managed to get 1 playback video up. I dont have the money for it right now - and I have a lot more amps to try first.

I have another one here for my next review and will update on that one in a week or so.

What is the make of the new amp you tease

it's a Luxman Andrew and yes it's teasing me too ......come to me you no you what me I am only £6500

Im aware he has the luxman amp but i read it that hes finished with the luxman and now is testing another new amp??

pass not sure what he is testing now but I reckon the luxman will be very heard to beat

 

[ellisdj]

The luxman is a different amp to the arcam.
You cant compare them.
Its twice the price and performs as such in my opinion. Plus its just so nice to look at.

 

[CnoEvil]

Ellis, another great review.

If you don't mind me giving a small (and slightly pedantic) criticism, it would be to limit the use of "Really".

You may find this hard to do as it's probably an ingrained habit, but imo it would be worth trying, as in most cases it is superfluous.

FWIW. You are finding out, what I discovered some time ago, that amplifiers can make a hell of a difference....and expensive amplifiers make a dramatic difference in an equivalently expensive system.

I have said many times, that something sounds best, until you hear better....look at the right 12k amp and you will have a new favorite....that is why this is such a dangerous game (especially with what you are reviewing in your system).

 

[ellisdj]

Cheers cno. I know what I am delivering is not word or spoken perfectly. If i wrote a script and practiced it all it would be much cleaner and more concisely delivered.

Truth is at the moment I am fighting for time and I filmed that all about 1am Friday night as I was taking the amp back Saturday.

I am sorry for that I do hope to improve as I do more.

It does scare me to try the luxman 900 or other 10k amps for example for obvious reasons.

However in 6 years time one might come up at a more reasonable price used still a lot of money for someone and my review might be very useful to them.

So for the will of the greater good I might have to try a few of them

 

[ellisdj]

I think the luxman is great / special because of how it made my system sound, right how I like it. Plus it made me want to get in there and listen the next day because it was such an experience listening to music.

In comparison i really liked and appreciated the arcam p49 for its many strengths. But i could take or leave listening sessions when I had that amp.

When you add the looks and build quality and design the whole package adds up to be above the pack.

 

[lpv]

can you do side by side comparission of.. anything you really want? lets say amp A with amp B or amp A with X cable vs amp A without X cable? as you have controlled set up and nothing else changed you can level match componets, cables, vibrpods etc and put it on youtube and switch A/B.. can you do that?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

well if i won the lotto i would buy a luxman if i won but have no chance there so like Ellisdj said if one come up secondhand mint for around £3000-4000 it would be well worth it

 

[ellisdj]

can you do side by side comparission of.. anything you really want? lets say amp A with amp B or amp A with X cable vs amp A without X cable? as you have controlled set up and nothing else changed you can level match componets, cables, vibrpods etc and put it on youtube and switch A/B.. can you do that?

With enough time of course yes. I have been trying to dome some review intially - as I wanted to hear these amps personally and thats kind of where it all started.

It would be useful to do what you say here - and useful videos are usually popular so its in my interest to do so.

I was planning to do recordings of the luxman with no isolation products but after I changed 2 battery supplies for a new linear supply for the audio pc I lost a couple of days to getting that run in so I could use it for the sound demo recordings - hence it was all a last minute rush to get it all done.

 

[CnoEvil]

I am sorry for that I do hope to improve as I do more.

You have nothing to apologize for....and there is nothing really wrong with your presentation.

If you watch it back, you will see what I mean if you count up the Reallys....if removing it makes no difference to what you are saying, it is better to leave it out. It's the only thing I'd change, as you generally come across as interesting, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

Remember, what you are doing is far from easy...you just have to see how many useless reviews (about everything) there are on Youtube....so you deserve credit. You only need to see the reception that you have received here.

 

[ellisdj]

Worth pointing out - for both the luxman and the arcam I have run a full set of dirac sweeps using the preamp at the exact same level.

I then have used a saved target curve for both amps - so both amps were setup the same in that regard.

Then I set the preamp at the volume level used for the dirac measurements so both amplifiers technically were set with the same volume level for the recordings.

I have to change the input gain level on the recorder per song as they vary so much - that is a real challenge getting that high enough without any compression.

So there is variance there to a degree but they are pretty close also.

Thats why I am trying to do some of the same songs and some new because its bloodt boring keep listening to the same tracks. But you need some the same to cross reference.

 

[ellisdj]

I am sorry for that I do hope to improve as I do more.

You have nothing to apologize for....and there is nothing really wrong with your presentation.

If you watch it back, you will see what I mean if you count up the Reallys....if removing it makes no difference to what you are saying, it is better to leave it out. It's the only thing I'd change, as you generally come across as interesting, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

Remember, what you are doing is far from easy...you just have to see how many useless reviews (about everything) there are on Youtube....so you deserve credit. You only need to see the reception that you have received here.

CNo I apologised as I know how annoying it can be and I wasnt aware I was doing it, even after watching the videos back.

I will try and leave them out if I can.