I know I already have a thread about the ongoing restoration of my recently acquired C2+PSX but I thought I'd start a new thread about the SQ since it came back from its recap and upgrade at ARS Amplifier Repair (returned to me in just over a week, impressive stuff). Small caveat is it's been a while since I heard a 'normal' unrestored C2 so consider my comparisons between mine and standard C2s are blurred by memory and are not truly objective.
I started with vinyl first, using my TD160 with its usual Ortofon MC3. Test disc was 'Direct' by Vangelis. I love this LP for testing new setups; mixture of synthesized and real instruments recorded, produced and mastered superbly. I realised I was in for a sonic treat from the first opening seconds of track 1, 'The Motion Of Stars'. I remember the C2 was always supremely detailed but the bass could be very dry and lacked wallop sometimes. Definitely not the case now, it literally hammered out of my EB2s. Some of the mods undertaken by ARS include upgrading the components in the phono stages and power amp to "Cyrus Signature" spec. Firmly remembering my caveat that I cannot A-B with a standard C2, IMO these upgrades have very much paid off: the (synthetically created) soundstage on the album is literally huge in terms of width and depth, like I've only heard from the CD version of this album before, and my TD160 isn't even ideally placed.
I skipped the next track, 'The Will Of The Wind' not because I don't like it but because I was eager to hear how the 'new' amp coped with the complex layers of syths in 'Metallic Rain' as the track builds, and perhaps predictably this is where the C2 showed its only weakness: as the track buit in complexity I headed for the volume control to turn it down a bit because I found it just plain loud rather than enveloping, not helped I'm sure by my EB2 speakers which themselves have quite a dry tight bass that don't do warm and cuddly, they do snappy and taught.
Next I tried the A-side of "Tubular Bells", original '73 'two virgins' pressing. Utterly stunning, no signs of glare or stridency this time, no doubt I'm sure as a result of the 100% 'AAA' recording/mixing/mastering on this 40-odd year old LP ('Direct' is effectively DDA), this combo revealing subtleties that Oldfield didn't intend the listener to hear, such as faders being lifted a bit too soon before an amped guitar kicks in. The layering and texturing in the final ceremonies section that ends side A was superb, again like nothing I've really heard from LP before, and again at no time did it ever sound harsh or too forward.
I tried only one CD for this short session (more accurately a rip played from my HRT II+), speciffcally "Kate Bush The Whole Story". Imaging: wow, off any scale I've so far encountered. Soundstage you feel you can just walk through. Close my eyes and there she was. Tonal balance, just a touch on the strident side again, specifically on tracks such as "Wow" during the chorus and portions of "Hounds of Love", but compared to a standard C2, I'm sure this modded amp sounds like it possesses better grip of the speakers and has better weight and contrtol at the bottom end.
So ended my listening session. "Wow" was my one-word reaction really. This really is a testosterone-filled little amp that seems like it could kick even the most laidback speakers' a$$ and make them move. There's detail-aplenty to wallow in and I was reminded why I was so fond of using my old long-sold C1 in my little home studio before I bought active monitors, you really feel it's showing you everything that's going on with no airs and graces. But despite the upgrades, which I feel have been unquestionably worthwhile, careful matching is still required to ensure it is partnered with speakers that are accomodating of its impetuousness. Bright or lean speakers and it's two Anadins and off to bed with the world's worst headache, but get it right and I'm not sure if there's anything this side of a grand which wll scare it in terms of detail and scale; perhaps even more. Maybe the answer is to pair it with really good large loudspeakers from its era or earlier, such as the Tannoy Monitor Gold or Celestion Ditton 66, because it just wasn't built for today's era of speakers.
I started with vinyl first, using my TD160 with its usual Ortofon MC3. Test disc was 'Direct' by Vangelis. I love this LP for testing new setups; mixture of synthesized and real instruments recorded, produced and mastered superbly. I realised I was in for a sonic treat from the first opening seconds of track 1, 'The Motion Of Stars'. I remember the C2 was always supremely detailed but the bass could be very dry and lacked wallop sometimes. Definitely not the case now, it literally hammered out of my EB2s. Some of the mods undertaken by ARS include upgrading the components in the phono stages and power amp to "Cyrus Signature" spec. Firmly remembering my caveat that I cannot A-B with a standard C2, IMO these upgrades have very much paid off: the (synthetically created) soundstage on the album is literally huge in terms of width and depth, like I've only heard from the CD version of this album before, and my TD160 isn't even ideally placed.
I skipped the next track, 'The Will Of The Wind' not because I don't like it but because I was eager to hear how the 'new' amp coped with the complex layers of syths in 'Metallic Rain' as the track builds, and perhaps predictably this is where the C2 showed its only weakness: as the track buit in complexity I headed for the volume control to turn it down a bit because I found it just plain loud rather than enveloping, not helped I'm sure by my EB2 speakers which themselves have quite a dry tight bass that don't do warm and cuddly, they do snappy and taught.
Next I tried the A-side of "Tubular Bells", original '73 'two virgins' pressing. Utterly stunning, no signs of glare or stridency this time, no doubt I'm sure as a result of the 100% 'AAA' recording/mixing/mastering on this 40-odd year old LP ('Direct' is effectively DDA), this combo revealing subtleties that Oldfield didn't intend the listener to hear, such as faders being lifted a bit too soon before an amped guitar kicks in. The layering and texturing in the final ceremonies section that ends side A was superb, again like nothing I've really heard from LP before, and again at no time did it ever sound harsh or too forward.
I tried only one CD for this short session (more accurately a rip played from my HRT II+), speciffcally "Kate Bush The Whole Story". Imaging: wow, off any scale I've so far encountered. Soundstage you feel you can just walk through. Close my eyes and there she was. Tonal balance, just a touch on the strident side again, specifically on tracks such as "Wow" during the chorus and portions of "Hounds of Love", but compared to a standard C2, I'm sure this modded amp sounds like it possesses better grip of the speakers and has better weight and contrtol at the bottom end.
So ended my listening session. "Wow" was my one-word reaction really. This really is a testosterone-filled little amp that seems like it could kick even the most laidback speakers' a$$ and make them move. There's detail-aplenty to wallow in and I was reminded why I was so fond of using my old long-sold C1 in my little home studio before I bought active monitors, you really feel it's showing you everything that's going on with no airs and graces. But despite the upgrades, which I feel have been unquestionably worthwhile, careful matching is still required to ensure it is partnered with speakers that are accomodating of its impetuousness. Bright or lean speakers and it's two Anadins and off to bed with the world's worst headache, but get it right and I'm not sure if there's anything this side of a grand which wll scare it in terms of detail and scale; perhaps even more. Maybe the answer is to pair it with really good large loudspeakers from its era or earlier, such as the Tannoy Monitor Gold or Celestion Ditton 66, because it just wasn't built for today's era of speakers.
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