Hi folks,
It's been a while since I have posted in my dear amp thread. Today at the outset, I like to tell you about a concert that took place at home in our living room.
Jasraj-ji was performing raga Ahir Bhairav. To his right and slightly back was his student Shweta Javeri accompanying him on the tanpura and providing the main vocal support, to his left and slightly back was his daughter Durga accpmpanying on the other tanpura and also giving occasional vocal support. To the extreme right of Jasraj-ji and on the front row was Sabir Khan (son of tabla-legend Ustad Keramatullah Khan) on the tabla, and on the extreme left of Jasraj-ji was the sarnegi accompanist Sultan Khan.
The performance was sublime. The vocal supports were very measured, at times both Shweta and Durga together were singling the 'mukhra' (the first line) and with my eyes closed could tell the difference between the two voices and the positions the voices were coming from.
Actually, as you may have guessed, this was not a live performance at our home. This was the same CD (by 'Chhanda-dhara') that was used in my three audition (Quad 909, Cadence VA1 and the Cayin A-88T amps) being played through my electronics and speakers at home.
First thing first. I was complaining about imaging in my last posts. With good recordings, the imaging is now perfect (without having to do much tweaking of speaker position).
I have now about 75 hours on the Audio Art IC-3 and about 20 hours on the VDH D102MKIII (gift from Dinyaar). Sridhar told me that the Audio Art Cable needs at least 100 hours to break in, and that's why I have put more hours on it first.
Dinyaar, or anybody else (I know Suhas uses VDH D102 MKIII), can you tell me how long does the VDH cable need for a proper break-in?
Actually the breaking in of the Audio Art cable is a bit strange. Out of the box, it was quite punchier than the VDH, but not refined and was not balanced. The VDH on the other hand was very soothing, but seemed to lack a bit of details. I am using the AA cable more for the CD-amp connection and the VDH mainly for cassette-amp connection.
Around the 50 hour mark, the breaking in of the AA cable was at a very bad phase, I guess. The sound was strange, it was as if it wanted to break free but somehow could not. I waited on patiently and had something almost continuously for 8-10 hours at a time last weekend, and it seemed to have done the trick, although it is yet to break in completely, I think.
For the last couple of days, the sound is sublime.
Vinny (sq_wave), I see what you meant when you said this did not come in between the music and you. With good recordings, it is really that feeling, that the music is being performed and the equipments are not really there. But I have to say, when you heard the Leben, it was not broken in at all, and you have to listen to it now to hear the openness and clarity of the sound.
Dinyaar, I remember once we had a debate on the relative importance of the source and the amp. Cranky and I were of the opinion that source was perhaps more important (of course the amp has to be reasonable). You did not disagree, but I had the impression that you did not completely agree either. In your view, the amp has to very very good. I think I see your point now.
The Leben is not an ordinary amp, I am convinced about that. For just a little more money, it is actually way better than the three amps I auditioned. In fact with due respect to the other amps (especially the Cadence, because everyboy suspected the set-up was not right), I like to say that the Leben belongs completely to a different class. I am not sure of the diminishing returns, in this case at least.
As I have described in my posts describing the auditions, all those auditions were relatively long (lasting up to 3 hours) and I have diligently followed a procedure during the auditions with the same CDs, same tracks and even the same movements of music to concentrate on and understand differences, strengths, weaknesses etc.. It was very difficult for me, because I do not listen to music like that (that is, breaking it up into pieces). But I suppose that was necessary to understand the amps better, as long as we also remember the totality of the musical presentation.
Now I can hear the exact same pieces with my new amp and set-up, and I see the difference. Let me simply say, it's huge, both ways (that is, listening only analytically and only emotionally).
Next, after the VDH cable is sufficiently burnt in, I like to make cable comparisons when used with different sources. The VDH users, please tell me how long does the VDH need for a reasonable burn-in.
