39 minutes ago, Chill3 said:

Did you move all the two channel stuff I thought it used to be along that wall

hi chill, great to see you around.. yep 2ch stuff all still there to the right along wall ...

couple of little additions... ive been meaning to do this a while since i got the baby velodynes.. they have these tiny little rubber cones as feet which i always throught as a bit inadequate ...

so when the boxing day sales came around i grabbed from hey now a couple of iso acoustics Aperta sub - subwoofer isolation stands/feet.

Rather interesting set, with the stand with incorporated feet and seperate carpet spikes

just matter of popping the subs on the stands..... well that sounds easier than it actually is :D

had to move the baby velodynes that are some 30kg or so....position the stand and carpet spikes in position then gently lower the sub on top into location.. nearly broke my back :D doing so :D will need do some exercises before bed and will pay the price tomorrow am sure :D

so whats the impact on sound ? ... eh box says greater bass definition.. it does deliver... cleaner, clearer bass removing a layer of smear. tightens up and adding to the cohesiveness of sound with the overall system...

enjoying a Sade listening session... going through some 4 of her discs that are faves.. in chronological order from Daimond Life, to Promise, to Stronger than Pride and love deluxe...

just some beautiful music and very enjoyable !

ps i also picked up the iso acoustics Gaia for my focal sopra 3... i think i will wait till some cooler weather and get my fitness level up further before taking them on :D

Great addition, Al !

I have wondered myself on benefits of isolation with my REL sub, but scared my pictures won't rattle on the wall any longer! 😂

Good to see a personal perspective on their performance. 😉

4 minutes ago, evil c said:

Great addition, Al !

thanks evilc, my first foray into iso acoustics and liking what they do...

5 minutes ago, evil c said:

I have wondered myself on benefits of isolation with my REL sub, but scared my pictures won't rattle on the wall any longer! 😂

Good to see a personal perspective on their performance. 😉

ha ! i was very worried they might neuter the baby velodynes :D not plumb anymore the depths they do, or rob them of their heft or punch or something. phew thank goodness .. its only benefit they have added ...and good addition for 2ch music..

i did wonder about putting apertas(would need XLs) under my larger velo DD15s i use for movies.. but be d@mn near impossible to slip these under those i think given their heft ! :D

Having some HOLY CR@P moments 😀

first other night was listening to Angelique Kidjo CD Oremi... listened to every track all way through.. gosh it just sounded so good.. enveloping sound, dynamics .. rendition of details.. just all so cohesive.. the iso acoustics sub isolators on the baby velodynes have really added quite something.... it definitely takes away any smear and remarkably has also made details and sound stage all more apparent ! this along with putting the nuvista integrated amp on the ps audio regenerator have really contributed to a genuine step up in how things are sounding ! ... to point i need take a further step in this direction i think.. more on this later...

then no 2.. i ordered a gigawatt distributor and gosh.. how good is the engineering on this thing.. quite surprised.. holy cr@p indeed. Geoff at Hey Now sells this and i think it hits things like the nordost QB series or other things like it out the park for build.. amazing ...comes with a decent cable too..

got this for av side of the system and how good is this... !

next holy cr@p moment is a sneaky move :D picked up a Esoteric N-05XD Streamer - Pre - DAC -

headphone amp on run out ... the new one is only incremental but quite a step up at $17k ! making this as a store demo run out from krispy at a fraction ! quite a bargain... my last esoteric purchased was back in 1992 ! :D in its teac version CD transport. Something i much loved and kept many years ... so really keen to revisit the brand..

well discounted brought into reach and i have been wanting to go further up the chain in streamers from the eversolo a8. a bit of a blind buy on faith, i was all ready to move it on if didnt do enough up from the eversolo.. but hooked up from first go ... this esoteric is a holy cr@ moment with Quobuz I kid you not... very pleased i am really liking how well it synergises with the nuvista amp and my focals.. it just gels... amazing sound. here it is in place ...

Nice to have some holy cr@p moments in life and i dont mind surprises like this :D

Edited February 18Feb 18 by betty boop

20 minutes ago, betty boop said:

Having some HOLY CR@P moments 😀

first other night was listening to Angelique Kidjo CD Oremi...

Al, that is a ripper, have you heard her rendition of the Talking Heads album - Remain In Light? Great listening for sure.

24 minutes ago, illusion said:

have you heard her rendition of the Talking Heads album - Remain In Light? Great listening for sure.

havent heard that actually ! thanks for headsup ! I will check out for sure :)

@betty boop l can't keep up with all these new acquisitions, and tweaks! 😂

Well done l say, just don't end up like me - penniless and a hermit permanently in front of the system! 😉

Just now, evil c said:

@betty boop l can't keep up with all these new acquisitions, and tweaks! 😂

Well done l say, just don't end up like me - penniless and a hermit permanently in front of the system! 😉

I am not sure i can keep up myself.. :D what do you do when no brainer upgrades come along :D theres two more things in pipe line over next month or so :O ... then hopefully thats it ... :D putting aside any future tweaks etc hehe or yeah dont want to be putting off retirement and all !

ps am a qobuz convert now too..with the eversolo it was always a bit iffy for me but with this new esoteric i cant believe how good it is !

ps for anyone else interested, there is one more of these esoterics out there I know off at $9995, not chump change sure but quite a bargain vs new price of $17k for new ...and this one is really good ! HUGE step up from eversolo !

https://www.avgallery.com.au/shop/electronics/dacs/esoteric-n-05xd/

2 minutes ago, betty boop said:

I am not sure i can keep up myself.. :D what do you do when no brainer upgrades come along :D theres two more things in pipe line over next month or so :O ... then hopefully thats it ... :D putting aside any future tweaks etc hehe or yeah dont want to be putting off retirement and all !

ps am a qobuz convert now too..with the eversolo it was always a bit iffy for me but with this new esoteric i cant believe how good it is !

ps for anyone else interested, there is one more of these esoterics out there I know off at $9995, not chump change sure but quite a bargain vs new price of $17k for new ...and this one is really good ! HUGE step up from eversolo !

https://www.avgallery.com.au/shop/electronics/dacs/esoteric-n-05xd/

Oh oh !! 😳

Yes Eversolo are good, but levels of improvement above it - that's for sure.

Might start slowing down on turntable hours, for now anyway. 😉

[quote]Angelique Kidjo[/quote]

There is also this great cover of Summertime (on the very enjoyable Jazz a Saint Germain CD also featuring Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Jane Birkin and others)

2 hours ago, evil c said:

@betty boop l can't keep up with all these new acquisitions, and tweaks! 😂

Well done l say, just don't end up like me - penniless and a hermit permanently in front of the system! 😉

You say that as if it's a bad thing.

2 hours ago, Steff said:

There is also this great cover of Summertime (on the very enjoyable Jazz a Saint Germain CD also featuring Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Jane Birkin and others)

ordered that CD... really like the vibe :D

Brilliant—I keep seeing it around on ebay and second hand CD shops! Still have my JB Hi Fi copy from the year dot :)

2 minutes ago, Steff said:

Brilliant—I keep seeing it around on ebay and second hand CD shops! Still have my JB Hi Fi copy from the year dot :)

love CDs that way.. my Angelique kidjo oremi cd is from year dot... still got my first CD i ever bought that was a Sade Diamond Life...

2 hours ago, Grimmie said:

You say that as if it's a bad thing.

I think betty boop got it! 😉

7 hours ago, betty boop said:

ps am a qobuz convert now too..with the eversolo it was always a bit iffy for me but with this new esoteric i cant believe how good it is !

With the new DAC are you going to try Tidal against Qobuz, or have you made up your mind?

24 minutes ago, Kaynin said:

With the new DAC are you going to try Tidal against Qobuz, or have you made up your mind?

its a very good point.. am using the esoteric app at present and it allows for both Qobuz and Tidal to operate integrated in... i have burnt off tidal in the past.. perhaps i should sign up again and give it another go :D

the esoteric app is ok... and getting used to qobuz still.. somehow ended up with 3 :D of same playlists.. when they imported into Qobuz ! ...will have to figure out what to do now in qobuz ! grrr... i havent tried Qobuz connect or anything ..might do that some time once figured that out :)

2 minutes ago, betty boop said:

its a very good point.. am using the esoteric app at present and it allows for both Qobuz and Tidal to operate integrated in... i have burnt off tidal in the past.. perhaps i should sign up again and give it another go :D

the esoteric app is ok... and getting used to qobuz still.. somehow ended up with 3 :D of same playlists.. when they imported into Qobuz ! ...will have to figure out what to do now in qobuz ! grrr... i havent tried Qobuz connect or anything ..might do that some time once figured that out :)

I've always found the streaming services in the device app navigation to be a PITA. It works, but it's never as intuitive as the actual apps for Tidal and Qobuz etc.

If you get the stream direct to your Esoteric and your idevice is simply the remote control, then I doubt you'd go wrong with either Qobuz or Tidal. With my DAC I can only Airplay Qobuz to it, and that's noticeably a degradation from Connect Tidal.

Maybe you should look at Roon Al...might be out of your budget though 🤣

Edited February 19Feb 19 by Kaynin

32 minutes ago, Kaynin said:

I've always found the streaming services in the device app navigation to be a PITA. It works, but it's never as intuitive as the actual apps for Tidal and Qobuz etc.

agree whole heartedly ... the while the esoteric sound stream app.. is inclusive of qobuz and tidal etc .. it lacks the polish of the stand alone qobuz app..

33 minutes ago, Kaynin said:

If you get the stream direct to your Esoteric and your idevice is simply the remote control, then I doubt you'd go wrong with either Qobuz or Tidal. With my DAC I can only Airplay Qobuz to it, and that's noticeably a degradation from Connect Tidal.

ha ive managed to turn out Qobuz connect to my esoteric streamer/dac via the qobuz app.. which theoretically should send the full strength signal across.. lets see :)

yeah i had tried airplay before and was just 44.1 no mater what source material on qobuz was and yeah its not same thing...

... i expect qobuz to be direct port through. though .. i can line up same song via the esoteric app and also qobuz connect so can do a quick comparison :) i'll check across a few reference songs :)

36 minutes ago, Kaynin said:

Maybe you should look at Roon Al...might be out of your budget though 🤣

hehe ! :D yep just finding more ways of cash going out :D

Edited February 19Feb 19 by betty boop

@Kaynin yep checked full strength coming through directly via Qobuz connect through to the esoteric it seems...

and means i can just use the Qobuz app directly .. just have the esoteric as what to connect to with the Qobuz app... and doesnt mean have to use the Esoteric app and can go Qobuz direct from its native app :) thanks for nudge to get that going .. SO much better !

Edited February 19Feb 19 by betty boop

23 minutes ago, betty boop said:

@Kaynin yep checked full strength coming through directly via Qobuz through to the esoteric it seems...

and means i can just use the Qobuz app directly .. just have the esoteric as what to connect to with the Qobuz app... and doesnt mean have to use the Esoteric app and can go Qobuz direct from its native app :) thanks for nudge to get that going .. SO much better !

That's perfect Al! The Esoteric are damn nice looking units too...

Calling for reinforcements :D

the location of the Esoteric was a temporary one.. i need move it across to shelf unit on the side and that needs some beefing up to take the esoteric and another HEFTY impending upgrade :D this shelf already has some reinforcement.. but we need take it up a level for beefy equipment it needs accommodate !

so a trip to my local aluminium centre ... for some trusty Qubelock.. they handily cut to size and very affordably can come up with some lightweight but very strong aluminium bracing can put together pretty easily...

which is quickly installed...with some mutterings, swearing and drips of sweat :D

thats also duplicated in bottom section....

and with all gear is back in the racks.. just as i want it ... Esoteric relocation.. phono power supply with a spot as with my headphone amp...

will note eversolo A8 is now off to the side .. "the bench" this little piggy is off to the market :D

and the shelf is now fully braced for IMPACT :D ETA late next week ! hehe - dont ask !

The things we do ... why do we do all this .. consumes time.. I am sure my wife looks on wondering what the heck ? and WHY ? :O more time wasting am sure she thinks... :D

Edited February 22Feb 22 by betty boop

20 minutes ago, betty boop said:

Calling for reinforcements :D

the location of the Esoteric was a temporary one.. i need move it across to shelf unit on the side and that needs some beefing up to take the esoteric and another HEFTY impending upgrade :D this shelf already has some reinforcement.. but we need take it up a level for beefy equipment it needs accommodate !

so a trip to my local aluminium centre ... for some trusty Qubelock.. they handily cut to size and very affordably can come up with some lightweight but very strong aluminium bracing can put together pretty easily...

which is quickly installed...with some mutterings, swearing and drips of sweat :D

thats also duplicated in bottom section....

and with all gear is back in the racks.. just as i want it ... Esoteric relocation.. phono power supply with a spot as with my headphone amp...

will note eversolo A8 is now off to the side .. "the bench" this little piggy is off to the market :D

and the shelf is now fully braced for IMPACT :D ETA late next week ! hehe - dont ask !

The things we do ... why do we do all this .. consumes time.. I am sure my wife looks on wondering what the heck ? and WHY ? :O more time wasting am sure she thinks... :D

Looks like home improvement chores to me Al , it's a valid productive outcome! 😉

11 minutes ago, evil c said:

Looks like home improvement chores to me Al , it's a valid productive outcome! 😉

yes visibly occupied for productive outcomes in the house hold :D could be getting upto all sorts of no good instead !

probably THE only aluminium space frame reinforced equipment cabinet in the suburb :D

Edited February 22Feb 22 by betty boop