Gentle reader,
Firstly, thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to read my blog. It is SO wonderful to have readers that GET me!
Yes, I know that just two days ago, I completely redid the stereo system. But, in my defense, I did intimate that I would probably make some more changes in the future. I just didn't think it would be this soon. Either.
Plus, with all the work I'm doing fixing the house up. Well, you know me, being slightly OCD, I couldn't stand to have something not working. I mean, I TOLD you I discovered the left channel of the Dynaco PAT-5's phono section suddenly stopped working. I also told you my work around.
Well, it wasn't right to have this fifty year old once state-of-the-art preamplifier sitting there just being used as a speaker selector.
Here's the real issue, ever since I put the LUXMAN PD264 turntable on that wall shelf, and mounted the solo Dynaco A25 speaker beneath it, that .5 system was suffering from serious acoustic feedback. I couldn't play records very loud.
So, it occurred to me, "Duh, the turntable AND speaker shelf are screwed to the same stud!" I thought that was the problem. So, I took the folding shelf and the speaker shelf off the wall, and as you can see, moved the LUXMAN to the components shelf.
Well, you won't believe it, there is STILL feedback! I thought about it some more, and concluded that since the all-in-one PROTON AI-3000 II has NO infrasonic (rumble) filter, that MUST be the problem. See, the PAT-5 preamp has one and the PROTON 1100 preamp has one, but the PROTON D540 integrated amp does not either. So, I plugged the LUXMAN turntable into the D540 and tried it. No feedback. "A-HA!". OR so I thought.
Not so fast. The problem was NOT solved. You see, I plugged the LUXMAN turntable BACK into the "3000" and tried it again. Feedback was still there. Then I looked at the tone controls. I tried reducing the bass level. Feedback went away, until I started adding back bass.
And yes, I did add sorbothane feet to the turntable. Made not one whit of a difference! SO, I concluded that the PD264 is PRONE to acoustic feedback. Unless there is a rumble filter.
So, anyway, how does it look? Yes, you are right, MUCH better. No longer overcrowded, like when it was 2.5 stereos on one rack. And yes, there is a certain symmetry to it as well. Yes, there is more "air" around it too. Space between the rack and the speakers. Thanks for saying so. I feel better. Oh, you want to know what were the changes I made?
First off, did you notice that I once again have two Adcom ACE-515 power conditioners? Yes, I did sell the second one, but that was years ago. You still remember that? Sheesh! I did buy a second one. Blah, blah, blah. ANYway, above is the stack of components that I have reintroduced.
They are: Bottom to top, just to be different, the aforementioned ACE-515, actually that one is the one I've had for years. As I mentioned last time. I really want to be able to record CDs, so added the TDK recorder back in. The OPPO universal player sits upon it as the ONLY digital source for the second, (yes, I still have TWO systems!) stereo. Above that is the PROTON D540 I mentioned. The Denon turntable is connected to it as is the JVC cassette deck. What JVC? See below.
Above, is the right stack. The new-to-me ACE-515 supplies this stack's clean AC power. The PROTON AI-3000 II that I am still excited about and very pleased with the sound. Above that is the JVC cassette deck that is hooked to the LEFT stack, since the "3000" has it's own, built in. The LUXMAN turntable is attached to the "3000". I just have to remember to turn down the bass when using it!
Above is the left channel's speakers. The Klipsch KG4s are driven by the 3000, the Dynaco A25XLs are driven by the D540.
Above is the right channel's speakers. And yes, that fan IS new as is a FEMALE Japanese Samurai "action figure". Not shown, obviously. More on those in a future post. I cleaned a lot of the dirt off this A25XL's woofer, but it is still somewhat dirty.
One other thing: I have moved the speaker switch to the top shelf, between the turntables. the D540 supplies it. I replaced the grey (or is it gray?) Monster Cable M-Series short cables with the better (and longer) Monster Cable Z-Series cables. Doing so reminded me what is annoying about the PROTON D540: the non-banana speaker terminals. Oh, they LOOK like they accept bananas. Don't let them fool you. They do not. So, I carefully stripped the Z-cables and equally carefully pried apart the two sizes of copper wiring so that I could snip off the "flux tube" inside each. Then I inserted them into to bare-wires-only holes and tightened them within a millimeter of their lives.
So here is what's leftover. My four former-Minimus speakers, my solo Dynaco A25 ( I KNOW what you're thinking, "What about having a 'mono only' system?") the SWTPC stereo power amplifier, the crippled Dynaco PAT-5 preamplifier, The PROTON 1100 preamplifier, the Nakamichi CD changer (love it!) the OTHER "3000" with the non-functioning CD player, the Panor-era Dynaco ST-200 power amplifier and the 12" subwoofer.
So, did you figure it out yet? C'mon, I've given you all kinds of clues! Give up? For the first time in YEARS, I am not using a separate preamp and power amp. PLUS, NO Dynaco components (except the speakers, they don't count) either! What has become of me? If Amy Farah-Fowler were real, she might be considering taking out my brain and examining it. I suspect my wife has thought the same thing. Which is why I no longer mention the changes I've made to the stereo system.
Thanks for looking,
Scott
