KISS theory, The KISS theory it's just it, theory…

Because my eldest son needs more power than the Super-T can give, we've made a trade. I'd give him the Cyrus 3i and he gave me the Super-T (that I had given him at his birthday). At first glance you might think that i might loose something with this trade, sound wise I mean.
Wrong.

The Super T, like most of us well knows it's in fact a little great amp. The lack on the low end freqs can be compensating with incredible detail, accuracy and depth. Even though, I was not satisfied…
I opened it up and made a few mods. I'd recap the three lytic caps with Rubycon and solder other wires – Qed – from the board to speaker outputs.
The result:
- This little digital amp with these simple changes can deliver now more low freqs. smooth detail and better 3D sound image.

Meanwhile, I'd fixed my old Philips CDR775 a budget cdp from the 90's – with the CDM4 transport mechanism similar to Philips cdp 753 ( others much more expensive cdp's also uses the same Philips CDM4 plastic mechanism….)
Well, I'd fix only the player section – it is also an audio cd recorder - and connected it to Super –T.
I was simple stunned.
The Philips CDR755 sounds much better than my Nad C521BEE cdp…
It doesn't mean the CDR775 is a better cdp than the C521. Of course it isn't. It only means – and that's a fact -that in my system the Philips sounds better than the Nad.
Loads of detail in the mids and high freqs with only a little grain in the upper highs. If you guys have a budget Philips or Marantz 4000 or 5000, you know what I'm talking about – after all a Marantz is just an expensive Philips.

Nevertheless, not content with this little grain on the upper highs, I've made some radical changes.
So, here's the long journey of the audio signal, from the source to the speakers.
From the Philips 755 digital output to Audio Alchemy V.1, than to X-10 Musical Fidelity, than to Behringer Ultrafex Pro, than to Yaqin(B-283), than to Super-T and than to B&W CDM1 SE Speakers...

Power cables from Supra lo-rad, interconnects from Qed and Supra and speaker wires from Qed silver anniversary.

In resume the signal comes from a good transport to a good DAC than through 4 great valves – X-10 and B-283 – than through Behringer (low-end bass enhancer), and at last through a digital amp and ends up in a set of speakers that loves accuracy and detail.

This seems a little crazy, but in fact these are for now my main system.
Why?
Simply because it sounds very good. I wish you guys could listen to this incredible little sound system….
Of course I've not that kind of output power you American guys traditionally like to have in your audio systems…but, as you surely know, power isn't everything in audio.

Sometimes the KISS theory it's just it, theory…

This post has been edited by clint e. on January 11, 2008 04:45 pm

So, does that mean you are willing to sell me your Wharfedale Airedales?

On a more serious note, I also own a Philips CDR machine, in this case the then TOTL model 880 and it sounds great, at least as good as my Sony SACD 770, if not better.

Concerning your question, the answer is ........................................YES.

About Philips cdp's, they are in fact ugly machines, but boy they sound great.

BTW, i bought very cheap, a NAD 5425 an old cdp, with a busted laser... it has a Sony mechs and the laser is a KSS210A - not bad at all . I will replace it maby next week, then i put some pics.

This post has been edited by clint e. on January 11, 2008 04:21 pm

i've always thought the T and Super-T were very good amps. like any other component, they need to be utilized properly.

Adding to that when Scott has his at my house we thought it sounded very good but lacking on the bottom. We ran it through a preamp and liked it more. Sounded fuller and added missing bottom end.

i especially liked it with your Pioneer S-1010 speakers, an impressive combo.

If it has the power to drive that set of Pioneers - btw, awesome speakers - try to imagine with the B&W's bookshelf CDM1 SE..........



This post has been edited by clint e. on January 12, 2008 10:12 am