Good stuff Lon and very excited for you, betcha can't wait Looking forward to your review when your all settled in with the new Pre..  

 Randy you have to eat and sleep remember , and also log in to give some updates once in awhile ..       Dave

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted lately.  It's due to a combination of things ..... I was recently assigned to a different building at my job and the work load has tripled. I don't know what Lon is going through at his job, but I can sympathize ..... because my situation has just about had me curled up under my desk in the fetal position a few times .....  :P   I will survive, but it will take some time to get up to speed and learn how to play the new "game".  When I get home at night, blissing out to some music is a lot more attractive than looking at another computer ..... even to check out the forum.  The other thing that has kept me busy is March Madness.  College hoops is the only sport I have any interest in these days ..... and I have been watching as many games as possible.  Tomorrow night will be the end of that for this year.

Despite the mental turmoil of work, I have been thoroughly enjoying what the CSP2 has done for my system.  There are still only about 100 hours on my CSP2, but the sound is without question better each day.  One of the most amazing things to me is how loud the system can play without clipping the Select.  I am listening at a higher volume than before ..... not nosebleed levels, but louder for sure ..... and the sound is much more realistic.  Before putting the CSP2 in the system, when I increased the volume past a certain point, the focus and coherency deteriorated.  With the CSP2, the opposite happens ..... the focus and coherency get noticeably better.  I do not understand why this happens ..... but I'm grateful .....  8-)

The CSP2 improves the dynamic capability of the system remarkably.  Small details and nuances in lead vocals "project" toward the listener while background instruments and vocals are much more detailed and easier to follow.  The lower registers of piano have a lot more weight and move more air.

I have experimented quite a bit over the past couple of weeks with different combinations of gear and can't see doing without the CSP2.  I'm sure it will sound like heresy ..... but, if I had to choose between the SO Imperials and the CSP2 ..... I would keep the CSP2.  It makes that much of an improvement in my system .....  :o

When things get better for Lon at work and he has some time to settle in with and burn in his new preamp, I have to believe that he will be one happy camper.

Anyone who owns a Decware power amplifier should seriously consider the purchase of one of these puppies .....  :)

Randy

CSP2 is in the house!

Either it came with a dead fuse, or it blew the fuse the instant I turned it on (I never saw even a flash!) but it's in place and running.

Sounds good.  I don't hear magic yet. . . but I bet I will.

I'll start a new thread of impressions in a day or two.

Lon wrote on 04/06/07 at 13:52:24:


Indeed .....  :)

My last post to the CSP to CSP2 Upgrade thread concluded with :

Steve made the comment to me a while back (about the original CSP) that I really had not heard the full potential of my system without it.  I honestly thought it was funny at the time.

I'm not laughing now .....  :-?

Seriously ..... if you don't have one, buy one.

You can thank me for the recommendation later .....  ;)

End of quote

Each and every time I fire the system up, it sounds better.  I'm not sure how much break-in time will be required before the CSP2 reaches its full potential ..... but "no brainer" is a term I would also use for this pre-amp.

I invited a friend over a couple of nights ago who has heard the system many times.  I sat him in "the chair" and fired off the second cut (Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most) on the Rickie Lee Jones CD "Pop Pop".  When the first bass note hit, he spun around in the chair and grinned like a 'possum.
In times past, the bass on this track was in the background instrument category.  It is now a major player ..... robust, tuneful and wonderfully detailed.
When I told him that the SO Imperials were not hooked up, he just shook his head .....  :)

Have I mentioned that I really like the CSP2 .....  8-)

Randy