Forums - Incredible Conduit to the Music

stone_of_tone

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Incredible Conduit to the Music
11/29/12 at 17:26:10

After 60 hours of break in, I moved the CKC into my Listening Room Reference System. I put my favorite tube compliment in; which consists of Svetlana SV83's, NOS Sovtek 6922 and 5U4GC. My reference rig drives the Super Zen Direct with remote control preamp out of the DAC.

With my reference Kimber Select 1030 and 3033 this Amp is truly an upgrade from my SE84CS which I have listened to for 11 years. The difference is a little more than subtle and Steve's claim that the CKC with Jupiter Caps is more Organic is spot on. I could not be more pleased.

Thank you to all at Decware. You have created an even more involving musical experience for me. Stone of Tone

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Brett

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Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #1 - 11/29/12 at 18:14:06

Thanks for the info. I've had my select for almost 9 years and a few years back upgraded the coupling caps to vcaps. So when Steve announced CKC with these beeswax jupiter caps I started looking into them. I like the solid silver leads and cryo treatment.

Parts connexion has flat stack jupiter caps at $65.00 for 1uf cap. A 1uf value will work as a coupling cap for just about anything.

.1uf vcap is about $62.00 each, but if you need a .47uf like I do in my dac, a vcap will then cost $158 each. So I am rooting for this jupiter cap. If it really bests a v-cap, then there could be a considerable savings for projects where larger values are needed.

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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23500	Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music Reply #2 - 11/29/12 at 18:18:05 Stone, I sure am happy you're so happy! Thanks for sharing your impressions.
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stone_of_tone

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Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #3 - 11/30/12 at 15:31:13

Hi Lon, I am really enjoying my new Pro-Ject Carbon too, on my other rig with my Polk SDA SRS 1.2's. I know you are really enjoying your vinyl too as you have mentioned.
My girlfriend and my kids when they visit love my he-man rig with the vinyl spinning and CD, DVD and Sat. Radio. However, I do want to put a Turntable in my Listening Room. Solid State is not the Select (CS) or my new CKC!
Yes, the new SuperZen is just plain more relaxed; is the way I would describe it. So, all the tone & timbre is even more there with an even bigger soundstage.

Brett, do let us know back here with your DAC and/or Select if the Jupiter's beat the Vcaps?!

Cheers, Stone of Tone

PS-Steve just put a funny pic and caption of their Cat on the Home Amp Page....cute.

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Room Treats-M.Green & mine
Sony TPort
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Kimber Select KS6063
Acoustic Zen Adagio/Modified
Kimber PK10 Palladian from wall
to PS Audio P3

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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23500	Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music Reply #4 - 11/30/12 at 19:49:46 Stone, if you do add a turntable to the system, I know you'll consider a ZP3, it's such an amazing component. There are lots of choices for a phono preamp, but I think this one is a real bang for buck performer.
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stone_of_tone Seasoned Member Listen Often/Listen Deep Posts: 3217	Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music Reply #5 - 12/04/12 at 21:30:06 Yes, the ZP3 will be at the top of the list. The SUPERZEN CKC continues to blow my mind! I am listening to Praful One Day Deep in its entirety and it is giving up a whole other layer of the music over the SE84CS (and that is saying something). You could not wipe the smile off my face...... . Cheers, Stone
Back to top	Room Treats-M.Green & mine Sony TPort Illuminati D60 Shunyata Z-Alpha DigPcord Decware ZDSD DAC Kimber Select KS1030 XLOProPcord Decware ZMA/25th Mods Kimber Select KS6063 Acoustic Zen Adagio/Modified Kimber PK10 Palladian from wall to PS Audio P3 IP Logged

ZENCDUSER Senior Member Posts: 83	Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music Reply #6 - 12/04/12 at 23:41:33 Stone, Are you using the SuperZen with the the Polk LS90?
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stone_of_tone

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Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #7 - 12/05/12 at 05:45:23

Yes I am. Or I did, I should say for many years. Just last September 2011, I started using a pair of Vintage Polk SDA 1 from the mid/late 1980's. I use these without the Stereo Dimensional Array function hooked up. So I use them in Stereo of course.

The LS90's and the SDA 1's have a simple enough crossover and sensitivity that the 4 to 8 ohm Zen Select (CS & CKC) can drive them at 76 to 84db SPL with great success! I own 9 pair of Speakers and have owned others now sold that do not play well with the CS or CKC.... . However, these two pair are magic.

Full range Drivers are wonderful and I have been to Decfest in 2005 and 2008 and much enjoyed them. However, I like to exploit Steve's Zens with the Original SV83 Svetlana Tube compliment and my reference cable....Kimber Select 1030 & 3033 run directly out of my Audio Alchemy Pro 32 with AA 3.0 DAC.

The tonal balance, clean extended treble and accurate bass is to die for. Not to mention, but I will-soundstage and imaging destroys Solid State. Lit from within with tone & timbre is an understatement. I chose the moniker Stone of Tone because of this/these great Amps!

Cheers, Stone of Tone
PS-Stone of Tone comes from the late great Harvey "Gizmo" Rosenberg whom I miss his prose dearly.

Harvey said:
"Musical consciousness, less than one hundred years ago, decided to use male DNA, to get higher, and wider. So this force hooked up with electricity, and created the vacuum tube, and the rest is history. Every audio artisan can trace his roots back to the Triode Big Bang in 1907.

This is how musical consciousness evolves its intention through human DNA: it chooses a very small group to do its relentless escalation work…by endowing this chosen group with nano-harmonic musical consciousness…while billions of others, and, most in the audio industry, are completely clueless about this genetic impulse to ponder the nano-level of existence. How can I be so certain that this is how the process works: if you feel it, you express it. If you don't feel it, you are passive. That is the bottom line".

http://www.meta-gizmo.net/

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Room Treats-M.Green & mine
Sony TPort
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Shunyata Z-Alpha DigPcord
Decware ZDSD DAC
Kimber Select KS1030
XLOProPcord
Decware ZMA/25th Mods
Kimber Select KS6063
Acoustic Zen Adagio/Modified
Kimber PK10 Palladian from wall
to PS Audio P3

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stone_of_tone Seasoned Member Listen Often/Listen Deep Posts: 3217	Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music Reply #8 - 01/10/13 at 18:11:06 My SuperZen CKC continues to best my SE84CS. I am one happy camper! I use my CS in my bedroom system now, with my Zen Styx and it is singing well. I have a pair of Zu Unions coming in a couple of weeks! I now have a little bigger Listening Room....so I look forward to the CKC with the Unions. -Stone
Back to top	Room Treats-M.Green & mine Sony TPort Illuminati D60 Shunyata Z-Alpha DigPcord Decware ZDSD DAC Kimber Select KS1030 XLOProPcord Decware ZMA/25th Mods Kimber Select KS6063 Acoustic Zen Adagio/Modified Kimber PK10 Palladian from wall to PS Audio P3 IP Logged

stone_of_tone

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Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #9 - 02/28/13 at 18:04:53

SuperZen CKC continues to burn in with extreme musicality. The Zu Union is not for me...a little to Hot in the 7k to 12k region for my tastes.

System:
Ipad2 with Apple LossLess/CD Error correction>Cambridge Audio iD100 Docking Station >Illuminati D-60/BNC>Audio Alchemy DTI-Pro32>Prophecy Cryo-Silver Reference i2s>Audio Alchemy DDE 3.0 w/remote wand>Kimber Select 1030>Decware SuperZen CKC Amp>Kimber Select 3033> Polk LS 90....Room Acoustically treated/Dedicated Room & Adcom ACE-515 AC Enhancer // Herbie's Halo's on all Tubes & 2.5lb Mapleshade Brass weight on top of CKC Transformer // XLO Pro Power Cord to SuperZen

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Room Treats-M.Green & mine
Sony TPort
Illuminati D60
Shunyata Z-Alpha DigPcord
Decware ZDSD DAC
Kimber Select KS1030
XLOProPcord
Decware ZMA/25th Mods
Kimber Select KS6063
Acoustic Zen Adagio/Modified
Kimber PK10 Palladian from wall
to PS Audio P3

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DBC

Seasoned Member

Posts: 423

Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #10 - 02/28/13 at 19:40:06

Stone,

Sorry to hear the Unions did not work out.

Aside from being too Hot as you describe, Did the Union provide plenty of Volume with the CKC (2 watts) ??

How was the bass quality versus bass output level with this combo? I ask because my Klipsch RF-7's (similar speaker efficiency) have quality bass output with the CKC but not enough bass volume on their own to be engaging on all music.

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Main System: Oppo BDP-105D, SE84UFO amp, Omega Super Alnico Monitors, Twin Custom SLAB 15's (Low Frequency Open Baffle).
Room #2: Oppo BDP-83SE, SE84CS amp, Omega Super 3i Monitors, Twin Custom SLAB 12's (Low Frequency Open Baffle).

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Rivieraranch Seasoned Member Posts: 2126	Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music Reply #11 - 02/28/13 at 23:20:51 I would call that a non-union [as in fracture].
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stone_of_tone

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Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #12 - 03/01/13 at 16:08:18

DBC-Yes, @ 99db SPL at 1 watt/1 meter it gets plenty loud. As you know you have the 101db Klipsch.

However, louder does not mean more musical. As you can read below I have a Reference Rig in my Great Room. It does very well; and lets just say it can play at concert levels is an understatement. I assure you this System with the Polk SDA SRS 1.2's is not set up to fail against the Listening Room System....but it does when it comes to 2 channel utter musicality with the Super Zen CKC and my associated equipment/Cables.

My Listening Room System at 74db to 82db SPL has shear Gestalt. You don't need High Efficiency to get Gestalt. I just finally proved that to myself by bringing in the Unions....with every intention of keeping them-but they need not apply for the job anymore.
-Stone

Listening Room System (12 x 14 room):

Ipad2 with Apple LossLess/CD Error correction>Cambridge Audio iD100 Docking Station >Illuminati D-60/BNC>Audio Alchemy DTI-Pro32>Prophecy Cryo-Silver Reference i2s>Audio Alchemy DDE 3.0 w/remote wand>Kimber Select 1030>Decware SuperZen CKC Amp>Kimber Select 3033> Polk LS 90....Room Acoustically treated/Dedicated Room & Adcom ACE-515 AC Enhancer // Herbie's Halo's on all Tubes & 2.5lb Mapleshade Brass weight on top of CKC Transformer // XLO Pro Power Cord to SuperZen

Home Theater, Two Channel CD, Vinyl & Serius Sat via DishNetwork:

Panasonic BluRay>Kimber Hero IC>Rotel RA-1062/Pre-Amp>Kimber Timbre IC>Emotiva XPA-2/(300 watts per CH into 8 ohms)>Kimber 8TC Speaker Cable>Polk SDA SRS 1.2/(use SDA always)>Kimber PK10 Palladian Power Cord to Emotiva XPA-2

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=KKPK10PAL
....bought this Power Cord from David Weinhart of Weinhart Design (for $640.00 delivered)...super cool guy and he sells some great used stuff he takes in on trade and will ship it anywhere....this PCord transforms the Emotiva XPA-2 into something very special.....without? - it is just another Solid State behemoth Amp...

http://www.lasareath.com/
I paid $1250 for my SRS SDA 1.2's for a steal.....SDA needs to be heard to understand it...

Dish Network/HD DVR with Kimber KCAG IC to Rotel RA-1062/Pre-Amp.....
Sharp 46' Aquos Quattron HDTV/extra thread of Yellow (2nd only to the Pioneer Kuro)

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (Red Plinth) to Pro-Ject Phono Box II with Audio Quest Diamondback IC to Rotel RA-1062/Pre-Amp.....

Velodyne Subwoofer wired with Kimber 8TC out of Emotiva XPA-2
(Soon to be replaced by: http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-15h.html

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Room Treats-M.Green & mine
Sony TPort
Illuminati D60
Shunyata Z-Alpha DigPcord
Decware ZDSD DAC
Kimber Select KS1030
XLOProPcord
Decware ZMA/25th Mods
Kimber Select KS6063
Acoustic Zen Adagio/Modified
Kimber PK10 Palladian from wall
to PS Audio P3

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DBC

Seasoned Member

Posts: 423

Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #13 - 03/01/13 at 17:17:34

Stone,

Thanks for the input. Sounds like Zu does an honest job of rating their speaker sensitivity which is what I was wanting to know.

Before I ordered my CKC I was considering a pair of Zu's instead. The CKC brought my Klipsch RF-7's up to a level that I really did not think they were capable of. So I think I will stay with what I have for now.

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Main System: Oppo BDP-105D, SE84UFO amp, Omega Super Alnico Monitors, Twin Custom SLAB 15's (Low Frequency Open Baffle).
Room #2: Oppo BDP-83SE, SE84CS amp, Omega Super 3i Monitors, Twin Custom SLAB 12's (Low Frequency Open Baffle).

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stone_of_tone

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Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #14 - 03/01/13 at 21:50:41

They are true to their rating of 99 for sure. Very good Speakers, even though not to my liking in the crucial presence region. I had them out in the other room with my Vinyl and it was pretty damn good. You are in very good shape indeed with your Reference Klipsch IMHO.

Cheers and have a great Music weekend! -Stone

PS-I'm not Lasareath. He is a cool dude out East that loves is 1.2's he refurbed and upgraded/TL'd.

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Room Treats-M.Green & mine
Sony TPort
Illuminati D60
Shunyata Z-Alpha DigPcord
Decware ZDSD DAC
Kimber Select KS1030
XLOProPcord
Decware ZMA/25th Mods
Kimber Select KS6063
Acoustic Zen Adagio/Modified
Kimber PK10 Palladian from wall
to PS Audio P3

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hifitubes

Seasoned Member

Posts: 296

Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #15 - 03/07/13 at 15:25:43

Sorry to hear the Zu Union didn't work out. I was considering trying them next to my Hoyt Bedford 1.5 driver. I have the Rachel EL34; I wonder how they would compare.

The FR looks pretty good on these and I am tempted to try them.

I'll be finishing our room treatments here and adding some room correction too. Maybe I'll go for it!

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Listening to...

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beowulf

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Posts: 1447

Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #16 - 03/08/13 at 09:36:06

Quote:

Stone,
I started using a pair of Vintage Polk SDA 1 from the mid/late 1980's. I use these without the Stereo Dimensional Array function hooked up. So I use them in Stereo of course.

Hi Stone,

I've never heard of the SDA 1 speakers before. What exactly does the SDA function do and why leave out the namesake function of this speaker? It seems that if you were going to buy a pair of this particular speaker you would get them for that SDA function, but have you found they are better in 2 channel mode?

Is it some type of 3rd channel thing like a trinaural processor, etc.?

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stone_of_tone Seasoned Member Listen Often/Listen Deep Posts: 3217	Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music Reply #17 - 03/14/13 at 05:14:27 Hifitubes, YMMV with the Zu's. My experience with them at Zu was awesome and I will consider something from them in the future. They do not have a restocking fee and you do not pay a return freight charge. You do pay freight of course, having them shipped to you. Very fair deal.....to audition at home. -Stone
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stone_of_tone

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Re: Incredible Conduit to the Music
Reply #18 - 03/14/13 at 05:25:36

Beowulf,

http://www.polksda.com/srsreview.shtml

I own this pair of SRS SDA 1.2's and use the SDA function all the time for: Sirius Sat Radio via DishNetwork, DVD, BluRay, CD, TV & Vinyl. This review explains the function. Picture two 6'1", 180 pounds per Speaker Sound Bars (if you will) with Awesome Scale to the Music!

http://www.polksda.com/pdfs/1985Sales.pdf

My SDA 1's sound so good in Stereo with my SE84CS....I am not compelled to use it...(the SDA function) . Plus, I bought both pairs of these Speakers at such a steal...it borders on criminal. -Stone

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Room Treats-M.Green & mine
Sony TPort
Illuminati D60
Shunyata Z-Alpha DigPcord
Decware ZDSD DAC
Kimber Select KS1030
XLOProPcord
Decware ZMA/25th Mods
Kimber Select KS6063
Acoustic Zen Adagio/Modified
Kimber PK10 Palladian from wall
to PS Audio P3

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