Forums - RACHAEL

SonicSeeker

Seasoned Member

Listening to the
music not the
equipment

Posts: 419

RACHAEL
01/09/16 at 19:11:29

Well let me start by saying I am brand new here.
I just ordered a Rachael.
I have all solid state right now (Emotiva products XMC-1,XPR-5,XPS-1) an OPPO-95, SOTO Star Sapphire with ortofon 2m-black and Tekton Pendragon speakers.
I am going to try some tubes for my 2-channel and see if I can find the space and realism I find I am still missing with my current setup.
My system does double duty (home theater, and 2-channel) so I will probably run an extra set of speaker wires for now and hook according. This is getting long so to the point I would like some feedback on the Rachael and if anyone happens to have any first hand knowledge using one with the Pendragons that would be great also. Thank you.

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Tommy Freefall Seasoned Member Posts: 400	Re: RACHAEL Reply #1 - 01/09/16 at 23:16:42 Sonic, are your plans to dedicate the Rachel to 2-channel, and to keep and use the Emotiva SS for your HT usage?
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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #2 - 01/09/16 at 23:30:32 Yes
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hdrider

Seasoned Member

On the path with
Decware.

Posts: 695

Re: RACHAEL
Reply #3 - 01/11/16 at 00:06:37

Sonic - As an owner of a Rachael, ZP3 I can tell you that you are going to be in for a very different sonic experience when you get your unit and it's broken in. We have had our Rachael/Omega speaker combo for a while now and are so content with our music/video system. In fact last Friday after work, we usually just get our dinner going and sit a watch tv to unwind. I started playing records, played them through dinner and around 10:30pm we both looked at each other and decided it was time for bed. Totally immersed in the beauty of the music. Keep us posted when you get the amp. Happy listening, Chris.

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CSP3, Rachael, ZP3, ZMC 1, Sony ES Bluray, Schitt Bitfrost DAC,Sota Star TT w/ FR-64, Hana SL Low Output Moving coil, Omega 7XRS Mk 2 walnut, DeepOmega 8 sub, Morrow Audio PH3 and MA3 IC's, Gamma Electrostatic phones.

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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #4 - 01/11/16 at 23:40:50 Thank you for your comments. I am very anxious to here this for my self and I will let you know my thoughts.
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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #5 - 01/14/16 at 22:29:51 Anyone else?
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DPC Ex Member	Re: RACHAEL Reply #6 - 01/14/16 at 23:44:14 Well yes, there have been a few different Decware amps and some other brands in residence here. The Rachael is the last amp I wish to own! Does it best any of the others? Not a fair question! This jewel fits my needs perfectly! Dennis
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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #7 - 01/15/16 at 01:27:25 Excellent. Thank you.
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hdrider Seasoned Member On the path with Decware. Posts: 695	Re: RACHAEL Reply #8 - 02/16/16 at 20:04:18 Sonicseeker_ What's the status on your Rachael? Did you get it and have been so buried in musical bliss that you forgot to post? Happy listening, Chris.
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4krow

Seasoned Member

IMAGINE WHIRLLED
PEAS

Posts: 1607

Re: RACHAEL
Reply #9 - 02/22/16 at 23:59:10

SonicSeeker.

I have been stricken with the results of the Rachel. I own a set of Decware ZOB speakers, and have an Emotiva CD player. I cannot imagine how it must sound through something such as the SOTA TT. The closest that I can get is through an SACD player by Yamaha, and IF the recording is up to snuff, it blows my mind. So then, with your setup, you will find Such a difference with tubes that are accurate, yet seductive. I just can't say more except that I miss my VPI Scout TT just for that reason...how far can we go?

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Decware 34I.3 integrated amp/Forte' 3 bass amp/Velodyne SMS-1 bass mngmnt system/Decware ZOB speakers/Audio Nirvana 8" bass drivers/Xiang Seng DAC/ LR Audio Computer/Rega Apollo R CDP/Emotiva ERC3 CDP/BPT 3.0 power cond.

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SonicSeeker

Seasoned Member

Listening to the
music not the
equipment

Posts: 419

Re: RACHAEL
Reply #10 - 04/12/16 at 17:53:18

Finally received the Rachael last week.
The sound is amazing so far.
I have about 20 hours on it .
I have found some of my cd's need a volume close to clipping to get the full impact and some are short of it at that volume.
Others don't need the volume though.
These are ones I am used to hearing on my other amp so I know the difference.
I am just starting to spin some vinyl now and so far really good.
I don't know if I just need to give it more time and it will improve (as has been stated by many) or what.
I replaced the 6n1p with the 6n2p and it gave a little more dynamics I will switch back probably after a while to see if that is the case and see which one works better.
I am not sure if maybe the torii might have been a better choice but the sound is quite good right now on most of my listening. I have been playing mostly cd's just to make it easier to put more time on the amp.
I also may get some results from some better interconnects,
but don't want to spend the money there yet.

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Rraymond

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Posts: 210

Re: RACHAEL
Reply #11 - 04/12/16 at 18:25:53

Sonic seeker,
I am also new here and have had my Tori Jr for a few weeks now. I probably have about 50 hours of breakin but am also breaking in ERRx radial speakers from Decware. This is my first tube amp and it's finally starting to open up. Keep running yours and I'm sure you'll be seeing even more out of it in time. Congrats and happy listening!
Rick

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Audion Silver Night Special Edition 300b integrated, Zu Soul Superfly speakers, Acoustic Solid TT with Denon 103 MC cart, PS Audio NuWave phono, Zu Event MKII speaker cables with BU3 connectors.

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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #12 - 04/12/16 at 19:49:15 Thanks Rraymond
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hdrider

Seasoned Member

On the path with
Decware.

Posts: 695

Re: RACHAEL
Reply #13 - 04/12/16 at 21:32:07

Sonic & Rraymond- I have to re-iterate the break in. I did the 5 hrs on/5 hrs off for the first two day and then streamed Pandora when we were at work. Did that for about two weeks and it was a hole new kettle o'fish come that second weekend of listening. I had to kick my neighbor out of the house last Saturday at 2 am (actually Sunday) after listing to record after record. He finally got it (the whole Decware/Omega/Vinyl) thing. Give it time, just use the gear as much as possible and in a few weeks you will have a musical zen moment. Happy listening, Chris.

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CSP3, Rachael, ZP3, ZMC 1, Sony ES Bluray, Schitt Bitfrost DAC,Sota Star TT w/ FR-64, Hana SL Low Output Moving coil, Omega 7XRS Mk 2 walnut, DeepOmega 8 sub, Morrow Audio PH3 and MA3 IC's, Gamma Electrostatic phones.

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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #14 - 04/12/16 at 21:53:10 "Sounds" like good "sound" advice. I will put some more hours on it, lucky for me I work 4 tens and two of my three days off are during the week so no one home but me for 8 hours a day. Thank you for the encouraging words Chris
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Lin Ex Member	Re: RACHAEL Reply #15 - 04/12/16 at 22:05:39 I use a CD player (2v) and every Decware amp I have owned needed a preamp to reach full output with some of the recordings.
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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #16 - 04/12/16 at 22:08:11 What type did you use.
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Lin Ex Member	Re: RACHAEL Reply #17 - 04/12/16 at 22:10:33 Not sure what you mean.
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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #18 - 04/12/16 at 22:20:05 Sorry I was wondering type of pre you had with the decware amps
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Lin Ex Member	Re: RACHAEL Reply #19 - 04/12/16 at 22:26:17 Tube, a few different brands including a CSP2.
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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #20 - 04/12/16 at 22:29:33 Got it thanks
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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #21 - 04/26/16 at 21:36:39 Anyone have any experience with these tubes EL34 Wing =C= SED Cryo Matched Pair in the Rachael? Just ordered a pair.
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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23514	Re: RACHAEL Reply #22 - 04/26/16 at 22:17:08 I've used non-cryo'd pairs in an earlier Integrated I had. Very nice.
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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #23 - 04/26/16 at 22:37:27 replacing some tung sol EL34b's. Think I will here a difference?
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Lon

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"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23514

Re: RACHAEL
Reply #24 - 04/27/16 at 00:17:53

Okay, you're asking a lot of a sixty year old memory! But. . .yes I think you'll hear the difference unless you are using coat hangers for interconnects and speaker cables. Wink

(I assume you mean the new reissue Tung-Sols?)

I found Tung-Sols to have a sort of upper mid/lower treble presence that the Winged Cs didn't exhibit in my then system and wasn't really that welcome. My then system had isolation transformers that I found were both helping and hurting the sound in my system, and my use of both the Tung-Sols and the Winged Cs date from that time period, so I can't tell you how they would sound in a better electrically-regulated system, but. . . I think you'll hear differences between them.

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HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

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SonicSeeker Seasoned Member Listening to the music not the equipment Posts: 419	Re: RACHAEL Reply #25 - 04/27/16 at 02:48:34 Thanks Lon
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