Forums - Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers...

Sean

Seasoned Member

Posts: 288

Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers...
12/04/23 at 21:03:42

Three stooges? I received a CSP2+ yesterday from a great member here, he can chime in or remain private. The CSP is making friends with UFO and ZP3 quite nicely. Visually, it's an odd trio but when the lights go out no one will care they don't "match". Gain riding should come with a bib...for the DROOL. Decware drool happens bibs, coming soon? More to come as I learn the knobs and get it dialed in.

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Technics 1210G, AT OC9III, Cinemag 1254 SUT, ZP3, CSP2+, SE84UFO, Tekton Pendragon

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Kamran Seasoned Member Posts: 949	Re: Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers... Reply #1 - 12/04/23 at 23:47:21 Great trio-Love it! Agreed on drool bibs!
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Bilyeaux Seasoned Member Posts: 149	Re: Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers... Reply #2 - 12/05/23 at 01:52:21 In total agreement that has to sound awesome! Love the tube tray down there! Cheers!
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Dominick Seasoned Member Still like that old time Rock and Roll!! Posts: 1165	Re: Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers... Reply #3 - 12/05/23 at 02:48:50 Sean love the setup!! I’m partial to the white top Decware components myself. I own a pair of fully modified white SE84C+ Zen amps that I call the Zen sisters. I have the matching CSP2+ preamp to boot. I’m sure it sounds amazing! Congrats again. Dom
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Kamran Seasoned Member Posts: 949	Re: Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers... Reply #4 - 12/05/23 at 03:09:05 Oh I missed the tube tray! I have a beautiful walnut tube holder (for 6SN7 tube types) that I don’t use any longer. This just reminded me that I should sell it so it can be proudly displayed in another loving home.
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Tony Seasoned Member "Life without ..music is inconceivable" A.Einsteln Posts: 627	Re: Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers... Reply #5 - 12/05/23 at 06:00:16 Hi Sean, I saw the picture first without noticing that it was your setup, and thought that looks like the CSP 2+ that I just sold to...... And, it looks great, fits right in with it's new partners. Enjoy the music! Tony
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Sean

Seasoned Member

Posts: 288

Re: Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers...
Reply #6 - 12/07/23 at 21:56:03

The tube tray was a sort of scrap bin challenge at the time. Nothing more than a 2x4 and an old piece of a staircase. Everything fit back then, now...not so much. I have an idea for one, perhaps after the new year. Seems the image uploading service is down at the moment, I'll upload a better pic sometime soon.

Thanks again to Tony, he was great to work with!

A moment about gain riding...I really had the concept all wrong! I kept thinking I don't need louder so adding gain isn't for me. Even more so with high efficiency speakers. I've been running a vinyl rig for years with just a phono pre straight to an amp. I always thought the less connections between the needle and the speakers, the better. Well you definitely can do it that way. But... you really need to try a pre in the mix.

I can't really add anything new to the pre amp discussion, I can only confirm what others have said..."more meat on the bones", "more heft", "no way I could think of not using a pre", etc. The biggest change it's made here is depth. There's no front wall anymore, the music comes at me in waves but never really screams in my face. Soundstage width is larger. Multiple times I've thought someone was coming down the basement steps only to not see anyone, it's going cramp my neck until I get used to that. The steps are to my right and land about a foot behind my head so the sound is all around the room. I can now get a membership card to hearing things behind my head. The music is thicker, but not muddy or cramped...we used to call it PHAT years ago.

I've played Echoes (both PF and rod gab) multiple times the past couple of nights. It's interactive and immersive and a boatload of FUN!

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Sean Seasoned Member Posts: 288	Re: Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers... Reply #7 - 12/08/23 at 00:14:05
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Kamran Seasoned Member Posts: 949	Re: Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers... Reply #8 - 12/08/23 at 02:12:51 Thx for sharing your experience—so exciting!!I was nodding my head at every word, especially the ‘hearing someone coming down the basement steps’ part! Love the tube tray!
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Sean

Seasoned Member

Posts: 288

Re: Three amigos, three kings, three musketeers...
Reply #9 - 12/19/23 at 19:01:33

Thanks Kamran. After the new year I plan to build a new and improved version to house all the extra tubes I've accumulated and some room for expansion.

I've been tickled pink with the new CSP2+. About a week ago, something just wasn't right. I was getting a crazy distortion on low notes. With the idea that Decware items really show weaknesses I did a deep dive on the turntable setup again. I suspected something with my stylus wasn't right, turned out one of my DIY RCA cables had a loose solder connection. This must have happened while I was setting things up and moving things around. Took less time to fix than the warming up the gun. It's been singing nicely since. I'm getting a grasp on all the new to me knobs, next will be rolling tubes.

Few nights ago I put this on

This was among four boxes of records my Aunt gave me. I'm not a big classical guy, but Mehta is a familiar name. I've been on a casual hunt to find his take on The Planets for a few years. Anyhow, my past experience with classical is the albums i have mostly sound like crap. This particular record looked unplayed so I spun it. WOW. Smooth, detailed, no instruments tripping over other instruments, big, full and very enjoyable.

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