Valvet L2 preamp

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Valvet L2 preamp

Postby vintage_dog » Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:59 am

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who me? make a long review? :rofl: i'd rather listen and enjoy the music...
associated set-up for testing:
technics sl1200/denon dl103 -> jolida jd9 -> valvet L2 -> eico hf87 -> rogers ls35a/ab1



thanks for reading.
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions (long)

Postby vintage_dog » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:16 am

for a shorter version of the review you may call or text me at 09176319988
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions (long)

Postby m_shoe_maker » Sat Feb 25, 2012 1:43 pm

Picture na lang, VD. :)
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions (long)

Postby zenaudio » Sat Feb 25, 2012 1:48 pm

The VD is back! Valvet lang pala kelangan. :D

Padinig... Teka huwag na lang, I don't want my happy days with my integrated to end. :lol:
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions (long)

Postby mozilla » Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:43 pm

Uy with Rogers LS3/5A-Eico combo pa.

Sent from my Desire HD on Tapatalk
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions (long)

Postby Raf » Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:45 am

:clap: :clap: :clap:
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Valvet L2 pre after 40hrs break-in

Postby vintage_dog » Sun Feb 26, 2012 10:56 pm

@msm, zen, and raf - thanks!

SUPLADO! a SNOB!

that's how i would describe this preamp...it didn't like being paired with my rotel CDP and the shure M97x on my sl1200. it humbled a souped-up cj pv11with NOS tubes. it kept the speakers (alternately the vs jrs and ls35a/ab1) in hyper mode and the amps (ss mc2105 and tubed hf87) on double time pumping enough juice. it will bring-out quickly the weakest link in any system with a snooty attitude saying "it ain't me.."...

at normal and even louder-than-usual listening levels, the sound was very open, dynamic and surprisingly sweet without sounding harsh nor too tubey or syruppy...it has a livey character - raw and kicking and much alive in a nice and pleasant way...rock, classical, jazz, vocals... nothing added nothing taken away.. bad LPs didn't sound any better but more listenable, and good sources just brought out the magic...

at about 40hours break-in, i was bringing out more LPs, and the house was alive again!

i texted the smooth BI (jack divino) that this bugger was not going to leave home...

8)

(now playing steely dan's greatest hits)

Image
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions (long)

Postby vintage_dog » Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:11 am

mozilla wrote:Uy with Rogers LS3/5A-Eico combo pa.

Sent from my Desire HD on Tapatalk


Hey grant, musta na. Welcome back...balik audio kna rin daw...buti nman... :)
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Re: Valvet L2 pre after 40hrs break-in

Postby keith » Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:21 am

vintage_dog wrote:@msm, zen, and raf - thanks!

SUPLADO! a SNOB!

that's how i would describe this preamp...it didn't like being paired with my rotel CDP and the shure M97x on my sl1200. it humbled a souped-up cj pv11with NOS tubes. it kept the speakers (alternately the vs jrs and ls35a/ab1) in hyper mode and the amps (ss mc2105 and tubed hf87) on double time pumping enough juice. it will bring-out quickly the weakest link in any system with a snooty attitude saying "it ain't me.."...

at normal and even louder-than-usual listening levels, the sound was very open, dynamic and surprisingly sweet without sounding harsh nor too tubey or syruppy...it has a livey character - raw and kicking and much alive in a nice and pleasant way...rock, classical, jazz, vocals... nothing added nothing taken away.. bad LPs didn't sound any better but more listenable, and good sources just brought out the magic...

at about 40hours break-in, i was bringing out more LPs, and the house was alive again!

i texted the smooth BI (jack divino) that this bugger was not going to leave home...

8)

(now playing steely dan's greatest hits)

Image


:clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions

Postby mozilla » Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:28 am

Yes VD, Finally got my system back and have set it up for late night relaxation.
Saw your Eicos at Rene's last Saturday. Thanks for sharing your listening notes on the L2.
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions

Postby Raf » Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:37 am

Great Observations, thank you for sharing!!! :D :D :D
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions

Postby vintage_dog » Mon Feb 27, 2012 10:31 am

Image

now with 70+ hours burn-in time with 70s disco music hehehe :D

will try to wake-up from slumber my garrard 301 and the clearaudio tt...katamad to pull them out of storage though :(
the VS JRs sounded really nice with the MC2105...would like to try them out with the monoblock HF60s (being tuned by rene), and experiment bi-amping them...
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions

Postby JackD201 » Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:41 am

I can't wait until burn in is done and.............

The Tube Rolling Begins!!!!!!!!!!!!

:devil: :devil: :devil: :devil:
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions

Postby vintage_dog » Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:18 pm

JackD201 wrote:I can't wait until burn in is done and.............

The Tube Rolling Begins!!!!!!!!!!!!

:devil: :devil: :devil: :devil:


well...after 150hrs of burn-in, i finally decided to open up the pre. as expected, it was practically empty hehe...had almost the same number of components as the tono violin, but with better parts: esp the coupling caps, the external powersupply, silver wirings and the stepped attenuator.

replaced the stock current production tung-sol 6sn7 (russian) with my only pair of NOS sylvania 6sn7w...well, first thing i noticed is the improvement in tonal quality and the refinement (absence of grain). fantastic with strings, horns and piano......what you hear is just pure m.....

bye for now...
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Re: Valvet L2 pre after 40hrs break-in

Postby qguy » Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:44 pm

I have been reading equipment reviews in audio magazine way before the internet became popular.. so far this is the best description that i heard for a pre-amp !!!

vintage_dog wrote:it will bring-out quickly the weakest link in any system with a snooty attitude saying "it ain't me.."...

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Re: Valvet L2 pre after 40hrs break-in

Postby Raf » Sat Mar 03, 2012 12:27 am

qguy wrote:I have been reading equipment reviews in audio magazine way before the internet became popular.. so far this is the best description that i heard for a pre-amp !!!

vintage_dog wrote:it will bring-out quickly the weakest link in any system with a snooty attitude saying "it ain't me.."...


Awesome line! Classic!!!
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions

Postby zenaudio » Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:03 am

SUPLADO! SNOB na review. :D
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: Initial Listening Impressions

Postby vintage_dog » Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:47 pm

zenaudio wrote:SUPLADO! SNOB na review. :D


haha...

now i really need to address another weak link in my system...something i've known and heard all these years -

my room!!! :( ;(

i need to tame that annoying bump on the lower-mid bass that resonates along the room into the dining room...
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: >150hrs, NOS tubes

Postby JackD201 » Sat Mar 03, 2012 3:41 pm

Hi VD,

Remember Marty G? We partnered with them for room acoustics in the last Hi-Fi show. They carry Primacoustics from Canada. :)

JackDivino201

BTW VD, I asked Knut Cornils to use a stepped attenuator on your unit with lots and lots of steps. It can be very irritating to get just the right volume when steps are too far apart. As a result, like the Lamm L2 Reference what would be the 12 o'clock position on most preamps would be at past 3 o'clock on your Valvet L2. 12 o'clock would be like a bit past 9 o'clock :)
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Re: Valvet L2 pre: >150hrs, NOS tubes

Postby vintage_dog » Sun Mar 04, 2012 12:13 am

JackD201 wrote:Hi VD,

Remember Marty G? We partnered with them for room acoustics in the last Hi-Fi show. They carry Primacoustics from Canada. :)

JackDivino201

BTW VD, I asked Knut Cornils to use a stepped attenuator on your unit with lots and lots of steps. It can be very irritating to get just the right volume when steps are too far apart. As a result, like the Lamm L2 Reference what would be the 12 o'clock position on most preamps would be at past 3 o'clock on your Valvet L2. 12 o'clock would be like a bit past 9 o'clock :)


noticed that too, i usually go 12 or 3-4 o'clock for some of my music that's why i thought gain was lower than my other preamps..

getting used to it though ;)

thanks for the info on the Primacoustics :) (btw, is marty from southridge? son of manny g? if so, then he was ziggyboy's classmate)
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