Original d'Atelier

[GuillaumeB]

Coming up to 300 hour mark, bit of an update for y'all.

First of all there has been an improvement in the sound. For a while it felt like I was coasting on a plateau. The effect I was looking for was a palpable texture in the sound, a solidity to the sound, something you can almost reach out and grab in the air in front of you. The sound had been very open and the trebles sweet for a while but this tonal colour/texture was missing. I almost think of it as a 3D effect of tonal textures (not talking about soundstage but rather like a relief map with shading showing you elevations and depressions if that makes sense!). In this regard I am noticing some fairly big improvements. Do I think it's as good as Jon's machine? No but it's much closer than it was just a few days ago, which is encouraging. 

The other thing that I have noticed is that the the temperatures are running cooler. And quite a bit cooler! We are now in the low to mid 30s (with 24/7 playback), even really turning the music up to say -16 (which is very loud!) and leaving it on for over an hour and I am barely touching 40, with most numbers comfortably under. This is with DPM switched off by the way! On my 800 I would have expected high 40s, even creeping into the 50s. I reckon the average temperatures have dropped by 10c.

One slightly annoying thing: I have noticed that my remote scratches incredibly easily! No idea how but I already appear to have a number of little hairline scratches and one or two slight buff marks. Perhaps I used the wrong cloth or something. Anyway I'm not going to worry about it! This remote is for using!

Guillaume

[hk6230]

I wonder how long I must listen to a hifi system before I can even describe the music like the way you can envisage it to be. Thanks for the update and very descriptive write up on the sound quality.

[Confused]

I wonder how long I must listen to a hifi system before I can even describe the music like the way you can envisage it to be. Thanks for the update and very descriptive write up on the sound quality.

hk - If you do enough critical listening you do end up going quite insane and then start hearing these things, it should only take you a year or two more to get there.

[tategoi]

The other thing that I have noticed is that the the temperatures are running cooler. And quite a bit cooler! We are now in the low to mid 30s (with 24/7 playback), even really turning the music up to say -16 (which is very loud!) and leaving it on for over an hour and I am barely touching 40, with most numbers comfortably under. This is with DPM switched off by the way! On my 800 I would have expected high 40s, even creeping into the 50s. I reckon the average temperatures have dropped by 10c.

Running at 30+ deg C is really cool. What's the room temperature of your listening room? Do you have the trigger cable plugged in?

[GuillaumeB]

I wonder how long I must listen to a hifi system before I can even describe the music like the way you can envisage it to be. Thanks for the update and very descriptive write up on the sound quality.

hk - If you do enough critical listening you do end up going quite insane and then start hearing these things, it should only take you a year or two more to get there.

I'm basically trying to describe in visual terms what I can hear, and no doubt not doing a great job! I think there are two elements: one is the weight of the sound in the air, its "palpable" presence (so for e.g. you can almost see the keys being played on a piano since the image is so vivid and credible), and then there is the additional information contained within the sound, expressed through dynamic shading. So very subtle changes in colour and intensity that give you a kind of 3D effect of that note, since it is changing. These help express emotion and create a connection with the music.

Guillaume

[Jnan_devi]

My exact thoughts how are these explained ... Similar to Atkinson (Stereophile ) I never understood but I like the words seemed cool ...

Thanks to Guillaume for explaining additionally what it actually means.
and what about these ?
tonal colour/texture was missing
3D effect of tonal textures

Regarding Temperature - is it good if the temperature goes up so it gets more clearer ? I understand O d'A might not heat up because there is enough BHP still left even if the volume is around -10dB for example. But will it sound even better if the temperature breaches about 40-45 Deg.C?

[GuillaumeB]

The other thing that I have noticed is that the the temperatures are running cooler. And quite a bit cooler! We are now in the low to mid 30s (with 24/7 playback), even really turning the music up to say -16 (which is very loud!) and leaving it on for over an hour and I am barely touching 40, with most numbers comfortably under. This is with DPM switched off by the way! On my 800 I would have expected high 40s, even creeping into the 50s. I reckon the average temperatures have dropped by 10c.

Running at 30+ deg C is really cool. What's the room temperature of your listening room? Do you have the trigger cable plugged in?

No trigger... Room is normal ambient temperature... Less than 20 degrees.

Music playing non-stop at -35 and during critical listening turned up to -25.

Guillaume

[moreno1973]

The other thing that I have noticed is that the the temperatures are running cooler. And quite a bit cooler! We are now in the low to mid 30s (with 24/7 playback), even really turning the music up to say -16 (which is very loud!) and leaving it on for over an hour and I am barely touching 40, with most numbers comfortably under. This is with DPM switched off by the way! On my 800 I would have expected high 40s, even creeping into the 50s. I reckon the average temperatures have dropped by 10c.

Running at 30+ deg C is really cool. What's the room temperature of your listening room? Do you have the trigger cable plugged in?

No trigger... Room is normal ambient temperature... Less than 20 degrees.

Music playing non-stop at -35 and during critical listening turned up to -25.

Guillaume

Room with less than 20 is quite cool IMO.

[hk6230]

I wonder how long I must listen to a hifi system before I can even describe the music like the way you can envisage it to be. Thanks for the update and very descriptive write up on the sound quality.

hk - If you do enough critical listening you do end up going quite insane and then start hearing these things, it should only take you a year or two more to get there.

Well, you may be right. As the book "Outliers" claimed that to be "good" at something you have to do it for ar least 10000 hours. Looking at my daily listening about 8 hours and having breaks for about 3 months a year, I have probably listened to about 3500 hours now. Still another 6500 hours to go.

[Duomike]

Less than 20 degree, you should have bought large tube amps Guillaume ha ha.
I live in Indonesia and room temperature is in the high twenties up to 30 degree.
My 200 with output restricted to 30 watts reaches temperatures in the mid to high 40ies driving my duos.

I find your comments re burn in interesting. My 200 is a demo model and I guess did not see much playing time at the dealer. I have put around 200 hours on it since I got it and have the feeling it has not reached its full potengial yet.