Doggie Howser

Damn didn't know iMods are out of stock again. Got mine a couple of months ago from Jaben. Know a few guys are also selling them in these forums. You can either buy the DIY caps along with the pre-owned iMods or get these from ALO Cryo Silver X with blackgates caps (no need for external cap box), same caps as in iMod4G External VCap box

Wow, haven't seen a 5G there in ages To TS: If you are going the full works, you can also look at ordering an iPod from RedWineAudio/ALO http://www.aloaudio.com/store/index.php?ma...index&cPath=2_9

There is bass quantity (like what I had with my old speakers) and bass quality (which is what I get with my new ones). Bass quality is loud almost boomy but has no definition. Bass quality may not be as abundant (but it can be when it is in the source material), but there's a lot more low end information you can pick up. This may be embarassing but for someone who tries to play Guitar Heroes Bass QUALITY speakers allow me to get the rhythm on the drum tracks more easily hehe

I have to offer my sincerest apologies to Tubeman I had met him earlier today to pick up the Valhalla gear from him and brought along the iQube and the UE11 and Livewires (Crystal Cable-d). I could tell he was hoping I would love the Valhalla as much as he did. I know he has put in his blood and sweat (literally) into this project for me. I marvelled at the lovely wooden housings he used for the capacitors. Beautifully stained and was as good as the Thiel speaker finishes. Initial impressions of the Valhalla was good. Really good, but it didn't seem ground breaking. But I think the truth is that I had been spoilt rotten in the last few weeks. In the bedroom, I was using Tubeman's Irukandji partnered with the iMod, feeding a LISA III XP with LLP hooked up and driving my Alessandro MS-Pros. I know many here have written off the iPod as a source, but they really owe it to themselves to try out what the iMod can do with one of Tubeman's creations. In the living room, I was in the process of upgrading the speaker setup. I am using my iTunes/Squeezebox server to stream (lossless FLAC or ALAC) music to the Squeezebox Duet feeding a digital output to a Benchmark DAC1 Pre hooked up over balanced interconnects to two Bel Canto REF1000 mono power amps, driving a pair of Thiel CS2.4 Signature Editions. The 2.4SEs are being run in now (a real pain because it's hard to drive these speakers loud in an apartment), but the clarity of the highs and mids are already pretty good. Only the bass driver hasn't loosened up yet. In this context, then, the Valhalla didn't seem game-changing. UNTIL I brought it home. I had turned in around 1130. As I was trying to run in the Valhallas, I decided to unhook the Irukandji from my bedroom gear and swapped in the Valhalla. One of my acid tests for introducing any new gear is how much it keeps me awake playing familiar songs. If it reveals nothing more than usual, I think my brain tunes out and I end up sleeping. With the Valhalla? My brain was in two minds. A part was lulled by how good and soothing and revealing the music was that I was almost half asleep, but all that new nuances and detail and dynamics also kept the other part of my brain awake, processing all the new information. The MS Pros have also found some new authority in the bass department. When Alanis Morissette sang Uninvited from the City of Angels soundtrack, there was this projection of soundstage wider and further I have ever heard before with my headfi gear! 3 hours later, I am still not asleep I feel I have wronged Tubeman, and need to make amends. Bro, you have really outdone yourself. If it sounds this good now, I can't imagine how good it would sound when it is finished burning in!! Downsides? I really hope the Thiels would sound this good as this after running in. But I am a little worried...

This cable can work with UE customs too, rite? Any chance u'd make another?

The last piece of the puzzle is complete. Got the second set of Valgrind RCA cables today to hook the pre-amp output to the power amp output. Was using a loaner cheapo RCA cable set in the interim All I can say is... the B&W601S2s are safe Same nuances as what I am getting on the LISA III XP with Livewires/Crystal Cable and the Irukandji. Bass is noticeably tauter, soundstage wider and OMFG I can hear all the layering, all the instruments as before! *yummy* All this playing is making me desire the Valhalla more!

HOLEEEEE Crrraaaaaaappppp... http://www.msbtech.com/products/iLink.php This looks a fusion of the poisons here... i(digital)MOD with SPDIF out... so can keep my collection of lossless songs PLUS DAC output... So can add the DAC poison...

I think the Irukundji and iMod with Lossless is going to be very difficult to replace. Plus have already seen where the bottleneck is now (B&W speakers)

Thankfully, I am more immune to the poison. I ripped most of my CDs ages ago so they are all in my father-in-law's place... most of them I think are already moldy. So CDs would never be an option for me today. Nor a DAC or a PC-based solution. At the moment, the Luminous Audio passive pre-amp and the Quad 606 are pretty damn good. Waiting for the second set of Valgrind RCA cables so can evaluate the system properly, but if I was susceptible to more poison, it would be a new set of speakers. Might bring the Irukandji to my in-law's place to test out on the Anthony Gallo Reference 3.1. Quite sold on that

This is about the only place I can keep the Irukandji

Anyway.. I almost didn't want to sleep... but after shooting off a couple of emails for work, realize it's going to be a long day for work, so reluctantly powered off the Quad. Then, on a stroke of inspiration, realized I got the RCA/pair of Valgrind would work just as nicely with the LISA III and ported the whole set to bed for some bedtime listening... But damn! This Irukandji and LISA III and Crystal-ed Livewires combo is even more intoxicating, revealing EVEN more nuances than the B&Ws earlier. Jialat... cannot sleep, quickly powered up the notebook to pen these thoughts

I think mine is from a Celine Dion CD.

When Tubeman introduced me to the Irukandji, I have to admit I was tempted. But the truth is that I don't really have a "Home" or "Desktop" setup. When I do listen to music, it is when I am travelling so portability is very important for me. But having touched the Irukandji, the poison had already spread.... So I borrowed an unused Quad 606 power amp from my father-in-law. I re-used my ancient B&W 601S2s from my home theater gear, and hooked them up using very affordable Belden 1313As. And waited... Today, I picked up the Irukandji and a set of Valgrind RCA-stereo cables. Needed two cos I was using a Luminous Audio passive pre-amp (borrowed from my colleague) but had to make do with a temporary set of cables until Tubeman can get me another set of Valgrinds Only put in about an hour or two in this setup. Initially, there was very little bass. At first, I thought it was due to the passive pre-amp. But nope.. that wasn't the case. Just gave the Irukandji some time to burn in, and damn! The really taut and precise and punchy bass was back! Really surprised at how well the old B&Ws are still able to deliver. When I heard Bocelli and Dion's The Prayer, I almost cried from all that detail. I'd kiss Tubeman and have his babies!!! haha (but luckily neither of us swing this way!)