audio research sp-10

Jafox, I have absolutely no argument with your anaylsis of the relative merits of these pre-amps. If I were in the market today for a better line stage the LS5 would be at the top of my list. Don't laugh too much, but I find that my little EAR834L (used in a seperate system) gives the SP10 some pretty stiff competition, sonically speaking and it sure is cheap to tube and play with. I don't have any illusions, but I do have a turntable and large LP collection which I enjoy. CD's for me have mostly musical value but I've never seen them as a source for any kind of sonic wonderment. Like a faithful spouse, its just hard to part with this unit which has served me so well(I've had it since the mid 80's) just become some young chick comes alone. :-) By the way, how would you like to have started your system out with an SP10 and the 125? Think of all the bucks you would have saved trying and trading equipment just to get to that point. Her ex did her a real favor if she is at all interested in what is possible.....

newbee...you are a riot, and of great help...and such a warm welcome too..thank you :) but...why do u call yourself newbee..i think that would officially be me!!!

bluefin and newbee thanks for the comfort that the sp-10 is still a good choice..i'm breathing again now..whew!!

newbee..ty for the compliment on my ear..fortunately or unfortunately..i do have an audiophile ear..without the knowledge (yet) to adapt my equipment to what i hear and like..now that's a challenge!! my gut says the same as yours does..that the problem is the source...but the shanling is so dang pretty to look at i don't want it to be that!!! also don't want to-can't afford to do the 1200. worth of mods to make it "tolerable". interesting that you said to put the speaker axis in front of me..seems as that is what i have done..just naturally liking how it sounded. last night i put the vandersteens on stands not the ones they are supposed to be on...but at least up off the hardwood floors. now that was interesting..the system sounded much more "live" or in your face..whichever way you want to look at it...but somehow "off" which could be that the reccomended height is 6" off the ground and these brought them to 9" and my normal listening height is from 31-33'. placed where they now are i would have to be at 39" listening height. so trying to figure out what a good happy medium would be...thinking of just putting spikes under the speakers directly...even tho vandersteen reccomends the 6" stands. would you have any suggestions regarding that? the system is in my bedroom/living room...so adjusting listening height wouldn't be very pheasable. (unless i put the bed up on bricks or something. and he talks about tiltback if the listening level is higher, but not if its lower than recommended. i tried to tilt them forward at a friends insistence...yuck is all i can say to that attempt. i like you am a purist...and vandersteens angled down to the listener seems counter to his entire design of those speakers..tho don't hesitate to right me if i'm wrong. this is a very adventurous but frustrating hobby when one is truely a newbie as i am..i hear what is "wrong" but don't know how to fix it...so grateful that you wonderful ppl are here to help...okay..going to look for wool rugs now :))) thanks again!

hey jafox..thanks that was really helpful in explaining why you dislike the ls in the sp-10 and it does make total sense seeing as it was focused and ravely reviewed on the phono section.

i just love that validation in what i heard in the ls2...since we concur on that, what you said really makes me want to try the ls5 m111 now. is it one of their new products, or can i find it used? may i ask..what other components are you running it with? and what kind of music do you listen to mostly?

newbee...will check out audio asylum...i'm like the little computer dude in the movie short circuit..need imput..need imput!!

you guys are the best :)

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the 2Ci's have adjustments for the mid and treble drivers on the back of the speaker right near the cable connections. I would check these and make sure they are not set on the high side, e.g. +2 dB. I had 2Ci's for over 10 years and never thought they were bright. I've never heard the SP-10 or D-125 but all reviewers have said the SP-10 was, if anything, on the dark side. Not sure about the D-125, but I don't think bright would apply to it either. You might want to try some good quality budget cables like Kimber Hero interconnects and 4TC/8TC speaker cables in place of the no-name stuff you have. Doubt that is the cause of the brightness but it might alleviate thin bass that could give the same impression.

newbee...thinking about what you said..by axis on the speakers..do you mean to toe them in that much? ive been kinda going on the triangle to the listening position philosophy..equal distance between speakers..and listening position..ughh..listening now..and they really sound BAD on the speaker stands..i mean i was lacking a tad of bass with them on the floor, and a bit of the punch i prefer but the sounstage was awesome and the vocals brought tears to my eyes..geez this stuff is confusing!!!