"I have never known such sheer madness," Dishwalla.
I was not a happy camper up until Saturday evening with the Calypso. I generally leave my system on all day on Saturday's and Sunday's, so it's nice and toasty when I sit down to listen at night. Upon arriving home late Saturday from a night on the town with my gal, it was immediately obvious that the Calypso had blossomed from a cocoon to a butterfly and the music was just flowing effortlessly.
I was very apprehensive about selling my LS25 (which sold in four hours Friday), because I felt that the Calypso was just marginally better, and not in all areas. I'll even go a step further and say that I was longing to put my LS25 back in and dump the Calypso, but I wanted to give it a chance. What a difference a few hours makes! I've said this repeatedly regarding my JC1's which took an obscene amount of time (approx. 1500 hours) to break-in, people dump gear before it's ever broken in and never really know what it sounds like. Had I turned tail and ran prior to Saturday, I would never have known the sheer bliss I am now experiencing.
I have NEVER heard a system this good in my life. I know that's a bold statement, but I have not had the opportunity to hear all that many TRULY high-end setup's as some of you have, nor do I have the experience of many of my fellow Agoner's.
I had been tube rolling between Brimar, Tungsram, and GE longplate 12ax7's.
I know many of you will think I'm crazy, but I liked the Tungsram's the least.
But there's a big BUT here.
All the tube rolling I did was a moot point up until Saturday. The GE's were installed when the pre finally opened up, and I LOVE them. But now I need to revisit the tube issue and am going to ask my dealer for an extension on the tube sets that he loaned me. I need to also mention that I put a Supra LoRad pc on my cdp (was using a stock 12awg pc that came with the JC1's) Sunday, wow! I am so hard headed sometimes. I fought this pc issue for quite a long time before I did anything about it with regards to my pre and amps. This is a fantastic pc, especially for the money. I did try one on the pre before it opened up, but again, moot point. A bud lent me three of them, but I have not experimented with the others, yet. Back to the pre, but I don't know where to start. I hate throwing around esoteric audiophile terms, but I guess I'll have to. Or, perhaps I should just write a review in a couple of weeks. Otherwise this is going to get really long here.
Oh hell, just a few...Air, sparkle, space, expansive soundstage, detailed, smooth, tight, taut, musical, PRaT. It's all there and it's all good. And when the non-audiophile girlfriend sits up and takes notice and actually starts getting into it, you know it's going in the right direction.
So the LS25 is but a distant memory, a good pre in it's time perhaps, but it is not on the same level as the mighty Calypso.
I welcome your response...
