System #214 (SL3)

Member Name: Bernard
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

ML Model: SL3.
Year Purchased: 2000
Mods/Changes: Changed one of the electrolytic capacitors in each speaker to a Black Gate capacitor; it made no difference. Home-made traps on woofer cabinets (picture on page 7). Home-made jumpers. Foundation Research LC1 power conditioner on each speaker.

Analog: VPI HW19 Mk IV Turntable, VPI JMW 10 Arm, Hana ML Cartridge, Stevens and Billington Step-Up Transformers, VPI PLC power line conditioner, VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaner.

Digital: Dedicated Mac Mini used as a music server, Kanex Thunderbolt to USB converter, Western Digital MyBook 3TB USB external drive. PS Audio Nuwave DSD DAC powered by one Foundation Research LC1 power conditioner.

Amplification: Audio Research SP9 Mk II tube preamp (much modified) powered by one Foundation Research LC1 power conditioner, Audio Research VTM120 monoblock tube power amplifiers (110 watts/channel).

Cables: Cardas Neutral Reference interconnects, Discovery Signature Interconnects, Signal Cable Ultra speaker cables.

Other stuff: VPI Bricks.

Comments and/or stories about Martin Logan experience: I used to own Quad 57s (purchased in 1978), and loved them, except that the soundstage was flat in my room, which I think was too small for them (the soundstage was great in the showroom). Then I listened to a pair of SL3s in a small showroom; the soundstage was deep, and with instruments outside the speakers, so I bought them. I used to drive them with a power amp that was providing an inadequate 50 watts/channel (purchased during my Quad days); the upgrade to the ARCs really made them sing!

I just moved (Sept 2008) from a 16'x12'x8' dedicated music room to a 20'x14'x10.5' living room. Room treatments to come.

Bernard, Welcome ! Glad to see another ARC / Analog fan !!

I too had an SP-9mkII that I sent out to Steve Huntley years ago for 'modding' (caps, resistors, power supply and a tweak in the phono stage), my son now has that pre and it still performs flawlessly.

twich54 said:

Bernard, Welcome ! Glad to see another ARC / Analog fan !!

I too had an SP-9mkII that I sent out to Steve Huntley years ago for 'modding' (caps, resistors, power supply and a tweak in the phono stage), my son now has that pre and it still performs flawlessly.

Click to expand...

Thanks Dave. I considered the GNS mod many years ago, but found the (I think) $1,800 cost pricey for something I could not listen to beforehand.

Cheap Room Treatment

Please note the cheap room treatment - which works superbly well. It consists of swimming pool noodles covered with fabric that I got from a company called Guilford of Maine (also used by Tube Traps). I found that it really cleared up vocals (I listen to a lot of female vocals).

EDIT: This is an old picture, but I thought I'd leave it in just to show the noodles.

Bernard said:

Please note the cheap room treatment - which works superbly well. It consists of swimming pool noodles covered with fabric that I got from the company that supplies Tube Traps. I found that it really cleared up vocals (I listen to a lot of female vocals).

Click to expand...

Love those 'DIY' projects that yield excellent results !! I've got some goodies coming from ATS Acoustics that I wll be working on over the coming weeks.

Very nice system - particularly your ARC preamp. It's one of my favorites.

Welcome aboard!

Minor Update

I recently purchased a Salamander Synergy rack.

The painting on the wall is entitled, "More Than Tango", but the people who own the art store where I bought it call it "Get a Room" !

Bernard, I use to listen to a lot of male singers, maybe because I could relate to what they were singing about, but the last 10 years I turned to female singers...get to hear the other side of the human story? I listen to jazz 180 gram LP's, but most of my rock music is on CD. What female singers are you listening to? What LP's are your favorite? I use to have a pair of SL3 but about a year ago got a pair of Odysseys. Matched them up to some Aragon Palldium mono blocks. Martin Logans always reveal the amps.

:welcome: here Bernard, nice system :bowdown:

[email protected] said:

Bernard, I use to listen to a lot of male singers, maybe because I could relate to what they were singing about, but the last 10 years I turned to female singers...get to hear the other side of the human story? I listen to jazz 180 gram LP's, but most of my rock music is on CD. What female singers are you listening to? What LP's are your favorite? I use to have a pair of SL3 but about a year ago got a pair of Odysseys. Matched them up to some Aragon Palldium mono blocks. Martin Logans always reveal the amps.

Click to expand...

John, here is a list of my favourite female singers:

ENGLISH/FRENCH:
Judy Collins
Jacintha, from Singapore
Diana Krall, but not her latest stuff (too much rock influence)
Jane Monheit. Great voice, but I hate it that she ends phrases with "uh!"
Nana Mouskouri, an old favourite
Barbara Streisand

LATIN:
Susana Baca - Peruvian
Bia - Brazilian
Soledad Bravo - Venezuelan. I particularly like her later stuff
Ana Caram - Brazilian.
Aline de Lima - Brazilian
Cesaria Evora - Cape Verdean
Astrud Gilberto - Brazilian
Marta Gomez - Colombian. Really love that voice.
Tish Hinojosa - Tejano
Xiomara Laugart - Cuban
Amanda Martinez - Mexican/Canadian
Rosa Passos - Brazilian.
Omara Portuondo - Cuban.
Virginia Rodrigues - Brazilian. A large woman with an amazing voice
Sara Tavares - Portuguese. Lovely voice.
Marta Topferova - Czech, but sings in Spanish

Favourite LPs:
Getz/Gilberto's Girl from Ipanema
Marilyn Horne singing Carmen
Judy Collins "Wildflowers"
Streisand's "Memories"
Beethoven: Symphony #6. Karl Bohm/Vienna PO
Schubert: Impromptus. Kempff

There are single tracks too numerous to name. I do not have too many audiophile LPs; the ones I have do not get played very much. I tend to buy LPs/CDs more for the music than for the sound.

Thanks for all of the words of welcome, guys. I'm really glad I discovered this site.

The pool noodle thing absolutely rocks!:rocker:

kach22i said:

The pool noodle thing absolutely rocks!:rocker:

Click to expand...

And they were really easy to make, apart from the sewing (my sister did that for me); I covered the noodles as I could not live with hot pink, lime green, or screaming yellow.

Support is provided by 1/2-inch dowels fitted into a length of wood at the bottom, and a thin piece of wood at the top holds them together.

You have a beautiful system -- in some ways similar to mine, but a bit "bigger". Then of course there's the traditional ARC vs. C-J rivalry, but I'm willing to overlook that if you are

Is that a mk IV with a JWM 9? Sweet!

Also, how do you like the Alpha? I've been considering one of these. I had a Tempest, but sold it. It was really something, except that the bass was a bit loose and woolly. I've missed it ever since, and have been thinking that an Alpha (though a bit shy of the Tempest's 7-tube complement) might be a suitable replacement (and slightly more modern). Any comment?

xenonaut said:

You have a beautiful system ...

Is that a mk IV with a JWM 9? Sweet!

Click to expand...

Bernard really does have a beautiful system. It always makes me smile when I look at it, and I'm sure it makes him smile every time he listens to it.

I believe his tonearm is either a JMW-10 or possibly a 10.5. It has the VTA adjustment tower and what looks like a dropped counterweight. No VTA adjustment on the JMW-9 as far as I know.

I just realized Bernard and I have the same pre-amp

xenonaut said:

You have a beautiful system -- in some ways similar to mine, but a bit "bigger". Then of course there's the traditional ARC vs. C-J rivalry, but I'm willing to overlook that if you are

Click to expand...

Thank you. We can agree to disagree, though I do have to admit that I used to have a CJ Premier 6 head amp (with nuvistors that were on a board supported by elastic bands) and a PV3. They made nice sounds, but the ARC was better to my ears.

xenonaut said:

Is that a mk IV with a JWM 9? Sweet!

Click to expand...

It's a Mk IV with a JMW 10. With a Koetsu it's really sweet. However, the audio porn posted by Twich in his system thread has made me now lust over the super platter and periphery ring. Unfortunately the finances are saying no.

xenonaut said:

Also, how do you like the Alpha? I've been considering one of these. I had a Tempest, but sold it. It was really something, except that the bass was a bit loose and woolly. I've missed it ever since, and have been thinking that an Alpha (though a bit shy of the Tempest's 7-tube complement) might be a suitable replacement (and slightly more modern). Any comment?

Click to expand...

That is a Sigma II, not an Alpha. I have modified it extensively and it sounds great. I replaced the diodes with fast recovery types, and upgraded the electrolytics to Black Gates. They did not make a huge difference at first, but some months later I realized that it was sounding really marvelous (after burn-in). The single tube is a NOS Telefunken 12AX7. Before I bought the unit a guy at CAL was trying to get me to buy the Alpha instead, saying it was much better. I did not want to spend the shekels.

MiTT said:

Bernard really does have a beautiful system. It always makes me smile when I look at it, and I'm sure it makes him smile every time he listens to it.

I believe his tonearm is either a JMW-10 or possibly a 10.5. It has the VTA adjustment tower and what looks like a dropped counterweight. No VTA adjustment on the JMW-9 as far as I know.

Click to expand...

Glad it makes you smile, Tim. I love your system too. I may well see it - if I can swing a trip to RMAF. I have a good friend who lives in Denver and have an open invitation to stay at his place anytime.

It's a JMW 10, but no dropped counterweight.

eknuds01 said:

I just realized Bernard and I have the same pre-amp

Click to expand...

And it's a sweet one, too.

A few years after I bought it I changed the tubes from the stock Chinese ones to NOS Valvos. That improved the sound, but shortly after that I was in San Diego and came across some Gold Aero Platinum Grade Gold Pin 7308s (exact replacement for the 6DJ8) for $35 each (a great find). The improvement over even the Valvos was nothing short of amazing.

If you want to improve your SP9 with only a relatively small cash outlay, I cannot recommend highly enough that you replace the cheap plastic ALPS volume control with a DACT stepped attenuator (24 steps, I think). The improvement is HUGE. You can get the DACT for a little under $200 from www.partsconnexion.com. I think Michael Percy carries it as well. It's not a one-for-one replacement as you have to slightly increase the size of the mounting hole and run short wires from the DACT to the PCB.

Bernard said:

Glad it makes you smile, Tim. I love your system too. I may well see it - if I can swing a trip to RMAF. I have a good friend who lives in Denver and have an open invitation to stay at his place anytime.

It's a JMW 10, but no dropped counterweight.

Click to expand...

If you do make it to RMAF it will be my great pleasure to have you over for a listen.

That goes for all folks from the site who may be in Denver for the festival in October. I'll just plan a mini ML Get Together! Food, Beverages, good friends and Tunes!