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tom_hankins

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Posts posted by tom_hankins

  1. Did Tom Hankins ever post his impressions after adding xlr output on his VPI TT?

    I'm way late. Have had the XLR box on and it has made a noticable difference in noise floor, which has resulted in more inner detail and a deeper soundstage than I was getting before. Not sure how much of this is due to running the BAT balanced or if this what I would get with another phonostage. I'm using the same cables (AQ Skys) just switched from SE to balanced. Worthwhile upgrade for the 300.00 it cost. Fairly easy to setup too. Took about an hour to put it on and grease the platter bearing. Most of the time was tied up in getting the anti-skate right.

    Also couldnt resist, and picked up a Denon 103R to play with. Might switch it in this weekend.

  2. After alot of back and forth we have decided to order the harbeths. In the end i just didnt want to go through the amp merry-go-round and spend the money to switch the room. I think i might get by with the amps i have and will use them for awhile before deciding to move up in power in the Manley line. Hopefully the only change will be the speakers. Thanks for all the advice and your all welcome to come by and hear them when they get here. (6-10 weeks :()

  3. Its WIN/WIN for me!! Both these speakers are a big jump up from the Harbeths i'm using now. Both keep the same type sound as what i'm already using so i dont think buyers remorse will ever hit me with either speaker. neither needs the subwoofer, so it can go. I dont really want to switch my room, but its not a big deal. I am shocked at the depth of bass the 2-way (eight inch driver) the ANs produce. Cant wait for another listen the Harbeths tomorrow.

  4. If the wife likes the ANs and they give you more amp flexibility and the SQ is pretty equal and you can rearrange to corner load them, I say for for it. WAF is good and your wife seems awfully good to you in regard to audio passions.

    This is pretty much the way i am leaning right now. I'll keep the rack where it is and have two more 20amp lines run to the other end of the room. I told the mrs. this moring we will have to spend the cash to get this done, and i cant even imagine 25" AQ Skys to run from the preamp to amps. She says its all do-able. I think she really wants them. Sonic wise they are very, very close. deeper bass from the ANs but more impact from the Harbeths. Both have sweet treble and killer midringe. I think the ANs throw a better soundstage. I always got a feel of very deep soundstage. They sound great with 211, or 300b amps that we used. Just to make sure we are going to listen to harbeths one more time for a couple hours on the way home.

  5. Sharks ftw! I have a feeling it'll be a good year for them, they're playing some solid hockey right now.

    Deepak, are you going to edit my thread title again? It brought luck the first time around. >:D

    Just winning game one of series is a big deal for the sharks. Maybe they can get the monkey off there back this year.

  6. That is the question. Spent a good deal of time with both this week, and to me, sonicly they are equal, and very close in sound signature. My wife likes the ANs more i dont really care either way. But the fact i can get by with 5-10 watts with the ANs is pretty cool. Down side is i would have to pull new dedicated lines and turn my room around so i can corner load them. Downside with the harbeths is i would probably move to more powerful tube amps. That means money, and heat. Price is pretty equal.

    I can get AN demos for $12K plus shipping for them and stands. The harbeths will go around a K more for new speakers w/stands.

    Both are butt ugly and old fashion looking, but the ANs are in a really nice Burl finish. Probably go with either the Manley Neo classic 300b amps with the ANs and move up to the Neo classic 250 amps if I get the Harbeths. Everything else in my system will stay the same, for now. The BAT/Manley combo has been really nice so just the amps would change from the Snappers I use now.

    I'm going to try and listen to the ANs for a couple more hours before i leave DC, and then a couple more hours with the Harbeths on the way home in N.C.

  7. Been in Charlottesville Va. at "keswick Hall at Monticello" since saturday. One more night here then off to D.C. for five days. This place is really nice, one of the nicer places weve stayed at. I guess we are going to T. jeffersons house today, and then some other tourist stuff. Full spa treatment this afternoon, pool off and on in between. My wife wants to go golfing but looks like the weather isnt going to cooperate.

  8. Really looking forward to see if Detroit can keep up the level of play they have had since the Olympic break. I think they got points in 15 out of there last 16 games. Hard to count them out even with San Jose (if they dont choke again) and Chicago looking like the favorites in the west.

    In the East, as much as I hate Pittsburgh, until someone beats them (Go Caps!) its hard for me to pick against them.

  9. Oh yes - they are abso-fucking-lutely superb. Took my son (25) to see them in Birmingham UK last year when they were doing The Wall, and then some other stuff from UmmaGumma, Echoes, Dark Side etc to finish off. Rob has been a regular rock festival and concert goer since he was 16, and he chalked this APF gig as the best thing he had ever been to. Second row in the middle. Awesome.

    They are doing the entire DSOTM album and then 30-40 minutes of other PF stuff. Not sure how much the Symphony plays with, but I hope quite a bit.

  10. Treatments made a major improvment in my room.

    I use the Auralex panels on the front wall (almost completely covered), and two of the Michael Green room tune packs throughout the rest of the room. I still think I could do better with a couple of Bass traps for the front corners, sometime in the furture.

    Before using the treatments had horrible echo, soundstage never seemed right, and bass was either overpowering or nothing at all, depending where you were standing. I think I put less than $800.00 total, money well spent.

  11. I dont think I would feel comfortable using my 100wpc Manley amps with a pr. I've heard them sound good with two 150 and 200 wpc NAD amps. But they really were nice with a pr. of Mcintosh 501s.

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