Need help with system improvements.

Ideas would be fab, just had the lounge decorated and laminate down so hoping to get kit back in by the end of the week, could well do with some pointers then, as I guess the sound would have altered quite a bit

Maybe I'll ask in a new thread as possibly a bit OT here.....

Cheers

 

Yes, I've seen these pics......

Naim is a bit of an aquired taste......+full blast ?

Shame, the ideas work very well in my system.

 

Not in business any more.

What HiFi during 97 and 98 gave very favorable reviews apparently, but I have been unable to find out about any later reviews, (I cannot get into my own back issues which are pretty extensive, but I was sure the stainless models were also well recieved?).

But regarding reviews, it does seem a little cheeky for magazines to praise equipment so highly, then to dismiss it due to some measurement? (oh it did sound superb, but we found out why it sounds that way, and we and don't like it no more?), or other detail they were unaware of. Surely if it sounded good it sounds good?
I liked the sound before I knew anything about what or why, and after all thats said and done, I still like what it can do.

I think Mana deserves some respect for being a small company and doing something which brought a lot of enjoyment to many, as well as being one of the more consistently well reviewed brands of the 90's. Sure some were unimpressed, others made poor decissions buying it, but a majority of reviewers and users were very pleased.

I guess a lot of people will always buy whats recommended by friends or well reviewed by magazines, without a clue about listening to it, as your previous Mana user seems to have done? But that is the nature of the beast so to speak, either home dem, or purchase and find out yourself, experiment etc etc. One mans meat etc.

I get a little annoyed at racks, now that I have kids and less space and time on my hands. Sadly to my ears, Mana improves my system, I do not think this means my system is poor, but it sounds that little bit less involving and dynamic if placed on anything else I have. If I had never heard or used Mana.......
(Otherwise I would have all my kit in a lockable unit capable of having a Plasma TV on top)

I think this is one of the reasons I like Chord cables also, Chord cables seem to work well and do what they say on the tin with top to bottom coherence and consistency, within a variety of systems. As to my ears do Mana. They are not the best products in the world, but reasonable good value purchases, with long term usability and good resale value. Perfect for a working man with a variety of systems and musical taste (mostly rather poor)

Like anything else in life, your own opinion should judge your purchase, not peer pressure or reviews. Otherwise we would all own the latest Hard Fi or Amy Winehouse albums which are currently number 1 and 2 in the album charts so therefor must be superb

I should mention the kit I usually have on the Mana.

Michell Gyro SE/QC Turntable with SME IV and Ortofon Rohmann, XLO reference tonearm lead to Phono. Ringmat.
Theta Data III CD transport. Chord Chorus AES/EBU to Genesis.
Sonic Frontiers SFP-1 valve Phono stage. Chord Chorus RCA tp pre.
Krell KRC 3 Pre amp. Chord Anthem 2m XLR to power amp.
(Sometimes Chorus RCA with the Kef Kube).
Genesis Digital Lense, Between Transport and DAC. Chord Chorus AES/EBU to DAC.
Theta Pro Basic IIIa DAC. Chord Anthem XLR to pre.
All above on the custom Mana stand in the above order. Turntable used to be on a Reference table before the kids came along.
Krell KAV250 power amp. This sits on a Reference Table.
KEF R-107 loudspeakers. Chord Signature speaker cable 4.5m.
Another small Mana table for DVD and LD.
All power cables are RA. with RA power blocks (plain, no filters etc).

Most of this is quite old as you can see, but I am quite happy with most of it (and have heard plenty of newer more expensive and up to date equivalents).
The Kef are sort of being re-furbished. I should re-build/upgrade the Phono stage, Rohmann needs replaced, maybe service the TT. I prefered the Krell power to the Nu-Vista 300, in this room, as it is far quieter and the images don't seem larger than life, and it seems to stop and start that little bit quicker.I miss the sound of the Audio Research pre amps and I am not too bothered about the Krell pre sound, its fine but I like valves and I am interested in the MF passive also.

I have been tempted as I say with Digital EQ, and also Townsend Speaker platforms, but would like to find out more about these products and how they would work within my system.
(At the moment trying to find out more about my R-107 crossovers and the ability to fit Raal 70-10D drivers, IF I can fund this and the wife agrees?)

 

They still have a website...?

 

They went bust with a lot of noise on the various forums, over a year ago. You can't buy the product from them anymore, although who knows if the owner will one day start selling it again.

It always struck me as an answer in need of a question, but then my hi-fi doesn't seem to vibrate nearly as much as some people think theirs does

I've heard a multi-phase Mana system at length a couple of years ago. It was a very good system, but I doubt the Mana had much to do with that, apart from getting the speakers very high up, an effect easily achievable by other means.

-- Ian

 

Yes Not sure if it is due to the Mana Forum? But it is probably quite useful for those who are after descriptions, reviews or general information regarding Mana products which appear second hand, stuff on eBay etc.

 

Did this system not belong to a reviewer from HiFi Choice? during the early/mid 90's?

 

My memory is quite sad really! It was the August 1999 issue of HiFi Choice if you want to order it.

It wasn't a case of them looking at measurements. It was a case of them realising, like I and many others I think, that everything played through a Mana system had a distinctive quality regardless of the source material. From there I suspect it was a short jump to their conclusions which were only later backed up by measurements.

I wouldn't worry about it. It's like some people will buy certain amps or cartridges because they like the inherent colouration in that product.

 

Like speakers by Kef or with Kef drivers or that BBC type sound I always seem to want to try something else and end back up here. I guess after so many years of using Kef and Kef drivers.

I myself never thought of the Mana colouring the sound in as much as letting the equipment do its thing better, it always seemed to me to improve an items strengths or reduce some weakness, I think at the end of it all though, if you end up playing more music its doing something right?

Did a couple of studios or pro artists not also use Mana?

 

Yes, they made a big song and dance about a studio using Mana whilst making no mention of all those that didn't....

 

Mana, Mana, gives you feeling
Mana, Mana, to the ceiling
Mana, Mana, angle iron 'n' glassy plate
Listen listen to the sounding
Listen how edged notes are rounding
Just because your stuff is grounded, really great!

Mana, Mana, never leave us
Mana, Mana, we believe as
Ne'er before that music's tedious when you're gone
Mana, hoor-i-yay!
Mana-hoor-i-yayyyyy!

(with apologies to Carl Jenkins)

 

yes- Malcolm Steward - the picture was off the mana website. NB I wasnt trying to imply the system was mine.

Andy

 

Sorry, Tony, a obviously a gap in my education haven't heared of carl jenkins OR the song!

I'll look it up!

 

The tune is "Adiemus", used for a while (at least in Oz and US) as a theme tune for an advert by Delta Airlines. Try this one instead, an infallible guide to the Mana phase philosophy - this tune you will know:

This old Man(a)
On Phase 1
Things sound better, twice the fun
Textures from the mud come out clean and bright
This old Mana seen the light

This old Man(a)
On Phase 2
Adds Soundstage, adjusts the screws
Startling music gains, big Epiphany!
PRaTs and grooves more tunefully

This old Man(a)
Now Phase 3
Add and adjust carefully
Tunes are followed now like I've never heard
You should buy some, take my word!

This old Man(a)
At Phase 4
Ever further from the floor
Still it simply gets better all the time
Got no Manas? That's a crime!

This old Man(a)
Hits Phase 5
Music seems much more alive
Ladder needed now, record for to change
I don't care if wife estranged.

This old Man(a)
Stainless spikes
Musical'ty hits new heights
Crisp and clean and clear, more of everything
This tweak makes your music ring.

This old Man(a)
Logo's new
You now need a gross or two
Smooth in, Gothic out, elegant new letters
I could swear it all sounds better

This old Man(a)
Stainless frame
Non-magnetic is the aim
Stunning looks and sounds better than before
Painful jaw from hitting floor

This old Man(a)
To phase 6
Music is my major fix
Room completely bare, furniture is sold
Buys more Mana, audio gold!

This old Man(a)
At Phase 7
Mana truly is from heaven!
Well, I'm almost there, why am I surprised?
Watson should be canonised!

This old Man(a)
Now Phase 8
Playing music dawn to late
Feet tap all the time, really it's not fair
Costs a bomb in shoe repair

This old Man(a)
At Phase 9
Hard to breathe here, need air line
MoA demands flashing warning lights
To divert incoming flights

This old Man(a)
Reached Phase 10
'Fraid I'll have to start again
Slipped on permafrost, whole lot fell down too
Where's my spanner? Lots to screw.

 

I don't get it, is it an attempt at taking the piss out of an audio ancillary based on personal opinion? and can you do it with any piece of audio equipment if one so chooses?

Or is it based on experience?
This being how you actually found Mana supports and some of what happened to you?

Did selling all the furniture not affect the room acoustics?

Did you get a discount from the shoe repair shop? Did this also affect your carpet?

How long was the airline?

How did the MOA find out how high it was?

Did the floor actualy take so many stacks of Mana?

Did you not need planning permision?

Did you have to take your roof down?

How did it affect your relationship with your wife?

Did the permafrost and cold affect the Hi Fi in any way? It could not have been good for your cart?

 

I take it as a fairly serious p**s take out of yours truely actually, though I stand to be corrected....

Alright, Tony, I almost ended up on the floor....


......I needed that ( a good laugh that is)

 

"I don’t care if wife estranged"


..I'm not married BTW..


(and probably a good job)

 

I don't have any soundstages myself, though I intend to buy a couple some day.

 

*wonders who's thread this is*