Darlington Labs MM-6 USA Tour

ducktree said:
Oh interesting. I have been loving the MP-6 but I would totally be interested in better bass response. I received mine back in May though so it has been a few months. Would it still apply? Who do i contact to find out, the main sales email?
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Yep. That works.

Also understand that “better” doesn’t always mean “more”. I understand the mod on a basic level, but will not disclose it online for obvious reasons. I would expect better bass definition but not bass amount.
 
I don’t know why, but I expected it to be significantly louder. The receiver is at 23 and it’s about where I would expect the Pluto to be at 25 volume wise.

I’m definitely noticing details I didn’t previously, but while I’ve been listening to this a lot, I wouldn’t call it a reference yet. I’ll be putting it though the paces and will let y’all know.
 
Lee Newman said:
I don’t know why, but I expected it to be significantly louder. The receiver is at 23 and it’s about where I would expect the Pluto to be at 25 volume wise.

I’m definitely noticing details I didn’t previously, but while I’ve been listening to this a lot, I wouldn’t call it a reference yet. I’ll be putting it though the paces and will let y’all know.
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What I’ve noticed with better components as I’ve upgraded is that they are not necessarily louder. They’re often the opposite. Rather that they’re more composed and that when you crank to get to a similar volume level they reveal much more.
 
Joe Mac said:
What I’ve noticed with better components as I’ve upgraded is that they are not necessarily louder. They’re often the opposite. Rather that they’re more composed and that when you crank to get to a similar volume level they reveal much more.
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This is my experience so far. Coming to the end of side two, this Prince record is at times a more enjoyable album and at times a more frustrating album. It’ll be fun to listen to things that I absolutely love or my better pressings.
 
Welcome 2 America

It separated out the layers, the stage has more depth. This is great with this album because it is so overproduced. You kind of get where a producer might be going with this kind of thing when the sound becomes rich as opposed to just a wall of noise.

There are a lot of background vocals on this and sometimes Prince was lost in the cacophony, he is more up front with the Mm-6.

Born 2 Die came off as harsh though with his falsetto through the song.

Really dug the choruses of Prince on When She Comes.

Bass is nice and tight, rich but not boomy.

Definitely not more forgiving. There was some surface noise on side 3 and it was accentuated.
 
AAC0B363-F226-438F-859E-4E944CC5C4A8.jpegThis is a bass work out. Really like the response. The twang chicka chicka of Luther’s guitar is a lot of fun too. The old Johnny stuff always had a nice depth to it anyhow, feels like he’s in a church or an empty music hall. It fills the room nicely.
 
Question: does nicer stuff make synthesizers and some other effects sound weird?

Like I first noticed it on the Prince record. The synthesizers had a bit of… I don’t know, they just sounded weird. Now I’m listening to Neal Francis and that echo effect on his voice on This Time is just weird. I don’t how to describe it.

I am enjoying the hell out the little pocket grooves that Starr hits with on She’s a Winner… it’s chef’s kiss. I will say that overall the Francis record isn’t really benefiting from the pre-amp. I think it’s just a bit muddy (always have, but it’s so much fun)
 
Lee Newman said:
Question: does nicer stuff make synthesizers and some other effects sound weird?

Like I first noticed it on the Prince record. The synthesizers had a bit of… I don’t know, they just sounded weird. Now I’m listening to Neal Francis and that echo effect on his voice on This Time is just weird. I don’t how to describe it.

I am enjoying the hell out the little pocket grooves that Starr hits with on She’s a Winner… it’s chef’s kiss. I will say that overall the Francis record isn’t really benefiting from the pre-amp. I think it’s just a bit muddy (always have, but it’s so much fun)
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Lee, tbh I think amplifier/pre upgrade is needed first, then phono stage/table. Also with your speaker placement up high your hearing alot of your room/reflections, etc over details in the recordings compared to a traditional listening position so its very hard to be subjective from this end.

@Lee Newman do things sound "more normal" on a good set of phones ?
 
JohnnyCashFan said:
Lee, tbh I think amplifier/pre upgrade is needed first, then phono stage/table. Also with your speaker placement up high your hearing alot of your room/reflections, etc over details in the recordings compared to a traditional listening position.
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Yeah, I’m curious about how much the Sony is holding back the darlington. Source is important though. I am getting improvements over all, but I’m not sure they out pace what I get from a stylus upgrade at this point.

I think Neal likes a tight space and best I can figure from his online videos, sparse mics. So you get this big sound that bleeds a bunch. It’s not that image we like, you know? You get a muddy sound as opposed to the precision of the Prince record where everything is planned to the nth degree.
 
JohnnyCashFan said:
Lee, tbh I think amplifier/pre upgrade is needed first, then phono stage/table. Also with your speaker placement up high your hearing alot of your room/reflections, etc over details in the recordings compared to a traditional listening position so its very hard to be subjective from this end.

@Lee Newman do things sound "more normal" on a good set of phones ?
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I don’t have phones for the main setup right now. No output from the receiver. And so far it’s just heavy effects and synths that sound weird. Acoustic instruments or less modified sound is fine. Not all effects either, on Neal’s Put It in his Hands, he’s using the heck out of that whammy bar and some kind of fuzz pedal and it sounds great.
 
Lee Newman said:
Yeah, I’m curious about how much the Sony is holding back the darlington. Source is important though. I am getting improvements over all, but I’m not sure they out pace what I get from a stylus upgrade at this point.

I think Neal likes a tight space and best I can figure from his online videos, sparse mics. So you get this big sound that bleeds a bunch. It’s not that image we like, you know? You get a muddy sound as opposed to the precision of the Prince record where everything is planned to the nth degree.
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Sounds like you know what you need to do down the line. I would just add that I believe the benefits from putting the speakers on proper floor stands at ear level in the traditional listening triangle is something you need to think about. Then you can really be more subjective about evaluating and what your hearing and most importantly where you want to go with it all.

Lee Newman said:
I don’t have phones for the main setup right now. No output from the receiver. And so far it’s just heavy effects and synths that sound weird. Acoustic instruments or less modified sound is fine. Not all effects either, on Neal’s Put It in his Hands, he’s using the heck out of that whammy bar and some kind of fuzz pedal and it sounds great.
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I would double check and make sure everything is in phase (wired), thats all I got.

Try and borrow a pair of phones and another amp/pre/receiver and see if the same issue is there. Then you know what is causing the issue you are hearing.
 
Giving One Flight Up a spin before bed. We’ll see how Dex, Byrd and the gang on Tone Poet sound. Gonna have to make sure I give that Evans One Step and Henderson MMJ a spin this week too.
 
JohnnyCashFan said:
Sounds like you know what you need to do down the line. I would just add that I believe the benefits from putting the speakers on proper floor stands aat ear level in the traditional listening triangle is something you need to think about. Then you can really be more subjective about evaluating and what your hearing and most importantly where you want to go with it all.
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Plan is eventually floor standers on the side of the room. I know that I gave up a bit putting them up there but between the isolation and the toe, I get a good image for now. That side of the room isn’t ideal anyhow. Honestly the room is not the most ideal for getting a great image, but you do what you can and try to keep the missus happy at the same time.
 
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