Big Kahuna System

by wsrrsw on English Electric8Switch Ethernet Switch8 SwitchEntreqTownshend AudioSeismic CornersCardas Audio Clear BeyondXLRUpTone AudioJS-2 Linear Power SupplyKlipschKlipschornPSM156Network AcousticsAudio SensibilityKlipschorn AK6AK6Don SachsLynn OlsonShunyata ResearchShunyata Alpha V2Alpha V2TimberNationTimber NationRackMusic City AcousticsAudioquestNiagara 7000HIJIRIHijiri NagomiMasteroTelegartnerJCATCardas Audio Clear CablesCary AudioClearBlackravioliCardasCardas Audio CablesRCAKlipsch Klipschorn AK6JazzBACCH4MacJoy
Room as of March 23 2026
The works
The babies
Grimm MU2
Takatsuki 300B's
Room.1...with Old speakers
Room.2 with Old speakers
English Electric 8Switch Ethernet Switch w/UpTone Audio JS-2 Linear Power Supply
Had to get this
Back of the house mess

Description

3.21.2026

I owe thanks to many on Agon who have helped me get here.  

This is my main system. The room is dual use but was specifically built and treated for sound. Walls have resilient channels and are sealed with Icynene insulation spray.  Quite rock sheetrock used. All electrical outlets wrapped too.

Roon/Qobuz is used for this streaming only 300B tubes based system.  

The AMPs/Pre are new and most of the rest was found used. The main chair is a Stressless w/ an Ottoman. Next to the room, this is key to no listing fatigue. The back of the chair is below my ears. Also key. No kidding.

Viking Acoustic Speakers L'Instrument Grande Voix and two REL subs are the speakers. Room photos show Khorns no longer in ‘dah house.

Music City Acoustics helped sort the treatment and that’s likely the best thing contributing to how it all sounds. Before treatment reflections made sound muddy.

I love almost all music but Jazz above all.


Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 30’ × 20’  X large
Ceiling: 12’

Components Toggle details

    • Spatial Audio Lab Blackbird Monoblock A Don Sachs and Lynn Olson Design
    As they say at spatial audio lab (and they are right on)....  Although notoriously difficult to drive, the 300B tubes give unmatched low distortion in the most critical location in the whole amplifier. The trick with the 300B is that it demands a driver with both very low distortion and significant power into a high capacitance load. Most drivers fail at that task, leading to murky and colored sound. With a powerful enough (and linear!) driver, the full beauty and immediacy of the 300B is revealed."
    https://www.spatialaudiolab.com/ Ok then.
    • Spatial Audio Lab Raven Preamplifier
    Goes w/ MonoBlocks https://www.spatialaudiolab.com/
    • Viking Acoustic L'Instrument Grande Voix Speakers
    With upgraded drivers
    • Grimm Audio MU2 Streamer
    • Takatsuki 300B
    All they are all they are supposed to be!
    • REL Acoustics 99 Subwoofer Pair
    https://rel.net/shop/powered-subwoofers/classic/classic-99/?srsltid=AfmBOoqtCIleh1tvCwJ_lOS1AYcqF5gi8U2MTCzJvcoUdqO5jmdlVrfC
    • AudioQuest Niagara 7000
    In my other system I have a PSM 156. I compared them and could hear no difference. YMMV but....


    • Telegartner M12 Gold

    Their web site says "A complete network solution for Extreme Audiophiles." I'd say this thing is remarkable. Seriously. https://jcat.eu/featured/m12-switch-gold/

    • JCAT Optimo 3 Duo Power Supply

     W/ theJact Cables

    • English Electric 8Switch Ethernet Switch
    https://englishelectric.uk/
    • Hijiri Maestro XLR
    From Grimm steamer to pre
    • Hijiri Hijuri Maestro & Nagomi Power Cables
    Magical cables
    • Cardas Audio Clear Beyond XLR
    From Pre to AMPs
    • Shunyata Research Alpha V2 Speaker Cables
    If not these, then what? https://shunyata.com/product/alpha-v2-speaker/ Found used on Agon!
    • Entreq Ground box w/ cable
    • Townsend Audio Co. Seismic Corners
    Big Room.. no vibrating the equipment. Yes they help. YES.  Praise Jah.
    • UpTone Audio JS-2 Linear Power Supply
    For English Electric 8Switch Ethernet Switch
    • CARDAS 4181US DUPLEX OUTLET
    In the wall with their own 20AMP circut
    • TimberNation Rack
    Built to Spec
    • Music City Acoustics 4 inch Broadband Acoustic Panels
    Music City Acoustics  https://www.musiccityacoustics.com/  was easy to work with in sorting out sound treatment. The treatment makes a whopping difference.
    • EverStar MI-300

    Two of them...One of each side of  switch... Ethernet Galvanic Isolator 

    http://www.mmcchina.com/Upload/whitepaper/MMC_Whitepaper12EN.pdf

    • Blackravioli System ground pads
    Under Amps/Pre
    • Whole house surge protector

Comments 19

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Owner
@jafant  “How do Cardas/HIJIRI/Shunyata sound together in concert?” I like them. I have moved the XLR’s and power cables around and can tell no difference. 

Thanks

wsrrsw

A beautiful Room and System. That is a very unusual mix/match of Cables and Cords. How do Cardas/HIJIRI/Shunyata sound together in concert?

Happy Listening!

jafant

Wow!  This is a seriously well-conceived system with a clear musical vision. The Spatial/Donn Sachs monoblocks into Klipschorn AK6 is a fantastic match—high efficiency done right, with real scale, speed, and tonal density. The Grimm MU2 is an excellent digital anchor and keeps everything honest, while the REL subs add weight and foundation without stepping on the Khorns’ strengths. It’s also obvious a lot of care went into power, grounding, isolation, and room treatment—this wasn’t assembled casually. A holistic, no-compromise setup that prioritizes dynamics, presence, and musical engagement. Very impressive.

PS.  I always lusted after KHorns but never got a pair.  Will admire yours from afar.


ulcerdoc

Thanks for commenting on my house of stereo system. A look at yours tells me one thing, we both put the upmost importance to every detail as in everything matters. Well done all around!

baylinor

Owner
@mclinnguy Thanks. And posted on Christmas day no less. When I retired a goal was to have enough in the kitty to do something like this. Tubes and jazz is where it is at! Right you are. 

wsrrsw

Fantastic assortment of quality audio bits. Tubes and jazz is where it is at! Beautiful looks and I am sure it sounds the same.

mclinnguy

Owner

@danager Thanks!  One system is in a bit of a north light photo/audio hang out. So then, when in the room, that system is on. 


The other is in the house and that has the fancy bit's in the den as well as a whole house, plain crackers, system (that works most of the time). 


Each place has a chair but the den is more of a hangout where as the other finds me on my feet moving around or working on a computer, pushing pixels at other end from sweet spot.


They sound diffract. The Khorns (and they are in an echoish room) sound is growing on me, The horns are in use as I did not want speakers in the way out space I want to have use of. Den sound is sublime.

wsrrsw

Owner
@danager Thanks!  One system is in a bit of a photo/audio hang out. So then that system is on.  The other is in the house and has the fancy bit's in the den as well as a whole house, plain crackers, system that works most of the time. Each place has a chair but the den is more of a hang where as the other finds me on my feet or working on a compute at other end from sweet spot.

wsrrsw

Owner
@danager Thanks!  One system is in a bit of a photo/audio hang out. So then that system is on.  The other is in the house and has the fancy bit's in the den as well as a whole house, plain crackers, system that works most of the time. Each place has a chair but the den is more of a hang where as the other finds me on my feet or working on a compute at other end from sweet spot.

wsrrsw

On second look, too happy to be Amityville horror; the wall is smiling at me.

mclinnguy

WOW just WOW!

How would you compare the two systems?  When you want to listen how do you decide which chair to sit in?

danager

Owner
@mclinnguy I am the Amityville Horror? 

wsrrsw

Owner

@ natev305 The AMP after a whole lot of hours get warm but "hot" no. I do not have a P1 but rather the X1.  Sometime the AMP is on for days, It did overheat once.
The Lumin folks are very helpful, why not reach out to them?

wsrrsw

Hey Wsrrsw,
Beautiful collection of components. But I am looking at your picture named "the works", and I don't know, have you seen The Amityville Horror? 

mclinnguy

Hi Wsrrsw,

Just added a LUMIN amp (had the P1 already) to try vs my mcintosh ma7900.
i am curious to know if yours runs very hot? I am running the P1 XLR to a Mcintosh Men 220 (room correction/crossover) and from there to the Lumin AMP via XLR.....speakers the B&W 804D4's. Subs handle anything below 45hz.
Do you run the P1 on normal or low analog output level? 
My AMP has gone into protection twice after just 2+ hours of low level listening....not sure if the men220 isnt playing well with Lumin or if they just run super hot.....which i doubt.
Thanks in advance.

natev305

Owner
Jond.. If only streaming (no other inputs) and using a Lumin then the AMP has synergy just like it was designed to have. They come up used and that's how I got both the AMP and X1.

dj It's monstrous...Thanks...someday after room treatment it will be a tame monster.

wsrrsw

Owner
@jond If only streaming (no other inputs) and using a Lumin then the AMP has synergy just like it was designed to have. They come up used and that's how I got both the AMP and X1.

@dj It's monstrous...Thanks...someday after room treatment it will be a tame monster.

wsrrsw

Looks like a fun system to listen to. Lots of room for those K Horns !!!!  Thanks for posting

dj

Really interesting system I didn't know Lumin made a standalone amp. And nice looking Khorns.

jond

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