My humble audio system, also Jolida JD 100A with NOS Mullard tubes and other upgrades just for when I am lazy. Right now Omega Junior AlNiCo speakers, this is changing to the Charney in the next month or so. Super Tweeters now gone...
The super tweeters really didn't do much to improve anything, and at times I thought I could hear some odd effects from them, though whatever was or wasn't there was very subtle and could easily be confirmation bias. So they have already been sold. The subs are powered Omega Max Hemps about 10 years old, nice small and fast. 300B SET amps and single driver speakers are known for limited bass, the subs make up for that pretty well with only a little bit of bloom.
I have learned a lot in 40 years of playing with audio playback. And, there is a lot that I really don't know.
Cartridge and speakers for vinyl seem to be most important or critical. TT/arm combo somewhat less so, and electronics least critical in what I look for. I tend to like moving coil reproduction best and have just discovered "Zero impedance" head amps, the Hagerman Piccolo Zero is a game changer for low output and very low impedance cartridges. Tube rolling is fun. You don't need to spend as much on your system as you did for your house (or even a new car) to have a fine sounding system. I have heard systems costing in excess of $250000 that I don't like as much as mine. Nothing is flawless, more a question of what compromises I am willing to live with (this is true in live music as well). I take my time, introduce a change and live with it for a while, if it works, I keep it, if it doesn't out it goes. Next step are Charney Audio Maestro speakers, by far the largest single expenditure I have made. They Omegas are really nice for the $, but the Charneys are in another league and should help with some things that I still hear (or don't).
Well, one question is about the super tweeter, and the subwoofer I think I see. Are you trying those out to compensate for something missing, and did it work? You say you are not going to continue with the external tweeter - why is that?
You are doing what I would do - learn what I have, and then try new things with them as the building blocks. I'm just curious about what you have learned.
Thanks for your comments. Some of the space is driven by considerations other than audio, so there are some compromises. Still, it works for me.
The low output SET/single driver system is a pretty specialized place. Not for everyone. You need to be willing to allow for some distortion and noise -- though I don't mind this a bit. I am more driven by the comparison between what I hear in my home and in the concert hall. I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, the real test being classical symphonic work. If you like a big sound stage, beautiful imaging and a sense of musical coherence (musicality), then you might want to look into this. Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will try to answer for you.
I am curious about single driver speakers - a speaker type I have yet to explore. I love the idea of no crossovers, and of a certain directness of sound. I know it is an entire world, and I probably can't plunge into that world. But some day, I will examine it at least a little.
Your set up seems purposeful and intentional without being fanatical. And the space seems welcoming for relaxing into music. Thanks for sharing.
