This is my music system which has been evolving for over 35 years.
Have had many different components of many styles. Have learned that synergy is everything and you have to trust your ears.
Also I've had had these systems in over half a dozen listening rooms. I've spent many hours working on room treatments and setup and believe the room/speaker interaction is the most important aspect of great sound that many hobbyists fail to optimize.
Vinyl is spinning about 80% of the time (Used to be 90% vinyl, but digital changes both sonically and user experience w/Roon & Qobuz have been a big improvement). After relocating to Austin, TX and getting the room optimized, I changed the analog side of the system, having sold tt, arm, carts & phono stage prior to the move.
Most recent projects have been upgrading from microRendu and Schiit Gungnir Multibit DAC to opticalRendu, SonicTransporter as Roon core, and Denafrips Pontus II. Later I added a number of NOS cables from Tel Wire, something I've wanted to do for more than a decade.
Previous pieces & systems included:
BAT VK150SEs & Silverline LaFolias, Nola Viper Reference III (with Lamm & BAT monoblocks), Acarian Alon V mkiii , Merlin VSM-MX, Atma-Sphere MA1mkII.2, Atma-Sphere MP3, Herron VTSP1a-166
5-driver, 4-
way, time- and phase-accurate
speaker system that incorporates a unique aperiodic, push-pull,
powered sub-bass system, a battery-biased passive high-pass filter and an 11-band
equalizer—in a “boxless” minimum-baffle, non-resonant enclosure system.
Krell FPB-300
Solid State Class A Stereo Amp
VAC Renaissance Mark V Preamp with Phono
balanced dual mono linestage and phono stage with external power supply. Running Amperex orange globes on the linestage side and a pair of Amperex NOS 60s medical grade Bugle Boys and one stock Mullard reproduction on the phono side. Planning on experimenting with NOS Mullard, Amperex and perhaps Telefunken for the single tube on the phono side.
Sota Nova Vacuum Series VI with Eclipse(Phoenix Engr. designed) Motor Controller
Awaiting delivery of the new Series VI Nova table spring suspension turntable with vacuum hold down system, mag lev platter/bearing, Eclipse motor controller(designed by Phoenix Engineering) and Reflex clamp!
MULTI-LAYER CARBON-BASED NOISE- AND CROSSTALK-DISSIPATION SYSTEM:
DOUBLE COUNTER-SPIRAL GEOMETRY
FOAMED-POLYETHYLENE INSULATION (FOR ALL POSITIVE CONDUCTORS)
DIELECTRIC-BIAS SYSTEM WITH RADIO FREQUENCY TRAP
Tel Wire Power Cables HC Cord & Cord
HC Cord - large 9 gauge OCC single crystal, ultra pure copper. Terminated with genuine Oyaide 004 series with Beryllium copper bases and platinum & palladium plating. HC with 20amp connector on Krell amp connected to 20amp dedicated circuit
Cord - OCC single crystal, ultra pure copper. Terminated with genuine Oyaide 004 series with Beryllium copper bases and platinum & palladium plating
Tel Wire Connect XLR
OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) single crystal copper of the highest purity available. Terminations are Xhadow Silver RCA’s that are hand-picked by Chris Kline, Jacketed cotton
German USB cable used between opticalRendu and Denafrips Pontus II DAC
Audioquest Niagara 1200 & NRG-Y PC
Power conditioner & cable for front end of the system.
Vinyl Stack Ultrasonic Record Cleaner
Paired with a 10L 40hz Ultrasonic tank and following the formulas and process suggested in @rushton's thread and www.positive-feedback.com article.
Eden Sound Terrastone Footers
Terrastone Bearing Isolation Footers under preamp and DAC.
PS Audio Juice Bar
6 outlet power strip for networking accessories
Walker Audio Valid Points
resonance control devices
ERS Paper RFI/EMI Control
ERS paper to fight airborne RFI/EMI
Hart Big Willy MK3 Record Cleaning Brush
Described in detail in M.Fremer's Analog Planet Shootout video and review video. It's a brush that cleans dust off records. Way more effective than the Acoustech grounded large brush that it replaced
System edited: Sticking with the Atma-Sphere MP3; sold the K&K phono stage. Possibly of interest to anyone who's heard my tale of RFI woe, the combination of all balanced cabling and the Atma gear have eliminated the problem. One key was adding the balanced junction box to the VPI. Next moves are new power cable for the preamp, rolling the 12au7 & 6SN7s, and getting some amp stands for the MA1s. Suggestions are welcomed...Cheers, Spencer
Ozzy, That, my friend, is the $64,000 question. The K&K is very good, and killer at its price point. Any DIYers out there would be crazy not to consider it; the kit option makes it an even better value. Cheers,
. Spencer, . Good luck with the major changes. I am be interested to hear how different the Atmaspheres will sound as compared to the Berning with the Merlins. . Rgds, Larry .
System edited: Just made a major change to my system. Sold the Berning amp, Joule pre and Cardas Golden interconnects. Will be moving to Atma-Sphere MA1 monoblocks and MP3 preamp/phono. Will run everything in balanced mode. I've always loved the sound of OTL amps, find them to be a great match with the Merlins, and finally have the room to consider some large monos. Hopefully, the balanced cabling will help with my considerable RFI troubles and allow me to use the internal phono stage. Since moving to this room(which faces a radio tower ~1000ft away), the K&K is the only tube phono stage I've found that can beat the RF.
Thanks, Ozzy. Your numerous posts on the K&K definitely helped me as I searched for a tube phono stage that would overcome the radio tower 1000ft. from my listening room. Cheers, Spencer
System edited: Trying a K&K phono stage to attempt to conquer amazing RFI problem that has vexed me for months. Only limited listening thus far, but knock-on-wood, this could be the ticket! Cheers, Spencer
Ray & Aronsss, Thanks. The Red Wine dac is a pretty interesting piece. I've not spent that much time w/it yet, but my initial impression is that it is very quiet, with a relaxed character. Perhaps not quite as resolving as my Metronome was, but it sounds allows my mind to focus on the song vs the gear. It reminds me of the feeling I sometimes get listening to a car radio on a warm sunny day. I know it isn't the highest fidelity, but I can't help but enjoying myself. Of course, the resolution is better than a typical car stereo, but that's the type of emotional reaction I get from listening to it. LP is still my primary focus. I've been dealing with a bear of an RFI problem that has troubled me for months. Close to having conquered it with a new phono stage. More on that later...Cheers, Spencer
Hello Spencer,Very nice system,i was also wondering how your dig. setup is working out,the RedWine dac sounds very interesting.LPs must sound very good!Ray
System edited: Bought a Pioneer Elite DV45a universal player to use as a transport, and just settled on trying out the Red Wine Audio Monica 2 dac. The combination of battery power and non-O/S have intrigued me. Been checking out this type of design for a while, and figure it's worth a spin. Will report back later.
System edited: Just sold my Metronome CD2V Signature. I'll be buying an inexpensive non-oversampling DAC and a DVD transport. Motivation is desire to help me finance an amp purchase of Joule Electra amps. So little of my listening time is spent on digital, that it seemed piggish to have so much invested in my cdp. Considering Ack, Scott Nixon, Audio Mirror dacs. Suggestions welcomed! Cheers, Spencer
David, Whichever one best meets at the crossroads of "I Dream of" Ave. and "I can barely afford it" St. My eyes are open and fingers crossed...Cheers, Spencer
System edited: Sold the CAT preamp. Next move will likely be to sell my CD player to help finance an amp upgrade to the nice, but more expensive Joule Electra amps.
System edited: System edited: Just added a Joule Electra LA100mkIII line stage and OPS1mkV phono stage. Hoping to eventually add Joule Electra monoblock amps, and I've always thought the Joule amps sound best mated w/Joule preamps. This change will also allow me to free up some cash towards the amps. Still working out some setup bugs w/grounding and RFI, so no real listening impressions yet vs. the CAT preamp in this system. My prior experience with the LA150 taught me that their are minor tradeoffs with these pieces, but they both offer exceptional performance in their price class, and are synergistic w/the Merlins and Berning amp. Cheers, Spencer
