Welcome to my study cum audio room. Since my daughter came 3 years ago, I have swapped my transport, DAC, tube pre and power for a simpler 3 piece setup. And move my equipment from the living room into my study.
Visually, the center piece is the Indonesian solid wood CD cabinet. Beautifully made yet functional, left opened for easy search for CD and act as sound diffuser.
Next to the speaker, is China made solid wood equipment stand. It is made for audiophiles with real sonic benefits. Music is quieter with darker background and good instrutment separations.
Power Conditioners & Power Cords
1) Shunyata Hydra 8
This product is magic! The sound is hard to describe except two words, natural and analogue. Even my tube oriented friend is surprised my system is solid state when they heard it.
2) PS Audio UPC-200
Another product with sonic benefits hard to live without, I read an article power amp can power demand can have negative effect on source equipment even when they share same power conditioner. By using UPC-200 between Integrated Amp and Shunyata 8, the sound is cleaner and faster.
3) Audioquest NRG-5
On top of the above items, sound is further improved with NRG-5. I suspect it is due to its excellent cable shielding and geometry which prevent interference from the close position with the equipments and cables.
It can paint a black background with nautural sounding vocals and instrutments. High is open with easy flowing mid and tuneful bass. It has no problem with handling complex big orchestra music tempo. It just held everything so well together. What more can you ask?... tremendous value for money...
Sonus Faber Musica
Got this beauty after I bought my SF Grand Piano. I love the Grand Piano musical sound, I expect this integrated amp to bring it to a higher level and it did!! I was warned it can be under powered (Power Output: 100 watts x 2, 4 ohms / 50 watts x 2, 8 ohms ). No such problem with Grand Piano (6 ohms). It may not match Krell 400xi's power when playing track like Respighi's Pine of Rome, but it did a credible job and I did not missed anything.
Sonus Faber Grand Piano
Simply love the look and the way it sound.
Kimber Kable Hero
In this system, Hero inter-connect sounded more analogue with more body than my Silver Streak which is more 'clinical'. However, the Silver Streak worked well with my Anthem Pre 1 & Assemblage SET300B Amp. I will be holding to thess cables for as long as I can.
Nordost Blue Haven
The sound is clean, fast and open, yet musical. What more can you ask? Hmm.... am tempted to try out Red Dawn or even Kimber Bi-Focal. No price for guessing I am Nordost and Kimber fans!!
