- Auralic Aries G1 music server
Digital file player and streamer. Has become the #1 music source in the system. Used for Tidal, Spotify, Internet Radio, & ALAC files from ripped CDs. Cardas USB out from Aries into Schiit Eitr USB/SPDIF converter.
USB to SPDIF converter. Used between Auralic Aries G1 and Gungnir DAC.
From Eitr to BNC in of Gungnir DAC signal carried by RCA/BNC terminated Black Cat Silverstar 75! digital coax. Eitr supplied by Schiit w/Linear wall wart power.
- Schiit Gungnir MultiBit DAC
Returned item purchased from Audio Advisor without USB. USB converted to SPDIF input via Schiit Eitr. Upgraded to Multi-bit in 2017. The MB upgrade made a huge step-change improvement in sound quality. A key system component.
Demo unit from Quest for Sound. CD/SACD player. This unit took a VERY long time to break in. Sound quality greatly improved using Cardas Clear Reflection XLR interconnects to Schiit Freya preamp.
KAB mod'd. TT (tone arm damper, strobe disabler).
- Grado Prestige Black w/8MZ stylus
Solid state phono-pre amp.
- Schiit Audio Freya Preamp (Gen 1)
Multi mode, balanced preamp: pure passive, JFET buffer unity gain, or 6SN7 tubes (4). Very pleased with the performance. Nicely detailed but not fatiguing. Replaced a more expensive dual 6H30, EZ80-rectified Opera Consonance tube preamp.
The Freya is an essential companion of the Taranis and First Watt F7 power amps.
JFET buffer mode works great with the very powerful Taranis. The high gain of tube mode is perfect for the much lower power F7.
- Merrill Audio Advanced Technology Labs, LLC Taranis Amp
Powerful Class D amp. Paired w/Freya preamp it was the "go to" amp in the system. It makes the Forests stand up and talk. Class D critics need to hear one of Merrill's creations.
Demo unit from Reno HiFi. One of Nelson Pass's "low power" Class A amps. 20 watts into 8 ohms; 30 watts into 4. Extremely musical yet with great detail and very well-defined sonic imaging. Excellent stage width and depth. Bought mainly to pair with 92 dB Silverline Prelude Plus speakers but produces surprisingly wonderful sound driving 86 dB Totem Forests. There's watts and then there's FIRST WATTS. Not much talk about First Watt but seems an incredible value. Nelson Pass is an audio Zen Master.
- HEGEL H-200 Integrated Amp
Bought used. A sweet sounding (but not "syrupy" solid state amp that works great with the Silverline speakers and the Forests too. Non-fatiguing and powerful. A solid contributor to overall enjoyment from this system. It works as a full integrated or as power amp with pre by-passed in deference to the more "flexible" Freya.
- PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium Integrated
A recently purchased (July 2019) in-store demo unit that was a steal. It's an amazing, over-achieving amp that packs way more wallop than expected based on the 35 wpc power spec. It has quickly become the favorite in the 4 amp "fleet". Will be hard to give the others playing time. Plenty of oomph to drive the 86 db sensitivity Forests. Sweet & detailed. Very musical. All the positive reviews seem to be true.
- Totem Acoustics Forest Speakers
B-stock; intended buyer could not complete transaction. Have owned these since 2007 and don't tire of music from them. With appropriate cabling choices and amp pairing they produce a non-fatiguing sound with full mid-range and great bass. Listenability (metal dome tweeters!) when playing older digital sources with hot treble also benefits from cabling. They generate amazing amounts of well-controlled bass, image like crazy and completely disappear.
- Silverline Audio Prelude Plus Speakers
A higher efficiency design (92 dB as per mftr.) with a silk dome tweeter. Wanted something like these as a change up from the Totem Forests. They convey a lot of upper range detail. Tonal balance is "tipped up" perhaps due to smallish bass drivers. Fantastic imagers and project a wide and reasonably deep soundstage. They are ported and have a claimed bass response down into the 30 Hz range. Perfectly adequate most of the time...e.g., with upright bass. The addition of a pair of SB1000 subs certainly fills out the sound below, say, 80 Hz.
Added a pair of these powered subs to fill out bass from Silverline Prelude Plus speakers.
- Cardas Audio Clear Reflection Speaker Cable
Wonderful sounding cables...great body, texture and detail. A perfect balance to these ears. Purchased from Parts Connexion at a huge discount due to minor cosmetic changes in new production cabling.
- Cardas Audio Clear Reflection Interconnect
Both XLR and SE (purchased used) in use from source to preamp or amp and from pre to amp (mainly Taranis & Prima Luna), as needed.
- Cardas Audio Clear Cygnus Interconnects
Both XLR and SE in use from source to preamp or amp and from pre to amp, as needed.
- Cardas Audio Golden Reference XLR Interconnect
Bought new from Parts Connexion at a great discount over the original list price. At one time Cardas' top of the line interconnect. Matched properly to electronics it provides a huge sound stage, deep bass and good detail with no muddiness or slowness. Very musical.
- Cardas Audio Parsec SE Interconnect
Used to connect Heed Quasar Phono Preamp (singled ended output only).
- Cardas Audio Clear High Speed Serial Buss (USB 2.0 A-B)
Digital coax between Eitr and Gungnir.
- Stereovox XV2 Digital Coax
Used from digital output of TEAC CD 3000 to coax input of Gungnir DAC.
- Isotek Aquarius Power Conditioner
Used as power source for digital gear: Aries G1, TEAC CD3000, and any switch mode power supplies.
- Furutech e-TP60 Power Distributor
Supplies power to subs via 3 Venom HC cables; 1 cable in, 1 cable out to each subwoofer.
- Hubbell outlet Cryo'd. duplex from Cabledyne
3 Hubbell outlets for 3 dedicated 20 amp lines.
Power conditioner and surge suppressor.
Power conditioner and surge supressor.
- Shunyata Research Alpha NR v1 Power Cord
Used to deliver power from wall to Isotek power conditioner.
- Shunyata Research Alpha EF power cord
All copper 8 awg power cord without Shunyata's CCI noise reduction tech.
- Shunyata Research Delta NR v1 Power Cord
Delivers power from Isotek power conditioner to Gungnir DAC.
- Shunyata Research Delta NR v2 power cord
Delivers power from APC H-10 to TEAC CDP.
- Shunyata Research Venom 3 Power Cable
Supplies power to the Schiit Freya preamp.
- Shunyata Research Venom HC power cables
Used to power SVS SB1000 subs.
- GIK Acoustics various products
Two 244 panels behind Forests. Two Soffit traps (front wall corners). Four 242 panels on side and rear walls.