This is most of my system in my parents basement but I have a lot of my gear in storage (Analog rig, subwoofer, audio rack). I'm a law school student living at home for the summer, so bringing the whole bag of tricks wasn't really an option.
My system is very dynamic and highly musical. Top and bottom ends are rolled off a bit (typical of single driver speakers) but everything gels when the subwoofer is in place.
I guess my systems strengths are dynamics, imaging, awesome midrange, soundstaging, immediacy and the ability to really convey emotion.
Some of its weaknesses might be that its not the last word in detail, top end extension and not much air between notes.
I'll post new pictures when I get around to cleaning my listening room.
P.S. The picture on my temporary audio rack is a joke card ;)
I really love the sound of the Berendsen. Its the most musical/enjoyable redbook I've heard. I have listened and owned sources costing mor--some did many things better, but the CDP-1 really captures the soul of performances. It replaced a Meridian G08 in my rig (hated it!) and is likely to remain in my system for a long time to come.
One thing--they have quality control issues/opperate on a differnt timeline then Americans are probably used to. I had a problem with my first cd player (and the subsequent replacement) and it ended up taking months instead of weeks for the problem to be resolved. Regardless, it was worth the wait IMO.
A good amount of time has passed and my love for the minimax has only grown stronger. Its proven to be a wonderful preamp in my rig. Warmth and palpability mixed with convincing dynamics and emotion--it really is a wonderful piece and I'm extreemly happy to have it.
Actually, I've been in communication with Bill from MorningStar audio and he hooked me up with a demo minimax phonostage to play with in my rig as well. Its only day two with it, but I'm seeing a lot of potential with this piece as well. I've been looking for something to best my Dynavector 20L/P-75 combination (the Rogue Stealth was NOT it!) and my first impressions are that this might be the piece to do it. Seems to have a more organic sound/tonal accuracy without sacrificing musicality. The only drawback I've noted is that trebble seems slightly soft, but I suspect this is a break in thing--I've yet to listen long enough to comment on its ability to communicate emotion, but as I previously said: first impressions are good.
Great to hear you like the Minimax and that it is so much better than the Sonic Frontier. I guess you even had to give up the comfort of a volume control for the better sound?
I am also starting to tackle the amp problem with the Abby's. My Bottlehead S.E.X. amp should be built in a week, and I am planning to get a preamp (probably the Fi Y: soo much nicer looks than the Minimax) as soon as possible. I would love to try and keep different amps around for different sounds: On my list are a solid state Firstwatt F1 and on the SET side a Fi X. I just would love to keep some different amps around for different moods.
Anyway, curois to hear how you like the Minimax after some longer time....
I'm extreemly happy with my Minimax preamp and the Sonic Frontiers has been sold off. I'm using an upgraded m.m. with NOS Haltron Blackglass rectifiers and the stock chineese 12au7s and music is just soo much more engaging than it was with the Sonic Frontiers. This really suits my tastes a lot better. I'm really re-discovering a lot of my vinyl and come to think of it I've been listening to vinyl almost exclusivly lately.
On the topic of vinyl, I purchased a Rogue Stealth the other day which should be arriving on wed. I am a bit reluctant to tamper with the great synergy I've achieved and I am also concerned by some peoples reports of the Stealth being a bit analytical--I suppose I'll see what happens.
I kind of kicked myself for missing a Y on audiogon not too long ago, but hopefully the modded Minimax will do me right and stave off the urge to upgrade--If a Y comes up soon (within my 30 day trial of Minimax) Ill probably pick it up to compare and keep only the winner. Either way, I suspect my system will be more musical without the Line 1. The Sonic Frontiers is a great piece of machine, and extreemly neutral and transparant, but I dont think its doing anything to further enhance my listening enjoyment (sin of omission rather then commission).
The nearfield version of the Abbys sound like an interesting option, but after talking to Clark at C&C I think I made the right choice going with the standard drivers. I really love the abbys though and down the line I might pick up a pair of Super Abbys and from my conversations with clarke the nearfield driver in conjunction with the super tweeter seems to be the prefered combo.
Did you consider the Fi Y to go with your Fi monos? Did you have a chance to listen to the EE Minimax or any other preamps yet? I would be very interested in any comparisons.
Good luck with your new room. I had a similar one (11 x 11 ft) long ago with monitor speakers in it. The corner placement you have should work fine in there. Did you consider exchanging the driver in the Abby's to the nearfield version, now that you are sitting somewhat closer?
My system has been re-located to a designated room with dimensions of 12x12x8. I have the room set up off axis(45 degrees) to help with reflections and am now considering room treatments. Pictures of the new location can be found here: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vopin&1126401982&view
Additionally, I purchased an Eastern Electric Minimax Preamp with all of their upgrade options which should be arriving on monday. Based on the reviews, I suspect this might lead my rig to a more emotionally involving level then my Sonic Frontiers, but it will have its work cut out for it even comming near the S.F.'s transparancy.
I'm pretty happy with how the flexy ended up though I may power sand with a light grit paper one of these days and poly it up a bit.
Room treatments are definitely in my future though truth be told this is yet another temporary listening room. My girlfriend and I are temporarily staying in a small apartment until Sept. 1 when we are moving into a 3 bdroom house (one of the rooms dedicated to audio). Once I move is when the room tweaks will begin.
Bummer to hear about the hum, I suspect a regenerator might help, though I wasn't chasing any problems like that when I purchased mine. I'm pretty content with my P-300 but truth be told I leave it on Sin all the time. Multiwave makes an appreciable difference, but I'm not convinced its a positive thing. Of all the MW settings I tend to favor PS2, but again--I find myself leaving it on sin mostly.
My Monoblocks actually go straight into the wall socket (I'll be installing better sockets in my dedicated room also) and I plug my preamp, phonostage, turntable and cdp into my P-300.
Things are pretty quiet with them in place and I suspect I've eliminated most of the line noise--sometimes I wonder if it may have been at the expense of a touch of air, but I've gotta say, things are sounding so good at the moment (especially with analog) I don't want to experiment.
As for the Wrights v. Fi--I have not given them an honest A/B. The binding posts on the Wright were a major pain in the ass to try to wire both my spade connectors speaker and bare termination subwoofer cables and I only listened for a few minutes with only the speakers (no sub). I heard a bit of potential, but am more or less set on the Fis and put them back in place pretty quickly without much experimentation. Its my intent to re-sell the Wrights and also to sell off my previous VTL monoblocks.
Nice setup, I really like how your got everything in similar wood tones. Your rack came out great, I was actually going to ask where you bought before I noticed it was a DIY Flexy.
Are you considering any room treatments to tame the heavy reflections you'll be gettin from the front wall behind between the speakers and immediate sides?
On another note, I've got a pretty bad 60Hz hum problem in my AC line and have been looking at PS Audio's power regenerators. Are you happy w/ your PS-300? Do you use it just for your amps, sources, or the whole setup? Did it wipe out all line noise?
Anyway, congratulations on a top-notch setup. Have you had a chance to compare the Wright with the Fi?
System edited: Here are some updated pictures of my semi-permanent listening room. I realize the sub should probably be on the left side, but I had to work with the dimensions I have. I will hopefully be adopting a more suited room in september.
Gopher, nice choice of speakers and nice choice of amps. I would love to hear what you have to say about the Wright amps vs. the Fi amp.
I also just received my Abby's yesterday. I am right now continously running them in with a Sonic Impact amp. Hopefully they will be ready for serious listening in about two weeks. I was thinking of the Fi amp or the Wright mono's as well to drive the Abby's but I am a little worried about the low power.
I've always wanted to hear a good 2A3 amp and both those two are on my list. I've heard great things about them. They are gonna sing with your Abbeys.
I'm actually seriously considering Wrights WPP200C Phono Preamp. It fits nicely into my budget and is toobs. I like my Graham Slee Era, but you can never have too many valves in a system.
Could you give me quick description of what the 2A3's sound like? I hear the bass is supposed to deep.
Whoops, sorry 'bout that Gopher, I got you mixed up with "Gomer".
The Baileys are awesome in a low key kind of way. They flesh out the single-driver mid-bass and add amazing spatial information.
But, for all I know, any good subwoofer does the same. I suspect that you might get more "punch" with your M&K, though. Although, I'm still fiddling with placement, so it's hard to tell what the full potential is.
Thanks for your response, but I think you might have me mixed up with someone else. ;) I'm actually on the East Coast and have never been much of a DIYer.
Regardless, congrats on what sounds like a great system, I'm very curious about the Bens, myself. Down the line I might try to audition the Bailey subs, but for now I haven't even heard the abbys with my M&K yet.
I actually drove down and picked up some teflon Cat-5 from you years ago when you first started building DIY cables(still in OC?). It's funny to look back on because we both were into solid state and chasing POWER, now we both have low powered tube amps with Cain & Cain speakers. Who'dda Thunk?
I've never heard Abbeys, but supposedly they do even better dynaics that my IM-Bens. And you're right, with a sub(or two) added in - everything sounds incredibly good. In the future, you might wnat to check out Cain's Baileys, they mate beautifully with their speakers.
If you ever want to check out the IM-Bens with Bailey subwoofers, drop me line. I'm just a few minutes north in San Pedro.
