I've done a few upgrades recently. I added an SRA Platform under the preamp and turntable and the improvement made me go out and upgrade my preamp. I replaced the Jeff Rowland with a Soultion 725. The improvement is beyond description. I ordered a Virginia Class SRA base for the Soultion. I also ordered a custom turn table stand from the incredible people at Timbernation and should have in the coming weeks.
This system, to me, has reached the level I had dreamed of. A beautiful 3-D soundstage, deep, transparent, detailed, dynamic and textured.
Sanders Sound Systems Magtechs and 10E Speakers with DBX Crossover on Timbernation Rack
Utter bliss.
Esoteric K03
Incredible player & DAC!
Sanders Sound Magtech Amps
All I can say is Wow! Plugged directly into wall, Each amp rests on three Finite Element CeraPucs. Pluged into Shunyata Hydra via Shunyata Anaconda PC. Balanced Tara Labs The One IC into preamp
Soultion 725
I NEVER thought I would replace my Jeff Rowland Criterion. The Soultion Preamp is absolutely insane. Transparency, resolution, detail, you name it.
Sanders Sound Systems 10D
Brand new with his new aluminum drivers. Just awesome!
Tara Labs The One
Speaker Wire and Interconnects - Balanced and single ended, as well as digital for the upsampler to K03.
Allnic Audio H-3000
Tube phone stage - upgraded from the Rhea. This tubed phono stage is dead quiet. Absolutely no tube rush. Incredible soundstage depth. The slam is insane.
Shunyata Python Anaconda and Alpha Helix
Shunyata Power Cables throughout
McIntosh MR-78
With the Modaferri mod. Great tuner but depends on what stations are doing what programming. Living here (Long Island NY) 10 years, I am currently enjoying FM very much with a local station recently going to classic rock, make that, incredibly, non-repetitive classic rock with minimal commercials. Shhh.... I know this is a programming error but until they figure it out, I am listining to some really great stuff.
Shunyata Hydra 8
Used for preamp, tuner and digital front ends.
Alesis Masterlink
CD Burner used for compilations. Nordost Silver shadow digital into G25U and into DAC. Hard drive sounds supersweet and blows away any puter audio I have ever heard, but just 40Gig HD.
Transrotor Rodino
Magnetic drive turntable. It has taken me to that vinyl level I have dreamt about.
SME 5012 - Made specifically by SME for Transrotor
12 inch arm. Wow!
SOTA Power Supply ordered at an HiFi show directly from Igor Ultimate Power Conditioner
Used for ESL Panels and digital crossover
Degritter Degritter
Ultrasonic Record Cleaning Machine - I do believe its the best available right now. Incredible upgrade
Air Tight PC-1 Supreme
All I can say is wow.
Shakti Holographs
Widened and deepened sound stage
Finite Elements Cera Pucs
Under CD Player and Amps
Timber Nation stands
Rack for amps and crossover between speakers
Shakti Stones
On amps and Hydra
Symposium Svelt Plus
Improvement over the svelt shelf is staggering
Billy Bags Pro shelf
Double wide for front end and preamps
Magnun Dynalab Signal Sleuth
used with outdoor FM antenna to get NYC stations (I live on Long Island)
Entreq Silver Minimus
Grounding box and silver ground wire for K03. Puts the player on steroids.
DBX Digital Crossover DriveRack
Man oh man.
Silent Running Audio Ohio Class
Custom made for Esoteric K-03. AWESOME upgrade.
Akai GX-625
1/4 inch 4 track stereo dec. 7 1/2
Vicoustic Super Bass Extreme Bass Traps
Three on each side with stands and supports. Incredible addition to the room.
Studer-Revox B-77 Modded by Arian Jansen - 15ips
Tape Project is INSANE
Maple Shade 4 inch board
Under the dbx digital crossover
Aurender N-10
Replaced the PC based system which was just a PITA. The Aurender is incredible.
Soulution 725 Preamp
Transparent. Just incredible. The centerpiece of the system.
Hi Cerrot, It seems Andrew was actually paying you quite a compliment and wasn't being condescending regarding the Sander's very reasonable cost. At least that's what comes across to me. Congratulations on your very nice system. Charles,
They are good, regardless of cost. Roger sells direct, so, right there, we save 50% or more in retailer mark up and other nonsense. Truly silly to comment on these with the price comment.
Nice system. I have heard Roger's speakers at Axpona in Atlanta and they are superb. I even convinced a friend to buy a set. For the money, they are very hard to beat.....
System edited: The Sanders 10D's are fully broken in and they have surpassed the prior upgraded Eros Mk II, and my very high expectations, by an incredible margin. Coupled with the pair of Magtechs and modded digital crossoover, there is a sense of realism, musicality, timing, speed, detail and transparancey I only dreamed about. Roger Sanders really did an incredible job with the new speakers. The amps, speakers and crossover screamed for a preamp and when I added the Ayre, really allows the Esoteric K03 to shine on alomost all material. Speaker cable and IC upgrades were done (tara Labs The One from prior Tara RSC Air Ones) which just put the icing on the cake (and pushed my rear wall four feet deeper). Vinyl and FM also sound awesome. Computer audio is at a new high for me and I'm just enjoying music for the first time in a while. Reel to reel is blis and my new hobby is finding old tape.
Tbooe, I have the entreq attached to the grounding screw on my esoteric K03 and it put my dac on steroids. Faster, deeper soundstage, more detail. Really nice for the money.
Cerrot, I am curious to hear your thoughts on the Entreq grounding system. I am thinking about trying it out myself so I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts.
System edited: I just posted some new photos to reflect my recent upgrades. I could not be happier. I can finally feel what I thought I would feel when I got to a certain point in this hobby. It has exceeded my expectations.
Enjoy the amp, Jazzkid. Its a sweet sounding amp with plenty of power. I am drooling as well. Roger really did something special with these speakers. Thanks for the post and enjoy that awesome amp!
I'm drooling Dennis I spent four hours with Roger at his shop in Conifer a few years ago. Those speakers are awesome but I can't afford them so I got a used set of sound lab M1. I did get his ELS Mk II amp.
I'm drooling Dennis I spent four hours with Roger at his shop in Conifer a few years ago. Those speakers are awesome but I can't afford them so I got a used set of sound lab M1. I did get his ELS Mk II amp.
Hi Jon, thank you for the kind words. I would like to upgrade my turntable in the future,, but, gotta say, even with my current set up, vinyl just sounds better. I can't describe it other than it's an emotion thing. My digital does it, don't get me wrong. Vinyl just does it... Better.
Can't really go 1to 10.
Careful if you go the vinyl route. It's like getting a puppy. Needs more attention than digital but when it licks your face, you smile.
Congrats, Dennis, on your fabulous system which comprises both high end digital and analog sources. As you are in an excellent position to compare the two, how would you rate your digital front end against your analog, say on a scale of 1 to 10. I am curious as I am itching to wade into analog territory.
System edited: I have had some fun upgrading. New Sanders Stats, the aluminum driver 10D. Having alot of fun just listening to music. I can really hear deep into whats being played. Really makes me understand the difference between tone and resolution. I finally have both.
I just put 10 hour or so on a new pair of Sanders Sound 10D Speakers. Just out with Aluminum Drivers, they take me right where I need to be. A few hours out of the box and no looking back for me. I am a stat guy for LIFE. Sanders Stats.
Recent upgrade-replaced Innersound Pre-amp with Ayre K5xeMP.
I always liked the Ayre but thought my preamp was quiet as a tomb so no reason to replace. Well, I was wrong and this is awesome and I am a happy camper!
I had started out with the RSC Air 1's years back so just stayed within the Tara Labs family. I took s shot a few years back on The One IC and have not looked back. It just seemed like the right progression for me. I truly cannot beleive what these cables can do.
Nice upgrade Dennis. I have The One speaker cables and am looking to upgrade my IC as well. Did you audition other Tara models before settling on the One IC?
Some more very recent updates: Replaced an old monster sigma retro cable (IC between digital crossover & bass amp) with Tara Labs The One and the improvement was incredible. Gave a nice squared shape to the rear of the sound stage and just really gave a wonderful frame to the music. Once I saw what that could do, I replaced the Tara Labs RSC AIR One speaker cable for the ESL panels and upgraded to Tara Labs The One. Needless to say, the improvement is staggering. I also just purchased a modded Behringer DCX 2496 crossover from Simon Ashton in the UK and, even after just 24 hours on it, the improvement is definitely worth it. I will post photos when I can.
I have one in each of the front corners, for a total of 2 in Cherry. They really make a nice difference. The website says you cant overdampen so 4 should be easy enough.
So far, I am very happy with the results. Truly unexpected and well worth the cost.
Hey Cerrot! I am also a fan of Vicoustic products. I was thinking about putting diffusion between my speakers but given my small room I felt that absorption would be better. Once my wallet recovers from Xmas I plan to get the Superbass traps as well. How many did you end up getting? I was planning on 4 total, 2 on each side stacked in the front corners. Also curious what color you got?