Description

My relatively modest system was carefully assembled over many years (I have been in the so-called high-end for over 30 years). I am a tweaker who works at optimizing the performance of each component. I do not believe that spending MEGA$$ is necessary for creating a musical sounding system. To wit: I have listened to some super expensive systems that were great in Hi-Fi sound reproduction but missed the mark in terms of musical satisfaction. Careful selection and matching of components can optimize the synergy and performance of the total system. My system has wideband response from about 16Hz up to beyond the upper limits of my hearing capability. The sound is very smooth, robust, balanced and detailed with a see-through huge soundstage. Bass is very defined and tuneful. The overall sound is very musical and engaging. My dedicated listening room is 26x16x8.5 (ft)

Recently, I replaced my Magenpan 3.5s with the magnificent 20.1s, my last speaker purchase. These are massive compared to the 3.x series, and required 2 persons for the installation. The 20.1s are a music lover’s dream. They are musical, smooth, dynamic and very revealing coupled with panoramic sound staging. The bass is full and fast.

I am actively bi-amping the 20.1s, as I did the 3.5s, using the Marchand XM-126s with ARC VT100 MKII for the treble/midrange and Kenwood L07M mono-blocks on the bass of my 20.1s. The xover points replicates the crossover settings utilized by Magnepan for the 20.1 internal xover: Low pass 18dB/Octave @ 108hz (Buterworth) and High pass 6dB/Octave @330hz. I am also using a stereo pair of Sunfire Signature subwoofers that are driven directly from my ARC LS25 preamp. Setting up of the system still required much experimentation, although it was made easier due to my previous experience with the 3.5s. But the final results are very satisfying as the integration and blending of the system is now virtually seamless.
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Room Details

Dimensions: 26’ × 16’  Large
Ceiling: 9’


Components Toggle details

    • Sony SCD-1
    Modified with Audiocom Superclock3/PSU3. Improvements due to the new clock and PSU are dramatic. Much more detail and transparency, more liguid analog-like presentation
    • Oppo Digital BDP-105D Universal Player
    Excellent performance from a budget unit. Out-performs my Sony SCD-1
    • Harman Kardon Citation 14
    FM only tuner. had for about 30 years. Very warm smooth analog sound with big sound stage
    • Oracle Audio Technologies Delphi MKV SE
    Special Granite Base and Turbo power supply. Sits on a granite shelf. This is a very underrated table. Great transparency, excellent bass control. Very quiet mechanically.
    • Graham Engineering Phantom B44 Picture
    Incredible sounding arm. Super dyanmics, control and transparency: Black with chrome and Custom mount. It excels in all musical categories. With the upgraded bearing the perfromance goes up a notch:The overall presentation is less mechanical, smoother, and noticeably more relaxed with greater musical flow, coherence and refinement. In particular, voices, strings and piano are more natural sounding.
    • Lyra Kleos
    Kleos rerplaces my Helikon, which it surpasses with improved performance across the audio spectrum
    • Lyra Helikon
    High output version. This is a versatile cartridge which merges technical prowess (speed, detail, etc) with a creamy musical midrange
    • Audio Research PH-2
    Internal damping devices on PS and curcuit board and ERS cloth below PS. This is the sleeper ARC component. It kills the PH3SE. It is very neutral, dynamic and transparent. I have no urge to replace it any time soon. Performance stepped up to another level after installing an IEC connector and using a Revelation Audio Labs Precept II Power Cord. Soundstage is transparent, panoramic and 3D. Musical textures are rich and inviting with 100 ohm loading. Repalced coupling caps with Dynamicaps, and the input 100 ohm resistors and loading resistors with low noise TX2575 resistors. Improvement in transparency, soundstaging, robustness and dynamics
    • Audio Research LS-25
    MKI version with NOS 6H23 6922 tubes. With the NOS tubes it equals the LS25 MKII in dynamics and bass articulation, but exceeds the MKII in terms of liquidity and musicality. Recently replaced 6H23 with Quartets of Mulllad E88CC and Telefunken E88CC vintage tubes. Elevated sonics to another level
    • Marchand Electronic Tube X-over XM-126s
    Balanced XLR I/O option with stepped attenuators for level control. Replaced 7 stock 12AX7 with Mullards (1960) 2 12AT7 with Mullard M8162 CV4024 (1983). The Marchand is very transparent and introduces no easily detectable grain or electronic artifacts. It is dead quiet with the noisy fan turned off. This is an excellent crossover and has brought me much closer to the music. Replaced the factory FM modules with sets comprising Rel Caps RT capacitors and TX 2575 low noise resistors: tremendous improvements across the audio spectrum, with increased resolution and dynamics
    • Audio Research VT-100 mkII
    With NOS 6H23 6922 input tubes. The VT100 MKII is a classic amp. It is one of best sounding amps ever made by ARC irrespective of price. It is a keeper. Replaced the SV 6550Cs with Tung-Sol KT120s. Major improvement in all categories, especially the feeling of ease due to the greater headroom. More control and power in the bass, bigger, better soundstaging, better dynamics, smoother more extended highs.
    • Kenwood L0-7M
    L07M monoblocks for powering bass panels of MG 3.5. Modified connectors and PC. The Kenwood amps are very smooth and musical, in spite of their solid-state character, which helps in facilitating blending with the ARC VT100 MKII. Additionally, the L07Ms have great bass control and definition.I had this amp in my closet for about 20 years before using for biamping my MG3.5
    • Magnepan MG-20.1
    Cherry with Natural white
    • Magnepan MG-3.5r
    Modified: Internal wiring with Discovery hook-up cable by magnepan. Caps also replaced with PPMF. Also bypassed tweeter attenuators and fuses. Approximates the performance of the expensive fullrange speakers when biamped and used with stereo subwoofers
    • Sunfire Sunfire Signature
    Stereo pair of Sunfire Signatures on Auralex bass stands. These when properly placed and configured produces fast, tight and musical bass (no boomy bass here)
    • Revelation Audio Labs Paradise Cryo-Silver™ Reference
    With XLR connectors. Improved resolution, refinement, dynamics, excised grit and bloat. Excellent cable
    • Transparent Ultra XL
    Balanced interconnect from Marchand x-over to VT100 MKII (15 ft)
    • Analysis Plus Oval Crystal 8 (Balanced)
    Three pairs (3): with XLR - 1M from SCD-1 to LS25, 1M from LS25 to Marchand, 0.5 meter from PH2 to LS25. These cables are neutral, detailed and transparent with a robust midrange
    • Mogami Neglex 2534
    XLR to RCA terminations (20 ft) from Marchand to Kenwood monoblocks
    • Monster MSeries M35I SW HT
    Subwoofer interconnects from LS25 to Sunfire Signatures (25 ft)> Sleeper sub cable. Very clean and tight bass control
    • XLO Signature Type 2
    0.5 M from Tuner to LS25
    • Analysis Plus Crystal Oval 8
    Two pairs (2) both T1 spade to Big BFA connectors. These are very neutral, detailed, extended and musical cables. They provide very good bass control and definition
    • Elrod EPS 3
    From RGPC to VT100. Similar to EPS3 Signature but with less bass entension and midrange robustness.
    • Elrod EPS 3 Signature
    From wall outlet to RGPC. Excellent performer across the board: very open, dynamic with excellent bass control and transparency
    • NBS Master III
    Two (2). From Hydra to LS25, from Hydra to Marchand
    • NBS Monitor II
    Supplies power to SCD-1. Synergy with player. Excellent all round performance
    • Shunyata Python Helix Alpha
    From wall to Hydra (6ft, 20 Amp). Replaced a Shunyata Taipan Alpha, providing better all round performance
    • Revelation Audio Precept II
    From Triplite to Oracle turbo PS. These are very coherent musical and dynamic cables. Now using another set with the ARC PH2. Providing a very nice improvement in performance
    • Shunyata Sidewinder
    Two (2): connects 2 RGPC to main RGP
    • Shunyata Hydra 8
    Used for front end components
    • Triplite LC-1800
    Provides power to Oracle turbo PS. It is plugged in my Hydra 8. The extra filtering improves the performance of the Oracle without any negative effects (Oracle tubo PS only draws about 0.25 peak amps)
    • Finite Element Ceraball
    Three sets of four. Under VT100, Marchand XM126s, LS25. these work as advertised. Helped in cleaning up the presentation, especially in the mid-bass. Also noticed improved transparency and smoothness
    • Finite Element Ceraball Universal
    Used under SCD-1. Improved soundstaging, transparency and refinement compared to the replaced BDR cones
    • Richard Grey 400S
    Three (3) RGPC in parallel provide power for amp
    • Corcom EMI/RFI Filter
    Heavy duty filter used with subwoofers
    • BDR Cones
    Three sets of 3. Used under PH2, SCD-1 and Tuner
    • Shakti Stones
    Used under power transformer of VT100 and Triplite
    • Walker Extreme SST
    Used on all connections. Increased the purity, resolution and energy of the system
    • Craig Survival Kit
    Contains, Power booster, Progold, and Preservit
    • Research Labs LP9
    Stylus treatment
    • Research Labs Record cleaner
    Cleaning fluid
    • VPI 16.5
    Record cleaning Machine
    • Target Amp Stand
    Used under kenwoodLO-7M
    • Soundesign Amp Stand
    large amp stand for VT100
    • Target AER5t
    Main Eqiptment rack
    • Target 3r
    SCD-1 Stand
    • Echo Busters Bass Busters
    pair 4 ft corner bass busters in rear corners
    • Echo Busters Absorption Panels
    Pair in both sides of front half of room
    • Room Tunes Half Round
    Pair of 5 ft half round on first third of room on both sides
    • Auralex Venus Bass Traps
    Pair on front wall
    • Auralex Mega Lnards Bass traps
    Pair in front corner of room. Helped in ameliorating a very boomy bass heavy room
    • Auralex Corner Cubes
    Two 1ftx1ft on top of Mega Lnards in front corner.
    • Auralex Corner Rectangles
    1ft squarex 2 ft absorption rectangels in rear of room
    • Auralex Gramma
    Pair of Isolation bases for Sunfire subwoofers. Helped in ameliorating bass boom
    • Hickok Tube Tester 6000A
    Vintage Tube tester in excellent condition
    • Mullard NOS 12AT7 M8162 CV4024 (1983)
    Military Spec 12AT7 (2 tubes for Marchand)
    • Mullard Tubes 12AX7 (1960’s)
    7 tubes for Marchand vintage used tested very strong with excellent balance
    • VPI DB-5
    magic Bricks (2)
    • Townsend 2HD
    Isolation Platfrom for Sony SCD-1
    • Ceramic Cable Elevators
    Glazed
    • Radio Shack Tape Eraser
    Used to demagnetize CDs
    • Hi-Fi Tuning Fuses Supreme
    Used on VT100 MKII. It is indeed directional. it replaced a Classic gold Hi-Fi Tuning fuse. Improved overall resolution. Recently added to the LS25 and the Marchand XM126. Overall system musicality and transparency stepped up a notch
    • Hi-Fi Tuning Silverstar
    Replaced standard fuses in Kenwood L07Ms and Sunfire subwoofers.
    • Hi-Fi Tuning Classic Gold
    Replaced stock fuses in Magnepan 20.1; Sony SCD1; Marchand XM126; ARC PH2, ARC LS25

Comments 82

Showing all comments by mrvordo.

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Excellent system you have put together. Would love to hear it.

I too had an Oracle mkV and have recently upgraded it to the mkVI bearing, MVSS, and Turbo II power supply.

Thought you might want to know that this is a quantum improvement. As happy as I was with the mkV the mkVI makes it sound like a toy.

Best,
Mike

mrvordo