My objective is to duplicate the sound of a good jazz venue as best I can. I'll never match it but getting close is fine. I've had various audio components through the years and tubes particularly DHT tubes/ASSET have gotten me the closest. So this is where I will settle down and appreciate.
Balanced AC power is fantastic !! 1800va balanced isolation transformer/conditioner. All aspects of music reproduction are improved for every single component.
Tripoint Tripoint Troy.
A wonderful grounding box component. When added to my system it increased the sense of natural sound quality and emotional engagement. The Troy has a humanistic and “soulful “ quality to it.
Coincident Speaker Tech Total eclipse 2
This wonderful speaker is transparent,open and involving. It`s large yet completely disappears as the source of sound within the room. Very easy to drive,94db and 14 0hm impedance (Minimum 10 ohm). I replaced the stock Solens capacitor with the Duelund CAST in the crossover.
Coincident Statement linestage
Superb performance. In my opinion , a masterpiece by Israel Blume. As would be expected, a wonderful match with its sibling the Frankenstein MK II.
Coincident Speaker Tech Frankenstein mark 2
A terrific 300b SET amplifier that is the foundation of my system. The EML XLS 300b tubes are a superb match with this amplifier.
Acquiring these 300b SET mono blocks changed the course of my music listening experience. They elevated the emotional engagement, tactility and “breath of life “ realism.
Yamamoto YDA-01
Wonderful music lover's DAC that has a very natural/organic sound quality. Duelund CAST addition(output coupling capacitors) makes it sound even better. It has a very minimalist circuit/design that was implemented well.
Ocellia Silver Reference IC
Very natural and pure sounding with excellent tone and timbre preservation.
Ocellia Silver Reference Speaker Cable
Same qualities/ comments as the IC.
Star Sound Technologies Sistrum Apprentice component platforms..
These Star Sound platforms are mandatory in my system. Effectively managing resonance and vibration leads to a very noticeable sound improvement with every component and especially the speakers. Excellent product.
High Fidelity CT1 Ultimate Digital cable
A highly impressive digital cable that mates beautifully into my system. Contributes to the natural sound presentation.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems CD Box RS2T
This is a superb Redbook CD playback transport. It’s both high resolution and impressively natural.
. I’m using the excellent Fidelizer Nikola II LPS. Splendid pairing.
Lavricables Grand and Master series Power Cables.
Pure silver wire and unshielded power cables. These are used with all of my audio components. They are very open, transparent, high resolution with beautiful natural tone and timbre presentation.
Abbas Esoteric Audio 3.2SE
Built by renown Ukrainian Abbas Zulfugarov. NOS DAC utilizing the classic Phillips TDA 1541 multi bit chip. Two 6080 tubes in the analog stage. 5 various rectifier tubes in the power supplies.
3 separate toroidal transformers (And 2 chokes ) for the power supplies.A very serious and successful upper tier DAC implementation. Using with the Abbas SPDIF and power cable.
Interestingly, I can currently get a pair of these Psvane WE RCA 845's for the same price as a pair of KR 845's. The latter is recommended by my dealer, but he can't access them for a while. Maybe I'll get both (sorry for the strain, dear credit card!), and do a little a-b. Always handy to have a spare pair in case of failure anyhow. Each time I think I might move away from my Hovland HP200 (and I'm sorely tempted by the Wyetech Labs Ruby Std and Nagra Jazz), it melts my heart. Since 2006, i STILL haven't heard anything that knocks it out of the park. A good chance that SOTA 845's will boost it's performance further. And I'm just auditioning an amazing line of cables and power cords, Sablon Audio. Their Gran Corona power cord into my Hovland has taken it to an interesting new level, displaying extra layers of bass texture, but punchy and controlled, giving the system the missing body that it occasionally demonstrates esp via cd. A snip at $1300/5ft, in the realms of extreme cable pricing
Hi Spirit, Thanks for the vote of confidence. Spirit as you've probably realize by now I won't go into a lot of audiophile speak, instead I try to give the essence of what I hear. The W.E.Replica I've heard in numerous listening sessions with my long time friend Jwm(Jeff) using his Absolare Passon PSET mono blocks. This tube in comparison to the Shuguang-T and RCA 845 is more organic or natural in presentation. Instruments and voice are more convincing and realistic in that the tone, timbre, harmonic overtones are more completely intact and undiluted. Body and weight are appreciated but aren't overdone or emphasized just present in a balanced way. What I hear is the true color, energy and warmth of real instruments hut again avoiding embellishment. The RCAs were pretty good in this area but the Psvane W.E. do this while also sounding more open, clear and definitely more tranparency. I find that combining tonal warmth and body will superior transparent sound is achieved with only the best products. So for me this tube is emotionally involving and effectively pulls me deep into the enjoyment of music. Jeff's Shuguang's weren't bad but they aren't as refined and natural. In his amplifier it's Psvane W.E., RCA then the Shuguang. I'd expect the Psvane to fit well with your Audion given its noted resolution and lack of editorializing. Charles,
Charles, thanx for your always-helpful replies to my qs. Your thoughts on the Pvsane We Replica 845's would be much appreciated. There is a pair for sale currently, but no return other than if defective. You seem to give it a def two thumbs up, so can you describe it's characteristics in more detail?
Charles and Brett Many thanks. Sorry, I mean recordings in the sense of albums. Some great names here. I recently got Cassandra Wilson - Blue Light Till Dawn on LP . It's soo amazing. I listen 95% vinyl, 3.99% cd and 0.01% Dac . I will start tracking the LP versions. Cheers Pradeep
A friend turned me on to Jaques and Paula Morelenbaum with Ryuichi Sakamoto playing Jobim classics: "Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto: Casa." It is now one of my favorite bossa nova/female vocal albums. Her voice and phrasing is truly wonderful.
Pradeep, I have no idea if your taste are similar to mine, here are some of my favorites. Carmen McRae, "Great American Song Book" live in a jazz club 1971 " " " Bittersweet" early 1960s. " " "Velvet Fog"
Sarah Vaughan," "Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown" " " "Crazy and Mixed up" " " "After Hours"
Mary Stallings, "Fine and Mellow"
Shirley Horn, "I Remember Miles"
Roberta Gambarini, " You Are There" "Helen Merrill with you Clifford Brown"
Pradeep, Charles had recommended a couple Gems in the past as.... Carmen McRae "Alone" JVC XRCD, WOW!! thanks for that one:) I will offer some contemporary ones Cassandra Wilson: "Loverly" & "Blue Light Til Dawn" Rachel Ferrell "First Instrument" Diane Reeves "I Remember" Shirley Horn "You Won't Forget"
Tj, 6Moons actually did two A-08 reviews. (It must be that good:) I was referring to the other one I which showed my amps a bit more The one of your mention is the maybe the most entertaining of all reviews, to me. Their Audio-Crawl twist much improves the Pub-Crawl, where one is left both rejovenated AND coherent. Terry's Double Bens were very attractive to me among a few others. I was also interested in crossover-less. Hey, who has time in life to wait an extra millisecond or two... HA My first pair of Amps were the 45's so effiency was my first concern. The Beauhorn Virtuosos came up for sale here at the right time and at a VERY fair price and are rated at 106db so I could not resist. They have SLAM
Hi Pradeep, Thanks for your very considerate comment on my system, it's much appreciated. To be clear do you want a list of my favorite 10 female "singers" or 10 favorite female individual "recordings"? Charles
Charles Congrats on a truly superb system. It's obviously been put together with great skill and affection. As you are a jazz aficionado would welcome, at your convenience, your top 10 Jazz female recommendations or something similar. Best Pradeep
Tjkurita, I'll acknowledge that there are exceptions to every rule, particularly regarding audio. Based on my experiences more often than not the simpler approach seems to yield a more natural sound which =better sound. Components with fewer parts and simple circuits, speakers that use minimal ( or no) crossovers, short signal paths etc. Preferring these choices you'd think I'd eliminate the line stage and opt for source-amplifier direct(or passive) but I don't. That additional component in the signal path when of high quality just sounds better and more complete IMO. If I were to ever move away from minimal crossover cone speakers, if would be toward a welll executed horn speaker with a high load impedance. I doubt that I'll ever abandon low power SET, I'm totally hooked. Charles,
I really like that 6Moons article. They talk a lot about Terry Cain and his speakers. The IM Ben they were using, for which the 45 tube was under powered, was a different model from the one I am using. It had a 4" driver that was less efficient than the one I am using, which is a 6" driver, more similar to the one found in the full size double Ben. It is also very interesting reading about the differences between Bruce Edgar's horns and the Cain and Cain cone driver speakers. Edgarhorns have always been described as "warmer" horn speakers. I was surprised to see a horn described as "warmer and mellower" than a cone driver. Charles made a comment on another thread regarding the differences between cone drivers and horns in which he theorized that a lack of crossover bridges the gap between the great liveliness and dynamics that horns are known for, and the relatively "slower" response of cone drivers. He makes a good point because I find that my crossover-less Cains are indeed very dynamic and lively. I would love to hear a 45 or 2A3 amp with my Cains to find out if the slightly more efficient driver in my IM Ben makes using less than 8 watts a viable possibility. I would imagine that your Beauhorns have the same kind of dynamics offered by an efficient, crossover-less cone design. I am beginning to think I must acquire some Yamamoto components. The return on investment alone seems unbeatable.
Hi Brett, I believe that Shigeki Yamamoto has a good musican's ear and the special ability to convey that gift through his components.
Hi Bill, I feel that I have a very competent tech and I'm comfortable deferring to his judgment. He wired the CAST just as the original capacitors were and I certainly defer to Mr. Yamamoto. Charles,
Charles that is a better pic. Without looking under the board I don't know if direct connection is best, or if that leaves out a portion of the circuit.
Hello Gadmanrdh, Thanks very much for your comments concerning my system. This system does provide consistent music listening fulfillment and deep joy. Charles,
I have to say your attention to detail and choice of equipment is outstanding. I see so many systems haphazardly thrown together w/o any serious deliberation. Nice to see a truly well defined HIFI. Congrats.
