Modern and Classic - Not Quite Done Yet

Description

I recently added some ceiling and side sound absorption panels from GIK. They made a real difference. I plan to make some additional sound treatment updates to improve the aesthetics and the sound. It's a very good start. Before my room was too lively. Now the soundstage is bigger and deeper with a more defined and stable image. I wish I would have done this sooner.

The tonearm cable was upgraded from Nordost Valhalla 2 to Odin 2. The improvement was tremendous.

I just added a Nagra Classic Amp to my system. Great sound and the only SS amp to work in the mix.

The most recent change to my system was replacing the stock platter and bearing with a Shindo platter and bearing. The build quality of the Shindo platter and bearing is amazing resulting in a significant improvement in sound quality. The platter and bearing upgrade results in blacker backgrounds, more detail, and more dynamic sound.

Some other recent changes to my system are:

Tonearm replacement: Ortofon RS-309D replaced with an Ikeda IT-407 CR1 incl. VTA base

The addition of an Ikeda 9GSS phono cartridge.

Updating the digital front end to an Innuos music server and Line Magnetic DAC.

Planned future changes are addition of an outboard turntable power supply for the Garrard.

I can sit and listen for hours. This system excels with vocals, but can play rock and full scale orchestral music with ease at volume. I listen primarily to vocalists with small groups and some classic rock or jazz on occasion.

Any thoughts or suggestions please.

My listening room is about 12X17 with 10 ft ceilings.

Room Details

Dimensions: 17’ × 11’ Medium
Ceiling: 10’

Components Toggle details

- Garrard 301
Cream colored Garrard 301 with Shindo platter and bearing.

Mounted in Woodsong plinth with Indian Rosewood veneer and Nordost SortFut underneath sitting on a Vibraplane
- Ikeda IT-407CR1
IT-407CR112 INCH ARM Price:$7,400

Type:Dynamic Balance
Overall Length: 388 mm
Effective Length: 307 mm
Overhang: 12 mm
Stylus Force Range: 0g - 5g (in 0.5g steps
Pivot to Spindle Distance: 295 mm
- Ikeda IT-VTA-06
IT-VTA-06
IT-VTA-06 is an arm base with built-in elevation mechanism that allows you to easily adjust the height of the tone arm. The housing is machined from stainless steel, and the arm fixing part has a hybrid structure of stainless steel and brass. The height can be adjusted smoothly with a single dial operation even record play.

Height adjustment range: Vertical 10 mm
- Ikeda 9Gss MC Cartridge
9GssMC CARTRIDGE Price:$10,500

Product Specifications:

Output Voltage:
0.3 mVrms (1kHz 35.4mm/sec. at 45°peak)

Coil Impedance:
3.0 Ohms (1kHz)
- EMT Audio JSD S-75
JSD S75 75 year Jubilee Moving Coil cartridge is the latest addition to EMT‘s award winning line. Diamond stylus on white Sapphire cantilever.
- Benz Micro LP-S mr
The newest Benz LP-S with micro ridge stylus
- Kiseki PurpleHeart Sapphire
This cartridge uses purpleheart housing, but instead of the aluminum cantilever used in the standard purpleheart, white sapphire from the Lapiz Lazuli is used for the cantilever.
Specifications
Cantilever: 0.3mm sapphire, length 4.5mm
Stylus: line contact, 0.14 x 0.6 mil
Stylus polish: super polishing by pieces of hair
Output: around 0.4mV
Impedance: 42 ohms
Compliance: 20 x 10-6cm/dyne
Tracking force: 1.6 to 2.2g
- Luxman CL-38uC
Luxman preamp including MM/MC phono preamp
- Luxman MB-3045
Luxman mono amps originally sold with the NEC 8045G triode tube.

This pair was factory modified to use the 6550 tube in triode. About 50-60 wpc

This is as quiet as any tube am I have ever heard, including Shindo
- Proac Response D-40r
Floor standing with ribbon tweeter, 2-6.5 woofers and Nordost SurtFut instead of factory spikes
- Nordost Odin 2 tonearm cable
Used with the Garrard turntable and Ortofon tonearm
- Nordost Odin Interconnect
Interconnect cable between preamp and power amps. A significant upgrade from the Tyr 2 used previously
- Nordost Valhalla 2 Speaker Cable
3 meter pair used with Nordost Reference Jumpers
- Nordost Valhalla 2 Power Cord
Used for QBase to wall, Qbase to preamp and power amps
- Nordost Tyr 2 interconnect 1 meter
Used between CD plater and preamp
- Nordost QBase 8
Used for all AC Connections in concert with a Valhalla 2 AC cable
- Nordost Sort Fut
Nordost SortFut used under the ProAc D-40r speakers
- Nordost Sort Kone TC
Used under preamp, power amps and Nordost QBase.
- Vibraplane 2210-01-13
Passive 20x24 vibraplane placed under Garrard 301 turntable
- Audio Desk Systeme PRO
Ultrasonic Record cleaner, Get great sound from record cleaning dirt you did not know was there
- VPI Industries HW-16.5
Reliable record cleaning machine
- Innuos Zenith Mk III
Black
- Line Magnetic lm 32 dac
- My Sonic Lab Signature Platinum phono cartridge
Internal impedance: 1.4Ω
Output voltage: 0.5mV
Compliance: 10x10-6cm/dyen
Weight: 13g
Recommended tracking force: 1.9-2.2g
Recommended loading: 100-800Ω (ideal is around 400Ω)

The Preeminent Culmination of Decades of Cartridge-Building Expertise: Japanese-Made My Sonic Lab Signature Platinum MC Phono Cartridge Delivers Indescribable Transparency and Purity

The Japanese-made Signature Platinum, the least resonant of any My Sonic Lab MC phono cartridge, stands as the preeminent culmination of master-builder Yoshio Matsudaira's four-decade-plus expertise. Unreal transparency and perfectionist neutrality combine with indescribable purity in an inimitable boron-cantilever cartridge that seemingly knows no power, dynamic, or frequency-extension limitations.
- Nagra Classic Amp with VFS base
Power:100 W RMS per channel into 8 ΩSensitivity:1 V or 2 V RMSBandwidth:10 Hz to 80 KHz, +0/-3 dBCrosstalk:>70 dBSignal-to-noise ratio:Typically 110 dB

ASA “A” weightedTHD+N:< 0.05%Input impedance:>100 KΩ

Comments 52

Showing all comments by ron17.

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Jperry,

Looks like you moved up to the Valhalla 2 speaker cables from the Tyr 2's. I had the Tyr 2 speaker cables in my system for about 3 months (on loan from a dealer friend) until I found a great deal on the Valhalla 2's. With my system (Classe and Proac d30r's) the jump was more than I expected. I recently added an Odin V1 power cable that I use to power my Qbase. That was another huge upgrade for me. Your system keeps looking better and better, bet is sounds great!

ron17 March 17, 2017 00:07

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