This system has been taking shape over a number of years. The Venture speakers, Antelope Zodiac Gold DAC and Rogue amplification have been a constant for some time, while experiments with cabling, room treatments and vibration management have brought interesting - and sometimes wonderful - changes.
The most profound recent change: adding four Stillpoints Aperture panels. My living room is a typical Hong Kong concrete box (9'x21'), and previously required a lot of treatments (bass traps, absorbers, wooden diffusors). It was ugly and never quite right. The Apertures have given the space a quietness and ease that is clear with the system and with conversation in the room, helping make the imaging more precise and the soundstage significantly larger. Major tip: placing the side wall panels on speaker stands about 4" out from the wall has a profound impact on the panels' bass-controlling ability. If you have Apertures mounted on your side walls, give this a try!
Today, staging is almost life-sized, the sound has plenty of inner detail, is slightly warm (thank you Venture Reference XLRs), and can be startlingly realistic at times.
Twenty years old, but still a treat to hear: refined, neutral, transparent. I struggled with lumpy sound for a while, then remembered to tighten the speaker enclosures. Doh! Venture speaker cables didn't do it (red, silver balance and Performance 14), but Stealth MLT Hybrids did the trick. Stilpoint Ultra SS and Foundation 2 stands were a big step up.
SOtM USB PCI card, 2 Teradak linear PSUs for the mobo and usb, Win Server 2012 and Audiophile Optimizer.
Crystal Cable BV Ultra speaker cables
I had experimented with Stealth MLT Hybrids, Venture speaker cable (Red, Silver Balance, Performance 14), Lectralines and Madison Audio Lab.
Crystal Cable BV Ultra interconnects
Crystal Cable Ultra PCs
Going to a full set of Ultra PCs (Rogue Monoblocks, Zodiac Gold DAC, PS Audio P5, computer LPSUs) netted huge gains. They sort of 'click' when you are using a full set.
Jere: You need to post photos, shame on you, teasing us with your Venture speakers and their famous beautiful finish. I too have Ventures and love the way the sing, and look. Have you experimented with other speaker cables, or are you satisfied with the Stealth? Glad to see computer hires audio gear that is top notch. I've not tried the PS audio power plants, but realize that getting good, clean quiet power is a must to optimize our gear. Nice synergistic set up you created..congrats and enjoy the music.
