Hey Arnie,
Thanks again for letting me hear your fantastic system last week. I have been trying to sort out what my experience was like since then, and here's what I have come up with so far:
1. When I first heard your system a few months ago, you had the Dobbins Garrard 301 and the Allnic h-3000 phonostage. The rest of your gear was pretty much the same that you have now.
2. Although your system sounded really good to my ears, there was something a little analytical about it that I did not like. I attributed the problem to the Magicos, which I was not that enamored of, or the preamp.
3. When I heard your rig last week, you had added the REL sub and replaced the Garrard with the Dobbins/Kodo "The Beat" table. You had also upgraded the Allnic phono with the new Steve Dobbins-installed transformers. I am pretty sure those were the only gear changes, unless you added a tweak or two like shelves, footers or different room treatments.
4. The system I heard last week sounded completely different. In a word: "Wow!." In more words: it was totally involving, had a huge soundstage, and explosive dynamics. It was as revealing as before but had completely lost its analytical edge.
5. I can only conclude that the turntable made the biggest difference and the transformers in the Allnic the second-biggest. Steve's "The Beat" is an extraordinary turntable, a fact that I confirmed after I came back home and listened to my own Dobbins-rebuilt SP-10 Mark III. As good as the Mark III is, the "Beat" is better in every respect- it's ability to project the music in perfect time is truly remarkable. The music just jumped right off the grooves and into your incredible room.
5. You have taken a really, really good system and turned it into a great one! I'm coming back for more as soon as I can get back to your town- if you'll let me.
Thanks a million, again.
Jeff
