System edited: I have sent all 4 of my VTL Siegfried mono block amps back to VTL to be upgraded to the new Siegfried Series 2 amps. I still have another 2 weeks or so to wait for their return. It's alot harder to go without music than I thought it would be but I am looking forward to getting the new amps back.

babybear July 05, 2013 18:48

Hi Jeff,

Thanks very much.

The MSB digital products are certainly some of the best digital available and the best that I have heard in my comparison evaluations.

With MSB's Universal Media Transport (UMT) and their new and improved UMT Plus model you can play SACD's direct to any of their current generation DAC's. You can also send DSD from a music server to any of their DAC's via any of their digital inputs - I2s, USB, SPDIF and AES/EBU (so not limited to USB for DSD).

You must be getting close to receiving your Absolare preamps and amps. Looking forward to hearing your impressions of them.

Arnie

babybear July 04, 2013 12:26

Hi Lawrence,

I live in Austin and you are welcome to come by and do some listening. There are many fine audio systems in the area as well as other parts of Texas. It would be a fun road trip for you.

Arnie

babybear July 04, 2013 12:10

Arnie my mouth salivates looking at your MSB stack. I think this may be the best sounding digital out there at this time. Can you play SACD's with your transport direct to the dac. I have quite a few including the Japanese SHSACD and for some reason I prefer redbook to most of these SACD's. The SACD's sound more mechanical and not as organic to me.

jwm July 04, 2013 02:14

Bear...wondering what part of TX you reside?...If I can get my projects done..... I want to go on a road trip and hope I can stop on by a few hi pertent setups to compare etc...

Lawrence
Fidelity_Forward

lharasim July 04, 2013 01:50

Hi Albert,

And a very Happy 4th of July to you as well!

Whenever you visit John, just let me know as it would be great to have you over for some listening. I plan to visit John next weekend to hear how his system is sounding. You don't have to wait till fall - as my listening room has a dedicated 3-ton AC unit that keeps it very cool even with all of those tubes.

Anytime starting August should be good for a visit - my system is off line at the moment as I shipped all 4 of my Siegfried mono blocks back to VTL to get them upgraded to the newer Series 2 version. I should have them back in 3 weeks and I am really looking forward to hearing how they sound. The upgrade is supposed to be a very significant sonic improvement. But I must admit, going without music for the past 3.5 weeks has been much harder than I thought it would be!

babybear July 04, 2013 00:09

Arnie,

(the Rockport Arrakis are just short of 7 feet tall) and it does sound pretty good.

The epitome of humble :-). Safe to say way better than "pretty good" and I intend to take you up on that offer to listen when I visit John Frech.

Maybe we can agree on a good time sometime soon or at least by Fall when Texas weather gives us a break.

Happy 4th of July !

albertporter July 03, 2013 20:27

Hi Lawrence,

I was just lucky that I was able to raise the ceiling to 12 feet when I remodeled our home a few years back. But I have to say, I am very happy that I was able to do that as it allows me to use just about any size speaker (the Rockport Arrakis are just short of 7 feet tall) and it does sound pretty good.

Arnie

babybear July 03, 2013 13:11

Let me just say..that and I hope I do not hurt anyone's feelings..

from my years of this hobby... listening to peoples systems and or there rooms including mine.....these rooms that are between 8-12 feet are not that great... 7feet and 12 feet and up are much better regardless of room size length or width ... 8foot rooms have many problems... flutter, ringing etc...once you get ceiling short or 12 feet and up that's when it gets good...each will have some drawbacks but both of these sizes are better then most..

the engineer types will disagree but they do not listen to music they listen to there lap top measuring software equipment!

I would say you made a very good choice sir...I could only go shorter and i prefer this...

one step at a time

Lawrence
Fidelity_Forward

lharasim July 03, 2013 00:20

Hi Lawrence.

Thanks very much.

I agree with you 100% about the importance of electric power when it comes to an audio system. To me, its one of the fundamental foundations of any audio system that one must get as good as they can to maximize the sonics regardless of the speakers and electronics.

That's interesting that you are lowering your ceiling - my ceiling height is 12 feet and previously it was 9 feet high - I greatly prefer the 12 foot height. What sonic improvements are you getting with lowering your ceiling?

Arnie

babybear July 02, 2013 13:40

yea I do what i can...this transformer is an interesting upgrade to say the least...IMO the quality of power can make or break any system regardless how expensive ...if this fails forgetaboutit

this Nasa spec wire I purchased on ebay is a very special wire extremely tight bundled tin plated wire(no resonances)

I am also lowering the ceiling down from 8.5 feet to 7 feet ..text book would say leave it 8.5 but the text book does not listen to music!..

I enjoy seeing/reading about your system

Lawrence
Fidelity_Forward

lharasim July 02, 2013 05:14

Hi Lawrence,

I sounds like you have done a good job with your electrical power distribution for your audio system. Congratulations.

Arnie

babybear June 28, 2013 00:09

Hello again....thanks for answering some questions...I sure would like to see some pictures..and what brand load center wire etc did you use?...I just installed a 15kva transformer just for the audio room...with some 2 awg nasa spec teflon wire for powering up the transformer this wire feeds the load center too.... the transformer came out of an old movie theater..was install in 1946 :) they were 12 feet up and weigh about 275lbs each i have too...I should have taken a movie on how i removed them...

Lawrence
Fidelity_Forward

lharasim June 26, 2013 06:38

Hi Lawrence,

Thanks very much.

The electric power design includes the use of a 10Kva isolation transformer, feeding a dedicated sub panel with bolt-in breakers with 12 dedicated 20 amp outlets. The wiring is manually twisted 10 gauge solid copper strands for positive, neutral and ground, run through flexible steel conduit and uses Hubbell isolated ground outlets. The transformer itself has its own dedicated ground rod - the ground rod has a copper exterior, 2" in diameter with a ceramic center fill. The 11 foot long rod ground hole is back filled with a mixture of betonite and water to achieve very low resistance.

The iso transformer is from a company called Controlled Power Company.

Hope that helps.

Arnie

babybear June 24, 2013 23:35

Cool system...I am interested in your electrical components(transformer load center etc) care to elaborate?

Thanks

Lawrence
Fidelity_Forward

lharasim June 24, 2013 15:04

Hi Lloyd,

The bullets are about 6 inches long and not bendable. The spade end of your speaker cable attaches to one end and the other goes to the speaker binding post.

Send me a PM and I can get you the contact info of my friend who is using them with his Wilson speakers.

babybear June 24, 2013 14:45

They are quite big and presumably solid (not bendable)...can you provide some guidance as to what happens with/without them in place? Thanks!! Also good to know about your friend & Wilsons.

Any chance I might also ping him a message/PM?

lloydelee21 June 24, 2013 12:25

Hi Lloyd,

Thanks very much. I've actually been using the Absolare bullets for about 8 months now. I don't remember the retail price exactly but somewhere in the $4k - 5k range for a complete set of 4 bullets.

They work with any speaker cable and any speaker. A friend of mine uses them with his Wilson Alexandria X-2's.

babybear June 23, 2013 16:20

Hey Arnie,

Congrats...how much are the ABsolare bullets? CAn they be used with any speaker cable?

lloydelee21 June 23, 2013 14:09

Hi Jeff,

In my system, the Absolare bullets made the following improvements in the sonics of my system:

1. Lowered the noise floor

2. Increased the elegance and finesse of the upper frequencies

3. Increased the top to bottom coherence of the sound

When I first installed the bullets, I couldn't hear any real difference but I kept them in place for about 3 weeks. I then removed them and did some critical listening and the above 3 items improvements were immediately obvious.

Hope that helps.

Arnie

babybear June 23, 2013 01:20

Arnie could you describe the sound of your system with and without the Absolare speaker bullets? I will have 200 hours on my speakers in three days. I think I still have a long way to go. Jeff

jwm June 22, 2013 22:33

Hi Vincente,

Ah, Dueland CAST capacitors are superb. My version of the Absolare Signature preamp uses Dueland Silver Cast capacitors which I am sure contributes to its superb performance. It has such an effortless and open quality to the sound.

That should be a very nice upgrade for you.

Arnie.

babybear April 30, 2013 19:56

Hi Arnie,

Not yet. Stillpoints are officially in my list, but I haven`t bought yet.

I am now waiting for a major purchase of Duelund CAST components I ordered so I will have two new Duenlund CAST - only external crossovers made for my speakers (no changes in the circuit, just component upgrade), so this will take some time and a lot of listening for the changes. I am really looking forward to this upgrade.

Cheers,

VPN

vn101606 April 29, 2013 23:56

Hi Vincente,

Hopefully you will be able to compare the Obsession to the Signature in your own system.

Did you ever get a chance to try any of the Stillpoints footers in your system?

Arnie

babybear April 29, 2013 01:16

Hi Arnie,

Thank you for your response. I will see if I am able to hear both of them in my system (may not be possible).
Cheers,

Vicente

vn101606 April 28, 2013 13:22