Western Mass Mid-Fi

by subterranean6 on RegaAric AudioEver EvolvingGetting StartedBudget MindedOpinions PleaseMinimalistDayensDeVore FidelityCeramic bowlConcrete blocksRugWell Tempered Labs

Description

DeVore Fidelity | Dayens | Well Tempered Labs | Audio Note UK SUT | Ned Clayton SUT | Sound Traditions SUT | JJ Tubes | Ortofon SPU | Aric Audio | Rega | Border Patrol | Pine Tree Audio

Photos updated 07/23. 

I live in a one-room old schoolhouse in a hill town in Western Massachusetts. 

Sort of an unorthodox approach, and I wouldn't call it source-first (everything is important, no? up to and including your room and your ears and your mind). But I would say the amplification part really sets up a lot of fun with hearing the character of sources and especially analog-signal changes. It's a little goofy but I love it, and I dig that the analog-signal chain is big and bold and on top for the eyes. 

Comments and suggestions are welcome. 


Brands I’d love to check out include Linear Tube Audio, First Watt, Shindo, Sugden, Auditorium 23, Audio by Van Allstein, Soundsmith, Koetsu, Miyajima, Tannoy, Omega, Zu, Heretic, Klipsch, Audio Note UK, Jay's Audio and C.E.C.. But also I very much could be 'done for now'. 

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Room Details

Dimensions: 18’ × 17’  Medium
Ceiling: 8’

Components Toggle details

    • DeVore Fidelity Gibbon Super 9
    Purchased new from Goodwin's High End in Waltham in 01/21. Completely unreal.
    • Well Tempered Labs Amadeus Junior
    New as of September 2021
    • Rega Apollo-R CD Player
    I like to think of this unit as the 'SPU' of digital transport options.
    • Dayens Audio Ampino Monoblocks
    Early 2017.  Upgraded version; 50 wpc.
    • Pine Tree Audio All cables
    Stealth Power cords
    Iso-quad interconnects
    Coax and USB
    • Audio Note (UK) AN-S1
    • Ojas Speaker wire
    The newer collaboration with Jupiter, ie the cotton shielding material. Also just not a fan of cables that look like snakes.
    • Ortofon SPU Classic N
    Without the head shell. Comes with a little adaptor for a standard mount to tonearms.
    • Aric Audio Transcend MM Phonostage
    November 2022. Custom maple cases.
    • Ned Clayton CineMag 3440AH
    SUT - 1:9, 1:12, 1:18, 1:36. I like the 1:18 for the 103.
    • Border Patrol DAC se-i
    New as of February 2023. Beautiful, rich sound.
    • Denon DL-103
    The classic. Spherical stylus profile, and with the Denon Aluminum Body 'mod' / cap.
    • Sound Tradition Live! MC-903
    Hashimoto HM3-based SUT from the guy in Michigan. Completely excellent.
    • Dayens Ampino Preamplifier
    New as of December 2023. Brought some nice clarity and oomf. Really impressed.

Comments 24

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Owner
@doyle3433 - Aw thanks! Yeah it’s sort of an odd path I’ve chosen - source equipment easily eclipsing amplification in cost - but I continue to be blown away at the sound I’m getting, and really hearing changes in carts, SUTs, and tubes.

subterranean6

Owner
Hi David! Sorry no I didn’t see your comment from a few months back! I’m in the Southern Berkshires, a town called Monterey. I grew up in the Fitchburg / Leominster area - folks are still there - and if and when I leave this area, I’m almost certainly going to try Greenfield / Turners Falls. Slow country MA life, but with weirder shows.

subterranean6

Owner
Donnedonne. I haven’t tried footers yet. I guess I figure Mr. Devore designed them for those cones, so I’ll stick with the cones. I’ve had more fun dialing them in in the room than anything. Even a few inches can change things. I also just prefer the simplicity of what came with the speakers.

subterranean6

Owner
Soldersplatter - Thanks! Yeah, I can't hang with tv screens in my living space - the hifi is the event, right? 

Cymbop - Thanks! Yeah simple is good, but also I look forward to playing around with amps and cables and sources going into the Super Nines.

subterranean6

Owner
Steveott - Thanks for the comment. These Super Nines are pretty incredible - I highly recommend demoing them if you can. Like everyone says, the soundstaging huge and the imagining is unreal. I can't speak too much about acoustic instrument timbre as I don't play one. The bass response is pretty insane - one of the reasons I chose these over the O/96s was that they sounded more 'contemporary', and this includes some pretty serious bass. Nothing these things don't do well - jazz, classical, folk, experimental, synths, pop are all brilliant. Hope that helps!

subterranean6

Owner
Noromance - I took your comments to heart and went out and got some patio stones. It does sound a little tighter! Many thanks.

subterranean6

Owner
Nicflight - I had a Bifrost multibit that was my first DAC and I thought it sounded great.  I wanted to see if I could hear what 'more' sounded like, as in, what could all that "extra" internal stuff do to digital sound?  The Gumby is indeed more - mostly more detail.  I think if you're coming from the Modi maybe try the Bifrost first.  Love Schiit's schit, generally.

subterranean6

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