this room and system is the result of 10 years in High End audio. my
system has been stable for a couple of years (except for transport and
amplifier upgrades within the same brand). the room has been in the
planning stage for about 18 months and i actually moved in a little over
a month ago.
my audio philosphy is to have the system get out
of the way of the event. i like as pure and simple a signal path as
possible and, at this point, prefer passive to active gain stages. i
love all the formats and enjoy having lot's of music.....vinyl is my
favorite but i listen to at least 60% digital. the new room really
reveals the benefits of SACD over redbook.
the system and room
truely allow the event to be recreated before me. i love the way the
speakers disappear and i am transported to another place/time.
i have choosen my cables, sources, amps, speakers to have as little of their own sound as possible.
recently, i upgraded my digtial transport from the modified Philips
SACD 1000 to the new emmlabs CDSD.....this was a significant step upward
in performance.
i have written an article in Positive Feedback regarding my room building experience.....here is a link;
new version of these cables, a big step over the amazing TRSC model i have used for 10 years. fantastic performance.
WADAX SA Reference DAC
Wadax Reference Dac----state of the art dac with 2 separate power supplies. the best dac i have heard by a good margin. below is a link to a thread about my Wadax experience.
WADAX SA Reference Server with Akasa optical interface
ultimate state of the art music server using Roon. includes the Akasa optical interface.
CS Port LFT1 turntable w/arm
air bearing platter and air bearing linear tracking arm; string drive with zero feedback dc motor, low pressure, low flow air system with zero noise air box.
world class musical flow, nuance and delicacy, combined with authority and ease. serves the music completely.
Esoteric T1 Turntable
magnetic drive/rim drive idler turntable with torque adjustment.
https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/t1/top
Esoteric G1X Master Clock
Master Clock Generator for speed improvement for the T1 turntable.
https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/g1x/top
Wave Kinetics NVS
direct drive turntable
Durand ---Two Tosca tonearms.
gimbal bearing design. the finest tonearm i have heard.
one Tosca on the Esoteric T1 turntable
one Tosca on the Wave Kinetics NVS turntable
Primary Control 12" FCL tone arm
Field Coil Loaded uni-pivot tone arm. with power supply.
amazing natural and very high resolution tone arm. link below.
Experience Music/Intact Audio phono corrector + silver wound MC Trio SUT combo for three different tonearms.
bespoke tubed phono preamplifier. silver wound, with custom dual power supplies.
https://myemia.com/LR.html
LFD -3- Phono Cables DIN to RCA
3 sets of very high performance phono cables. amazing performance. built by Dr. Richard Bews in the UK.
one cable uses a DIN to RCA short Dongle + an RCA to RCA interconnect. the Dongle improves the performance of the DIN connection. details at the link below.
two Etsuro Golds, ---a pair of Reference MC Phono Cartridges.
duraluminim (A7075) body, 24 carat 'Kinpaku' Gold Leaf finish, diamond cantiliver. .3mv output, 4 ohms. these are both special versions of the Etsuro Gold.
one is mounted on the CS Port linear tracker.
one is mounted on the Primary Control FCL arm.
finest cartridge i have heard by a significant margin. WOW!
Audio Technica MC-2022 60th Anniversary cartridge
uses the unified stylus cantilever design. which results in extreme lack of distortion and linearity. maybe the best i've heard at musical truth.
mounted on the Durand Tosca tonearm on the NVS tt.
https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/at-mc2022
Koetsu Azule Platinum Stone Body, boron cantilever
.3 Mv output moving coil cartridge. mounted on the Durand Telos 12" wood arm wand tone arm and NVS turntable.
Miyajima Labs --2--Infinity mono cartridge's.
one Infinity cartridge has 0.7mil stylus for modern narrow groove mono pressings.
one Infinity cartridge has 1.0 mil stylus for early wide groove mono pressings.
https://www.miyajima-lab.com/e-mono.html
DS Audio Ion 001 Vinyl Ionizer
generates positive and negative ions to remove static charge from vinyl records. i use this with my NVS turntable.
https://ds-audio-w.biz/products/181/
CS Port Static Eliminator IME1 (two of them)
An unprecedented accessory focusing on cartridge friction. It suppresses the effects of static electricity and makes records clearer.
one is on the CS Port tt, one on the Esoteric T1 tt.
active isolation under 5 separate components: (1) the NVS turntable, (2) the MSB dac, (3) the darTZeel preamp, (4 + 5) both darTZeel mono block amplifiers. custom modifications by Taiko Audio add a linear power supply plus panzerholtz top layer + Daiza platform to provide full frequency resonance attenuation to each platform.
Taiko Audio Daiza isolation platform--22 used in the system
Panzerholtz Platform with spiral cutouts reducing mid and high frequency resonance while retaining life and energy and not changing tonality.
22 Daiza platforms in the system of various sizes under every piece of the signal path.
Adona Zero GTX rack---3 of them--each 4 shelf.
all three with 27" x 21" turntable top.
solid rack for best direct floor connection.
Evolution Acoustics 'system' power cables
a new version of the TRPC model i used on my darTZeel 468 mono blocks for the last 10 years. a big step up.
Sablon Audio King power cord
used on the Wadax Reference Server.
https://www.sablonaudio.com/power
Absolute Fidelity power interfaces
power cords specifically designed for either motors (tt and tape decks), amplifiers, and components. 11 in the system.
Tripoint Audio Troy Signature
Grounding box for chassis grounding the darTZeel 458 mono block amplifiers + grounding the passive main towers of the Evolution Acoustics MM7 speaker system.
Tripoint Audio Elite
Tripoint Elite grounding box. this does chassis grounding for my sources. it uses a a pair of Tripoint Thor SE Master Reference ground cables for my dart preamp and the MSB Select II dac. there are also 4 Signature Silver ground cables to the two arm boards of the NVS tt, the power supply of the NVS tt, and the SGM server.
Equi=tech 10WQ
10kva balanced Isoltion transformer and distribution panel.
Furutech GTX-D NCF Rhodium duplex outlets
10 in the system. used with 10 Furutech covers and frames. uses NCF (nano crystal formula) material to reduce noise by emitting negative ions.
Wave Kinetics A10 U8 decoupling footers
8 sets-of-4 in the system for individual tuning of each piece of gear.
Auralex T-Fusor diffusers
i use 20 of these. 6 each on the front side walls, and 4 each front ceiling and rear ceiling.
Klaudio Record Cleaning System
automatic record cleaner
Acoustic Revive RL-30 mKIII CD-LP demagnatizer
for demaging any disc.
Furutech DF-2 LP disc flattner
will remove warps from Lps
Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Anniversary Ed.
will cook any cables
Winds ALM-01 Stylus Force Gauge
easy accurate, repeatable, measurments.
i-Tower by Koncept LED floor lamp
(3) are used. best audio light ever. 2 'warm', 1 'cool'.
Quietrock THX 545 drywall
specialized drywall with a 1/4" metal layer. used in my front sidewalls to establish proper room boundaries.
Given the scale of this system and multiple components,the approach taken by mike makes the most sense by far. For smaller and less ambitious systems a one box conditioner that provides balanced AC power is very worthwhile and cost effective Regards.
I never knew the Dartzeel had such a simple straight forward circuit design, that explains a lot. I find it to be very pure and natural in character similar to a good SET tube design. It lacks the more electronic-mechanical vibe I get from many SS amplifiers.The Dartzeel has 'life' and emotion, it is`nt sterile and dry. Nelson Pass follows a very simple approach with his First Watt for a natural sound(especially with his latest S.I.T. amplifiers).For the large and powerful Datzeel monblocks to adhere to that simple circuit is good news. Regards,
"Obviously,it is a matter of system matching much like the ASR" Agree,this can be said for every audio component under the sun and then factor many different pairs of ears.
Rugyboogie, What attempt was made to conquer the dryness of your ASR? Did the ASR have any specific sonic advantages compared to your Dartzeel amplifier? Spirit, how realistic are the chances to audition the ASR in your system(given the various opinions of owners) or somehow compare to the Audion and Berning amps?
Gregm, I recall a while back another gon member reached a similar conclusion. In short, great design,built and function,the perfect robot but lacks 'soul'passion and emotion. Just too sterile and clinical he felt.To be fair there are those who love it very much. Regards,
Actusreus, You again inject the term envy and more significantly express it with the tone of your posts. Idon`t feel a bit of envy or jealousy toward mike`s or any other system,I`m extremely pleased with what I have.There are systems on this site of wide ranging cost(which does`nt always equate to sound quality by the way).
There will always be those who can afford to spend more because they have more, so what! This is exactly the mindset behind "occupy" crap. The idea that some have higher income or means than others and it`s just not fair. Stop worrying about mike and get your own self together. Put together the best system you can within 'your' means and be happy with it. You may not 'intend' to but you come across like an insecure,whining baby. Regards,
Mike, Your response to Actusreus reflects much maturuty,patience and certainly wisdom. Hard work, planning and the responsibility of choice is what it`s all about. Envy and jealousy will get you nowhere at all. This entire fabricated "occupy" movement is sheer nonsense and misguided. I`m sure glad my young adult children don`t buy into this foolishness.Mike you `ve earned what you have, continue to enjoy it as much as you can. Life really is short. Regards,
"There is nothing like live acoustic music" Agree completely, I go often to local jazz venues. Nothing is a better template for trying to voice a system`s sound IMO.Won`t match the dynamic energy and scale but can come very close to the 'natural' tonality I`ve found.
Hello Dertonarm, I`m not questioning motive or your experience with the Wavac amp. If it is as you describe then certainly it`s exceptional. The 833 tube cost is reasonable, I was refering to the Wavac`s cost. A number of rooms at shows manage to present very good sonics and are`nt a waste of time at all.
How else would most listeners have the exposure to many high end components if not for shows and dealer showrooms(a vanishing breed). My point was that with electronic gear they`re always some degree of trade off decisions/choices. 'If' the Wavac 833 avoids this issue and provides all the attributes of low power SET with much more power intact then I`d have to agree with your impressions. Regards,
Hi Agear, I also wonder about the trade offs involved when using the huge, powerful and expensive transmission type tubes for SET. I could be very wrong but I don`t believe these tube types can match the innate qualities of the lower power DHT tubes. It seems you gain substantially in brute power/drive but sacrifice in other areas.
I only heard the big Wavac at an CES briefly(so hard to really know)but it was not the sound of the smaller DHT SET amplifiers.All amps have some inevitable comprimise.
Mike, You have a large listening room, excellent speaker and a top tier low power SET. I`m frankly surprised the 2A3 amp performs as well as it does with 93db speakers in such a huge cubic volume. The WAVAC 833 is an entirely different approach (and likely a very differnt sound). This large 150 watt SET(over kill for your needs?) is ultra expensive. Power? for sure, however beauty,nuance, transparency and purity of the Found Music amp,I wonder.
It seems to me if '3 watts' is satisfying to the degree you express, then 25-50 watts from a high quality SET would get the job done and still preserve most of the desirable qualities of low power SET amplifiers.
Jason, That 'live event' experience you speak of is exactly what lead me to SET amplifiers. It`s so near to to what I hear at my local jazz clubs in terms of tone,palpable density of flesh and blood performers,dramatic dynamics and energy. By far the most realism from an audio component I`ve experienced thus far,
SET amplifiers work fabulously for you and I but obviously not for everyone(what does?). At this stage I can`t imagine my system without SET. Many I`m sure feel the same about their SS amplifiers. Regards,
Glory, Interesting perspective, we`ll just disagree on your last sentence. I believe SET amplifiers have the potential to provide the"big picture" as completely as any SS amp. The key factor is 'proper' speaker match with the SET amp of choice.
I`ve achieved utter satisfaction with my current SET based system(big picture and all). You seem just as content with your ASR based system, my point is what ever path gets you where you want to go, follow it.
This pursuit is simply individual preferences/goals. SET amps may not have gotten you what you ultimately desired but broad statements saying they`re incapable of completing the big picture is merely one opinion and not an undeniable fact(SET for me,SS for you, perhaps class D for someone else). There are many audiogon members who have found their ultimate sound using a variety of amplifier types to get there. There just are`nt any absolutes when it comes to component superiority. I hope you continue to enjoy your current system for many years, as I plan to do the same with mine. Regards,
Elberoth2, Very astute and interesting observations regarding the unique abilities of low powered SET amplifiers.I `d just mentioned in another thread if I were to ever return to SS amps, Dartzeel would be near or at the top of my list. Natural sound is a must, yet many highly touted SS amps sound artificial and just plain hifi. Regards,
Dev, I just know kevin used all VAC electonics(CES 2010) and it was very good. That is`nt the point as I simply could appreciate mike`s comments concerning lower power SET vs high power PP amps.No I have`nt heard every amp out there and never will. You are obviously pleased with your VAC amps and that`s good.All amplifiers have strengths and weaknesses including yours. The SETs would`nt come close to your amp`s power(450 watts) but due to their far fewer tube and parts count(much simpler)the usual benifit is less devices to alter the signal path and a purer less mechanical sound(with less power of course).
If the VAC 450 is the exception then it`s the first amp to avoid these trade offs. I don`t want this to devolve into a 'my amp is better than yours' debate, it`s not that important. You are happy with your amp.that`s the bottom line.
I think mike`s general impression of what SET amps excel at compared to large higher power push-pull amps is accurate. The absolute purity, profound ability to connect with the emotional core of music is unique.
The truth is 'all' amplifier types(regardless of power) have inherent compromises.I`ve heard the VAC 450 monoblock at CES in kevin`s room. They are wonderful amps for what they are,large PP tubes(the perfect choice for some,no doubt) and certainly have more universal application than SET amps.
As fine as they are they won`t provide the same ultimate level of tone,purity and organic realism of the best SET designs IMHO. No Amplifier can do it all at the highest level across the audio spectrum, you choose your trade offs and live with them(happily I hope).
As already stated earlier, the Found Music amps need simply a smaller room and/or more efficient speakers.The big VAC could drive this space with the current speaker in place. Either amp type can yield superb results in a well thoughtout system.
SET amps just need the right speaker and room size match.The Found Music amp seems top notch, So far I`ve found no other amp type that equals what high quality SET amplifiers do in terms of life-like realism,tone, space and presence.
In a room this large that 3 watt amp needs probably 100db or higher efficiency speakers. It amazing it does as well as it does under current conditions, that`s a lot of cubic space to fill.
Jason and Natan, That amp seems to be be ultra quality but you two raise a good point. That`s a lot of cubic space to fill with 3 watts and 92-93 db efficiency speakers. In a smaller space it could workout well.
I imagine this Found Music amplifier has the very highest quality transformers, chokes, parts and an over built power supply. These type low power SET amps will always surprise with their performance(with- in reasonable limits) as people tend to fixate on the "it`s only 3 watts". The classic quality vs quantiity scenario.
I don`t see where any harm is done, opinions are what they are, one person`s subjective impression.You had the Rockport for quite a long time(pressumably because you enjoyed it). If component A. is excellent and component B. comes along and is superb, that`s no put down of the excellent component A. Preferences being what they are some will reverse the ranking of the two components in question anyway.It`s not as if you trashed the Rockport after the sale.
Radhe1486, No reasonable person would dispute the importance of engineering design and built quality.At the end of the day what matters most however is the sound. This is the whole point of home audio"sound performance" not price,engineering,appearance,reputation,place of orgin etc. If you buy a component for any reason other than sound(you plan to "listen" to it) what`s the point? Best Regards,
It seems despite the ultra engineering aspects of the Rockport TT, mike prefers the NVS. Actual listening is the ultimate determinant and it appears mike trusts his ears. All other criteria is secondary to what you hear and your spontaneous/emotional response to it.
Thanks for the update.My gut feeling is he`s going to provide you with a really special amp, I look forward to reading your impressions when the time comes. Regards,
Yes mike all low powered amplifiers are`nt the same, I`ve learned from personal experiences. My Coincident Frankenstein 300b amps can easily drive speakers that other SET 300b amplifiers have struggled with, even though some have a stated higher power rating. As you`ve said varibles such as rhe quality of transformers,power supply and driver tube choice can make or break an amplifier`s real world performance. From your description it seems your speaker is very well designed and thoughtout. Your equitech setup is far more elaborate certainly, but my BPT(balanced high current transformer) has been absolutely wonderful. After over 2 years of use I`ve found no negative side effects. Balance power is the way to go IMO. Best Regards,
Hello, Mike, I had no idea your speakers have the load capability or the sensitivity to mate with such low powered amps, I look forward to your impression of the 2a3 amp when available. This is quite an interesting and significant contrast to your Dartzeel for sure. Enjoy,
