Mike Lavigne's System

by mikelavigne on All Out Assault
the big rig.
left rear corner view--note the ceiling treatment
note the cloth surface treatment on the ceiling.
view from behind the speakers
sources +
84" tall, 575 pound main towers and 87" tall, 600 pound bass towers.
bass towers are powered and adjustable, main towers passive.
rear of the room.....
amps sitting on Taiko Tana active isolation platforms
NHB-468 sound amazing......liquid and amazing musical flow and texture.
meters on the 468's
new Massif Audio racks, plus Nordost footers.
2 turntables, and the Taiko Tana active device under the Esoteric T1, made a solid improvement in the performance.
Wadax Reference Dac and Power Supplies with RevOpod footers
Wadax Reference Server and Ref Power Supply with RevOpods
darTZeel NHB-18NS w/ 2 phono stages (new 2016 version)
Ampex ATR-102's + Ampex MR-70 preamps, on new Massif Audio racks, boosted performance.
Esoteric T1 power supply & Esoteric G1X Clock
1/2" playback only ATR-102 hot rodded
Ampex MR-70 tape pre hot rodded by ATR Service INC
Wadax Akasa optical (yellow) and power supply (red) cables.
1/4" playback only ATR-102 hot rodded
air box for CS Port tt; dead quiet.
Etsuro Gold MC cartridge
Etsuro Gold MC cartridge
DaVa Reference Field Coil phono cartridge
Audio Technica MC-2022 phono cartridge
CS Port linear tracking tone arm with air bearing
Primary Control 12" FCL tone arm
Durand gimbal bearing tone arm
Durand Tosca gimbal bearing tone arm
Glanz MH1200S tone arm + Sumile Mono cartridge.
power supplies for the DaVa field coil cartridge and field coil FCL tone arm.
Massif Audio Design Snakewood record weight.
love my new Massif Audio design racks.
Evolution Acoustics bass tower interface and adjustments
cables and various cable decoupling strategies.
Tripoint Audio Elite grounding box for sources.
Tripoint Audio Troy Signature for amps
Entreq Poseidon + Atlantic Minimus + Everest knobs
linear power supply for the Taiko Tana active platform under amp
3 linear power supplies for Taiko Tana active under sources
Equi=Tech 10WQ wall panel A/C transformer with door open
Klaudio RCM + Equi=Tech with door closed.
the audio barn

Description

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;

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue16/lavigneroom.htm
Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 29’ × 21’  X large
Ceiling: 11’

Components Toggle details

    • Evolution Acoustics MM7's
    twin towers, 600 pounds each, main passive tower, 82 inches tall, active bass tower, 84 inches tall.

    passive main tower, 97db, 7 ohms, so easy load. active bass tower has 4 analog adjustments for ideal room integration.
    • darTZeel NHB-468
    Mono block Amplifiers. amazing first watt, transparent and rich tonality. great match for my speakers.
    • darTZeel NHB-18NS with 2 internal phono stages.
    battery powered preamp with 2 separate phono stages. uses BNC 'zeel' cables between pre and amps.
    • Evolution Acoustics 7.5 meter 'Zeel'
    7.5 meter pair of BNC cables from preamp to amps.
    • Evolution Acoustics 'System' speaker cables--10 feet
    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.

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/wadax-reference-dac-and-server-arrive.34173/#post-771357
    • WADAX SA Reference Server with Akasa optical interface
    ultimate state of the art music server using Roon. includes the Akasa optical interface.
    • WADAX SA Reference Server power supply
    additional chassis power supply to improve the Wadax server performance.

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/wadax-server-psu-unit-has-now-arrived.36722/page-6#post-948318
    • WADAX SA Akasa DC cables (3)
    replaces the standard DC cables. takes the performance of the Wadax Reference system to 'Level 4' for ultimate performance. Red in color.

    https://wadax.eu/akasa/

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/wadax-server-psu-unit-has-now-arrived.36722/page-9#post-971100
    • Arya RevOpod isolation footer (32 used under the 5 Wadax Chassis).
    height and tension adjustable. the Wadax dac, server, and server power supply chassis all use 8 footers, so it's critical to be able to adjust height and tension to have an even support for optimal performance. RevOpod's are unique in those attributes making them ideal for this use.

    https://www.arya-audio.com/revopod
    • 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.

    with the deletion of my NVS turntable, i was able to move the Taiko Tana active isolation shelf to under the Esoteric T1. this has upgraded the performance of the T1 significantly. objectively small changes, but musically quite profound up tics in realism and immersion. more nuance, greater music focus, better bass articulation. 

    https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/t1/top
    • Esoteric G1X Master Clock
    Master Clock Generator for speed improvement for the T1 turntable. significant improvement in music realism.

    https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/g1x/top
    • Durand --Tosca tonearm.
    gimbal bearing design. Tosca is on the Esoteric T1 turntable
    • Primary Control 12" FCL tone arm
    Field Coil Loaded uni-pivot tone arm. with power supply. mounted on the Esoteric T1 turntable. amazing natural and very high resolution tone arm. link below.

    https://www.primarycontrol.nl/Field_Coil_Loaded_Unipivot_Tonearm.html
    • Glanz MH-1200S 12" tone arm
    12 inch tonearm, stainless steel. used for the Sumile mono cartridge.

    https://glanz.tech/e/collection/mh1200s1000s900s/
    • 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.

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/lfd-cables-phono-and-i-c-from-the-uk-cables-as-components.31243/
    • DaVa Reference cartridge
    field coil cartridge. with tube power supply.
    • 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. remarkable neutrality and ability to dig out detail and keep it natural and musical.

    https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/at-mc2022
    • Murasakino Sumile Mono phono cartridge
    MC cartridge for mono records, .04mv output. tracking force 3gms. finest monaural cartridge i have heard. competes on musical refinement with the top stereo cartridges. 

    https://murasakino.audio/en/products/sumile-mono.html

    Mounted on the Glanz MH-1200S tonearm. mounted on the Esoteric T1 turntable.
    • DS Audio Ion 001 Vinyl Ionizer
    generates positive and negative ions to remove static charge from vinyl records. 

    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.

    https://www.csport.audio/products/products-ime1-en.html
    • Stage III Concepts 1.5 meter XLR set of Gorgon interconnects.
    high performance interconnects. used from the Wadax Reference dac to the darTZeel preamp.

    http://aaudioimports.com/ShowProduct.asp?hProduct=283
    • Ampex twin ATR-102----one 1/4" and one 1/2" reel to reel master recorder
    hot rodded by ATR Service Inc----Andrew Kosobutsky. significant upgrades over stock. each interfacing with hot rodded Ampex MR-70 preamps. the new tape deck performance standard in my opinion.

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/ak-hot-rodded-ampex-atr-102s-w-mr-70-preamps-replaces-my-studers.36288/
    • Kosobutsky 1.5 meter set of RCA interconnects + 8 meter set of XLR interconnects.
    1.5 meter set of RCA interconnects are used between the EMIA phono corrector and the darTZeel preamp.

    8 meter set is used between the Ampex MR 70 tape preamps and the darTZeel preamp.
    • Nordost QRT QNET network switch
    Network switch, with Nordost Qsource power supply.

    https://www.nordost.com/qrt-audio-enhancers.php
    • Synology 30 Terabyte NAS (a pair = 60 TB) music file storage
    mirroring music storage for my music files.
    • Massif Audio Design Audio Racks, solid wood
    2--double wide 3 shelf racks for sources

    1 single wide rack 4 shelf rack for Ampex MR-70 tape preamp chassis.

    https://www.massifaudiodesign.com/racks
    • Nordost Sort Fut rack footers (3 sets of 4)
    mechanically tuned resonance control device. supporting the three Massif racks.

    https://www.nordost.com/sort-systems/sort-fut.php
    • Taiko Tana (5 of them) Herzan TS-150 (2) + TS-140 (3)
    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.
    • 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 power supply.

    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.
    • Barn.... ......room is....
    ....most of the ground floor. 29' x 21' x 11'.

Comments 3405

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what power cables are you using with those amps?

yo2tup

My pleasure, thanks!

unoear

Owner
Allan, glad you approve. :^)

you can even listen to them during your next visit.

mikelavigne

Yes tubes, cool...about time Mike :)

Hi Scott!

unoear

Owner
the Found Music 2a3 monoblock amps built by Scott Sheaffer arrived yesterday. i've only listened for a few hours so far and they are changing (for the better)every 10 minutes or so. but i love where they are going. holographic, open, vivid, smooth as butter. and even with 3 watts they are able to energize the room without strain....a compliment to both the amp builder and speaker designer.

here are a few pictures.

three amps

front view

rear view

mikelavigne

Owner
Ki has a couple of Nagra T's; but i'm not 100% clear on their operational status. i think one is pretty nice and is fully functional. Doc B has his Nagra T with the bottlehead repro in the meter bridge....which he'll have at RMAF with the headphones 'CanJam'.

mikelavigne


That's appreciated, Mike! I'll need to source some genuine Studer 1/2" pinch rollers...should I be unsuccessful, then perhaps, Athan.

Is Ki's Nagra T operational? I believe the Tape Project crew had a Nagra T at some point :-)

Vbr,
Sam

c1ferrari

Owner
The "Nagra full length" photo makes me think of E.T.! ;-)
i can see that; there is something impish about the Nagra T.....small, complex, elegant, and maybe possessing a certain exotic nature. it's also full of surprises as i look deeper.
Nice shots of the tape decks Mike.
Sure to make even Thuchan jealous :^)
until i get some tubes go'in i'm not sure Thuchan will get that interested.....it's just some pretty faces to him. maybe when the Ampex 350 joins the herd. :^)

mikelavigne

Owner
I missed a chance at a Nagra, recently -- oh brother! Was this the Nagra T from the UK?
Sam, mine came from Florida off ebay. i had tried to buy a Nagra T from the U.K. which turned out to be a scam. there were 2 listed on London Craigslist at about 40% of market value trying to lure someone to wire money and then....'poof'. i pursued it until things did not add up. i did not see any legit Nagra T's in the UK in the recent times.
Thanks, Mike...I just acquired another A820 :-) It's 1/4" with butterfly rec/repro heads. I may go with 1/2" Flux Magnetics heads...we'll have to see.
congrats Sam. let us know about how the 1/2" conversion goes. is it easy to source the 1/2" tape path bits, and 1/2" hubs?

mikelavigne


Thanks, Mike...I just acquired another A820 :-) It's 1/4" with butterfly rec/repro heads. I may go with 1/2" Flux Magnetics heads...we'll have to see.

I missed a chance at a Nagra, recently -- oh brother! Was this the Nagra T from the UK?

-Sam

c1ferrari

Nice shots of the tape decks Mike.
Sure to make even Thuchan jealous :^)

halcro

The "Nagra full length" photo makes me think of E.T.! ;-)

srwooten

Owner
ok Sam...here's your Nagra T pictures....

4 RTR decks + King Cello

Nagra T

Nagra playing 2-track 7 and 1/2 ips tape

Nagra full length

another view

the Ampex 350 will be along later when it's finished, but i think i'm done with buying RTR decks. i likely have one more (the Nagra) than i can rationalize now, but i could not resist.

i did order some hubs today which will allow me to play 10 and 1/2 reels, i should have them in a couple of weeks. for now all i can play is a couple of 2-track 50's 7 and 1/2 ips tapes.

sorry the pictures are not better; later i'll take some close-ups so you can really see how clean the Nagra T is.

mikelavigne

...$14.5K...the price of a nice Lyra Olympos matted with a piece of history...

unoear

Looking forward to pics if you get the chance, Mike :-)

c1ferrari

Hi Mike,

Do you know/have a "ballpark" figure for Telos tonearm? A friend of mine is inquiring.

Mike

mikelakers

Owner
btw, i did recieve my Nagra T last night. this was a one owner Nagra T, said to be pristene and flawless.....and it happily is exactly that. and i played a couple of my 2-track 7 and 1/2 ips tapes on it last night and it sounds pretty good too. everything works correctly.

i do need to locate some hubs so i can play 10 and 1/2 inch reels.

i know these particular machines can be nightmares if they have issues and i'm crossing my fingers that this one will continue to work right.

it is an amazing machine even if it did not make great music.

it's so swiss!

mikelavigne

Owner
Peter,

i don't yet have my Telos, likely shortly after RMAF. when i do have it mounted i will share pictures.

i quote from the 'spec page' regarding the tonearm wire (you don't need to have another phono cable);
Phono cable uninterrupted from cartridge clips to termination connectors (except at the junction internal wires-interconnect cable). The junction between internal wires and phono interconnects is contained in a box made of wood carefully selected for its acoustic properties. The wood is finished with the same technique as the armwand
i'll say that i heard various versions of the wire and this one was better than the others.

everything matters at this level of information......everything!

i'm not 100% clear on the method of adjusting VTA and azimuth. i've watched it being done but not done it. i'll try to get an accurate description of those issues and share it.

mikelavigne

Mike, thanks for the links. Do you know the price and lead time? I can not tell from the photo of the base how VTA and azimuth are adjusted. It does look like an elegant design, as in only the essentials and nothing more. Am I correct in understanding that the wire terminates at the wooden block at the base of the arm and then a separate phono cable is needed from the block to the phono amp?

Do you want to post some photos of the your arm on the NVS? Would love to see them. Thanks again for keeping us informed about the bleeding edge.

peterayer

Owner
information on the Durand Telos tonearm.

Telos

Telos specs

mikelavigne

Henry, Try the Meridian Etoile - a great place for jazz

shadorne

Owner
yes it is; my Grandfather was French Canadian from Quebec, eh?

mikelavigne


Say,

Isn't Lavigne...Français??

Mike -- did you get the Nagra T? I wonder if they speak French in Cheseaux? Hehe :-)

-Sam

c1ferrari

Owner
ok guys, enough with the French already. :^)

mikelavigne


De rien, Henri :-)

c1ferrari

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