Description

Hey...
I started as a hoarder of music with cheap crap to play it on. Didn't occur to me that there was something better, until I happened across a copy of Audio Magazine's annual buyers guide. What an eye opener! Look at all the goodies I had not been aware of till that fateful day!

OK, how was I going to afford even the cheapest of these wares? Well, having no real money of my own (I was just a poor high school student) I figured the parents might....no, not then. 
After what seemed like an eternity of begging and pleading, I awakened one morning to see my Dad perusing an ad for the local Kelly's stereo mart. What to make of this?
Turns out he had already picked out a system on special that he was willing to purchase! Hooray!!

Later that afternoon we returned home with a Sansui receiver, Sanyo tt, Grace cartridge, and some store brand speakers. It was like mana from the heavens! Hooking it up in the living room was a no-go so off to the basement it was banished. I didn't care, I had a real (or so I thought) stereo! I still remember the joy I received playing my first record - Deep Purple's "Machine Head". Heaven on earth!

So the journey continued throughout the years and I was able to amass some pretty decent systems.
These included the likes of Mission Freedom speakers, Mission Cyrus 2 amp, B&O linear tracking tt, and an Aiwa cassette deck. The first real system I could call my own.
I've been through the likes of Krell, Merlin, ATC, Pro-ac, MIT, Systemdeck, Arcam CD, Vecteur, Target, Denon carts, Audio Technica carts, untill I arrived at the system I have now.

Let's not forget the music. My tastes broadened (though I still love that Deep Purple LP) and my collection grew. Boy did it grow! I guestimate that I own somewhere around 7500 Lp's and 4000 CD's/SACD's. I've slowed down buying (for obvious reasons!) 

I even sold audio for a brief while in the 2000's. 

So, that's how I've ended up where I am now. 

A big "HELLO" to my fellow Audiogoners! Thanks so much for checking me out, and comments/suggestions are always welcome. Just be nice ;)

P.S. I know, no pics as of yet. Need to find a friend with a digital camera and the time/willingness to help.

Thanks guys (and gals). 
Gregory.
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Room Details

Dimensions: 18’ × 16’  Medium
Ceiling: 8’


Components Toggle details

    • VPI Industries HRX turntable
    Upgraded from a VPI HW-19 Mk.4 with SAMA (separate motor) and Graham Engineering 2.0 tonearm. My dream tt at the time; love it to this day. Acrylic platter, stainless outer ring clamp w/VPI HRX center weight (for safely getting rid of those pesky warps!). Separate motor/flywheel, and Derlin separate armboard. Great looks and sound at a fair price. Just may be a keeper! Sadly, just recently discontinued.
    • Graham Engineering 2.0 tonearm upgraded to 2.2 status w/ceramic arm wand & 2.2 bearing.
    A toss up between this and the VPI JMW Memorial 10" tonearm. Had a gut feeling this was the better arm, so when a demo sale appeared, I couldn't resist! Even though, admittedly, this is an unconventional combo.
    • Benz Micro m2 moving coil cartridge.
    Wooden bodied cartridge w/high enough output so I can use the low gain setting on my phono pre. Has that silky /neutral sound Benz is noted for.
    • VPI Industries SDS motor controller.
    Precision speed regulation.
    • Hovland Company Music Groove 2 phono cable.
    Still one of the best out there IMHO.
    • Plinius 14 Phono pre-amp
    A demo product which won the shootout! Great bargain! Get's out of the way of the music, as a phono-pre should. Only gripe: perhaps a tinge on the warm and forgiving side of neutral.
    • Mark Levinson No 390s CD Processor
    Great sounding CD player, w/ all the features (and then some) one could possibly want. Includes an array of digital input/outputs and 24/396 upsampling, making it ready for decoding today's digital streaming (w/or w/o a separate DAC). The sound on redbook CD is warm, enveloping and sublime. The ability to skip tracks and store to memory has been a real boon!
    • Chapter Audio Preface preamp.
    What to say about a SS pre amp that has all the benefits of tubes, yet the slam and dynamics of the best SS? Either something strange is going on here, or this fine bunch of (ex-Chord) engineers has really stumbled upon something! Have never (in my experience) heard a piece of gear do everything so "right", and so little wrong. With a switching power supply, and fully balanced outputs, this is surely (IMHO) one to beat. Plus outstanding build quality! Rare, but highly recommended (on the used market)!!
    • Chapter Audio Model 2 power amp.
    With a switching power supply and 200w (8 ohms) of class A/B solid state power (400w into 4 ohms) this amplifier is quick, dynamic, and above all musical. All I said sound wise about the Preface is applicable here. Fabulous amp! Again, rare, but highly recommended!!
    • Exactpower EP-15a sub-voltage power regenerator
    Computer controlled power regenerator w/separate analog/digital inputs. Primarily for front end components; it brings a welcome darkness to the background as it eliminates most forms of noise. Also, as a bonus, it allows your system to sound the same night or day. No more waiting till after midnight to hear your system at it's best
    • Richard Gray Power Company Iso-Gray system
    Richard Gray 600S (power line conditioner) + Pole Pig (isolation transformer). One of the few (non mega-buck) solutions that really improves the sound of your system w/o adding it's own particular "tone". Preserves dynamics too; as one of my pet peeves w/ these kind of devices is the fact that they always seem to truncate dynamics. Not this one! As good as anything I've heard; outside of gear w/new car prices!
    • Shunyata Research Hydra 2
    A two outlet passive line conditioner used only for my power amp. Does it's job at a ridiculously low price. Now discontinued.
    • Magnepan MG-3.6r loudspeaker
    Measuring a whopping 70"h x 24"w and a mere 1.5" d, make no mistake, this is a big speaker. A 60" true ribbon tweeter mated w/ planar magnetic midrange and bass panels, this speaker is one of the greatest bargains in audio, especially including one of the best tweeters in any price range. This tweeter must be heard to be believed! Astounding inner detail, sweetness and shimmer to die for. Mate this with lightning fast planar magnetic drivers, and you have a full range speaker that can, and does compete with the best. Not the last word in bass slam, this is it's only real drawback, sound wise. Be sure to give it a lot of space, and power, and you have a real world-beater, at a reasonable price. Now surpassed by the 3.7; a super bargain on the used market!
    • Mye Sound Magnapan 3.6 speaker stands
    Keeps speaker rock solid with no rocking motion whatsoever. A must for all planar speaker users.
    • Revox B77 Reel to Reel tape deck
    The best garage sale find ever! Now if I could just source a power cord to replace the one my bother accidentally threw away. :(
    • Vovox single ended interconnects
    Unshielded pure solid-core two stranded silver interconnects w/ Bullet plugs or XLR's. Performance way beyond it's price point.
    • Vovox speaker cables.
    Four stranded, unshielded, solid core, pure silver wires per side in a quasi-ribbon design. Just quietly goes about it's business. Again, great bang for the buck!
    • Shunyata Research Python Alpha & Python Helix power chords
    Used exclusively, through out my system, imparts a smooth, dead quiet sound, with a black background. Along with a massive soundstage, these are very nice cords for the money. Some would say a tad on the soft side, but I don't hear it.
    • pARTicular Triangle rack
    Custom built four shelf version w/premium white acrylic shelves. Semi-suspends components to give maximum isolation. Winner of numerous awards.
    • pARTicular Triangle rack
    Custom made four shelf rack w/premium white acrylic shelves. Extra heavy duty top shelf for the HRX turntable.
    • pARTicular Basic amp stand.
    Matches Triangle racks w/premium white acrylic shelf.
    • JAS Audio Magnetic isolation stand
    Opposing magnets "levite" the top shelf to isolate equipment placed upon it, so no mechanical interface is used. Placed under the Levinson CD.
    • Clearaudio Matrix record cleaner.
    One of the best and most robustly built cleaners one can buy. Automatic fluid dispensing  makes it a treat to use. One of the only machines (paraphrasing) Jonathin Valin has said "not only cleans a record, but improves it's sound".
    • Furutech RD-2 disc demagnitiser
    Don't ask me how it works, it just does. Makes digital discs smoother and less "edgy" sounding. Takes about 30 seconds to use. I use it before each and every listening.
    • Audio Desk Systeme disc lathe.
    Spins the disc at (variable speed) & shaves off a minute portion of the disc in order to create a specific angle on the edge of your discs. Then "paint" the thin edge with a black marker and you're done. Why do this? Because, again, digital discs sound less "digital" and more analog like. All for the better, I say. A one time procedure, it will make your disc(s) sound much better for minimal effort.
    • Shunyata Research Rollerblocks 2+ (2 sets)
    Double stack under pre-amp.
    • Air Tight Graphite blocks
    Used between power amp and amp stand. Big jump in performance for my most finicky component!
    • Nordost Sort cones (4)
    Drains vibration into the stand on which they are placed. Bronze version placed between the Levinson CD and the JAS Audio stand.
    • Guyanamide Ball bearing footers
    Used under Plinius phono pre.
    • Ayre Acoustics Myrtle wood blocks
    Golden ratio blocks made of dense myrtle wood. Replaced polymer isolators between acrylic shelves on pARTicular racks and amp stand. Also used under the Richard Gray gear.
    • Billy Bags Design Double wide CD rack
    Holds a LOT of CD's!! Unfortunately, not enough for this hoarder of music :(
    • Ikea Expedit
    Perfect shelves for LP's. Now where am I going to fit another one? ;)

Comments 1

Gregory,
Good to read your story. Would love to see your system pics. Please do post when you get a chance.

milpai

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