Vinyl Junkie Music Room

by dhilton on Dr. Feickert AnalogueMcIntosh LabsPass labsSoundsmithHanaRELAurenderVandersteenEuropean Audio TeamAyre AcousticsDuelund Coherent Audio

Description

My audio system has been evolving for the past forty plus years.  This is my current system and listening room.  The components all work together to produce a very detailed and holographic listening experience.  I like to listen to jazz, classical and pop music. Streaming digital is good but I love the sound of vinyl much more!
The listening room left side opens up to a 15' deep dining room. Behind the listening seat is open to a 10' entryway.  The speakers are 7' apart, 3.5' from the front wall with the listening position 9' away.  While not an ideal listening room configuration, it manages to work very well.



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Room Details

Dimensions: 15’ × 13’  Medium
Ceiling: 10’

Components Toggle details

    • Vandersteen Treo CT
    Vandersteen Treo CT's in Mahogany stained Watnut
    These replaced Acoustic Zen Adagio's.  The Treo CT's are an order of magnitude greater fidelity than the AZ Adagio's.  The timber, tone and realism is so much more like real music rather than good HiFi.
    • Ayre Acoustics AX-5 Twenty
    Using in unity-gain function as amp only.
    Outstanding integrated amp...
    • McIntosh Labs MC 7200
    This 200 watt SS stereo amp is currently in use in place of the Ayre.  It's a warmer sounding amp which I prefer.
    • Pass Labs XP-12
    Line Level Preamp
    In the process of upgrading to the XP-22
    • Pass Labs XP-15
    Phono Preamp
    In the process of upgrading to the XP-27
    • Kimber Kable Hero XLR
    3m balanced IC's between the Pass Labs line level preamp and the Amp
    • Ayre Acoustics QB-9 Twenty
    The Twenty upgrade to this QB-9 DSD made a huge improvement.  I'm so glad I made the investment.  I can't imagine how much I'd have to spend to get beyond this sound.
    • Acoustic Zen Hologram II Zero Crystal Bi-wire speaker wires
    Acoustic Zen Hologram's have a rich, relaxed overall tonal balance and fulness resulting in a natural life-like tonality, excellent speed, articulation and clarity.
    • Duelund Coherent Audio (DCA) DCA12GA & 16GA speaker wire
    Duelund Coherent Audio 12GA plus 16 GA speaker bi-wires.  5' DCA tinned-copper with a baked oil impregnated cotton dielectric.
    • Shunyata Research Venom USB cable
    Currently using Shunyata Research Venom USB cable.
    My alternate cable is the Curious Cables (Rob Woodland) 200mm USB link.
    • Aurender N100H
    Music server with 4 TB internal storage and 120G RAM cache for playback
    • MIT Zcord II
    MIT Zcord II's power cords the Aurender and the Ayre QB-9 DAC,
    MIT Zcord power cord on the Ayre AX-5 Twenty
    • Zoethecus Equipment Rack with 5 z-slabs
    Zoethecus Maple Wood Equipment Rack
    • Dr. Feickert Analogue Woodpecker
    with Feickert LPS, Kuzma 12" arm with VTA on-the-fly and Soundsmith MIMC Star low output cartridge
    • Kuzma Stogi Reference 313 CE with VTA Tower
    Gimbaled 12" tone arm
    • European Audio Team C-Sharp Turntable
    This is the turntable now in use with my Thorens TD 160 out of the system.  This TT is a giant improvement in SQ.
    • European Audio Team E-Glo Petite Phono-pre
    Tube-hybrid; better than the Graham Slee which is good but EAT is better.
    The EAT is such an outstanding phono-pre.  While I have not auditioned very many phono-pre's this sound quality has got to be up there with the $3k - $5k group.  Has good bass to clear highs!  It is connected to the Pass pre with DH Audio SilverPulse.
    • DH Labs SilverSonic
    Tonearm cable and IC
    • Hana ML Cartridge
    This Moving Coil Low Output cartridge is quick, nimble, detailed, transparent and relaxed sounding.  The treble extension is sweet and fast at the same time.  It is incredibly dynamic and full-bodied; the dynamics are equally amazing in the deep bass, making for powerful and deep sounding.

    • Sumiko Amethyst Cartridge
    This is my secondary cartridge.  The Sumiko Amethyst (Moving Magnet) has a punchy and rhythmic sound. Low frequencies are smooth and extended.  It slightly lacks dynamics and perhaps airiness.
    • McIntosh MR-80
    Tuner in custom burl walnut cabinet connected with Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II Zero-Crystal IC's.
    • REL Acoustics B-2 and R-328
    Used as left and right subs

Comments 9

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Hello dhilton,

Very nice system in a nice looking room. Well done. I'm in the NW also, west of Seattle on Whidbey Island. Are you also located in Washington State, or elsewhere in the Great Northwest?

Best regards,
Dan

islandmandan

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