Phoenix Lights

by toro3 on TannoyROONMid CenturyrythmikAric AudioCardasNADKingkoomega speaker systemsATS AcousticsMhdt LabsTeacLampizatordecwareGalante AudioREL AcousticsCardas Audio CablesHQPlayer
2025
Late 2025, Early 2026
Hue lighting (with one-touch mood settings for room)
Plant-Fi
Salt lamp broadens the soundstage by 11.31”
Tubed EQ - Decware ZRock3
This needs to be on top of the credenza, but it’s not - two computer fans aiding with airflow - Aric Audio Transcend PP Integrated
Focusing on the atmospherics of the space.
2024
Leaning towards “Mid-Japandi” (Japanese/Scandinavian) design with mid-century elements
More than just the gear
Inspired by:
Roon Remote via iPad
Working on the vibe
ZRock3 = weight, liquidity, + black magic w/ OpticalRendu streamer
Teac NT-505 DAC
2023
Tannoy Stirling GR
Usually in triode mode.
Kingko KA-101 integrated * Retired
2022
Kingko KA-101 * Retired
Usually with coffee (November 2021)
Galante Audio Rhapsody * Retired
IKEA (everywhere)!
IKEA picture frames, too!
Tubes are my everything.
One of three listening partners. This one only fetched ball once and it was at the county shelter to grab my heart. Hasn't fetched a ball since.
November 2020
November 2020
Gentle Reveal
Galante Rhapsody
Kingko
Rythmik/Omega 8” * Retired
Generally Euphoric
Evening with some Ambiance
Omega Speaker Systems Super 3 XRS * Retired
Mid-Century Motif
Easy Access Tubes
Tube Rolling
Paradisea + * Retired
Furman PST-8D
Morning Music
Kingko Evenings
ATS Acoustics
Omega, Kingko, Ikea
Kingko
Omega, Kingko, Ikea

Description

*Progressive system with updates and changes.

12-watt tube integrated from Hong Kong with high sensitivity speakers from Connecticut. Slowly stopped tube rolling with focus on exploring new music through the Node 2i. Future includes room treatments and placement of the Kingko and Node. Following the golden rule of K.I.S.S. Inspiration from migueca and his second system, which can be found here on Audiogon! 

11/2019: added MHDT Paradisea + (OPAMP OPA2228P mod), 1960’s Danish Credenza, ATS acoustic panels, UA Acoustic diffusers, and some Herbie’s tweaks throughout. Connections remain MIT AVT 3s. The discontinued and more than 10 year-old Paradisea+ may be considered a step back to some considering it’s only a 16 bit NOS R-2R DAC connected to a streamer fully capable of MQA. But because of my strange music preferences more than 95% of what I listen to is in 16 bit from Tidal anyways. Additionally, NOS R-2R seemed to fit within the “less is more” equation when accounting for the Omega’s single driver and no crossover design.

11/2020: Added the Galante Rhapsody, NAD C 658, and Ryhmik/Omega sub. Greatest barrier has been the room which is considered pretty “hot.” Unable to add more room treatments due to my better half. DIRAC utilizing the UMIK-1 through the NAD was the compromise (in my eyes).

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02/2022: Added some new 4” ATS acoustic panels. Updated the sub to a Rythmik F12G SE, which blends and disappears into the soundstage (simply incredible). In line for a Decware Zen Torii Jr - should have purchased four years ago (that waitlist...), but contemplating QS Mid Monos, LM 845, or Aric Audio Transcend. Future includes corner bass traps (floor to ceiling from ATS), larger diffuser between speakers and much lowered mid-century credenza.

Favorite 2022 late night find: Before the Road by Motorama. Favorite "audiophile" album: Braziliana by Luiz Bonfa and Maria Toledo

12/2022: Added Sonore opticalModule Deluxe and Aric Audio Transcend Push/Pull with Sophia Electric tubes.

12/2025: Roon Remote with iPad. Bypassing Roon processing utilizing HQ Player in the background (Macbook) for processing, upsampling, and outputting DSD 256 to Lampizator TRP with KT66s and 274B.

Strictly streaming tube-based system with focus on unity gain. Done for the foreseeable future. 

Heavy rotation in 2025: Soutak by Aziza Brahim and The Universe Smiles Upon You ii by Khruangbin. 



Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 14’ × 16’  Medium
Ceiling: 10’

Components Toggle details

    • Tannoy Stirling Prestige Gold Reference
    Secondhand
    • REL Acoustics Classic 98 X 2
    Dual 98s
    • Aric Audio Transcend Push Pull Amp
    Sophia Electric KT88s
    TAD EL34s Red Base
    Sophia Electric 6SN7s
    Secondhand 
    • Lampizator Atlantic TRP
    With volume control. Secondhand with Swiss Digital Fuse Box. Currently using EL34s and 274B with HQ Player outputting DSD 256 behind Roon UI.
    • Decware ZRock3
    Two slope tube equalizer. Adds weight between DAC and amp. Perhaps my favorite component.
    • Sonore opticalRendu
    + Sonore LPS (secondhand w/ opticalRendu).
    • Sonore opticaModule Deluxe v2
    • Roon Labs Nucleus Ref 2
    Located in the office:
    Via Arris Surfboard SB8200 (DOCSIS 3.1 Broadcom) > Pangea Premier Ethernet > TRENDnet Switch w/ LPS > Supra Cat 8+ Ethernet 1-Meter > Roon Nucleus

    TRENDnet Switch (above) > Pangea Premier Ethernet > Sonore opticalModule Deluxe w/ LPS & Finisar SFP 1324P2BTL > FS singlemode Fiber Optical Cable (50’) > Sonore opticalRendu & Finisar 1324 w/ Sonore LPS > Cardas Clear USB 1 meter > Lampizator Atlantic TRP > Decware ZR3 > Transcend Push Pull
    • Miscellaneous, Retired & Interestingness (Toggle Details)
    Misc: 
    - Roon lifetime with Tidal, HQ Player processing/upsampling to DSD 256
    - Swiss Digital Fuse Box (to Lampi)
    - IsoAcoustics Gaia III
    - Herbie’s Audio Lab component isolation products
    - ATS Acoustics: Diffusion, Corner Bass Traps, Absorption 
    - Cardas Parsec throughout with Cardas Parsec bi-wire speaker cable. 
    - Hubbell HBL5262 Wall Receptacle
    - 1" thickness rug pad
    - Hue lighting throughout with one-touch mood settings.

    Retired: 
    - Kingko KA-101 (retired to office)
    - TEAC NT 505 (retired to office)
    - Galante Audio Rhapsody (retired)
    - Omega Speaker Systems Super 3 XRS (retired)
    - Rythmik F12G SE (retired)
    - NAD C 658 (retired)
    - Core Technologies USBe (retired)

    Speaker Placement: 
    - Following Jim Smith's formula (83-84% of the distance from each speaker to main listening position) - currently 82%.
    - Speakers are 36" from front wall, 100" between speakers, 82" to MLP, and 40" from closest sidewall. 
    - Dual subs; asymmetrical positioning to help reduce nulls and a smoother bass response. 
    - Tannoys and their concentric driver helps with phase and coherence for semi-nearfield listening given the space constraints and desire to be away from the back wall.  

    Interestingness:
    Stereophonic Sound Spectacular (1957) 

    Future thoughts:
    - Two more corner bass traps (extend to ceiling).
    - Dedicated line

Comments 41

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So damn elegant.

cymbop

Beautiful!  Organized and minimalist--two things I aspire to but never seem to approach.

archguy

Owner
Appreciate the kind comment, Jond! Definitely feel like we should create a Filthy Phish Hippies with Cool Systems subgroup on Audiogon.

toro3

Totally gorgeous room and cool system well done! And glad to see some other filthy Phish hippies with cool systems! :-)

jond

Owner
Cymbop - The irony is definitely thick with the Phish poster - nice catch! Appreciate the compliment, too!

toro3

Nicely done, Toro!  That's got to sound great, and your room could be straight out of Dwell magazine.

Who imagined that a filthy hippie Phish head could run such a clean setup and room?  ;-)

cymbop

Owner
SJ, those are some old MIT AVT3 speaker cables and interconnects that were in a box in the closet for a few years. Debatable on whether the cable boxes you see are snake oil, but subjectively they sound nice to me. Prior to this swap out I had Signal Cable ICs and Blue Jean’s speaker cables. Thinking of trying out some SC speaker cable to compliment the SC ICs I already have in the future.

Beyond room treatments and speaker cable, I’ve recently become intrigued by the MHT Labs Orchid DAC, which would likely be the last upgrade to this system. Or maybe just kept it as is!

toro3

What kind of speaker cables are they?

sj00884

Owner
Migueca, that’s the smooth black plate RCA 5U4G with round mica at top and lower d getter. I prefer the 5U4G over 5AR4 and 5U4GB due to sounding richer IMO. Totally agree with room treatments. They’re a small expense for a big payout. Again, thank you for the inspiration!

toro3

I'm glad you're happy following my suggestion. And I see you have some acoustic treatment in your listening room - according to King Ip, the owner/designer of Kingko Audio (a great friend of mine), room acoustics are far more important than the equipment itself. I learned, in his small shop in Hong Kong, that a modest setup will sound much much better in a properly treated room, than a high end setup in a bad room. 
By the way, which tube is that that you're using as rectifier (the "bottle" one)?

migueca

Owner
@ schubert, but at least we’re fools together having fun while we can, right!?

toro3

Owner
Thanks a bunch, aniwolfe. I would love to hear those M3s some day!!!

toro3

You make most of us look like what we are , fools .

schubert

Love it! Tastefully done

aniwolfe

Owner
Greatly appreciated, b_limo! Definitely trying the “less is more” approach on this one!!!

toro3

Awesome set-up Dude.  Thats really, really cool.  One of my favorite simple set-ups.  Well Done 👍

b_limo

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