Stargazer's Retreat

by stongone on

Description

This is the result of 35+ years of being an audiophile...started off with a Sony clock radio that my dad got for me-wow!!  I am blessed.  This is now a 100% digital system-the Rogue Audio Perseus pre amp & Decware Tube Buffer is in storage.  My system is now very transparent, detailed, liquid, smooth, natural.  Bottom line is I am that much closer to the recorded event.  My desire to upgrade has been greatly diminished.  Only item waiting for is the Schiit Audio Gadget...come on Mike and Jason!!  Note-all of my cables/wires/stand/platforms/power cords/duplex/weights/cones are from Mapleshade-everything that Pierre writes on his website is True-not hyperbole-been using his products for over 20 years.  Last words-the best 3 tweeks-IMO:  Add Powr eau2s, Mapleshade field shaping ground plane ribbons and the MQA software update for the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Series 2-they all brought me closer to the feeling of being at the recorded event-realism with ease/liquidity/detail/emotion.
Enjoy!  P.S.  one more tweek-Mapleshade's optical cable-connecting Apollo R CD player to the BADA DAC-sounds awesome-is making me pull out my CDs-in some respects better than the Bryston BDP1.  
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Room Details

Dimensions: 22’ × 12’  Medium
Ceiling: 12’

Components Toggle details

    • Bryston BDP-1
    • ModWright KWA-100SE
    • Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Series 2 MQA
    • Rega Apollo-R CD Player
    • Magnepan MMG
    • ADD-POWR eau-2
    • Granite Audio Ground Zero Model #502
    • Acoustic Revive RR-77

Comments 15

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Beautiful system, room, and set-up. Looks like you pull all the performance you can from it with all the tweaks.

mjcmt

Congratulations for this beautiful system , patiently and lovingly put together .
You have done the right things , dealing with all the numerous small points to bring the music reproduction closer to the real event .
Much more effective than switching boxes around .

Jean-Michel 

jma6

Owner
Thanks!  Appreciate the tip on the MMG stands-I will experiment with your suggestions; Funny thing is that I thought about adding weights over those flipper risers...brilliant minds think alike...

stongone

Nice setup!

I run the LRS and recently found a tweak for the stands you may want to try as they  seem identical. 

Instead of the flip down risers I placed wood blocks under the stands. 
Then on top of the stands I laid heavy weight. 
In my case I laid 3”x1” steel plate across the span from one leg to the other. 
Dumbell weight(s) on each leg would work fine too. 

This significantly reduced the “spring” in the stands and made the panel much more rigid. 
I went a small step futher and adjusted the wood riser blocks to bring the panels 100% vertical. 

Yes the are aftermarket stands that do all this but this is free and very simple to try. 

The result, as hoped, was bass improved a touch in definition but the surprise was imaging. Especially in the tweeter. 

I guess the springiness in the stands was allowing the panels to move ever so slightly on bass hits and affecting the imaging focus.

Give it shot. Hopefully you get the same results!
If it does then the neat n tidy aftermarket stands may be worth the investment to keep the nice clean setup you have. 

mocean

Beautiful, well sorted system that surely brings you joy!

firberger

Owner
Hello everyone,  I'll reply in chronological order:
1.  I did consider the bass panel from Magnepan but did not want to deal with the additional speaker wiring, placement issues-the bass is sufficient for my listening needs-it is tight, defined; just doesn't go as low as needed as when I'm listening to Metallica
2.  I purchased the DAC in 2012 based on Robert Harley's review-had the Eastern Electric Tube DAC before; I just came into some additional funds & decided to spring for the Berkeley-best decision-along with the software upgrade this will be my DAC for life
3.  Yes, the rack is from Mapleshade...based on my own experience, everyone should check out their website-Pierre is spot on with his products
4.  Thanks for that...I have considered upgrading the MMGs...the only thing stopping me is the size of the room-I am getting plenty of volume from the MMGs
5.  Those are the brass alloy weights from Mapleshade-Pierre has detailed information & how they work in conjunction with the platform/isoblocks/footers
6.  Thank you for the comment on the Modwright-this amp is a keeper-very transparent-any changes upstream are revealed by this amp.  On the Acoustic Revive - very meaningful:  it increases the air/space within the soundstage making it more dimensional-I consider it a must have tweak
7.  Good question - technically, I should not have a ground loop issue, but I do.  It was more prevalent when I had the Rogue Audio preamp in the system.  Now, the hum is barely audible in the right channel with the Ground Control
Appreciate everyone's questions/comments - keep enjoying your system and music!

stongone

Why do you have a ground loop issue when using only one outlet?

emergingsoul

Modwright amp is nice.  Is revive item meaningful?

What r the gold dome things placd on top of amp?

emergingsoul

I have the MMG's and also have the 1.7i's.  Recommend that you upgrade to the 1.7i's.

jrosemd

Are the racks from Mapleshade?

bnbryant

May I ask how you came to your DAC?   Did you consider other brands before making your selection?

cdc77

No sub?  Have you tried one in your system?

fred60

It looks very nice and it sounds like you are enjoying it.  Glad you found happiness.  I share your fondness for Magnepan speakers.  Enjoy!

mscetal

Owner
Thank you so much for your kinds words...you may find them at MusicDirect; they are called Cable Elevators.

stongone

Congrats on your journey.  The system looks stunning.  What is the brand of the cable lifters?

wr_aspire

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