Anybody own Audio Experience Symphonies?

Listen to Jeff.

My system consist of:

Preamplifier: AUDIO EXPERIENCE SYMPHONIES PLUS
Power amplifier: AUDIO RESEARCH CLASSIC 60(for electrostatic panel) and JEFF ROWLAND MODEL 1(for woofer)
Phono amplifier: AUDIO RESEARCH PH 3
CD player : AMC CDM 7 (output stage -valves)-it have AC wire separeted, one for transport, and one for valve output stage;
Turntable: KUZMA STABI MK II
Arm: KUZMA STOGI REFERENCE
Cartridge: TRANSFIGURATION SPIRIT, GRADO TLX MK II, DENON DL 304, SHELTER 501 MKII, SHUN MOOK REFERENCE
Cartridge step-up(transformer): QUICKSILVER AUDIO TRANSFORMER
Speakers: MARTIN LOGAN AERIUS
Have lot of valves(ECC88,6DJ8,6922) from various manufacturers(Tesla, Sovtek, Sylvania, Thungsram, Golden Aero, Golden Dragon, GE, RCA, Phillips , Thung Sol, to mention some), and some single triodes 6DL4(EC88-Telefunken original);
My second amplifier is an old MARANTZ RECEIVER 2330 B (American version from 1978), which I played mostly during hot summer days.
Also have SHUN MOOK Quarttet and almost 60 Mpingo Discs. All tubes are covered with SM Valve resonatores(big and small tubes), and each component have under SM Super Diamond Resonators.

I use AC line conditioners from BCD-made in Italy for:
BCD No.3 for Pre (Symhonies+ and PH 3, and AMC CDM 7 valve stage)
BCD Power One only for power amplifier)
BCD electrostatic supply one for each speaker
Specialy made AC filter for AMC CDM 7 transport section and turntable.

Have approx. 160 CDs, and almost 3000 LPs, which I am buying almost everywhere I found them. Prefer originals, the old one, sound better then new re-issued, even if on 180 g. format.

Each component have its own AC wall connector, and made a special AC power supply in my listening room only for this room. In this days, going to make a special ground wire for conecting all sistem, because I know, from past expirience, all the benefits from making such thing.

Interconects:
Between CD-PRE = XLO 1
Between PH3 - = Silver Audio 6.0, Harmonic Technology Thruth Link
Between QUICKSILVER(transformet)-PH 3 =Quicksilver wire terminated by WBT 101 connectors, and so are the wires from tonearm STOGI REF. to Quicksilver trafo(Straiht Wire-the only cable which cannot be changed-it goes out right from the arm, and not specially happy with it, but everything is possible, right? One day probabbly I will cut it.)
Between Symphonies+- Classic 60= Silver Audio 6.0.
Between Classic 60 and speakers (bi -wired- for panel XLO 5.0, and for woofer Audio Researh Litzwire cable-JR Model 1)

I like to work with my ears only, thats for me a golden rule after more than 23 years involved in hi-fi. Also play a guitar(electric & acoustic)-as a background of music expirience.
Like all kind of good made music, emotional one, because is a part of my soul.

In each individual life came a moment when you need some specific change, thinking that nothing more is possible, that you done everything you are able to do. In my case, that happend with my hi-fi sistem, when knowing must be somehting more hidding in the air. Than, for the first time, I read about a company YS Audio Audio Experience. Supprise. Immediatly, know thats something for me. Alredy have a back years of expirience with a lot pre amps(Conrad Johnson, Audio Research, Audible Illusions, Counterpoint, Copland), but never find some which was emotionaly and musicaly ok. As been a visitor on many concerts, acustic-electric, start wondering if that is possible to achive that sort of "sound" and feelings from the instrument presence in your room?

So I contact a seller, and in a few days a preamp Symphonies Plus arrived. Put it in my hifi chain, and the music start to "sing". My pilgrim path come to an end. I felt a really new emotion and heart happines, those strong feelings hiden deep in your soul come up. You cant miss that feeling if You really know how to love music. This is one outstanding superb product made for the music lovers.

I love my symphonies (non + version). Excellent design and build.

Tweaks: Rolled tubes to Electroharmonix Bugle Boys (12ax7). Inexpensive and a nice improvement. Replaced output wima caps with auricaps ($5 each). A nice improvement. Replaced output wire (factory stuff is silver plated 28 gauge single strand copper in teflon) with solid silver 28 ga in teflon - this reduced some mid treble grain.

In stock form, the unit is par for the price. Out of the box and broken in, it sounded almost identical to the preamp section of my NAD 350 integrated. In tweaked form it performs better or equal to anything I've tried up to the $1200 price range. Bass is solid, deep and taught. Sound is not overly warm. Resolution and transperency is excellent. Soundstage is wide, deep and tall. This tweaked unit leans toward the AR tube sound. Clean, fast and dynamic.

The output impedance is high, so there may be a few power amps out there that will yield some hiss. You must also let the preamp warm up for a half minute before turning on the power amp. My B&K ST202+ works great with it. Dead silent background. I am using Maggies 1.6qr with homemade xovers and an Onix CD-88 CD player with OPA627 upgrade (a terrific sounding player when tweaked this way).

I use it with a Cary Rocket and never had any hiss. Used to use it with Marantz Monoblocks. The 500MA's. Also good. Had a top of the line Rotel that was not as good for a preamp and finally sold it. Currently I am engaged in an interior revamp. I will post when finished.

Hi, I am in the process of purchasing a Symphonies Plus and I have seen the posts of how the 12xa7m will improve. I was just wondering what sort of sound difference they made from the people using the 12ax7m tubes. More detailed sound, tighter bass, brighter high's, or more accurate midrange?