Man... you guys make me feel like an old fart! I am stuck in the 70's... still loving my Citation 17 preamp, Citation 16A amp, Dual 1229 turntable (with Grace 747 tonearm) Sony TC-755 reel to reel and Advent 201A cassette deck. Oh, almost forgot my Nakamichi OMS 4 CD player. (never use it) Speakers are Sandy Gross' Definitive Techology BP-10s.
Now I need a glass of Scotch... Awesome systems all of you... but I just love mine.. Buy one you like and keep it. |
There is always " Bigger, Better, Faster" out there but I don't find myself wanting with my Pass X250.5 and Pass X1 Preamp. My Hales, moddified as they are, just sound right. My Talk Electronics CD player is a good sounding player. It's too bad they are not yet strongly represented in my part of the world.
I'd look for their new stuff if it were available.I'm sure with money I could do better but in truth I'm satisfied. Especially when I got over cable issues by putting Cardas Golden Reference all around and Tekline power cables which stopped a lot of searching. I'm playing with toys now but when I want to listen to music in my favorite way I go upstairs to my Pass Hales system.
The Audioengine A5 speakers are a fun way to build a listenable system for the price of an ipod and $325. |
MFA Luminescence Pre, MFA Mono M120 Amplifiers. Chapman T-7 speakers comprise the core of my system. I can't imagine replacing the MFA elecronics. Nothing I've heard under $5K beats the Chapmans for overall musicality, although sometimes I wonder what my old Maggies would sound like powered by MFA.
I may upgrade the Rega P5 someday. The Shanling T1000 SE is a very nice CDP, esp. with a WE Tube upgrade to the tube output section.
I'm very pleased with my Anti-Cable speaker wires and for now, Audio Perfection IC's, but will soon experiment with some DIY IC's, made from 20 AWG magnet wire and 28 AWG solid silver. All into basic Neutrik plugs.
After experimenting with a number of different footers, cones, etc, I've found Herbie's Tenderfeet and IsoCups to work most excellently in my system. I am using some DIY feet under the Rega, made from modified Barry units and they do sound much better than the stock Rega rubber feet. I may try BDR 4's under the table.
Overall, my system is very musical and always a pleasure to listen to. What's next, is a serious look at room acoustic analysis and treatment. |
Paul4223 said, "Overall, my system is very musical and always a pleasure to listen to. What's next, is a serious look at room acoustic analysis and treatment."
Great idea, what do you plan to do? How are you going to analyze the the room? What do you think is important and why?
Bob |
Multicabling: Outperforms any other cable solution, no matter the price.
R2R: Lyrec. Best source of all sources....ever.
Tuner: Tandberg TPT 3001A.
PreAmp: Mark Levinson No 380s
Cassette deck: Tandberg TCD 910/911
CD: Doesn't really matter. Very restricted in quality due to the Redbook format.
Digital format or other sorts: The higher resolution, the better. So far 32BIT / 192 kHz
Speakers: Wilson Alexandria II
Power Amp: Working on it but for sure tubes in my combo.
TT: Working on it but for sure a belt driven well suspended with hanging subchassis in a plinth and straight radial arm
"dolph" |
Normansizemore, I too am in my 70s. Frankly, I am still having a ball with audio. I do really need my music, but I also enjoy the quest. I do have to curb by appetite for trying new components that seem to have promise as my income is now fixed although ample and given the times, old equipment is not easily sold.
I still get a real thrill when I experience a great performance that approaches sounding real where I am tempted to jump and shout "bravo." |
Conrad Johnson, Audio Research, Meridian. Truthfully, I think I am just on hold!! |
I recently sent my MFA Lumi preamp and M120 amps to Mr.Scott Frankland for repairs and some upgrades. The Lumi was upgraded about as far as Scott could take it. The amps received more modest upgrades. The components now have a significant "wow" factor compared to before the mods/repairs. But wait, there's more....
And, per Scott's suggestion, I replaced the amp power tubes with Genalex KT 88 Gold Lion Reissues, and the amps have improved to yet another level.
Overall improvement is extraordinary. And this, in a system which sounded damn good before.
I've yet to seriously address room acoustics, but that's coming....
|
Studer A820 Master Recorder :-) |
Simaudio evolution series, specifically Supernova cdp and P-7 pre. W-5 amp will magically turn into a W-8 or W-7 mono's one day |
A intuitive long shot a couple years ago from Craig's List satisfied my long search for main's: A church had a pair of mid-1980's Yamaha SX-1 cathedral organ monitors that turned out to be the best self-powered main's I ever heard (after a few hours of old school re-conditioning).
Each has 320 watt SS amps, 15 inch bass drivers in the lower unit's, and three independently facing upper units (forward and L/R at 30 degrees), each loaded with one 6 inch mid and 2 ultra-smooth tweeters. I adopted them for keeps after auditioning the speakers' "voices". They're perfect for a 30 x 30 room. |
47 Lab Flatfish transport. The crowning finish to my system. |
Studer C37, built between ca. 1961- 1970. around 1800 pieces were sold. |
When I got my Pass X250/X1 combo I knew I had found my brand of amp. I since upgraded the x250 to an X250.5 and I had my X1 completely redone at Pass to update it to current. Pass gear has put an end to my search for electronics as did Talk Electronics with their Thunder 6 CD player. I've been waiting 8 years for this player and received it last year. I truly feel I may never require a new cd player again. |
My Coincident Pure Reference Extremes matched with the Frankenstein 300b MkII. No reason for me to look any further.Now I get to sit back and listen :)
Regards, |
The Talk Electronics Thunder 6 has taken the mystery out of what good digital can sound like. I truly believe I may not get tired of this player for a very long time regardless the power cable attached to it. Obviously anyone will praise their own equipment but the Talk player seems to have filled the gap between anticipation and wonder. |
I must say that I seldom find much from major manufacturers that excites me. The little guys seem to have the passion that moves them toward excellence. Obviously, I have had instances where I thought something would cause me to stop looking for speakers or amps, etc., but soon I was looking again. Now being in my 70s, I have a new thought, namely that I might have the last speakers, amp, etc. I am still looking and listening, however. |
van den hul "the first" cable used as a digital interconnect.
warm and terrific soundstage. |
Dcrugby, my only problem with First was ground loops given its high resistance. |
Atma-sphere S-30. Fabulous sound and able to get a jumper to lower the gain, which gives me more fine-grained control of the volume on my pre-amp.
Stopped looking, but I am saving my pennies for the upgrade from MK II to MK III.1 |
you know tbg, i had read about that potential before i bought them so i made sure that i bought the first "metal screen" and it seems to do the trick. no hums anywhere (i don't use tubes, for what that's worth), except when used on a cable box and, in fact, it probably exhibits less hum there than any of my other digital cables. i went with glass optical for that anyway, though.
this is from the vdh website:
>>The major difference between the members of our The FIRST ® series is their shield series resistance; Our The FIRST ®, The FIRST ® Ultimate and The FIRST ® Metal Screen progressively exhibit a lower shield resistance. (Respectively: ~14, ~4.8 and 0.0049 Ohm/m.).
[...] The FIRST ® Metal Screen with its lowest shield resistance has been specially designed for those situations where excessive ground currents flowing through the cable shield are present (e.g. with some tube equipment), in complex grounding situations and/or where extra shielding against strong external electrical interference is required (e.g. in highly electrical noise polluted areas). << |
My Blue Circle NSCS/Shahinian ARC combo has been in use for 6 years. In that time I've not auditioned any other equipment. So I suppose that qualifies as "equipment that has made me stop looking." |
tidal 'contriva diacera-se speakers |
A few:
EMT 927st with 139st phono, ortofon RMA297 and EMT cartridges based on pressing at play.
Kanno K597 Field coild tweeters even if the original WE or GIP are said to better, can't see how. |
Usher R1.5 amp
Usher BE 718 speakers |
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1. Vienna Acoustics speakers.
2. JL Audio fathom sub. |
here's one from the "supply" side. My Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster. |
Well Tempered Lab Amadeus -- a world beater. |
TW Akustics Raven One turntable, Joule Electra LA150 Mk2 preamp. And my 1983 Fender Stratocaster which is a reissue of their '57 double (not triple) sunburst.--Mrmitch |
ARS Emitter....I think I'm done. |
STAX headphones, paricularly the tube driven units. |
Ohm loudspeakers. After owning/reviewing ~40 pairs of speakers in 40 years, the Ohms did it for me. |
StillPoints isolation feet, except the Ultra Fives are better than the Ultra SSs. |
First Heard'em;
Then drooled over 'em, all the while fantasizing over 'em; and ...
finally SOLD OFF MY ENTIRE EXISTING SYSTEM and bought 'em ... AND NEVER LOOKED BACK.
now:
REGA ISIS VALVE CDP
REGA OSIRIS INTEGRATED AMP
REGA R9 SPEAKERS
CHECK 'EM OUT, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. |
3 things: 1) rockport speakers, 2) modwright sony 5400, 3) TG audio for ICs. |
Well, I still have my Jm Lab Mini Utopias, that must count for something. But just like a happily married man, I might stop searching, but Ill probably never stop looking :-) |
I have to agree with Ohm speakers. They are wonderful. |
My new Breeze speakers from Vapor Audio. These are some of the best speakers I have ever heard regardless of price, and they are silly inexpensive. I got mine custom built, redwwod burl, matching stands with crossover in the stands,
amorphous core Raal tweeter, and Dueland resistors. This is my last speaker puchase! See my reviews if interested. |
STEALTH cables,MAGICO speakers and THORESS Preamp Dude!!!! |
Ebm, given your bent for exaggeration, I must say I expect that within a year, your list will be entirely different.
I have never thought that anything would stop me for further looking. Probably the closest I ever got was the Decca London cartridge in the 60s. I still have two around here somewhere. |
Mapleshade single and double helix speaker cables. |
Chalice Audio 'Grail' SET monoblock amps...nothing i have heard comes close...! |
Calloway, I am going to have to give these a listen. If only they were not so expensive. |
Audio note TT3 Super, AN Meishu Silver, AN-E Spe Sign!!! |
Tbg..you are more then welcome to come and listen anytime. you will be familiar with my speakers so it should give you a pretty good idea as to how good the amps are. come and stay a couple of days at my house. i can have the creators of the 'Grails' there .i think..for any of your questions. i promise good food and wine too.. |
Audiopax Amplifiers. Whilst I will always consider upgrades to other gear, I doubt my amplifiers will ever change and I am not actively looking for a replacement. |
Classe' CP-800 Preamp. The Preamp is one of the finest I have heard. The DAC built in IS the best I've heard. The headphone amp is outstanding. Bass management function is awesome. Flawless HT bypass. The product truly is revolutionary. I could go on.... |
Modwright tube Oppo 83
Placette Active preamp
Pass Labs XA30.5 |
After years of change I purchased a pair of Quicksilver V4 mono amps. I am finally done changing amplifiers. |
