How close are you to being to your endgame? My system outline and I'm almost there.


Hey everyone,

 

I've really been working on upgrading and putting my system together for a few years now and I really think I'm almost at my endgame system. I hope when money allows to add a ds audio w2 or 003 cartridge and energizer but that's truly my last goal. 

Just wanted to share a system update that’s been a long time in the making. Everything is finally coming together, and with the Innuos Zenith Mk3 arriving Tuesday, I’m feeling like this setup is finally reaching the level I’ve been aiming for—natural, musical, powerful, and emotionally engaging.


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🖥️ Digital Front End:
• Innuos Zenith Mk3 (arriving Tuesday)
• NewOnTech DAC07

I stream exclusively from Qobuz, and the DAC07 has been an impressive piece—clean, full, and musical without sounding clinical. I’m expecting the Zenith to be a big jump from the WiiM Pro I’ve been using. Everything I’ve read points to better flow, lower noise floor, and more organic presentation. Can’t wait to hear it in action.

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💿 Disc Player:
• Esoteric DV-50 Universal Player

I still love spinning SACDs and CDs occasionally, and the Esoteric handles those with authority and refinement. It’s built like a tank and sounds fantastic—still one of the better universal players out there, especially when fed into the DAC07.

 

🎛️ Preamp & Amp:
• Jeff Rowland Coherence II
• Jeff Rowland Model 8Ti

This pairing is magical. The Coherence II has a sense of ease and dimensionality that’s just addicting. Dead quiet, transparent, and rich. The 8Ti brings power and control with elegance—tons of grip and headroom, but never aggressive. They complement each other beautifully and really let the source shine.

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🔊 Speakers:
• EgglestonWorks Andra II

The Andras are stunning. Effortless dynamics, huge soundstage, and rich tonality. Vocals hang in space with weight and realism, and the bottom end is deep but never bloated. One of the few speakers I’ve heard that does scale, intimacy, and impact equally well. I've had magico s3's, focal 1038be and sonus faber sonetto v speakers among a lot of others over the years. Those were my last 3.

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💽 Analog Setup:
• VPI Aries Black Night Edition
• JMW-10 tonearm, TNT feet, upgraded bearing, Nordost tonearm wire
• Silver VPI clamp

I’m not playing vinyl as often right now, but this table has always impressed me. Gorgeous looks, black backgrounds, and excellent musical flow. Eventually I want to go for a DS Audio optical cartridge (w2 or 003)to take it even further.

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🔌 Cables:
• XLRs styled after Nordost Odin 2 (Chinese replicas)
• Wireworld Eclipse (early version) speaker cables

These have blended well with the rest of the system—clear and dynamic without sounding thin or over-hyped. They’ve let the character of the Rowland gear and Andras come through cleanly.

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🎧 Final Thoughts
With the Rowland amplification, the Andras, and the Zenith Mk3 landing this week, everything is clicking into place. The system has a rich, holographic sound with excellent weight and detail. Tonally balanced, emotionally involving, and easy to listen to for hours—exactly what I was after.

Would love to hear from anyone else running similar gear, especially Rowland or Eggleston setups. Always curious to hear what others have found with the Zenith Mk3 too.

Thanks for reading—happy listening!
—aj1735

aj1735

Showing 1 response by carlso63

I'm pretty much there at endgame with my 'vintage' system:

 

Radio Tuner: 1977 Marantz Model 2100 AM / FM Stereo Tuner

Preamplifier: 1968 Dynaco Model PAS-3X Tube Preamp

Amplifier: (2) 1975 MacIntosh Model MC2100 (210 wpc running as monoblocks)

Equalizer: 1976 BSR F Model FEW-III 12 - Band Analog

Scope: 1973 Panasonic Model SH-3434 Stereo / Quadrophonic Frequency Analyzer

Turntable: 1981 Technics Model SL-6 Direct Drive Linear Tracking

CD: 1990 Sony 5-DIsc Digital Media Player Model F- 787

RtR: 1975 Akai Model GX - 265D Reel Tape Play / Record Deck

8TR: 1974 Pioneer Model HR-100 8- Track Play / Record Deck

CSS: 1977 Teac Model A-400 Vertical Cassette Play / Record Deck

Speakers: 1970 Sansui Model SP-5500 

 

All pieces have been fully restored. Cosmetically, all are near mint condition. Sonically, very very nice - surprisingly so, especially to those more into the modern era equipment (Biggest surprises are the 8-track and the speakers; most people have never heard a quality 8TR deck and think all Sansui speakers are 'Kabuki' junk - and have never even heard of these rather rare 109 pound, Japan-only speakers...)

I have gotten to the point (after trying out a total of 17 different pairs of speakers in my listening room; plus various tubes in the preamp and various cables / interconnects and power supplies throughout) where I don't see any noticeable improvements anymore. At least not within the confines of my tolerances for cost, etc. And I have thousands of hours worth of vinyl, tapes, CDs, etc. to provide a good variety of enjoyable music. 

It's actually a great place to be. Very nice not to be continually chasing down 'something better'... and just enjoying the fruits of my labor. Plus, there are added side benefits that this particular niche of the hobby provides. It's the single biggest draw / conversation starter in my home (even beats out my saltwater coral reef tank on the opposite end of the room); Older visitors marvel at the tech they actually remember from their youth; younger guests are blown away by the nuanced full-spectrum sound of quality analog medium, and all that polished aluminum, chrome, bouncing VU meters; when their only reference points are usually phone earbuds or TV sound bars...

For me, I just enjoy putting on a few LPs or tapes, etc. and sitting right in the 'sweet spot' and letting the music take me away...