Congrats on getting there! I’m 99% finished and don’t think it really can get much better. I’ve thought that somewhere out there it could be better and often think so when I go to AXPONA and hear the megabuck systems but slowly and surely I have upgraded things. Recently heard the Magico M9 speakers with roughly $1M of supporting equipment and they were breathtaking. My dad is a trained classical pianist and always goes to the shows with me. He always says, “It sounds great but I don’t think it’s better than yours.” I left the show this time, all the best songs I liked on these systems saved in SoundHound, and came straight home with no music playing in the car. I heard more subtleties that were missing in the Magicos including missing notes playing down the register to the 16Hz or lower organ notes. I will say this large hotel suite was not an ideal room even though it is larger than my apartment by a wide margin, there could have been room nodes. I have all the power, accuracy, imaging, etc that I heard in a $2M system (unobtainable) while a system like mine anyone could have over time. We get all tied up in the glamor of it all and how much better it could be. I’m really happy where I’m at and want to add only one thing BACCH. Good luck to everyone as they work towards audio perfection. I expect what we have is objectively better than you think!
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