It looks like an interesting system but whoever made the video needs to hire a camera man. It's borderline unwatchable.
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I know Mike through several phone conversations over the years. He’s a nice man, very generous with his time. My take-away is that even if you have a blue-sky project with virtually unlimited resources, it takes living with a system in a room to effectively dial it in. I found this to be true with a somewhat more modest set up that started in NY- I was very familiar with the core of the system, but when I moved, and had a larger dedicated room, I was able to take advantage of what I knew about the system, its strengths and weaknesses, to take advantage of the longer, deeper room. Though I made some changes by adding more subwoofers, went to a different type of cartridge and improved the TT isolation, a lot had to do with set up. I also did a big isolation transformer before the gear was installed just to do as much as I could to eliminate gremlins in the power. I think Mike is to be applauded for his commitment. I know he welcomes people to his place to listen and his enthusiasm is infectious. The other thing that is notable is that Mike doesn’t profess deep technical knowledge, but knows who to tap for that. And, he’s willing to make changes, not simply to churn gear but to seek that last iota. At some point, I hope to visit him, I know that his is one of the systems that a lot of audiophiles consider to be a very high peak, but it isn’t just about all the top notch gear- it is the integration of that gear into the room, along with the synergies that he must have found a long the way. My two pesos. |
Mike’s Virtual System. Look at how many unique views. Mike used to regularly participate in discussions here on AudiogoN in the early years - as did many other very knowledgeable audiophiles. |
I have a cabin in the woods set up for an outdoor concert, if needed...nothing all that rich about it...But, if the coyotes and bugs don’t get ya, the ferocity of its sound might be greater than the Berghain Panorama club in Berlin. (No brand name snobbery, geriatric jazz or chesky crap...just the right type of gear for the job)
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Throughout the years I’ve frequented this virtual system countless amounts of time, and always appreciated this member’s contributions. If I still lived in Western Washington, I would have loved visiting his barn. I can’t say that I would have done better, but MC’s camera work didnt do this system justice. It’s really too bad as Mike is insightful and willing to share his experience and system for those of us interested. * just re-watched a portion this morning over coffee - yeah, the camera work almost seems worst the more times you watch. |
Thankfully I've experienced it in person and didn't have to watch the video. Mike is very kind and gracious and has hosted our local music club on a couple of occasions. His system is the best I've ever heard and I learned a lot from him. I believe he is retired now and able to spend as much time as he wants enjoying his incredible system. |
Calling it a "barn" is unfortunate. It may have been mentioned in the video (I didn't watch it), but Mike bought the property because of the barn. Not to speak for him, but from what he told us it sounded like his vision was to transform it into a world class listening room, which he did. When you visit, he doesn't talk about his "system", he talks about his "room", which he has spent years tweaking and considers the most important component of his "system". The gear is incredible of course, but the room brings everything to life. Jealousy and envy are not good looks for anyone. |
If you read through his virtual system description, at the bottom is a link to a 2004 Positive Feedback article discussing the barn renovation and construction of the listening room. We are fortunate he has shared his journey with us in such detail. He has graciously invited others throughout the years and a simple on-line search links several write-ups with pictures since the room was completed. |
Many Tekton designs are incredible and sound incredible...designed by a slightly eccentric guy, of course....but, that is most of the socially unpolished audiophile population (no surprise there). Don’t let the camera man on crack ruin it for ya. Quite strange indeed, a six year old might handle a camera better.
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He's close to me, should try to check it out, that is the most curated system I have ever seen. Yes, the video is horrible, just about unwatchable, shaky, unfocused, never showing the equipment. Think I could so better off-road with just holding my camera out the window. For some reason, South Park just kept coming to mind with Mike just kept saying Okey every second. |
@big_greg +1 |
@deep_333 Why don’t you get the cameraman extraordinaire who is also a Tekton gaga guy to go to your place while on his whirlwind videography and give us a show of your system andsetup. Your continued taking of cheap shots at Mike and his system/room is pathetic |
Mike's system has that "sound' that every high performance setup displays even thru a not so great recording and cell phone speaker. The ONLY thing lacking is having a fabulous view of a spectacular mountain range or ocean view. A room of course with a nice view and lots of windows, would be counterproductive to room engineering to get "that sound." Can you have both with the right amount of $$$?
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@facten +1 A plethora of "Red Flags" vigorously wave regarding any level of credibility. |
Jiminy Christmas, heavens to betsy, quite the condescending tone there (tsk, tsk)...how very representative of the audiophile community, a shining glorious example.. At this rate, you could be closely related to the cameraman & tekton maker even (other shining glorious examples of the community, maybe Fremer too).
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@deep_333 You’d know condescending tone, your 3 posts were nothing but so no need for you acting like the you’re the innocent party. |
Post#1 I’d call it constructive criticism. I’ve had the exact conversation with him about the limitations of 2 channel in the past, for which he came.up with some flawed response...and hey presto, there he is moving nearfield, I’ll just leave it there, you probably wouldn’t understand. I very much like the sound of master tape as well, except I get it even better and quite easily while he bangs his head on tape decks.. Can’t explain r&d, technological adv, etc to a ritual based bunch of guys who are doomed to doing it the hard way, I suppose. Post#2 was an attempt to make a guy with perhaps not very deep wallets feel a lil better Post#3 acknowledgement of a clever speaker design (give credit when its due), great sound and willing to look past the personalities behind it...(which some here seem to be too stuck on). Tekton is just one of a longer list of speakers I have. If you’re looking for some brand name ga gaa goo goo groupie or a 1 trick pony rig, maybe look at yourself or something, don’t look at me. I don’t do video capture of how my rooms sound (pointless), and I don’t play endless repeats of "good recordings" of untalented artists, like some of the crowd here, i.e, use music to listen to the gear...But, a fair number of audiophiles, musicians, etc had their pants blown off with what they experienced. Several musicians have now said (i ask em "whatcha think?") what they heard in my rooms was the best representation of what their recordings should sound like..and that works for me...a bit unfortunate indeed that much of the regular masses who do enjoy music will not experience such a thing..but, oh well... Long story short...not a whole lot there to prove to anyone...or participate in any hifi phallus measurement contests.
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“If anyone can explain why one might intentionally have two turntables, I’m curious.” There are actually several and sometimes indulgent reasons why someone might intentionally have two turntables, - Mono vs Stereo playback - One turntable dedicated to mono playback (with a true mono cartridge) and the other for stereo. While one can accomplish this with two tonearms but not all TT’s comes with two tonearms. - Cartridge Voicing: Some folks enjoy having different cartridges for different sonic flavors (e.g., one with a warmer, more romantic sound, and another with more detail and resolution). Swapping head shells or carts is possible, but having two turntables makes it far more convenient. - Comparing and Tweaking Gear - Again some folks enjoy comparing cartridges, tonearms, or phono stages, having two turntables makes direct A/B comparisons much easier. And lastly, Some of us can! For true vinyl lovers, having two turntables is simply a luxury of passion. |
@lalitk - voicing, comparing, and ability to are reasons that also apply to those of us with more than one DAC. He is certainly not alone with two turntables. As another example, I have 4 bikes. Just part of the hobby. |
I agree, having multiple DACs allows for comparing different voicing and synergy with various components, the same logic applies to turntables or any other component in an audio system. But hear me out…having own couple of turntables, I will say this; running two high-end turntables is a whole different level of commitment compared to owning multiple DACs. With DACs, switching between them is often as simple as changing an input or swapping a cable. But with turntables, you’re managing intricate setup variables like VTA, azimuth, tracking force, and anti-skate—each of which can significantly alter the sound. Then there’s the maintenance: keeping multiple cartridges perfectly aligned, ensuring both tables are finely calibrated, and dealing with potential motor, belt, or bearing upkeep. Not to mention the cost of quality tonearms, cartridges, and phono stages—each optimized for a particular table. And let’s not forget the space and isolation requirements. A second turntable needs its own properly isolated platform or rack space, along with careful grounding and cabling to avoid interference or hum. And, I am not even going to talk about the whole record cleaning / maintenance regime :-) IMHO, owning two turntables is a true labor of love, reserved for those with both the dedication and passion to dive deep into the vinyl experience. It’s not just about variety—it’s a serious pursuit of analog perfection. The way I see it….Mike’s setup is much more than a collection of components—it’s a carefully curated and purpose-built environment, designed from the ground up for uncompromising performance. The fact that he has two turntables is impressive, but when you consider the entire system synergy, the dedicated acoustic space, and the meticulous attention to detail, it’s on another level. Building a custom barn specifically for audio isn’t just a commitment—it’s a lifestyle. The level of planning that goes into optimizing everything from room dimensions and construction materials to electrical isolation and acoustic treatment is a true testament to his dedication. Honestly, it’s the kind of setup most of us can only dream of experiencing or replicating firsthand. |
I currently have two turntables in my main system. One costs about ten times as much as the other. I use the "nice" turntable and cartridge with my better records. I have some records that are less pristine that I still enjoy mostly for the music and would rather not wear the stylus on the expensive cartridge with those. Others have more than one because they sound different and may prefer one over the other with certain types of music. As someone else mentioned, some like to have a separate table for mono. I'm sure there are other reasons. |
@ all y'all.... Built his own dam auditorium, he has...don't know 'bout no windows, but building codes vary with distance from a city of size. And, if a nice site, I kinda enjoy viewing it...🤷♂️ Whatever... Some legends never die.....but stick to your face, Anyway....😏 Miss the muss 'n fuss of the time I was watching 'The Final Phase' go down...| ' Cam mis-operator ' hopefully does better @ the day job....jus' sayin'... 🙄 |
I'm with everyone on the camera work, ouch. Too bad, I would have enjoyed the whole video. Good for Mike following his passion in the hobby and that is true for everyone enjoying the music. As an analogy, I've driven super exotic sportscars and a 1967 Chevy Impala SS 327 all geeked out. I've immensely enjoyed all of the above. The same is true for all my sound systems over the years. I started with a handheld transistor radio listening to cousin Brucey |
I'm with everyone on the camera work, ouch. Too bad, I would have enjoyed the whole video. Good for Mike following his passion in the hobby and that is true for everyone enjoying the music. As an analogy, I've driven super exotic sportscars and a 1967 Chevy Impala SS 327 all geeked out. I've immensely enjoyed all of the above. The same is true for all my sound systems over the years. I started with a handheld transistor radio listening to cousin Brucey |
