List the gear you're using

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by GregM, Jan 13, 2002.

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  1. ericpeters

    ericpeters Senior Member

    Location:
    Holland
    Analog:
    Oracle Delphi MK3 (With Upgrades)
    Origin LIve 250 Tonearm
    Audio Technica ATOC9

    Digital:
    Sony CDP20ES + Audiocom Clock update (Wouldn't do that again!)
    Pioneer 609 CD Recorder
    Pioneer 525 DVD player

    Aplifiers:
    Rotel Rc980
    Yamaha DSP-A2 (Mostly only used as Dolby Digital decoder for DVD, when listening to music it is not used)
    DIY Active Crossover
    2 * Rotel RB980BX

    DIY Cat5 Speaker cable

    Speakers
    Apogee Duetta Signature


    I got cheap surround speakers from Quadral, dont know the type, dont use a subwoofer or center, because that never matches my Apogees
     
  2. mazort

    mazort New Member

    Location:
    San Antone
    I like it a lot. I like it better with a preamp than straight into a power amp like some people suggest (using the internal digital volume control). The drive, dynamics and smoothness all went up when the Audio Note M2 preamp went into the chain.

    I've had it for a while. Wadia will keep upgrading it as long as they stay in business (think positive).

    As I'm sure you are well aware vinyl still wipes it in some ways but it's pretty darn smooth and analog-ish, quiet and throws an enornmous, beautiful soundstage.

    Not much to complain about, really. I find it a rather spiritual experience...
     
  3. Chris Garrett

    Chris Garrett New Member

    Location:
    Miami, Florida
    Well,

    I'm running two systems.

    In my main rig, I have a pair of Contour 3.0s in black ash, Cary SLAM 100 monoblocs (running Tung Sol smooth grey plates and various 6SN7s,) Belles 150a Hot Rod SS amp, Blue Circle 3.1 Galatea preamp (now using US Amperex white label PQ D Getter 6922s,) Sony SCD-1, ART DIO DAC, Kuzma Stabi w/Stogi Reference arm and Lyra Lydian B cart (have Transfiguration Spirit waiting in the wings,) Sonic Frontiers Phono 1 SE w/Siemens (Munich) Eagle logo 6DJ8s, PP300, Chang Lightspeed 6400 for amp(s), Stealth PGS se ICs between amp/pre and SCD-1 & pre, AudioNote~Japan AN-VZ between Phono 1 SE and preamp, Black Mamba PCs on amps, Shunyata Cobra on SACD, NBS Serpent II/ACIII on phonostage and Harm Tech AC11s on pre PSU and PP300, Vampire Wire ST-III spkr cables, Stealth Varidig Signature silver se digital cable between Sony and ART and **** Shack Gold ICs between ART and pre (I know, I know....)

    In the second system, I use 1974 Klipsch Cornwall Is w/vertically mounted alnico magnet horns, Wright Mono-8s w/JJ 300Bs and various GZ32, GZ34, 5V4 and 5AR4 rectifiers. Right now, Sylvania 5V4s, a fully loaded FOREPLAY preamp w/Ciftie 12AU7s, Alesis Masterlink 9600 4.3gig HD CD burner, Dodson 217 mkII D v.1 DAC, Nakamichi RX-505 and a fully restored Dynaco FM-1 tube tuner w/STEREO board installed. Cables are Stealth PGS between Dodson and preamp and from pre to amps. Wireworld Oasis IIIs on Nak and DH Labs BL-1 on tuner. Cabling is Vampire Wire 12g Zip. AC cords are Harm Tech AC11s and NBS Serpent II/ACIIIs.

    Both are midlevel rigs and have their respective strengths and weaknesses. I can't complain, however. Would like to get a budget TT for the second system.

    Chris
     
  4. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Chris,

    Welcome.

    Can you describe how your second system sounds? Does the Klipsch meld well with your 300B unit?
     
  5. Chris Garrett

    Chris Garrett New Member

    Location:
    Miami, Florida
    Klipsch/Wrights.........

    Hello Steve and nice forum BTW,


    Well, just to be critical, the room is a smallish secondary bedroom w/five walls. I'd describe the listening position (futon couch) as nearfield maybe 7" from the big old warhorses, so obviously not what big box/horns want, but I can't do anything about it. They're about 5" apart, center to center, up on Michel cones and almost up against the wall, so no room to fiddle with, which is a shame. Room is fairly warm sounding.

    I don't know if you're familiar w/this vintage of CW, but overall I'm pleased. Quite fast on the transients with the JJ stoked Mono-8s. Although the EV T-35s supposedly roll off at 15-16kHz, I get plenty of detail on the metal instruments. The mids are maybe a bit forward for some tastes, but I don't hear any honkyness. Many have dampened the horn throats w/rope caulk, but I haven't gotten that far. They are an easy 8 ohms and 99db, so while I could have bought George's 3.5 2A3s and ran them here, I'm happy I got 300B's reserve power.

    There may also be a gap in upper bass/lower midbass, but this is probably due to the small room. While they are rated at 38Hz, -5db, I'm sure I'm missing something there and others have pointed this out on the Klipsch forum. Still, I listen to a lot of electronic/reggae and the sound is decent in the lower, but not lowest of octaves. These are nits on the speaker, not so much the combo. A friend was over listening to the Kuzma and we sat down in front of this rig and he commented that the amps sounded nice. First time, so I take his comments as addressing the whole, moreso than the Wrights.

    The Wrights have plenty of punch and for $1500/pr, I can't fault them too much. I did bring them over to a buddy's and ran them on his Lowther Medallion IIs (Supratek Merlots, Kora Eclipse, Sony 777, Metronome CA-1 tube DAC, Basis 1400) and playing loud Euro rock/fusion, I heard some compression (8w only goes so far, even w/Lowther DX4s,) but w/Jazz & Classical they really sang nicely. Nice extension at reasonable SPL and with a full bodied tone/timbre, but without too much maple syrup.

    For a relatively low budget SET system, I enjoy listening to it despite the small room. Also, while I've logged a lot of hours in front of a Avantgarde DUO/Cary 2A3 system, this is my first go at SETs, so I'm not as experienced as many here.

    Take care, Chris
     
  6. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Very interesting! Thanks, Chris. Mazort too!
     
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