I bought these Snells with my first job out of college. iv had them now for 17 years wow time flies! i have very slowly upgraded along the way but i have other hobbies also. i just recently rewired this sme 3009 that came with this thorens 125. sounded so good i put it in a cherry plinth now it looks good too! i keep thinking about going totally upscale but the music sounds great! the Snells have kept up with each upgrade but i may in the future replace them. the thorens is about as much as i want and i don't think i can get significantly more from digital without trading in my harley. Simple amp and preamp, fantastic tt, cool music server (great sound, just not vinyl) . that's it. if you have suggestions or comments totally cool!
SME 3009/bronze bearing/cardas cyro tone arm wire from headshell direct to preamp/custom cherry plinth/mapleshade heavy footers/ cherry wood armboard damped with dynamat
Denon dl 103
Ebony body
VTL TL-2.5
This 2.5 is totally tricked out with NOS mullards (platinum grade from upscale). the 12au s are brimar or siemans depending on how i feel. all the tubes are locked down with herbies RX dampers Â…except the phonostage. those have the old mapleshade tube anchors (really nothing better - but they are a hassle!!)
Mapleshade ic & speaker cable
Mapleshade wires all around except the tonearm cable. found huge improvements when i replaced my kimber silver! sold the kimber soon after. the one upgrade i actually made money from (not really but you know what i mean)!
VTL ST-85
ST-85 clean and simple -NOS mullards/SEDs cyrod - herbies tube dampers all around.
Phduncanson and I spent a few hours listening at his home and I found his system to be very musical and involving. Great vinyl rig. We talked about changing speakers, amps etc, but once we started listening to the music all talk of "upgrading" was forgotten. Although I did comment how good I thought the AN-e would work in his room. Probably an ideal sized room for the E's and two lonely corners :)
Do you live in Brooklyn? Your Zu speakers look cool. Before buying my Audio Note I wanted to hear Zu, but never found the opportunity. Bet they sound nice.
Hi Emailists, glad to know you are in NYC! Agreed with Phduncanson, nice space /system indeed! your system page looks like you are in one of those large Harlem co-ops. Some of then have living rooms like 33x15.