Description

I've put the Quads up on 10.5" solid wood stands to get the soundstage up off the floor. Tried alot of amplifiers (EAR, Quicksilver, ARC) - thus far the Cary's take the day as far as the combination of liquidity and resolution. The Odysee Stratos is also a very fine sounding SS amplifier I sometimes listen to.

As for cabling, I haven't gone very far with experimentation yet. I'm running Harmonic Technology Truthlink interconnects (12 ft b/t preamp and amps) and Canare star quad speaker cables. I tried a few interconnects, and thought the HT was very neutral and a good bang for buck. Not sure where to go on speaker cable. One need be only 6 feet long, the other 12!

As you can see from the system pictures, the sources and preamp are in built-in cabinets, the amps are in a rack in the corner of the room. This is a dedicated listening room. I first contructed and installed way too many absorptive panels and bass traps. I've since taken many out, leaving 7 panels and two bass traps.

Feedback greatly appreciated.

Photos by Marco Prazzo!
Read more...

Components Toggle details

    • Electrocompaniet EMC-1up
    CD Player, top loading.
    • Teres 255 Turntable
    Has an Origin Live Silver Taper tonearm and a Shelter 501 mkii cartridge. Soon adding the Teres VTL control and TWL's tonearm mod.
    • Teac A-2300sr
    R2R tape deck
    • CAT SL1 Ultimate
    Tube Preamp (stock photo)
    • Cary Audio Design SLM-70 Monoblocks
    Class A, 4xEL34, 50 watts, modified to be switchable triode/pentode and EL34/KT88.
    • Odyssey Audio Stratos Dual Mono
    Two monoblocks in one chassis, two seperate power supplies, etc. 80 lbs. Great "bang for buck" amplifier.
    • Quad U S A ESL-988
    black
    • TBI Magellen VIII subwoofers
    Pair of TCI Magellen VIII subwoofers, updated with most current drivers, amplifiers modified to have higher input impedence (by TBI)

Comments 25

Showing all comments by jeff_ss.

View all comments

Peter,
Don't forget the amp I sold you (and still miss - Ayre V5xe) in your tale! Of course without the speakers I sold Jax2 the amp is meaningless to the synergy I had in my old system. But of course that amp would create synergy in many a system!

I'd like you and Marco to come over to listen some time.
Jeff

jeff_ss