Description

This is the culmination of forty years system building and finally getting performance that you can sit back and simply enjoy without worrying about the need to upgrade. Central to this is a custom designed and built room (courtesy of Sono Solutions here in the UK). Shut out to the dealers who helped me build this: Randy at Optimal Enchantment, David at Weinhart Design, Scott at Scott Walker Audio, Brian at Audio Element and Jonathan (RIP) at Chambers Audio.

The room has a mix of custom built and off the shelf acoustic treatments including bass traps in a room that was built within a large barn/office building adjacent to my home. The studio also benefits from extensive storage and lounging space outside the listening room plus a small kitchen area and a WC! So no reason to leave at all

Sound wise beyond the expected linearity and clarity (the front and back diffusers really help that) the main unexpected benefit is the complete elimination of lower mid bass boom (say 60-240Hz). I now realise that much of what I prized as "bass" in the past was actually doubling (or more) of low bass into the this frequency range. So a 30-60Hz bass pedal entry in a Genesis track  boomed out at 60-120Hz, which sounds very impressive and wet/warm/euphonic but which is actually coloration. This sort of coloration masks a lot of very important and subtle vocal and instrumental inflection so eliminating it entirely allows a new level of inner detail to come through.
Read more...

Components Toggle details

    • Magico M3
    Truly state of the art speakers, very very clean bass and tight resolution throughout the frequency range. Rather unforgiving of what is feeding them however. Unlike in most demonstrations they can work really well with valve amplification
    • VTL MB-450 Series III Signature
    Solid as a tank and super reliable, benefit greatly from proper isolation (Marigo F8 footers and Marigo platform on Grand Prix Audio amp stand). Always run in pentode mode but with minimal damping factor applied
    • VTL TL-7.5 Series III
    A very clean and open pre-amp that like all VTL products is very well built and reliable Simply gets on with the job and allows you to hear everything going on up and downstream
    • Durand Tonearms Tosca
    Joel's first pivoted tonearm and a real tour de force in arm design. A delight to setup with everything easily adjustable. Demonstrates complete control across the full frequency range and brings out emotion and detail in discs that you had no conception was present.
    • Miyajima Labs Zero Mono
    I used to have a Lyra Dorian Mono but never warmed to the sound of that. The Zero is no comparison, a very big and open sound, tracks at 3.5g. Going back and forwards with the Palladian on the same mono disc the Palladian/Tosca can drag out more detail but it lacks the heft, swagger and emotion that the Zero/Talea brings and that ideally suits 50s and 60s mono material.
    • Music First Audio Classic V2 Step Up Transformer
    In anticipation of getting a new MM only phono stage I took the plunge and added at step up to my system. Based on recommendations and having heard it at shows I went with the MFA Classic V2. The buying process for MFA is to have the step up completely custom built for you so you get to specify gain, loading and in my case the option for two switchable inputs for my two arms and cartridges. I've always been leery of step ups worrying about the additional interconnect and complexity. 

    Wow -- how wrong could I have been! Adding a step up and getting the gain cascade right has been transformative on my LP reproduction. Dynamics are much improved and the scale and size of the image expanded. Where dynamic peaks had overloaded and confused they now seem to go on for ever -- while at the same time low level color and fine detail is coming through like never before. Against my prior option of running my pre-amp at high gain the addition of a step up is so much better
    • DCS Vivaldi
    Full four box Vivaldi system upgraded to Apex. A very clean and open digital system with plenty of tunabilty with the filters and DA mapping options. For CD playback I use double DSD conversion upsampled from the transport and filter #5, mapper #1. For SACD also filter #5 but mapper #3 (which may be down to the interconnects on SACD which are Marigo while the CD are from Transparent). 

    As with any DCS stack the trick is optimizing the sound which requires molto $$ in accessories. In rough order of importance:
    1. Power cords -- just changed up to SR Galileo SX on all four pieces, compared to the mix of LE and older SR cords I was using these are much more uniform and natural sounding -- adding the grounding cables takes this up another notch, reduces the glare and bass emphasis and gives an overall more involving presentation. I use the silver bullets, gold are too relaxed
    2. Clock cords -- using the Transparent Ref XL BNC, current reference
    3. Dual AES interconnect between Transport and DAC (for SACD) or upsampler and DAC (for CD). I have  Transparent Reference XL for the three AES/EBU cords that run to and from the upsampler -- this is a very worthwhile step up bringing a much more natural, subtle and open sound. For SACD (transport to DAC) I have a pair of Ron Heydrich’s top of the line Marigo digital cords. Compared to the Ref XL these are more open and detail oriented than warm and organic which suits SACD well but was a bit clinical/studio sounding on red book
    4. Footers -- each piece is on its own GPA Monaco shelf and sits on Marigo Labs F8 and VX V3 feet which have really tightened up the sound
    5. I also use a Marigo Clear Transformation Mat which is icing on the cake!
    • Mutec REF-10 Master Clock
    Spurred by following recent review of the Vivaldi One I was intrigued at the though of adding a 10MHz reference clock to my Vivaldi Stack. The Cybershaft mentioned in the review is pretty much unobtainable but a bit of online research helped me find the Ref 10 from Mutec. My full review is here (https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/benefits-of-adding-a-10mhz-master-clock-to-a-digital-system) but in a nutshell the addition of a dedicated clock with its own enclosure and power supply brought substantial benefits in terms of pace and clarity to the already high performing dCS system. Further improvements were realized by adding improved power cords 75 ohm connections, both top of the line from Marigo. Finally getting the clock on footers and an isolation platform was also very positive. Overall I'd recommend any owner of recent dCS or similar equipment should investigate the addition of some form of external master clock.
    • EAR Disc Master
    Quite a rare turntable but has suited me well in the fifteen or so years that I have owned it Very easy to set up and maintain and mounts two arms as standard. External power supply which really benefits from attention to choice of power cable and careful isolation.
    • Durand Tonearms TALEA
    Used as a dedicated mono arm I've always lusted after the Talea having seen it first when it was introduced back in the mid 2010s.  The Talea is very easy to mount as it has normal 9.5" mounting geometry with an offset arm. The setup is also straightforward if you follow the instructions closely. 
    • Acoustical Systems Palladian
    The top of the line cartridge from Dietrich Brakemeier. As well as the speed, detail and accuracy you'd expect one of the most striking things about this cartridge is how well it handles instrumental scale -- by this I mean maintaining the difference in the size of instruments even when the mix is getting loud and complex. For an example take something like "Cinema Show" from Genesis. In the final section there's a point where a bass pedal enters. With the PC-1 the bass pedal sounded like the existing bass guitar line but deeper, while with the Palladian the bass guitar line is more tightly defined and clear while when the bass pedal enters it's a completely distinct and soundstage filling presence. In other words the Palladian excels at preserving little differences in the presence of larger ones -- the essence of reproducing a musical event I believe
    • Taiko Herzan Mods
    Via Mono & Stereo I became aware that Taiko Audio from the NL offer an upgraded PSU and top-plate for the Herzan platform. Having experienced the improvements that changing the power cord on a Herzan can bring I was intrigued. Without even asking me to put down a deposit Taiko sent me the upgrades -- the original plan was that they would fly out to me to upgrade the top plate but circumstances conspired to make this impossible so I did the job myself -- after working out an issue involving a lost screw jamming the mechanism I got it all sorted, its always good to know how your equipment really works!

    So how does it sound -- in a single word "transformative" -- removing another whole level of grunge and resonance from LP playback makes the system sound completely different. I had not realized how much LP coloration was making everything sound similar -- with this removed the differences between recordings are so much more apparent, and the details in every part of the recording so much more clear. Highly recommended!

    One of the odder things about the Taizo PSU upgrade is how sensitive it still is to power cords -- over the years I've tried a $2K SR Atmosphere cord and this didn't work at all well, sounding thing and aggressive. For a year I've been using a basic $200 power cord that seemed a good fit but Ron H from Marigo left me one of his Platinum level cords and having enjoyed what these do with the PSU on my table I thought to try it in the Taizo -- it's a great fit, these just add another level of ease and clarity to how the table presents music -- details like different cymbals stand out more clearly -- it may take time but do experiment to find the cord that works best for you
    • Herzan TS-150
    THere's been a lot of discussion of the benefits of active isolation and given the prevalence of seismic activity in my location I sprung for a TS-150, the most compact of the range from Herzan. It's not cheap but my does it work -- with active isolation engaged the sound of the turntable takes a huge step up, most in the degree to which the system is completely unflappable and in control at all times, no matter what is happening on the disc you can hear it. Bass may seem diminished but this is simply a matter of removal of distortions. I'd really consider this as a must have component for anyone with a serious turntable
    • Voss Elite Audio VKO Series I Elite Phono
    I first heard John Voss' (Dourmandy) phono stage at the LAAS in 2017. This was an early prototype of this minimalist MM only, 40dB gain, fixed 47K loading battery powered phono stage. From the very first notes I knew that this was something special -- resolving higher frequencies in a way I'd never heard before. Most unlike me I placed an order on the spot and finally, 14 months later, after a lot of continued development its now in my system.

    The Voss is a two box phono where the small black box visible under my amp stand is a power supply for the batteries and a three way switch for off/on/charge. It gets 30-50 hours from a charge and can recharge in 3 hours or so. 

    Only when you make a change of this magnitude do you realize how colored a phono stage can be. The Ref2SE is a fine stage and very musical and exciting but when you compare this to the Voss you understand its giving you a false low/mid bass boost that adds energy and bounce to recordings but also overlays a layer of stodge on everything else.

    One of the best instances I can cite of this is on a mono recording of multiple voices and instruments -- take anything by the Chordettes for example. Through the ARC these are fun and high energy recordings and very enjoyable but through the Voss you can distinguish every voice, follow the lead and each backup individually and listen into the stacked mono soundstage with crystal clarity.

    The Voss also excels at relative scale, small things (like flutes and triangles, and vocalists) stay small even when big things (like bass pedals or bass drums) are resounding all around them. With two many components the latter modulates the former.

    So it's an expensive, uncompromising and ascetic phono stage but having tried it there's no going back
    • Grand Prix Audio Monaco
    I use Monaco stands throughout on Apex footers for sources. One shelf (under the pre is replaced with a Marigo shelf, but at $1900 this is a pricey upgrade). All of the stands are also grounded to the SR Grounding blocks.
    • Taiko Setchi Grounding Blocks
    s a believer in the impact of grounding (see my notes on the Synergistic Research Active grounding blocks) I was intrigued when Ed and Emile at Taiko suggested I try out their solution -- the battery powered Setchi ground blocks. These are very attractive wooden boxes, about 6" square (they come in different sizes) with one outlet, terminated as needed, and a 9V battery. I currently use three of the D3s, one connected to the Herzan power supply, one to the diagnostic BNC on the back of the Herzan and the other to my Mutec Clock. I also useone of the smaller A1s on the phono stage. 

    The effect of these is far from subtle, especially on the clock and Herzan PSU. They immediately make things seem much more open and clearer taking away a level of confusion and congestion that you were not previously aware of. I'm not sure I can pin down the effect of the A1 on the VOSS phono stage as well -- perhaps because this is a battery powered device it is pretty impervious to grounding, and all the other solutions I've tried make things worse rather than better. The A1 brings a small extra degree of snap and focus but its a pretty marginal effect.

    The Setchi blocks are also supposed to provide a vibration damping effect -- it's certainly true that they are sensitive to how and where they are located so do experiment with this as well
    • Synergistic Research Powercell Galileo 12 UEF
    Keeping up with all of the generations of SRs power conditioning is a full time job but what I currently have is the 2019 edition of their top of the line limited run model with the attendant SRX power cords.

    I've got a bit of an odd set up as these are UK spec 240V conditioners but with US spec sockets. That way I can keep all of my old US terminated power cables. Frankly this is a good idea for anyone in the UK or Europe as US terminated power cables are a) much easier to source than UK or EU ones and b) frankly easier to use (although with a downside of a less secure fit!)

    Needless to say these boxes work their magic very well -- they do benefit from some thought in isolation and the glass top plate is a nightmare that needs to be covered/damped in some way. The flashy display is also a bit of an eyesore and also sometimes breaks down, a clear case of appearance over functionality!
    • Synergistic Research Active Ground Block SE
    I've been thinking about a grounding solution for some time but despite the many SR products in my system the older simple ground block did not seem robust enough for me. I was almost about to spring for the Telos system when SR came out with the new active ground block that includes a mains connection along with a host of other current UEF technologies. I've now got two of these (one for the sources, one for power amps etc) and a full selection of the HD links to connect to every component. I even grounded all my stands using the supplies basic links (which I stripped back to bare wire and looped into the open metal on my stands which are conductive)

    Overall I would argue that this has been the most transformative "tweak" I've ever implemented. The impact is not felt in terms of changing the tone/dynamics/frequency extent of the system but more by unfolding a whole new wealth of information that had previously not been audible. This is especially obvious in sound washes such as background synths and massed strings which are now clearly audible, yet fully distinct. You will also feel a whole additional dimension of subtle shading in vocals and overall a better sense of integration between all the performers -- some sort of grounding solution is strongly recommended.
    • Synergistic Research Galileo SX Power Cable
    Probably now 2-3 generations back from SR top of the line given the frequency with which they upgrade these are however great power cords -- absolute clarity and slam but they are the worst in the world to install -- highly inflexible and with plugs that pull out of any socket you try to get them in so be warned! Also demand the full suite of grounding to perform at their best. I use these across the DCS stack.
    • AudioQuest Dragon High Current
    I use a pair of these on my mono block power amps. The latest from AQ is a significant step up over the (similarly priced) WEL I was using before. Straight up I was flabbergasted by a completely different presentation of the Dragon vs the WEL. Bass seems less pronounced but there is much more air and space all around. As you listen more you realize that low level dynamics and inflections are now apparent that you had previously not been aware of -- and overall the ability of the amps with these new cables to communicate emotion has gone up in strides. As far as the bass goes - too many audio systems add an emphasis, a boom or low/mid bass stress that seems superficially attractive and is often quite exciting. But real bass isn’t like that, it grows naturally and kind of sits under the Music with its own texture and intensity. With the WELs in my setup I had that hyped up bass, with the Dragons it’s more organic and real world.

    One odd effect is to seemingly amplify dynamic range -- what I mean by this is that while perhaps previously I’d been using a range of say 36-46 on my pre amp to accommodate the optimal loudness for all my CDs, now I found myself using 28-52 -- with the Dragon’s it seems the power cord is no longer compressing the peaks which in some cases (i.e. a more compressed recording) might mean a lower volume setting is optimal while more purist recordings can take a higher.
    • Transparent Audio Reference XL
    Have finally upgraded to Ref XL for all my digital connections (3 BNC and 3 AES/EBU). While very expensive these are great cords bringing a sense of openness, ease and naturalness to all recordings. They make other cords sound brash and flashy by comparison
    • AudioQuest WEL Signature
    WEL Signature is my primary interconnect. I use 2M balanced runs between the CD player and pre, and from the phono to pre. I have a 7.5M run from pre to power amps. Given the cost of long runs of cable I'm not sure I'll be looking for an alternative soon having gotten a very good deal on this cable originally as a 12M single run. AQ have superb after sales service and I was able to get this cut down and re-terminated as three cables for a very reasonable price, the value of a brand that really stands behind their products is not to be underestimated. I also just added this cable for my tonearm-pho run -- another nice addition, a very clean and easy to use cable and improved on the Durand supplied cable (Discovery?) that I had before
    • Synergistic Research Galileo UEF Speaker Cables
    Having trialled Nordost Odin (v1), AQ WEL Signature and SR Galileo LE speaker cables in my system I settled on the latter as the best fit for me. Odin was fast and wide open but for me at least a little thin. 

    With the introduction of the SX series Galileo cords I got a good deal on the UEF series so changed too these -- compared to the LE the UEF is more open and relaxed, it could seem a bit "laid back" but more a case that this takes some of the unnatural edge and emphasis off leading edges and allows for a more integrated and complete tonal range and soundstage. 
    • Marigo Audio Lab Isolation
    I have a very extensive suite of Ron Hedrich's isolation bases and isolation footers throughout my system. They are the best performing of their type that I have ever come across and have an absolutely fundamental effect. Without them in place everything is blurred and sloppy -- an absolute must have for any well tuned system.
    • RDAcoustics Hybrid Acoustic Diffuser
    Front and rear diffusion is an absolute must for any well set up listening room and the solutions from RDacoustic are not only high performing but absolutely stunning to look at. They are relatively easy to install -- but obviously are very big and awkward!

    In terms of performance I had a chance to really see what they do in my new room as originally I only had front diffusion and a blank door behind the listening position. Feeling something was missing I ordered a second diffuser for the door and was floored by the impact it brought. What was most remarkable was the effect on vocals -- not only was scale perfectly preserved but a new level of clarity in phrasing and emotional content became evident, something that really drives engagement with the music. You owe it to yourself to sort out the front and back of your room ASAP!
    • Ophon & Bott LP & CD Storage
    Finding good value, attractive and high performance media storage is not easy. There is so much rubbish out there and most of it is designed for people who own a few hundred discs at most. After much searching I found two ideal solutions.

    The LPs are stored using the Ophon Coverfront system (https://www.ophon.nl/) This is a very versatile, good value and attractive system and Piet Hein is one of the nicest people you can dream of working with. 

    CD storage was a bit trickier but I finally found a steel tool storage cabinet from Bott that works very well for my 1300+ discs (https://www.equip4work.co.uk/bott-cubio-drawer-cabinets-1050mm-wide-x-1000mm-high-model-h.html). It isn't quite tall enough for CDs to sit upright but a slight back tilt actually makes for better browsing. I also store the majority of my CDs in plastic sleeves rather than jewel boxes to save space. This isn't a cheap piece of furniture and it weighs a ton so make sure you have lots of help to move it (we needed six people to get it up one flight of stairs!)
    • Adona Corporation Master Reference
    Finding a sturdy and high performing rack for a large and heavy turntable setup is not easy. In the past I have used the fiendishly complex Grand Prix Audio Brooklands wall stand but for my UK setup I opted for a much more straightforward Adona Rack but with Marigo shelves.

    The rack is easy enough to setup (if a bit fiddly to get all of the legs in place) but rings like a bell -- judicious application of a small amount of the no longer made fo.Q damping material plays great dividends as does grounding the stand to my SR ground boxes.  With these tweaks the stand performs solidly and is excellent value of course. 

Comments 53

Owner
Thanks for the kind words @mclinnguy and @scar972 - I am more than pleased with how everything is working out at present

I spent a very fruitful couple of hours absolutely precisely positioning and toeing in the speakers (not easy given they have no parallel surfaces!) and that has paid back in increased clarity and integration -- it's surprising how even a 1mm or so makes all the difference

folkfreak

Owner
Thanks for the kind words @mclinnguy and @scar972 - I am more than pleased with how everything is working out at present

I spent a very fruitful couple of hours absolutely precisely positioning and toeing in the speakers (not easy given they have no parallel surfaces!) and that has paid back in increased clarity and integration -- it's surprising how even a 1mm or so makes all the difference

folkfreak

@folkfreak Wow, magnificent room! One of the most impressive I've seen here. The diffusers, layout, styling, equipment really complement each other. Congrats!

scar972

Magnificent - I dream of having a space like that. Maybe one day... :)

mclinnguy

Owner
Thanks for that @mashif!

Recent addition of the Marigo Virtuoso Black CD mat has taken digital up another level, this product radically cleans up attack and decay on reproduction rendering acoustic instruments and voice with exceptional true to life scale and immediacy -- highly recommended

folkfreak

Just gorgeous. Room architecture and gear layout is perfect. Congrats.

mashif

 Lindsay of Crawford. Correct.

tvad

Owner
Actually my typo -- I was referencing Lindsay of Crawford who fought at Falkirk -- in my wargaming sideline this is one of the battles I'm interested in (just as soon as I get done with the Albigensian Crusade), hence the interest in heraldry!

folkfreak

Lindsay Clan

;)

tvad

Owner
Thanks for the positive feedback @tvad (like the coat of arms -- Scottish Ancestry, Lindsay or Crawford perhaps?)

Anyway I have extra chairs if we have visitors -- the addition of any extra chair is quite audible so for critical solo listening they stay outside!

folkfreak

Beautiful space. Beautiful chair. Is a matching ottoman available? 

Kudos. 

tvad

Owner
Thanks so much for the kind words @barrysandy  , @mnappi and @hifihandyman -- much appreciated

In latest developments I have just taken out the SR FEQs -- after ten years with them I now feel that the effect they provide (akin to edge sharpening in photography) is rather exaggerated and no longer a good fit with my system, especially with classical music - it works really well with processed popular music, perhaps why Ted uses "Hey Now" as a demo :-)

Anyway a good illustration of the need to constantly check and reevaluate your system!

folkfreak

What a beautiful system and room. The room treatments are mesmerizing!

barrysandy

Beautiful setup - love the acoustic treatment on the front wall. Functional art! Congratulations.

mnappi

I am just speechless.  What an amazing room.  Good job to all involved.

hifihandyman

Owner
@noromance -- actually the system was assembled while I lived in the USA (where I lived for 25 years paying tax and healthcare) -- and as regards health care and services in the UK -- well as they say you get what you pay for !

folkfreak

Looks great. I see you are in Europe. I could afford that kit if I didn't have to fork out $30k a year for healthcare insurance and $12k property tax in the insane USA!

noromance

Owner
Hi @mmcgill829 and @mmark -- thanks for your kind feedback and glad you appreciate the system

Also @adona_corporation apologies for not mentioning the stand I use under my LP setup -- I'll add that to the description

One interesting observation is how essential it is that all of the acoustic treatment elements are in place. For reasons I won't go into the diffusion panels on the ceiling have been falling off (luckily not on top of the system) so for about a month I was missing one (of about 16) -- I thought the system sounded a bit off with an annoying upper mid bass boom and a lack of clarity. Lo and behold I got that secured back on and everything is well again -- once again the closer you get to perfection the more every iota matters it seems (which I tend to find everywhere, the exact opposite of "diminishing returns"!)

Also one channel on my Voss phono stage has ceased working so what better excuse for an upgrade to the latest version from John which is being worked on and should be with me in a month or so

folkfreak

Wow! What a room! Congratulations on getting to where you no longer feel the need to upgrade. Enjoy it!

mmcgill829

One of the most beautifully built rooms i have viewed after 21 years in this hobby.
Bravo...and enjoy the music!

mmark

I enjoyed looking at your room.... It wasn't listed but the 4 shelf rack with the large columns is an Adona GXT-4 
Thanks for using our racks.

adona_corporation

Owner
Thanks @milpai - well spotted. I made sure to highlight it there so that the did that did the build got some publicity!

folkfreak

Gorgeous setup. Did not realize that your setup was listed on the Mono and Stereo site.

milpai

Owner
Thanks for the question @mfaoro 

The chair is a copy of the Swan Chair by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen. You can by an original or one of the many copies that are available. What I like about it is that is is height adjustable as listening height is quite important for getting the best final result. I have several and bring as many in as needed. It’s quite low profile and thus relatively acoustically unobtrusive.

A downside of a well treated room is that it shows up the impact of extra furniture. I did have a simple “now playing” flip type record rack in the back right corner but I could hear the darn thing so that had to go …

folkfreak

Beautiful room and very interesting system. What kind of chair is that? I am currently shopping for a low backed listening chair. 

Perhaps I missed it in the comments…

mfaoro

Showing 1 - 25 of 53 posts