The brass plate is called a Novum resonator. A purist might correctly suggest that it adds distortion-in this case it is 2nd harmonics which our ears find pleasing. I've always been drawn to the sound of tubed gear which also imparts this type kind of distortion. It is something that works for me. Even my ARC Cd player was tubed. When I started streaming with the Bartok-which I also use as my Pre- I thought it might come closer to replicating what I had grown comfortable with. My amps are CJ Art monoblocks also tubed. The speakers are Wilson Sasha 2's. There is also a pair of JL Lab F113's subs which I originally had in a huge room in my old house. The current room which has a vaulted ceiling required a lot of work to make it "work"! I consulted with an acoustical engineer to help tame things and am very happy with the result. But of course as an audiophile temptations abound!
