a. accomplished tt + phonostage set up. currently have a lofi rega p3 and inexpensive phono preamp, transparent ic's to vtl preamp
b. high quality vibration rack (santa, pls take note).
i listen to primarily classical music, mostly chamber music and solo keyboard. i clear 2 -3 hours of uninterrupted listening most evenings 5 days/week.
will move to the sasha when the v2 comes out, no doubt with a silk tweeter LOL ... or move to another mfr in the future. the wp8 issues of over the somewhat energized top end, slowish bottom, and minor coherence issues - were all improved with the high quality cdp (k-01), better cables (the TA ref +mm2 ). i have also auditioned a full loom of TA ref XL +mm2 which improved the presentation of the speakers considerably. moving to amps such as the vtl 400 or pass labs recent xa series will probably my next step, ie before the cable change.
Transparent Audio (TA) SC REF+ mm2 tech
upgraded from the TA ultra mm1 to the REF level+mm2 tech. see my meandering review of the mm2 tech on this site when you have the patience LOL.
Pass Labs x350.5 stereo amp
1st 40 wpc in class A, i rarely move out of class A, perhaps on some peaks if the loudest passages of full orchestral works. has performed flawlessly overall.
TA TA ref+mm2 balanced IC
mm2 is significantly better than the orig mm tech.
vtl 6.5 tube hybrid preamp
superb. using NOS early 1960s bugle boy amperex tubes inside now. see my review of this preamp on this site. simply a rock solid performer of excellence.
Purist Audio Design 20th Anniv Contego Power Cord
power cord on the vtl preamp. excellent top to bttm balance and very quiet. this replaced a transparent XL PC (m1 version)
TA Ref + mm2 tech, balanced IC
btwn cdp and preamp. this upgrade from Ref mm1 to mm2 tech offered noted improvement.
Esoteric CDP : K-01
IMO, the PAD PC contributes greatly to this component & the system's overall presentation, adding some weight overall, especially at the top end without the thinning i noticed in other PCs.
Purist Audio (PAD) Power cord Canorus PC w/ oyaide M1F1 termin
on the cdp: this PAD did everything well from top to bottom and allowed a presentation of more fullness at the upper end without over-energizing or dampening the highs. slighterly tighter presentation at the bottom without loosing texture and fullness, greater transient clarity as well . very quiet background. a noticeable improvement from the excellent PAD PC i now have on my preamp
Transparent Audio P8
basic power conditioner, 8 outlets, 3 different filters, including 2 for digital components (unused) . Not current limiting. plugged into a dedicated circuit.
VPI rcm 16.5
aha -getting some good use from my bose noise canceling headphones (just for hearing protection, i dont play music thru them)
I ask because I see much of the X series, and the 350.5 seems to be the one to get, but as a current Aleph owner the XA is the series that interests me - just so expensive! So I'm curious for a long term X350.5 listener to say how they are different. And, of course, the X350.5 runs in Class A for quite a while, so it would make it harder to hear the difference. I love the Aleph, though, so, for example, am considering the XA60 - many fewer watts.
