sbank's Austin City Within Limits

by sbank on QuicksilverATS AcousticsVACBricastiBricasti DesignsAyre AcousticsAyreEver EvolvingLammVPIBATAqvoxSchitt AudioSynologySonoremicroRenduSound LabTechnicssp10SP10 mk IIShunyatakrellvintagePurist Audio DesignsnagraDynavectorSotaphoenixGetting thereCerious TechDenafripsPontusopicalRenduTel WireOyaide
Vandersteen 5As & Quicksilver V4s 4.2025
New Room Vandersteen 5As & Krell FBP-300 6.24
ATS 7 Well QRD Diffuser 4.25
Sota Nova VI, Audiomods VI, Dynavector XX2mkII
Jan Allaerts MC-1B Handmade MC Cartridge
Quicksilver V4 Mono, Gaia Footers, Custom Maple/Bubinga Stand
VAC Renaissance Mark V Preamp & Phono Stage
Bricasti Design M3h
VAC Power Supply
Rear View 6.24
Rack It Up 3.24
LP Cleaning Office 6.24
From The Sweet Spot 3.24
Side Wall 3.24
Back Wall 3.24
Rack It Up 2023
Vinyl Hall 3.24
Rack it Up 2021
Side View 2021
LPs on the beloved extinct Ikea Expedit
Handmade Wood BBC Style QRD Diffusors
SpinPlanet Custom Reborn Record Rack
Tiny Handmade Replica VPI TNT6 & Rack by Spinplanet
2021 Inductee "Spencer's Wall of Genius"
This Must Be The Place
Elvis Costello
Wilco at ACL Live Moody Theater
Gabba Gabba Hey!
Wilco
Autumn Defense
Bowie & Gabriel 2019 & 2020 Inductees "Spencer's Wall of Genius"
Audiogoner's ancestors
Bitches Brew - Thanks Tom!
Ultrasonic Tank Filter & Pump
Ultrasonice Cleaning & Rinsing Setup
Ultrasonic Tank & Vinyl Stack System
DIY Record Cleaning Platform
Audioquest Niagara 1200
Old Krell Amp & Maple w/Bubinga Inlay Custom Stand
Old Ayre QB-9 DSD TWENTY
Sadly Missed Cutie Woo-hoo!

Description

This is my music system which has been evolving for over 35 years.

Have had many different components of many styles. Have learned that synergy is everything and you have to trust your ears.

Also I've had had these systems in over a dozen listening rooms. I've spent many hours working on room treatments and setup and believe the room/speaker interaction is the most important aspect of great sound that many hobbyists fail to optimize.

Vinyl is spinning about 80% of the time (Used to be 90% vinyl, but digital changes both sonically and user experience w/Roon & Qobuz have been a big improvement). After relocating to Austin, TX and getting the room optimized, I changed the analog side of the system, having sold tt, arm, carts & phono stage prior to the move. 
Most recent project has been upgrading from Ayre QB-9 DSD Twenty to Bricasti M3h DAC. 

Previous pieces & systems included:

Soundlab A3 electrostatics & Krell FBP-300 amp, Nola Viper Reference III (with Lamm & BAT monoblocks), BAT VK150SEs & Silverline LaFolias, Acarian Alon V mkiii , Merlin VSM-MX, Atma-Sphere MA1mkII.2, Atma-Sphere MP3, Herron VTSP1a-166

Joule Electra LA150 and Berning ZH270, Pentagon PH3, CAT SL1MkIII, Merlin VSM-MX

Cary Rocket88 & Dehaviland 845 monos/Cary SLP2002/QuadsESL63USA

Avalon Radians/SpectralDMA180 & DMC20II/Meridian508

BAT vk5i & vk60/Von Schweikert vr4.5II

Chario Academy1/Air Tight ATM1

VTL ST80/ Acarian Alon II

Thiel 3.6 / Krell KSA 50

Vandersteen 2ci / Sunfire, B&K ST140, VTL ST-80 amps

Technics SP10mkII, EPA250 arm, SH-B3 obsidian base, custom 4kg ss mat, running with Signet 111E and Goldbug Clement II cartridges, Aqvox 2CI balanced phono stage
VPI TNT6HR w/12.7 arm, van den Hul Colibri XGP,   
Nottingham Spacedeck/Spacearm, Shelter 501
Sonore microRendu w/custom linear power supply feeding Schiit Gungnir Multibit DAC
MacMini running Audirvana+ , too many CDs players & DACs to remember.


Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 21’ × 15’  Medium
Ceiling: 10’

Components Toggle details

    • Vandersteen 5A
    Loudspeakers in Cherry/Black
    5-driver, 4- way, time- and phase-accurate speaker system that incorporates a unique aperiodic, push-pull, powered sub-bass system, a battery-biased passive high-pass filter and an 11-band equalizer—in a “boxless” minimum-baffle, non-resonant enclosure system.
    • Quicksilver V4 Monoblocks
    Tube monoblock Amps currently with KT-88 output tubes
    • VAC Renaissance Mark V Preamp with Phono
    balanced dual mono linestage and phono stage with external power supply. Running Amperex orange globes on the linestage side and a pair of Amperex NOS 60s medical grade Bugle Boys and one stock Mullard reproduction on the phono side. Planning on experimenting with NOS Mullard, Amperex and perhaps Telefunken for the single tube on the phono side.
    • Sota Nova Vacuum Series VI with Eclipse(Phoenix Engr. designed) Motor Controller
    Awaiting delivery of the new Series VI Nova table spring suspension turntable with vacuum hold down system, mag lev platter/bearing, Eclipse motor controller(designed by Phoenix Engineering) and Reflex clamp!
    • Jan Allaerts MC-1B
    moving coil cartridge
    • Bricasti Design M3h
    DAC / headphone amp
    • Sonore opticalRendu Deluxe & LPS
    Audio Streamer/Renderer (optical > USB) , Running Roon's latest version.
    • Small Green Computer sonicTransporter i5v3
    Roon Core, and partial library on Samsung EVO870 4TB internal SSD. Remaining library on external Samsung T7 Shield 4TB USB SSD
    • UpTone Audio JS-2 Linear Power Supply
    2 rail LPS (powering SGC SonicTransporter & Sonore opticalModule), Uptone DC cables
    • Sonore opticalModule
    ethernet to fiber converter
    • Spin Planet Custom Amp Stands
    Maple amp stands with Eden Sound brass Bear Paw radiused footers
    • DIY Slipknot1 & Sbank Maple Madness Rack
    PerfectPlank Maple 1 7/8, McMaster-Carr Brass hardware, Star Sound Audiopoints footers
    • Custom Room Treatments
    Designed and framed by Sensible Sound Solutions. Assembled and upholstered by me using Guilford of Maine acoustical cloth.
    • SpinPlanet Custom Wood Diffusors
    BBC "Skyline" style QRD diffusors handmade of solid pine on 24" birch plywood base. Hand made in Delaware, USA.
    • ATS Acoustics QRD 7 Well Quadratic Diffuser
    • AudioQuest Oak Bi-wire Speaker Cables
    SOLID PERFECT-SURFACE COPPER+ (PSC+) CONDUCTORS

    MULTI-LAYER CARBON-BASED NOISE- AND CROSSTALK-DISSIPATION SYSTEM: 
    DOUBLE COUNTER-SPIRAL GEOMETRY

    FOAMED-POLYETHYLENE INSULATION (FOR ALL POSITIVE CONDUCTORS)

    DIELECTRIC-BIAS SYSTEM WITH RADIO FREQUENCY TRAP
    • AudioQuest Water XLR
    6.5M balanced interconnects pair used between preamp and power amp
    • Tel Wire Power Cables HC Cord & Cord
    HC Cord - large 9 gauge OCC single crystal, ultra pure copper. Terminated with genuine Oyaide 004 series with Beryllium copper bases and platinum & palladium plating. HC with 20amp connector on Krell amp connected to 20amp dedicated circuit

    Cord - OCC single crystal, ultra pure copper. Terminated with genuine Oyaide 004 series with Beryllium copper bases and platinum & palladium plating
    • Tel Wire Connect XLR
    OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) single crystal copper of the highest purity available. Terminations are Xhadow Silver RCA’s that are hand-picked by Chris Kline, Jacketed cotton

    (DAC to preamp)
    • Inakustic Reference USB Cable
    German USB cable used between opticalRendu and Denafrips Pontus II DAC
    • Audioquest Niagara 1200 & NRG-Z3 PCs
    Power conditioner & cable for front end of the system. PCs for the mono block amps.
    • Vinyl Stack Ultrasonic Record Cleaner
    Paired with a 10L 40hz Ultrasonic tank and following the formulas and process suggested in @rushton's thread and www.positive-feedback.com  article.
    • Eden Sound Terrastone Footers
    Terrastone Bearing Isolation Footers under preamp and DAC.
    • Furman Power Station-8
    Power strip on steroids. Using with Vandersteen subwoofers built-in to the 5As.
    • PS Audio Juice Bar
    6 outlet power strip for networking accessories
    • Walker Audio Valid Points
    resonance control devices
    • ERS Paper RFI/EMI Control
    ERS paper to fight airborne RFI/EMI
    • Hart Big Willy MK3 Record Cleaning Brush
    Described in detail in M.Fremer's Analog Planet Shootout video and review video. It's a brush that cleans dust off records. Way more effective than the Acoustech grounded large brush that it replaced
    • Sennheiser/Massdrop 6XX
    Open back headphones
    • Furutech ADL Headphone Cable
    Cable with 2-pin connectors for Sennheisers

Comments 279

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Owner
Adding Sonore microRendu streamer/renderer and a custom linear power supply to replace MacMini running Audirvana+. Will use DLNA output mode and run Lumin as control point app on my iPads and BubbleUPNP on my Android phones. 

Very excited about this potentially game-changing component. I've been reading about its development for some time now, and finally scheduled to receive it as one of the initial purchasers in a long closed waiting list. I am not the type to jump on as guinea pig with new designs often, but everything about this product and design team made a huge impression on me. Listening experience with others' Sonore products helped too. Cheers,
Spencer

sbank

Owner
Added a Synology DS415+ NAS drive with a pair of 4TB Western Digital Red drive units. Wiring with Blue Jean Cable CAT6A to both router and Mac. Will make the new NAS primary digital library location using Lacie HDD as another local backup which I'll keep in another location. 

RAID not reliable as backup, cloud services too slow for any large collections...so let's make backups & let's be careful out there! 

sbank

Owner
Ddriveman,
Thank you. Why don't you listen to the LA300ME first, share your thoughts and then I'll tell you what I thought were the stengths/weaknesses of the LA150. Would hate to bias your experience. 
I knew Jud and can tell you that the ME, a tribute to his wife, was a piece of special importance to him. He put a lot of love into it! enjoy,
Spencer 

sbank

Nice system and great experiences. I see that you once had the Joule LA150 preamp. How does that compare with the oreamps you've had or experienced. I've recently acquired a LA300ME but have yetto fully test it in my system. Your thoughts and comments will be much appreciated

ddriveman

Owner
Schiit's in the house! Breaking it in now...psyched.

sbank

Owner
Adding a Schiit Audio Gungnir Multibit DAC to replace the Oppo 105D. Although the Oppo is a great all-around player, I was not taking advantage of the great video performance, etc. As a stand-alone DAC, the Gumby crushed the 105D in my rig thanks to a friend who brought his over for a comparision. 
My next move will be to upgrade from the 2009 Mac Mini to another renderer. 
Improvements in digital audio continue to amaze in terms of sound quality and value. 
Still favoring analog, but the differences are far less than years ago. Couple that with a large collection of digital recordings of live concerts and I am enjoying digital more than ever.  

sbank

Owner
System edited: Adding Schiit Audio Wyrd and 2 Audioquest Carbon USB cables between the Mac Mini server and the Oppo DAC.

sbank

Owner
Hi Steve,

Great to hear from you! You are welcome to come by for a listen anytime.

Each time I roll tubes I am again inspired by your fastidousness. Think you'll enjoy hearing the Bugle Boys in the Lamms, et al.

I've been playing with some headphones the last few years, too. PSBs M4U1s serving me well now.

Philly Area Audio Group is doing great, although I must admit my bias, as I was recently elected President.

Send me a PM or email ([email protected]) so we can plan to get together and catch up.

sbank

Nice to see you have done so much with your gear. I don't come around your way as much as I used to but would love to hear your rig and catch up. I have to get in touch with PAAG if it still in existence. I am reduced to headphones right now.

mechans

Owner
It's all relative. From my perspective, the Darkside is reel-to-reel!

sbank

I had a problem finding a reputable tech for my Supratek when she quit a while back,but all is well.Slipknot does have quite a system,I envy you guys that are so far into the Darkside (vinyl)!

raytheprinter

Owner
Both sound good as long as accompanied by a nice chianti.

Let's skip the Fine Young Cannibals jokes...

sbank

Owner
Scott, thanks. I love the album cover on your system page! Is that really your mom?

Albert, that is pretty funny. :-) That makes the player an alleged killer. Perhaps we can make a tweak out of fava beans on the side. Hope all is well.

sbank

Which sounds better, bowels in or bowels out?

zufan

Silence of the Lamms?

You must add a Lector CD player. I hear they are adding a new model called the Hannibal, supposedly a killer.

albertporter

Love the title.

zufan

Owner
Thanks, Ray. Glad to see your Supratek is still doing the job. I've had many fun hours over the years listening to one in Slipknot's rig.

sbank

Sweet system,bet it sounds great!Quite a journey you have been on.

raytheprinter

Owner
Ebm,
Thanks for the kind words. Is your system posted, & under what name? Looks like system threads don't appear nowadays when you click on a userid and look at their threads. Cheers,
Spencer

sbank

Wonderful set up very well done.Enjoy!!

ebm

Owner
System edited: Added pic with new setup on short wall. Deeper soundstage and better LF. Worth the effort!

sbank

Owner
System edited: Updated a bunch of cable changes and tweaks

sbank

Spencer

It's been too long since I've heard your system...as evidenced by the fact that I hardly recognize your components. Love the choices and can't wait to catch up soon. Cheers my friend.

chadlesko

Owner
System edited: Updated with pics of Aqvox & custom amp stands.

sbank

Owner
System edited: Just added an Oppo BDP-105 to use mostly as DAC fed by Mac Mini, connected to my 2 TB network drive. Trying it initially with Audirvana Plus software. Setup was easier than expected. Listening to Wilco - The Whole Love in 24/96 FLAC high-rez right now. Toe-tapping bits, who'da thunk it?

sbank

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