After adding a large attached garage to our country home, I decided to turn the existing 25 x 23.5 x 10 two stall garage into my audio/video/writing getaway. After all, my space in the family room was getting crowded.

What an education in acoustics! Going from a 7 foot ceiling with lots of soft surfaces to admittedly challenging dimensions and a painted concrete floor, my system’s debut in the new room was inauspicious. All sorts of echo, which mushed the high frequencies. Whereas the previous location had lent itself to a very precise presentation, this was a big disappointment. Not anymore.

After adding furniture and Auralex absorption and diffusion tiles, a couple of rugs and other diffusion panels in the back of the room, the system snapped back into focus while retaining a liveliness that is a joy to listen to. Bass is solid and tight. The system also includes 5.1 surround sound and a projector. The 6 x 10’ screen on one wall seemed to play a part in settling down the echo issue.

To be honest, I had been disappointed in my Wilson Sophia’s in the previous location. Though they bested my beloved Meadowlark Hot Rod Herons, I still felt they were overrated. Now, I get it. There are times when the soundstage is so deep, it become hypnotic. It has never been clearer to me that environment is the biggest factor in any set-up.

Text update—June 2013. I am always listening to new gear so the system may look different from picture to picture sometimes.

The system:

• Wilson Sophia Speakers. Very particular about placement but well worth the effort!

• Onix Supertweeters. They seem to enhance the sense of bass, of all things.

• Velodyne ULD-15 servo controlled 400 watt subwoofer. Seamless integration adds substance and foundation to low end. Adds to soundstage.

• Symphonic Line Kraft 250 Monoblocks (250 watts of Class A power per side). There may be as few as a dozen pair in the U.S. but simply the most transparent, unflappable, beautiful sounding amps I have ever heard.

• Symphonic Line Die Erleuchtung Tube preamplifier. I’ve measured this against some awfully heady competition, but there is a tube magic in this preamp that keeps me coming back.

• Symphonic Line Reference CD Player. Headturning sound. Massive capacitors inside and large outboard power supply (like the preamp) make this a very special player. Bested my Wadia 850. It sounds like a tube player but it is solid state.

• Bix Turntable, Rega 250 arm. Vintage cryo-treated Shure V-15 IV with aftermarket Swiss stylus. Not sexy but big fun to listen to.

• Jolida JD9 Phono preamp. Big, bold, juicy. Just what the doctor ordered for older, lesser recording but wonderful with better recordings, too.

• Otari 5050 Reel to Reel player/recorder. Well recorded tape still sounds awesome at 15 IPS. Plus, as an old radio guy, I just couldn’t live without one. I like to record new vinyl.

• Apple Mini, Pure Music Software. Wavelength Brick V3 DAC. This rivals my SL CD Player but still falls short. The Darwin Ascension IC's and the Pure Music software took it to a super-high level.

• Speaker Cables: Darwin Cable Company prototype speaker cables. Soon to be released. Best I have ever used.

• ICs: Darwin Ascension ICs and phono cables. Prototype Darwin USB cable (to be released soon). The Ascensions present a huge, rich and detailed sonic picture.

• AC Cables: Variety of PS Audio Statement, Voodo Mojo, Chang Lightspeed, Tributaries 10 gauge Silver Series. The Tributaries are a great inexpensive performer. All cryo-treated for lower noise floor. A Darwin AC prototype is in the works.

• Power: Direct line from the pole to PS Audio Soloist Wall outlet as well as to each monoblock. PS Audio 300 Regenerator powering components. PS Juice Bar. Upgrading outlets from Porter Port to Afterburner 8. Triplite Isolators are used for DVD, phono stage and computer audio.

• Stands. Audio Elegance custom built stands. These are gorgeous and they really enhanced the performance when I got them. I had them put wheels on the racks to make it easier to get to cables.

Other Misc. Gear:

• Paradigm CC370 center speaker. Makes dialogue sound very natural.

• Samsung Blu-Ray player.

• Optoma projector 10 x 6' screen. Great for movies and football games

• Yamaha RXV-995 Receiver. Bought it new and I’m not up to figuring out a new one. Just a good solid machine I will probably never give up.

The HT system is also connected to satellite television but we use it mostly for movies. I bought the material for the screen and had the local lumberyard frame it. It’s a budget HT system comprised of components I owned with the exception of the screen and projector, but the performance is very pleasing.

Other gear in the room: OCM-58 (Belles) monoblock preamplifiers, balanced. Shanling CD3000, Balanced. Symphonic Line RG11. Modified Tribute Audio Epicure bookshelf speakers—amazing with the custom crossovers. Rega Alyas. One of my favorite speakers of all time. Imaging is incredible with 4 inch drivers. Used mostly for TV audio. Great with concerts. Rear speakers are single driver Tekton speakers. Totem Staaf speakers are connected to the XLR system. Dest system is a Dared MP5 tube amp driving Kirksaeter bookshelf speakers. Great German speaker. Mostly computer audio, but I also audition gear with the system

My first love is audio, but since I had the space, the projection system makes movies much more of an adventure and a family event.

We have tube based systems in three other places in the home with a variety of components, but this one is my baby.