I've gradually migrated from a vinyl based all tube system to all solid state with active speakers where streaming file based music playback forms the bulk of my listening.
1200G with Yamamoto headshell and KAB TD1000 damper trough.
VPI Industries TNT Mk-1
VPI TNT series 1 - original, heavy lead loaded acrylic platter. Has been updated with Mk-5 main bearing, 'ball' suspension, SDS, integrated motor/flywheel.
Graham Phantom arm sold and now using a Grace G1040 arm.
Grace G-1040
Bought 1982 with a Rega Planar 3. Have now sold my Graham Phantom and scaling back my vinyl, so have pulled this old arm out of storage. Couldn't find the cable, so sourced one from Y.Tome audio cables.
Cartridge setup with Tracking Wizard arc protractor with original null points for Grace tonearms.
Garrott Brothers P77
Vintage MM cartridge from the mid 80's. Original stylus unit replaced with Jico Stylus-1 SAS/B (Microridge stylus on boron cantilever).
Ortofon 2m Black - LVB 250
2M Black with LVB 250 replacement stylus installed (Ortofon option).
Upgraded sound in every respect: Soundstage depth/width, focus, clarity, fine detail/timbre - even quietness in the groove. A great cartridge - price puts it in competition with many MC cartridges but IMO fully competitive.
Denon 103R
Modded with 'Midas' body shell and retipped by SoundSmith with their Optimised Line Contact stylus. The retip gives a surprising improvement in detail refinement and clarity. Does not have the tonal accuracy, delicacy nor the authority of the Ortofon Jubilee/Cadenza Black. Perhaps favoring the individual performers rather than the overall acoustic - though the retip gives much of both. A great communicator of the music - but perhaps not best suited to classical program.
Denon 103R Midas body epoxy potted
Pair of Soundsmith retipped Denon 103R cartridges with epoxy potting (Araldite super strength)
Denon Panzerholz 103R
103R in Uwe Panzerholz wood body. Shown with Midas aluminium body 103R (stock cantilever/stylus)
Parasound Halo JC3 Jr.
A reasonably priced MM/MC phono stage designed by John Curl. Uses op-amps for the audio stages but, unlike a few other SS phono amps I've tried, it has precision, detail and control without sounding etched or lacking body and realism. A very well balanced design.
Bob's Devices CineMag 1131
Moving coil SUT with 1:20 and 1:40 ratios (26dB and 32dB respectively).
K and K Audio Premium SUT - Lundahl LL1941
Step up kit using Lundahl LL1941 transformers built into a very plain metal box. Switchable 1:16, 1:32 ratios. Sounds excellent, not an obvious step down from previously used Choir Audio/Hashimoto SUT (which I sold when I was scaling back my vinyl hardware to pursue streaming).
Apple Mac Mini
M1 Mac Mini, basic 256GB SSD/8GB RAM, headless running Roonserver, connected to 'A' side of EtherRegen network switch.
Second M1 Mac Mini running Roon GUI(control) and HQPlayer also connected to 'A' side of the EtherRegen switch.
Sonore ultraRendu endpoint connected to the 'B' side of the EtherRegen.
USB output of UltraRendu connected to Benchmark DAC3.
Sonore ultraRendu
Mini computer running the Sonore SonicOrbiter OS (based on Fedora Linux) with just an ethernet input and USB output. Can be easily switched between Roon endpoint, HQPlayer NAA, DLNA as well as other options. Used between headless Mac Mini server and DAC.
Benchmark DAC3 L
Compact DAC/Pre with design emphasis on low distortion, high SNR and neutrality/transparency to source.
Benchmark HPA4
Pre/headphone amp with innovative FPGA controlled relay switched resistor array volume control (independent stereo attenuators for preamp and headphone). Has two balanced and 2 unbalanced inputs. Ultra low distortion, ultra high SNR design.
ATC SCM-100aslt
Large 3-way active towers with 350Wrms (total) tri-amp. All drivers manufactured in-house by ATC: 25mm 'S' 'spec soft dome tweeter, 75mm 'S' spec mid dome, 314mm SL spec woofer. Neutral and revealing, essentially a tower version of the similarly equipped studio monitor (same working cabinet volume and components/amps). Great dynamic authority when required but wonderful on small scale music as well.
Townshend Audio Podium
Spring suspended speaker platform intended to isolate the speaker from the floor.
ATC SCM-19 Mk2
Low sensitivity two way monitor using ATC's 150mm Super Linear bass mid driver (9Kg optimised short-coil/long gap motor assembly) and 25mm dual suspension soft dome tweeter. Both drivers made in-house at ATC. Amazing detail, resolution and dynamics (given enough quality power) for a small stand mount.
Replaced Harbeth M30.1, a fine speaker in its own right, but I found the ATC more neutral and realistic.
Focal Utopia Headphones
Focal's flagship headphones featuring beryllium drivers with lightweight former-less voice coils and unusually long excursion. Exquisitely detailed and dynamic sounding.
Sennheiser HD-600
Former Sennheiser flagship has been in production for 20 years. Still regarded as a reference at it's price point and a great value in the current market. Makes current flagships seem overpriced given it's level of achievement.
Audience aR2p-TO
Dual outlet passive power line filter utilizing Audience Teflon capacitors. All equipment fed from these outlets via VH Audio 'Hotboxes'.
Furutech AG-12 Phono Cable
Silver plated copper RCA to RCA cable used between the Technics 1200G and Parasound JC3jr phono amp.
Silver Audio Silver Breeze
DIN to RCA dedicated phono cable. Silver conductors, WBT connectors. Used this cable for more than 10 years.
VH Audio Flavor 1, 2, 3 power cords and Hotboxes
DIY power cables using Chris VenHaus' recipes, terminated with Furutech IEC and male plugs. Power cables connected back to VH Audio hotboxes on dedicated 20amp line. I don't claim to know why, but this power setup was essential to extracting the clarity, dynamics and sound staging I've achieved with my system.
Tobes, Great setup. I have a question for you: do you use the Zobel Network with your Goertz MI2 speaker cables? I'd like to try them, but have been reading about some oscillation problems might cause with certain amps. I have tube monoblocks so I was wondering whether you experienced any issues with your AR amp and had to use the Zobel. Thanks!
Update on the Choir Audio H7 SUT. This SUT is sounding better than ever - its like having a new record collection!
With more 'breaking in' I've changed my preference to the +29dB setting (1:28 ratio) with the SS 103R. Its super-charged on this setting and has more clarity and 3D presence with terrific liveliness/air and natural tonal balance. Initially I thought the high gain setting lacked the control and focus of the 23dB setting - but now I find the opposite. Like I said above, more realism sums it up, but it doesn't convey the the whopping upgrade from the Cinemag.
Added Choir Audio SUT-H7 - using Hasimoto HM7 transformers. This is a superb sounding SUT and a very big improvement over the well regarded Bob's Devices SUT with Cinemag transformers. The H7 offers a big jump in transparency and has a clarity and realism to sounds that eludes the Cinemag based design.
I was a big fan of Bob's Cinemag SUT - and its a great value - but the unvarnished presence and realism of the H7's reproduction is in a different class. The H7 sounds very good from the start, but after 30+ hours the sound - especially the high frequencies - really opens up. The clarity of the H7 extends from top to bottom, highs are exquisitely detailed and airy, the lows extended, 'fast' and taut. I could go thru a laundry list of audiophile terms, but closer to reality sums it up - and a large step closer compared to the Cinemag.
FWIW, the above comparisons were made using my SoundSmith/Midas 103R. The Cinemag was used with the 1:16 setting (24dB gain) and the H7 with its 1:14 setting (23dB gain) - so very similar step up ratios. These settings were preferred (by me) over the high gain options on both SUT's.
Added Cary PH302 MkII phono amp. Using this primarily with the Soundsmith retipped Denon 103R (in Midas aluminium body). MC step up is still provided by Bob's Cinemag SUT, as the Cary's inbuilt Lundahl SUT's only bring gain up to 54dB...a bit low for the 103R in my system. The Cinemag's into the Cary's MM input provide about 62dB gain.
While I think the phono of the SP16 preamp is an over-achiever, the Cary really outclasses it. The Cary offers a bigger airer stage with much more refinement everywhere, better placement of instruments, extension at the extremes and greater musical engagement. Much less grain/glare when stressed too.
The icing on the cake is the Sylvania 6SL7WGT tube and Mundorf Silver/Oil output caps - neither of which I'd want to give up. The latter really lift up the sound of the Cary and make it special.
Notec, the speaker stands are filled with a sand/lead mixture. I filled them over 20yrs ago for use with my Proac R2's. I've had to lug them around a few times when moving house and they're really heavy. I'd probably opt for just sand these days....more environmentally friendly. Don't know how I'm going to separate the lead if I ever need to dispose of the filling(?).
Tobes, beautiful system and room, great choices all around. I must compliment you on your system web page, fine photograghpy and layout. Congratulations!
System edited: Bob's devices CineMag SUT added. Yet to try with the Jubilee, sounds great with the SS Denon 103R in the high gain 1:30 position (53ohms reflected from the 47K load to the primary). Very quiet. Expansive and energetic sound - significantly larger soundstage than the Garrott MM. Expressive and involving, at least the equal of the Garrott here, but sound very dependent on the cable used from the SUT to the phono stage. A real bargain IMO.
Hi Pops, yes I think the Jubilee is a terrific cartridge. While I've flirted with the 103R in various guises, the Jubilee is the cartridge I've always returned to (apart from 5 months with the A90). That may change now since I've changed my amplification chain - I'll have to see how it performs through a transformer. My Jubilee has held up very well - over 4 years I haven't noticed any degradation in sound and its still a stellar tracker. Your 500W Mac amps make my 50W ARC look pretty puny....but the latter pushes the Harbeths around pretty easily and sounds great.
Tobes, nicely done - beautiful system and room. I also listen to almost exclusively vinyl. I have been using the jubilee for about 2 years and like it very much, does everything right in my system. Good luck and good listening!
