Description

This reference system is used to evaluate, among other things, masters for our 3 CD labels - The Laser's Edge, Sensory, Free Electric Sound. The system is in a constant state of evolution. Our most recent change has been the addition of the Zyx Airy 3 cartridge which is breaking in quite nicely. The Accustic Arts digital front end has been a stunning revelation for us - it offers an extremely detailed but non-fatiguing sound. No edge at all but it presents precise imaging and the deepest soundstage I have heard from a digital source. Our next planned change is to replace the Classe monoblocks with a Boulder 1060 amplifer. Nothing at all wrong with the CA-M400s (they are great) but I expect great synergy with the Boulder preamp. Only a handful of people have been able to hear the Cerious Ceramic Reference speakers. These represent Bob Grost's latest state of the art design. Bob used to operate Unity Audio. The CCR takes the Unity Audio PARM 4 piece system to a completely different level. I would suggest that they can easily compete against any speaker at any price.
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Components Toggle details

    • MSB UMT
    Outputs SACD stream at 24/176.4
    • Bricasti M1
    24/192 DAC
    • TW Acustic AC Anniversary
    single arm version
    • Lyra Atlas
    Replaced the Ortofon MC-A90
    • TW Acustic Raven 10.5
    Perfect match for Raven One
    • ASR Basis Exclusive
    phono preamplifier
    • Boulder 2010
    Preamp
    • Boulder 2060
    Finally purchased my dream amplifier.
    • Rockport Technologies Aquila
    Back in Black!
    • Transparent Audio Reference XL
    Replaced Cerious Technologies Nano Reference.
    • Transparent Audio Reference XL
    8 ft pair.
    • Synergistic Research Active SE USB
    USB cable from Mac Mini to Bricasti M1
    • Rives Audio PARC
    3 band parametric bass EQ
    • Silent Running Audio Scuttle 2

Comments 28

Owner
I'm planning to update the Transparent XLs to the new Gen. 5.

Also eyeing the new TW Acustic phono stage.

lasercd

I have to agree with thesaint nice system !!

jfrech

In a word, WOW!! Nice system! Can you tell me about the impact that your Scuttle 2 made? Thx.

thesaint519

Owner
System edited: Replaced the Boulder 1010 preamp with the model 2010.

lasercd

Owner
System edited: Made a number of changes to the system in 2013. New turntable, the first TW Acustic Anniversary in North America was outfitted with a Lyra Atlas. I installed a Mac Mini as a server to feed hi-res files to the DAC. It was modified by Red Wine Audio and is now powered by their Black Lighting battery power supply. All cables and power cords are Transparent Audio. Last but not least I had a grounding system installed.

lasercd

Looks even better now! Hope you spin a lot of Morglbl on it!

faust3d

Ken,
Congrats on the new table! Looking forward to hearing it sometime. Cheers,

Spence

sbank

Owner
System edited: I replaced the TW Acustic Raven One with the new AC Anniversary.

lasercd

Owner
System edited: I replaced the Cerious Technology speaker cables with Reference XL from Transparent Audio. Phenomenal improvement.

lasercd

Owner
To be honest I never had any issue with the original Cerious cables in that respect as I always felt they mated well with the Cerious Ceramic References that I was using previous to the Rockports. I can't say the Nano were a magnitude improvement but perhaps they are slightly more transparent but its hard to say with the change in speakers.

I can tell you that there are no softening of transients at all and the dynamics of the system are insane.

I have always been of the belief that there is a cumulative effect with the Cerious cables/interconnects. The more you add to the system, the lower the noise floor. They disappear which is all I could hope for. One obvious benefit of the Nano series is that they are much more flexible and less obtrusive.

lasercd

It's nice to see a mastering engineer using a nice system to do his job! How I wish that was more often the case.

Arthur

aball

I found the original Cerious cables to slightly soften attacks and round off transients. How do the Nano Reference cables compare when it comes to speed, dynamics, and accuracy?

cellcbern

Owner
Agisthos:

Sorry for not replying sooner. I must have missed your comment. Bob took a different approach to the previous liquid ceramic interconnects. The nano cables are much easier to work with (much more flexible) and I feel that they offer an even greater level of transparency.

lasercd

I have bought many Cd's from Lasers Edge over the years. The best place for progressive rock/metal on the internet.

I had no idea you were an audiophile as well Ken !! Nice system.

What are those new Bob Grost nano cables like?

agisthos

Owner
Just replaced one great DAC with another. I found a good home for the Accustic Arts DAC-1 and installed the Bricasti M1. Extraordinary transparency and dynamics. As more of these units get out into the public you will be hearing a lot about it. John Marks recent review is the tip of the iceberg.

lasercd

Owner
Thanks! We aim to please. :)

lasercd

Great system. That's why your CDs sound so damn good! I have a few Laser's Edge remasters and all are excellent.

faust3d

Owner
System edited: Just added the Rives Audio PARC to the system. It tamed some low frequency issues I was having in the room. Bass is now tighter and more detailed - still getting subterranean extension from the Aquilas with no loss of transparency or dynamics.

lasercd

Owner
System edited: Jeff Catalano of Highwater Sound just graced our premises. He installed the current motor controller for the Raven One. He also mounted the Ortofon MC A90 on the Graham arm. Sonic bliss awaits. Further I should note that the Aquila are breaking in and continue to amaze me with every listening session.

lasercd

Owner
System edited: There have been some serious changes to our system. First we built a new dedicated listening room. The Boulder 2060 has been converted to run at 240v via a dedicated line. The Cerious Technology Ceramic Reference speakers have been replaced by a pair of Rockport Technology Aquila. We have also updated our cables to the Nano Reference from Cerious Technologies. We have on order the Ortofon MC A90 cartridge and a new motor controller from TW Acustic. Extensive analysis of the room is planned with new sound treatment as needed.

lasercd

Ken,

Glad to see you picked up a R1/Phantom. I am running mine on a Sistrum stand SP-1 (rather than the stock feet) and have gotten great results.

I also was using it without clamp or mat until recently.

Can you describe the improvement over the 265/DP-6.

emailists

Owner
System edited: Just replaced the Teres 265/Morch DP-6 with Raven One/Graham Phantom B44.

lasercd

Owner
The CCR speakers are a different beast than the Two/Bass. One immediate difference is in the driver selection. The CCR uses the Scanspeak Revelator tweeter while the Two/Bass uses a less expensive (but very high quality) driver which is warmer and more rolled off. The CCRs are extremely detailed and soundstage better than anything I've heard apart from the MBL 101 (but those have different problems). The first question I'm typically asked is about the integration of the subs with the satellites. It is totally seamless. The bass response from the subs in subterranean and tight - most people are not used to actually hearing low bass and it can be quite jarring at first.

I've never heard the Evolution Acoustics. Frankly I've never heard a large speaker that I've liked. They don't scale the instruments properly. I don't want to hear a 12 foot guitar. The only large size speaker that I've heard that has impressed me is the mega-buck Gryphon and even those had a significant issue scaling the size of the musicians. It sounded like the Attack of the 50 Foot Neil Young! Not my thing at all.

I've been a faithful follower of Bob Grost and his designs going back to the Unity Audio days. He has a lot of interesting plans for the future and I'm sure you'll be hearing about them soon enough.

You can expect to see more changes to our system over 2008. Some cool stuff is about to happen...

lasercd

Nice update Ken. I too am getting a new phono stage next week (Atma-sphere MP-1 MKIII - ever heard it?)

Care to post any further thoughts on the Cerious Reference speakers?

I know at one time you thought them to be better than anything you heard at the shows. But it seems there are some stellar new speakers out there like the Evolution Acoustics. I own the small Cerious Two/Bass which are shocking realistic (compared to acoustic instruments- which I hear fairly often) and quite natural. That being said, I am thinking of going to the Polymer with the diamond midrange. I still think Cerious has the best cabinets in the business though.

emailists

Owner
System edited: I didn't feel that the phono section of the Boulder preamp was on par with the line stage. I recently added the latest version of the ASR Basis Exclusive phono stage with the gold circuit board update. While it is still breaking in, I can tell that this is one extraordinary preamp.

lasercd

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