This is my (temporarily in the bedroom) system. Alot of the components are leftovers from an older midfi system (the powerwedge, rack and speaker cables) so it's in a process of constant upgrading. The bedroom setting also creates problems with speaker placement etc, but it IS just temporary.
K5Xe preamp, original evolution model with MP upgrade
Ayre V5Xe
V5X with evolution upgrade
Magnepan 'Gunned' MG-1.6qr
Done with 'curly' cherry frames and crossovers done in green poplar heartwood with figured quarter sawn oak and a leopardwood stripe on top.
Adioquest Bedrock
with spades
Cardas Golden
1M and 1.5M
AudioPower Powerwedge 112
Running CD and preamp. It's ancient, and being replaced soon.
MG Audio Room Tunes
Full room tunes package.
Polycrystal 31
31" ultra high density 'wide' rack. Three shelf.
Furutech 15a (Cu)
15amp CU outlet, cryod.
SRA Ohio Class XL squared
In 'sexy' matte black for the V5Xe.
Ayre Myrtle wood blocks
I have a couple keeping power cords off the carpet, and the rest are stacked under the male IEC on the CDP and Pre to keep the cords weight from pulling on the Ayre IEC inlet.
Herbie's Audio Lab Tenderfoot
Four Tenderfoot footers each under the CD and Preamp.
My username has changed so future updates to this system can be found under the username adwiegert here http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1250717957
Well... I can't comment on the CX7 alone because I had the K5 MP upgrade done at the same time, but the sound is more natural, flowing and musical, better body and a bit more bass.
Teslaplex on the way. After having the speakers done, the gear upgraded and new cables I'm out of money for even the QLS-6 for now! Maybe for christmas :)
Congrats on the Synergistic Cables! If you are replacing the powerwedge with a QLS-6, make sure you get a Teslaplex outlet to go with it. That outlet was designed to be used with Synergistic power products and greatly increases performance.
System edited: Finally traded in my old VD Master series for shiny new Synergistic Research ICs. I just finished a long audition of the Acoustic Reference and Accelerator with Accelerator speaker cables from the CableCo, and it's the best my system has EVER sounded. Just stunning. Today I sent their cables back and received my brand new set of ICs. I'm sad to see the speaker cables go as they really helped a lot. The first half of the audition was with my AQ Bedrocks... and while it was a huge improvement, it just got that much better with the Accelerator cables in place. Those will have to be my next purchase, that or a QLS-6 to replace my old powerwedge.
Yes! for diffusion kind of like room lens or shakti hallograph but cheap. They do affect the sound although I haven't tried removing them with the new mods.
The one bad thing is they collect dust like crazy.
I second Samhar's comments in regards to the wood choices! Nice look at John's Gunned 1.6's in your system. I really like both the curly cherry and the xover boxes in differing woods. Very nice!
I've emailed and spoken with John about his mods, and perhaps next year will take my 1.6's and let him work his magic on them.
Congrats on a fine looking, and no doubt sounding system!
System edited: Lots has changed! I've moved so the system is in a new room although, unfortunately, still a bedroom. I sent the 1.6s off to John aka 'Peter Gunn' of Magnestand fame to be 'gunned' and got them back a couple of weeks ago. They are stunning to look at! Done in rare highly figured curly cherry with the crossover boxes done in poplar, oak and leopardwood. The difference in sound is jaw dropping. There is more air, better imaging and wider more realistic sized soundstage. Tonality and body and voices are more natural and realistic. The super bloated midbass is gone and the bass is improved, going a bit deeper, louder but very detailed and tight. Dynamics are fantastic. They are much more musical and flowing and involving now. Also a bit more extended up top but with no harshness or grain or digititis. Female voices are much improved! Next changes will be a new power conditioner to replace the 15+ year old power wedge, and the 'MP' upgrade for the CX7e. Then I'll start replacing cables again. Most likely with Synergistic research.
System edited: I just added new interconnects, Virtual Dynamics Master Series. These were such a huge step up from my previous Cardas GPs. While I am sure the Cardas are great cables in their own right, when I put the Masters in the system I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. It was like opening the floodgates, the music just flows forth. They do all the audiophile things that I now realize the cardas were not doing in my system and everything (bass, detail, body, depth, width, imaging, PRaT, highs, mids, etc..) all greatly improved. A few days after I put the ICs in, my new SRA Ohio Class XL arrived. It really tightened up and stabilized the imaging and brought out more detail in the bass.
Nice clean system... can you also get a pic of your listening chair? Like I say, a system is not complete without a nice listening chair to enjoy it in!
System edited: Updated photos! I'm getting a new bed so I pulled the furniture out of the room and re-positioned the speakers using the cardas method. Unfortunately a bed still has to go back into the room somewhere, but I have another day to enjoy it like it is as I won't have the new bed until tomorrow.
System edited: Update: Added in my new SRA amp stand. I just ordered it on the 28th so it's not here yet, but I will get photos and post impressions when it arrives. I also added a few small items I'd left off like my Mye stands and the Ayre blocks.
