The system gives me a lifelike presentation of high quality recordings. Very neutral and revealing- plays the music as it was recorded and meant to be heard.
Ryder, yes I've tried the Dino 2. The Diablo is a cut above the Dino.Runs so clean/ silent at standby mode projecting a dark velvet background, very dynamic when required due to its easy to adjust multiple gain settings for the MC cart. Mine has a separate PSU and it's one small wonder comparable with some of the finest ten fold its price. I have compared this with sutherland PHd3, rhea aesthetix, and the expensive ASR basis exclusive- and yes it gives them cut throat compitation in SQ.
Latest changes in my system are the Clearaudio TT3 on the Thorens 124 replacing the SME Series II 3009s2 and the SME V is now sporting Shelter 90X in lieu of the 501 MkII.
Skuras, hi! I'm a hardcore analog and I can say a lot about this but this Musical Fidelity DM25 transport and DAC combo is there for the sake of having a digital front. Am not good at reviewing but this combo sounds better than my previous shanling SACD cdt200 which has reliability issue. Downside, though, is the tray design/mechanism-somewhat loose when ejecting and closing. However,once closed and spinning there's no sign of any imperfections but sturdiness. The DAC is of excellent design but I can't compare this with others since this is my fist and only outboard DAC.This combo is with me since its initial market release sometimes in 2006 and so far no problem yet.
Just recently, Sonic Frontier Line 3 Preamp graced my system replacing the Musical Fidelity KW Preamp.Stunning character to complement the super quite Halcro of very clean/quite signal attributes not common with tube gears. I found the new pair fantastic at least to my taste. After months of auditioning ( Ref 2, Ref 2 MkII, Ref 3, & VTL 6.5) the less costly 2nd hand SFL3 is right on the dot for me and far outweights the more expensive counterparts. This is a keeper's find.
Thanks Zephyr and Grr for the appreciations.The room is 4m x 7m and 9ft flr to ceiling. The wall has several layers- concrete, accoustic board,compact foam then the covering carpet. The wall back of the speakers and parctically all other sides of the room, diffuser pannels (6 x 4 ft) of varying depths (alternately 2 columns of 2,4 then 6 inches)are placed. I want the speaker area 1/3 of the music room to be 90% dead thus all columns of the diffuser pannels back of the speakers are filled with accoustic foam (eggtray type).On top of it are 3 pannels of fiber glass to further dampen. I got a tame low frequencies and a very focused imaging. The 2nd third part of the room must be 60 to 70% dead, hence only few foams are inserted into the diffusor pannels, leaving the covering sidewall and floor carpets the only damp. The last third part of the room, the listening spot, must be 80% live. This part of the room aside from the diffusers filled with accoustic foam is covered with plywoods. The LPs, DVDs and CDs on the shelves shall served as diffures too. The ceiling is made of gypson board.
So far, I achieved my goal- a neutral sounding system. I just want to hear the song as they were recorded, as if the artists are before me.
