Description

Nice sounding, dynamic system, overall. Pretty articulate, fast and detailed. Glass like clarity. Nice balance between the lows and the highs at all volume levels. Still some sibilance, which is recording dependent. Bass is always controlled and taut, never woolly.
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Components Toggle details

    • Rotel RCD-1072
    Latest model from Rotel, in black. Using as a transport only.
    • Mitsubishi DA-F20
    Classic analog FM tuner. 20+ years old. Cool spinning tuning mechanism.
    • Krell KAV-400xi
    Krell's latest integrated. 200 watts/channel into 8 ohms, doubles into 4 ohms. Remote and in silver.
    • B&W CDM-9nt
    In cherry finish. 3 way, 4 driver ported design.
    • Van den Hul D-102 III
    Silver, OFC, carbon hybrids. Bright yellow.
    • Soundlink Red Dragon
    12 AWG OFHC wire. No name wire, but made a big difference in my system.
    • Vibrapods 4 per unit
    Under the CDP and TT.
    • Soundcare spikes Replaces the stock spikes
    Under the B&W's. Spikes with built in floor plates. Opened up the base response tremendously.
    • Grado SR125
    Headphones. Used for late night listening so I don't disturb the kids (or my wife).

Comments 10

Owner
System edited: I sold the Grado headphone amp. Wasn't really using it for my hifi listening anymore. Just on the PC and I figured I could use the 200 bucks.

hammergjh

Owner
System edited: Sold the Bel Canto DAC2 and Blue Jeans cable. The difference was just too subtle and not worth the 750 bucks. The Rotel CDP will have to do for now.

hammergjh

try Virtual dynamics NiteII digital cable and Audience powerChord on your DAC2.....will be earth shattering and sibilance will be gone. trust me....B&W owner and previous DAC2 owner. Call cable company and borrow these if you are not 100% sure....I know, expensive, but well worth it.
good luck.

audphile1

Owner
Picked up the Bel Canto DAC2. It is a definite but subtle improvment. Less smearing, lower noise floor and less glare. But, as I said, it is only a subtle difference, not an earth shattering one.

hammergjh

Owner
I have an area rug, I guess it just doesn't show in the pic. Good recordings sound great on my system, bad recordings, well, not so great.

I may add a DAC to my rig. Thinkin' about the Bel Canto DAC2. I've put out some feelers.

hammergjh

Dude,
If you can swing the WAF factor, get an area rug; your sibilance issues will largely dissapear.
Happy Hunting.

dpac996

Looking at the configuration of your system, rack, speaker positioning and the reflectivity of your room, your description is exactly how I would guess things would sound.

cwlondon

Owner
System edited: I just dumped all my vinyl related gear. End of an era. 30 years I've been playing and collecting my lp's. They just weren't getting played enough to justify keeping them anymore. I thought they would become part of my legacy for my kids, but they're not interested. So, off they go. Ah....

hammergjh

Owner
Plato, thanks for the feedback. The WAF on the CDM9's are huge. She is the main reason I have these. They do look good. She hated the way the old (but decent sounding) Polk 10B's looked. The Krell was her idea too. She wanted me to get an upgrade as I was constantly grousing about my older preamp & amp combo. It was decent but not in the same league as the Krell. It was a birthday present from her. Not bad huh! What speakers did you upgrade to? Just curious as I would be disowned if I tried to upgrade.

hammergjh

Looks like a nice system. I used to own the CDM-9NTs and I liked them quite a bit. My wife liked the way they looked, probably more than any other speakers I have owned. Having the analog setup is a plus as well. Enjoy!

plato

Showing all 10 posts