Update! I've taken the plunge into reel-to-reel. It's fabulous! Read on...
I have built this system over a period of many years, and have reached a level of satisfaction that is incredibly gratifying. I would not have guessed how important a role vintage gear would take, but for my listening tastes and preferences, this analog-biased system really floats my boat.
I play the piano every day and compose my own songs, and this system, more than any other I have owned, finally gets piano "right" for me.
The single most astonishing improvement has come with the addition of the Studer A80 RC Mk II reel-to-reel tape machine. Listening to master tape dubs form the Tape Project leaves me speechless! Pictures of this amazing machine can be seen at:
http://gallery.me.com/kip/100054
The Micro Seiki RX-5000 holds piano notes in perfect pitch, something I have found is very rare in a turntable. Pictures of this turntable system can be seen at:
http://web.me.com/kip/micro
The Scintilla speakers are a revelation in transparency and speed, with a soundstage that conjures up performances in an eerily accurate fashion--unprecedented in my experience. I restored these speakers over a seven-month period, and that process can be seen on this web site:
www.kippeterson.com
I love nearly every kind of music, and though I was trained in classical music and enjoy it frequently on this system, I have found my favorite music to be jazz recordings from the late 50s and early 60s. I have come to believe an analog system can depict this type of music better than a digital one, and this one truly creates a palpable, completely musical experience for me.
THE single component that has positively transformed my audio system more than any other. Incredible!
Micro Seiki RX-5000 turntable
After listening to several to several "statement" turntables, ranging from TW Acustic to Transrotor, I found this Micro Seiki RX-5000 and am in sonic heaven! Stunning, almost incomprehensible solidity, bass and imaging with incredibly silent backgrounds. Almost as good as tape... ;-)
Custom AX-1G V
I had this custom armboard made for my Micro Seiki RX-5000 turntable. I added the letter V to it to represent my Vector tonearm.
Micro Seiki HS-80 High Inertia Unit
A passive, stainless steel flywheel system weighing in at 33lbs (15Kg). It significantly opens the soundstage and enhances the solidity of the low end. Amazing!
Transfiguration Temper W
One of the most neutral and musical sounding moving coil cartridges I have ever heard. The MintLP Tractor nails alignment!
Basis Audio Vector Mk 3
One of the best tracking arms I have heard and a great match for my system.
Balanced Audio VK-P10SE with SuperPak phono stage
This phono stage presents with a delicacy and sweetness that completely complements my musical preferences, and beat every other phono stage I auditioned.
Balanced Audio VK-31SE Line stage
This preamp brings a warmth and realism that makes the music soar for me.
Krell FPB-350MCx monoblocks
Powerful, yet sweet and musical amps, capable of driving my Apogee Scintilla loudspeakers.
Doug--once again, sorry for the many-month delay! Maybe personal messages would work faster. :-)
The Mezzo Utopias are long gone, but their bass was always very satisfying. I find planar bass less dazzling, but feel their timbre is more accurate. I have decided to sell my Apogee Scintillas, and my Apogee Full Ranges are in place in my new dedicated 18'X29' listening room (pictures and Virtual System updates to follow).
Sorry for the delay in my response! In my opinion, Apogee ribbon speakers are much more transparent than the Utopias. Not that that means "better" by any means--it just means they are different. I just prefer the Apogee Scintilla presentation. I now have my Apogee Full Ranges set up in a dedicated listening room, and as a result, I *may* be selling my Scintillas. I need to compare more before deciding.
Rugyboogie and Ptmconsulting--thank you very much for your posts and compliments.
Rugyboogie--the Verdier is in the same league as the Micro, in my opinion, and that you also have a DD in the SP-10 Mk II makes *me* drool! I'd love to visit sometime.
Ptmconsulting--restoring Apogees is a dicey operation, no doubt. I was lucky in what turned out to be, I think, the last person to conduct an owner-installed bass ribbon job. However, I think the two U.S.-approved installers, Rich Murry and Bill Thalmann, would do a fantastic job if you ever wanted to take the plunge. There really is nothing like the sound of ribbon speakers, in my opinion, and so I believe it would be worth it. My only nagging issue is with the limited choice of amplification I have, especially with the 1-ohm Scintillas. But, I remain happy.
Hi, Thuchan--thanks for the nice comments! Sadly I am running the Micro close to the floor in that tiny cabinet, and for one reason: the spouse! We are looking at getting a new dedicated listening room soon and so then I can spread all this gear out as it should be. I keep telling my self to be patient! By the way, I just added a Garrard 301 to the mix with a Schick 12-inch arm and an Ortofon 90th Anniversary SPU-G cartridge. I have to be even more patient for that to be set up since it takes 10 weeks alone for the Schick arm to be built. I'm not even sure why I do all this crazy turntable stuff with the Studer providing such draw-dropping sound.
Sympaticonorm--thank you, too, for your kind comments; they are very much appreciated!
Coming from you this is a huge compliment! Thank you very much. I see you are quite modest--your system looks to be amazing, and includes a Studer A820! The King of all transports. I can only imagine how that beautiful tape machine sounds.
Hi, GD! Thanks for taking a look. I'm just starting this journey, so I have my Tape Project Series 2 subscription tapes coming in and a handful of 2-track tapes I've acquired from eBay (one of which--a demo tape from the Ampex Corporation from 1958--is stellar). I also have a lot of albums on tape I made many, many years ago which have been a blast to listen to.
System edited: I have added the single most transformative component to my system which has made me completely reassess how well analog music can be reproduced: A Studer A80 RC Mk II reel-to-reel tape machine. I've posted my experiences about this addition in the "Analog" Discussion Forum, entitled "An audio transformation - R2R!" All I can say is wow--I had no idea a source change could make such a tremendous, positive impact. Now I think I really am done!
Simon--The second thread is for the Micro Seiki HS-80 High Inertia Unit, which is an entirely passive flywheel to increase the system's inertia. Looking at the way I have them set up (due to cabinet size constraints) looks like an experiment in geometry!
Gallant_diva--a granite slab under the plates sounds like a good idea. i will explore this!
Thanks again to everyone who has commented on the system--I greatly appreciate it!
John (Jfrech)--arriving at the Basis Audio Vector tonearm was not entirely by chance since I had started with a Basis 1400 'table and eventually upgraded its arm to the Vector. It is such a great performer, in my opinion, and it performs exceedingly well on the even more solid foundation of the Micro. I had thought of changing arms when I moved to the Micro, but auditioning a Graham Phantom was quite disappointing and my other choices, like the Breuer or Grandezza, were just out of reach financially. The Vector is wonderful, though!
Wavetrader--thank you so much for your compliments! Your system is gorgeous, too. I love everything Accuphase I've ever heard, and you own something I lust for--Crown reel-to-reel decks! Just stunning. I've been toying around with the idea of upgrading my analog system to tape (after all, we do know it is the ultimate!), and I've looked at the "hot" Technics 1500 or a Studer (I can't imagine one could go wrong with a Studer), but again, there's the sticky matter of money! :-) Anyway, congratulations on building such a great system--I'd love to hear it some day.
Gallant_diva--hello my friend! Thanks for the kind words. Well, you may remember, I had an near-obsession with keeping the Scintillas stock, other than their appearance. That meant keeping the original base, which many think is key to the sound and I rather like. You're right, though, about the angle--however, I DID change the back-tilt to 2.5 degrees (from probably 5 degrees) with my custom 1-inch solid aluminum struts. :-)
Yes, the HS-80 flywheel is a completely passive device. My benchmark instrument when listening to turntables, the piano, has never sounded better now that it has been added to the system. It's just amazing how much fun can come out of these "old" designs!
System edited: System updated to show the addition of a Micro Seiki HS-80 High Inertia Unit for the RX-5000 turntable. I was surprised at the level of sonic improvement this 15Kg device made, including a wider, more solid and realistic soundstage. Plus, it's fun to observe the geometry of all these pulleys and threads!
