2 x 1m with PHY-HP Silver RCA Connectors Use: Shindo Aurieges-L -> DAP-777 DAP-777 -> Tron Cantata
Ocellia Silver Signature Speaker Cable
2m single run, bare wire. Use: Tron Cantata -> Horning Agathon Ultimates
Ocellia Silver Signature Power Cords
4 x 1.5m with custom connectors: IEC - Furutech F1-11 Ag AC - Furutech - F1-11 M(G) Use: All Components except iTransport
Shun Mook Super Diamond Resonators
Mystical Zen Feet Use: TRON Cantata
Walker Audio VelocitorS
Power Enhancer Use: Whole system.
Real Organized Configurable
A $50 3-shelf stand with stainless steel tubes and maple veneer shelves from Lowe's. Cheap, I know. But I could never bring myself to spend $1000's for a stand. I eventually will make my own, either with threaded rods, or solid wood.
Mjcmt: Thank you. Very Analog-esque! ;-) I haven't tried using the iPod/iTransport using SE output, but I think I can confidently state it wouldn't be close to using it with a good DAC, although subjective and system dependent.
Hillyau: I agree, you can never have too little Shun Mook in your system. And given the size of my room it would help control the energy of these speakers. Once I went with an active preamp the systems volume/loudness increased by a huge margin compared with using passive in the past. But surprisingly it's not that bad. I tend to have it playing as background sound most of the time, but I would prefer a larger room for those times when I want to take the chair in the sweet spot. I actually used a few discs on the gear and power tubes and had an additional set of DR's (actually Ultra DR's), but I sold some and downgraded. Still my favorite "tweak".
Nissancrazy: Thanks. Purity, simplicity,.... in set up and sound was what I strived for. And I think I finally achieved that for the most part. Always room for continued improvements though, mainly the room size/acoustics, but also the rack. I would prefer to go back to mono amp stands placed between the speakers and have the front end off to the side of the room.
Abronfer: Cables are difficult to describe. But check out Srajan Ebaen's reviews on 6moons.com. That reflects much of what I also experienced but have a heard time putting into words. Cables are so subjective with personal tastes and systems. But if I had to some up the cable with one word I would say; "au-naturale". The Ocellia Silver Signature Cables are what I've been searching for and for three reasons; 1) Silver wire. 2) Natural materials (no synthetics). 3) Pure natural sound. They are as natural as I could imagine a cable being. One other example of how good they are is the fact that I replaced my 5+ year reference Stage III VR & Heighliner cables/power cords for a fraction of the cost without any second thoughts or regrets. The Ocellia kept just about everything I loved about the Stage III but offered a more natural take on it. Not to mention much more manageable and taking up less space.
Given the Shindo Aurieges-L is my first preamp (passive attenuators or straight CDP feed up to now) I'm not the most qualified person for a comparative opinion, although I did audition the Luxman CL-88 tube preamp for a short period and was impressed by that as well. With that said, and as others have noted; 'the Shindo does in deed make music'. It's an expensive 'volume control/selector', but it's extremely satisfying to listen to and a pleasure to finally have that active control (play loud).
Argyro:
I feel the Agathon's only have 'strong' attributes based on my previous speakers. Not much to fault. My last speaker was the Kharma Ceramique 2.1/SDSS, before that, Gershman Acoustics Avant Garde, and before that Maggies (1.6QR and 2.5R). The Agathon's to me are the most musically, tonally accurate, energized, moving (literally), evocatively revealing speakers from top to bottom that I've heard in my system. I had not heard such a realistic and natural presentation of sound before these. It has a lot to do with the gear of course, but I wouldn't be hearing that if it weren't for the speakers. The only weakness is the size and weight (can't lift on my own). ;-)
Chriswilson:
Yes, the TRON Cantata is 8w, or is it 10w? Either way, it's SET flea power to the extreme. The speakers are rated 98dB (Horning), or 99dB, or 100dB, depending on what you read.
You don't have to convince me. I know vinyl is the supreme sound. And the reason my system is modeled after the finest analog gear.
I actually have a very modest vinyl collection, before I discovered high-end audio, or knew what an 'audiophile' was. But I chose CD's around 1990 when I discovered high-end audio.
I know there's used vinyl too, but that still leaves me wanting to replace all my CD's. And once I hear an 'audiophile' quality re-issue that would be it. I don't want to torment myself when I can't afford to replace all of my music. Plus, not everything is released on vinyl, but it's improving.
I was actually planning to add a table (Merrill/Scillia MS2 or TW Acustic). It was a major reason I finally got a preamp, my first (always passive or direct), and a Shindo tube preamp no less, but had planned on the Monbrison.
I wanted a table even more so when I went through the disappointing music server quest (USB DAC auditions,..). But the prohibitive vinyl costs ($25-$50ea) and the fact that I'd want to replace all my CD's (500+), also running out of money on top of that, changed my plans. Hopefully some day, soon.
It's $379. The question should be "is it not worth that?" given what it can do.
This will put it in perspective; I sold my Accustic Arts CDP-1 over a year ago to get a music server set up, auditioned a number of USB DAC's from $100 to $3500 (including the Brick and Cosecant v2), tried a USB->SPDIF converter, tried the SB3 (liked that more then the USB DAC's, but it had drop-out issues), and eventually ended up with the iTransport. Looking at the rest of my system I think that says it all. ;-) I do not doubt it could be improved and there may be better out there, but it's extremely satisfying and my whole music library is available at a touch (I only wish I had remote control of it from iTunes). I don't miss the CDP.
Thank you for the enthusiastic praise. I truly do enjoy the sound, although I tend to have it as background music. It's amazing how well the sound travels intact throughout the rooms. I can be in the next room (between walls) and still get goose bumps with certain vocals or instruments. It quite literally sounds like the instruments or singer is in the next room. The system needs to breath though. This room is too confining and you can feel the pressure from the speakers. I always planned on a larger room for it.
The speakers are my favorite to date. I've only been through four previous speakers (from Maggies to 3-ways, including Karma Ceramique 2.1's) and the Horning Agathon Ultimate presented one of the most natural, intimate, energized, and realistic, 'you are there' experiences. Of course the accompanying equipment plays a big role in that too.
