I've always wanted Salons so took the plunge and traded in three pairs of Martin Logan speakers (Summits, Ascents, Aerius--I am a stereo pack rat)for some.
I was kinda surprised at first with the lack of really defined bass of the Salons in comparison with the Summits I'd had in the living room. But then, the Summits have, between the 2 base units, 4 woofers and 400 amps of power...so I brought down from the home theater one of my Martin Logan Depth subs (there were 2 up there, and I was able to reuse a M&K sub that was laying around to replace the one I moved downstairs) and that made a huge difference. I was kinda wondering about the value of the upgrade, but now I am convinced...and the girlfriend validated it too as she was dancing between the speakers and the 436 amps, waving the beer in her hand over all of it...she got kinda indignant when I asked her to put the beer down, but that is another story...
A friend is letting me borrow his Levinson 320S to see if it is an improvement over the 380S I own...I'm into some critical listening now. It is an improvement, but I might save my pennies (lots) and get a Levinson 32 eventaully...
One of the best improvements is with the Summits, I had to sit right in the sweet spot on the couch to really hear the clearness and definition. Anywhere but the sweet spot and it just lost a little bit. With the Salons it sounds great no matter where I am...
So, now the quest might be a new sub, although the Depth sounds great and fits perfectly in the corner. I might just let it ride for a while...between this and the new kegerator, I've done my bit to stimulate the economy...and my senses.
really improved the "hold" factor for heavy power cords. Both Amps and for the rack at rear of room.
Revel Ultima Salon
Replaced a pair of Martin Logan Summits. With the addition of a subwoofer a meaningful upgrade.
Krell Evolution 600
these sit on amp stands from Cora
Apple IMac
using as a server--USB to the dCS Clock, then Stealth solid silver cable to the dCS Puccini player/processor. Sounds great, 600 CDs burned and 75% of the 1 TB hard drive left to fill
dCS Puccini
paired with the dCS U Clock, USB from IMac to the clock, then Stealth silver BNC to BNC and RCA to RCA from the clock to the CD player
Stealth Vardig, BNC to BNC
between the Puccini U Clock and CD player/processor for the clocking function
Stealth Vardig RCA to RCA
between the DCS Puccini U Clock and CD player/processor form the digital transfer
Stealth Nano Fiber XLR
connects the Puccini Cd player/processor to the preamp
Stealth Cloude 99 Full Power Cord
From the Haley power conditioner to the dCS cd player/processor
Stealth Cloude 99 Full Power Cord
between Haley power conditioner and preamp
Stealth Cloude 99 Front power cord
from the Haley power conditioner to the Crossover
Stealth Cloude 99 Front power cord
from the Haley power conditioner to the Puccini U Clock
Stealth M7000 power cord times 3
from the Duke to the 20 amp dedicated circuit on the wall and from the Duke to the mono amps
Straight Wire Virtuoso XLR
13 foot run beneath the floor
Stealth Custom biwire
Custom set from Stealth with pure copper on the lower end and pure silver on the top...wicked awesome
Vodoo Cable Opus III
between crossover and mono sub amps
Vodoo Cable Opus III
connects the preamp to the crossover
Locus Design Group Nucleus USB cable
between the IMac and Puccini U Clock
Running Springs Duke
Power for the Krell mono amps
Running Springs Haley power conditioner
for the front end
Marchand XM 44
crossover set at 80 hz
Red Dragon M 1000 mono blocks
Class D mono blocks for the subs
Voodoo Cable Thunder Dragon power cord
from the Haley power conditioner to the wall
Running Springs Mongoose power cords (2)
from the mono sub amps to the Haley power conditioner
Audio Research LS16MKII
Great preamp, already scheming to move up the ARC line
System edited: Inserted an Audio Research LS16MKII preamp...main reason was to take advantage of the two XLR outs which allows me to run a full level signal to the Krell amps, and another full level signal to the crossover...the crossover then sends the low frequency signal to the digital amps for the passive subs. I feel I get better performance and balance when I hook it up this way; avoids any chance to the signal from the crossover for the main speakers, and since the crossover has level controls for the lows, I dialed it back a bit and it all settled nicely. Added benefit is the preamp does a better/different job controlling volume than the CD player did...sound is fuller, bigger soundstage and depth, plus I am not sacrificing SQ via the CD players didtgal volume control. Happy with the upgrade and already scheming on how to move up the ARC line...
System edited: Replaced the LE1 sub amp with a Marchand XM 44 crossover set at 80 hz and a pair of Red Dragon M1000 mono amps to drive the subs...sounds so good to have the two 15 inch amps running again. Also put a Vodoo Cable Thunder Dragon between the wall and the Haley power conditioner, and am using two Running Springs Mogoose power cords for the sub amps...it all fits together nicely and sounds pretty awesome!
System edited: Added some LED lights under the amps, subs and power conditioner, on the mantle and behind the upper corners of the TV. They are pretty cool at night, and are all controlled by the same remote with a ton of options for color, intensity, solid vs blinking etc...lots of fun to play with. The power conditioner between the amps sits on a piece of Vermont maple, held in place by Waipuna myrtlewood blocks. This then sits on a piece of Vermont granite, suspended by bear paws, also from Vermont. I hung a Tabriz rug that I bought on one of my trips to the desert on the wall that is behind the couch, and flanked that with panels from ATS...cut way down on the echo/reflection. I have several more rugs of this size, so will probably put one on the wall behind the right speaker eventually. The custom set of speaker cables from Stealth continue to do wonders...I am without my two Sub 15s while I figure out what to replace the fried LE1 with, and it still sounds pretty good...the bass from the new cables is an order of magnitude better than it was with the old cables.
System edited: Stealth made me a custom set of biwire cables with pure copper on the bottom and pure silver on the top...I have been living without my two 15 inch Revel subs while the LE1 is out for repair...putting these speaker cables in the system makes me miss them less...super tight bass, and mids/highs that are just incredible. With the exception of the 10 meter XLR run under the floor, the system is completely cabled with Stealth, and I could not be more satisfied...
Had to send the LE1 off for repair-was going into overheat shut down, and when running it sounded really thin...not completely sure it can be repaired so looking into options to replace it with an equalizer and another amp for the subs. Amp will probably be a Class D in the 750 -1000 watt range (Wyred for Sound, Red Dragon etc), and equalizer candidates are the Bryston B10, a custom one from Marchand, or maybe a digital room correction unit from TaCT or Lyngdorf...so I am running without the two 15 inch subs now, does not sound bad but I can really tell the bottom end is missing...
System edited: Moved the Levinson LE1 subwoofer amp to the front of the room between the Krell mon amps, and had a dedicated 20 amp line run from the main panel to the right side of the fireplace. I also got a Running Springs Duke that is plugged into the 20 amp line and the Krells are plugged into it. The Levinson subwoofer amp is plugged straight into the 20 amp line as well. another huge improvement in depth, imaging and soundstage. Next upgrade is a Running Springs Haley for the front end (iMac server and Pucini U Clock and cd player processor (that is on the way), Stealth Cloude 99 Front power cords for the Puccini clock and cd player (also on the way), another Running Springs Mongoose power cord for the amps (also on the way) and a new power cord for the Duke to the wall (have not decided on what to use, probably a Stealth M7000). Then I should be done I never thought a stereo could sound so clear, powerful and detailed...
System edited: Just added a USB cable from Locus Design Group between the IMac and Puccini U Clock, yet another improvement! New power cables from Stealth are on the way along with a Running Springs Haley power conditioner for the front end, and dedicated 20 amp lines get run to the amps next week. Will try that with the amps direct into the wall, and do a comparison later on with a Furman power conditioner to see which is better.
System edited: added a Stealth nano fiber XLR between the Puccini Cd player/processor and the Revel LE-1 subwoofer amp...wow, what an improvement! Replaced a Kimber Select 1120 set which was no slouch to begin with...
Sitting here enjoying coffee this morning and thinking about some acoustic improvements...I think I will order a custom size acoustic panel and fill in the fireplace opening. I never use the fireplace anyhow (much to the annoyance of some past girlfriends) and I think the blocking the cavity will help the bass response, which is pretty good right now, but I know it could better. Will probably also install some half round bass traps on the wall below the wainscoting on either side of the fireplace. I would like to put sound absorbing panels below the wainscoting on the entire surface at the front of the room, but have not figured out yet how to deal with the openings that would be necessary for the outlets...
So, on to lighting. The crystal pieces on the subs sit on LED light bases that rotate (although the rotation makes a faint sound so I normally just have them in static mode). I found a place that sells LED light bars and think I will get a blue one and put it behind the fireplace screen and see how it looks. The air purifiers between the speakers and subs might move and be replaced by some full round bass traps to hold additional LED lighting bases and pieces of crystal and add some sound absorption to the front of the room...
Solicit any comments or suggestions from out there in A-gon land...
System edited: I took a Levinson 32 pre amp out of the chain and now run the Puccini CD player/processor directly to the Revel LE-1. I was skeptical that it would sound as good direct to the amps (thru the LE-1) and I was pleasantly surprised when it sounded fuller and more 3 dimensional. From the LE-1 the signal goes to 2 Revel Sub 15s via speaker wire under the floor, and to two Krell Evo 600s via Straightwire Virtuoso balanced cables also under the floor. Running the cables under the floor allowed me to separate the front end components at the other side of the room. I am having 20 amp service installed on either side of the fireplace for the amps...they need more amperage, and I pop a breaker if I use the microwave and the amps are on (even if they are just in standby mode). I will probably have a separate dedicated line run for each amp...I could have one line run, but then based on placement I'd lose the symmetry I have achieved (one power cord would be much longer than the other). I have been reading on the forms about the efficacy of adding in a power conditioner if the electrical service to the amps is already a dedicated line...some more research to do I guess cuz still not clear to me. I have a Running Springs Haley on the way to provide conditioning for the front end, and will add to the Stealth Cloude 99 Full I already have from the same product line. I am now looking for the "right" Stealth XLR interconnect for between the Puccini CD player and the LE-1 sub amp (right now I am using Kimber 1120s). I have around 600 redbook CDs ripped to the IMac in Apple Lossless, and it all sounds great. I use the remote application on my IPad to control the music and select songs from the comfort of my couch--can't beat the convenience! The IMac also streams music to an Airport Express in my bedroom, and to an Apple TV in the home theater/multichannel room (I'll post that up here later today). I tried the free sample of Pure Music the other day and really did not hear much difference...need some more time with it to see if I can zero in on improvement if there is any. I thought some time ago I was done for now with this system, but ya know how that goes...
thanks--the glass top is kinda cumbesome to move alone, but i will try covering it with a blanket to see what that does...i thought about replacingit with a more traditional wooden coffee table but i looks pretty cool...
System edited: System upgraded--replaced the MCD-500 player processor with a dCS Puccini U Clock and player/processor, and replaced the C-500T preamp with a Levinson 32.
Update--traded the McIntosh MCD 500 for a DCS Puccini CD player/processor and U-Clock. Using the USB from the IMAc to the clock and all I can say is wow--sounds beter than CDs direct from the old CD player!
System edited: Big changes. Traded the Levinson 436 monos for Krell Evoultion 600s--huge improvement. Got an IMac to act as a server, using the optical out to the CD500 player/processor. I have around 150 CDs loaded so far and have used less than 10% of the 1 TB hard drive--it really sounds good and ya can't beat the convenience. Had an electrician crawl under the house and run Straightwire Virtuoso balanced cables from the rack behind the couch to either side of the fireplace for the amps (speaker wires run under the hous as well for connection of the subs to the LE-1). The Virtuosos cables are brand new so looking forward to getting them burned in. So, I think I am done (yeah right). I know there are DACs that could take a USB from the IMac, and I might benefit from something to reclock the signal too, but for now I'll just enjoy the music... Updated photos to follow soon.
System edited: sold a Levinson front end (360s, 380s, 390s) and replaced with McIntosh MCD 500 and CT 500--love the sound and the look. Had an electrician run the balanced cables from the pre amp thru the wall behind the rack and under the floor and come back up on either side of the fireplace directly behind the amps--also had speaker wire run from the LE-1 amp into the wall behind the rack and under the floor and come back up directly behind the two subwoofers...really made the front of the room look much less cluttered. Might have it rewired to move the rack to where the sub is behind the couch and then move the second sub to the right of the other Salon...that would really make the front of the room less cluttered and probably get a little more balance in the subs, although it sounds pretty awesome now--I can make the floor tremble if I want... One of the Salons had a nonfunctioning tweeter--good friend (thanks again Leo!) who had same problem with his came over a couple times to fix it (hence the towel under the left one as we took it off spikes and had to troubleshoot a bit later). Wound up replacing the crossovers in both with some he had made to fix his problem. The stock ones are about the size of a spool of sewing thread--the new ones (in both speakers now) are about 5 times the size and 10 times the weight--fixed the problem and was a substantial improvement in sound. For the price of the speakers new, no idea why the stock crossovers were so small... Thinking about replacing the 436 monos with MC501s...Christmas is just around the corner...
System edited: the sub now sits on a 17x17x2 maple slab with spiked feet that sits on Waipuna sound myrtle wood footers...not sure if this improved the sound or reduced vibration since the sub is so close to the component rack, but it looks pretty cool. On the hunt for another depth (the I model preferably), and will set it similarly.
System edited: Replaced the 39 cd procesor/player with a 390s. Big improvement in soundstage width. Am running the amp and subwoofer directly from the 390s via the variable output...no preamp. Pretty happy with the result--my new Martin Logan Summits should be here soon and next upgrade moght be a tube preamp...we'll see...
Jmcgrogan2 (Can there really be a Jmcgrogan1 ?) Don't know how I could arrange an audition...leaning toward the Pre since I already have the Proceed DAP, and need the CD input to be on the same side on the preamp as the output on the DAP (foolishly bought .5m Pro Silways that are not long enough to run to the other side...). Giving serious thought to adding a Proceed amp eventually; a matched system would make the best presentation... Mitch
