My objective is to duplicate the sound of a good jazz venue as best I can. I'll never match it but getting close is fine. I've had various audio components through the years and tubes particularly DHT tubes/ASSET have gotten me the closest. So this is where I will settle down and appreciate.
Balanced AC power is fantastic !! 1800va balanced isolation transformer/conditioner. All aspects of music reproduction are improved for every single component.
Tripoint Tripoint Troy.
A wonderful grounding box component. When added to my system it increased the sense of natural sound quality and emotional engagement. The Troy has a humanistic and “soulful “ quality to it.
Coincident Speaker Tech Total eclipse 2
This wonderful speaker is transparent,open and involving. It`s large yet completely disappears as the source of sound within the room. Very easy to drive,94db and 14 0hm impedance (Minimum 10 ohm). I replaced the stock Solens capacitor with the Duelund CAST in the crossover.
Coincident Statement linestage
Superb performance. In my opinion , a masterpiece by Israel Blume. As would be expected, a wonderful match with its sibling the Frankenstein MK II.
Coincident Speaker Tech Frankenstein mark 2
A terrific 300b SET amplifier that is the foundation of my system. The EML XLS 300b tubes are a superb match with this amplifier.
Acquiring these 300b SET mono blocks changed the course of my music listening experience. They elevated the emotional engagement, tactility and “breath of life “ realism.
Yamamoto YDA-01
Wonderful music lover's DAC that has a very natural/organic sound quality. Duelund CAST addition(output coupling capacitors) makes it sound even better. It has a very minimalist circuit/design that was implemented well.
Ocellia Silver Reference IC
Very natural and pure sounding with excellent tone and timbre preservation.
Ocellia Silver Reference Speaker Cable
Same qualities/ comments as the IC.
Star Sound Technologies Sistrum Apprentice component platforms..
These Star Sound platforms are mandatory in my system. Effectively managing resonance and vibration leads to a very noticeable sound improvement with every component and especially the speakers. Excellent product.
High Fidelity CT1 Ultimate Digital cable
A highly impressive digital cable that mates beautifully into my system. Contributes to the natural sound presentation.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems CD Box RS2T
This is a superb Redbook CD playback transport. It’s both high resolution and impressively natural.
. I’m using the excellent Fidelizer Nikola II LPS. Splendid pairing.
Lavricables Grand and Master series Power Cables.
Pure silver wire and unshielded power cables. These are used with all of my audio components. They are very open, transparent, high resolution with beautiful natural tone and timbre presentation.
Abbas Esoteric Audio 3.2SE
Built by renown Ukrainian Abbas Zulfugarov. NOS DAC utilizing the classic Phillips TDA 1541 multi bit chip. Two 6080 tubes in the analog stage. 5 various rectifier tubes in the power supplies.
3 separate toroidal transformers (And 2 chokes ) for the power supplies.A very serious and successful upper tier DAC implementation. Using with the Abbas SPDIF and power cable.
I'm listening to the great vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson tonight. He's accompanied by pianist Kenny Barron on one CD and pianist Geri Allen on another. What marvelous talent these musicians possess. I'll say this, Kenny and Geri can both flat out play! Oh my goodness! What a pure treat to be able to hear this beautiful music. Charles,
I was informed today that my Psvane W.E. 101D were shipped yesterday and I should receive them next week. Given the very positive word of mouth feedback( and Israel's enthusiastic endorsement) I'm really looking forward to hearing them in my Coincident Line Stage. Charles,
Hi Lak, Thanks for your reply, I suspect that the Allnic amplifier could hold its own compared to most competitors with no problem and provides beautiful music in your home. Charles,
Hello Charles, Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, I lost track of your forum. I do like my Allnic T-1500 Integrated amp. I believe it has lived up to its reputation. Some critics say its a touch bass shy but personally I dont hear that using my Montana EPX speakers. Unfortunately in my area I dont have Audio stores or acquaintances where I can listen to other 300B amps to do a comparison. I own the following 300B tubes: Harmonix 300b EH, Psvane 300B BT, Shuguang Black Treasures 300B-Z, Sophia Electric Royal Princess 300B, Emission Labs 300B, and the Takalsuki TA 300B. My favorite 300B tube is also the Takalsuki TA.
Bill, In my opinion Israel Blume is supremely talented and under appreciated in the High End community. Believe me, I've heard many more expensive components that aren't the equal of his products in pure "natural" sound quality. Charles,
Charles, I hear you. Every time I walk past the living room I stop, look in, and smile. I want to stop and settle in for a listen.
Honestly, the last time a purchase meant so much to me I was 16 and completely enraptured by my first car, a 1957 Bell Aire black coupe with chrome reverse. As you might imagine, I rue the day I sold that car. At 61 I have enough wisdom to avoid a similar mistake.
I got a chance to give Israel's extreme cables a listen. They are 2x the price of my current Audio Magic liquid Airs. The coincident cables lift a very slight veil, and remove a very slight nasal tonality. They are also very slightly more revealing, in this case revealing just a wee bit more of the utterly angelic loveliness of one of my favorite vocal works. I suspect I will be keeping them. I strongly expect that I am done building. The rest is tweaking. Well done Mr. Blume.
Bill, When I got my Frakensteins 5 years ago, with my very first listen straight out of the shipping carton I knew it was the right move.5 years later my admiration and happiness has only grown stronger. You're in store for wonderful music reproduction in your home my friend. Charles,
Charles, Having been married to Magnepan for 23 years, it felt odd boxing them up. And those so Cary amps were no slouches. But there will be no looking back, no regrets. What I am hearing is really what I've always been looking for. I am thrilled with this system.
There is some burn in on the transformers and tubes. Even now, the finesse and delicacy in the instruments and voices is just something wonderful. It compels one to listen. It engages the emotions. No, there will be no looking back.
Hi Bill, And congratulations on acquiring the Frankenstein amplifiers. 8 watt SET is quite a change from your 500 watt solid state amplifier. Given your current speakers and the CSL I believe that you won't look back at all and will be absolutely thrilled with this new system. I'm very interested to read your early impression of this terrific set up. Charles,
Charles, I know you are still waiting for your 101Ds. I picked up my Franks yesterday, which will "force" a bit more critical listening time. I do hope to get an a/b/c done sometime soon.
I couldn't bring myself to go to bed last night until I almost broke my neck with a head bob as I drifted off. Oh my! How wonderful everything is together. I ended up with PSVane black bottles. Also brought home a length of coincident extreme cable for evaluation.
It was a great day yesterday at Midwest audio. Those PREs are pretty special.
Hi Lak, Yeah, we're just having some fun. When (if ?) Andrew finally posts pictures of his system they had better be beyond reproach. I'll ask Albert Porter to professionally critique the photography quality.
Lak, I've read very good things about the Allnic 300b integrated amplifier. Has it lived up to your expectations and which 300b tubes do you enjoy most with it? It appears to be well designed and built. In my Frankensteins the Takatsuki is superb but the EML XLS is an extraordinarily good match as well. Charles,
Andrew, I guess some of my professional work habits have crept into my domestic environment. Those ER Polaroid pictures do serve their intended purpose effectively. Charles,
Look at all Charles' defenders. Tisk, tisk. This is an intervention and not time for further enabling.
The images provided have the artistic merit of an ER polaroid. Taken in haste (note the oblique angle of the lone system shot and clipped speaker base) and with harsh, quasi-fluorescent lighting. Like the rest of us, Charles is a creature who is shaped by the environment he inhabits. When a patient presents to the Emergency room with an injury, a photographic record is required and thus my reference to the infamous "ER polaroid." Mechanical, soulless but necessary. Its information and not art. This approach belies the beautify of his equipment and what we know he is hearing.
Charles, I would recommend starting with this: dim the lights if possible. Turn off your flash and open up the aperture. Crouch behind your listening position and let us see what you see in those "wee hours."
Lak, Thanks for your nice comments. With Andrew it's just light hearted fun.My room is also in a finished basement and it has worked out beautifully these past 16 years. I can listen at anytime of the day or night without disturbing others. I've had many good listening sessions into the wee hours. Charles
Personally Charles, I like your pic's and the room ;-)! I had to laugh at that forward, bold comment. I would not want criticism of the looks of my music room located in my basement because it's sit up for (inexpensive) acoustics and not glamor.
Speaking of photography I think the picture of trumpeter Dwight Adams is pretty good. My friend Jwm took that picture on one of our frequent jazz venue outings. Charles,
Hi Gary, How are you? Well I'll say this regarding system pictures. I've always enjoyed viewing the photos of your very attractive listening room/home (converted former bank).Very,very tasteful. Charles,
Hi Roxy54, I really appreciate your very kind commemts. I'm just having some fun with Agear(Andrew).The irony is he's such a watchdog for other's system photos and yet I've been waiting patiently for(years!)him to post his room and system. The pot is calling the kettle black.According to Grannyring (Bill)Andrew's mechanically grounded room is fantastic!I want proof. Regards, Charles,
Honestly, this is pretty funny. But maybe it is a business opportunity - for A'gon or someone else - to provide photography services to A'gon members to "optimize" their system pages.
Charles, Don't feel bad. It's impossible to criticize your system, so I guess he had to criticize your photography. I'm not a photography connoisseur, but it looks fine to me. As far as your system is concerned, it's always one of my favorites on Audiogon.
Hi Albert, That wasn't directed bI toward you. It was a wise guy response to wise guy Agear who has a fixation on my photography prowess. Albert I'd welcome your offer anytime. Charles,
When did photography become a prerequisite for being an audiophile?
Not my intention to make that a prerequisite, I responded to a direct question about photographing your space, which I would gladly do for free if we lived near each other.
When did photography become a prerequisite for being an audiophile? Actually I have come to recognize I'm not a hard core audiophile anyway. If for sake of argument there are music lovers and audiophiles(in terms of priorities and sensibilities) I'm probably 70% music lover and 30% audiophile. I have to thoroughly enjoy and emotionally connect to music while listening ( and thankfully I do).So I strongly lean towards components that deliver an organic, holistic and visceral presentation. My objective is nautralness/ realism. The currently popular pursuit of ultra detailed or so called accurate sound leaves me cold and disinterested. It deviates too much from what I hear at Live performances. On 2nd thought I may be 80%/20%. Charles,
