Description

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.
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Components Toggle details

    • BPT Signature 3.5 plus
    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.
    • Frankenstein tubes.
    Tube complement 
    EML XLS 300b output.
    RCA 5U4G rectifier (1953)
    RCA 6EM7 driver (1960s).

Comments 1956

Owner
Considerably more expensive?
I 'll just have to wait see.I won't question the fairness aspect but I do place self imposed limits where audio is concerned.This helps me avoid impulsive and regrettable decisions that are easy to commit in this pursuit.
Regards,

charles1dad

From my conversation with Star Sound, the new Sistrum products will be considerably more expensive, but Robert mentioned , the increase in performance will more than justify the higher price.

brf

The one thing to be cognizant of is inflation. The cost of raw materials like brass and steel has gone up significantly in the last few years. I discovered this during the construction of my room. I presume this will have an impact on the backstage and stage products. Starsound is very fair with their pricing considering the material and labor cost involved. These are not cheesy stands.

agear

Owner
Brf,
Thanks for the update.I hope they put some information on their web site soon.I'd like to know the price range.
Regards,

charles1dad

Thanks Agear. I hear that the new Sistrum products will be made available some time later in February early March.

brf

Roxy, they are the next generation of product from Starsound. You can give Robert a shout about them. They are not ready yet as far as I know.

Brf, due the size of my behemoth amp, I had the legs modified as well. Works well....

agear

Owner
I think andrew learned about them via conversations with robert of Star Sound.I'm not sure they are actually available yet.
Regards,

charles1dad

I don't see the backstage platforms on their website.

roxy54

Owner
Roxy54,
This is why I 'm curious to learn more about the new backstage platforms by Star Sound.
Regards,

charles1dad

What I learned from my experience with the Sistrum SP-101 supports is that it is not so important how non-resonant your speaker enclosure is. What is more important is how the support it is on drains the resonances to ground. Before I had the supports, my speakers never disappeared as sources of sound. Now, I experience it routinely.

roxy54

Owner
Brf,
Robert is a very nice person and knowledgeable. Be patient with Duelund, those CAST are handmade.The wait will be rewarded. The combination of these two products will be some of the wisest money invested in your fine system.If you're not happy I'll be very surprised.
Regards,

charles1dad

Owner
Andrew,
One point that's very apparent after a long conversation with the Absolare founder/owner is their extraordinarily attention to resonance and vibration management.They consider this to be a very important and fundamental issue to be dealt with. I would imagine Chalice Audio addresses this in a most serious manner also.The Sistrum platform effect in my system is most convincing of the need to successfully manage resonance via effective mechanical grounding. When this Las Vegas show system used the 200 watt MSB SS amps the sound was respectable but nothing more.The insertion of the 50 watt PSET completely transformed the sound, truly amazing improvement. I curious to see if Robert Harley is as impressed as I when he reviews it in the near future (to my understanding).
Regards,

charles1dad

Contacted Robert at Star Sound and it looks like my amp will fit the Sistrum 101 with a few modifications. The front of my amp will need to be cantilevered over the single front support spike to fit. Super nice guy and has some incredible deals on some refurbished trade in. I might just give Sistrum a second try. Thanks Charles for the feedback. PS. My Deulunds have been delayed to late Feb for delivery.

brf

Owner
Andrew,
The Chalice Audio amps caught my attention a few years ago. They are cost no object and probably sound fantastic. I may have found a rival to it, the Absolare Passion amplifier. They are both PSET 845 NFB perfectionist design and built with the same goal of being very best. I heard the Absolare amps at the show in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. It was simply superb driving Rock port Altair speakers. The very best sound I heard there, just wonderful. I'd love to hear these two head to head.
Regards,

charles1dad

That is a really great observation Charles. I had discussed that very thing with Robert at Starsound a few months ago. We were talking about the Chalice amps, and Robert commented on their tube socket implementation and how proper grounding effected tube performance. Crazy stuff.

agear

Owner
One of the claims made by Star Sound regarding the Sistrum platform is it will increase the component`s efficiency when placed on it.I think this is correct.My SET transformers never feel hot to touch, only warm(even when on all day long).Now with them on the platforms they are cooler,only 'lukewarm' to touch no matter how many hours the`ve been in use.I noticed this last night after they`d been playing for 6 hours.There seems to be real science and engineering involved as opposed to the typical marketing hype we often encounter.
Regards,

charles1dad

Owner
Brf,
I think the SP 101 platforms would be just fine for you, the points can positioned how ever you choose to do with them. Brf, they really are excellent.
Regards,

charles1dad

Owner
Hi Andrew
I did reposition the ams and they are symmetrical on the platforms now (no change in the sonics just appearance. I'll get to the fuses in a few days, darn it, the sound with platforms are improving overtime (settilng?) Can't explain it. I have to get more information on the backstage stands they maybe perfect for me.
Regards,

charles1dad

I would like to give the Sistrum 101 stands a try (30 day trial) but I am concerned that my amps may not fit as they are 12"W x 24"L, therefore, when I adjust the points, the amp’s weight may not be equally distributed.

brf

Owner
Testpilot sorry for the strange typo error, don't know how westport replaced your name. I do appreciate your kind comments.
Regards,

charles1dad

Looks really good Charles. From the aerial view of the amp and stand, it looks as if the amp needs to rotate counterclockwise. Is that an optical illusion based on the photograph angle? I am not sure if this is really essential for sonics. For really heavy amps, it is optimal to place two points in proximity to the transformer.

Let me know how those fuses sound. They take 100-300 hrs to sound their best....

agear

Owner
Hi Bill,
If you find yourself near Detroit just give me a call, you''re always welcome.
Regards,

charles1dad

Owner
Testpilot,

The side mounted woofers have been fine, no problem in my room.I have them firing to the outer position.
Regards,

charles1dad

They look fabulous for sure! Love to hear your system some day Charles.

grannyring

Owner
Westport,
Thanks for the compliments.The only new Coincident model I heard is the Pure Reference in Israel Bloom's home when auditioning the linestage over 3 years ago.I really like my TE with the soft dome revelator tweeter, high resolution but so natural in character.I don't know if I'd like the newer ribbon models better or not.

The amp position on the stand has been adjusted (call off the hounds).
Regards,

charles1dad

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