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.
Agear, I`d say 75-80 hours seems to do it. The good news is within the first couple of hours they sound 'really' good and just continue from there.Grannyring nailed this CAST upgrade. Onemug, Anyone who thinks capacitor quality does`nt matter is simply wrong in my book.In the right application, their impact is substantial. Regards,
Been checking in on this thread lately with interest. I have a few products that use a special capacitor. It's not a name brand but one that my engineer friend makes himself for his products. I haven't heard the Duelund but I know what I hear in mine is certainly up there in the WOW factor for me. When I hear a like product without them, it has a somewhat sour sound. So count me into the "Cap believer" club. Congrats on your find.
Agear,
Wanted to thank you for the link to the "Nuances" article. I read it 12 yrs ago and to date, it's still one of my favorites. Rereading it again, as I've "allegedly" matured during that time, was refreshing.
With additional hours on the Duelund CAST capacitors installed in my speakers and DAC there`s one conclusion. This is an OUTSTANDING product upgrade!Ironically the better your audio component is the 'more' impact the CAST will contribute.They are so pure,honest and transparent that what ever 'hidden' ability(due to stock capacitors limitations) your component has, the CAST will set it free and unrestrained.
the CAST is likely one of the most cost effective improvements available to high quality audio components. It moves in the direction of natural music reproduction, it`s the polar opposite of "Hifi". Regards,
Andrew, looking forward to visiting you in the future when the room is completed. The room noise removal, mechanical component grounding, AC noises are the most important factors in my experience. Keep me posted on future progress.
Agear, Thanks for the kind comments.I`d say you have gained wisdom and appreciation and have learned from your experiences. From this point and onward not only will you have improved sound, but also more'enjoyment' with your music.Be happy as you`ve recognize past mistakes(some people never learn and continue to spin their wheels).Audio components are nothing more than a means to an end,deeper involvement with your music.
Your priorities have changed and for the better.You`ll have many years of great music to get lost in with the wonderful room you`ve built,comgratulations.I`m with Morganc, I want to learn from your room building venture. Regards, Charles,
Hi Morganc, I will share more in due time. The room game is tricky and takes multiple sets of ears and minds. You cannot do it alone which runs counter to our audiophile reflexes. As you pointd out, room acoustics, being part of high end audio, is riddled with opinions. There are lots of approaches and no one "right" way. I have simply stumbled into one that is unique and new and is a derivative of Starsound Technology's approach to grounding. As a disclaimer, I am no expert. Just a bimbo with a checkbook.
Agear: please do share your wisdom with us 'fools! I would love to hear how you designed and achieved your room. There are so many myths, so many opinions, and so many options on room treatments that it is overwhelming for most of us to get started. Please do tell!
Grannyring, In my experience(lucky perhaps) silver cables have always been just right for me.They are very open, transparent,and resolved in a natural sense and quite frankly, organic and inviting.I for some reason have`nt had the glare,edge,brightness or 'silver sheen' others complain about.
My current silver cables are refined, nuanced,subtle and natural,really the best I`ve experienced so far. I`m glad you have found silver cables that suit your evolving system.I believe 'good' silver cables just let you hear your system`s true character.It seems your system is just continuing to improve.The silver is confirming that fact.Grannyring, I can only imagine what the silver foil CAST capacitors must do, my lord! Regards, Charles,
Charles, also meant to say that I am trying some silver speakers cables in my system. Thus far I really like them. First time I can say that. Every other silver cable I have tried was tilted up top and thin sounding. This set is not at all like that, but very nuanced and let's me get more involved in the music.
They are Clear Day Double Shotbuns. I have two sets as my speakers demand true biwire or two independent sets of cables.
Yes, I have actually been tuning my room and reading on room treatment for a few years. I use GIK products. I have 8 corner bass traps in the corners of my dedicated room. In addition, I have two large diffusors directly behind my open baffle (Nola) Speakers.
I have 4 inch GIK panels placed at the first and second reflection points on my side walls. Behind me I have a wall bass trap and 2 four inch thick panels.
My speakers are placed on Sistrum stands that are some 5 inches high. They are great!
Now, Andrew's room has no treatments that can be seen. He utalizes a rather new concept that is very different from what I and others do. His room is cutting edge and state of the art in every way. It was designed from the ground up and I am not educated on it enough to describe it.
The best part of the experience was actually being able to meet Bill. My wife, who is also prone to acidic observations about this pathologic hobby, likes to point out that audiophiles are isolationist weirdos. Having Bill stop by was good medicine for her jaded perceptions.
Charles, it was not cheap, but then again neither is a lot of the gear we buy. Several older and wiser philes have told me the room is king. No way around that. We huff and puff about equipment on this site and forget the fundamentals. I did. What a fool I have been.
I did a pilot test when the room was partially finished (concrete floors, no inner drywall, etc). I set my neighbors $300 Klipsh speakers, a Marantz integrated, zip cord, along with an apple airport express as a front end. It sounded more "live" and engaging than the big rig upstairs. Yes, the high frequencies were a little rugged, but still. I was shocked. I felt like a rube.
Anyway, Charles you deserve kudos. A small minority of people in this hobby have done what you have: enjoy the music. I had more joy as a preteen with my Bose 501s and NAD integrated and Akai tape deck than I did for a good percentage of my time as an audiofool.
Grannyring, When you consider the research, time and effort Agear has invested,I`m glad to hear the results are that impressive! I want to read and learn about the details for such a listening room as he`s developed. My gut tells me it does`nt come cheap, but it sure seems like money well spent.Grannyring has this inspired you to do the same with your room? Regards,
Charles, Agear has the best room I have ever heard by a million miles! Ha! I will let him share as the room is quite special and very technically involved.
It is amazing to simply listen to your own voice as you speak in his room. It is something one will take notice of in an instant. Every single piece of music I listened to was alive and vibrant in a way only the live event can match. Furthermore, that live event better be in an accoutically perfect venue!
Andrew was using radio shack wire and a mid -fi receiver as a preamp to accomplish this amazing musical event. Easily the most stunning audio experience I have encountered. When he gets his Dude and speaker wire, I simply cannot fathom what amazing music will flow.
The room is so darn important. It took me many years to learn and really believe this truth.
Andrew has something very, very rare and special going on with the marriage of his gear and room. Once my wife hears it, she will blog for weeks!
Agear, It seems as though you`re progressively discovering what personally works best for you.The variables you mention are definite factors that determine satisfaction or disappointment with one`s system.Some speakers will mate better with SS and others with tubes. I`ve heard top tier SS amps in systems built to compliment them.They simply have`nt moved me or have the same degree of emotional involvement and sense of realism that top quality tube amps provide(particulary SET amps).Of course this is merely my own personal experience and nothing more.
I know many people get the same pleasure from SS, class D or big push-pull multi tubed amps as I get from my preferred low power simpler amps(different ears = different choices).Agear once you get your system complete I`ll really look forward to your impressions.I suspect you`re going to be very happy.You have put in much effort in the entire system concept including the room itself and its major role. Regards,
I think a lot of it may come down to even versus odd order harmonics along with speaker voicing and source material quality. I am intrigued by what DSD holds in store for us. Gary "Glory" Anderson heard a demo at Rocky Mountain where the master tape and ripped DSD file were essentially indistinguishable.
SS amplification has come a long way, but in my system, it did not work....
Agear, I read the article you sent and enjoyed it very much. I certainly could relate to the suthor`s perspective as I have a very similar bias.In the time that has past since this article was wriiten the overall direction of "fHigh End" has not altered its course.
I do feel the authur would be plesantly appreciative that the genre of SET amp-high efficiency speaker has not just survived but has imptoved in quality(a lot),number of choices available and popularity(on a modest scale).
I`ve believed for a long time that audio component choice/attraction is a very personal endeavor. The only way to reach genuine joy and contentment is to know what you 'really' desire for your system and then go after it. I realized early on if you can`t connect to your music emotionally and really get involved, you have the wrong equitment in your home. There`s no reason to listen to music if you don`t "enjoy" it.With the multitude and variety of amps,preamps,source types,cables and accessories, there`s something out there for all of us. Regards,
Hi Agear, Thanks for the article,I`ll print it and read it tonight. Given the title of this article I suspect it will be rather interesting.
Regarding audio system logevity I`ve been lucky in that there has been no frustration or stress,I realize I`m not a 'hard core'audiophile seeking audio perfection. My only intention and desire is to get the components that draw me into my music and communicate the emotion and beauty of it.
Nothing more or less,just involve me and I`m happy.So any component,gadget or accesory that increases naturalness,organic character and full color tone and body(I call it realism) gets my attention and holds it.The wonderful Duelund CAST capacitors fit in perfectly with the way my system was put together.They just raised my already content and happy state.This basic system will be with me for many years. Agear, I wish you the best with your ongoing system development.I hope the CAST please you as much as they have for me. Regards, Charles,
Hi Daniel, I know you`re comparing the Exemplar Audio DAC to the Yamamoto.I love the stock Yamamoto.If you decide to keep it then the Duelund CAST will improve EVERYTHING! this DAC has to offer with these superior capacitors installed. You name it resolution,air,bass and treble,organic tone etc.(what ever sonic parameter) and it`s better.The CAST(huge) easily fit in the DAC(see Yamamoto picture above).It`s money very well spent if you decide to keep the DAC.Either way you decide to go,good luck. Charles,
Grannyring, You are right my friend, with only a few hours of playing time the impact of the CAST in the DAC is indeed greater.
Right out the box the natural tone and organic character are undeniable.Clarity,transparency,openess and improved dynamic verve are obvious.Time will only improve this virtues.
Shigeki Yamamoto is simply very talented,he got 'very good' natural sound using these small(and likely relatively inexpensive) capacitors.Real world budget considerations do come into play.He openly admits to placing much emphasis on a strong power supply and a simple analog circuit built to sound excellent(he avoids op-amps and NFB).
This formula worked out well as the stock DAC sounds much better than most I`ve heard.The Duelund CAST take this very solid foundation to a higher level,across the sonic board.These CAST caps cost less than many high end cables yet provide(IMO) a more significant improvement than any IC,SC or power cord I`ve heard.
The CAST are a near mandatory recommendation based on my two experiences.They elevate the very good components to the superb level.This Yamamoto with CAST is sounding really wonderful in the background right now.See picture above in system pictures. Regards
Charles, sounds like your DAC is pleasing you even more! You are just starting to experience first hand what can be optimized with a great starting product.
I am now learning about resistors and their impact on sound with a special comparison box I had made to load caps and resistors. I am able to insert these between pre and amp and hear the full signal through them. I will compare resistors and find out which ones are the most open and natural etc... I have a hunch Vishay makes a resistor that may be the CAST of resistors. I am talking about resistors for electronics, not speakers.
Happy to read you like the CAST mod in your DAC. It makes sense as the TOTAL signal is passing through those two caps in the front end of your system.
Charles, longevity of a system is a sign of wisdom and maturity. I have made impulsive decisions in the past that only led to audio purgatory (the kind that keeps Audiogon busy). One of the smartest things I have heard is to "live" with a piece of gear for at least a year, particularly speakers, before you sell.
Ironically, I have yet to hear my Dude with Duelands. It is on the way back from Paul at TRL. I have a vintage Onkyo pre-amp borrowed from a friend running the ST-100s, and I am getting surprisingly good sound.
The room is still a work in progress (a lot of work!). A formal reveal will probably be in the spring. Bill Grannyring Dion actually made it down to Charlotte on business and was able to hear it. It was a lot of fun. Bill is a true gentleman and an incredible asset to Audiogon, although his wife has taken to lampooning his pursuits (http://www.theaudiophileswife.com/).
Finally, Charles, you may have read this article already, but it is very apropos to your system and findings: http://www.stereophile.com/features/203/index.html
Agear, I heard the Dude linestage last year in my system. I could imagine that with the Duelund CAST in place of the stock capacitor it will be fantastic.Good decision IMO. Do you plan to post a system page? I`d like to see it. Regards,
