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.
You have a very tasteful system in looks and components.
I will be getting a set of the Shug Treasure 300b's tomorrow. I know you are fond of them. How did they sound new/out of the box and did it take long for them to settle in? Thanks.
Hi, Thanks for the kind comments Musicophile. I hardly watch television at all anymore. I spend much of my spare time just getting lost in the music. Given your very fine systen I know you can relate.
Hello Charles, Thanks for your reply comments above and compliments on my system. Like you, my music room is also a finished basement of similar size: 14'*21'*7' and I also use 5/8inch drywall (on isolation clips to prevent energy transfer to the ceiling and floor surfaces) and Roxul and one other kind of sound insulation in the walls. I'm glad to hear that you like the alive and dynamic sound presence you get in your room; I've gone to great lengths to prevent overly absorbing mid/high frequencies for the same reason, hence the liberal use of diffusion and adjustable side wall reflecting baffles.
I believe your Coincidence gear is built in north Toronto where I work - now that's a coincidence! I once heard their gear at the Montreal stereo show (Son & L'Image) and it was very good sounding, just a bit pricey for my budget.
Hi, Kevinzoe,Thanks a lot for very nice compliments. My room is in a finished basement(concrete floor) the space is 14x25 feetx8 foot ceiling(acoustical tiles) the floor is low pile carpet with a pad. The wall cavities are cellulose insulated and with 5/8inch drywall. It`s a very qiet space and fairly well dampened. At this point the sound is alive with lots of dynamics and presence. I`m quite happy with the room`s sound and for now I`ll leave well enough alone. Kevin, I took a look at your system, wow! it`s so very well planned and thought out, You must have excellent musical reproduction. I see you`re also a fan of DHT SET amps with high efficiency speakers. I`m not aware of the FAB Audio speakers but they must be great with your Art Audio PX25. Sincerely, Charles,
great clean uncluttered looking system and with Brands of top quality pedigree. The only thing I would ask is have you considered acoustical room treatments (e.g. area rug, bass traps, diffusion etc)? You might be surprised how much of an "upgrade" it can provide. Just a thought, otherwise great looking rig.
Jonathan, Thank You, I sincerely appreciate your very kind comments concerning my system. You are really going to enjoy your new Coincident Super Victory speakers. They will sound wonderful with your Manley amplifier.
I like the setup, I think your system does definetely look and sound naturally good.. cheers..I will upload my system picture after I get my SV pair of speakers...
Have all ASI Liveline cable(IC and speaker) and it`s excellent! The trumpets of Miles Davis,Chet Baker and Nicholas Payton, The piano of Kenny Barron, Thelonious Monk or Duke Ellington, and the voices of Johnny Hartman, Mel Torme, Sarah,Ella and many other great artist are rendered in a most lively and very realistic-emotional manner. 6 Moons absolutely got this cable called on the bull`s eye.
System edited, I`ve added the ASI Liveline IC between the DAC and linestage. With about 160 hours of use I must say this is a special cable.It has improved dynamics and musical flow/pace in a system where this was already a strength.Tone,timbre and harmonic overtones are rendered simply organic, pure and natural. My objective is to have as much natural realism with acoustic instruments and voice,with minimal intrusion of electronic-mechanical coloration. The liveline has pushed the system`s performance noticably closer to this goal.This cable matches the character of the Yamamoto DAC and Coincident products, very lively,dynamic,high energy yet utterly natural with a sense of relaxation(unforced presentation) and overall fluid gestalt. Wonderful job MR. Franck Tchang.
Hello Abill, Thanks for your nice comments regarding my system.Israel Blume stopped using the KR 300b tubes due to poor reliability and lack of warranty support from the company . He said it`s a good sounding tube But had too many failures with his customers. He feels the Shuguang Treasure tube sounds as good if not better(matter of opinion I realize). I`ve had the treasure tubes for quite a while and have had zero problems with about 1500 hours so far. The rectifier tube is a Slyvania 5u4. from the early 1950s. I don`t hear much of a difference compared to the original GE tube(just wanted to experiment for fun) I`m glad you have`nt had problems with your KR tubes. I would like to hear the Total Victory4 speakers, as I`m curious to hear that ribbon tweeter. Best Regards,
Hello Charles, Very nice audio system. I also am a believer in coincident products. Excellent value, I have a pair of Total Victory IV's with the Frakenstein amps. I use KR300b xls tubes, they are the older test tube shape, I tried many 300b's including the Shuguang Treasure Black Tube but I still prefer the KR's . If you have an change to audition give them a try.The Treasure's are my second favorite. I notice you are using a different 5U4 tube with your Franks, what are you using ? Where did you get them ? Did Israel recommend them ?
Hello, GlennHiFi, thanks for the kind compliments. Those giants of jazz pictured on my wall are musicians I have deep admiration for. Also in this room are pictures of Thelonious Monk and Frank Sinatra, I`m a very happy jazz nut.
I like it, sweet components. Great prep in the room as well, a little isolation goes a long way if there are other family members. Two thumbs up for the art work too. Happy listening.
Hello, Tony, my room is in a finished basement and the floor you see is actually plush wall to wall carpet with a dense pad beneath it(can`t appreciate with the pictures I know). the ceiling height is 8 feet with the installed acoustical tiles. The walls are dry wall with cellulose insulation(very comfortable year round). I`d owned a Well Tempered turn table for many years( should`nt have sold it). Currently have a Linn LP12 which is good, but honestly my current digital front end is so natural and organic in nature that the Linn is collecting dust now. The Yamamoto YDA DAC is really quite special. I now have more CDs than records. Best Regards
Very nice. Been waiting to see pics of this setup. Any plans for carpeting the floor? Do you not get some odd resonant frequencies with the solid tile floor? Ceramic, I'm thinking, perhaps marble? Any plans for an analog rig, Charles? With the right choice, the Franks really sing with a good analog rig.
Beautiful warm room. I see a lot of simularities between our setups.Your speaker placement looks to be identical to mine. Your room as well seems to have a simular width. It produces that wall to wall soundstage you have mentioned as the speakers, walls, and ceiling all do a disappearing act. I also like the clever way you turned the franks sideways. I see the advantage of amps placement that way. They look great from that angle too.I may use that. I also admire the warmth added by the TE in the dark cherry. Nice...
Pehare, As you can see I `m very fond of Coincident products and I do use the CST power cables fot the linestage amd monoblocks.I don`t doubt for a moment the quality of Coincident IC/SPK cables, however I`ve had the silver cables prior to the current system. These cables mate so well there`s no sense replacing them. Thanks for the kind comments.I looked at your system, I bet it`s rather natural souding and emotionally involving(simplicity rules).
