Main System

by no_regrets on Done For Now
This is my main system
My Customized Linn LP12, DC Swiss Motor/Suppy, Naim Aro, Benz Zebrawood Ruby ZH
Naim Audio CDSII/XPS/Super Burndy Reference CD Player
First Sound Presence Audio Deluxe Tubed Line Stage bottom center shelf
Artemis Labs Ph-1 Phono Stage All Tubed, No JFETS, No Step Up Transformers
Bel Canto Design SET-40 - Single Ended Triode 845's Glowing
Dunlavy Audio Labs SCIV's Signature SC-IV's
Wavelength Audio Cardinal X1 20th Anniversay 300B Single Ended Triode
Tannoy Monitor Gold lsu/hf/12/8 12 - Secondary System shown with my custom EL-84 amp
My Custom EL-84 amp I built with vintage Pilot Iron, NOS Mullard Rectifier, and NOS German driver and output tubes
Wavestream Kinetics Deluxe Level 5.1 Reference Phono Amp with Outboard Power Supply PhonoStage
My Vintage Wharfedales W-60's with Alnico Drivers used in my third all vintage system
Musician Photos I've taken from live performances
More Musician Photos I've taken from live performances
Jay's Audio CDT2-MK3 Dedicated CD Transport
Another System Pic
My Custom EL-84 amp I built with vintage Pilot Iron, NOS Mullard Vacuum tubes

Description

This is my main system where I do my serious listening. I have tried to assemble a system that best replicates the sound of the live music that I am blest to hear weekly, from the likes of small classical works to large symphonic works, small jazz combos to big band swing. This system allows me to hear the harmonic structure of acoustic instruments, the nuances of the musician's interpretations, realistic micro and macro dynamics as well as the acoustic space of the performance. What I like best about it is that it allows me to focus on the music rather the equipment.
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Room Details

Dimensions: 16’ × 12’  Medium
Ceiling: 8’

Components Toggle details

    • Linn LP-12 Sondek
    Linn LP-12, DC Motor & Power Supply/Naim Aro tonearm/Benz S-Class Zebrawood Ruby ZH MC cartridge,
    • Naim Audio ARO
    Naim Aro tonearm.
    • Benz Micro Ruby ZH
    S-Class ZebraWood bodied moving coil with .7mV output
    • Naim Audio CDSII/XPS/Super Burndy
    This was at the time Naim's reference CD Player.
    • First Sound Presence Audio Deluxe
    Dual Mono All Tubed Line Stage with Shallco Stepped Ladder Attenuators and external power supply.
    • Artemis Labs Ph-1 Phono Stage
    3 Stage all tube phono stage giving about 52dB of gain without the use of step up transformers.
    • Bel Canto Design SET-40
    Stereo Tube amplifier using a single ended triode 845 transmitting tube.
    • Dunlavy Audio Labs SCIV's Signature SC-IV
    My primary speakers
    • Wavelength Audio Cardinal X1 20th Anniversay 300B
    These are the 20th Anniversary Special Edition 300B Monoblocks which use the 6C45PI triode driving the grid choke loaded Western Electric 300B and is tube rectified by Mullard GZ34's.
    • Tannoy Monitor Gold lsu/hf/12/8 12
    Vintage 12" Monitor Golds with the doped paper surrounds, mounted in custom cabinets with updated crossovers, hardwired in bypassing the compensation controls. My secondary Speakers
    • FMS Zero
    1 meter RCA's
    • Acoustic Zen Absolute Copper RCA Interconnects and Satori Shotgun Speaker Cables
    Absolute Copper RCA Interconnects and Satori Shotgun speaker cables
    • McIntosh MR-67
    All tubed tuner
    • VPI Record Cleaner
    Wet/Dry record cleaner
    • NOS Vacuum Tubes Mullards,Telefunkens, Western Elec.
    Nos tubes used in all of my equipment.
    • Wavestream Kinetics Deluxe Level 5.1 Reference Phono Amp with Outboard Power Supply PhonoStage
    This is an amazing all tube phono amp designed by the famed Scott Frankland, that provides 62 dB of extremely low noise gain, without the use of step up devices, transformers or input FET's.  The tube compliment consists of 2 x 12AX7 and 4 x 6DJ8.  The RIAA response is accurate to within .1dB and is not affected by the load on the output.

    It has 3 inputs (two Moving Coil inputs providing 62 dB of very low noise gain that can handle cartridges with outputs ranging from .2mV to 1.2mV and also has one Moving Magnet input with 42 dB of gain.)  There is a selector on the front panel enabling you to choose which input you would like to use.  

    On the back panel, there are RCA jacks to utilize loading plugs giving you the ultimate in flexibility.  It also has both balanced and RCA inputs and outputs.  This Level 5.1 Reference version also has an outboard power supply reducing it's already ultra low noise.




    • Hirata Tango SUT Step Up Transformer
    Vintage Hirata Tango Step Up Transformers with 1:66 and 1:10.8 step up ratios.
    • Mojo Audio Mystique X-24AM
    This is a brand new NOS R2R dac which features amorphous core chokes and transformers.
    • LTA AUDIO Aero Dac
    This is a brand new NOS R2R dac that utilizes either 12sn7's or 6sn7's in a Class A ZOTL output stage.
    • Jay's Audio CDT2-MK3 CD Transport Jay's Audio CDT2-MK3 CD Transport
    Jay's Audio CDT2-MK3 Dedicated CD Transport

Comments 8

Showing all comments by pryso.

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Hi N_r,

Congrats on putting together what I assume must be a wonderful system. As you may have read in a couple of my DAL thread replies, I owned Duntech Princesses for 19 years. I loved them for all the reasons you list (although not from a musician's ear) and I miss them. Unfortunately the need to downsize is why I no longer own them.

There is one suggestion I might offer, especially if you listen to much piano music. Try a good direct drive table (Technics, Denon, Kenwood, etc.). Over the years I've owned several good belt drive tables, including Well Tempered, Oracle, SOTA, and Kuzma, and none compare to my SP-10 Mk 2. Piano music is the most obvious but everything benefits from the constant speed and drive of a good quality DD -- just forget the cheap ones that gave DD a bad name.

I'm sure your Linn is enjoyable but you may find it is not a neutral source if you make a comparison.

At any rate, happy listening.

pryso

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