Description

I made an efford on improving the digital side of my system aiming to have an ultimate resolution and analog wise sound, beside of all the forces and pushes from my audiophile friends for pushing me through analog setups, I decided to stay and improve the digital side. For the journey of more than 20 years many amps, speakers came and gone, tried from 600 watts solid states to 15 watts tubes all having different presentation pros and cons on my system.

I am also tube oriented listener that beleives on magic of tubes and no solid state would bring those beatifull harmonics of tubes. Since now I am happy with my setup and makes me listening to the music for hours and hours. But after having lived with tube amplifiers some solid states like Gryphon and now Goldmund gave the slamm of solid state and 3D soundstage and detail that good tube amp will offer.

Most important thing in this hobby is that if you are happy its done (maybe saying not done but almost), cause every step is another good journey thats why I love this hobby. Cheers and happy listenings to all.
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Components Toggle details

    • Conrad Johnson ART mkII
    Fantastic musical preamp...the search for preamp is over..
    • Esoteric P3
    Esoteric P03 cd transport..
    • Esoteric D3
    Esoteric D03 DAC..
    • Quad Quad II
    What can I say..you know
    • Wilson Audio Sophia 3
    Wilson Audio Sophia 3 speaker
    • Crystal Cable Ultra RCA
    Modified with WBT 110Ag Silver RCA's
    • Analysis Plus Digital Oval BNC World Clock
    Digital Oval BNC World Clock
    • Crystal Cable Ultra
    Very good cable, I like the sound of crystal cable and together with interconnects this is really a step up..
    • Stein DE2 CD Demagnetizer
    It demagnetizes CD's, its strange but has audible positive effect.
    • Black Noise Extreme V2 Line Filter
    Blacknoise V2 Extreme Line Filter. I use for Esoteric rig and had more black background, does not roll off highs also, recommended product
    • Esoteric G0s Rubidium Master Clock
    G0s Rubidium Master Clock
    • Synergistic Research AC Master Coupler
    Synergistic Research AC Master Coupler
    • DH Labs Silver Sonics Revelation XLR Digital
    DH Labs Silver Sonics Revelation XLR Digital
    • Analysis Plus Power Oval 10 Pover Cord
    Analysis Plus Power Oval 10 Pover Cord
    • DH Labs Silver Sonics Power Plus Power Cord
    DH Labs Silver Sonics Power Plus Power Cord
    • Silversonics Red Wave Power Cord
    Silversonics Red Wave Power Cord
    • PS Audio P10
    PS Audio P10 power plant
    • Crystal Cable I link I link
    Speacial cable connection that cyrstal cable made for esoteric, it fits between dac and transport sturctured like hdmi cable and its really a must when you listen to sacd
    • Gryphon Antileon
    Pure class a all the way...best in solid state
    • Nagra Jazz
    Nice detail and Nagra type of sound open, detailed, lots of black background with no hiss, no artifacts, no grain..very simple and enjoyable also no preamp could give this detail on low volume levels..
    • Goldmund Goldmund Telos 600
    Goldmund Telos 600 amplifiers. Razor sharp presentation with lot amount of detail together very musical and entertaining sound, holographic 3D soundstage, tube like openess, reliable and trouble free operation. Tour de force on solid state amplification maybe the best in its class..
    • TW Acostics Raven AC
    TW Acustics Raven AC Turntable
    • TW Acustics TW Acustics Raven 10,5 arm
    TW Acustics Raven 10,5 arm
    • Koetsu Urushi
    Koetsu Urushi Tsaguru cartridge
    • Burmester Audio Phono 100 preamp
    Phono 100 turntable preamp
    • Zyx Universe II
    Zyx universe 2 cartridge
    • Valvo 12at7 ecc81
    Blue label gold pin
    • Ge 12ax7 Ecc83
    Triplate black grid
    • Kronos Sparta
    Kronos Sparta turntable
    • Durand Kairos
    10.5 tonearm
    • Goldmund Mimesis-27
    Nimesis 27.3
    • Kubala Sosna Elation
    Rca between premap and power amps
    • Shunyata Research Venom power strip
    Power strip
    • SRA Ohio base
    Ýsobase equipment base under preamp
    • Goldmund Telos 2500
    • Ansuz Ceramic speaker cable
    • Wilson Audio Sasha
    Series 1

Comments 66

try www dot audiosystemsoptimized dot com you will be amazed

majesticgiraffe

Hi Ha123,
Did you have ever tried nagra jazz with Gryphon antileon ?
Im using Goldmund Mimesis 27.5 preamp to drive Gryphon Antileon, felt lacking bit of tubey warm in the mid, thinking of Nagra Jazz can resolve this matter of mimesis. Tks

hungphamquoc

Owner
Since time has passed now got a chance to upgrade my Goldmund Telos 600 amps with his big brothers Telos 2500, speaker changed from sophia 3 to Sasha 1 and got my preamp nagra jazz back and added mps (battery supply).
Very significant upgrades and learnings occurred and now the system reached very high level and playing on the boundaries of my listening room on the limits. 

hal123

Owner
System edited: System Edited: Since time passed many changes are occurred..first I replaced my Nagra preamp with Goldmund 27.3, change from tube preamp to solid state..added Aurender S10 music streamer to the line and also I changed my TW turntable with new Kronos Sparta with tonearm Durand new Kairos..I did some upgrades for preamp with adding SRA isobase and also I changed my diy power strip with shunyata venom..added rca interconnect of Kubala Sosna Elation model to pre and powers..

hal123

Hi Hal123,

Due to my system set-up with other pces of gear I need to use a pre-amp so I have mine connected to the xlr output, then to my pre-amp. I'm using xlr IC's and have the phase switch over to correct polarity.

dev

Owner
Hi Dev,
Yes autoadjust feature is very usefull. One question I had best results for connecting directly with variable level setup connecting directly to power amps. Do you use variable or direct output

Regards

hal123

Congrats, Burmester 100 phono is very nice indeed - I have been enjoying mine for a few years now.

Did you set-up for Auto Adjust for your cart

dev

Owner
Wow since time passed that I missed analog setup now I found a slice of heaven and very happy about it. After tried some cartridges I decided to pass Koetsu and loaded Zyx Universe 2 cartridge that one of my audiophile buddy offered me, Koetsu is a good cartridge but I wanted more detail on midranges, this melow character first stricked me but after listening to Zyx. I said this is it..First implementation made not impressed me a lot but after a day that my phono preamp is warmed and directly connected to my Goldmunds made some music that only hearing you could beleive, all stages opened up dramatically, detail is increased, Zyx requires very carefull setup after millions of arrangements vta, weight, allignment vertical, horrizontal etc etc I found some situation that everything is made in place and one detail in the midrange that this cartrige is famous for is expanded in a way that like some miracle its occured and now I had some special sound that I am very happy with it.
Burmester phono needs some time to warm and burn at least 100 hours is necessary for gaining his best performance.
More details and information will come after
Happy listenings to all

hal123

Can't wait to hear your impressions.

thesaint519

Owner
System edited: More pictures added..analog setup is coming

hal123

Hi Hall23,

I believe the Sophias are world class. I know that part of our hobby is upgrading. But I've learned that in order to really experience the best of my gear, I've got to invest the time to ensure each piece is synergistically a match with every other piece of gear. I decided to build my system around my Lamm L2 Reference Preamp & Lamm M1.2 Reference Mono amps. The addition of the Transparent Audio Reference line of cables has really allowed the Lamm & Wilson combo to really shine.

thesaint519

Owner
Hi Tabooe,
I had an impression that now the system had its limits and speaker upgrade will take the sound to another level..but now I am happy with the sophias, and I heard them with numerous different setups I feel I never heard that they reached to their boundaries as in my setup. Ribbon tweeter of Verity had placed my mind and wondering if its worth the upgrade, but I have some concerns too..my other half says stay there and dont touch anything..

hal123

Owner
Hi Rbbert
Yes its not quite more but yes its more expensive, I am waiting for the dealer to hear them since I heard ver.1 and impressed but for the low octaves its seem to have some problematic because the woofer its located on down side of the speaker and I have some concerns for my place..Having heard that verity changed internal cabling, tweeter material and crossovers so its worth to listen the new series..

hal123

The Sarastro 2 is a great speaker, but I think quite a bit more expensive than the Sasha 2?

rbbert

Hal123, why are you changing speakers? What are you lacking with your current speakers or what sound are you going after?

tboooe

Don't have any experience with either speaker manufacturer, but have read great things about Eggleston and Verity. Don't think you Will go wrong with either. What about Wilson?

thesaint519

Owner
I am plannnig to change speakers. I have some opinions for as wilson sasha 2, Verity Audio Sarastro 2 or Egglestonworks Andra 3. Looking for your opinions for these alternatives.

hal123

Nice system.

thesaint519

Owner
System edited: New pictures updated

hal123

Owner
Hi Taboooe,
I first tried Gryphon Antileon and I am quite impressed on Gryphon typical sound, emphasis on lower mids, bold highs, musical presentation...but it was a full class A amplifier with lot of heat that I couldnt even touch my fingers on top, sound is very impressive but this is 15 years old amplifier with full class A and weight about 70 kgs something. Also was not a best match with my CJ Art2 with lot of hiss that was annoying. After my dealer offered me good debate on Golmund Telos 600 amplifiers and I wondered to try side by side on my system. Goldmunds are little more detailed, more pinpoint sounding and definately more fast, this fast and detailed character doesn't disturb you because it remains also the musicality and tenderness that most detailed amps tends to distort on higher volumes or give you the listening fatique but Goldmunds have very impressive detail like tube amps that has tremendous bass control, it is like using good tube amp with solid state bass control..Gryphons autorative and bold character and musical presentation also remained in my mind, both has very good amplifiers with some pros and cons in my system, and another issue is that Gryphon has only balanced outputs that was not a good match with my preamp..

hal123

WoW!! Major changes indeed! Would love to hear your thoughts on the differences between Gryphon and Goldmund. What made you change (aside from being a typical audiophile)?

tboooe

Owner
System edited: Very major changes are happened..Changed Gryphon Antileon with Goldmund Telos mono amplifiers...also CJ Art2 preamp replaced with Nagra Jazz..

hal123

Owner
Only thing there is a hiss noise coming from my speakers. Gryphon only have xlr outputs and my pre is sigle ended so I am using a xlr-to-rca converter for the amp..maybe this connection made some hissing or my preamp didnt liked the Gryphon. But sound is gorgeous and dont want to change something for now..I will try to change the connection of cables in order to made them xlr to rca..

hal123

Oh man. Can't go wrong with Gryphon! Congrats. I need to get my hands on a Gryphon integrated.

tboooe

Owner
System edited: System Edited: Added Gryphon Antileon solid state...its had a very good step up. Now I had all the mid bass slamm and also deep and autorative bass response that I was missing..this amplifier is also very tube like sounding, its very open and detailed and also very musical I am very satisfied for now..

hal123

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