Description

Creek passive linestage being used as primary preamp at the moment. Seeking quality preamp at moment; considering Air Tight ATC1 but scared due to age of unit. Might just go for a dedicated phono stage and add a passive line stage and dual stepped antenuators to the existing tube amplifier. Strongly considering the Decware 2.0 phono stage.
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Components Toggle details

    • Scheu Premier II
    best turntable I've ever owned...it disappears when the record is playing....the sme 312 works well with it and the shelter 501 abnd dynavector dv20xh
    • SME 312
    finally...an easy to adjust and setup tonearm! wonderful workmanship. Another class from rega type arms. Pity the series IV/V cannot be ordered in a 12
    • Shelter 501 Mk II
    sold the 301 and bought this...the difference is palpable.. The 301 is a very good cartridge but once you hear the 501 you know what is missing. The 501 is simply tighter and cleaner across the FR spectrum and sounds more natural than either the 301 or the Dynavector DV20XH.
    • Denon AU300LC
    moving coil transformer; new from audio cubes...excellent sounding unit considering price of 131 landed!
    • Creek OBH-12
    Passive Creek linestage preamp with remote volume control. Temporary solution until I figure out what to do about a preamplifier; may just add a passive linestage to the existing 300b tube amp.
    • Onkyo T-9 Quartz Locked
    great tuner for cheap from The Day...this one received darned good reviews back then, not many were sold, and most forgot about it; I never did and finally came across one locally with a warranty in mint condition for 100..Such a Deal!

    The CR7A is simply the best deck out there short of the Dragon and much less maintenance intensive than a Dragon if reports are believed.
    • Tascam DA30
    Pro DAT
    • Sony DVP-S7700
    Primary use is redbook transport with occasional DVD usage. My thought is this is about as good as it gets for a transport unless I want to spend some really serious money.
    • Alesis ML-9600
    Professional CDR burner with hard disk for mastering the recording, applying DSP and edits, and then burning.
    • Audio Note DAC 1x Signature Mk II
    back to an audio note dac...I miss my old DAC 1 Signature..this one s/b even better
    • Nakamichi CR7A
    3 head dual capstain...automatic setup for tape record adjustment with test tone...
    • 3 Dimension Audio 300B ITDM
    300b interstage coupled true dual monaural single ended triode amplifier with 5842 driver tubes and 5U4 rectifiers (RCA NOS). Sophia mesh plate tubes are the 300b tubes. This picture is of the power supply only.
    • Lowther Loudspeakers DX2 in 2.5 I cabs
    Lowther USA 2.5 I dual port bass reflex cabinets with Lowther DX2 drivers.
    • 3 Dimension Audio 300B ITDM
    Amplifier chassis.
    • REL Acoustics Storm
    upgraded from Strata II to Storm....definite improvement

Comments 28

Very nice turntable setup. Great to see the Scheu turntable worked out well for you. Looks like something that could be in my near future as well...

By the way, how did the Wright and the Bottlehead compare? Also, just curious to see what you think about the Denon step up. I have one as well, but with my Trichord Dino stage I prefer the direct MC input rather than MM + step-up. Ultimately, I would love to upgrade to a tube phono; the Wright and Bottlehead are just the ones I am considering.

With best wishes,

Rene

restock

I have seen those Lowther speakers in BR cabs before? How do you like the sound? I feel that most of the Lowther designs are usually B horn loaded and I wonder what was the difference in sound, especially between the Lowthers in contrast to the Galante speakers, which I believe you used to have. Am I correct?

bemopti123

Owner
wright wpp200 and modded bottlehead seduction on their way so I can do some ab/ing and keep the better one.

c123666

Owner
System edited: added audio note dac 1x Signature Mk II sony dvp-s7700 (replaced Counterpoint HD 11.5 and Pioneer DVC 302D) NEED phono stage ...tubed only line stage or full function preamp...tubed only suggestions welcome

c123666

Owner
Yes, but both at very low volumes; seems to work fine so far. I've got a REL Storm on the way to try out. I do believe the answer is a pair of passive 10" subs with a quality external active crossover and quality solid state amp run in stereo. I have not found too many systems like this at all.

c123666

You don't really use both of those subs together in the system, do you?

Oz

ozzy62

Owner
The Ultimate took a dump; we are replacing all the caps with NOS items. I have a set of four ea NOS Tesla ECC803S tubes for the phono section; the line already has quality Mullard and Telefunkens. I plan to change out the balance controls for dual stepped antenuators if possible and eliminate the stereo potentiometer it comes standard with. Those mods alone will cost something like a grand for parts alone. But, it will be better than new when done.

In the meantime I am listening to an early 90s Tandberg 3008 solid state preamplifier. It is as new and sounds darned good running into the 3 Dimenion Audio 300b interstage coupled SET amplifier.

c123666

Nice and well thought out system. I have owned a VTL Ultimate more than once and it is definately a great preamp, let alone considering what they go for used now. If you haven't done so yet, you owe it to yourself to hear the VTL Ultimate retubed with Telefunken diamond base tubes... if I recall correctly it takes 3 different types between the input and phono stages, and the tubes aren't cheap... overall transformation of the preamp is not subtle. Enjoy it, they are not too easy to find, and many have been "modded" to their detriment. Happy listening.

audiofankj

Owner
System edited: CAT SL1 Signature preamp and Audio Note DAC 1.x added....

c123666

Owner
System edited: Added: SME 312 to replace prior unipivot arm; lovely arm Shelter 301 added Installed Siemens NOS tubes to the Modulus 3A preamp to replace stock Russian tubes. Installed custom built 300b push/pull interstage four chassis amplifier. More than enough power; midrange as good as the SET 300b but this one has real bass and dynamics. The SET was very good in the dynamics; this one is better and has almost treble the power at 22 watts.

c123666

Owner
System edited: next upgrade is the amp; the bryston goes back in the closet as backup amp and a custom made SET interstage coupled 300b amp or a push/pull interstage coupled class A 300b amp will find its way here soon....that has to stop soon

c123666

Owner
System edited: added audible illusions modulus 3a with MC John Curl board....Alexis ML-9600 hard disk recorder...retired nakamichi zx9 in favour of CR7A....retiring audio note table/arm system in favour of new scheu premier II w/scheu classic 12" unipivot on order from Der Fatherland....Just Say Ja!

c123666

Owner
metal supports are standard 5/8 inch diameter threaded steel bars. They come in various lengths; mine are 36" and I recently found some couplers and added a second set of 36" supports for two more shelves to accomodate the new gear.

The 32" CRT is going to have to go away and get replaced by a 17 to 22" LCD mostly in the interests of space and to get rid of that damnably heavy beast.

c123666

Owner
System currently has Audible Illusions Modulus 3A with John Curl moving coil upgrade board; excellent linestage and not yet auditioned the phono stage as a cartridge is being mounted on my table soon. Current amp is backup Bryston 2BLp while I await a custom interstage coupled 300b single ended amplififer. I expect that in about 90 days as we want to fill orders for customers that pay first!

Added an Alesis ML9600 to begin the long and arduous task of moving my live DAT and cassette collection to CDR. Maybe I'll be done in five years....

c123666

And the metal supports/framework are what exactly please? Must it be cut to length?

Does the shelving come in other stains or is stainable?

[email protected]

Owner
in response to ketchup...

the shelves are pine laminate from argentina bought at home depot for 21 bux/ea....measure 48"w x 21"d x 2"h...perfect size..no cutting required other than to drill holes for my rack..no center supports required as these babies are stiff

c123666

Owner
I think I am sorry I decided to upgrade at all at this point and would have a lot more money in my bank account! But, I'll revisit this statement at such time as I take delivery of the custom 300b interstage coupled amplifier that s/b delivered before Xmas.

The P2SE (esp the Signature version) amplifier is one of the better values out there on the used market for a grand or so. The fact that your speaker options are much wider with this amp only increases its attractiveness. The Soro integrated amp with phono section is an even better value for about 1200/1400 used as it has the M1 phono preamplifier and the P2SE in one chassis; such a deal.

c123666

what were your thought on the sound of the Audio Note P2se amps in cmparison to theother amps you have heard or owned? Nice system!

vikkysingh

Owner
System edited: dared amps are very good but not the final answer...would like to upgrade preamp to audible illusions modulus 3a and amp to Manley Neoclassic 300b

c123666

I like the rack. Did you make it yourself? What kind of wood is that?

ketchup

Owner
I do not agree with Peter; I prefer the cleaner sound when they are placed at least three feet away from walls and use a REL sub to augment the bass below 40hz.

When I have the room the speakers will go back onto the floor or....a pair of Klipschorns!

c123666

I agree that this is a bad position for the speakers (height), but have in mind that Peter Qvotrup actually suggests placing
his speakers near the back wall and even in the corners
if possible!

[email protected]

Owner
System edited: recently added a "flexy stand" from TNTs DIY pages..nice idea but I still need a wall mount for the turntables but there simply is not enough room. I suppose I'll have to keep the dogs outa the room when using the table as they tend to know when I am spinning an album and then really want to bump against the stand and cause the needle skip. dogs

c123666

Owner
System edited: Threshold NS10 Preamp sold to a chap in Japan....all Audio Note sytem taking shape..sounds very good..amazing what 8 watts can do with the right speakers..imagine I thought a Levinson 27.5 was "adequate power" for my Thiel 2.2...my former audio note p2se powered those beasts of a speaker pretty well..

c123666

Owner
System edited: added vecteur L 4.2 cd player and audio note turntable

c123666

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