This was an experiment that got slightly out of hand. I had given myself a limit of $1500 per section--source, amplification, speakers. You can do pretty well for that, right? At the time, it seemed like a heck of a lot.
I had a simple system I loved when I was a young guy, built around vinyl and tubes. Then a big life change made the hobby impossible for almost 20 years. I started to ease back in around 1990. Having worked in audio I knew how dear it could get, so I made the $1.5K rule.
Two things happened: I made a little money, and I found some audio buddies who knew more than I did. The $1.5K-per-section rule turned into a $1.5K-per-upgrade rule. I've gone over that once or twice in the ten years this system has been in the making.
I think I did really well thanks to good advice, the Internet and plain luck. Like everyone else, I believe all my gear is great value. I still marvel when I listen. I say to myself, "How come I get to have sound this good?" Sweet, detailed, liquid, lively, dimensional, real-sounding.
No, it doesn't really give me a window on the original performance. That's for the true high end. But it does communicate the energy of the musicians, the sound quality of their instruments and the inspiration of the composers, in spades, with all kinds of music.
And there is a bonus. There are a lot of people around who love music, and believe the hype about CDs because they don't know the truth. They think digital blows away everything that came before it. They love CDs on my system... and then I put on an LP.
Charisma's top of the line as of end-2021. To my ear, this cartridge has no faults.
Well Tempered Labs Amadeus GTA.a
Even with a cost-conscious Denon DL103R, this turntable eliminates everything that bothered me about previous setups.
Apple Mac Mini 2012
Running iTunes and Pure Music software. Music library and backup on FireWire external discs. UpTone Audio MMK 12VDC board installed, powered from UpTone JS-2 linear regulated power supply.
WiFi is external, on a USB dongle, so internal WiFi and Bluetooth both turned off. USB connection runs through UpTone IsoREGEN powered by UpTone UltraCap 1.2.
Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 USB
Audiomat Tempo 2.9
Teo Audio Kronon
Klyne Audio Arts SK-5A
Refurbished, restored and upgraded July 2011 and August 2021 by Klyne Audio Arts.
Audiomat Aria
Tube integrated with 4 EL34s running mostly in Class A.
Atlas Ichor
biwire
Capriccio Continuo (ATD) Admonitor
Monitor section of two-box speaker (Verity Audio style). On factory stands. Italian.
TEAC V-8030s
My Nak was stolen and I got this from insurance. It's a very good deck, and I still need to make tapes sometimes.
JAS Audio Cu/Ag9 AC cord
Four of these cords in the system. One feeds the IsoClean power bar, the others the preamp and monoblocks.
Acoustic Zen El Nino AC cord
High-value budget cord, good on digital sources. One each on transport and DAC.
Target TT1
A wall shelf is the best turntable support you can have in most cases. This one is welded steel with adjustable spikes to support the shelf.
Black Diamond Racing Cones
Types 3 & 4, mixed, under preamp and transport.
Isoclean 106
Six-outlet power bar. Had a remarkable effect: seemed to synchronize the music. Must have.
Herbie's Audio Labs Grounding Bases
Stainless steel disc with a central dimple, sitting on a thick disc of damping compound. 20 of them in the system, in 2 sizes, placed anywhere there are spikes or cone tips, like under the TT base's spikes. Most noticeable effect of these is under the BDR cones and under the speakers.
Herbie's IsoCup Ball & cup footers
These support the tube monoblocks.
Herbie's Audio Labs Tube Dampers
These are used on both driver and output tubes in the Audio Space monoblocs. Well worth their cost in improved resolution.
Yes the plinths have made significant improvement, both sets of speakers sound better on them. As for the sub on the maple block, the bass is much tighter/tuneful. It did, however, need a bit of a volume increase to achieve the same SPL when raised from the floor.
Are you still using the Shearwaters? You have had those for quite sometime. I had to sell mine when we moved into an apartment while waiting for a house builder. I've thought about getting another pair but my room is probably too small for them. Nice to see a faithful listener.
Beautiful set up. After reading your comment I have to say it looks as if you are getting true high end. How much use does your cassette deck get? I owned a Teac V-800X (purchased new) but sold it as it sat for years without being turned on.