My Room In The House

by ssglx on Ever Evolving
listening position 2010
equipment racks Feb 2014
From the listening chair Feb 2014
Another view

Description

My system has indeed evolved over the past several years. I tend to keep components and cables that I like, rather than sell them when I get an itch to make a change.

Now I run two systems side-by-side, and just swap components or cables when I want a fresh experience.

I do get a a terrific level of musical and sonic enjoyment from the system.

My room also has great acoustics. Moderately damped, but retains quite good imaging and liveliness. No room treatments other than the furniture.

I have a soft spot for Soliloquy speakers, Monarchy electronics, and Nordost and Mapleshade cabling.
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Components Toggle details

    • Soliloquy 5.0
    2003 cabinets with 2004 drivers.
    • Audio Electronics (Cary Audio) AE-3 Mk II
    Very nice. Good bass and treble extension. Very good tonal color. Outfitted with Sophia Electric tubes. Substantial difference in solidity of sound.
    • Monarchy Audio SM-70 Pro (pair)
    Zero global feedback. Class A. Only 24 watts/ch in stereo mode, but a very nice sounding amp. Currently running each amp in stereo mode, but biamping into the Soliloquy 5.3 speakers.
    • Audio Refinement Complete CD Player Alpha Version
    smooth sounding player, helped immensely by better power cords.
    • Audience Au24
    two 1-meter pairs
    • Nordost Heimdall
    A great sounding interconnect. I have two pair. Good bass, accurate and warm midrange with good tone, very sweet and resolved high end.
    • Mapleshade Golden Helix
    Most satisfying speaker cable that I've tried. It sounds like hell right after uncoiling, but mellows after that to give fantastic detail, brightly lit colors, fast and full bass, and a smooth midrange. Great clarity also.
    • Soundstring PC digital
    A good $40 cable purchased from Venus HiFi. Quite acceptable on my CD Player. Held up well in my tests of several other cords.
    • Audience Maestro Interconnect
    This is a good sounding cable. Its balance is slightly warmer than the Au24. Currently used on my tuner.
    • Dedicated Line Furutech 15a Gold Outlet
    I had a dedicated line installed, 12 gauge Romex, with a Furutech 15a Gold Plated outlet. A nice change. Not stunning, but over time I've noticed my system sounds consistently clean, where before I would get some "grime" on higher notes and voices.
    • Marantz DV 6001
    Universal Player. Quite excellent for the price. Very refined sounding, bright with good tonal color.
    • Bang & Olufsen Beogram TX
    Aquired in January 2010. It works and sounds pretty good for a 25 year old table! MMC-2 cartridge.
    • Hagerman Bugle
    Inexpensive battery powered phono pre-amp. Sounds pretty good for what it is.
    • Morrow Audio MA-2
    Two pairs. Wonderful sounding interconnect. It honestly gets me closer to the music. Extremely high resolution midrange coupled with a slightly laid back delivery. I really like it.
    • Apple TV Series 1
    160 gb version. Works great as an inexpensive music server. Outputs to a second input to my computer monitor.
    • Musical Fidelity V-dac
    A great sounding DAC and a good value. Warm and expressive.
    • Mapleshade Golden Helix Plus
    Bought a 2nd pair of these great cables for the new amp which only works with banana connectors.
    • Tortuga LDR3x Passive
    A light dependent resistor design. Remote control. Fantastic sounding preamp which I will switch in and out with my tube unit. Very good bass heft and balance which I did not find with other passives that I tried.
    • Furutech e-TP80 Conditioner
    One of the few units that did not color the sound. Using it mainly for a power strip and surge protection.
    • Musical Fidelity V-90
    Just getting to know it, but appears to be better in every way than my V-dac, which I like alot.
    • Kef 101
    Reference Series from the mid 1980's. Still sounds wonderful!
    • Monarchy Audio SM-70
    Mark II version. Purchased this model after I discovered that CC Poon was shutting down the brand. These amps are among the most transparent I have heard.

Comments 75

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Chris
I tried brass cones DIY, but had WAY better results with aurios types again DIY. Currently have under digital source the following combination: special polymer cones directly in contact with source chassis, supported on 3/16 steel plate treated with dampening material( silicone caulk ) cut aways for the cones resting spots, rolling ball underneath the steel plate. For the time being.

When my room is assembled ( moved recently and haven't finished unpacking the house goods yet so, stereo has to wait) I have the steel rolling bearings that support the plate placed on top of a MDF sandbox which has another steel plate on top.
Cumbersome but so far haven't been motivated to "mess" the nice sounds that come out of this contraption......
Have no rack. Every component seats on the floor on top of variations of the above combination. Floor is concrete in my case.
How long have you been using the Signal Cable IC. Do you expect improvements with more time ?

sol322

Ssglx:
I saw the Jacques Loussier CD at the bottom of your rack, one of my favorites.

After seeing the pictures and the system description, there is no mention about the rack or tweaks you are using.

What is the actual rack layout.
Is the player directly on the rack, have you tried cones on it
I've had great success in my system using vibration tweaks in player and amp.

Your comments
Luis

sol322

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