These speakers use a double tweeter array to produce the midrange. The Be tweeter between the arrays is used as the actual tweeter. Then two big ass woofers are added. Extremely well reviewed and high value speakers!
Mr K Passive Preamplifier PPA01
This is an extremely high quality autoformer based passive preamp. There is absolutely no noise but with with excellent soundstaging and dynamics.
Aria Audio Aria Signature MK2
This is a beautiful hand-built amplifier that puts out100 watts of Class A power with very high current capability. A extremely seductive yet authoritative sound with the Moabs.
MHDT Orchid
The Orchid DACs are legendary. They use the TDA 1541A R2R chip for a a realistic and natural sound. This Orchid was Bill Dion's (grannyring) personal DAC which he highly modified by doing the following:
- Upgraded the output capacitors to a custom made set of 2.2uf copper foil in beeswax, flat stacked design caps from Jupiter Condenser. Chris of Jupiter does not offer these out as they cost too much to build and takes too much time to manufacture. They are a sonic cut above the fantastic round Jupiter copper foil caps. - 4 Miflex KPCU-02 0.1 micro farad copper foil caps in other key positions. - 10 carefully selected resistor types located though-out the DAC
Innuos PULSE
Network Streamer internal with a RECAP2 power supply by Dr. Sean Jacobs built-in. Uses the innuOS 2.0 and Sense software. It's the best sounding streamer, OS and control software I've ever used. Here is more info:
⦿ Medical-grade filtered IEC
⦿ Audio-grade toroidal transformer with an epoxy-filled center for dampening vibration, magnetic screening with coated SYN-SHIELD copper tape between windings and wrapped in black Mylar Tape
⦿ Over 40000 µF of high-end Mundorf Capacitors
⦿ Coilcraft Inductor
Inakustik Referenz LS-2404 Air Interconnects and Speaker Cables
Inakustik Referenz LS-2404 Air Interconnects and Speaker Cables. These are meticulously made open-weave copper cables. Each strand is separated to insure an air insulation between the strands. It makes for an open very natural sound with the best bass I've had in my listening room. Expensive but worth it.
Network Acoustics Muon System
This is a complete digital cable system (filter, LAN cable, USB cable). This at a higher level than the famed EVO system.
Cayin Audio Mini-CD MK2
This is an excellent little CD player. I mostly stream but I still have hundreds of CDs.
DIY Power cables
DIY power cables. They use multi-strand copper, an open weave, cotton cord in the center and ERS cloth at both ends. It's the formula Danny Richie uses for his power cables. They have an open, airy yet very solid sound. The key is to break them in for hundreds of hours.
Synergistic Research Powercell 12 UEF
This is a classic power conditioner. It's UEF/EM based and compliments every component plugged in to it!
Synergistic Research Galileo SX Grounding Block
The Galileo SX Grounding Block makes the system absolutely silent at idle and creates very black backgrounds for music. I made my own "high definition" grounding cables.
Synergistic Research Black Box
The Black Box is a Low Frequency Resonator Array that works in conjunction with the Subwoofers, Atmospheres and FEQ X4 to solve bass node issues.
Synergistic Research ART System
This is Synergistic Research's older acoustic system that's based on resonators. It works very well with their current UEF system and provides excellent results. Complete ART systems are getting hard to find.
The UEF Panels, UEF Dots, Black Box, Risers, ECT and GCT are all types of sound resonators. I use an Atmosphere XL-4 (green ATM), Atmosphere (red ATM), FEQ X4 (2) (red ATMs) and Mini-Atmosphere (green ATM) - when used with the Synergistic Research control software they generate various frequencies of Schumann Resonances around the room. Bottom line they work: create a huge/realistic listening experience!
Townshend Audio Seismic Isolation Podiums
These decouple and "float" your speakers on a spring-loaded metal base. It opens-up the sound and adds solidity to the bass but doesn't make the sound harsh like most metal speaker bases.
Akiko Audio Tuning Stick; Kemp QA Plug (2) and Zero One (2)
The Akiko Audio, Kemp and Zero One products treat the signal and power in my system keeping the electrons spinning around the electronic signals as uniform as possible or by adding more standard frequency Schumann Resonances. These products are excellent at making your system sound more "natural".
Synergistic Research Tranquility Bases and Tranquility Pod
I use original MIGs under the Tranquility Bases.
Puritan 156, ADD-Powr Sorcer and ElectraClear EAU-1
The Puritan is an excellent line conditioner. The ADD-Powr and ElectraClear devices actually add electromagnetics (EM) to the AC line using an active circuit and algorithm. Contrary to popular belief not all EM is bad for sound quality in stereo systems. The proof is in the listening.
Puron AC Line Conditioner
I use this in the first outlet of my Synergistic Research power conditioner. It gives a more realistic presentation of vocals and reveals a little more texture and impact to the bass.
Stein H2 Harmonizer system
I have 4 Stein H2s in my system.I went with one in each of corner of the room with a Stein stone at each and a Stein diamond on the ceiling in the center of the room. They add layers and layers of depth with each vocalist/instrument being in their own separate but integrated spaces.
Tombo Audio Lotus Harmonic Enhancer
The bell on the top gives high resonance frequency while the tip on the top of the bell performs as a wave guide streaming high frequency up to the ceiling.
Swiss Digital Fuse Boxes
The Swiss Digital Fuse Box replaces the fuse in your component with a pure copper "sluggo". The "sluggo" comes in various types depending on what coating, if any, is applied to it. The bottom line it allows much more current to flow into the electronics which is especially important with high current power amps. Every part of the sonic presentation is enhanced. I now use one on my power amp, DAC and streamer.
This company has now closed because the owner has passed away. These products work to achieve a uniform and consistent RF/EMI and electron treatment around my components which greatly helps the sonics.
Audio Magic Pulsed Electron Alignment
The PEAs are battery powered. Spintronics is the ability to control or manipulate how electrons spin. Electrons spinning around electronic signals carry audio information. The goal of the PEA devices its to get the electrons spinning as uniformly as possible. It opens up the sound and makes subtle cues in the music even more real.
Timbernation and Bright Star Audio Platforms
Solid maple platforms stained cherry for electronics and Bright Star platforms for the subs.
System edited: Currently using a Project Extension 10 turntable with Grado Statement Master 1. This is an excellent combo and very high value. (Still have the Thorens 124 and Lenco 75 idler drives though!)
System edited: My system picture now shows the three resonators that I use. The large one is 9" and the smaller ones are 6". I placed a HFT from Synergistic Research inside of each one. I've also made my own HFT and have placed them through out the room and on my speakers. These work well by themselves but Synergistic Research's FEQ is designed to work with the HF. When the FEQ is activated the soundstage opens even more especially with the resonators that I am using. I believe the FEQ generates Schumann Resonance frequencies which audio companies have been experimenting with for years. In 2015 Synergistic Research is coming out with a product they call Atmosphere that from what I can tell manipulates Schumann Resonance frequencies in very specific ways in order to change the acoustic of your listening room. The companies that sell these types of items are definitely on to something but their products are fairly expensive so I'm trying my best to DIY at a reasonable cost.
Ppeters - This is an attempt to recreate the sound of a Highend-Novum resonator (here is a link:http://www.highend-electronics.com/highend_novum.html) which retails for $2,500! Its basically a deep brass bowl mounted directly between the speakers with a hanger thats designed to display bowls. I need to update my system picture because now I use a total of 3 DIY resonators with Synergistic Research HFTs mounted in the center. The sound is crazy good with a huge soundstage, extreme clarity but not harsh or bright. Look around I'm sure you can find some suitable brass bowls and then simply mount one between your speakers and listen!
Doing a lot of experimenting with DIY full-sized resonators and DIY small-sized resonators. The results are truly remarkable especially when a FEQ by Synergistic Research is added. The soundstage is huge and the clarity is like you are there but without a trace of harshness or brightness.
System edited: Went back to an idler drive turntable. Been around the block with a Garrard 301, Lenco 75 and now Thorens 124. All classics - fun stuff!
Made some major changes. Going battery powered. Life off the grid is a whole new audio experience! Also been using a DYI sound resonator. All I can say is WOW! More to come.....
I haven't posted in over a year. Nothing has changed in my system! What that means to me I'm finally off the merry-go-around of equipment!! Its all about the music now. Peace.
Bernardo - I agree they mostly help with imaging/soundstage. By changing the angle of the top diffuser you can literally tailor the soundstage to your liking. As you problem know many people use bass absorbers in the corners of their room to help with standing waves and other problems. I'm probably going to reexamine my room treatments this year - maybe even bring someone in to give me a professional opinion on it.
What if any affect do the Shakti Hallograph's have on bass response? Just curious as from appearance it seems like they would only affect imaging/sounstaging. I'm trying to decide what route to go with roomm treatment.
Bimbamboom - Speakers have been the bayne of my existence (pun intended, my last name is Bayne). The Philharmonic 3 looked good on paper because I've really enjoyed that planar midrange sound in the past but attaching them to a cone, dynamic bass driver always seemed to be a problem for speaker designers. I went the low watt, high efficiency speaker route for a number of years which was excellent but again I couldn't get the bass right. I think Dennis Murphy finally solved the problem by using an absolute top quality bass cone in a carefully crafted transmission line enclosure with semi-open baffle, and then, of course, the carefully crafted crossover to get it to be seamless with the planar midrange. Its a remarkable achievement IMO for any speaker, let alone a $3k one!!
Just a few comments on my "new" system. First, Shindo is probably the best you can buy - I know, I owned it. I wanted to buy another share in a very good friend's business so I sold off my Shindo gear. Do I regret it? A little bit. I've replaced it with the best value equipment I know of. Every component has been chosen with value in mind, but it MUST be musical. What I mean by musical is provide an emotional response when MUSIC is played. I could careless about sound effects and synthesized sounds. If you can't sit-down in my living room and play it for me without a rack of equipment then its NOT music....ie, if you need a vocalizer and digitizer to repeat the song then forget it. I have a decent receiver in my home theater to play sound. I want to listen to music.
The TRL, Philharmonic and Dobbins analog is the best value hi-fi I know of. I can still come home from a long day in the office, listen to my system and relax - not thinking about the electronics but just loving the music. Thats what this hobby is all about!!!!
System edited: I've been tweaking my Logitech Touch by adding a Welborne power supply and using a SimAudio 100D DAC. This has brought dramatically better sound to the digital side of my system. The Shindo 301 still walks all over it, but there is no debating it is convenient way to listen to your music!
