MY Place sbayne

by sbayne on Ever Evolving

Description

High priority on tone, soundstage and overall balance of sound.
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Components Toggle details

    • Aerial Acoustics 20T V2
    These speakers are version 2 of Aerial Acoustics' pinnacle speaker design. The workmanship is outstanding. They have 2" thick cabinet walls with heavy cherry veneer. The wiring and components are all premium grade. They use a 4" ribbon tweeter and proprietary Scan-Speak drivers. A true 20HZ to 20,000HZ speaker that is very musical.
    • Eversolo DMP-A10 and AMP-F10
    These are Eversolo's top-of-the-line power and digital preamp, DAC, streamer and DSP components. They are designed to work together and to keep all electronic noise to an absolute minimum. The A10 uses dual power supplies - one for analog and one for digital. Its volume control is a stepped-ladder R2R. And, has a built-in proprietary clocking system. The signal-to-noise ratio is over 130Db!

    The F10 power amplifier uses dual differential power modules, dual power supplies and a proprietary DC filtering system. I run two of them as monoblocks for an incredible 950 w/ch  and 70dB of current

    With the Aerial 20T V2 speakers these  components present a huge soundstage that is silky smooth and powerful.
    • ModWright Signature Truth SCD XA5400ES
    ModWright Signature Truth SCD XA5400ES with external tube rectified power supply. I've added Sophia Electric blue 6SN7 tubes to the output stage. I still have a significant CD collection. Overall, great analog type sound.
    • Audioquest Dragon Interconnects, Power Cables and Speaker Cables
    Expensive but worth it if you want the absolute best out of your system.
    • 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.
    • Synergistic Research: Atmosphere XL-4, Atmosphere, Mini-Atmosphere, FEQ X4 (2), UEF Dots, UEF Panels, Risers, ECT and GCT
    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!
    • Synergistic Research Tranquility Pod
    The Tranquility Pod hasowered UEF and grounding technology.  It works with the SR Atmospheres that I have distributed around the room. Very effective with digital sources.
    • Electric Bamboo, ADD-Powr Sorcer and ElectraClear EAU-1
    The Electric Bamboo is an excellent but very rare line conditioner. All hand-built around a massive transformer wired and grounded in the classic star configuration.  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.
    • Vera-Fi Audio MainStream, SnubWay and Puron AC Line Conditioners
    I use these conditioners as additives to my power conditioner. They give a more realistic presentation/soundstage and reveal more texture and impact to the overall sound especially in 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 on 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.
    • Akiko Audio Tuning Stick; Kemp QA Plug (2) and Zero One (2)
    The Akiko Audio tuning stick is another grounding product that works with internal crystals.  The Kemp and Zero One products keep  the electrons spinning around the electronic signals as uniform as possible and add a more standard frequency Schumann Resonance as compared to the Synergistic Research products which variable frequencies. .
    • Audio Magic Pulsed Electron Alignment
    The PEAs are battery powered and affect Spintronics have 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.
    • StillPoint footers with risers
    I use original Stillpoints (with risers) under my amp, amp's power supply, streamer and DAC. These are still some of the best footers available in my opinion.
    • Perfect Path Technologies Total Contact, RCA caps, Stop-It duplex plugs, E-Mats & E-Cards
    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 components.
    • Timbernation Stand and Platforms
    Solid maple platforms stained cherry.

Comments 589

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Owner
Thanks everyone for your kind words!

sbayne

Congrats on the Shindo 301!! Great system you've put together.

doc_stereo

Hello Scott, Way to go with your addition of the Shindo 301 Player system. Unbelievable music making machine...enjoy!

Best, Alan

unoear

Well done!!

You're becoming a Shindologist.

lapierre

Owner
System edited: I've added the Shindo 301 to my system and CH Audio Design field coils to my Valencias. Not much to say other than these are major steps forward.

sbayne

Owner
Thanks Mjcmt. I've been around this hobby for many years. I'm starting to realize the way to improve a sound system is not through whiz-bang electrical engineering but through time-tested changes in the mechanical aspect of reproducing sound. In the Altecs for example, the winding of the voice coil, the quality of diaphram, the ratio of woofer to horn size, cabinet resistance (how much it flexes) and many other factors all add to the sound of the Altecs. Thats why I've been drawn to Shindo equipment. I've never met the man but its obvious Shindo understands this is as much art as it is science. He refines well-known, time-tested designs. Nothing fancy. Just a lot of hard-work and passion for music. I now realize the "old" Altecs made a lot of musical sense back in the 1960s and still do today.

sbayne

Love your Altecs. I had a friend in high school that had a Dynaco SS system and the Valencia (circa '68-'70) speakers. I was blown away by his system and it started me down the journey of high end audio. I will never forget those speakers and would love to own a pair someday.

Congratulation on a beautiful system.

mjcmt

Owner
Hi, still with the Valencias. Remarkable how good these are with the Shindo amps I have.

sbayne

Are you still liking the Valencias or are you moving on?

bnrlaw

ahhh, I see. A Shindo TT or speakers would round out your system very nicely. I see you've got a pretty bad case of the Shindo bug! :)

mikeyc8

Owner
Hi, I have a F2A Cortese as well so that is what I'm currently using for an amp. I'm just trying to raise some money to perhaps go into a pair of Shindo speakers or Shindo turntable. Scott

sbayne

Scott, I notice you're selling your Sinhonias, what are you planning to replace them with?

mikeyc8

Owner
Thanks Ken. I have not tried the bass busters although I probably will at some point in time.

sbayne

Hi Scott.

Love the changes you've made. I would love to hear those Valancia's some day myself. Do you have any room treatments on board? I thought I spotted some ceiling-corner tune's in one of your pics, and I see the Shatki Hallograph resonators in your corners. It seems you would really benefit from some 1/4 round bass busters in the corners behind the speakers?? Maybe you've tried them?

Nice job on a very fine system.

Regards,
Ken

kehut

Owner
Think of this way: they shoot across the width of the room not the length - so they shoot across a 15' distance. What you see in the pictures is an enclove where my equipment and albums sit which then opens into a much bigger area that extends 35' in length. The short answer to your question is yes I would use Altec Valencias in a fairly large room because that horn and woofer need room to breath.

sbayne

I'm not sure I understand. Your pix would indicated you have them set up on the short (15 ft.) wall. If your room is 35 ft. long and they are only 5 ft. from front wall and you sit just in front of back wall, wouldn't this make you about 30 ft. away from them?

bnrlaw

Owner
Mine shoot into a room thats about 35' long and 15' wide with 10' ceilings. The speakers sit out about 5' from the front wall. I sit just in front of the back wall which puts me about 9'-10' away from the speakers. I messed with the toe-in a lot. Finally decided on toe-in point that falls just in front of my listening position. Hope this helps.

sbayne

I, too, am interested in the Valencias but have heard they need some room to breathe. Would you be so kind as to share your room dimensions and how far you sit from the speakers?
Thanks!

bnrlaw

Owner
The Harbeths are excellent speakers. I could have lived with them much longer if I had not found these Valencias locally and given them a try. Its fairly obvious Ken Shindo uses speakers like Altec to voice his amps. I can't say the Valencias sound better in any particular area than the Harbeths but I can say they just sound "right" with my Shindo amps - thats the only way I know how to explain it.

sbayne

very nice.... love to hear your comments on how the Valencias compare to the Harbeths.

mikeyc8

Owner
System edited: OK, I did it - I bought a Shindo SET amp. I found locally a primo pair of Altec Valencia 846A speakers so I just had to try a Shindo SET. The overall tone and balance of the sound is excellent. I still think the Shindo Sinhonia F2a mono amps offer a better defined bass than the Cortese but with the Altecs the Cortese just sounds a little better through the treble and upper midrange - its a very close call though. Also, I went back to the Olive music server in my main system. I still listen mostly to analog but it is nice to have your whole CD collection at your fingertips.

sbayne

Thanks for your responses.
Enjoy your system. Looks like a lot of fun.

bnrlaw

Owner
Bnrlaw: Just to add a couple more thoughts on your question. The top end on the Sinhonias is very refined - much like a good SET amp. However, you can drive pretty much any speaker you want with them. With these amps there is really no reason to go to a higher efficiency speaker. The Harbeth 40.1 are excellent performers top to bottom which mate well with the amps so that is why I went with them.

sbayne

Owner
You wanted to know where I stand on the high eff/low power debate. Personally, I think its hard to get the lower midrange and bass right without sufficient watts which usually means push/pull designs. Thats not to say SET amps, when mated with the proper speakers or horns, cannot have excellent low ends i.e. Shindo's field coil speakers. I may eventually end up owning a pair of Devore, Living Voice, Audio Physic or something similar. I'm not sure I would go to a Shindo Cortese or 300b amp though - I would probably keep the Sinhonias. But, of course, I never say never when it comes to audio.

sbayne

Thanks for response.
I understand that the Shindos can drive the Harbeths, but I am curious to know whether you looked into higher efficiency speakers and simply rejected them in favor of the Harbeths.

bnrlaw

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