I've been building and upgrading my system for the past 5 years and have found something I can live for for a while. if I do any more upgrades it would a pair of Wilson Audio Sophias and possibly a better speaker cable.
I doubt if I'll make the switch to Gen V. I've got about 40K in cables. The madness has to stop somewhere. If anything I'll be upgrading my speakers to perhaps a MAXX 3. That's about it. Going forward I'll be investing in vinyl/software.
I'm sure it'll be revolutionary, but at a substantial price tag :). Once I'm done with these upgrades, I intend to listen and be content for some time. Do you intend on making the jump to Gen V?
Almost completely upgraded to TA RefXLMM2s. Also ordered a second TA PowerIsolator MM, and will be ordering an SRA Scuttle 3 or HRS SXR rack sometime this week. Can't wait!
The new Tri-Planar arm has been in the system for over a month and I can definitely say that it is an improvement over the older version. The soundstage has opened up and is better defined. There is better separation between the instruments. Also, there is better extension in the lower and upper frequencies. Additionally, the sound is more linear and neutral with the SE arm. The Carbon Fiber arm wand accents the plinth nicely. Anyone who's contemplating the upgrade, I would highly recommend it.
With the Ref MM2's you get more of everything. Better soundstage, better dynamics, more of both ends of the frequency spectrums. It's as if someone turned up the volume. Moving up is highly recommended.
As you know I, too, subscribe to the audible magic created by TA. I'm currently at Ref level MM1. I do own a TA Ref XLMM2 IC that connects the MA-1 to the L2. Can you tell me about your TA Ref MMs?
Hi Skateman. CJ & Cary are a great match, especially the Prem 16 and the 805's. The tiles do make the room a little lively and I did have room treatments. I have a new room now and will post new images.
Great looking (I'm sure it sounds great as well) system Sanji! I'm a big fan of the CJ gear as well as Cary. Unfortunately my local dealer stopped carrying Cary. I noticed the bare tile floor and was wondering if you feel the need for room treatments.
Upgraded the Tri-Planar tonearm to the SE version with Carbon Fiber arm wand and silver cable. There is noticeable improvement in dynamics, sound staging from the MK VII and the system has better resolution in the higher frequencies. I expect the characteristics to improve as the cable breaks in more.
System Updated: Upgraded CD to Pre interconnect from Transparent Reference to Transparent Reference XL that is output and input impedance matched. Major improvement in dynamics, soundstaging, air and definition throughout the audio spectrum. The recording venue also became more apparant. The cable takes about 200 hours of break in to bring out its best. Highly recommended.
The Sophia 3's are one of the easiest speakers to drive. The Cary 805's are really magical with them. There are no bass issues and the mids, & trebles are very liquid and natural. Although the efficiency figures on the Sophia's are low, 87db, that's just a number. The soundstage is is truly 3 dimensional and it seems as if the artists are in the room with you. What's more the Sophia's are very is to setup and not fussy. I prefer the 211's over the 845, which have better detail.
Hi Sanji, I have wilson sophias 3 too which I partnered with Krell 600c amp, my preamp is sonic frontiers line 3.
I am also a tube fun and believe to have always a one tubed equipment in the chain. Since that I was happy with my setup my dealer offered me cary 805 AE and also I wonder if going on 845 or 201 tube direction is worthwile, because I felt that there were more potentials on sophias to be extracted. I appreciate if you describe more how your cary's are driven sophias, do you have any bass problems. Since that I understand you are already happy with your setup. I usually see cary 805 users are partnering their SET with more efficient speakers..Thanks
great looking setup. I consider the Sophia 3 myself as the next level after Harbeth shl-5 as i'm missing some resolution and bottom end. The local dealer in Israel doesn't have the Sophias so I can't audition. How wil you describe them ? Do your SET amps have enough juice for them ? [I'm with Pass labs xa 60.5]. Thanks
Sorry for the late response. Haven't been on A'gon for a while. I'm sure you've heard this before, but the best way to figure out what works is to try it in your system. Cables are very system dependent. For instance, I had Nordost Tyr with the Thiels, but when I upgraded to Wilsons, they were not the best match. Cardas in general makes very good cables. They probably are one of the best values today. As an alternative to the Golden Ref, I would also audition the Cardas Clear cables. They are very refined. From my most recent experience, I would highly recommend that you also give Transparent Reference cables a try. They are more expensive than Cardas, but you'll probably be pleasantly surprised. Hope this helps.
System edited: A lot has happened since 2008. I now have a completely new system. What began as a simple speaker update turned into a complete project. First off, I replaced the Thiel 2.3's with Wilson Audio Sophia 3's. In doing so, the speaker cables I had (Nordost Tyre) which worked well with the Thiels, didn't do as well with the Wilsons. The sound was a little bright & edgy with not a lot of bottom end. After a long and exhausting search and speaking folks in the industry, I settle with Transparent Audio Reference MM2. Then came the amp upgrade. I had enjoyed the Conrad Johnson Premier 11A for close to a decade and thought it was time to try something different. I chose the SET route and settled with the Cary 805AE. An amazing amp and an amazing change in sound. Then came a significant upgrade to Analog playback system. I moved up from the VPI Scoutmaster to the Grand Prix Audio Monaco. The GP Monaco is probably one of the most well kept secrets in high end audio. This table is the one to beat at ANY price range. In choosing an analog rig, I listened to the Clearaudio Master Reference, Continuum Criterion, VPI HRX, Avid Acutus and SME 30/12. To me the Grand Prix was the best all around table when it came to sound staging, retrieval of detail, speed accuracy, transient response, dynamics and overall balance. Combined with the Tri-Planar arm it was a fantastic combination. For a cartridge choice, I settled with a Benz Ebony high output MC. The phono stage choice was a tough one. After auditioning the Boulder 1008, Burmester 100, Jadis DPMC, I settled for the Audio Research Reference 2SE. It had the best of both tube & solid state virtues. Amazing soundstage, wonderfully transparent, extremely quiet, simple to use and above all very musical. Since the Transparent REF MM2 worked so well in my system, I settle for a mix of REF MM2 & REF XL interconnects. Come the evening, the system warms up for about half an hour, I pour a glass of wine and put on an LP and I am in heaven.
