That is a saweet system you got there... I like those speaker stands... I'm not happy with the stands that I have and will replace them when opportunity knocks... Loks good...

leorousseau March 02, 2013 13:29

Funny story your obtaining the speaker stands. As one of my systems the speakers sat on milk crates. You are lucky in stereo gear.

Handsome, system with some more than good gear. Cool.

glenfihi March 02, 2013 01:53

System edited: added the PS Audio phono preamp a few months ago and found it to be a big upgrade over the on board preamp in the MF A5.5

tbone1 February 10, 2013 14:12

A while back you had commented how my main system evolution and yours had followed similar paths. Another chapter to the story.

In my second system, which had a Prima Luna PL2 tube integrated amp and a Rega Apollo CD player as its anchor components, I had been using small monitor type speakers. These speakers fit inside a closed back standing bookcase and were turned on their sides. All this, so the cats could not get at them.

Over the past six years, I went from Rega Ara's (really incredible monitors picked up NOS for $250 from a dealer in Canada) to Energy RC 10's (which sounded really good, but only when placed inside the bookcase, as opposed to outside of it) to Spendor A1's (which I hated, but to be fair the placement probably had a lot to do with it) to Totem Mites (which I liked a lot). Well, the Totems got moved to a bedroom system and the Energy wound back up in my 2nd system, which sees a lot of use as it is alongside my computer and the main TV in the apartment.

Why am I going through all this?

For a 54th birthday present, I treated myself to a pair of Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 monitors. OMG just about wraps up my reaction. These are the the type of speakers that find me re-listening to my entire CD collection again.

The moral of the story ... I would say try tubes, though I am partial to Musical Fidelity amplifiers. Before I went with tubes I had the MF A300 power amp and the CD PRE 24 paired together. Very sweet sounding, but tubes were sweeter. Second, find a way to hear the Ascend Acoustics Sierras, they are something else.

Be well,

Rich

rar1 July 06, 2011 21:41

System edited: just added a Ortofon MC-3 Turbo cartridge and some heavy 2" maple blocks under the amp and TT.

tbone1 April 04, 2010 13:39

System edited: added photo of my "new" Thorens. This is a great way for us "poor folks" to experience Swiss/German engineering for a lot less than the cost of a Mercedes or BMW. Vinyl is cool again...Groovy!

tbone1 March 06, 2010 14:46

System edited: I just replaced my old Yamaha turntable with a Thorens td-147 that I got through A'gon. This table is beautiful to look at and sounds terrific!

tbone1 February 17, 2010 15:31

Really!!! When I auditioned several speaker cables the AP silver did change the sound in mid and lower bass.

lapierre December 25, 2009 20:51

System edited: I couldn't really tell a difference when I replaced my cheapo IXOS speaker cable with the AP oval 12's.

tbone1 December 23, 2009 14:29

what about interconnects for cd and dvd? I have the best monsters that I could buy from Best Buys on now. Would the blue jeans ic's be a significant upgrade? I don't want to spend a ton of $ if I don't have to.

tbone1 December 20, 2009 15:28

I just received my A+ speaker cable...Clear Oval. You should like it very much. They do need break in time. A+ is a warm cable with very good detail. You should like it.

Rantzmar

rantzmar December 20, 2009 04:55

Analysis plus oval 12 bi-wire speaker cables are on the way

tbone1 December 19, 2009 18:48

Tbone congratulations on the new Mani-2's.

It is amazing how these smaller speakers can really produce good sound. Ensure you evaluate several good speaker cable to improve on midrange and bottom end.

lapierre December 13, 2009 23:40