Kenny's System

by kennythekey on Ever Evolving
Listening Area
New Sub Grills
With Black Grills
With No Grills
DIY Subs - Rythmik plate amp installed.
TW Acustic Raven One
Ortofon Verismo
TW-Acustic 300 B SET
Amps - No covers front.
Amps - No covers rear.
McIntosh MR-71 Re-invented
Finished Rack

Description

I finally started piecing together gear that was built and known to work together. This came after discovering the sound that does it for me. To me, the first most important component.

Latest updates:

March 14, 2023 - Finally an important upgrade to my system, replacing my Shilabe cartridge with the Ortofon Verismo. It was a little work to set up with my Ortofon RS 309D arm, but getting the overhang right-on and the null points perfect was worth the time spent. Even after the initial drop of the Verismo, the sound is wonderful. I’m way happy, and only care about listening as I write this. More later about the sound as it breaks in.

November 27, 2022 - It's been a while. We moved twice since my last system update. A new home, so a different listening room even though my setup is somewhat identical. The room has a smaller footprint than previously, but it lends itself better to my Horning Aristoteles that are suited for medium sized rooms. The system is now playing loud at 10 o'clock with my 6-watt amps and benefiting from that. I've finally added two sets of speaker grills for my open baffle subs, so front and back. Why?…Because, it was fun!

August 10, 2019 - My daughter, Kelly, has purchased her first turntable, a Rega Planar 2. After reading about this table's sensitivity to vibration, especially in close proximity to speakers, I was surprised that there was zero effect from vibration when we turned up the volume with her speakers less than one foot from the table. The speakers are normally pulled out into the room, but not for this initial TT test. The bass was generous and I did some jumping up and down without issue. Is the cheap Ikea Lack Rack that we built handling all of this? If so, impressive.

May 2, 2018 - My daughter's audio rack is now completed. A really fun to build project on the cheap. What added the most cost, was using Herbie's Giant Threaded Stud Gliders for the bottom base. And, full length hard maple inserts for the legs.

March 23, 2018 - Work is progressing for daughter's first audio rack. Cost is a priority, as her first audio system is coming together. We decided on a DIY rack built from 4 IKEA Lack side tables ($8 each).

October 17, 2017 - Added NoRez material to quiet the sub cabinets from being heard. My system is sounding great in my open floor plan. Most of the DIY work was done by Jay (Captainhemo) who builds and sells custom flat packs for the sub cabinets up in British Columbia. You can find him on Audiocircle and you can see from my pics that he does marvelous work.

June 6, 2017 - Upgraded my Raven 1 table with latest bearing and Black Night feet. Background is blacker, sound is smoother, and bass is better. Added Townshend Isolation Bars to my subs. The subs work seamlessly with my Horning speakers, and have finally provided me with a full range sound that is also relaxed.

Kenny

Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 14’ × 18’  Medium
Ceiling: 12’

Components Toggle details

    • TW Acustic Raven One
    A wonderfully simple, but extremely well made design. Sounds fantastic. Tonearm: Ortofon RS-309D Cartridge: Ortofon Verismo, Miyajima Shilabe Tweaks: Motor Control: AC/MC Isolation: Silent Running Audio platform. Black Night feet. Platter Mat: TW-Acustic/Zanden Audio 5mm. Fuse: HiFi-Tuning Supreme. And, upgraded the bearing.
    • Ortofon RS-309D
    Great arm that works with the Raven. If I add another arm to the TT, this one will stay for mono.
    Update 2023 - This arm is still performing exceedingly well from what I hear!
    • Miyajima Shilabe
    My first truly high end cartridge, and the only I've tried with my Raven TT.

    2/15/2023 - This may be my first upgrade in quite some time. I have a new cartridge in mind and more on this later.
    • Ortofon Verismo
    MC Cartridge to replace my Shilabe. A true upgrade in you-are-there presentation, detail, and more nuanced.
    • Tron Seven - Phono
    Hand made Phono Amplifier that can be custom built. This one includes the caps from the Reference model and pseudo balanced outputs added for convenience. Tweaks: HiFi-Tuning fuse.
    • Boulder L-3ae
    A temporary solution while saving up for a new line stage. I recently had Boulder Amplifiers upgrade the caps, and now the sound is wonderful.

    2023 - I’m still using the L-3ae and have no plans of replacing it. It’s become invisible to the rest of my system. I don’t know what those guys at Boulder Amplifiers did, because I thought my system setup would benefit from a tube line stage. All I can say, it’s your ears that count.
    2024 - I’m in the hunt for a new line stage, but require an in my room comparison against the Boulder.
    • TW-Acustic 300 B SET
    Mono Block, 6 watts. Best component that I ever added. Now, I hear anything and everything that I change in my system. It brings my system together like it's sewn together from the same fabric. Designed and hand built by Thomas Woschnick.

    Added Western Electric Vintage Wire Cables by Shun Mook. Sometimes, the risks we take pay off. If you’re about aesthetics be aware that these 14 foot stiff cables are not meant to be neatly wound up and placed for looks. Please contact Shun Mook about the cabling and grounding options in order to find out the best way to set up these cables. I can’t remember anymore (LOL)!!!
    • McIntosh MR-71 Re-invented
    A long-term personal project started in 1989, as I first found the MR-71 chassis heaped on top of other non-working and discarded gear. I simply could not let it die, and the price was right. Restored by Audio Classics and then upgraded by Sam's Audio Labs. The tuner sounded very good after Audio Classic's work, but Sam's transformation to full triode, wow! Birdseye Maple cabinet was built by High Quality Reproduction Cabinets who specialize in old gear.
    2024 - After moving to a new home, I would discover not only the loss of my favorite stations, but the FM reception is poor right here. Looks like streaming will replace this old classic.
    • Horning Aristotle Zigma Ultimate
    This one has the DX65 drivers and finished in Apple Wood. The cabinetry is superb. These loudspeakers have given me "my"sound in spades. Their low end if driven properly is suberb. However, my house move took me to a setup with a large open space when the loudspeakers want a medium sized room with corners. This is the only reason, I added the DIY subs. And, I'm glad I did.

    2/15/2023 - That was then. I’ve moved twice. Damn, I’m happy. Got it altogether now in a better and much loved space. Yeah.
    • DIY - GR Research/Rythmik Sub Project Open Baffle
    The cabinets are designed and offered as a kit from Jay (captainhemo) on Audiocircle. Jay built the cabinets for me, and they are finished to match up with my speakers. The cabinets use GR Research servo drivers in combination with specifically integrated and external Rythmik servo plate amps. This is a patented design between GR Research and Rythmik. Even though this has been a long process to set up and tweak for me, the subs work seamlessly with my Horning speakers. Tweaks: Townshend Isolation Bars. The Bars completely cured previous oscillation problem from mechanical feedback to my turntable. I've also added 2 sets of speaker grills for the front and back. Jay can also provide the grills.

    2/15/2023 - My new room and home for my setup still includes both the Hornings and custom Subs. I have zero oscillation issues here. Tweaking the subs to the space has proven to be the best unexpected upgrade for me.
    • DIY Siamese Rack
    I built this to my specific requirements, so didn't really save me money as a DIY project. However, very rewarding and just what I wanted. Thanks to everyone on Audiogon who helped me out with this project.
    • Power: Various
    Panel: Intermatic all house surge protector with replaceable protection
    modules.
    Source: Two dedicated and isolated ground 20 amp circuits.
    Components: Brick Wall surge protector for TT Motor Controller and Boulder line stage.


Comments 148

Showing all comments by loki_ut.

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Kenny,
I think I am almost as excited as you are! Congratulations for thinking outside the box and pushing TW to creating these beautiful amps. I suspected those where your amps Jeff was playing around with :) And I think that is part of what will make them so special. Jeff seems to have had a hand in voicing them, so I expect nothing but perfection when paired with his usual Horning/Cessaro speakers.

I totally understand your power reservations jumping into the SET world. I felt the exact same way. Knowing I was headed toward the Aristoteles I had been pushing Jeff toward using a 845 amp. We had actually decided to use the Border Patrol SET 300b amp when the deal on the Thoeress gear popped up. (I was starting from scratch again and only had the $$ for speakers and amp initially, but a door opened that let me grab the speakers, Thoeress 845's and preamp at the same time). I had real concerns about using a 300b amp power wise and was very happy the 845's fell into my lap.

With my recent little experiment in the 45/2A3 world, I now know my fear was completely unfounded. (With the caveat of a moderate sized dedicated room, with concrete outside walls and double 5/8 interior walls, no sound leakage at all).

I believe the Tron Atlantic was a much needed addition to Graham's lineup. He needed an amp that would fit in the price level of the Seven pre/phono (original plan for me was full fxn Seven Pre before Thoeress Pre). However it is much in the vain of the Dennis Had amp, compact chassis with modest power supply. I think Gary Dew of Border Patrol has already proven with his monster outboard power supplies that "modest" output SET amps can really benefit from overbuilt power supplies. I really think I may end of giving the TW 45 amps a try, especially if I can twist TW's arm to add bias switch to use 2A3 tubes also. Will talk to Jeff when he gets back from Cali to see if I am completely crazy.

Two last thoughts. You mentioned the Takatsukis 300b's, that certainly does seem to be the dream tube to try. But I would not discount the EML 300b's, I noticed Gary had a quad in his amp at Axpona this year. I have been to his house when I was looking at the Border Patrol amps and we had a long talk about current production 300b's. Lots of great things to say about the TA300, mentioned some reliability problems for the Sophia at that time (3 yrs ago). For him to be using the EML tube at a show certainly caught my eye given his experience with 300b amps. Also EML has a great warranty if you register you tubes, 18 months/5 years. Just got a set of 45 mesh myself.

Also, big thanks for the construction pictures. I get a little geeked out looking at how the amps are constructed and pieced together. Would love to pass along my email address if you don't think TW would mind you sharing the build pics.

Congrats again and enjoy.

loki_ut

Charles1dad
I think you nailed it the head. The jump to the TW should bring bigger/?better power and output transformers. Power supply should also be more robust. If you google 45 Fire Bottle you will see the Dennis Had amp is a small stereo chassis with modest transformers and a single oil cap in the power supply. I suspect the move to the TW mono blocks will hopefully supply more current than the Had amp can. Should help bring back some more of the lower extension and overall slam. I dropped in a pair of EML 45 mesh tubes yesterday and did exactly that to a smaller extent. I think all of this reinforces that it's not necessarily the Watts that matter, but how much and how quickly the amp can move current. Fun stuff for sure.

loki_ut

Charles1dad,
I need to clarify, I do not have an amp from TW yet. Like Kenny, I had concerns about how well the 95dB/W Aristotle would behave with a flea watt amp. But Jeff kept telling me how much he was enjoying the 45's even if they didn't have as powerful as a presentation.

The amp I purchased was 45 Fire Bottle made by Dennis Had of Cary Audio fame. He started making misc amps and selling them via a famous internet auction site after he "retired" 3 years ago. The 45 amp is based on a 45 SET Cary actually made and never mass produced. He freely agreed to add the 45/2A3 switch which to me would emulate the 45/6B4G options of the TW amps. At the price, I thought it a grant chance to try out the flea watt amps before sinking money into the more expensive TW options.

I have been really surprised how well the Aristotle have behaved with the 1.5W amp, I don't want to drift too far away unless you want me to. But short version is I lose about 1/2 octave in bottom extension, some definition to instrument/ambients, and some slam compared to the 845s. But there is an uncanny "rightness" to the presentation from the 45 SET, including heavier rock like Led and Smashing Pumpkins. I have yet to notice them clipping despite my many attempts. Another interesting thing I noted, the slight loss of definition with the 45 seems to make studio recordings sound a little more like a live recording in an open venue. Some of the tightness and definition the 845s add back make me more aware that the instruments are in relatively confined spaces of studios with mics close by. Now you can clearly state that this is more true to the recording, but I am finding the less "true" presentation of 45 SET often more enjoyable.

This presentation is very close to what I think Kenny was describing above as "utterly relaxed sound and high resolution that puts me in my happy place"

Selling the 845 amps will allow me to upgrade my Rega TT to a TW TT now, and then if I am still happy with the lower Watt amps, a TW amp in the future. If the 1.5-3W isn't cutting it, I suspect the 300b will knock it out the park also.

(if you are more curious about the 845/45 difference, I will post parts of an email I sent back to Dennis after listening to both amps for a while).

loki_ut

Also out of curiosity, did TW mention in your conversations where he is sourcing the power and output transformers? Is the third cover on top for power supply caps or possibly an interstate transformer?

loki_ut

Very exciting indeed! I missed RMAF this past year, but did drop by Jeff's loft after to hear the 6B4G/Eufrodites. Plenty of power for his big loft. I have the previous generation Aristotle myself with Thoeress Pre/845 amps. Because of all the great things Jeff said about the TW 45/6B4G amps I picked up a 45/2A3 amp to give a try. In my room 15x19x10.5, there is plenty of power. You should really be rocking with the 300b's. I will say, the sound of the 45 tubes is really beguiling. Will probably end of up selling the 845s to get the TW 45 amps (will try to talk him into adding a bias switch for 2A3 for those really rocking moments). I think you are in for a real treat indeed.

loki_ut

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