very musical and involving system. I can listen for hours without fatigue. Room size is 15x36x14 - actual listening area is 15x22 but the back is open to the kitchen and dining nook.
4 chassis unit with battery supply for builtin linestage - upgraded input opamps with Burson Audio discrete opamps - very nice overall improvement in sound quality.
Analysis Audio Amphitryon with ref. external xover
full range ribbon/planar. External xovers upgraded with Duelund Cast resistors and a mix of Mundorf Silver oil/VCap OIMP capacitors.
MIT Shotgun MA Biwire
36 points of articulation
MIT Magnum MA
selectable impedance for proper component matching
Adona Nemesis
with cherry trimmed multi element isolation platforms
Core Audio Design V.2 Model A amp stand
used for the ASR
Boston Audio tune blocks
used under PWD - with tungsten ball
Kaplan Cables HE 20 amp
copper 20 amp plug - used on ASR amp supplies x2
Kaplan Cables HE 3 amp conditioner power cord
with HIFI Tuning Supreme fuse - used on PS Audio PWD
Maestro power outlet
used on 3 20amp dedicated circuits
GIK Acoustics Tri-Trap corner bass absorber
I use 6 pieces
GIK Acoustics QRD Diffusor
custom covered in black material by GIK - used at the first reflection points
ATS Acoustics various sizes
used to control reflections on used on the front wall windows and behind chairs - 2" thick
JL Audio Fathom F112
2 subs - each crossed at 35hz/24db slope - level is set very low at about 9:30AM on the dial
8th Nerve corner/seam absorber
used in 4 upper corners - 2 seams on the side of my chairs
HIFI Tuning Supreme fuse
1 used in Kaplan cable - 2 used in the PWD dac
SurgeX SA20
20A surge protector/conditioner used for the JL Audio Subs
thanks Spin. I had my subs set up like your at first. I found that having them set further back really opened up the sound stage. It was quite dramatic in my system. I recently played with the xover point - I now have them at about 40hz - everything is sounding good to me ;) Give it a try and see if you like it.
Agear - I used the Burson single OPA DIP - I got the IC socket extenders from Digikey - search for part ED56083-ND - I used 2 per OPAMP. You just unplug/plug ;)
Nice system! Quick question, as I am also running dual Fathoms in my system: I have them tight in on the sides of the main speakers (Revels) and inline with their front baffles. I am quite pleased but was curious as to how your sound changed by moving them back in the room? I have limited room behind my mains in my present configuration but was wondering how the sound benefited from your original positioning. Thanks!
So Tony, my curiosity has been stirred by your Burson experience. Which model did you order, and which adapter did you get from Digikey? I presume no soldering was involved?
Hi, only need to replace 2 for the input using 2 Burson singles. I had to get the adapters/extenders from Digikey - I got the gold plated ones. It's just a quick unplug/plug in with both the 843 and Burson.
Thanks Tony, very helpful. Did you replace 4 ad843's with the Burson singles (4of) or dual (2of)? and did Burson supply the extenders? Did you solder the Burson's in or did they have the socket plug in board?
Hi PS, I changed the opamps myself. Was very easy. My ASR(2008 version with gold boards) had the AD843SQ chips - Frederik told me via email that the 2010+ versions were using the OPA551 and that I could purchase the chips locally to try - it's just a simple unplug/plug of an 8pin DIP. I thought the original AD843 chips sounded much better and I swapped them back. The 843 chips sell for about $40 each - the 551 are $5 each - maybe that's why ASR decided to change... I then tried the Burson and was amazed at the improvement. I did put the 843 back for a quick comparison and they sounded flat and uninvolving. The Burson are about $120 for both shipped. I did have to get some socket extenders to raise the Burson so they didn't touch a tall resistor that's in the way. Very easy upgrade that is SO worth it IMO...
Tony, can you tell me a bit more on the op amp change, did you do this or Frederik Schaefer? I'm not aware of it so of course am interested. I've yet to hear another amp I'd want to swap to..
Hi, Pierre, yes I ordered the upgrade - think I was 6th in line.
Thanks Ray, I'm really enjoying them - expecially after the xover upgrades I've done.
Thanks Mike, the Boston Tune Blocks are under the PWD.
update: installed Duelund “Premium-CAST” Resistors(4) in place of the Mills - changed the caps(36UF total) to 1 Mundorf Silver/Oil, 2 VCAP OIMP with a VCAP CUTF bypass - replaced all 3 Sonicap. Very nice improvement overall - more refined with improved timbre - the caps only have about 200hrs and are still changing daily.
I have the subs set at 35hz/24db/0 phase and the level position at about 9AM - they hardly play and integrate nicely. I moved them back about 4' and the sound stage opened up quite a bit - I used to have them right next to the speakers because I assumed they couldn't keep up speed wise - I was wrong ;)