Description

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.
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Components Toggle details

    • PS Audio Perfect Wave w/Bridge
    ethernet media streamer
    • ASR Emitter II Exclusive B w/gold board
    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

Comments 19

Owner
Dallas, it fits with almost an inch to spare - no problem.

mantis007

tony, does the burson fit under the dust cover with the 2 IC socket extenders? If not, do you go without a dust cover?

dallasjustice

Owner
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.

Tony

mantis007

Owner
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 ;)

mantis007

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!

spinaker01

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?

agear

Owner
update:

PS Audio PWD updated to Ver II - takes an already great DAC to another level

Kaplan HE I cables replaced with Kaplan HE II - much more transparent and extended than HE I

I'm not able to edit my system - wonder why??

mantis007

Owner
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.

mantis007

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?

ps68

Owner
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...

mantis007

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..

ps68

Owner
Hi Ps68, yep, I've had the ASR for over 2.5 years now and have really enjoyed it. Two+ years is a record for me ;)

You should try the Burson OPAMP replacement. It made a great overall improvement to my ears.

mantis007

Good to see your ASR Tony, glad you are still enjoying it..

ps68

Owner
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.

mantis007

Lovely system. Just wondering: what does the tune block tune?

michael02467

Analysis Audio makes the best sounding speakers I have heard!Very nice system!

raytheprinter

Upgrading PS Audio DAC to MKII?

lapierre

Owner
thanks Pierre.

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 ;)

mantis007

Nicely done! They look much bigger than I thought in your room.

With the external xcross over for the Amphitryon for flexibility what was your final setting for the JL Audio?

lapierre

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