Description

This system has been completely redone over the last 8 years. I have converted an old bed room into a dedicated listening room. The room is 12 x 15 1/2 x 8 with the system set up on the long wall. The Arcus are a 93 db sensitive monitor that will play with finesse or paint peeling loud. Very solid bass response to the mid 40s. The crossovers have Duelund resistors and Clarity cap MRs. They have a very refined sound with excellent imaging. I use the up sampling feature on the North Star gear and the sound is very, very good. I have a Revelation Audio Labs I2S cable to connect the two. The Sound Science Music Vault is a very fine piece also. It is connected to the Excelsio by an Audioquest Diamond USB cable.

The Exemplar modded LSA Statement is simply superb. I am not sure that I could find a piece that better suits my preferences in my price range.

I use the SMS 1 in conjunction with the Rythmik sub. The sub starts filling in at about 80 hz. The Velo allows for blend, eq, and I use it as a remote volume control to tweak bass shy recordings. I know that this is not technically correct, but so be it.

The cabling has been the last part of the system to come together. The HF cables and MG audio cables have both been ear openers. I probably can't go any higher in either line, but they are both outstanding cables. Power cables are a varied lot including Mojo audio, Z Squared, Gabriel Gold, and Signal cable.

I also have GIK tri traps, as well as 242 and 244 panels in use in my room.

The overall sound is very resolved and refined, with excellent imaging and staging properties. It is equally adept playing Stanley Clarke or Lee Ritenour as well as Megadeth or Black Label Society and any thing in between. I am in the process now of having a build done on a pair of Vapor Joule Black. At that point, the Arcus, Velodyne, and Rythmik will all go away. At that point, I am hoping to be done for quite a while. In the mean time, I will sit back, listen and enjoy the music.
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Components Toggle details

    • North Star Design CD 192
    top load cd transport with upsampling to 192 via I2S cable
    • North Star Design Excelsio
    used with the cd 192 transport via I2S cable and for computer audio via USB
    • Vapor Audio Arcus
    Duelund resistors and Clarity cap MR used in crossover
    • Rythmik F12 SE
    servo controlled 12 inch powered subwoofer
    • Aragon 4T2
    AM/FM tuner
    • Velodyne SMS-1
    digital subwoofer controller
    • LSA Statement Plus
    Hybrid integrated with latest Exemplar preamp section mods. 150 wpc into 8 ohms and 300 into 4.
    • High Fidelity CT 1
    magnetic conduction cables
    • Intuitive Design Mosaic Chimera
    bybee filters and carbon fiber nano tubes
    • Gabriel Gold Reflection Version 2
    gold, copper, silver blend
    • MG Audio Design Planus 3
    copper ribbon cables
    • Sound Science DC powered music vault
    2 TB hard drive with automatic cd ripping to WAV. Playback with JRiver. Separate outboard power supply
    • Audio Magic Stealth power purifier
    Pulse Gen and PEA upgrades
    • Salamander rack
    double wide rack

Comments 4

Wonderful system must sound great. Enjoy.

ebm

that version is on Skullage ... great tune!! actually the whole CD is a very good "intro" to BLS for people who may not know them

this past summer they played in a small theater walking distance from my home ... unfortunately I was away that weekend and missed it :(

jrinkerptdnet

Owner
I agree things would be simpler without the sub, that is why the Joules are in the process of being built. It sounds pretty good as it is, but I realize it could be better. It is a necessary evil at the moment to really pressurize the room. The Rythmik sub does a very good job at not drawing attention to itself.

I have never heard the acoustic version of Stillborn, I am sure it is awesome. Is that from their live album? I just picked up Catacombs of the black Vatican last week. My initial impression is pretty good. BLS rocks!

csmgolf

things will be A LOT simpler without the sub and EQ in the picture!

shout out for BLS!! just listening to acoustic "Stillborn" on my way to work ... awesome

Jeff

jrinkerptdnet

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