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.
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!