I have been in the hobby for more than forty years,now that my hearing is declining I finally put together a system I enjoy.I have a very understanding wife.My living room is rather large no parallel walls or ceiling(three stories high)I can seat on the second or third level and listen to what sounds like live music.I power the Loreley speakers with a YBA passion monos for the mid and high section while the low frequency section is powered with the Innersound 1KW amps ,the low frequency section of the german Physics Loreley is 4ohms and the innersound output is 2 kw. at 4 ohms. That change made a significant difference o the bass output.The center is now powered by one YBA 1000 passion,again an improvement over the acoustic reality .Another two Acoustic Reality 1001 monos powers the Legato rear speakers.I use any of the four source cd/sacd/dvd-A players depending on the recordingReimyo for redbook playback and the accuphase and the Esoteric for sacd playback,the meridian 800 is used for dvd A and dvd video music and. the pioneer Blu-Ray for dvd video movies.
System is just about complete added a cello equalizer system .The CD and sacd players and the Meridian 800 are now connected through RCA and xlr IC into the Cello encore and the encore is connected to the Cello Palette equalizer feeding meridian 861 processor.The cd player Reimyo/Accuphase and esoteric are also connected directly into the 861.I also connect the digital outputs of the Reimyo,to both the DG-38 and the Zanden DAC.Lots of combinations are possible for different connections are possible.
I previously had the MBL6010D very open and detailed but too fatiguing and harsh for my taste,I also had the EMM signature sacd transport and DAC,did not perform well im my system and poorly constructed the Accuphase 800/801 is by far superior for two channel SACD,while the Esoteric X-01 is by far superior for multi channel sacd,one excellent player.
I have now put in two dedicate 20 amp line with Furetech and Onyada receptacle and plugs.The dedicated lines did improve the sound somewhat and got rid of the hum.I have a number of conditioners not convinced they improve the sound but I am convinced at times they have a negative impact.I have lots of high end power cables I have yet to hear the improvement,I have not listed all the IC cables I use to time consuming ,the difference they make at least in my system is minimal.
I listen to primarily classical music ,like 95% of the time.The music includes solo instruments ,chamber music,choral and symphonic,no opera. The sound is great especially outstanding in large symphonic reproductions of Shostakovitch, Bartok, etc.
Doug99, After years of listening to these players it is a close competition between the Reimyo and the Zanden,the esoteric is rely used for SACD only.For the money the Reimyo surpasses eveything.The Zanden DAC is prone to minor technical problems the transport is excellent.I have moved the Zanden to my new bedroom system,where the competing cd source is the Accuphase 800/801 combo.The Zanden is a good match with my horn speakers which are more revealing and more sensitive to source/cables etc.
You've had amazing cd systems. Which one did you like the best out of the Reimyo cdp-777 CD Player, Zanden 2000p Transport, Zanden 5000 signature DA converter and Esoteric x-01 Limited?
Wow, it is always such a humbling experience to revisit your ever changing system ramy. Thanks for your candid remarks on the effects of the various high end interconnects, powercords and powerconditioners in your system ... very rare to hear this truth in the audio industry, and also very sad for the people who fall into it believing that higher cost ALWAYS guarantees better sound. The only thing that surprised me was the MBL preamp fatigue in your system, especially since I have heard it drive a pair of Tenor amps/Kharma speakers and the presentation was SMOOTH and NATURAL on a rendition of Carmen-Fantasie by Anne Sophie Mutter, Wiener Philarmoniker conducted by James Levine. I say this because I know, from previous experiences that the Kharma speakers can sound very fatiguing in some systems, but in this particular case they sounded wonderful ... a truly memorable experience that I'm sure you would have savoured as a classical music lover. The source for that system was the MBL top of the line cd player so maybe that's where the synergy came from.
best regards and many thanks again for your impressions
Hi Doug, The YBA are great for the midrange and up frequencies above 180Hz,while the Nemos are fantastic for the bass section,ie,frequencies below 180 Hz.
System edited: Main changes to the system,are the addition of the Soolos in combination of the new 861V6.Major improvement over the 861V4 in terms of sound quality.The change to the system was the rearrangement of the power amps.The Innersound amps are now powering the rear speakers,while the Electocompanient Nemo are powering the sub section of the German Physics Loreley. Absolutely superb even in a relatively large room the low frequency is feeling the space.Like in New my bedroom system I am now connecting the front speaker outputs of the 861 preamp/processor to the Cello Audio Pallete,and the Cello drives the front speakers.All analogue inputs from all sources are connected to both preamps,ie,the Cello and the Meridian.This provides the flexibility of switching from surround to two channel audio by passing the Meridian861.I just love this configuration.
Hi Ramy, Thank you very much for your reply. In the past month, I tried Cello Palette (not MIV, multiple input version in your second system) as a preamp, and Cello Audio Suit. My conclusions are that (1)Palette as an preamp does not sound as good as Encore Pre; (2) Suite is much better than Encore and Palette as an amp; (3)the combination of Suite/Palette is THE SUPREMA! I decide to upgrade to Suite and add a Palette in the future.
apologize for the delay in response,was preoccupied with the stock market.I find the encore to work well with my audio pallete.You just have to adjust the gain in the encore not to overload the audio pallete.I also have a second system in my bedroom where I have a more recent version of the Audio Pallete which does have four inputs,which makes the encore unnecessary in a system like yours.
Hi Ramy, I wonder how well the Palette work with Encore? I have an Encore(http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vdone&1226124789&view), and ponder acquiring a Palette. The problem is whehter to add an Palette like your system (Encore-Palette) or to trading-in Encore and use Palette as the preamp,till multiple inputs are necessary in the future and add an Suite? To my understanding Palette is designed to pair with Suite. That is the reason for my question.
fernando,I agree with your observation when comparing to the zanden for certain music,However,today I was listening to a schubert trio on DG not deutsch grammaphon,but another german cd brand when played on either the reimyo or the accuphase 800/801 was not listenable harsh and unpleasant ie not musical,but on the zanden combo was perfect.But playing rites of spring on zanden sound is dull reimyo better but again falling behind the accuphase 800/801 sacd sound.Idealy you have a different system for each cd.(not a practicle solution)
BTW - My Reimyo is now singing nicely - it was just needing some burn-in process. I compared it the other night with a Zanden unit - hands down the Reimyo in my setup!
fernando,the reimyo is excellent the accuphase combo is different as it is an sacd player as well.I have not listened enough to redbook recordings using the accuphase to pass judgement if anything they are very close.However for sacd playback the dp800/801 is unique.For once I can realy appreciate the superiority of sacd recording.When I compared sacd reproduction with redbook using the various sonys,the dp-85 and the emm signature combo the reimyo sounded at least as good on redbook if not better,with the 800/801there is no question that sacd is far superior.One observation I would like to make,that atleast when it comes to classical recordings,the variation between different reproductions ie,CDs is much larger than the difference between different playback machines.
Ramy - I sold an Accuphase CDP for the Reimyo - which I still keep and serves me well - what is your impression now witht he new Accuphase combo vs the Reimyo?
In response to Kops question,yes i have compared the MBL to the Pallete.However the comparison is not valid as I use the Pallete as an equalizer more than a Preamp.But when I use the MBL by itself for pure stereo audio I find the MBL to be more open and more detailed ,however not my taste,fatiguing after a short listening time,I would say the MBL is not musical component at least for classical music reproduction.I suspect that the MBL will not be in my system in the future.While I cannot live without the cello audio pallete.
System edited: Well again I have made a few changes to my system in the ever ending search for music nirvana.I replaced the emm/se dac transport with the latest accuphase entry the 800/801 dac transport and added the DG-38 equalizer.Major improvement over the emm atleast to my taste.Replaced the YBA amps driving the low frequency section of the Loreley with a pair of Innersound Kilowatt monos which out put 2 KW at 4ohms,the impedence of the sub section of the Loreleys.Major major(not a typo)improvement.Added another power conditioner the burmester,some day I will figure the optimum conditioner for my system.The DG-38 equalizer is connected but I have not figured out how to use it at this time.
Ramy, needless to say your system and home is breathtaking!
I noticed you picked up the MBL preamp. Would you mind if you ask how you would characterize the sound? Is it dynamic, fast, slow, warm, neutral, bright, etc? I am looking into the 6010D's little brother, the 5011.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
By the way, where do you live to have such an architecturally amazing home?
System edited: As usuall I attempt to seek to obtain nirvana,it would be unfortunate if I ever reach it,as I will realy be bored if I ever do.I was forced to make certain changes when my Cello encore preamp went to the ICU,I could not wait to get it repaired (it is still in the repair shop) and bought a MBL6010D preamp.For whatever reason the system sounded awful at first,I still have not figured out what was wrong.It took about one sleepless month to get the system stablized ,ofcourse I went overboard I added two 20amp dedicated power lines with expensive receptacles from Japanese cos.OY...,(cannot pronounce there name)and furutech,some cables, purepower 1050 that caused nothing but problems when connected to the meridian 861.One of the major option I have added to the system is the ability to switch from surround to two channel BYPASSING the meridian 861 processor and the cello audio pallete equalizer,ie I can now listen two pure two channel by simply switching the output options on the MBL (MBL 6010 has two distinct outputs in both XlR and RCA). I acheive that by using adaptors which input two XLR into one XLR (made by Audio Purist) which feeds the xover to the the front speakers,German Physics Loreley. I have now listened to the two configurations,to my taste for most recordings going to surround aspecially through the cello pallete equalizer is more pleasant.The straight stereo does sound somewhat more detailed ,however unless the cd recording is PERFECT the sound may be fatiguing.When it comes to large scale orchestral music ie shostokowitch etc surround is by far superiur,on solo instruments chamber music it realy depends on the recording.In addition I do have choice of cd playbacks ,sacd,and dvd-A, I have found that different recording sound better on some players than others.As far as CD players if I had to only keep one cd player ( like my wife thought I am living in excess and forced me to cut back) I would keep the Reimyo I find it be the best all around player,the zanden is good for some cd but lack the dynamics of the reimyo,the meridian 800 is good but again does not have the wonderfull sound of the latter aspecially for orchestral music.All of this can be taken with a grain of salt,I primarily listen to Classical music and I am old so my high frequency response is rather poor,however I can still hear well at the few KHz and that where some of the edginess in the sound comes from.
Amazing. You can spend your whole life oblivious to other peoples hi end reality. Then when that other level is revealed to you it's still terrbly difficult to accept or concieve that such a high level of quality can exist in a persons living room. Outstanding!!
