I just sold my entire Mcintosh/B&W/Classe system. I heard a BAT system up in Illinois with Wilson Sasha and had to have it. The one thing I left out but Geoff Poor wouldn't let me ignore was the Critical Mass Systems racks. I just got them in to. For now the Racks are breaking in but the system is sounding absolutely incredible and I'm more than happy with the change.
SHUNYATA ANDROMEDA ARE HAND WOVEN AND A BEAUTEY TO LISTEN TO AND LOOK AT.
SHUNYATA PYTHON HELIX
PYTHONS WITH HELIX TECHNOLOGY WILL BE USED THRU-OUT MY SYSTEM. THIS IS THE CABLE WHICH MADE ME A BELIEVER IN POWER CORDS AND CABLE'S. IF YOU HAVEN'T TRIED THEM, WOW, YOU NEED TO. I HAVE THREE DEDICATED 20 AMP CIRCUITS.
ESOTERIC XO1-LE
SACD/CD PLAYER
Balanced Audio REX
REX IS BAT'S TOP OF THE LINE PRE-AMP. TWO PIECE PRE-AMP WITH THE NEED OF TWO POWER CORDS. BELIEVE IT OR NOT BOTH UNITS HAVE MULTIPLE TUBES IN THEM AND EACH HAS ITS OWN POWER CORD. THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PHASE ARE KEPT SEPARATE SO ONE UNIT HAS + AND ONE UNIT HAS THE - PHASE. THIS PRE IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE ONE OF THE BEST IF NOT THE BEST PRE-AMP IN THE WORLD AT ANY PRICE. I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO AGREE.
Balanced Audio VK600M-SE
BAT'S TOP OF THE LINE 600 WATT MONO-BLOCKS. WHAT STRIKES YOU FIRST IS THIS AMPS ENDLESS SUPPLY OF POWER EVEN IN THE MOST DIFFICULT OF CONDITIONS. IT HAS A DOUBLE ROW OF HUGE CAPACITORS ACROSS THE TOP WHICH YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE VENT HOLES AND IS A STRIKING SITE TO SEE. ALLS I CAN SAY ABOUT THESE AMPS IS WOW, WOW, WOW!!
Wilson Audio SASHA WP
THIS IS THE REPLACEMENT FOR THE LEGENDARY WATT PUPPY. THIS SPEAKER HAS BEEN SAID TO POSSIBLY BE THE BEST SPEAKER EVER BUILT BY DAVE WILSON. IT HAS THAT PIN POINT ACCURACY YOU EXPECT IN THE STAGE OUT OF THE WILSON BUT IT IS ALSO MORE MUSICAL AND NOT AS HYPER IN THE TWEETER AS SOME SAY THE OLDER WILSONS TEND TO BE.
SHUNYATA STRATOS BALANCED
ENTIRELY HAND BRAIDED HELIX TECHNOLOGY.
CRITICAL MASS SYSTEMS PLATINUM SERIES
CONSIDERED TO BE THE BEST RACKS IN THE BUSINESS. THESE RACKS DO WHAT NO OTHER RACK MADE DOES. THEY CALL IT SEQUENTIAL FREQUENCY CANCELING. ITS NOT JUST A RACK BUT MORE A COMPONENT THAT HAS LAYERS OF NOISE CANCELING MATERIAL UNDER YOUR COMPONENTS WHICH YOU CAN'T SEE. IT RIDS OF FLOOR VIBRATIONS AS WELL AS AIR BORN VIBRATIONS FROM YOUR MUSIC PLAYING AND WALLS SHAKING. IT DOES THIS BY SETTLING IN TO EQUALIBRIUM WITH YOUR EQUIPMENT AFTER A 300 HOUR BREAK IN IN WHICH WEIRD THINGS HAPPEN TO THE SOUND THROUGH-OUT THIS PROCESS. THEN ONCE IT SETTLES IN IT RIDS OF ANY EXCESS ENERGY IN YOUR COMPONENT BY HEATING THE ENERGY AT AN EXCELERATED RATE WHICH KEEPS IT FROM AFFECTING YOUR PLAY BACK.
Hi Beerdraft, I just received a pair of Rex monos from Glenn Poor's. Really great people. I spent a whole afternoon listening to the Rex and Sasha combination. You have a great system. Yes, life is good.
Real nice system! Do u still feel good about ur system now, the same way u did when u first got it a couple of years ago? I, too, have a BAT amp (VK-6200) with a ThetaDigital Cassablanca III and Dynaudio speakers. My question to u is this: Would u do the Crital Mass stands again if u had it to do over? What kind of impact have they made on ur system? I'm considering Critical Mass for my own system. Thanks, Sparks81
Neal, you old rogue, you don't go halfway, do you? I mean when you change, it's all or nothing, right? I mean that in a GOOD way. I haven't been able to hear the Sasha's, the closest being Maxx 2's, but they were pretty darned good too. Wish I was within driving range, I sure love to hear what you've put together, the BAT gear is amazing.
I don't know if I told ya about my Tannoy project, but I finally got it all done, custom cabs, crossovers, etc. Really happy with it. If and when you make it to the NW part of the country, stop in for a listen, will you?
Very cool, a little note on the new Rex tube amp. I only heard it in prototype stage. The feeling I got was it was supposed to just replace the vk150se and be the vk160se but the cost to build it by the time they were done was substantially more than what they expected. Also the fact that it stood alone in the class of tube amps the put the REX tag on it, as does the rex IMO in the class of tube pre's. They most likely made some changes to what I heard but man it was fantastic. I've never heard a tube amp at any power level perform like that thing did. It was just as quick and effortless as my 600 watt mono blocks which everyone knows the Vk600's are very quick and powerful. This tube amp was like that at only 80 wpc and just magnificent. If it had been available when I bought I would have two of them now but because it wasn't I opted for the 600's.
Congrats on a very fine system! I, too, enjoy an all BAT system :-) Thank you for your remarks regarding the prototype RexPower amplifiers...I really must hear them.
Best regards, Sam
p.s. I purchased my first pair of VK-150SE's from Glenn Poor's Audio/Video in Champaign.
Good news I flipped the switch from 6h30 to 6c45. I got this unit used so not sure which is the factory setting but I will try the 6c45 for a bit. Will leave playing for today then give a listen tonight or tomorrow. I had the unit powered down and was easily able to flip the switch using a butter knife. So the butter knife is my new little tweak toy I suppose. I will only do this with unit powered down though.
Actually the fact that when I bought the REX tube amp wasn't available yet made my decision easy. I was trying to decide on the VK150SE in mono or the VK600SE. The room I listened in was slightly smaller than mine. The stereo amp was playing at very large volume levels in that room. I was just surprised how I could easily hit 80 to 90 on the volume which goes to 140 and it was still so clean, clear, and quick and the amp never seemed to bog down or run out of power. My 2301's after 50% volume just never seemed to accomplish much in large presentations of music but would be very loud on certain frequency above that. That amp in stereo at 80 wpc never seemed to be bothered by turning it up and it was so quick unlike any tube amp I've ever heard. If it had been available for sure I would've gone with them in mono because I had never heard the VK600SE at that point and that amp blew me away in stereo. The mono version would've made up for my room being larger. My room is 19'x33'... The room up there was maybe 17'x24' I would guess. I do think it drove the sasha's very well. I've heard other tube amps 75 to 150 watts per and I was very worried about this demo with only 80 per but once I heard it I was floored, period..
Congrats on a great system beerdraft. Must sound amazing.
Thanks for your comments on the VK600s and Rex amps. You've grabbed my interest in the Rex amps. So, it sounds like you thought the 80 wpc Rex sounded good and sounded like more than 80 wpc, but in your opinion a single stereo Rex amp didn't have enough juice to drive the Sashas? Thanks.
I must not have been clear about the switch in the power module. Just remove the cover. The switch is perfectly accessible without moving the unit. I took the covers off both of my chasis. My units sit on HRS shelves with low overhead clearance, and there are no problems. I always hit mute when I flip the switch, but you can make adjustments on a CD-to-CD basis.
If you don't try it, IMO, you are missing one of the strengths of the Rex preamp.
Interesting communication from two proud rex owners it looks like here. I love this pre!!! Also of note the system I heard in Chicago was at Glenn Poors Audio. The amp wasn't even the VK600's it was the new REX tube amp and at the time it was a proto-type. I listened to it on the Sasha at 80 watts a channel. I nearly bought two of those for mono in this process but figured I needed the power. funny thing about power is these bat amps seem to be under-rated or other amps seem over-rated. Geoff Poor said its because of the no feedback and minimum gain stages that his amps are so powerful and will outperform amps with more power. For instance I heard this amp at 80 watts per and it was IMO more powerful than the mc275 and even IMO more powerful and quick than the 275 in mono. That said these rex tubes are I think $15k each, but I would've gone to them in mono over the 2301's. Its hard to believe that when you are use to 300 watts a channel that you would even be taken by something at 80 watts a channel but that amp is special. Just imagine 4 of them bridged for 320 watts a side.
Also Rtnl, I'm not familiar with any switching. I most likely won't mess with it as my stuff is on the CMS racks and the surface the equipment sits on is a filter and is very delicate so taking a piece off unless you absolutely have to for me is a chore. On my old racks if I wanted to do something I would just slide the unit across the shelf but you can't do that on these and then they have little footers to that the feet of the equipment have to sit on so getting it off isn't the issue but back on properly. It really needs two patient people to do this although I have done it once alone.
The 2301 was a very good amp but it isn't missed. This BAT amp is just as liquid and has a more natural air to it but when it comes to delivery, there is no comparison. Thats not saying the 2301 was not a good amp but just my opinion I didn't lose any sonic flavor that I like and when you start talking about delivery and quickness and power it is a whole nother ball game here. Putting the solid state amps on the critical mass racks also helped tremendously.
Usually audiophiles make one component change but you did a complete 180. Neal your the second dude that dumped some really fine tube components (you know you miss the 2301s) for solid state. I forgive you.
Was thinking Sasha in red would do wonders for a bit of color splash according to HGTV.
How did you manage transporting the Sahas to the basement?
I'm also a proud owner of the BAT Rex. I'd recommend taking the cover off the power module so you can access the switch to change selector tubes. It looks like the cover is still present in your pictures.
I use this switch all the time depending upon the CD. The 6H30 has more upper and lower extension, with a more taut and recessed presentation. The 6C45 has a bit of a warmer midrange, a slightly rolled-off upper trebble, and a larger, more up-front presentation.
I use the 6H30 for large and well-recorded orchestral pieces. The 6C45 is best for smaller pieces (solo, trio, quartet), poorly recorded classical music (pre-60s), and more popular music.
Interesting on the footers. I still have the casters on them for now which I measured is like having the spikes plus the two spacers on them so I have all my mid range spikes to match that two spacer set up. I will spike for sure once the break in is done on my racks and I get know I ain't moving.
Best of luck with new equipment! The Wilson Sashas are wonderful speakers. My pair took a few hundred hours to break in but now I'm thrilled. I would think the BAT monoblocks really control the Wilsons quite nice. If you would like to spike your speakers but still want to play around with speaker location try Herbie's Audio Labs giant footers/gliders. The speakers can be moved very easily on carpet. All the best. Vito
Neal, haven't heard anything from you in such a long time, I wondered which rock you'd crawled under. I'm glad to see you are still very involved, and are "scratching that itch" to improve your enjoyment of music. Congrats on your new gear, I'd sure love to hear the combo you have now. Not that I'll be able to, but you are always welcome way out west, here in the Pac North drizzle.
WELL FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SEEN MY OLD SYSTEM I JUST LAUNCHED AN "ALL OUT ASSAULT" ON CHANGING IT AND HERE IT IS. I'M LOVING IT OTHER THAN THE FACT I JUST ADDED THE RACKS AND THEY TAKE 300 HOURS TO BREAK IN AND IN THAT TIME IT'LL NOT BE VERY LISTENABLE MOST OF THE TIME.
System edited: I FIGURE THE ALL OUT ASSAULT IS THE SECTION FOR THIS SINCE I LITERALLY SOLD MY ENTIRE SYSTEM AT PRETTY MUCH ONE TIME AND CHANGED EVERYTHING BUT SPEAKER CABLES AND POWER CABLES. LOVING IT NOW, LOVED THE ONE I GOT RID OF, LIFE IS GOOD.
Okay, the tube rolling is done for a bit. Got Mullards New stock in the pre amp all 8 of them are 12ax7. Got siemens ecc801s in the amps four of them and they are 12at7. then got the Genelax gold lion re-issue kt88's sixteen of them in the amps as well. Man this is much better now. I didn't have too many complaints before but now hearing it is like a totally new system. The bass is much better for sure, tighter, deeper, and no boomy sound at all. The mids, ha, like night and day from before and the hi's are very good and detailed but not brite at all. I didn't turn it up as much before due to some briteness but now I can get these meters pushing 300 watts plus and not a hint of briteness and man clear as a bell. I'm now a believer in tube rolling. I geuss I've come a long way from my SS amps previously.
Glad you like the cdp202, I run mine with Shunyata rca inter-connects. I intend on trying some shunyata xlr's in the near future but happy with this for now. I've not heard the mcd301, nor have I tryed seperate dac's. My buddy got the mcd301 and sais it is a huge step up from the mcd201, I'm assuming you are referring to the mcintosh cd players. Neal
