I now feel that after 30 years I'm hearing my music the way I've always dreamt of.. Fluent, effortless, high bandwidth,image placement is very precise, low level detail and ambient sounds are so clear,the sense of the acoustic space of the recording is now very apparent. Sheer joy!
Balanced Output power supply. Replaced a PS Audio P10, self designed and built to order; 3 individually isolated supply circuits, one for digital (game changer), one for analogue source, and finally a 1.5Kva for amplification. Full DC elimination filter circuit, safety protection fuses on each line, 10 Furutech outputs sockets (gold). Neutrik input socket, selectable voltage display, current displays for each circuit, diplay off switch, non magnetic casework, all silver plated pure copper internal wiring. Led status display for each outlet.
This literally transforms the sound of the system beyond any other upgrade; the P10 did nothing in comparison. The improvement to already good digital is the big shock, just using 16 bit, tonality, space, air, depth, frequency extremes are all transformed. This is how to use digital; isolated power, seperate form all else, very simple! More to follow!
Concert Fidelity Reference DAC 040
Valve NOS DAC, very Natural!
Concert Fidelity LSX2
Hybrid minimalist pre-amplifier of extreme purity, this is Japanese perfection.
Concert Fidelity ZL-120V2SE
120w Mono power amplifiers, solid state purist perfection.
Concert Fidelity ZL-200
The ZL-200 is Designer Masataka's masterpiece, and adheres to his philosophy of less components in the signal path equal better sonics, IF you have the deep understanding required to acheive this, and Masa does, evidently when you hear his work. The ZL-200 is very very special.
Z:axis Audio Components 'Mirage'
Designed with two goals, sonic isolation and energy damping, and sculptural aesthetics that display British craftsmanship at it's very best. The 98.8 here is the result of an 18 month journey through material selection and combination, and it allows the system to breathe life into recording..
Z:axis Audio Components Livewire
Solid, clean, transparent, and ultra dynamic, they have proved to be a revelation, far beyond expectation..
Single ended RCA interconnect. Duelund silver foil/Bocchino B2/damping medea.
Martin Logan Spire
Hybrid Panel and powered 10" Bass Driver, modified with new external crossovers, rewired direct to panel, bass cabinet clad in granite & ceasarstone, Finite Elemente Cerabase feet. Custom crossover's built to original ML spec using Clarity Caps MR's, Duelund resistors & Mundorf copper foil inductors. All SPC wired.
z:axis Audio Components Infinity Digital Interconnect
75ohm Digital, sounds clean as a bell.
Z:axis Audio Components Reference Power Leads
I have 7 of these in the system, and the difference from a budget power lead is significant! These are my own make, good quality parts only, time consuming to produce but with the whole system on them the sum is greater than the parts..
Yes, I designed it to achieve isolation and damping, and also look like a piece of fine furniture, which has been my profession for all of my working life. I have built up a small company mainly making one-off pieces for client's all around the world. My aim was to market a high end support, one which works exceptionally well on the audio technical side, but also fits well into the home and is more acceptable than the competition from an aesthetic point. The photo's above will be updated soon, these are just iphone shots, but they don't do it justice, it is far better in the flesh.
As far as sonics go, the whole isolation/damping concept has a profound effect, the idea not probably original as it is quite simple, but each shelf has a 12mm layer of ultrafine carbon steel bead (20 micron) that the 23mm CNC machined acrylic floats on and grips into. The carbon steel layer is isolated from the shelf frame and base by a tray of shock absorbent material and the whole shelf sits on 6 silicone gel pads which block all frequencies above 9hz. Incidentally, the layer of carbon steel also serves to isolate each component from RFI/EMI from adjacent pieces. The shelves are very dense too, they weigh 25kgs each, this whole rack weigh's 235kg's. The hardwood frame on this one is Wenge, but we are making a clear Maple and black high gloss on Maple version with four & six shelves. Configurations options are from 3 to 9 shelves. There is some more info on my website, zaxisaudio.com. KR,
System edited: The new rack, after 18 months of design development has finally been installed, and the sonic result is highly encouraging, by far the best this system has ever sounded.
System edited: Livewire speaker cables have been in the system now for 5 month's, this system has to be heard to understand how good it now sounds, truly enlightening..
Yes, i now run the whole system from the P10. It has enough supply for the ASR PSU's, i was not sure at first so tried it and there is an improvement, bass is as clean and articulated/detailed as ive heard ever. The P10 is a re-generator as opposed to a conditioner. I have used several types of mains devices, but only this as a regen. It supplies the voltage to .3 of a volt to what i set it to. To me it has made a definite improvement across the board, even my wife commented..
Dallas,
It should fit, i thought it wouldnt at first, so i know what you are thinking. I was ok with gently pushing the cap back, only a few mm, 1/4 inch over there.. I can email some photos of mine fitted, i'll do this shortly.. Don't panic!
I can't figure out how there's any room in there for this thing. I don't want to bend the mundorf cap back to fit the op amp in. I also have a right angle 8 pin adapter and still there' not enough clearance for the burson. How did you manage to get the burson seated?
PS, do you use the P10 with the ASR? I have each ASR power supply into it's own 20a circuit and also the PWD into it's own circuit. I tried a conditioner with the ASR when I first got it and it just closed up the sound.
System edited: PS Audio P10 has replaced the two balanced mains transformers to very good effect, this is an excellent piece without a doubt. MBL now used as a transport only, the Concert Fidelity Reference DAC 040 has taken over digital to analogue conversion duties, and is clearly showing it's total mastery of 16 bit RBCD. Interconnects are now the new dc biased Z:Axis Audio RCA's, with the digital version from the MBL to the DAC 040. Biasing the dielectric is the key to good interconnects, it is a significant improvement across the whole spectrum. Rgds, Ps
Good to hear that, it is a straightforward swap, you may need to gently tease a Mundorf cap backwards slightly if you don't use the extenders, let us know how it goes too!
I just ordered the Burson 8 pin op-amps. I also ordered extenders per Mantis007's recommendation. Is it a simple unplug and plug or is there something else I need to be aware of?
Burson Op-amps have been fitted for 3 weeks and have around 200 hrs on them, and as Tony reports, the results are exceptional. More space, depth, separation and individual instrumental tone. For less than £50, this is an upgrade way beyond what you would get for 10/20 times that in other areas, though results may different if the rest of your system is not as capable.
So, a big thank you to Tony (mantis007), and also Carlos (casouza), for putting me onto the Burson's, and for their valuable info in implementing them.
I have to say that sonically, this system is becoming startlingly resolute, balanced throughout the frequency range, and is proving very hard to drag myself away from to do 'other' things one has to do in life, such as work..!
Hiya Tony, i was going to email you anyway, i had the OP551 as standard so temporarily ordered some AD843's, and added some bypass caps to the V+ and V- pins, (4&7), that went to gnd. Better than the 551's.. Bypass caps helped with the ic, but will be keen to hear the Burson when they arrive this week. They may benefit from bypass caps, will let you know! Thanks for putting me on to this Tony, together with all the other mods, the system is amazing now.
Hi PS, glad your going to try the opamps. What did you have before the AD843? I'm also wondering what you mean by paralled bypassed & grounded? I just had to unplug/plugin the new opamps. thanks! Tony
I agree, find speakers that work well for you and your system, then consider rebuild, that will take them up several steps and beyond if you go the whole hog with parts. Even the CLX would benefit though, some have done this internally, but really complete removal makes it so much easier to plan and build.
I am tweaking the ASR op amps as per discussions with Mantis007 and Casouza, and finding that even just adding a bypass circuit to GND is very worthwhile, waiting on some Burson's to test so currently have the AD843 parallel bypassed & grounded, sounds damn good to me!
I have not stopped being wowed with every single recording I've put on... Every ML owner (except perhaps of CLX) should look into re-doing their crossover.
Ha, :-)) Yes, we are sharing many experiences with these upgrades, and doing it ourselves makes it all the more enjoyable, not to mention the sound per pound/dollar equation.. I have Clapton unplugged/'Old Love' playing right now, and I'm getting a very charged performance from Eric and Chuck, more than ever by a considerable degree, and ive been playing this for 11 years now, a long-standing favourite recording.. I don't think the parts are fully settled yet either, 60 hrs ish.. Have you been enjoying yours over the xmas break?
I forgot to add that a detailed report is on the Martin Logan Owners forum. http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?9600-Spire-with-External-Crossovers-amp-Electronics.&p=143600#post143600 Regards, Paul.
System edited: New Crossover boards have been built and fitted for 6 days now. The result? at first, there was an obvious clarity, definition improved, and detail was better. BUT, these are hifi attributes that while being fascinating and good to hear, they are not what music is made for. After 6 days of playing approx (50 hrs) that emotion and connection to the soul of the music has arrived, big time.. What i'm experiencing now is nothing short of stunning, strong and powerful, realistic soundstage that places musicians in a believable place on the stage, a transparency that is simply put - startling. The flow and emotion, you cant just be in the room without being drawn in to just sit and listen, truly wonderful. Not cheap, but i would put the change in the order of a budget to top flight amp, and it is still improving. All components were on my Audiodharma for 150 hrs before build with the exception of the resistors, which had 15 hrs, i simply couldn't wait any longer.. I recommend xover work..
System update: Interconnects have been developed, utilising a dielectric bias, and Mundorf 24awg Silver/Gold conductors. This is a very good move, crisper, more definition and precision. Now sounding really very nice, my ML dealer has been over with his colleague who hadn't seen or heard this system before, both were highly enthusiastic over what they heard in comparison with the standard Spire, and also with the Summit x.
Next implementation is the crossover rebuild using Clarity Caps MR caps, Mundorf foil inductors, and Duelund Cast resistors, build is under way, and should be installed by Xmas. This is a complete replacement board, and I'm expecting big things from this, so will soon see.
