This is a new Integrated tube amp (2x40w)from my homeland Sweden.It is better than my previous rigs: McIntosh/Burmester 911, Accuphase2400/Levinson 33H,Rowland Synergy/Krell450mcx. My sample is from a small preproduction series. I hope it will go into series production. It is that good! It is hand made on order and hard wired with 400 soldering points. It makes absolutely wonderful music with the Grande Utopia.
Nagra CDP
The best CDP I have ever used. It has beaten Reimyo CDP, Ayre CD5xe, Meridian 800, Playback Design CD5,and Emm Labs CDSA in my system
JM lab - Focal Grande Utopia EM
The best speaker I have ever heard during my search for SOTA speakers
Kubla Elation XLR
Exceptional Cable used between DAC and amp
Kubala Sosna Emotion
A very musical IC. From tuner to amp.
Hanss Acoustic T60
A 60 kg state of the art german TT
SME Series V
A classic design still the best
Purist Audio Dominus latest version
Between Riaa and amp
Berkeley Bada Alpha series II DAC
My Nagra CDP has beaten every single box CDP I have tried in my system.But connecting it to the Alpa DAC made a fantastic improvement.
Accuphase T-1000
When Swedish radio sends live concerts with Swedish Radio Symphony orchestra it is absoultly stunning!
Miyajima Mandake
Top of the range Miyajima PU. Needle by a special bamboo instead of metal.One of the best PU ever.
Simply Black Cantus
Its a tangential arm made by Veteran HIFI Stockholm. This Swedish arm that has been around for many years (invented by the late Bo Hansson of Opus 3) and is now improved by our old vinyl guru Mirre at Veteran Hifi. It is a very simple design but with fantastic sounding. It even better than my SME V! And it cost about 2400USD. A true High End bargain.
Hard to spell Miyajima i correct. The Mandake PU has a very special bamboo as needle instead of metal as other PU. It has the same "house" sound as the Kansai and Shilabe PU just a bit better in every respect!
Graet pair of speakers, i dropped a brand new Clearaudio Stradivari v2 when i was installing it and broke the cantilever also, i was mad at myself for a couple of days but all that lead to a new Goldfinger
Disaster! I broke the needle of my nearly new Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement.The needle sick out a long bit so its very easy. I have switched to Miajima top PU Mandake (needle don't stick out). At half the price of the Goldfinger its equally good. A bit less analytic and airy than Goldfinger but it is a bit warmer and has a bit more "musicality" compared to the Goldfinger.
No not those PU. But I have added a second arm on my TT. Its a tangential arm Simply Black Cantus made by Veteran HIFI Stockholm. This Swedish arm that has been around for many years (invented by the late Bo Hansson of Opus 3) and is now improved by our old vinyl guru Mirre at Veteran Hifi. It is a very simple design but with fantastic sounding. It even better than my SME V! And it cost about 2400USD. A true High End bargain.
I have tried the Miyajima Kensai PU. An exellent PU. A little warmer and little more body than the Goldfinger. The Goldfinger has a little more clarity and air.Which is best is depending on which record I played.
You bought your Focal Grande EM about the same time I got mine. I appreciate them more each day, not only due to break in but making adjustments and tweaking the system to the speakers strength.
I noticed you have the Clearaudio Goldfinger V2, that's one of the few cartridges I have interest in that I've not had in my system. Did you have a chance to hear it compared to other great MC designs?
My room is about 30 sqm (6.5m x4.5m), A bit small for the big Focals but thanks to the many possibilities in the speakers regarding tilting of the front and the many alternatives of cabling each elements I got very good results. The back of the speakers is about 1,7 m out from back wall, The front is about 0,35 from side wall. I have heavy curtains on side walls. The red/black combo is by far the most beautiful. You can´t tell by photos how big these speakers are. Combined with my rather small room visitors always give me a WHOW entering the room!
Nice one, Islandmandan...guess it proves that well made stuff stands the test of time. and with a little upgrading from someone like David Schulte can really bring it forward even more because of fundamentally good design to begin with.
The Time Lens, and my much-Schulte-modified Musical Fidelity A3 24, is still in use. I actually prefer the outboard DAC and Time Lens to the also Schulte-modified McIntosh MVP 871.
Although the DAC/Time Lens and 871 sound very similar, the DAC is just a bit smoother. It's been 7-8 years since the mods were done on the DAC/etc; they are still in use almost daily.
The Time Lens I purchased from the prior owner, already modded, so I can't tell you how it sounded before David's upgrade. It does surprise me that these old components can be on a par with a much newer player, I think that says a lot about how well they perform, especially with David's upgrades.
Thanks, Dan. Just checked out your system...no slouch! I did not realize David Schulte tricked out Genesis Digital Lens' as well. How did that work for you? I like David and have one of his Oppo's.
BTW, regarding my system, the elements are nearly as you describe except that I have my Ultra 5s under Wilson X1s (not Grande EMs)...but the X1s did have their old tweeter replaced with a new Focal one last year after one of the older ones burned out)
Lloyd, your system is one to be celebrated. Every aspect of it is just the best possible. The match between your hand-built amp, and your Grand Utopia EM's must be a great one.
Yes...Agree with Gmahler...I have 2 of the tweaks Albert uses. I have Stillpoints Ultra 5s throughout half my system including my speakers and sub. (HRS on the other half)...the combination was perfect for me.
The other is I just got PAD 25th Ann power cable...I run PAD Dominus/Ann Contego throughout as well. And this new power cable is crazy good. Feel very fortunate to have one.
Hey Ulf...be sure to check with Albert Porter (also an owner of these magnificent speakers) and ask him about the tweaks he did on HIS pair....his system is usually on the first page of the All Out Assault
The top i removable so its "only" about 200kg each. They where unpacked outside (the craters are BIG) and moved up outside stairs by 2 men "pro-lifters" ( piano movers): Once inside they are on wheels.
LennArts Labs (from Gothenburg!) integrated plays absolutely beautiful with Focal. I can play undistorted rock on high volume with no problems. Thanks to its heavy power supply (lots of Lundahl transformers) you can´t tell its "only" 2x40W. Not knowing Yellowjackets which is the first to buy and spin:)
