The Green Mill North Man Cave

by escritorjuan on Usher ML-802 LoudspeakersQuadratic Audio MC-1 SUTmicro seikiPass labsSchiit YggdrasilRichard GrayLampizatorHsu ResearchStraight WireOrtofon
The system in reflected sunlight.
The Quadratic Audio Step Up Transformer is seen here next to my Micro Seiki BL-91 turntable.
Schiit Audio Yggdrasil
My Mooomat turntable cover in the hands of a salesmen at AXPONA 2014, where I purchased it. Regardless of its efficacy, it goes well with the room decor, playing off the cowhide rug in front of the entertainment center.
My system passes the "Wife Approval Factor" test (or is that Spouse or "Significant Other Approval Factor"?)!
No longer here.

Description

My listening room is undergoing some major changes.  New photos will soon be posted up.

As with many, my system continues to evolve over time. In its present state, it presents detailed, full-bodied music with clarity and oomph.  I cannot say enough about it!  Residing in my man cave, it brings my wife and I much joy, as we take in digital and analog music, HDTV, Blu ray, streamed and DVD movies through it.


You can read reviews on equipment and other subjects at www.prairieaudiomancave.com (which will soon be changing names) and elsewhere.
Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 32’ × 24’  X large
Ceiling: 9’

Components Toggle details

    • Micro Seiki BL-91
    The Micro Seiki BL-91 turntable now holds down analog duties in my reference system.
    • Quadratic Audio MC-1 Step Up Tansformer
    This adds gain to an MC Cartridge without adding electricity, making for a quieter background and increased dynamic performance.
    • Usher Audio ML-802 Loudspeakers
    • Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Analog 2
    • Pass Labs XP-12 Preamplifier
    • Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Stage
    • Pass Labs X-150.8 Stereo Amplifier
    • Pass Labs HPA-1
    Pass Labs HPA-1 Headphone Amplifier. Superb headphone amp and preamplifier!
    • Intel NUC with Roon ROCK
    I use the Intel NUC with ROON Labs ROCK software as my reference music server.
    • Hsu Research ULS-15 Mk II subwoofer
    Amplifier Power (RMS)2000 W Short Term, 600 W Continuous

    This sub handles delicate passages or those demanding speed and accuracy with ease and, bottom line, is fit company for the likes of Usher Audio, Pass Labs and other high fidelity equipment whether playing music or presenting action movies.
    • Straight Wire Crescendo 3 speaker cables
    • Straight Wire, Inc. USB Link USB cable
    Silver coated copper USB link cable. 
    • Straightwire Pro Thunder power cord.
    This is Straight Wires new reference power cable and is now plugged into the Pass Labs X150.8 amplifier. It is ideal for high level power amps, as well as select components with IEC female receptacles.  9 guadge stranded Oxygen Free Copper.  
    • Sony BDP-S5500 Blu Ray Player
    • Straightwire Black Thunder Power Cord

    This is Straightwire's premium power cable.  It is plugged into the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier

    10 gauge Stranded Oxygen Free Copper.

    6 @ 18 Gauge per polarity, shielded

    Flexible Black mesh covered Jacket. PTFE insulation, OD 11mm

    • Straightwire TOS Toslink cable.
    This is Straight Wire's premium toslink cable, which I use to convey digital signal from my 42" Panasonic plasma TV to my LampizatOr Lite 7 DAC.
    • Straightwire ConX HDMI cable
    This is the HDMI cable that I run from our wireless cable TV receiver box to the Panasonic plasma TV.
    • MoooMat Cowhide and Cork turntable mat.
    MoooMats are designed not only to look great but to sound great, too.  The coupling of the cowhide on cork provides significant improvements in sound quality.  While reducing vibration and eliminating static your records will sound warmer, richer and fuller. 
    • Panamax M5300-EX Power Conditioner
    • Dan Clark Audio Stealth Headphone

Comments 19

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Hi Juan, 

Thanks for the tip on Acousta-Stuf. I'll probably check it out since I'm always tweaking. For the past few months I have been working on a star grounding setup. A few weeks ago I shifted to incorporating a Synergistic Research Active Ground Block into my system so I have been busy fabricating and running ground wires in an arrangement that would not be tolerated by many partners.

Until I found a semi local pair of Dancer Mini Twos for sale I had been seriously looking for some Von Schweikert speakers at the right price to replace my Martin Logan Motion 40s. I knew of Usher because before the MLs I had owned a pair of Usher Compass X19s that I thought really exceptional for the price, a friend still has them. I am so happy I found the Dancers. I think they are really terrific. I take it that you like the Ushers better than the VS?

My piano playing brother is Mike West and he played with Von at the Green Mill, Pops for Champagne etc., and it really got real at the Enterprise Lounge and some other bars on the south side. He eventually decided that being a gigging musician wasn't good for his health--that it was probably better to get up at 5 AM to go for a run instead of staying up until 5 AM playing. He's been living in Australia for the past 30 or so years.

Nice meeting you.

andynotadam

Owner
PS -- That's a gorgeous system you have, Andy!

escritorjuan

Owner
Thanks, Andy.  I appreciate it.  

I used to go to the Green Mill more when I was younger (some of us from LaSalle Street Church, where attended circa 1994, went to see Deanna, a fellow attendee, play piano there) and a summer or two ago, I joined a buddy to see our mutual friend, Russ Nolan, play saxophone there (he used to live in Chicago, but has since relocated to NYC). I've also seen Orbert Davis and a few others perform there. Out of curiosity, what is your brother's name?

I appreciate your tip on using Dacron Fiberfill and the black aquarium foam on the ports to tighten up the bass.   That's good to know, as someday, we may be moving to another location and I might need something like that in a different room.  

By the way, back when I owned a pair of Von Schweikert VR-5 HSE speakers (sold recently), Albert Von Schweikert advised me to replace the Fiberfill with Acousta-Stuff, which I did and found improved the bass.  It's something to keep in mind.  

Anyways, cheers!


Juan


escritorjuan

Really great system Juan. The Lampizator is totally cool!

I'm originally from the Chicago suburbs (Park Ridge) and I know the Green Mill quite well--to see Patricia Barber, of course, but also in the day tenor player Von Freeman who was, for a time, backed up on piano by my brother.

You are lucky to have a space where you can pull the speakers out into the room. My room is large with a gradually peaked ceiling, but it serves three purposes so my Ushers must be hard against the front wall making the front firing port critical in my situation.

While I admire the Usher's bass extension, in my room I found the extreme low end to be a bit woolly, so I put about 3/4 cubic feet of poly-fill into the ports and finished them off with blocks cut out of of black aquarium foam. Looks factory.

Tightening up the Usher's bass with the fill allowed me to cleanly get a pair of REL subs under the Mini Twos.

Hsu subs are really great, so you have a solid combo there.

Enjoy!

andynotadam

Owner
Update:  I am no longer affiliated with Destination Audio.

escritorjuan

Owner
Owner
Hi Shadorne,

Thanks.  They've gotten some rave reviews and, recently, I sold the pair which are departing for detailing and then shipping to their new home.  I should have a new demo pair around April or May 2018. 

In the meanwhile, I should be able to demo and sell the Destination Audio preamp and phono stage (which I will show with the Von Schweikerts while I await for the return of the Destination Audio).   

Cheers,



Juan 

escritorjuan

Wow. I am not familiar with your impressive Destination Audio horns! Awesome setup. If I am ever in the Chicago area I will be sure to try to connect! Kudos to you for your passion in audio.

shadorne

Owner
Last week, I posted up my review of the Straight Wire Pro Special speaker cables, which you can read at the link below:

escritorjuan

Owner
Good morning, all!

My review of the LampizatOr DSD Komputer just went live.  The listening session took place in my man cave (AKA living room).  Check it out:

escritorjuan

Owner
Hi Zephr24069,

Thank you!  The acoustics are great (albeit a bit lively).  Both my wife and I love it.  I use it extensively for listening at various sound levels (when the wife is away, the volume can go up a bit!), watching movies and having friends over and my wife likes joining me there for watching shows and movies -- as well as the occasional listening, dancing or entertaining guests there.  

Cheers,



Juan 

escritorjuan

Absolutely beautiful room and system, it must be a joy to listen to great music here!

zephyr24069

Owner
Hi Ivan,

Thank you!  I really enjoy that room.  Last night, my wife and I took in some live boxing and a movie there.  

And, as for the LampizatOrs, I really enjoyed both their Amber DAC Plus and, now, the Lite 7 DAC.  You can go to the following links to see my impressions (which you may have to copy and paste into your internet browser bar):

http://ayllonmedia.com/1/post/2015/01/the-lampizator-amber-dac-plus-is-it-a-dac-lite-or-a-real-contender-in-home-audio.html

http://ayllonmedia.com/1/post/2015/06/the-lampizator-lite-7-dac-a-high-performance-machine-or-a-bloated-beetle.html

Have a super weekend,



Juan 

escritorjuan

Hello Juan,
You have a beautiful room to listen. I'd love to have that kind of fire.
I've always been interested Lampizator, a lot of good, I heard about that company, I believe that the great playing?
Cheers,
Ivan

forgisound

Owner
That's not to say that the Arcam AVP sounded bad -- not at all.  It's just that the SYS was more revealing, adding no coloration, as opposed to the Arcam, which smoothed things up a bit.

escritorjuan

Owner
Hi MJ,

I was really shocked at how well the Schiit SYS sounded in comparison to an Arcam AVP AV Pre/Processor that I used to have in my system (a high end dealer told me to ditch it in favor of the SYS or other passive preamp when I was contemplating saving up for a high end DAC, saying that it would mitigate some of the improvements in sound; I subsequently sold the Arcam and never looked back). 

And the phono preamp is a Pro-Ject Phono Box Mk II, which cost roughly $150, but does a fine job in conveying the vinyl playing on the Technics turntable.  

Clearly, my money is more invested in the digital side.

Cheers,


Juan 

escritorjuan

I used a passive pre w/ tube amp before and it was a striking combo. What is your phono pre?

mjcmt

Owner
Hi MJ,

I didn't post that I use a Schiit SYS passive preamplifier, but have corrected that now.  I was thinking of using a passive pre with a buffer following it, but when I asked Lukasz Ficus (who owns Lampizator) if I should do so, he said only if the input impedance of the amp was less than 47 Ohms; when I found out that the ML-9 was rated at 50 Ohms and told him (thinking that it might be too close), he said that it's safe.

I've still kicked around getting a better passive pre, but for now, I'm sticking with the Schiit.

Cheers,


Juan

escritorjuan

Love your rustic room and equipment choices. I've always been intrigued w/ Lapizator products. I don't see a preamp listed to control your inputs.

mjcmt

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