Western Mass Mid-Fi

by subterranean6 on Aric AudioDayensDenon DL-103BorderPatrolOjasMinimalistDeVore FidelityCeramic bowlConcrete blocksRugWell Tempered Labs

Description

DeVore Fidelity | Dayens | Well Tempered Labs | Ned Clayton SUT | Audio Note UK AN-S1 SUT | Sound Tradition HC-903 SUT | JJ Tubes | Denon DL-103 / Groovetickler mod | Aric Audio | Border Patrol | C.E.C. | Pine Tree Audio | Ojas / Jupiter

Photos updated 07/25. 

I live in a one-room old schoolhouse in a hill town in Western Massachusetts. 

Sort of an unorthodox approach, and I wouldn't call it source-first (everything is important, no? up to and including your room and your ears and your mind). But I would say the amplification part really sets up a lot of fun with hearing the character of sources and especially analog-signal changes. It's a little goofy but I love it, and I dig that the analog-signal chain is big and bold and on top for the eyes. 

Comments and suggestions are welcome. 

Brands I’d love to check out include Linear Tube Audio, First Watt, Shindo, Sugden, Auditorium 23, Audio by Van Alstein, Soundsmith, Koetsu, Miyajima, Dynavector, Tannoy, Omega, Zu, Klipsch, Audio Note UK, Jay's Audio and C.E.C.. 

But also I very much could be done for now. 

Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 18’ × 17’  Medium
Ceiling: 8’

Components Toggle details

    • Well Tempered Labs Amadeus Junior
    New as of September 2021
    • Pine Tree Audio All cables
    Stealth Power cords
    Iso-quad interconnects
    Coax and USB
    • Ojas Speaker wire
    The newer collaboration with Jupiter, ie the cotton shielding material. Also just not a fan of cables that look like snakes.
    • Aric Audio Transcend MM Phonostage
    November 2022. Custom maple cases.
    • C.E.C. TL5 CD Transport
    • Denon DL-103
    Joseph Long (aka Groovetickler) special, in a Nasotec body and with an Ogura elliptical stylus. Heaven.
    • Dayens Ecstasy III
    I really love the tone of this amp and the simplicity of an integrated. The Dayens stuff is underrated, imo.
    • JVC Tape Deck
    My dad's old tape deck.
    • Audio Note (UK) AN-S1
    SUT
    • Sound Tradition HM-903
    SUT - Hashimoto HM-3
    • Ortofon SPU N
    Basic, ‘nude’
    • Border Patrol DAC se-i
    New as of February 2023. Beautiful, rich sound.
    • Ned Clayton CineMag 1254
    SUT
    • DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96
    New to me Summer 2025.

Comments 29

Showing all comments by dtorc.

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That's so funny! I am a born and raised Leominster boy, and still have family there. My folks are buried in Fitchburg (I secretly think of Leominster/Fitchburg as the same town). And then I ended up in Western Mass for over 20 years. We do have similar paths in more than just audio...

dtorc

I responded to a comment you had made about my system quite a while ago, on my page. But let me post here as well. That is such a warm, welcoming space with the kind of equipment that emphasizes music over machines. Nice job on the layout, and on the priorities!

David 

dtorc

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