Despite falling short of a true "dream" system, I've put my audio system in the "All Out Assault" category for the following reasons: (i) It does make very good sound, in some ways and to some degree even better than I hoped it would; (ii) It does represent pretty much an all out effort on my part over several years to achieve the best sound possible given the acoustic limitations and aesthetic considertions that come with having to use my living room as my listening room; and (iii) I have continued to test and try the best components and additions I can get my hands on (not that easy in Hawaii). Of course, efforts to improve the sound of my system are ever ongoing, and in the last year and a half or so, I have made two very fundametal changes to my system: I have completely changed my analog set-up to the wonderful Kuzma Stabi Reference table and Airline Tonearm, and even to my surprise, my speakers. Basically, I have now settled on a low power SET amplified/high efficiency open baffle speaker system that is geared to produce big, lively, immediate sound with more lifelike dynamics and a generally more "close up" perspective than that portrayed by most other audio systems.

I do very much admire and enjoy "big room/big system" sound which has tremendous soundstage depth and breadth and which generally presents music from a broader, perhaps more accurately distant perspective. But after trying long and hard to get that kind of sound, it finally dawned on me that the limitations imposed by my living room would never let me get close enough to the "big space" ideal to make me happy.

So . . . , I changed course, and redoubled my efforts to get to where I am now. It's not that my current system does not produce a soundfield with pretty amazing depth and breadth, as well as precise and stable images, but openness and uncanny scaling ability which create a heightened sense of being in the presence of real performers (not large speakers) are my system's real strengths, and in these particular respects, it is top notch - at least so I think.

April 3, 2004 - Obviously, I have made a very big revision to my system by replacing the Linn-Graham-Lyra Helikon analog set-up with a dramatically more substantial (and more expensive) analog rig consisting of the Kuzma Stabi Reference turntable, Kuzma Air Line Arm (which debuted in the US at the recent "S.H.O.W. in Las Vegas) coupled with a ZYX UNIverse cartridge. There is no doubt that this new set-up is dramatically superior in performance and sound to my previous one, and I am more than delighted with the change. Might there be better turntable/tonearm combos out ther? - Probably yes, but none that I am likely to try - or care to. Of all the components I have, this one is most likely to be a "lifer."

There have been some other much smaller changes in my system, - most notably the replacement of two power cords leading to my linestage power supplies and the cryogenic treatment of most of my power cords and and all of my interconnects. I must say, the cryogenic treatment especially produced unexpectedly good results. The other really significant (and quite expensive) change was the replacement of the Shunyata Hydra line conditioner first with a Balanced Power Technology 3.5 Signature and then a Sound Application Reference Line Stage conditioner. There will inevitably be other changes in the future, but most likely these will be "tweaker" type changes, not really big ones.

Early 2005. I made my own speakers, and although I did not think they would beat out my beloved Beauhorn Virtuosos, they did, so my belief that big changes were not likely in the cards for me went out the window.

Significant power cable changes have also been made along with a number of tweaks. I must say that the most significant tweaks were the addition of Z-Sleeves to my interconnects and the curious JSMR Ultrasonic tweeters.