Mike Lavigne's System

by mikelavigne on All Out Assault
the big rig.
left rear corner view--note the ceiling treatment
note the cloth surface treatment on the ceiling.
view from behind the speakers
sources +
84" tall, 575 pound main towers and 87" tall, 600 pound bass towers.
bass towers are powered and adjustable, main towers passive.
rear of the room.....
amps sitting on Taiko Tana active isolation platforms
NHB-468 sound amazing......liquid and amazing musical flow and texture.
meters on the 468's
new Massif Audio racks, plus Nordost footers.
2 turntables, and the Taiko Tana active device under the Esoteric T1, made a solid improvement in the performance.
Wadax Reference Dac and Power Supplies with RevOpod footers
Wadax Reference Server and Ref Power Supply with RevOpods
darTZeel NHB-18NS w/ 2 phono stages (new 2016 version)
Ampex ATR-102's + Ampex MR-70 preamps, on new Massif Audio racks, boosted performance.
Esoteric T1 power supply & Esoteric G1X Clock
1/2" playback only ATR-102 hot rodded
Ampex MR-70 tape pre hot rodded by ATR Service INC
Wadax Akasa optical (yellow) and power supply (red) cables.
1/4" playback only ATR-102 hot rodded
air box for CS Port tt; dead quiet.
Etsuro Gold MC cartridge
Etsuro Gold MC cartridge
DaVa Reference Field Coil phono cartridge
Audio Technica MC-2022 phono cartridge
CS Port linear tracking tone arm with air bearing
Primary Control 12" FCL tone arm
Durand gimbal bearing tone arm
Durand Tosca gimbal bearing tone arm
Glanz MH1200S tone arm + Sumile Mono cartridge.
power supplies for the DaVa field coil cartridge and field coil FCL tone arm.
Massif Audio Design Snakewood record weight.
love my new Massif Audio design racks.
Evolution Acoustics bass tower interface and adjustments
cables and various cable decoupling strategies.
Tripoint Audio Elite grounding box for sources.
Tripoint Audio Troy Signature for amps
Entreq Poseidon + Atlantic Minimus + Everest knobs
linear power supply for the Taiko Tana active platform under amp
3 linear power supplies for Taiko Tana active under sources
Equi=Tech 10WQ wall panel A/C transformer with door open
Klaudio RCM + Equi=Tech with door closed.
the audio barn

Description

this room and system is the result of 10 years in High End audio. my system has been stable for a couple of years (except for transport and amplifier upgrades within the same brand). the room has been in the planning stage for about 18 months and i actually moved in a little over a month ago.

my audio philosphy is to have the system get out of the way of the event. i like as pure and simple a signal path as possible and, at this point, prefer passive to active gain stages. i love all the formats and enjoy having lot's of music.....vinyl is my favorite but i listen to at least 60% digital. the new room really reveals the benefits of SACD over redbook.

the system and room truely allow the event to be recreated before me. i love the way the speakers disappear and i am transported to another place/time.

i have choosen my cables, sources, amps, speakers to have as little of their own sound as possible.

recently, i upgraded my digtial transport from the modified Philips SACD 1000 to the new emmlabs CDSD.....this was a significant step upward in performance.

i have written an article in Positive Feedback regarding my room building experience.....here is a link;

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue16/lavigneroom.htm
Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 29’ × 21’  X large
Ceiling: 11’

Components Toggle details

    • Evolution Acoustics MM7's
    twin towers, 600 pounds each, main passive tower, 82 inches tall, active bass tower, 84 inches tall.

    passive main tower, 97db, 7 ohms, so easy load. active bass tower has 4 analog adjustments for ideal room integration.
    • darTZeel NHB-468
    Mono block Amplifiers. amazing first watt, transparent and rich tonality. great match for my speakers.
    • darTZeel NHB-18NS with 2 internal phono stages.
    battery powered preamp with 2 separate phono stages. uses BNC 'zeel' cables between pre and amps.
    • Evolution Acoustics 7.5 meter 'Zeel'
    7.5 meter pair of BNC cables from preamp to amps.
    • Evolution Acoustics 'System' speaker cables--10 feet
    new version of these cables, a big step over the amazing TRSC model i have used for 10 years. fantastic performance.
    • WADAX SA Reference DAC
    Wadax Reference Dac----state of the art dac with 2 separate power supplies. the best dac i have heard by a good margin. below is a link to a thread about my Wadax experience.

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/wadax-reference-dac-and-server-arrive.34173/#post-771357
    • WADAX SA Reference Server with Akasa optical interface
    ultimate state of the art music server using Roon. includes the Akasa optical interface.
    • WADAX SA Reference Server power supply
    additional chassis power supply to improve the Wadax server performance.

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/wadax-server-psu-unit-has-now-arrived.36722/page-6#post-948318
    • WADAX SA Akasa DC cables (3)
    replaces the standard DC cables. takes the performance of the Wadax Reference system to 'Level 4' for ultimate performance. Red in color.

    https://wadax.eu/akasa/

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/wadax-server-psu-unit-has-now-arrived.36722/page-9#post-971100
    • Arya RevOpod isolation footer (32 used under the 5 Wadax Chassis).
    height and tension adjustable. the Wadax dac, server, and server power supply chassis all use 8 footers, so it's critical to be able to adjust height and tension to have an even support for optimal performance. RevOpod's are unique in those attributes making them ideal for this use.

    https://www.arya-audio.com/revopod
    • CS Port LFT1 turntable w/arm
    air bearing platter and air bearing linear tracking arm; string drive with zero feedback dc motor, low pressure, low flow air system with zero noise air box.

    world class musical flow, nuance and delicacy, combined with authority and ease. serves the music completely.
    • Esoteric T1 Turntable
    magnetic drive/rim drive idler turntable with torque adjustment.

    with the deletion of my NVS turntable, i was able to move the Taiko Tana active isolation shelf to under the Esoteric T1. this has upgraded the performance of the T1 significantly. objectively small changes, but musically quite profound up tics in realism and immersion. more nuance, greater music focus, better bass articulation. 

    https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/t1/top
    • Esoteric G1X Master Clock
    Master Clock Generator for speed improvement for the T1 turntable. significant improvement in music realism.

    https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/g1x/top
    • Durand --Tosca tonearm.
    gimbal bearing design. Tosca is on the Esoteric T1 turntable
    • Primary Control 12" FCL tone arm
    Field Coil Loaded uni-pivot tone arm. with power supply. mounted on the Esoteric T1 turntable. amazing natural and very high resolution tone arm. link below.

    https://www.primarycontrol.nl/Field_Coil_Loaded_Unipivot_Tonearm.html
    • Glanz MH-1200S 12" tone arm
    12 inch tonearm, stainless steel. used for the Sumile mono cartridge.

    https://glanz.tech/e/collection/mh1200s1000s900s/
    • Experience Music/Intact Audio phono corrector + silver wound MC Trio SUT combo for three different tonearms.
    bespoke tubed phono preamplifier. silver wound, with custom dual power supplies.

    https://myemia.com/LR.html
    • LFD -3- Phono Cables DIN to RCA
    3 sets of very high performance phono cables. amazing performance. built by Dr. Richard Bews in the UK.

    one cable uses a DIN to RCA short Dongle + an RCA to RCA interconnect. the Dongle improves the performance of the DIN connection. details at the link below.

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/lfd-cables-phono-and-i-c-from-the-uk-cables-as-components.31243/
    • DaVa Reference cartridge
    field coil cartridge. with tube power supply.
    • two Etsuro Golds, ---a pair of Reference MC Phono Cartridges.
    duraluminim (A7075) body, 24 carat 'Kinpaku' Gold Leaf finish, diamond cantiliver. .3mv output, 4 ohms. these are both special versions of the Etsuro Gold.

    one is mounted on the CS Port linear tracker.

    one is mounted on the Primary Control FCL arm.

    finest cartridge i have heard by a significant margin. WOW!
    • Audio Technica MC-2022 60th Anniversary cartridge
    uses the unified stylus cantilever design. which results in extreme lack of distortion and linearity. remarkable neutrality and ability to dig out detail and keep it natural and musical.

    https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/at-mc2022
    • Murasakino Sumile Mono phono cartridge
    MC cartridge for mono records, .04mv output. tracking force 3gms. finest monaural cartridge i have heard. competes on musical refinement with the top stereo cartridges. 

    https://murasakino.audio/en/products/sumile-mono.html

    Mounted on the Glanz MH-1200S tonearm. mounted on the Esoteric T1 turntable.
    • DS Audio Ion 001 Vinyl Ionizer
    generates positive and negative ions to remove static charge from vinyl records. 

    https://ds-audio-w.biz/products/181/
    • CS Port Static Eliminator IME1 (two of them)
    An unprecedented accessory focusing on cartridge friction. It suppresses the effects of static electricity and makes records clearer.

    one is on the CS Port tt, one on the Esoteric T1 tt.

    https://www.csport.audio/products/products-ime1-en.html
    • Stage III Concepts 1.5 meter XLR set of Gorgon interconnects.
    high performance interconnects. used from the Wadax Reference dac to the darTZeel preamp.

    http://aaudioimports.com/ShowProduct.asp?hProduct=283
    • Ampex twin ATR-102----one 1/4" and one 1/2" reel to reel master recorder
    hot rodded by ATR Service Inc----Andrew Kosobutsky. significant upgrades over stock. each interfacing with hot rodded Ampex MR-70 preamps. the new tape deck performance standard in my opinion.

    https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/ak-hot-rodded-ampex-atr-102s-w-mr-70-preamps-replaces-my-studers.36288/
    • Kosobutsky 1.5 meter set of RCA interconnects + 8 meter set of XLR interconnects.
    1.5 meter set of RCA interconnects are used between the EMIA phono corrector and the darTZeel preamp.

    8 meter set is used between the Ampex MR 70 tape preamps and the darTZeel preamp.
    • Nordost QRT QNET network switch
    Network switch, with Nordost Qsource power supply.

    https://www.nordost.com/qrt-audio-enhancers.php
    • Synology 30 Terabyte NAS (a pair = 60 TB) music file storage
    mirroring music storage for my music files.
    • Massif Audio Design Audio Racks, solid wood
    2--double wide 3 shelf racks for sources

    1 single wide rack 4 shelf rack for Ampex MR-70 tape preamp chassis.

    https://www.massifaudiodesign.com/racks
    • Nordost Sort Fut rack footers (3 sets of 4)
    mechanically tuned resonance control device. supporting the three Massif racks.

    https://www.nordost.com/sort-systems/sort-fut.php
    • Taiko Tana (5 of them) Herzan TS-150 (2) + TS-140 (3)
    active isolation under 5 separate components: (1) the NVS turntable, (2) the MSB dac, (3) the darTZeel preamp, (4 + 5) both darTZeel mono block amplifiers. custom modifications by Taiko Audio add a linear power supply plus panzerholtz top layer + Daiza platform to provide full frequency resonance attenuation to each platform.
    • Taiko Audio Daiza isolation platform--22 used in the system
    Panzerholtz Platform with spiral cutouts reducing mid and high frequency resonance while retaining life and energy and not changing tonality.

    22 Daiza platforms in the system of various sizes under every piece of the signal path.
    • Evolution Acoustics 'system' power cables
    a new version of the TRPC model i used on my darTZeel 468 mono blocks for the last 10 years. a big step up.
    • Sablon Audio King power cord
    used on the Wadax Reference Server power supply.

    https://www.sablonaudio.com/power
    • Absolute Fidelity power interfaces
    power cords specifically designed for either motors (tt and tape decks), amplifiers, and components. 11 in the system.
    • Tripoint Audio Troy Signature
    Grounding box for chassis grounding the darTZeel 458 mono block amplifiers + grounding the passive main towers of the Evolution Acoustics MM7 speaker system.
    • Tripoint Audio Elite
    Tripoint Elite grounding box. this does chassis grounding for my sources. it uses a a pair of Tripoint Thor SE Master Reference ground cables for my dart preamp and the MSB Select II dac. there are also 4 Signature Silver ground cables to the two arm boards of the NVS tt, the power supply of the NVS tt, and the SGM server.
    • Equi=tech 10WQ
    10kva balanced Isoltion transformer and distribution panel.
    • Furutech GTX-D NCF Rhodium duplex outlets
    10 in the system. used with 10 Furutech covers and frames. uses NCF (nano crystal formula) material to reduce noise by emitting negative ions.
    • Wave Kinetics A10 U8 decoupling footers
    8 sets-of-4 in the system for individual tuning of each piece of gear.
    • Auralex T-Fusor diffusers
    i use 20 of these. 6 each on the front side walls, and 4 each front ceiling and rear ceiling.
    • Klaudio Record Cleaning System
    automatic record cleaner
    • Acoustic Revive RL-30 mKIII CD-LP demagnatizer
    for demaging any disc.
    • Furutech DF-2 LP disc flattner
    will remove warps from Lps
    • Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Anniversary Ed.
    will cook any cables
    • Winds ALM-01 Stylus Force Gauge
    easy accurate, repeatable, measurments.
    • i-Tower by Koncept LED floor lamp
    (3) are used. best audio light ever. 2 'warm', 1 'cool'.
    • Quietrock THX 545 drywall
    specialized drywall with a 1/4" metal layer. used in my front sidewalls to establish proper room boundaries.
    • Barn.... ......room is....
    ....most of the ground floor. 29' x 21' x 11'.

Comments 3397

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Owner
hi bimmerman2, 

thankyou for the kind words. i really do enjoy my system and space. my system pictures are about a year out of date now. my digital is different, and i have different arms and cartridges. otherwise mostly the same.

i looked at your room and set-up and it is very well done. great place to listen. nice job.

to me it's more the effort and attention to detail that i appreciate in looking at systems. your is tip top in that regard. congrats.

btw; i notice you live near the Seattle area, where i'm at. you are welcome to stop by and listen if you are in the area.

cheers,

Mike

mikelavigne

This has to be the best setup/room I've seen posted here. Truly amazing, the gear and the space. Well done.

bimmerman2

Thanks mike heading to Phoenix for a little sunshine next week I will give you a shout after we return thank you look forward to the visit

kefman1

Owner
hi Andy, 

thank you for the kind comments. nice to connect with a local audiophile. Gary Radka in Ohio, is my fellow Evolution Acoustics MM7's owner. great guy and he has a formidable system.

i would love to have you and your wife visit anytime. just let me know. 

four two five seven six six one five six one.

look forward to getting together,

cheers,

Mike

mikelavigne

Good morning mike beautiful system I live in bothell wa we have mutual friends in Ohio he said I should have a listen to your system my buddys friend owns the evolution mm7s also in Ohio you probably know who I’m talking about anyways would love for me and the wife to hear your system if that’s possible thanks andy

kefman1

Thanks for the invite! will certainly stop by if I get a chance. A

scar972

Owner
hi Anthony,

thank you for the kind words. i do enjoy my Evolutions and darTZeel, and appreciate the help of Jonathan over the years. loving my tt's and tape decks. you would be welcome to visit any time you are in the Seattle area. hope you can do it.

cheers,

Mike

mikelavigne

The audio barn....this system is beyond words! I love the room, tape decks, turntables, and so much more....would love to hear it one day. I got to hear the smaller Evolution Acoustic speakers driven by darTZeel electronics in Jonathan Tinn's room at AXPONA and that was memorable. Congrats on a great system! Cheers, Anthony

scar972

Owner
hi Panda,

i never auditioned the JVC RS3000 4 years ago when i made the change, but jumped all the way to the RS4500 from my Sony VW1000ES. so i cannot comment on the differences. i am really happy with my RS4500 now 4 years into the ownership. perfect for my smallish room.

btw, the link that brought you here from AVS is for my separate 2 channel room. i don't have a room thread for my separate Home Theater room. in case you look around here and it does not make sense.

mikelavigne

Hey Mike out of curiosity in overall picture quality is the JVC RS4500 better than the RS3000?

panda2560

Owner
hi Ray,

thank you for the kind comment.

i saw you are building a dedicated room. sounds like you are having fun with it. enjoy the process, i know i enjoyed building mine.

cheers,

Mike

mikelavigne

amazing!  simply amazing

oleschool

That is a beautiful, breath taking room, of pure WONDERFUL!!
WOW, I can see years of work..  Truly something of MY dreams..
No doubt, you must dream of your own, creation. Outstanding..

My hats off and on the floor, I have to dance... around the hat I go...
LOL OLAY!!

Highest Regards..

oldhvymec

Got Damn, now that’s SEXY.....
Love it. Thank you!!!

billj

Hi Mike,

I have known about you for a decade, especially when I was heavy into high end audio.  You are a legend in this industry and have always admired your systems.  I took an 8 year break from Audio to get into other hobbies and now I am back to attempt an all out assault since the stay at home order took place so I am back in the game.  I noticed you use Tripoint Audio Elite Grounding and I was wondering what you used for interconnects, speaker cables and power cables.  Thanks so much.

robertdo916

Owner
16f4,

thank you for your service. and thanks for the kind words.

you would be welcome to come by anytime you are in the Seattle area. and i meant what i said on your thread. a simpler system has it's attractions. i've spent 25 years building this system and it has it's value but also a degree of limiting gravity in my life. 

cheers!

mikelavigne

Wow!  My dream system if I had money and taste.   And didn’t spend most of my adult life moving around.  Can I come by and set goals?

16f4

Thanks Mike, appreciate the suggestion. some guidance does really help. Like you say they are sexy.   Will  look into that also.  Thanks Mike

rhodes

Owner
Ken,

my guy is not too available. where are you located?

the more i think about it, if i were starting over now, honestly i would recommend the Ampex ATR-102 as the most sensible choice for a top level deck. it's really similar to my A-820 Studer's and much more reasonable to repair and get parts. the Studer's are sexier to look at and play with, but the Ampex will perform in the same realm.

i did own an Ampex ATR-102 for 5 years and it's a great choice.

atrservice.com is who i would contact. great people.

mikelavigne

  Thanks Mike for the help and compliments.appreciate it. I was doing good until I saw your 3 Studers. I had 2 other makes in mind but it appears that must be reconsidered. If a person of your experience has these it's a no brainer for me. If your local guy takes in other work it is worth sending it to him?

Regards, Ken.     

rhodes

Owner
hi Ken,

nice room and system, btw. congrats!

the A-807 is a 'little brother' to my A-820's, and if you can find one of those in great shape, then it would be a great choice. what's important is to either have the skills to fix it, or know of someone who can help. this era Studer uses early EPROM's for system control. so repairs are not simple. and parts can be hard and expensive to source.

i'm lucky to have a local guy who really knows Studer's.

these machines are works of Art and tape handling is superb. so they are worth the effort.

best wishes for your quest.

mikelavigne

Can't believe the Studers. I am move up to a Studer. Any suggestions for a model. Would an a807 be a good one to start? Thanks.

rhodes

Gotcha!  Agree with all of your points, esp listening with lights dimmed. A tapestry is a better idea than an oil painting anyway, and you've also got me thinking about a really neat antique horse blanket I have, and now Navajo & Cherokee blankets and quilts too.  The neat thing about a solution like that is how interchangeable it would be.  But I understand that it's not likely to be a priority in a serious, dedicated listening room where the lights are low!

PS: I finally read your PF essay.  Impressed by what you said at the end about classical music.  I've always said that rock music sounds better at home than it does in a concert venue, while classical music always sounds better in the concert hall.  You appear to be one person who has transcended that limitation.  Salut

archguy

Owner
Archguy,

appreciate the kind offer. it is a blank canvas and you are not the first to suggest i do something artistic with it. in some ways it's a missing piece of the visuals.

the cloth that covers that 'half-round' resonator is acoustically significant. maybe someday i will find a tapestry that could replace it that would add the right touch.

OTOH i live in the mountains, so everywhere there is beauty. and i listen in dim light, seeking a 'zen' state and travel in my mind with the music. so any art on that wall would mostly help with the pictures of the room, and not my listening experience.

there are two windows i have plugged, that offer a wonderful view; but the sound is better with those windows plugged. so that is my priority.

mikelavigne

I'd give anything for the opportunity to execute a painting on canvas for that convex surface.  But I've the feeling that a surface covered with oil paint might complicate the acoustics, even if it helps the aesthetics.  Hmm.

archguy

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