Albert Porter's System

by albertporter on All Out Assault
Focal Grande Utopia EM
Soulution 701 mono block with Focal Grande EM
LPs, tape, Soulution and Studer A820
Current system Nov 18, 2022
Older photo of our music group.
A different (old) image of Tuesday night music group
Photography for Basis Audio
Focal Grande Utopia EM
Construction view
Studer A820
MK3 Rosewood with twin Kuzma 4 Point 14"
MK3 Rosewood with Micro Seiki MAX
MK3 Ebony with SME (old image)
TTM Stainless Steel mat and Oil Damped weight
Rare TTM three piece stabilizer
Air Tight Opus
Koetsu Blue Lace
Mutech Hayabusa
Soulution 725 preamp
Soulution 755 phono
Soulution 760 LEEDH DAC
Soulution 701 Mono Block
Aurender W20 Special Edition (silver)
Vibraplane
New Degritter MK2
ORB-DF03 Record Flattener
Degritter Ultrasonic and Orb LP flattener
Commercial Power drop to my home (240 3 Phase)
Porter Port Cryo outlets
Purist Audio Design Focal EM Power Supply Cables
Purist Audio Design 35th Anniversary XLR
Purist Audio Design 35th Anniversary Bi-Wire
Purist new 35th Anniversary AC cable on amps
Purist new 35th Anniversary AC cable preamp, phono and Focal
Tweak, super measuring tool
NCF Cable Booster

Description

Speakers are Focal Grande Utopia EM in black finish

Analog music sources, Technics SP10 MK3  with two Kuzma 4 Point 14" arms.  Koetsu Blue Lace on one and Air Tight Opus One in the other.   Studer A820 half track tape machine with three sets of cards, each rebuilt by Studer electronics experts so I can compare upgrade performance.

Digital music source is Aurender W20 Special Edition into Soulution 760 LEEDH.  THe best input for music so far is Purist new USB cable and AES/EBU close second place.

Soulution 725 preamp, Soulution 755 phono stage Soulution 760 LEEDH and Soulution 701 mono block amps for electronics.  See image posted Nov 18, 2022 to see how it looks.

Cable is 100% top tier Purist Audio design.  All latest 35th Anniversary,  all ten AC cords are the new Purist 35th Anniversary AC.

My space is 18 X 31 and acoustically treated with RPG panels, tube traps and fiberglass acoustic treatment over triple reinforced walls and ceiling. The floor is lamination beams over steel plates to concrete pier and beam.  Two sheets of 5/8 epoxy lamination sheets make up the floor with two inches of concrete topped with India multi color slate.

Whisper Wall rail system and fine textured acoustic cloth covers the work, making  everything appear as a normal room of painted sheet rock or decorative cloth covering.

The room acoustics were conceived by RBDG and the entire space was torn out to bare dirt under the foundation and bare studs in the walls.  The combo of all new electrical and acoustical treatment resulting in best sound I’ve ever had.
Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 31’ × 18’  X large
Ceiling: 12’

Components Toggle details

    • My Photography http://www.albertporterphoto.com
    Commercial + Advertising Photography, Dallas, TX.
    • Focal Grande Utopia EM
    The best offering from Focal, shown with Stillpoints Ultra 5. Ultra 5 was an amazing upgrade for the speakers !
    • RPG Acoustics QRD 734 (variation)
    On front wall, now obscured by acoustically transparent cloth, is floor to ceiling RPG (similar to QRD® 734) in foam, so it's partially absorptive.
    • Studer Studer A820
    Found a near mint A820 at a production studio in Illinois.  I was so excited about it's condition I had it driven here in the back of an SUV, covered with moving blankets.

    Head block sent to John French and all cards at Soren Wittrup who worked for Studer.  This is the machine I spent more than a decade searching for.
    • Technics SP10 MK3 Rosewood with Stillpoints Ultra 5
    Technics SP10 MK3 Panzerholz + Rosewood shown with Stillpoints Ultra 5
    • Technics SP10 MK3 Panzerholz + Ebony
    Technics SP10 MK3 Panzerholz with African Ebony lumber (no Veneer). This is the original design by John Semrad and myself, copied to death now.
    • TTM Stainless Mat and Oil Damp Weight
    Japan, TTM Stainless mat (6.61 pounds) plus TTM oil filled record weight.
    • TTM record stabilizer TTM three piece set
    Very hard to find, grateful I was able to purchase this last week.  Three piece TTM record stabilizer replaces my previous single piece unit.
    • Air Tight Opus
    Air Tight top of the line phono cartridge
    • Mutech Hayabusa
    Excellent MC cartridge, retail about $4500.00
    • Koetsu Blue Lace Platinum
    Top tier stone body Koetsu, perfect alternate to Air Tight Opus One
    • Soulution 725 preamp
    725, Soulution best preamp, shown in system
    • Soulution 755 phono
    Soulution best phono stage, unbelievable amount of adjustment for cartridge including channel balance to 1 DB
    • Soulution Soulution 760 LEEDH
    Soulution top tier DAC, really pleased with performance of this DAC.  

    I still prefer analog but many recordings that were digital to begin with (and vinyl cut from CD master) are better on Soulution than on turntable.
    • Soulution 701 Mono Block Amplifiers
    Soulution top tier 2KW solid state amps from Switzerland
    • ORB-DF03 USA version DF03
    Excellent LP flattener, simple to use and so far perfect result
    • Aurender W20 Special Edition
    Aurender music server, model W20 SE with 16TB solid state storage on board.
    • Vibraplane 2212-01
    Under my Technics MK3,  powered by Silentaire DR-150
    • Degritter MK2 Ultrasonic LP cleaning machine
    From Estonia, very powerful ultrasonic LP cleaning machine.  The MK2 version is better than the original which was already the best I’ve heard
    • Degritter and ORB LP flattner Degritter and ORB LP flattner
    View of two important pieces to maintain LP collection
    • Milbank Transocket three phase 750 amp
    750 amp meter base. Pass through design, three phase power is a huge benefit in conjunction with our dedicated transformer.
    • Porter Port Cryo outlets 20 Amp
    14 of these in my system, each to a dedicated breaker in copper based electrical box
    • Furutech NCF Booster
    New NCF Booster added to majority of AC cords in system.  Easy to see against light colored wall, arrow points to NCF Booster to my (previous) owned Allnic M-5000 amp.
    • Purist Audio Design Focal EM Supply cable
    New four conductor cord, replaces stock Focal supply cord from EM drive box to back of speaker. Amazing upgrade
    • Purist Audio Design 35th Anniversary XLR (4 total)
    (1) Soulution 755 phono to Soulution 725 preamp
    (1) Soulution 725 preamp to Soulution 701 mono blocks
    (1) Soulution 760 LEEDH DAC to Soulution 725 preamp
    (1) Studer A820 to Soulution 725 preamp
    • Purist Audio Design 35th Anniversary Bi-Wire
    1.5 meter Bi-Wire, Soulution 701 mono blocks to Focal Grande EM
    • Purist Audio Design 35th Anniversary AC Cables
    New STUNNING cable from Purist Audio, silver and seven stage network box.  This cable brought so much dynamics, resolution and transparency to my system it qualifies as a main component.
    • Leica Disto D2
    Super laser measuring tool. Indispensable for setting distance and alignment of your speakers

Comments 4740

Sign in to comment
Albert,
Last week I got a chance to spend a nice afternoon with another AudiogoNer and their Walker TT. It is heads and tails the finest sounding LP machine I have ever listened to. What astounded me most was just how deep, black, and quiet the background was. His is installed on one of Lloyd's oustanding racks. The sound of that turntable is so addictive...

slipknot1

I just ran into this thread and am very impressed with Albert's system and room.

However, my main question is:
Does your wife have a sister? Age and/or looks makes no difference as long as she doesn't have...
A) "how-can-you-possibly-listen-to-that-house-shaking-music-that-loud"
or
B) "fidelity-shmidelity"
in her arsenal of comments.

Congratulations on wife, system and room (in that order.)

vvrinc

No, it might be 2003, a spacial oddity....

oops, sorry. Great system. the envy of the net.

unclejeff

Owner
System edited: Images updated.

albertporter

I'm at a loss for what to name this system then...
Maybe it's like the ship in 2001 A space oddesey. That sucks when your joke have already been patented! Sorry Albert!

nrchy

Sorry Nrchy, but Sean already patented the name of Frankenstein for my "weird ass system" as Robert Stein of the Cable Company once called it. Albert's system is far more civilised, rather the work of a Renaissance man and artist, compared to my wild bouts of experimentation. (:

detlof

Albert you better be careful. It sounds to me like you're building Frankenstein down there. One day you're going to wake up and it's going to be walking around the house. Hey, get pictures of that!
Have you ever considered a webcam, and charging people to look at it? That might help defray some of the costs of impending upgrades?!?

nrchy

Owner
System edited: New Purist Audio prototype cables added to my system.

albertporter

I had the pleasure of listening to Albert's system last night. It is really scary listening to a system with this level of resolution. Anything changed out has been quite noticeable when listening to the results. Be it power cables, exotic feet or whatever. jim...

diyaudio

Owner
TWL, if you bring that big dog of yours there may not be room on the sofa for anyone but you and him.

That could work out well for you. I play DJ the entire time, finding software that keeps your Rottweiler in a friendly mood :^)

albertporter

Ahhh! Analog, tubes and single-drivers. The true pathway to Audio Nirvana. I do love the access door for the equipment too. One day I'll flop myself down in that big comfy couch and listen to some Rickie Lee Jones! Albert, you will have to play DJ, because I'm not touching that high dollar rig!

twl

Owner
System edited: Added images including view through access door and corrected description of system.

albertporter

Albert, I am thoroughly impressed with your system, and especially so with the evident care and forethought you've used to assemble it.

The effort you've put into getting your listening environment 'right' serves as an inspiration to me. My listening space is in dire need of improvement, and aside from my MG20R upgrade project, that's what I'll tackle next.

Again, my admiration for a system that so well serves the music.

warddorrity

Owner
Soundlab replaced my back plates completely when I did the upgrade. New cores too, so I began from scratch and break in on Soundlabs are very slow.

Several of my regular visitors say my sound is the best it has ever been. Pretty good since the speakers probably need another two months to be 100%. After break in I have four mods to do to the power supplies and Purist has promised me a new power cable that is not available on the market yet. Supposed to be a small miracle for amps.

Instead of the "fly" I wish you could come sit down with us. It is a sincere offer, keep it in mind if travel brings you this way.

albertporter

With your speakers back from Soundlab and your room all finished; how does it compare to the old room? I'd still like to be that fly!

nrchy

Owner
Thanks for the kind words.

I must make time for photography of the new room. It's the same size and layout, but completely rebuilt from the foundation up.

albertporter

albert saw the pic's of your old room. incredible does not doit justice. is that rug under the dining room table for sale?

capeguy

Nrchy- One word to agree with your statement: CHEERS! It always seems to help fool me :o)

tireguy

Albert, think about it; a quarter of a million dollars worth of equipment and still, it cannot surpass the sound of one woman and a Martin guitar. Interesting, huh?

Although, I have been to lots of live shows that never compared to the sound of their live music on record. As it is, many a band goes into the studio to clean up live tracks.

matchstikman

Funny, I've also always adored Joni and I got all of her music since her first recording and yes, I think Nrchy is absolutely right.

detlof

What would Alberts system add to Joni Mitchell that would not be there when she is playing in the room. How could a recording be better than the real thing.

I think Albert has a great system, one which I will never match, but live music sounds better than prerecorded music. This whole hobby is a matter of fooling yourself. Which is why I have often said the most improtant componant in reproducing the experience of live music is the imagination. No system regardless of how good it is will sound like Joni Mitchell is in the room. Although I admit Alberts will sound much more like it than mine!

nrchy

Owner
If it were possible for Joni to visit my home and play, I would be more than happy to post the outcome.

I've loved and enjoyed her music ever since the release of "Joni Mitchell / Song to a Seagull" in 1969.

albertporter

Albert, a philosophical question for fun. You have a very nice system and I am thinking that the sound is more than superb, but consider this. Suppose you play some music by Joni Mitchell on your system and it sounds fabulous and then, by chance, Joni Mitchell comes over to your house and she decided to play a few songs for you. I am betting that Joni Mitchell through your system would sound much better than Joni Mitchell, in your living room and two feet away from you. In essence, the real thing, Joni in person, would not sound as good as the unreal thing, Joni on vinyl; hence, the unreal music, vinyl through your system, would not sound real. Does that make sense?

matchstikman

Detlof, my system would no longer qualify for advanced comparisons! (But I wouldn't mind being on the "comparisons committee"!)
However, it does play some music and thereby keeps me company -- which is a blessing in & of itself..:). Cheers

gregm

Greg, Abert, this colleague of mine knows his maths, he's got an astute mind, too astute for a shrink I feel, must have been an unconscious death wish on his part
(-;.....well, that's what colleagues are for: As the old saying goes....."medicus medicum odet". Wonder if this holds true for audiophiles too, namely that under the veneer of politeness and helping cameraderie we jealously compare our gear and if we fall flat, would hate each others guts. Would be food for thought and worthy of another thread, though hardly a politically correct one.(-:

detlof

Displaying posts 4651 - 4675 of 4740 in total
  • 14.8 Million
  • 4.7 Thousand
  •  19
© 2025 Audiogon.com