Just a real simple system based on the Tonian TL-P1 MKII with NOS Philips 9710 driver supplemented by a ribbon tweeter. Tony Minasian's speakers are like finely tuned musical instruments. They are open and natural with beautiful tone. They can sound great with basic amplifiers of lower wattage. In fact, Tony often shows his gear with modest components to great effect. In my case, I went with a vintage vibe consisting of the venerable Dynaco duo of ST-35 (EL84) amp and PAS-3 preamp newly built by Kenny Russell at GETDYNACO. His attention to detail and meticulous work make this a no-brainer combination if you are looking for vintage-inspired amplification in a reliable package. I would even suggest this package to someone looking for a tube integrated amp in the $3K-$5K range. Yes, they are separates but each piece has a small footprint and the synergy is fantastic..I have enjoyed trying a multitude of tube amplifiers over the last 30 years and have settled on the EL84 as my favorite tube. And, the combination of Kenny’s ST35 offering with his PAS preamp is just really special. I am also floored by how much I enjoy the phono stage in the PAS preamp. Part of me wishes that I had a more vintage turntable, but I have been so happy with the Dynavector 507mk II tonearm that I have been reluctant to look into anything else. The Dynavector makes it so easy for a ham-fisted (when it comes to turntables) guy like me to dial in (VTF, VTA, anti-skate, etc) any cartridge — and in my opinion that counts for a lot.
Thank you for the kind words. I have not been on Audiogon in awhile.. still enjoying the system, especially the Tonians. Tony is really great to work with. When receiving one of his speakers you feel like you are getting an individually hand- tuned piece of art and not a product coming off an automated production line.
Congrats, you have my favorite room on this entire site. Those Tonians and the turntable are just gorgeous. Great room, hope you are still enjoying it.
