Humble Family Room System

by stereosanctity on HeedTotemTotem AcousticBluesoundPro-jectChordMojoVinylTurntableDigitalStreamingMid Century ModernMid CenturyEamesAudioquestSignal CableMusic StreamerWireless Audio
View from the listening chair.
Wide view of our living room’s west wall. The Eames chair gets moved when not actively listening.
Autographed LPs by Ornette Coleman, Roscoe Mitchell, and Pharaoh Sanders watch over.

Description

This is the third iteration of our humble system that’s in our shared family room space.  Have gone from Rotel>Polk, to Marantz>Kirksaeter, and now to Heed>Totem.  The only constant has been the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon.  The digital front end has moved from a DTS Play-Fi streamer to Bluesound Node 2i with a Chord Mojo handling D/A conversion.  I’m pretty smitten with this current system.  Next upgrade will be a new turntable.  This is a hard choice, but honestly, with the upgrades to the Debut Carbon, it sounds pretty good!  The small desk is a sewing machine table from the mid-twentieth century.  It's solid, heavy, and built like a tank.

Open to tips, tweaks, or turntable recommendations.

Cheers!  Matthew


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Components Toggle details

    • Heed Audio Obelisk

    Their SI Mark III integrated amp with phono board installed.  Resting on Herbie’s Audio Lab’s Tender Feet on top of a very dense chopping board from Hay Design.  

    • Totem Acoustic Rainmaker

    Monitor loudspeakers on sand filled stands.

    • Bluesound Node 2i

    We enjoy streaming via Tidal HiFi, Spotify Connect, and a collection of CD rips and FLAC downloads.  Herbie’s Audio Lab Baby Booties offer support, and a simple cutting board to get the Node 2i off the floor.

    • Chord Mojo

    D/A Conversion for the Node 2i.

    • Pro-Ject Debut Carbon

    Upgrades include Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, acrylic platter, Speed Box S PSU, and Puck-It record weight.  Supported by Vibrapods on top of a solid piece of granite.

    • Signal Cable Inc. Various Cables

    Various cables from SignalCable.  Their Classic Speaker Cables, MagicPower power cord into the Obelisk, digital optical between the Node 2i and the Mojo, and their Silver Mini cable going from the Mojo into the Obelisk.

    • AudioQuest Various Cables

    NRG C7 power cable for the Node 2i, and Sidewinder interconnects from the Node into the Obelisk (for TV audio).

    • APC P8V

    Ultra budget friendly power strip and conditioner.

Comments 10

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Owner
@agear  

Prior to having the Heed amp I was really hooked on how the Totems showcased acoustic instruments, but bringing the Heed into the chain I've been listening to a lot of crunchy, distorted, electric guitar tracks (Sonic Youth, Pixies, for example).  The Heed/Totem combo articulates these sounds in a very clean way.  Tons of fun when listening in near field.

stereosanctity

Owner
@agear 

Thanks!  My wife and I love MCM and have been fortunate enough to come across great furniture finds over the years.

The Heed is really something special.  It continues to impress me everyday I turn it on.  I did struggle the first few weeks of owning it, but around the fourth weekend it really opened up and took on the "Heed" character I read so much about (including our small conversation earlier).

stereosanctity

Owner
@bradbin1 

Thanks, and appreciate your comment!

stereosanctity

Owner
@astewart8944 

Thanks!  The Mojo is a recent pick up.  I was thinking the Node 2i's internal DAC sounded good, but was blown away how much better the Mojo renders sound.  Unbelievable for the size and cost. 

stereosanctity

Owner
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stereosanctity

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