This is a collection of equipment (note how I dont call it a system!), the purpose of which was for me to sample as much as possible prior to settling down to equipment I can use in a final room I am building with Rives. Needless to say, I ended up getting deeper and deeper in this, learning that reviews are typically falwed because (i) reviewers have specific motives, (ii) they dont generally have very good systems, and (iii) no system is perfect and therefore personal preferences matter a lot.
The room is by no means great but it is custom designed and measured. It works quite well, even though these speakers need more room to breathe.
Happy to answer questions about my experience with all this equipment, all of which is quite excellent in its own way. I have some on order which I will add when the time comes.
Other equipment I have owned include:
-Tenor 300hp
-MBL 9011 monos
-MBL 6010D preamp
-VTL 7.5 mk i and ii
-Audio Research Ref 3 preamp
-BAT 75se
-Other
UPDATE: Moved to new room, much more spacious and finally allowing me to sit within the prescribed distance for driver integration. Also, I cleaned up somewhat the amp list: I now use the Wavac 833 mkii (4 box) and for solid state the Class A Gryphon Colosseum Solos. Added to the preamps is the Soulution. All cables are Jorma Prime including an 8m length xlr. Power cords being changed all to Valhalla. Here you also see an attempt to test the continuum turntable through a wavac phono. The sound of the system has ameliorated appreciably and it is now starting to be a system after all. Very happy with it.
Room, other equipment etc make such a big difference, I find, that I d rather wait for some demo pieces at home.
My home demo occurred after selling my Aesthetix Io and Callisto Eclipse with the intention to replace them with same, but in the original chassis metalwork.
I thought as long as I was doing the test I would gather as many pieces as I could get. In the test was Aesthetix Io and Callisto Eclipse, The Messenger, Allnic, Einstein The Tube, Einstein Turntable Choice and fresh memory from having a couple of other pieces in from weeks before.
Bottom line is the Ypsilon was judged best by about half of all the members in my audio group and what I purchased got the nod by the others.
I'd like to hear the Ypsilon again, now that my system has moved up to where it is. It's the only piece of equipment I've had in the last decade that still tempts me.
I had the Ypsilon PST-100, VPS-100 and MC-16 step up in my system for evaluation. It was awhile back and my understanding it there have been some minor upgrades since then.
In any case the sound I had during that evaluation is among the top two or three pieces of electronics I've ever heard.
