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.
Miguel, I can second what Mihalis has written. I use xlrs between the WAVAC and either my Siegfrieds or my Atmas and there is no noise whatsoever. I have clean power.
Aida at the Terme di Caracalla, what a night that was, freshly in love and a full moon in the sky. That was 1955 and I a young man... and yes you are right, a great system can sometimes afford better accoustics with the right music than a mediocre seat in a concert. But it takes discerning ears and an exceptional system at home to experience that. Happy listening, D
Mihalis, I have followed this thread with great interest and valued your contributions, because, like only a few others here, you not only are in the position to listen to a large number of really first class gear, but also have a discerning mind and ears and - last not least - have the kindness and generosity to share your findings with us here. I have been a Gryphon man for a large number of years until I was taken by the euphonic magic of the Jadis gear. These days I use WAVAC for my vinyl front end. We might have similar tastes in music, because your descriptions of the sound of the FM and Goldmund gear mirror my experience. This makes me wonder what your benchmark for satisfactory rendition of music might be? Do you take the time to go to live concerts often to sort of form a mnestic "gestalt" within yourself how things should sound? I could imagine, that this would be the case from the way you write. I fully agree with you, by the way, with what you write about the WAVAC and the VTL 7.5 Mk II. I have both here. Where I don't agree, are your thoughts about PC-Audio. There is better sounding software on the market than Itunes by now and there are ASIO drivers, which will deal with the "electrical chaos" of our laptops in quite a satisfactory fashion. Using a modest TRENDS USB to SPIF converter together with JRiver software in your computer will get you astounding results for less than $300 and if you want a rendition of digital which in musicality rivals that of the Zanden combo or the dCS stack one could give Empirical Audio's SPOILER USB DAC an audition. ReQuest for more or less the same money markets an interesting music server which is not bad either. Speaking of the PRT1, have you tube rolled? I have, with Mullards of 1950 vintage. Microdynamics improved, the sound of strings became more "real", the soundstage with the right software, gave the individual intruments or voices a tad more bloom and room to breathe, something I find even the most expensive FM or Goldmund gear cannot achieve. Whatever, Thank you once more, for taking the time and effort for sharing your invaluable findings with us here. Happy listening! Detlof
