This is the system I built up specifically for apartment use, where large scale dynamics and output are more or less not allowed on account of the neighbors. Therefore my system design requirements were for an ultra-low noise floor, great resolution and dynamics at lower level listening and a holographic sound-stage where the speakers "disappeared". People who heard this system when it was finished couldn't believe it. The midrange was sublime bordering on the best I've ever heard to this day. At it's peak it was $32K at retail, in my 500 sq ft $375 a month apartment, haha. I had Walker Audio super silver treatment on all connections, I made most of my own power-cords, had all kinds of little tweaks until the system glowed as I call it. The sound was holographic and unreal. I had sound panels behind the monoblocks to improve imaging, but unfortunately I don't have a picture of the system then. I also had Walker Audio Valid Points for tuning, but no pic of it fully setup.
An amazing preamp and the biggest upgrade I've ever heard to date in my systems.
Parasound HALO JC-1 MONOBLOCKS
These need no introduction. They are giant killer amps.
Totem Acoustic Hawk
Two-way speakers with exceptional imaging and midrange performance. Female vocal perfection.
Shunyata Research Hydra V-Ray
Power conditioner which admittedly provided no noticeable difference to the system, but it did look neat and keep the system protected.
Shunyata Research Python Alpha
Fat power cord that looked cool.
Cambridge Audio Azur 851C
A very high resolution CD player. Not quite as warm as a Marantz, but gobs of detail and harmonic resolution.
Parasound Halo A21
Amplifier used until I got my JC-1 monoblocks. In hindsight, the A21 and JC-2 preamp is a killer combo. You'd have vary little need for more than that.
Tara Labs RSC Air 1 Speaker Cables
At $2200 a pair at the time, these made a demonstrable difference in the system, so I purchased them. Most expensive wire I've bought to date, but it was clearly audible.
Thanks for the comments! I'm just seeing them now so sorry for the late response. Beaks are audio jewelry IMO. I've never critically listened to compare, because I don't really care to know, but they look cool I think. Tweaks are tweaks because they're almost impossible to tell the difference with just one minor tweak. I tweaked the whole system, and it was most noticeable when I "un-tweaked" the system let's say, and some of the magic glow was lost. I couldn't tell you what it was though that did it. To this day, this system had the most amazing soundstage of any system I've ever owned.
I feel ya. I have Totem Hawks, Parasound amps, MMF5.1 SE.... I have not dabbled much with power cords, cabling, beaks... Curious as to which tweaks you feel were most satisfying...
Nice system and description of your results. I’ve experimented with lots of systems and settled in with 2 of 3 of those systems using Cambridge and Totem acoustics combos that are simply a joy to listen to. Forest in one, rainmaker in another. Thanks for sharing.
