Description

This is a constantly evolving system. My audiophile passion started in the early 70's and got me to study electronics and acoustics in college. I built my own speakers and power amps in the late 70's, but as my income increased and my free time evaporated, I moved to commercial products. I've owned at least a dozen of every different kind of component (probably more speakers) over the years. In the late 90's, I started focusing on home theater, but my interest in 2-channel has been rekindled in recent years. 

I ended up spending my career in computers, but have started doing more DIY audio stuff recently. In the past few years, I've built three pair of speakers, two pair of subwoofers, two preamps, one stereo amp, four pair of monoblock amps, a Roon server, and several speaker cables, interconnects, and power cables. 

My main system, shown here, is built with DIY preamp, monoblock amps, and speakers. I am hoping to build my own streamer and DAC over the next year or so, but I have two more preamp projects in the works that I need to finish first.
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Room Details

Dimensions: 29’ × 17’  Large
Ceiling: 8’


Components Toggle details

    • Denafrips Gaia Digital-to-Digital Converter
    Accepts digital audio from numerous inputs. Buffers and reclocks the data, and outputs on numerous outputs including i2s, AES, SPDIF, optical, coax, USB. Inputs are opto-isolated for improved noise rejection.
    • Denafrips Terminator Plus
    Upgraded from the Terminator in Feb 21
    • Small Green Computer SonicTransporter i9
    Roon core. Optical ethernet connection to streamer.
    • Sonore Signature Rendu SE
    Upgraded from Optical Rendu, summer 21
    • DIY Preamp2
    Two chassis design with separate class A shunt power supplies for dedicated subwoofer output and balanced line stage. Features Khozmo relay-switched balanced attenuator and input selector, Salas UBib shunt regulators, balanced AMB a20 discrete line stage, AMB a24 single ended subwoofer output.
    • DIY Parallel 300B SET Monoblocks
    Based on the ANK kit Interstage monoblocks with C-Core transformers. Custom chassis with numerous upgrades including Tent Labs filament supplies, PMillet driver stage filament supply, Neurochrome Maida regulator, soft-start, turn-on delay, balanced inputs, and other upgrades. Using matched quad Western Electric 300Bs.
    • GR-Research Line Force Speakers
    DIY open baffle line arrays using six Bohlender-Graebener NEO10 drivers and sixteen NEO3 drivers per speaker.
    • GR Research Quad 12" OB Servo Subwoofers
    Stereo pair
    • PS Audio Stellar Power Plant P3
    • GIK Acoustics Bass Diffusors, 242 Panels, Art Panels
    Multiple GIK panels used throughout the room
    • DIY acoustic treatments Tube Traps, wall panels
    • Kimber Kable Select KS-3035
    4ft speaker cable with WBT locking bananas
    • DH Labs Red Wave
    DIY Power cords with Wattgate or Furutech connectors
    • DIY HELIX Power Cables
    I'm using several DIY PCs for my source components using the recipe from Steve Reeve. These are build using Neotech UP-OCC solid core copper in teflon, with Viborg silver-plated copper connectors.
    • Iconoclast by Belden 4x4 OCC Balanced Interconnects
    1M pair between DAC and preamp, 7M pair between preamp and monoblock amps.
    • DH Labs Sub-Sonic II
    Subwoofer interconnect cables
    • AudioQuest Diamond USB
    Connecting Roon ROCK to Gaia
    • Tubulus Argentus i2s cable
    Used between the Denafrips Gaia DDC and the Terminator Plus DAC
    • Solid Tech Hybrid Standard Rack
    Four shelf rack with columns filled with sand.
    • ATS Acoustics 2'x4' QRD Diffusers
    Eight custom (slightly shortened to fit my ceiling height) QRD diffusers (6.5" deep) made from birch. Mounted to the front wall behind the speakers. Wrapped in fabric. Total of 64 sq ft.

Comments 42

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Very nice system!  I have no doubt it brings you may hours of pleasure.  In my previous system I had taken my speaker crossover outboard, using Duelund CAST-Cu capacitors, and Mundorf inductors and M-Resist resistors... so your crossover really caught my attention!  Nicely done.  You obviously know how big an impact a crossover like that has on a system.  I have no doubt this is a sublime system.  I also used to have KS-3035 speaker cables years ago before getting a wonderful deal on a pair of KS-6065's.  Both are super nice cables.

Best regards,

John

reynolds853