Description

Striving for a dynamic, neutral, life like and engaging system

Focal point is my solid wood Daedalus Apollo 11 speakers

97 db High impedance -  realism, tonality, dynamics


I use two parallel tube pre amp / amp systems

Uesugi (top end over designed 80s Japanese) and Doshi

My Doshi preamp handles the phono stage for both systems.


I like boutique audio designers that are passionate about music 


the Galibier / ZYX/Durand analog combo is to die for

The dial indicator setup really Fine tunes the vta on the fly.

An Oppo / MHDT Orchid digital combo sounds analog enough to feel I don’t need  Lps of everything

I have the room treated with GIK and real traps 

I wish my room were 4 foot deeper


Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 14’ × 27’  Large
Ceiling: 8’


Components Toggle details

    • Galibier Gavia
    high mass table the new motor nd cloth drive and arm mount make it even more resolving Thom Mackris is wonderful, thank you
    • ZYX UNIverse Optimum
    incredibly revealing Universe Takes All the magic of the Premium and takes it to an even more open organic level - wow Mehran is wonderful to deal with
    • Durand Talea II tone arm Talea II

    this tone arm took my vinyl rig to new heights


    seamless with Universe and Galibier


    Now utilize dial indicator to refine vta to 1000th of an inch

    • Daedalus Apollo 11
    full range speaker 97 db efficiency Lou's speakers are very resolving, tonally balanced, dynamic, engaging. I own the Ulysses as well in my HT. Lou ungraded to a 10” in a refined cabinet with enhanced drivers and crossover. Phenomenal. HIs solid wood cabinets are of the highest craftsmanship. Lou Hinkley really stands behind his work and is wonderful to deal with
    • Doshi Aalap full function pre / phono
    Incredible life like resolution and dynamics phono stage is world class
    • Doshi J'hor 80 watt tube mono blocks
    80 watt per side tube mono blocks
    • Uesugi UTY 5
    40 watt mono blocks
    Very organic sounding
    Vintage 1980s overdesigned 
    Massive dynamics that don't break up
    • Uesugi Ubros-1
    Preamp. 
    Great detail
    I don't use the high output phono stage but others I know love it
    Take 0.24 mV signal from Doshi pre into line stage inputs

    Wonderful detail and incredibly musical
    • OPPO BDP-105
    Used as transport and 24/192 blu ray / sacd
    • SRA Craz Rack
    Incredible isolation great detail and isolation of instruments drops resonances to spooky levels piano keys don't blend together
    • KL Audio LP200
    Ultrasonic record cleaner fabulous. Brings out innner detail and imaging of recordings
    • SRA Ohio and Vr isolation platforms
    custom made for individual equipment Kevin Tellekamp designs resonance systems for nuclear submarines
    • Daedalus Daedalus Wywire
    Lou's very own internal wiring natural, revealing
    • Crimson Audio ICs
    Austin TX very revealing and tonally correct thanks Creston
    • purist audio design aqueous power chords
    energetic and low noise floor
    • Richard Gray Power station
    Brings dedicated 220 volt line stepdown to 110. Protects and isolates ac
    • Real Traps Acoustic treatments
    Corner Mondo Traps Diffusers ceiling absorption - first arrival
    • GIK art designed acoustic absorbtion panels absorption panels
    tame mild  slap echo behind listening area
    • Audio Research Dac 3

    very natural 6922 tube based dac

    use for more harsh cds

    • room 14.5 by 27
    speakers on long wall
    • Marantz 20 B analog tuner
    • Daedalus DIDs footers Daedalus Isolation Devices
    • Loricraft Record cleaner
    point action vaccum Keith Monks design use for dirty records only KL Audio Ultrasonic only for 97%
    • Triplanar VII
    My first serious tonearm excellent tone arm synergy with ZYX
    Considering using as second arm with a higher output  Soundcraft Boheme moving iron cartridge
    • Q-tip cotton swabs
    refined listening device. works well with mental ascension to be transported elsewhere by music
    • Richard Gray Power Company Switch box
    I utilize two systems

    Uesugi pre and power amps
    Doshi pre and power amps

    This is a high end - no holds barred switch box
    My friend Richard Gray built this specifally for my system needs

    It allows me to run speaker wire outs from both systems into the box and switch which system on the fly. Then the single common Daedalus speaker cables to the speakers

    I in principle avoid such components - tone controls - etc

    There is no degradation there
    • room long WALL gik REAL TRAPS 14.5 (widest) x 27 room

    Here is my long wall setup

    it sounds very nice


    All the components are on the right side wall

    I can run parallel systems through a switchbox to mY Apollo speakers

    I have Real Trap mondo bass traps in the corners and GIK art panels for slap echo

    • short wall 12 x 27 12 x 27 x 8 expands to 14.5 9 ft out
    Sounds good with certain speakers
    • MHDT Laboratory Orchid
    R2R tube dac with  2C51 Gammatron tube

    Very analog sounding 
    • NOGA Dial indicator and indicator arm
    Utlizing dial indicator to fine tune vta with the Durance Talea tonearm
    Can fine tune to the 1000th on an inch to nail down the vta

Comments 47

Lovely system. I just fired up my brand new MHDT Orchid yesterday with an upgrade Tung-Sol 2C51 tube. It was a bit bright the first day, but I think it was the brand new Silnote Audio digital coax interconnect. It sounds fabulous today and I’m sure will only get better over the next week as it breaks in. Curious, have you settled in with a favorite tube in your Orchid?

parker65310

Tom, I just checked your new layout, and if your speakers are located as indicated in your diagram, I see no reason you should be having your current problems. It just makes no sense. I firmly believe once you find a solution, you WILL have better sound than on the long wall.

Best of luck,
Dan

islandmandan

Owner

thanks Dan


A lot to ponder

It just is so frustrating when it sounded so nice on the long wall


Tom

audiotomb

Hello, I just responded to your post regarding your attempt at relocating your speakers. I see no reason why your Dadeulus Ulysses shouldn't work, if you can get them properly located in their orientation.

You have a beautiful system, one to be envied. Please let us know how you make out.

Regards,
Dan

islandmandan

Lovely system !!!!!

tomic601

Owner
Mike

I recall reading your reviews on the Durand Talea and Talos
When I looked at the upgrade. The Talea made a huge impact in my system.

Wow Jazzdoc's system and mine are scary close to each other, thanks for sharing

audiotomb

Audiotomb,

congrats on the Durand Talea, it is an amazing tonearm.

I really like your room and gear, it reminds me of my friend 'Jazdoc' who has Daedalus speakers, Galibier tt, Durand Talea II tonearm, and the same SRA Craz rack. I love his system and i'm sure yours is wonderful too.

mikelavigne

Owner
I added a Durand Talea tonearm
amazing - engaging, detail, body

audiotomb

Owner
System edited: Here is my latest system - still working on a balance of room acoustics for tonality

audiotomb

Owner
what?

I somehow deleted all but my latest ad ons

doh!

audiotomb

Owner
System edited: Daedalus Ulysses + speaker cable, Doshi D'hor mono blocks and Audio Research CD9 additions

audiotomb

Owner
the have upgraded to Daedalus Ulysses speakers and Daedalus\Wywires speaker cables

Also Doshi Dhor monoblocks (80 wpc)

I am really enjoying running a high efficiency system. The Ulysses are 97 db. The synergy is great between the Ulysses and the Doshi

I recently started experimenting with my room because the tonality wasn't quite right.

I removed 3 diffusion panels behind my listening couch and it made a big difference in bringing up the mids relative to the highs

Love when things are converging

Tom

audiotomb

Owner
I absolutely love the rack
It is not only a great isolation device but is a work of art

When I first heard it i notice how fast runs in piano sounded as totally articulated notes when without it the system sounded smeared in comparison

I couldn't do without it

Only negative is the price but this is a substaintial piece and yields a lifetime of enjoyment

audiotomb

Wondering if you absolutely LOVE your SRA craz rack? Considering a purchase of one is it beautiful in person(rack)? Any complaints? Thanks

pkoegz

very nice system! Would you give more commons describe the Crimson Audio speaker cables compare to the Acoustic Zen speaker cables? I'm curious after reading your finding on the Crimson Audio speaker cables. I'm using the Hologram II to my Dali Helicon 400 and Cary SLI-80 amp, wanting upgrades my cables at the time.

wil801

Owner
System edited: updated pics with AtmaSphere MA1's and Salk Soundscape 10's New Crimson Audio speaker cables - very resolving and you don't have to fight with connecting garden hoses

audiotomb

I am glad bi-amping is working for you! I bet the sound is to die for. That is a tempting solution for me to do too.

Bob

rsimms

My Dad played jazz bass .I inherited his bass,probably because of its size my brother and sister did not want it.It sounds great.It does not have a brand name on it ,but has the date 1923 on the inside.Quite a system you have!I imagine it sounds great .Ray

raytheprinter

Owner
I stepped up to the Salk Soundscape 10s. Jim Salk made me an incredible pair - custom woodwork and incredible sound. These go down to 22 hz and require a bit more power to fully unleash their full potential.

I went with a pair of Atma Sphere MA 1.IIIs - output transformerless tube heaven for the mids and highs. No grain, very resolving and engaging.

I am awaiting in route a QSC PowerLight pl 380 class d pro gear solid state amp for the woofers. Needed the volume adjustment for the biamping. 1500 watts into 8 ohm. The Salks cross over at 390 hz

We tried the bi-amp concept with a 1000 watt infinity amp on the low end. It brought out the best elements of the Salks and the Atma-Spheres.

Will need to configure and buy new speaker wire

I'm there

audiotomb

beautiful system! I like your philosphy of using components from passionate makers, I am of the same camp and gravitating that way myself. Enjoy!

pops

you're welcome :-)

unoear

Owner
System edited: awaiting doshi pre and purist audio pc and ic bat vk600 located on sra ohio class isolation stand (thanks alan and michael)

audiotomb

Owner
thanks George for the advice and connection on the Doshi end

the bat sounds fabulous - more full bodied and dynamic than the Moscode which is no slouch
really makes the Salks sing

awaiting Nick's mods on the moscode
phono out, psuedo balanced outs, capacitance changes

audiotomb

Glad to see that you added the BAT amp and Doshi preamp.

I bet both pieces will work well in your system.

George

zybar

Owner
bat audio VK600 implemented in system (thanks Michael)
doshi pre being modded by nick (thanks ian)
sra ohio class stand coming
will probably put bat on ohio stand on the floor (thanks alan)

didn't want to miss any nuance
and the upgrades are making a huge movement towards hearing the passion in the music

looking at purist audio design aqueous interconnects
to replace acoustic zen

moscode and dodd or arc ls5 will go into a bedroom set with either galt or magnepan 1.5s

audiotomb

Showing 1 - 25 of 47 posts