Description

Made a number of significant changes over the past year, notably the Ayre CD player, Mac C500 pre-amp, and the Audience power conditioner. I also upgraded to Tara Labs power cords with PAD speaker cables and interconnects. I am very pleased with the sound of my current system - very detailed and open yet musical and engaging. However, one can't help but to wonder how a more capable pair of speakers would sound in this room...
Read more...

Components Toggle details

    • Ayre Acoustics C-5xe mp
    Universal CDP
    • McIntosh C500T
    Dual chasis tubed pre-amp
    • McIntosh MC 402
    Very powerful and dynamic but with a relaxed, forgiving, tube-like sound. My last amplifier for a very long time.
    • Purist Audio Designs Venustas
    Latest Preasto Revision Edition. 1.0M XLR from the CDP to pre and pre to power
    • Focal JM Lab Nova Utopia Be
    3-standing floor way with Beryillium tweeter
    • Purist Audio Designs Proteus
    7 feet
    • Salamader Designs S30
    5-shelf component stand
    • Virtual Dyanmics Nite II
    Added detail and microdyanamics. Used on the Mac power amp
    • Tara Labs The One AC power cord
    PC for the CDP and pre
    • Audience Adept Response R12
    Power conditioner
    • ASC Tube traps
    Dramatically improves soundstaging
    • GIK Acoustics 4 Tri-traps, 2 244s, 3 242s
    Acoustic panels and corner traps which tightned up the bass, opened up the soundstage, improved the imaging, and tamed the bright treble.

Comments 73

Showing all comments by mikeduke.

View all comments

I hope so. From what I have been told it should be a nice upgrade for me. I think the TS version does raise the level a bit. At least that is what I have read in the reviews. Man those Nova's look fantastic. I am using the Grand Prix audio as my main rack and I do plan on getting some isolation feet(Wave Kinetic) of my BR player. Enjoy that system. I know I would.

mikeduke

Great looking system. I always like the Utopia Be's. I use 1027 be's in my room. I am sure that they sound great with those McIntosh amps. What do you think of the Audience. I am planning on getting the ar-6TS for my system. What sort of changes did you notice with it in the system. Again. Great system.

mikeduke