A motley collection of components and cables assembled over 20+ years. The SQ is full-bodied, dynamic and immersive. No distortion. No fatigue. 99% streaming via Tidal.
I prefer large monitors and powered subs over full-range floorstanders. This allows better fine-tuning of the bass to the room nodes.
I'm from the school that everything matters. Constant tweaking over the years. I didn't know what my system's potential was until the electrical power was cleaned up. As it's become optimized, the music is magical.
Transparent Audio believes that the power to each component should be isolated to prevent cross-contamination - especially with digital gear. Digital gear regurgitates noise back into the system circuitry which affects the SQ of the other components. So, each primary component in my rig (analog & digital) has its own dedicated Transparent Audio PIMM (Power Isolator MM series). Each PIMM is plugged into balanced power. In other words, the power to all the components is both balanced and conditioned - including the modem & router. The power to the SS amp is not balanced - only conditioned (non-current limiting). All LPS's - no wall warts. After-market footers under everything.
After installing the PIMM's, it was extremely easy to hear how a power cord influenced the SQ. It's taken years of auditioning many different brands & models of power cords to find a synergy that works for my ears - matching specific pc's to specific components. The signal cables, analog & digital, are a full loom of Synergistic Research Atmosphere Series - upper tiers. Wow!
Older Wilson speakers with the Focal 1" titanium coated tweeter have a bad reputation for harsh highs. Not in my rig.
My latest tweak was to deal with the EMI that was radiating from my large transformer-based components. Better everything! More info here.
Empirical Audio Off-Ramp 5: USB to SPDIF & AES/EBU converter/re-clocker
Empirical Audio
Off-Ramp 5 is equivalent to a DDC. It's an excellent bridge between the Aries streamer and the Concert Fidelity DAC. Even though it's Redbook only, it delivers all the music.
Denon DCD-1650AR - CD Transport
Oldie but goodie.
Auralic Aries Streamer
Very nice! But the stock DC umbilical cord that comes with it sounds terrible. It was replaced immediately with a DIY 20awg pure OCC solid core copper wire. Huge improvement! Modded the internal antenna with external ones. Using a better quality LPS than the stock one.
Core Power Technologies USBe Perfect
This USBe
Perfect is a USB signal regenerator. It's installed in the back of the Auralic Aries Streamer. It significantly improves the SQ of the USB signal coming out of the Aries. The SQ is much more clean & refined - like a much more expensive streamer. I'm guessing that the regenerator is removing noise that is produced by the Aries motherboard. Highly recommend for budget streamers.
Nordost QBase QB4
I have 3 QBase Power Strips. One for each of the 3 circuits used for my system. They use Nordost solid core wiring which improves the SQ.
The QB4 has 4 outlets. One is a regular outlet which Nordost calls the 'primary earth'. The other 3 have resistors installed. Nordost states that the resistors slightly lift the ground - and also serve to lightly separate the circuits from each other to prevent cross-contamination from the other components that are plugged into it.
I'm not a fan of the resistors. In my system, the resistors soften the sound - less dynamic. I only use the primary earth outlet in two of the QB4's. In the 3rd one, I disconnected the resistors - so that all of the outlets are primary earth.
Synergistic Research Atmosphere UEF Level 2 power cord
Powering the Concert Fidelity DAC.
Sablon Audio 2020 Ethernet cable
Sablon
Audio. Excellent ethernet cable. Have two. One between the Netgear modem & Netgear router. Another between the Netgear router and the Fidelizer WiFi AirStream. Body, texture, depth.
Synergistic Research Atmosphere X Reference USB cable
The passive red & blue tuning bullets offer the ability to tweak the SQ.
Synergistic Research Galileo UEF AES/EBU digital cable
This SR Galileo digital cable was almost like a component upgrade. The Galileo series is SR's top-of-the-line. The other non-Galileo SR series are good but not as transformative as the Galileo series.
Fidelizer Audio AirStream WiFi
Keetakawee @Fidelizer Audio modified an ASUS WiFi
router. Specially selected parts to quiet the circuitry -
including a better clock. The AirStream is used as an access point
following the Netgear router.
Snake River Audio Cottonmouth Gold Power Cords.
Have 2. IME, these work especially well on digital components.
Purist Audio Design Canorus Contego Power Cords
Have 2.
Full Loom _ Synergistic Research
Atmosphere Series - upper tiers. Ater cleaning up the power, these SR cables brought everything together. The SQ is the best ever.
Nobsound Springs
Townshend Audio Speaker Podiums
Excellent tweak. Highly recommend! With my suspended floors, the improvement in SQ was immediate.
Sound Anchor Stands
ICT PCM-12ADL vdc power conditioner
I have power conditioning on all of the AC lines. Why not try conditioning on the DC umbilical cords as well? The concept works great.
Just have to say,,, It is so cool to see a Frankenstereo in the likes of my own. And like you mine sounds perfect to me at this time. Good job and hopefully your music tastes run like your stereo tastes. I found that mixing and matching equipment gave me a broader musical selection. Everything sounds good. I would be interested in your thoughts.
