What did you do to your stereo rig today?

1146147149151152183

Comments

  • Last night I got my last MW driver jb welded, Cabinet area sealed, bh5 installed, sound deadening on the basket & installed the driver.

    Whew, 26 drivers on these SDA SRS’… also replaced my SL2000’s with the 194’s.
    Took 3 months+ to get to this point.

    Today, this morning, I got all the glue removed from my passive radiator. That sucked.
    Will install the Armacell for a new gasket tonight.
    Seal the passive area cabinet too.

    Install the passive tomorrow and enjoy some tunes for a while.
    Will shortly get after the Sonicap & Mill upgrades to the crossovers soon.
    Will sit back for a while with some frosty beverages and enjoy…..
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    There is tremendous value in used cables. I have full double bi-wire Audioquest Meteor speaker cables that were 15k retail. I grabbed them for 1100.00
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • There is tremendous value in used cables. I have full double bi-wire Audioquest Meteor speaker cables that were 15k retail. I grabbed them for 1100.00

    Damn nice score John.
    Actually, incredible score.

    I like the Analysis Plus Oval 9’s.
    Used, cause I can’t afford them new.

    Would really love to land some Cardas Golden References but, even used their way out of my wife’s allowable price range to going nuclear…. 🤣
  • newbie308
    newbie308 Posts: 674
    Just jumped on an incredible deal for a dealer demo, with approximately 20 hours of use, Clearaudio virtuoso ebony cartridge. It may exceed the capabilities of my Technics SL1200 turntable, but the deal was too good to pass up.
    Sources: Technics SL1200MKII | SME3009 Tonearm | Monster Alpha 1 MC cartridge | Oppo UDP203 disk player | Nikko NT-790 analog tuner | Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC | Preamp: Threshold SL-10 | Amplifier: Threshold Stasis 2 | Speakers: Snell Acoustics C/V | Kimber 12-TC bi wire speakers | Analysis plus Oval 1 preamp to amp | Wireworld Eclipse 7 DAC to Preamp | Wireworld eclipse digital IC Oppo to DAC | Audioquest Quartz tuner to preamp |
  • xsmi
    xsmi Posts: 1,786
    I think it will elevate the capabilities of your Technics.
    2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
  • newbie308
    newbie308 Posts: 674
    xsmi wrote: »
    I think it will elevate the capabilities of your Technics.

    I hope so. I have done significant upgrades to this turntable. KAB bearing, SME arm with Cardas hyperlitz tonearm wire, external transformer, Dynamat dampened plinth, upgraded isolation feet and a sound dampened steel (actually aluminum) platter mat, so it's no slouch. Oh, and I recently replaced the old tonearm cable wires out of necessity, but I'm not sure if that was an improvement. More like a parallel move. The blue LED's don't improve the sound, but they look cool :D

    Sources: Technics SL1200MKII | SME3009 Tonearm | Monster Alpha 1 MC cartridge | Oppo UDP203 disk player | Nikko NT-790 analog tuner | Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC | Preamp: Threshold SL-10 | Amplifier: Threshold Stasis 2 | Speakers: Snell Acoustics C/V | Kimber 12-TC bi wire speakers | Analysis plus Oval 1 preamp to amp | Wireworld Eclipse 7 DAC to Preamp | Wireworld eclipse digital IC Oppo to DAC | Audioquest Quartz tuner to preamp |
  • xsmi
    xsmi Posts: 1,786
    Nice setup.
    2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
  • jbreezy5
    jbreezy5 Posts: 1,141
    edited October 2022
    @dragon1952:

    Always wanted to hear the BMRs. The R3s are mighty good.
    CD Players: Sony CDP-211; Sony DVP-S9000ES; Sony UDP-X800M2 (x2); Cambridge Audio CXC

    DACs: Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC III (x2); Denafrips Ares II (x2)

    Streamers: ROKU (x3); Bluesound Node 2i and Node N130 w/LHY LPS // Receivers: Yamaha RX-V775BT; Yamaha RX-V777

    Preamps: B&K Ref 50; B&K Ref 5 S2; Classe CP-800 MkII; Audio Research SP16L (soon)

    Amps: Niles SI-275; B&K ST125.7; B&K ST125.2; Classe CA-2300; Butler Audio TDB-5150

    Speakers: Boston Acoustics CR55; Focal Chorus 705v; Wharfedale Diamond 10.2; Monitor Audio Silver-1; Def Tech Mythos One (x4)/Mythos Three Center (x2)/Mythos Two pr.; Martin Logan Electromotion ESL; Legacy Audio Victoria/Silverscreen Center; Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.1; SVS SB-1000 Pro; REL HT-1003; B&W ASW610; HifiMan HE400i

    Turntable: Dual 721 Direct-Drive w/Audio Technica AT-VM95e cart

    Cables: Tripp-lite 14ga. PCs, Blue Jeans Cable ICs, Philips PXT1000 ICs; Kimber Kable DV30 coaxial ICs; Canare L-4E6S XLR ICs; Kimber Kable 8PR & 8TC speaker cables.
  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,894
    The BMR's sound like a floor stander. Very full and 3 dimensional with nice depth of soundstage whereas the Focals sounded as good but lacked the depth and fullness. I think it's just the limitations of a 2 way vs a 3 way. The R3's should be more similar to the BMR's. One reason I wanted to demo the R3's, besides them being a 3 way like the BMR's, is that they are a narrow directivity speaker and I wanted to see if that was better suited to my room. The Focal's and BMR's are both wide directivity.
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Inakustik Reference USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    But it's only wire!!!

    Congrats!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • jbreezy5
    jbreezy5 Posts: 1,141
    dragon1952 wrote: »
    The BMR's sound like a floor stander. Very full and 3 dimensional with nice depth of soundstage whereas the Focals sounded as good but lacked the depth and fullness. I think it's just the limitations of a 2 way vs a 3 way. The R3's should be more similar to the BMR's. One reason I wanted to demo the R3's, besides them being a 3 way like the BMR's, is that they are a narrow directivity speaker and I wanted to see if that was better suited to my room. The Focal's and BMR's are both wide directivity.

    I think you’ll find the R3s have a ginormous soundstage.

    Either way, you have great options to choose from.

    I’m enjoying your journey.
    CD Players: Sony CDP-211; Sony DVP-S9000ES; Sony UDP-X800M2 (x2); Cambridge Audio CXC

    DACs: Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC III (x2); Denafrips Ares II (x2)

    Streamers: ROKU (x3); Bluesound Node 2i and Node N130 w/LHY LPS // Receivers: Yamaha RX-V775BT; Yamaha RX-V777

    Preamps: B&K Ref 50; B&K Ref 5 S2; Classe CP-800 MkII; Audio Research SP16L (soon)

    Amps: Niles SI-275; B&K ST125.7; B&K ST125.2; Classe CA-2300; Butler Audio TDB-5150

    Speakers: Boston Acoustics CR55; Focal Chorus 705v; Wharfedale Diamond 10.2; Monitor Audio Silver-1; Def Tech Mythos One (x4)/Mythos Three Center (x2)/Mythos Two pr.; Martin Logan Electromotion ESL; Legacy Audio Victoria/Silverscreen Center; Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.1; SVS SB-1000 Pro; REL HT-1003; B&W ASW610; HifiMan HE400i

    Turntable: Dual 721 Direct-Drive w/Audio Technica AT-VM95e cart

    Cables: Tripp-lite 14ga. PCs, Blue Jeans Cable ICs, Philips PXT1000 ICs; Kimber Kable DV30 coaxial ICs; Canare L-4E6S XLR ICs; Kimber Kable 8PR & 8TC speaker cables.
  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,420
    newbie308 wrote: »
    My new Kimber 12-TC bi-wire speaker cables arrived today. They are replacing some old Monoprice 14ga speakers wire. I'm a believer! Cables definitely make a difference! HOLY COW! THESE SOUND AMAZING!! More clarity, more bass, more detailed vocals, more defined and wider stereo image. Why didn't I do this years ago? 😫 From what I understand, what I'm experiencing will only improve as the cables burn in? Wow...

    03su8vdi27ax.jpg

    Well they sure are pretty!
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)


    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
  • newbie308 wrote: »
    I didn't really do anything to my system today, but I did just score a new in the box Oppo BDP-103 for $300 😁. I will post pictures once it's hooked up. I will be using it strictly for music.

    Nice score……


  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    A couple of weeks ago I picked up a Bob Latino ST-120 that I really liked. I had a pair of Snell J/IIIs that I thought would suit this amp until I got the speakers I was trying to get but fell through due to distance and logistics. Today I received a 2nd SVS SB-2000 and decided to try the pair of subs as stands. Yep. It sounds great. I'm running the Snells full range and the subs on another output with a 50Hz crossover.
    Make it Funky! :)
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,230
    So, yesterday I tried something that I had a feeling would not make any difference at all.....but I tried it anyway. Back when I originally got the Auralic Vega G2 network Audio Player, I went ahead and ordered 2 or 3 different Ethernet cables. My thought process was that it wouldn't change the sound at all but that it might help with the transferring of information at faster/better speeds.....but as mentioned, I wasn't expecting any change at all.

    Man, was I wrong. Completely wrong.

    I hooked up one of the extra Cat 8 cables I had ordered last year. (I know, they don't even have a standard for that yet but the data transfer rates/speeds they were showing looked promising) After hooking up the new cable, I turned the Vega G2 back on and hit play.

    I played the same exact song I had just sat down to listen too 5 minutes before. While expecting absolutely NO difference at all (since it's not part of the audio signal or incoming power). I was very pleasantly surprised at what I was now hearing through the Vega G2.

    I hadn't even sat down in the sweet spot yet and I could tell that there was a vast difference between what I had heard before and what I was hearing now. Not quite believing what my own ears were telling me off axis, I immediately sat down in the sweet spot.

    I don't think I left the sweet spot for an hour or two after that. Yosi Horikawa's, "Bubbles" easily took on another 10 feet in width to each side of the sound stage. Height perception as well as a drastic increase in depth perception was immediately noticeable. It made it from listening to/following a sound to being able to "see" the image as it moved up and down, back or forth to the point to where you knew exactly where what you were listening to was at. Laser sharp focus now.

    While listening to London Grammar's, "Hey Now"? I made the comment in a text to Trey that.....and I quote, "I'll be damned if it doesn't sound like physical music! No way....". This was followed by a text that read, "I am not believing what I am hearing.....I am simply not. The floor beneath me is shaking and the visceral presence is unreal".

    All of these aspects were a far cry from what I had been listening to since I got the Auralic Vega G2 up and running. I could always and easily tell when I was listening to the NAP. Now, not so much anymore.

    All this over a simple Ethernet cable I thought wouldn't amount to a hill of beans regarding the end result as to what hit my ears.

    Who knew?

    Tom

    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,557
    All that and you're not going to tell us the brand name of the cable? ARE YOU NEW TO THE HOBBY?
  • What cat 8 cable?
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,230
    My bad. I bought them over a year ago and they are just some cheap, no name cables that had better spec's than the normal cables I had laying around. I never installed them because of the issues I kept having getting the Vega G2 to play music (ended up being a wi-fi issue that a mesh network solved).

    I had to search through my old Amazon orders to find it. At the time I bought it, if memory serves me correctly, it was around $14 for a 6 foot cable. They are 50% off right now. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QLXC6QR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

    f1ahmafkw5fj.png

    Best $14 I ever spent!

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
  • Just ordered one and paid a extra 2.99 for between 5 and 7 pm today delivery. Total was like 12 .99. .
  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 16,834
    6q15t1eqqsi1.jpeg
    9tksrsxntm18.jpg
    Painted over the ugly Oak end caps and side trim

    Missed this, I like the black much better myself as well, goes much better with my room..
  • Just installed these spikes from Meniscus Audio. Excellent product. https://meniscusaudio.com/product/large-spikes/
    r1ttj9tnmrme.png
    SDA SRS 1.2TL's
    SDA 1C's w/Clarity Cap ESA; PA, Mills, RD0194-1's
    SDA 2B TL's w/RD0198-1's
    Yaqin MC-30L integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 16,834
    wyh4bq1bzshw.jpeg

    Actually a few days ago but was able to spend some good listening time with them today..
  • Nice!
    SDA SRS 1.2TL's
    SDA 1C's w/Clarity Cap ESA; PA, Mills, RD0194-1's
    SDA 2B TL's w/RD0198-1's
    Yaqin MC-30L integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
  • Cat 8 arrived 6 hours after order Amazon same day $2.99 extra , still under $13 dollars . Hope I have same experience tom did.