What did you do to your stereo rig today?
Options
Comments
-
displayname wrote: »About a week late, but I’ve become a believer in SUTs.
Nice! I'm a believer in a passive gain SUT since 2015 with my Park's Audio Budgie.
Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 * -
I was thinking of a Budgie or Puffin, then I read and watched about their adjustable Waxwing phono pre.
Looks very interesting, adjusts from your phone or tablet using their app.
I'm still using an original Lounge LCR phono pre which is okay.
https://parksaudiollc.com/
-
Still burning in that Mutec clock cable (50ohm). I used to have a love/hate relationship with it but after X amount of hours (many at this point), it is finally coming into fruition.
I have no clue, nor do I care why, but I am enjoying the latest that this cable offers me. During this week, the air has increased, spatial cues have gotten better and the weight is finally coming in.
For a quick comparison, all I have to do is what I have been. Same song, judging by the streaming rig versus the CD rig. FWIW. This is interesting and I look forward to it finally settling down and showing me what it's really capable of. I am no longer in a love/hate relationship with it.
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. ~ -
Trying out yet another clock cable. Not in the same position, but another clock cable nonetheless. So far, I am impressed. Even starting with a completely unplugged and cold system, due to lightning storms in the area as of late.
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. ~ -
Enjoying a noticeable improvement in clarity, especially vocals, after installing an ethernet to fiber optic converter feeding the etherRegen/streamer/DAC circuit. Fairly inexpensive tweak, about $150 all in.
-
delete pleaseFamily Room HT 7.2/i]:Vizio Oled55h1 Pioneer Elite SC-LX502 Pioneer Elite BDP 85FD Eversolo DMP A6 Panamax M5300-EXSpeakers Fronts Fluance XF8L Center Polk Audio S35 Side Surrounds Fluance bipolar Rear Surrounds FluanceXF8 Bookshelf Subs SVS PB4000 x2 Living room 2ch: Crown Xli 1500 amp x2, Teac EQ MKII FX Audio X6 Mk II DAC Squeezebox Touch Polk Audio R700 Speakers Panamax M5100-EXOffice media room:Vizio M50Q6 50" Pioneer Elite VSX LX301 Eversolo DMP-A6 Polkaudio R600 Towers Polkaudio Center R350 Panamax M4300 Monoprice 12" subMaster bedroom:Vizio M55Q7 Pioneer Elite VSX LX302 Pioneer Elite BDP 85FD Squeezebox Touch Fluance Signature Bookshelf fronts, Rears Fluance Signature Bipolar Polk Audio CS10 center Monoprice 12" sub Panamax M5300-EX
-
Reinstalled my Pioneer SX-1250 into my study system after a minor repair. Driving a pair of Polk SDA CRS+ (pin/blade). Mighty fine sound.The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.—Martin Luther King Jr.
-
Everything finally came in, so I installed the SDFB MAX, Takshaka Pig Tail and graphine Sluggo into the power supply unit of the KW-750 amplifier.
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. ~ -
After 14 years of them hanging around I've finally found a use for the original crossover plates from my 1.2tls.......a mini flexi for my mini separates.
-
It took me a second to realize they were the shelves, haha nice!- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
-
Some aesthetic changes after the last couple months. Before and after:
Analog: Hana ML > VPI Prime Signature 21 > Bob's Devices Sky 20-S > Sutherland 20/20 w/LPS
Digital: Cambridge CXC / Streaming > Cambridge CXN v2
Norma IPA-140 > Rosso Fiorentino Volterra
Hifiman EF600 > Hifiman Arya Stealth
Discogs -
recoveryone wrote: »Started off this weekend listening to my office rig in 2ch R600's, sounds from the 60's Motown through the 70's R&B. I'm finishing off this Sunday in the livingroom with my main 2ch rig with the R700's
https://youtu.be/-0dNCZB7ssg
If you dig that music, you may recognize a couple of tunes in my playlist: Have you seen her, and, It's a shame. Both are a couple of many that I used to skate to at the rink as a pre-teen. Oh, and lets not forget, Papa was a rolling stone, long version.Marantz AV10-Emotiva ERC3-Denafrips Venus-Panasonic UB820-AudioQuest Power Quest 707-Emotiva DR3, DR2, XPA2, XPA6-Focal Kanta No2, Sopra Center-PolkAudio RTiA9, RTiA3, LSiM 702F/X-Epik Empire-SVS SB5000-11.3 -
Jumper cables! AudioQuest Jupiter, from tratliff in our classifieds. Once upon a time I bi-wired (Harmonic Technolgy Pro 9+/Pro 11+) then went back to the solid copper Cardas jumpers. Too late and too tired to fire them up.
Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 * -
Well, not today, but yesterday...
Added two more Takshaka digital/clock cables to the rig. Three total so far, with another one on the way. So far, Jonny's new cables have smoked the livin' **** out of every cable I have tried. In comparison, that Mutec cable was a joke.
The next one will end up being a great head to head test. It will be going up against a cable that has yet to be bested by any cable I have tried so far. That being an Audiolund. I forget what options/metallurgy I ordered with the Audiolund digital cable, but I do seem to recall, it was his top tier digital cable with the vintage Westminster cable sound. For those who may not be familiar with that? Among audiophiles who use top tier gear, it is a very well regarded sound.
Please note that it is not actual Westminster wire in the cable, it just sounds similar to it.
Jonny does not have the Takshaka digital cables released to the public yet, but they will be released soon. So far? The end result has been phenomenal....even up against his well regarded Boomslang. The difference between the Boomslang and the Takashaka?
Completely different ballpark, no comparison at all. The imaging is insane.
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. ~ -
This content has been removed.
-
I reorganized the cottage's front room so I could play some "YELLO" CDs through the Polk SDA-SRS2s.
2 days ago, I found an Ekorne Stressless "Admiral Lg." recliner on the side of the road in ok/good condition. The headrest is in the up position and won't go down, so I think it's broken. Still, it was 2900.00 with an ottoman when new, but they always have a 900.00 off sale somewhere. This recliner is still comfortable too. I sat in it for a while after all the rearranging was done.
I listened to my new-to-me B&W CM10s while rearranging for a few hours. They DO sound great too.
I played a couple "YELLO" CDs in my Ultec UCD100 player and the GREAT NAD C370 integrated but ONLY through the "NEWFORM RESEARCH R645 speakers tonight. NIRVANA!
I was so impressed by it all. I felt blessed again to be able to hear such a presentation here in my built-by-me building. All the gear was bought second-hand too and it still amazes me that they still work GREAT.
YELLO did some fantastic engineering and a lot of it moves my soul. I'll bet the SDA-SRS2s are going to blow me away even more.
Here's the Newform Research speakers from the web. Mine are spaced about 12' apart. ;
They have Scan Speak woofers that sound amazing too.
Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
--Mark Twain.
“If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.” - Steven Wright -
Marantz AV10-Emotiva ERC3-Denafrips Venus-Panasonic UB820-AudioQuest Power Quest 707-Emotiva DR3, DR2, XPA2, XPA6-Focal Kanta No2, Sopra Center-PolkAudio RTiA9, RTiA3, LSiM 702F/X-Epik Empire-SVS SB5000-11.3
-
Deleted User wrote: »displayname wrote: »Some aesthetic changes after the last couple months. Before and after:
While that looks awesome and like a great place to spend time, it’s gotta be more than aesthetic. I’d be interested in your comments about how the sound quality of your rig improved.
It's hard to say exactly because of the amount of time that passes between the changes. But I can tell you that I've been just as happy with the looks as well as the sound. I don't think the change has been monumental, but it certainly didn't get worse from the first few hours I spent in there.Analog: Hana ML > VPI Prime Signature 21 > Bob's Devices Sky 20-S > Sutherland 20/20 w/LPS
Digital: Cambridge CXC / Streaming > Cambridge CXN v2
Norma IPA-140 > Rosso Fiorentino Volterra
Hifiman EF600 > Hifiman Arya Stealth
Discogs -
This content has been removed.
-
Deleted User wrote: »
While that looks awesome and like a great place to spend time, it’s gotta be more than aesthetic. I’d be interested in your comments about how the sound quality of your rig improved.displayname wrote: »
It's hard to say exactly because of the amount of time that passes between the changes. But I can tell you that I've been just as happy with the looks as well as the sound. I don't think the change has been monumental, but it certainly didn't get worse from the first few hours I spent in there.
It's almost quite certain that the changes you made have brought sonic improvements.
When I first started using acoustic foam, my daughter came over for a listen for the first time. She looked at me all wide eyed and said, Papa, it sounds like you're wearing headphones!!
She was always a funny girl about my set up. If I didn't have my subs in the set-up, she just wasn't happy lol.
Marantz AV10-Emotiva ERC3-Denafrips Venus-Panasonic UB820-AudioQuest Power Quest 707-Emotiva DR3, DR2, XPA2, XPA6-Focal Kanta No2, Sopra Center-PolkAudio RTiA9, RTiA3, LSiM 702F/X-Epik Empire-SVS SB5000-11.3 -
Oh, I am quite certain that there were changes...
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. ~ -
Speaking of my daughter, she was 2 and half in this pic. She was absolutely in love with my home theater. When my A9's arrived after upgrading from the Monitor 70's, she was hugging the A9's as I pulled the boxes off lol. Just look at the sheer joy on this face.
Oh yeah, at that age, she was eager to learn everything she could, how to properly clean discs, all the functions on the remote. One day my wife calls me at work and says, "Look, I just want to watch TV, how do I do that". I laughed and told her to hand the remote to Grace and she'll get you set up
Marantz AV10-Emotiva ERC3-Denafrips Venus-Panasonic UB820-AudioQuest Power Quest 707-Emotiva DR3, DR2, XPA2, XPA6-Focal Kanta No2, Sopra Center-PolkAudio RTiA9, RTiA3, LSiM 702F/X-Epik Empire-SVS SB5000-11.3 -
My wife and daughter ignore my stereo stuff.
But they want me to put $$$ stickers on it all in case I depart before them.
Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
--Mark Twain.
“If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.” - Steven Wright -
My wife and daughter ignore my stereo stuff.
But they want me to put $$$ stickers on it all in case I depart before them.
We REALLY need an LMAO reaction button!2-channel Yaqin B2-T Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Denon DP-59L Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout. -
This content has been removed.
-
New (Budget) Rig, New Room
The inspiration for building this rig came from my fear-mongering over tariffs. Originally, I just planned to stock up on cheap "Chi-Fi" while it was still affordable. Then I went down the rabbit hole and ended up building this little system to experiment with.
I’m starting by breaking in the components since they’re all new. After that, I’ll try out a linear power supply (LPS). I’m also planning to add a large subwoofer—something bigger than the 10-inch ones I currently have.
The Room
So, where is all this happening? The master bedroom. I moved my bed and various belongings into the smallest spare bedroom, which I now affectionately call “the dog house” (until I move back into the master, lol). I chose the master because it’s the largest room in the house that isn’t a shared space—like the living room, where my main hi-fi system (listed below) lives. Once I’m done playing around with this budget rig, I plan to bring the big setup upstairs for some more “intimate” listening.
The Rig So Far:
• Dayton Audio DTA-PRO
• Dayton Audio T652
• Monster XP speaker cables
• Stock USB A to Mini cable
Next Upgrades:
• Linear power supply
• Longer USB cable (Monoprice)
Initial Impressions
The sound from this setup is engaging and fun—laid back in the highs and lows, with sweet mids. I plan to put in plenty of hours on the speakers over the next three days, weather permitting. (Spring around here always brings daily scattered thunderstorms.)
The goal is to loosen up the dual 6.5” drivers. These speakers are tuned to 35 Hz, and when I played a 31.5 Hz sine wave (relatively quietly), they didn’t seem to struggle or distort—pretty impressive! One thing to note: the speakers are rated at 6 ohms with 87 dB sensitivity, and the amp delivers 50 watts into 4 ohms. That’s not quite enough power for these speakers, lol. I’m really looking forward to seeing (and hearing) the difference a better power supply will make.
Some Photos:
2ch rig: Speakers: LSi9s with VR3's Fortress mods Preamplifier: Parasound P5 DAC: Fiio K13 Amplifier: Parasound A23 CDP: Pioneer DV-563A Cables: Wireworld Equinox 7 XLR ICs, Wireworld Ultraviolet 7 USB, AudioQuest Q2s, AudioQuest NRG X(preamp)
Standby: Magnepan LRS w/Magna Riser stands -
ChatGPT hacked my account. 2ch rig: Speakers: LSi9s with VR3's Fortress mods Preamplifier: Parasound P5 DAC: Fiio K13 Amplifier: Parasound A23 CDP: Pioneer DV-563A Cables: Wireworld Equinox 7 XLR ICs, Wireworld Ultraviolet 7 USB, AudioQuest Q2s, AudioQuest NRG X(preamp)
Standby: Magnepan LRS w/Magna Riser stands -
Well, tonight after dinner I went out to listen to some YELLO music on the SRS2s. I put the NAD C370 speaker selector to "A" meaning the Polk SDA-SRS2s would play the "YELLO" Cds.
I replayed "STELLA" first. WOW! The BASS...
was incredible. I listened to the whole CD and it sounded different from the Newform Research speakers but each speaker set has their merits. Both are serious high-level performers.
I then put in "YELLO's" Pocket Universe CD. WOW, WOW, WOW! The music on this CD enveloped me. The BASS was incredible.
More so than the bass from the "Stella" CD. The highs were more pronounced too.
The speakers disappeared and the wall in front, the spaces beside me on each side seemed to have walls with giant speakers on them and the height of the sound reached the 16' height in front and encased me from overhead too. A literal 16' half-dome of tight pulsating sounds massaged me for an hour+ listening to that P.U. CD. What a musical EXPERIENCE I had tonight.
I have the new RD-0194 tweeters in the SRS2s and they sounded amazing tonight.
I only listened to the P.U. CD once before on the B&Ws and it was great through them too BUT NOT LIKE WHAT I EXPERIENCED TONIGHT. WOW! 
I'll try to find a link to this P.U. album now.
https://youtu.be/J90lb1Wz4CI Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
--Mark Twain.
“If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.” - Steven Wright -
I typed up a whole post about last nights shenanigans with the T65s and some how it got erased.
Here's the highlights lol: They were 48in from the back wall, now they are 26in. This increased the bass big time. In fact is there another (new) pair of speakers for two bills that dig as low as these? Cons to the SQ so far, I need more high! They are too recessed. Maybe they're still breaking in?
I also forgot to add some pros and cons to my chatgpt post. lol
Cons: They fail the knuckle test and the binding post are trash. They are only two bills after all. lol
Pros: The veneer hits way above its price point. The grills are solid with metal mounting post. SQ/Stage isn't bad for its price point.
One word about the grills: They mount so securely to the cabinets it feels like you're peeling off your finger nails . I'm not sure this equates to quality lol.
So if you're feeling froggy and have a couple of hundos burning a hole in your pocket I'd say get a pair, you might be surprised by what you get out of these little floor standers.2ch rig: Speakers: LSi9s with VR3's Fortress mods Preamplifier: Parasound P5 DAC: Fiio K13 Amplifier: Parasound A23 CDP: Pioneer DV-563A Cables: Wireworld Equinox 7 XLR ICs, Wireworld Ultraviolet 7 USB, AudioQuest Q2s, AudioQuest NRG X(preamp)
Standby: Magnepan LRS w/Magna Riser stands
