The 90% Solution - Update

by m-reiner on

Description

After many years of effort, I have arrived at a system based on high value components. I recently upgraded the speakers, power amp, AC power filter, power cords, and speaker cables and I am very happy with the results.

My backup pieces can be seen on on shelf on the right behind the system: a Nakamichi 610 preamp and an Adcom GFA 5200 amp.

The room is a combination office and sound room:
  • It is a ground-level (1/2 basement) room with a concrete floor, and concrete and wood walls
  • The room has a dead-end / live-end acoustic 
  • The AC outlet feeding the system is on a dedicated 15 amp line
The last upgrades I have planned are a new phono cartridge and bass traps for the ceiling.

Thanks for looking. Happy listening!

******************************************************
Update:  I removed the tuner and one shelf from the main system to minimize any interference with the imaging. (It's also a little nicer to look at.)


Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 18’ × 14’  Medium
Ceiling: 8’

Components Toggle details

    • Denon DP-2000 drive, with a Stax UA-7 tonearm and a Sumiko EVO III cartridge
    This table is 45 years old. It still sounds way better than most of the belt-drive tables I have heard over the years.
    • Yamaha C-60 preamp
    (as my phono stage and headphone amp)
    • Rega Original Planet CD player
    • HP Pavilion i7 quad-core laptop
    (for internet streaming and DVD playback)
    • Wyred 4 Sound DAC 2

    (DAC and digital preamp; allows analog playback from the Yamaha C-60 via the HT Pass Through feature)
    • Spread Spectrum Technologies Son of Ampzilla II
    (225 watts per channel - I absolutely love this amp!)
    • Living Sounds Audio LSA-20 Statement speakers
    (I absolutely love these speakers!)
    • Core Power Technologies Deep Core 1800
    This piece did a great job of lowering the noise floor of the system.
    • PS Audio Power Director 3.5
    • Core Power Technologies USBe Perfect
    I love what this did for the USB output from my laptop to the DAC.
    • Custom Built Bass Trap
    (There are bass traps in all 4 corners, and on the sides of the record shelves.)
    • Nitty Gritty Model One
    (Record cleaning machine)
    • ASC (Acoustic Sciences Corporation) Sound Planks and Sound Panels

Comments 9

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Owner
Yes - The LSA-20 Signature version will give you most of the performance of the Statement version. It has gotten stellar reviews (as have the Statements).

The main difference is the tweeter and the crossover are upgraded in Statement version, but you still get the awesome midrange driver, the aluminum woofers, and the 3 passive radiators. This will give you the same amazingly deep and tuneful bass you get with the Statements. (Both models have the same frequency response specs.) Lastly, the Signature should be a good match with your electronics.

Highly recommended and Underwood is a great vendor to do business with! 

Happy listening!

m-reiner

Underwood has the Statements for 2500. A great price but a little above my price point. I am wondering if the Signatures would giver me much of the sound of the Statements at a cheaper price. My room is a modest size with a listening area of about 12 x 8. I also have a Denon av receiver with an outboard Emotive amp.

eddiemg24

Owner
DD - I used the small size of the Dayton Audio OS-2S Outrigger Speaker Stands. They are well made and provide a solid foundation. Highly recommended.

Happy Listening!

m-reiner

What did you use for the outriggers?

ddonicht

Owner
BR - Thank you for the compliment. Switching from a planar speaker like the Maggies to a multi-driver speaker will be a big change for you. I am assuming you have heard other speakers that helped you decide to make this change. 

That said - and with the admission of my obvious bias - I strongly recommend the LSA 20 Statement speakers as one you should seriously consider. I have some tough baselines for my speaker preferences - e.g., Wilson Sabrina, Eggleston Andra, Silverline Bolero, and Totem Wind. As noted below the LSA 20s deliver everything I loved in my previous speakers - B&W, ADS, and Vandersteen - and they do it way better. They are a great value and great performer.

Happy listening!

m-reiner

luv your set up especially your LSA's .  I am in the market to upgrade my Maggies which would be a total departure from my ribbon speakers.  Any thoughts on the upgrade?

brooklyn23

Owner
Thank you! I love these speakers. They deliver everything I liked about my B&W, ADS, and Vandersteen speakers, and they do it all much better.

And yes, I am using the Rega Planet as a transport and feeding the signal via coax into the DAC. It should work very well for you.

Happy listening!

m-reiner

Those speakers are your statement piece in this system. Beautiful. 

I'm considering a Rega Planet to use as a transport for my system. Are you using yours as a transport w/ the digital output?

mjcmt

That's a very eclectic group of equipment glad it all works well together. Those LSA speakers look cool very reminiscent of the Acoustic Zen Adagio speakers.

jond

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