I wonder if you could share what KT88 tubes you like/have tried in the Kootenay?

mogelsvs February 06, 2023 12:03

To my friend Dan @islandmandan I thank you for your comments. Purpleheart is a beautiful wood in its own right so I'm sure it looks good.As for the Teres I knew I had to have one as soon as I saw the cocobola. I am a woodworker and love the grain pattern in wood. And it does sound as good as it looks

artemus_5 January 10, 2022 11:29

Hi ... Just wanted you to know that I appreciated this recent comment of yours:

"I am thankful to God for choosing me, an atheist when I didn't have the good sense to do so."

Frank

oregonpapa November 25, 2021 07:46

Thanks @cymbop The amp is recent purchase. The TT was a ride to Niagara Falls to pick it up. Worth the ride & the price. I'm a woodworker so it was very appealing. Love Cocobolo.

artemus_5 June 30, 2021 12:06

A lovely system.  Your amp and TT are especially drool-worthy to me.  I hope you enjoy every minute with them!

cymbop May 14, 2021 05:02

Your system really seems to suit you in how it serves you every day. I'm in my mid-seventies now, but I'm still really enjoying my music, and how it is presented to me.

islandmandan May 12, 2021 14:25

hard to believe how this system has matured and how the sound has gotten so much better. The Zyx cartridge was a good step forward, even though the Benz was no slouch. Probably the biggest improvement was the addition of the Sumiko subs. The bass is the base upon which the music rides and has body. I'm not sure I needed both but the bass line is so much more authoritative and yet clean. These are Rel S5 clones and are easily integrated.  The addition of the Conrad Johnson CT5 brought the whole system up much further than I could have anticipated. The Latino ST-70 amp shows no sign of weakness, even though it is the least expensive piece of equipment in the system. Maybe the real story is how good this little amp is. I suspect it will be replaced next. But its only out of curiosity that I will seek another amp. The ST-70 is doing everything right IMO.

artemus_5 July 29, 2019 07:47

The system has been edited except for the pictures which show a former configuration. The addition of a tube amp, Zyx cartridge & 2 subs  brought this system up to another level. New pictures are coming.

artemus_5 May 27, 2019 12:56

Sweet system. I'm upgrading to JLTi with external power supply soon. Congrats on the new cart. Can't imagine how amazing it must sound on that table!

knollbrent August 04, 2018 14:03

System edited: This system has changed dramatically over the past year. First came the Teres 340 Turntable and Origin Live Illustrious 3 tonearm. Being a woodworker, I have lusted for a Teres since I saw the first 265. Hard to imagine I have the 340. However, this necessitated the move up to a better phono preamp. The JLTi fills the role rather nicely. This is a good bang for the buck. Of course, being an audiophile, I couldn't stop there. I've been wanting a tube preamp for several yrs. However due to conversations with others here it seemed proper to go with a tube amp. This change was quite transformational. The Silverlines like the tubes better than they did the solid state. Next up was the power requirements for the system. I have a dedicaated circuit. So I pulled out the Hospital grade outlet and put in an Oyaide R1. WOW. This is a must have. Another transformation. Next came the Pangea PC's These are well worth their $$$ IMO. I have tried some much more expensive PC's. These work better in my system with. OK,now my head is really spinning from all the upgrades. Actually I bit off more than I should have with all the upgrades so soon. It takes a lot of time and dedication to do upgrades and get them right. I did put things in one at a time so as to evaluate them individually. I also did my homework and tried to find the overachievers. So with lots of research, a little luck, a lot of patience and the help of a lot of good people here, I now have a very good sounding system. It has never sounded this good. I'm sure i can easily achieve concert levels without grain or harshness. IMO, that is a real test for a system. Can it get better. Well.............sure it can. But no more upgrades for me for....................Oh Geez. my wife wants her living room now and wants me to build a room for my system. Geez. I just got it sounding good in the LR. Oh well. Another challenge.

artemus_5 August 07, 2010 19:56

Hi,

I have a Wright AG-PHONO and upgraded the input loading resistors to Texas Components TX2575 and coupling output capacitors with Mundorf Silver/Oil. This alone transformed this great phono stage. I also added a Ypsilon MC-25 step up transformer to my Denon DLS-1 and now have a dead quiet effortless, dynamic presentaion.

himiguel March 20, 2010 20:39

System edited: OK, I've had the Ebony L in the system for a few months now. This cartridge has taken vinyl playback to another level. The bass is more extended & midrange more lush. The highs are more tamed than with the Dyna 20XL. AAMOF the Ebony magnifies all the good things which the Dyna did and tames its weaknesses. One reviewer said that everything sounds good with the Ebony L. I agree

artemus_5 August 06, 2009 07:53

System edited: I have added new pictures which reflect the new configuration of the system. A Plasma TV has been added in place of a Big screen BIG BOX which was impeding good imaging. We have been planning a man cave for me and my stuff so as to make the living Room pretty. But alas, insufficient funds have hampered that plan so this is the backup plan for the time. It's a compromise on looks but it certainly is much better for sound. The TV is hung on the wall and makes for much better imaging. It is also connected to the CJ preamp via Video loop for concerts when necessary. Other than that there is no HT. I have had HT connected in the past and the amount of hassle was entirely unmanageable. This is much simpler. The wife likes it and so do I. The new config has made sonic changes which i am trying to maximize. The sandbox under the TT is still in experimental stage. Right now I have a 4" Maple slab atop the sand, but this will probably be changed back to the 1" with separate motor mount. This config has been a welcome change and has added depth and width to the sound stage, plus a better separation of the instruments

artemus_5 July 21, 2008 14:53

One other note is that I have also added pictures of my system. The view from the Dining Room which opens up in back of my Living room is meant to give a sense of the space to be filled.

One important aspect in all the equipment changes and tweaking has been a quest for more bass which I think I now have pretty much right. The Silverline speakers with CJ power are great at midrange, imaging and sparkling highs. If the Silverlines lack anything it is bass. Not quality, but quantity. However, the LR/DR is 32 feet long with a cathedral ceiling which is demanding in the bass area. Then too, being a drummer, I have always liked a bit more bass than some. The Rel sub does an excellent job. The bass is deep and tight.

Another aspect which has really been an eye opener is footers under the source equipment. This, along with such things as tube dampers have been quite eye opening. Each has brought about a more holographic image and an increase in bass depth and fullness. The amount of money spent for DIY tweaks compared to the increased sonic benefits make them a best buy. But you do have to experiment some.

artemus_5 April 01, 2008 08:16

System edited: It has been quite sometime since I have updated my system profile. Many changes have been made and it keeps getting better. Among the changes are the JMW-9 Signature arm for my ScoutMaster. This is a noticeable step up from the standard arm. The TNT Mini Feet also help bring more air and holographic imaging to the playback. Also there is a new rack which took the place of a closed in rack which was a terrible inconvenience for doing any work or tweaking of the system.

Speaking of tweaks, I have done several comparisons between Maple platforms and sand box for isolation of the TT. For me, the sand box wins out by a slight margin. Also, I have added DIYumas or roller blocks under my cdp. They have made a big improvement in all aspects of the digital music.

Another addition is the upgrade of some IC's and speaker cables. The Pure Note Enhanced Paragons have added some much needed extra bass to the system. I suspect the speaker cables have more to do with it than the IC's since the former speaker cables (MIT T2 BiWires) were the weak spot of the system. There is also a smoothing out of the highs and better focus and imaging.

My room is a bittersweet part of the system. On one hand it is or could be a great listening room. It measures 15' x 20' with cathedral ceiling and a dining room which opens up from there. This gives me about 15 ft from my listening chair to the rear wall. So in one sense, the room is excellent or has excellent potential. However, it is also our Living Room which has to look presentable also. Therefore, as you will notice in the pictures, my speakers are off center of the room. Fortunately the speakers are not very fussy about placement. In spite of the off center axis, lack of room treatments and the big TV between the speakers, the system sounds very good IMO.

BTW, I gave up on trying to incorporate HT into the system. AAMOF, I removed the HT processor and center speakers, etc because there was just too many cables to deal with and we hardly ever used the surround. A Listening room is on the drawing board and hopefully will come to fruition within a few years.

Though it is not mentioned, a separate electrical circuit is powering the system and I hope to get more involved in power conditioning and chords in the near future. Also on the horizon is an SDS speed controller for the turntable and maybe another cartridge (Zyx Airy)

artemus_5 March 31, 2008 22:22

System edited: The original header for this system was "I think I'm finished with the audio portion" I now see the error of my thinking. Of course my rediscovery of the beauty of vinyl did not help bring finalization to the process. As to the HT section, it may not be upgraded for quite some time, due to the fact that we very seldom watch movies, usually opting for music instead

artemus_5 February 20, 2003 05:50

You are actually very lucky. Many people are very dissatisfied and have trouble getting things "right" enjoyment-wise.

judit December 06, 2002 07:02

Judit - When i do upgrade the HT it will probably be with a HT receiver with pre outs so I can integrate it with system when watching movies or disengage it completely for 2 channel. This is the way it is set up now but I do not have dolby digital. But as I've noted I keep getting caught up in the music.

artemus_5 December 05, 2002 20:57

Sounds like you are having a good time with the audio portion. I thought about "expanding" my 2 channel to include HT, but never found a HT processor I could live with for 2 channel, even the MOST expensive. Option one was to keep HT separate from 2 channel. Option two was to introduce a hometheater processor that got used for movies only, and never for music.

judit December 03, 2002 16:56

System edited:

artemus_5 December 03, 2002 14:46

I am planning to replace the Adcom GSA 700 with a HT receiver. What is the best way to integrate it so I can still use the Silverlines for 2 channel via CJ and fronts for HT?

artemus_5 December 13, 2001 04:31