These speakers use a double tweeter array to produce the midrange. The Be tweeter between the arrays is used as the actual tweeter. Then two big ass woofers are added. Extremely well reviewed and high value speakers!
Innuos PULSE
Network Streamer internal with a RECAP2 power supply by Dr. Sean Jacobs built-in. Uses the innuOS 2.0 and Sense software. Its the best sounding streamer, OS and control software I've every used.
Aria Audio Aria Signature MK2
This is a beautiful hand-built amplifier that puts out100 watts of Class A power with very high current capability. A extremely seductive yet authoritative sound with the Moabs.
Border Patrol DAC
I've recently gone back to the world of Non-oversampling DACs. They simply sound more natural than high-resolution oversampling DACs. This is the USB model with Jupiter caps. It took a couple hundred hours to fully bloom but it was worth the wait.
Network Acoustics Muon System
This is a complete digital cable system (filter, LAN cable, USB cable). This at a higher level than the famed EVO system.
Synergistic Research Powercell 12 UEF
This is a classic power conditioner. It's UEF/EM based and compliments every component plugged in to it!
DIY speaker, interconnects and power cables
DIY speaker, interconnects and power cables. They use multi-strand copper, an open weave, cotton cord in the center and ERS cloth at both ends. It's the formula Danny Richie uses for his cables. They have an open, airy yet very solid sound. The key is to break them in for hundreds of hours and use them as a "full loom" throughout your system.
Synergistic Research Black Box
The Black Box is a Low Frequency Resonator Array that works in conjunction with the Subwoofers, Atmospheres and FEQ X4 to solve bass node issues.
Synergistic Research ART System
This is Synergistic Research's older acoustic system that's based on resonators. It works very well with their current UEF system and provides excellent results. Complete ART systems are getting hard to find.
Townshend Audio Seismic Isolation Podiums
These decouple and "float" your speakers on a spring-loaded metal base. It opens-up the sound and adds solidity to the bass but doesn't make the sound harsh like most metal speaker bases.
The UEF Panels, UEF Dots, Black Box, Risers, ECT and GCT are all types of sound resonators. I use an Atmosphere XL-4 (green ATM), Atmosphere (red ATM), FEQ X4 (2) (red ATMs) and Mini-Atmosphere (green ATM) - when used with the Synergistic Research control software they generate various frequencies of Schumann Resonances around the room. Bottom line they work: create a huge/realistic listening experience!
Synergistic Research Galileo SX Grounding Block
The Galileo SX Grounding Block makes the system absolutely silent at idle and creates very black backgrounds for music. I made my own "high definition" grounding cables.
Akiko Audio Tuning Stick; Kemp QA Plug (2) and Zero One (2)
The Akiko Audio, Kemp and Zero One products treat the signal and power in my system keeping the electrons spinning around the electronic signals as uniform as possible or by adding more standard frequency Schumann Resonances. These products are excellent at making your system sound more "natural".
This company has now closed because the owner has passed away. These products work to achieve a uniform and consistent RF/EMI and electron treatment around my components which greatly helps the sonics.
Synergistic Research Tranquility Bases and Tranquility Pod
I use original MIGs under the Tranquility Bases.
Audio Magic Pulsed Electron Alignment
The PEAs are battery powered. Spintronics is the ability to control or manipulate how electrons spin. Electrons spinning around electronic signals carry audio information. The goal of the PEA devices its to get the electrons spinning as uniformly as possible. It opens up the sound and makes subtle cues in the music even more real.
Puritan 156, ADD-Powr Sorcer and ElectraClear EAU-1
The Puritan is an excellent line conditioner. The ADD-Powr and ElectraClear devices actually add electromagnetics (EM) to the AC line using an active circuit and algorithm. Contrary to popular belief not all EM is bad for sound quality in stereo systems. The proof is in the listening.
Timbernation and Bright Star Audio Platforms
Solid maple platforms stained cherry for electronics and Bright Star platforms for the subs.
Puron AC Line Conditioner
I've added two of these line conditioners into the same outlet that feeds my Puritan 156 line conditioner. They open the sound soundstage, give a more realistic presentation of vocals and reveal a little more texture and impact to the bass. Highly recommended!
Stein H2 Harmonizer system
I have 4 Stein H2s in my system.I went with one in each of corner of the room with a Stein stone at each and a Stein diamond on the ceiling in the center of the room. They add layers and layers of depth with each vocalist/instrument being in their own separate but integrated spaces.
Tombo Audio Lotus Harmonic Enhancer
The bell on the top gives high resonance frequency while the tip on the top of the bell performs as a wave guide streaming high frequency up to the ceiling.
Townshend Audio Allegri
The Allegri is an autoformer based passive preamp. There is absolutely no noise but with with excellent soundstaging and dynamics.
Cayin Audio Mini-CD MK2
This is an excellent little CD player. I mostly stream but I still have hundreds of CDs.
On another forum, I recently had a guy go nuts about me using a "cheap Class D amp" to power my system and also claimed there is no way I'm getting the best sound without using a preamp. I'm going to post my reply here so I can find it easily in the future:
"I guess I should be flattered you have so much concern about my system but I don't have to justify what I use to you or anyone else. I will say I've LOTS of amps over the years including high-end solid-state (Pass, Krell and many others) and tube (Shindo, Cary and many others). I've also owed Tri-Path, Hypex Ncore and Purifi Class D amps. This cheap little GaN amp is the best I've heard. The higher end GaN amps use better power supplies and I will probably upgrade to one in the future. As to using no preamp, I don't need the gain, my system is very dynamic without one and its quiet at idle (which is not always true with many preamps). There is no reason to add another piece of equipment and cables when I don't need it."
The new cabling from Network Acoustics and Synergistic Research are simply amazing. Musicians have taken on a "wholeness" with subtle details completely surrounding them in the soundstage. All of this with a NOS DAC and 44.1 resolution. Just more evidence that how we treat the audio signal and acoustics are the most important parts of stereo playback since amps and sources have gotten so good.
I've recently gone to Synergistic Research Atmosphere X Euphoria cabling with the Gold (Galileo SX) tuning bullets. Very natural sounding with a huge soundstage. I now have more money into my cabling, acoustic treatments and signal enhancements than I do my speakers and components! But I can confidentially say my system has never sounded better!
In a few days, I should have Network Acoustics' new Muon filter/cabling and Synergistic Research's gold tuning modules in my system. The next couple of weeks are going to be interesting.....
My biggest upgrade is to my digital source. I'm now have an Innuos ZENMini Mk3 with LPSU. It uses Innuos proprietary OS and streaming software called SENSE. It provides super quick access and excellent sound quality.
The DAC is now an Audio-GD R2R-1which is Non-Oversampling/ladder based. The power supply is overbuilt for a DAC. With about 150 hours on it the sound is really starting to bloom - very, very nice.
My new amp is the Premium Audio Mini Gan 5 which uses Gallium Nitride modules for 200 w/ch. It's truly one of the best amps I've ever owned and is definitely the way for future amp design.
I'm doing my annual re-vamping of my system. I have a number of new-to-me components that came from their previous owners not fully broken-in. I never understand why you sell something before its reached its full potential. I'm going to let them run, try some different cables and different positioning in my rack. Things, however, are sounding very good already!
ricmech23 - I really like the FOZ SS-X. The Jim Fosgate speaker crosstalk circuit really works well. I've changed my system around recently and ended-up selling it, however. It was adding too much gain to my system. I tried some gain attenuators but it didn't help. I'll be posting the updates to my system in the next couple weeks.
I've added QSA fuses to all my components. They are excellent straight out of the box but I used some PPT Total Contact on them which add another level of realism. I'm going to keep messing with the QSA products.
Someone was asking about my sub setup with the Moabs so I thought I'd post my response here as well: I run 4 subs in a distributed bass array or "swarm". I get excellent bass because the subs are asymmetric to each other and one pair is run out-of-phase - much like Eric does with his woofers and arrays. The Synergistic Research Black Box works as a bass resonator and in-tandem with the distributed array. With my Purifi amp the Moabs are very good to about 40Hz so I crossover at that point. The crossover should be set by ear since its very dependent on your amp.
Hi Chuck - No, I'm in North Carolina. I was trying to workout going to your place while Krissy is there but it isn't going to happen. I need to contact her. If you are ever in my area let me know.
Good to know. Krissy made me something like that, several in fact. You should come hear- or have me over to hear yours? Hint, hint? Meantime I ordered the QSA Blue fuse, it should be coming soon. With all the stuff you have, and Moabs, man would I love to hear it! I forget, aren't you out here in the PNW?
I've been reading about the new QSA fuses that a number of StereoTimes reviewers are raving about. They seem to be the best fuses currently available but, of course, the ones with the greatest effect are VERY expensive - running thousands of dollars for just one fuse. When I saw QSA is selling "stones" with similar technology, but for a fraction of the price, I decided to try some. I placed one in my fuse box that feeds my listening room and one on the top of my amp. Well.......they are amazing! More to come.
I added pictures of the FOZ SS-X and the SR Grounding Block. Had lots of positive responses on the Tekton forum about the FOZ. I guess a lot of people have been using one. I had no idea.
I added a Black Ice (Jolida) - Foz SS-X to the system. The thing has a cult following and after talking to a couple owners I decided to try one out. Its a tube buffer, a Jim Fosgate patented speaker crosstalk circuit and a bass enhancer that adds up to 9db of output. The sound it produces with the Moabs is amazing! I also added a very cheap CD transport to the system. The Acoustic Zen digital cable I use with it cost more than the transport! Overall, the sound is pretty good and it lets me play some of my more rare CDs I still have.
Over the years I've owned some high-end turntables (Shindo, Garrard 301, Thorens TD-124 etc) and consequently built-up a very nice vinyl collection which I still have. A local audiophile was selling a very low cost Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon with an Ortofon Red cartridge so I went ahead and bought it just to have analog available. After getting it home, I was underwhelmed - it sounded like low quality digital. But it was dead quiet and the bass was fairly good. I added MagicHexa footers, Herbies' grungebuster dots under the motor, a Herbies' turntable mat and most importantly I did away with the ground cable and used PS Audio Transcendent silver cables. Holy cow! I'm shocked by the improvement these tweeks brought to this budget analog system! The soundstage is wide open, the highs just float and the bass is even more tight, authoritative. I'll keep listening but as this point its kind of remarkable.
I added some Nobsound spring-based footers under my amp and preamp. These are very cheap - especially as compared to the Townshend footers that are much higher quality but are also based on floating your components with springs. Unfortunately, they add a slight glare or sibilance that I just can't listen past. I think they are making the cases of the equipment ring. I went down to just one spring in each footer which sounded slightly better but the whole thing became unstable. So, I moved them to my subwoofers and used 3 springs. On first listen, I think they sound much better there - maybe because of the added weight of the subs pushing down on the springs and the cabinets not ringing? I'll keep messing around with these before "springing"(haha) for the Townshend footers.
Based on a number of recommendations I purchased a set of Townshend Audio Seismic Isolation Podiums for my Tekton Moabs. They decouple and "float" the speakers on a spring-loaded metal base. It opens-up the sound and adds solidity to the bass but doesn't make the sound harsh like most most metal speaker bases. Pictures added.
I went ahead and added a complete Synergistic Research ART acoustic system. It's based on resonators and even though its SR's "old" acoustic system it integrates very well and compliments the overall sound that you can achieve with their current UEF acoustic items. Synergistic Research realizes this, of course, and is re-releasing the Vibratron which is the large multi-resonator in the middle/upper part of the wall between the speakers. Pictures added.
ksnel331 - The tweeters are the Satori TW29B-B. It fits the opening exactly and comes in 4 ohm which is what I needed. It uses a regular ferrite magnet and costs less than the TW29BN-B which uses a neodymium magnet. You can even get a silver flange on these but I decided against that. Madisound is the US distributor for Satori but if you want to take a chance I've seen them on EBay at a decent discount. I wouldn't say the upgrade was "easy". I had to do a little cutting to get the terminals to fit and redrill the screw holes. Also, you really should solder the wire back into place. The main problem is getting the old tweeter out without chipping the paint so you have to take your time. Thanks for checking out my system and good luck with the tweeter upgrade if you decide to do it.
