Most of you are too young to remember the pull down turntable with built in speakers, and sometimes tuners, back in the 60's to spin our vinyl.
Of course we all eventually progressed to separate turntables with a receiver and separate speakers.
Of course then transitioned into a a separate preamp and power amp.
Some of us even moved on to mono amps. And preamps with a separate phono section, and line section. And possibly a separate power supply.
So, this is a block diagram of all my separate pieces.
Built in China and sold as a Jadis JP-200. The JP-200 was a four chassis preamp full function (phono included) using 12AX7's. However, this is a line section only preamp. The four chassis JP-800 was built around 12AU7's. I have the additional chassis and parts now. But I will probably never build the separate power supply chassis because it sounds so good now. All the line section 12A*7's in the left and right line sections have been replaced with three 12SN7's , and the coupling caps have been paralleled with large US NOS PIO caps. Therefore this is closer to a JP-800 clone with a digital readout.
Dual mono (two chassis) using the Lite Audio L's Audio A28 chassis with one LSD-Y power supply each and a single channel JP-200 clone. Tubes are NOT as spec'd, but rolled with US NOS. Line tubes 3-12SN7's , regulator and reference tubes 12bh7, and 12B4A. Russian rectifier/diode tube. All NOS.
- PS Audio DirectStream DAC
With the latest firmware - Redcloud
Dedicate as the music server. Runs Fidelizer, and jRiver for graphics interface. Files played from memory.
- Audio by Van Alstine Bridge - Stereo to monoblock
Van Alstine engineering prototype bridge. Coverts two stereo amps to monoblocks with twice the voltage swing to the speakers. Theoretically 4 time the single stereo power, real world something over 3 times.
- Cary Audio Design CAD-280sa, V12
A pair of these, bridged as 325 watt mono blocks. 2-6sn7 input tubes and 12 el34's per amp
Prodigy with Blue Analine side panels, and DIY oak perch on the left side used for mouse and remotes.
ALL passive crossover components bypassed. Therefore, active electrostatic hybrids powered by 325 watt tube mono blocks.
These huge "headphones" with powered subs are wonderful, and have to be heard, as setup, to truly understand and appreciate.
H Class AB, MOSFET amp monoblock. One channel only directly driving Prodigy woofers in series. 550 watts RMS into nominal 8 ohms. Used from 160 Hz to 45 digital crossover, 48 db slope.
- Behringer EP4000 monoblock
Second H Class AB, MOSFET amp monoblock. One channel only directly driving Prodigy woofers in series. 550 watts RMS into nominal 8 ohms. Used from 160 Hz to 45 digital crossover, 48 db slope.
- Martin Logan Depth - pair
The three 8" woofers move the air of a 13". The D-class amps are optimized for the task and lots of crossover and volume control with each sub makes them a perfect match for the Prodigy, in my listening room. Digital crossover to input @ 45Hz to 25Hz LR 48db/octave.
Tube rectified head amp, moving coil step-up amp. 8 tubes
This is an 8 tube classic from the "80's". I use it as a dedicated phono preamp. The phono and line sections have about 70 db of gain combined. It will work with moving coil. Currently being used with the GAS moving coil.
If you are a Linn die hard you will NOT like this one. Bottom is off. Rubber feet are gone and three cones in their place. Damping on the platter and subplatter. Armboard replaced with plexi and bolted to subchassis. Tonearm "floating" on armboard. At least those are the major changes. Oh, and Boston record mat.
- CJ/Behringer X2/PS Audio/Jadis SA-2/PV5/SCR2496/DEQ/DirectStream DAC/JP200
Phono(Counterpoint SA-2, CJ PV5, SCR2496, DEQ2496, digital preamp PS Audio DirectStream DAC, JP200's to stat tube amps, PS Audio to woofer monoblocks. See the individual pieces below.
- GAS (Great American Sound) Sleeping Beauty
Currently in service. GAS Sleeping Beauty, MC cartridge Manufacturer: The Great American Sound Co., INC., USA, actually an OEM cartridge made for them in Japan by Coral. The Sleeping Beauty was a rebadged Coral 777EX Principle: Moving Coil (MC Output voltage: 0.3 mV Frequency response: 10 Hz - 35000 Hz Tracking force: 1.3 - 2.0 g
- Koetsu Rosewood Mk II NOS
Currently out of service because of a lost tip. :-( I had a Rosewood back in the late 70's with an Audiocraft AC300 on a Linn.
I went through a few cartridges and a few tables and arms before I made it back home to a Rosewood, Linn, and Audiocraft.
Now in retirement in favor of GAS above. For decades, the Grado name has been synonymous with providing affordable cartridges that hint at the performance of expensive moving-coils. Although Grado Labs founder/designer, Joseph Grado may be best known for inventing the moving-coil cartridge, and for marketing moving-iron cartridges in the 70's that were more expensive than any moving-coil then available in the US (that is until the original Koetsu Rosewood broke the four digit price barrier), his greatest impact on the affordable market was the introduction of the Signature 8 cartridge in the early 80's. This $200 reference moving-iron design represented a drastic price reduction from his previous decade of efforts and had few glaring flaws. It's smooth tonal balance, superb dynamics and resolution of detail, and soundstaging capabilities competed with many more expensive moving-coils of the day. All of the Grado cartridges shared a rich, seductive midrange that made them attractive to audiophiles who cherished realistic vocal reproduction.
This 1970's vintage arm is Still a good match for my Rosewood or GAS. But it is even a better arm now that it sits in a VTAF.
- Peter Riggle Audio Engineering VTAF
What can I say that has not been said. Just check his website. Link is here; http://www.vtaf.com/vtafdescription.html
- Boston Audio Design MAT-1
Carbon fiber mix
- Audioquest Sorbothane Record Mat
Sits on platter UNDER the Boston
Crossover - digital domain - 48db/octave at 160Hz and down to 25Hz. Used for woofers and subwoofers only.
Behringer's very inexpensive sample rate converter. Used to digitize the CJ PV5 at 24/96 to the PS Direct stream DAC for bass ONLY!
ANALOG from cartridge all the way to the stats!!!.
- Behringer Ultra-Curve Pro DEQ2496 - Currently NOT in system
Available on the web for $350 or less. The Behringer Ultra-Curve Pro DEQ2496 offers 4 concurrently selectable EQ modules: 31-band graphic, 10-band parametric, Feedback Destroyer, and 3 dynamic EQs per channel. Other highlights are the 61-band RTA that can run simultaneously with the EQ section, high-quality 24-bit/96kHz A/D/A converters, and 2 high-performance 32/40-bit floating-point SHARC digital signal processors which yield ultimate sonic resolution and 113dB dynamic range. Multifunction level meters, 64 user memories, RTA mic/line input. Balanced inputs, servo-balanced outputs with gold-plated XLR connectors, stereo aux output, and AES/EBU and S/PDIF I/Os (XLR and optical)
- Locus Design Group Polestar
The Locus Design exclusive Complect braid of ultra pure CryoFreeze treated DCT-UP-OCC conductors and Teflon air tubes make up the inner design of the cable. Over this base a tinned copper weave and strategic use of ERS fabric is added for shielding and additional damping. Finally, a layer of Multifilament nylon is pulled over the complete assembly for extra damping and aestethic appeal.
- Aural Thrills DC Tube ACS
12AU7 twin triode tube amplifier. It is powered by a AC-DC wallwart converter and the output of the tube amp charges the shield to about 50 volts. With the wrong tube it is not that special. With the right tube. WOW
- Aural Thrills Tube Powered Active Cables
to follow
- Aural Thrills Tube Powered Active Cables
AC version of the interconnects with NOS 12AU7. Tom Kenny's statement to me, "If the DC version is a 7 than the AC is a 10". He is correct! :-)
- Van den Hul The First Ultimate - etc.
Carbon interconnects!!! Lots of pairs of The First Ultimate, and MK II. 0.8 to 3 meter pairs. Using one for pair from TT to phono in. The rest are currently retired.
At one time Cardas' top of the line speaker cable. From EP4000 monos direct to woofers
From the Zero boxes to the Prodigy stats. Four foot pair, upgraded to 144v system. Audioquest sold the 144v version for a short while. It has been explained to me that UL had a problem/requirement for something at that voltage level. Apparently the improvement in sound was not be enough to make AQ jump through more UL hoops.
Nice beefy cooper from the Behringer mono blocks to the woofers.
The BC68 is essentially a BC62 power cord with a built in line-conditioner equivalent to two BC86 MKII noisehounds. It was developed and serendipitously used with some Matin Logan electrostatic loudspeakers. Now in the MkIII iteration http://www.bluecircle.com/page88.html
- Virtual Dynamics - kinda Master Series DIY 6 awg
These huge 6 AWG!!!! solid core/single strand AC power cords are real BANG for the BUCK!($70 cost) Here are threads to details and construction; http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?htech&1242155869&openmine&zzBruce_weiland&4&5#Bruce_weiland http://www.carveraudio.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=11564&start=0
I use two of these balance AC transformer conditioners. Took care of ALL of my hum problems that I had battled for year. Lowered noise floor.
- BPT Balance Power Technologies BPT-2
BPT-2 balance AC power transformer, small, older unit for analog front end.
A cross between Michael Green's room tunes, and ASC's sound flags. Standard fiberglass wall insulation cut into triangles, with a cheap fabric triangle "pillow case like" cover.
