joncourage's Current System - Loft | Virtual Listening Room

Loft Main System

Description

After getting everything to a point with my last system that was the best I'd had it, and satisfying in every way, I moved again. And in the process, vowed to never again to have to move with speakers almost as tall as me weighing over 100 pounds, that didn't match anything in my place, and a dozen pieces of (generally not esthetically pleasing and highly varied in look, shape and size) electronics.

With a willingness to compromise on SQ, I looked hard for a way to simplify and find something more attractive.

After trying a couple of iterations, here's where I've landed, and I'm pretty happy with it.

Room Details

Dimensions: 40’ × 22’ X large
Ceiling: 25’

Components Toggle details

- Ayre Acoustics MX-R Twenty
From Ayre website:

The Ayre MX-R Twenty mono amplifier is a revolutionary redesign of our highest level product. Exploring every detail in the audio path from circuit trace length to part orientation, including processes which many would consider fanatical, pushes this amplifier to the brink of perfection. The dual-transformer linear power supply using our AyreLock circuitry effortlessly drives the most demanding loudspeakers. Our exclusive EquiLock technology enhances the zero-feedback, fully-balanced circuitry for an unprecedented level of clarity and resolution. Our Double Diamond output stage offers power and control that will change the way you listen to music.
- LUMIN U1 Network Music Transport
The LUMIN team have taken the finest components from the flagship S1 model and developed them specifically for digital processing and output. Using a new dedicated LUMIN U1 processor adds upsampling and downsampling for every supported format – all the way from 44.1kHz to DSD256 and DXD – providing maximum DAC compatibility and optimization.

As well as supporting DSD output over SPDIF (via DoP), LUMIN U1 also adds DSD256 digital output via 2 new USB ports.
U1 is basically the S1 without the DAC in terms of functionality and design mindset but with different componentry optimized to it's purpose.
- PS Audio DirectStream DAC
From PS Audio's website:

Class A+ Stereophile rated DirectStream DAC converts any digital input format, such as PCM or DSD to a pure DSD stream and outputs near-perfect analog directly to your power amplifier or preamplifier. Whatever the format, whatever the sample rate, DirectStream is a pure DSD based solution that fulfills the promise of a high-resolution analog performance standard the originators of CDs promised over 30 years ago.
- Amphion Argon 3S
From Amphion's website:

"Amphion Argon3S bookshelf loudspeakers provide home audio enthusiasts with an unprecedented level of naturalness, musicality, life-like imaging, precision and detail, which professionals in recording and mastering studios utilize daily to produce the magic for music lovers all over the world.

Due to Amphion’s signature "low 1600 Hz crossover", Argon3S's high resolution tweeter blends effortlessly with the light, rigid, fast aluminum woofer. Low crossover point and carefully-considered driver placement form a point source, and keep sound reproduction cohesive and seamless throughout the full frequency spectrum.

The controlled dispersion ensures that Argon3S speakers work well in all rooms and provide a broad, even, room-wide "sweet-spot" for equal music enjoyment. The passive radiator eliminates the problems associated with vented enclosures, allows for placing the speaker close to room boundaries, creates a tight, tuneful bass, and produces an amazingly pure, natural mid-range.

To ensure that the fruits of this innovative acoustic engineering will be fully enjoyed, Argon3S utilizes silver-plated pure copper internal wiring and Argento Audio’s binding posts, resulting in a smooth, flawless signal transfer."
- Ayre Acoustics L-5xe
From Ayre's website:

Our exclusive Ayre Conditioner dissipates high frequency interference as harmless thermal energy, delivering pure AC power to your system. Backgrounds become deeper and richer, and the music’s ease and fluidity is revealed. Four independent outlets provide bidirectional filtering to fully isolate your components, including digital sources. Unrestricted current capability means unrestricted dynamics with even the most demanding amplifiers
- Roon Roon Optimized Core Kit
Running on a NUC5i5, connected via Cat7 Ethernet to a Netgear Nighthawk Gigabit Ethernet switch.
- HiDiamond D8 Speaker Cable
- Transparent Audio Premium PowerLink
Power cables used for DAC, Amps
- Zu Audio Event
power cable used for Ayre Power Conditioner
- Intona High Speed USB Isolator
Previous isolators where limited to Full Speed (12 MBit/s) and Low Speed (1.5 MBit/s) transmission. This new product is capable of transmitting USB Hi-Speed (480 MBit/s) while providing full galvanic isolation of both the data and the power lines.

USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Isolator withstands up to 2.5kVRMS

This product is an ideal solution to break ground loops, avoid noise coupling and protect ports from power surges and voltage spikes in applications which require high speed USB transfers. The galvanic isolation barrier withstands potential difference up to 2500VRMS.
- HiDiamond GENESIS BIG SIGNAL CABLE XLR Interconnects
Our Genesis Big XLR signal cable is a definite step forward compared to the known and appreciated 4VRC © technology.

Big is today the new top of the range and is the best XLR cable HiDiamond has ever produced.

An absolute reference component, designed to provide maximum transparency in all frequency ranges. Thanks to the skilful mix with graphite (material which in this solution allows to block the noise generated within the cable by the passage of the electric signal, which is the music signal), we can deliver a perfect signal without any introduction of noise which would spoil the final result.

Even the XLR version is realized with an isolator in XLPE, material hundred times better than normal Teflon! Thanks to this arrangement, it lowers the threshold of the release of "spikes", and consequently the width of the musical signal barrier ensuring a higher linearity and smaller amplitude of the basic sinusoid to all advantage of the musical signal emission naturalness.

All these innovations, leading to have a great result dynamic impact, a yield in the audio range, warm and present, detailed and never swollen.

Also in this version the focus of the soundstage is excellent. The scene is extremely large, extended in height, virtually "outlined" in all its dimensions.

Disarming the speed of transient resolution, both during the attack and release, with a propensity for the descent considerably low. Clear, precise, but never aggressive. More black around the orchestral level, which guarantees record-breaking three-dimensionality, virtually our new reference.

Finished with proprietary connectors HiDiamond In Rhodium Carbon Fiber.

Technical characteristics: External jacket 18 mm; Number of Cond. 12; Cond. Graphite / Copper / Silver 4VRC999% © AG Capacity max. 10 Pf / m .; Conductor Resistance: 12 Ohm / km .; Shield Resistance: 5.5 Ohm / km. Velocity of Propagation. 98.7%.
- Ifi Audio micro-iUSB3.0
The all-new micro iUSB3.0 represents the next generation of advanced computer audio technology.

The all-new micro iUSB3.0 boasts all-original, cutting-edge USB audio technology: Active Noise Cancellation+®; REclock®; REbalance® and REgenerate® whilst still retaining and improving upon the original PowerStation® to PowerStation+® which was at the heart of the success of its predecessor.