My audio system has been evolving for the past forty plus years. This is my current system and listening room. The components all work together to produce a very detailed and holographic listening experience. I like to listen to jazz, classical and pop music. Streaming digital is good but I love the sound of vinyl much more!
The listening room left side opens up to a 15' deep dining room. Behind the listening seat is open to a 10' entryway. The speakers are 7' apart, 3.5' from the front wall with the listening position 9' away. While not an ideal listening room configuration, it manages to work very well.
Update 2024: Pass Labs pre amp and phono pre upgraded to XP-22 and XP-27.
These replaced Acoustic Zen Adagio's. The Treo CT's are an order of magnitude greater fidelity than the AZ Adagio's. The timber, tone and realism is so much more like real music rather than good HiFi.
Ayre Acoustics AX-5 Twenty
Using in unity-gain function as amp only.
Outstanding integrated amp...
McIntosh Labs MC 7200
This 200 watt SS stereo amp is used in place of the Ayre when I want a warmer presentation.
Pass Labs XP-22
Line Level Preamp upgraded from a XP-12
Pass Labs XP-27
Phono Preamp upgraded from a XP-15. This is used for both the EAT C-Sharp and the Dr. Feickert.
Kimber Kable Hero XLR
3m balanced IC's between the Pass Labs line level preamp and the Amp
Ayre Acoustics QB-9 Twenty
The Twenty upgrade to this QB-9 DSD made a huge improvement. I'm so glad I made the investment. I can't imagine how much I'd have to spend to get beyond this sound.
Acoustic Zen Hologram II Zero Crystal Bi-wire speaker wires
Acoustic Zen Hologram's have a rich, relaxed overall tonal balance and fulness resulting in a natural life-like tonality, excellent speed, articulation and clarity.
Duelund Coherent Audio 12GA plus 16 GA speaker bi-wires. 5' DCA tinned-copper with a baked oil impregnated cotton dielectric. Currently not in use but good.
Shunyata Research Venom USB cable
Currently using Shunyata Research Venom USB cable.
My alternate cable is the Curious Cables (Rob Woodland) 200mm USB link.
Innuos ZENith MK3
New streamer/server (March 2024) with 2TB SSD storage.
Aurender N100H
Music server with 4 TB internal storage and 120G RAM cache for playback
MIT Zcord II
MIT Zcord II's power cords the Aurender and the Ayre QB-9 DAC,
MIT Zcord power cord on the Ayre AX-5 Twenty
Zoethecus Equipment Rack with 5 z-slabs
Zoethecus Cherry Wood Equipment Rack
Dr. Feickert Analogue Woodpecker
with Feickert LPS, Kuzma 12" arm with VTA on-the-fly and Soundsmith MIMC Star low output cartridge. This TT is a giant improvement in SQ.
Kuzma Stogi Reference 313 CE with VTA Tower
Gimbaled 12" tone arm
European Audio Team C-Sharp Turntable
This TT is a large improvement in SQ over the Thorens TD 160
European Audio Team E-Glo Petite Phono-pre
Tube-hybrid; better than the Graham Slee that it replaced.
The EAT is such an outstanding tube phono-pre. It's used with the Thorens TT. It's connected to the Pass pre with DH Audio SilverPulse IC.
DH Labs SilverSonic
Tonearm cable and IC
Hana ML Cartridge
This Moving Coil Low Output cartridge is quick, nimble, detailed, transparent and relaxed sounding. The treble extension is sweet and fast at the same time. It is incredibly dynamic and full-bodied; the dynamics are equally amazing in the deep bass, making for powerful and deep sounding.
Sumiko Amethyst Cartridge
This is my secondary cartridge. The Sumiko Amethyst (Moving Magnet) has a punchy and rhythmic sound. Low frequencies are smooth and extended. It slightly lacks dynamics and perhaps airiness.
Thorens TD-160
with Shure cartridge
McIntosh MR-80
Tuner in custom burl walnut cabinet connected with Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II Zero-Crystal IC's.
REL Acoustics T/9x and R-328
Used as left and right subs (older B-2 caps blew up now in storage)
Steveott - Thanks for the comment. The Treo's and REL's integrate very well. There is no x-over between the Vanys and RELs. I use a Radio Shack sound Level Meter and Stereophile Test CD vol.1 1/3-octive warble tones (200Hz down to 20 Hz) to set the REL x-overs and output levels to achieve as flat a response as possible. My Treo in-room response w/o RELs was -2.5 dB @ 31.5 Hz, -6 dB @ 25 Hz and -10 dB @ 20 Hz. With the RELs add the response is +1 dB, -3 dB and -1 dB. I can't ask for anything more... very satisfied.
Nice! I bet that sounds great. Treo CTs were on my short list when I wanted to move up from my 2Ce Sig IIs but I ended up with Thiel CS2.4s, then I completely replaced all the passive parts from the binding posts to the driver hookup wire. I had my QB-9 DSD upgraded to the Twenty version . . . all smiles.
Hey dhilton, beautiful system and set up. I too am a Vandersteen devotee (on my third pair now). To be honest, I did not fully realize the importance of positioning until the last couple of years. EVERY room is different, but I have found my Quatros sound best when the distance between the middle of the tweeters is the same as the distance from the middle of the top to my forehead (when seated in my listening position). And ........ playing with the degree of toe-in is significant as well as making that degree exactly the same on each side. I was taught a very simple method for that if you're interested.
Very nice system in a nice looking room. Well done. I'm in the NW also, west of Seattle on Whidbey Island. Are you also located in Washington State, or elsewhere in the Great Northwest?
The Ayre integrated opened this system up by greatly improving resolution and highs. My prior amp/pre were McIntosh MA 7270 and ARC LS-15 with extensive mods by Great Northern Sound Co. Even so I was not quite satisfied with the SQ. It did not open up until the Ayre AX5 Twenty.
