This is a constantly evolving system. My audiophile passion started in the early 70's and got me to study electronics and acoustics in college. I built my own speakers and power amps in the late 70's, but as my income increased and my free time evaporated, I moved to commercial products. I've owned at least a dozen of every different kind of component (probably more speakers) over the years. In the late 90's, I started focusing on home theater, but my interest in 2-channel has been rekindled in recent years.
I ended up spending my career in computers, but have started doing more DIY audio stuff recently. In the past few years, I've built three pair of speakers, two pair of subwoofers, two preamps, one stereo amp, four pair of monoblock amps, a Roon server, and several speaker cables, interconnects, and power cables.
My main system, shown here, is built with DIY preamp, monoblock amps, and speakers. I am hoping to build my own streamer and DAC over the next year or so, but I have two more preamp projects in the works that I need to finish first.
Accepts digital audio from numerous inputs. Buffers and reclocks the data, and outputs on numerous outputs including i2s, AES, SPDIF, optical, coax, USB. Inputs are opto-isolated for improved noise rejection.
Denafrips Terminator Plus
Upgraded from the Terminator in Feb 21
Small Green Computer SonicTransporter i9
Roon core. Optical ethernet connection to streamer.
Sonore Signature Rendu SE
Upgraded from Optical Rendu, summer 21
DIY Preamp2
Two chassis design with separate class A shunt power supplies for dedicated subwoofer output and balanced line stage. Features Khozmo relay-switched balanced attenuator and input selector, Salas UBib shunt regulators, balanced AMB a20 discrete line stage, AMB a24 single ended subwoofer output.
DIY Parallel 300B SET Monoblocks
Based on the ANK kit Interstage monoblocks with C-Core transformers. Custom chassis with numerous upgrades including Tent Labs filament supplies, PMillet driver stage filament supply, Neurochrome Maida regulator, soft-start, turn-on delay, balanced inputs, and other upgrades. Using matched quad Western Electric 300Bs.
GR-Research Line Force Speakers
DIY open baffle line arrays using six Bohlender-Graebener NEO10 drivers and sixteen NEO3 drivers per speaker.
GR Research Quad 12" OB Servo Subwoofers
Stereo pair
PS Audio Stellar Power Plant P3
GIK Acoustics Bass Diffusors, 242 Panels, Art Panels
Multiple GIK panels used throughout the room
DIY acoustic treatments Tube Traps, wall panels
Kimber Kable Select KS-3035
4ft speaker cable with WBT locking bananas
DH Labs Red Wave
DIY Power cords with Wattgate or Furutech connectors
DIY HELIX Power Cables
I'm using several DIY PCs for my source components using the recipe from Steve Reeve. These are build using Neotech UP-OCC solid core copper in teflon, with Viborg silver-plated copper connectors.
Iconoclast by Belden 4x4 OCC Balanced Interconnects
1M pair between DAC and preamp, 7M pair between preamp and monoblock amps.
DH Labs Sub-Sonic II
Subwoofer interconnect cables
AudioQuest Diamond USB
Connecting Roon ROCK to Gaia
Tubulus Argentus i2s cable
Used between the Denafrips Gaia DDC and the Terminator Plus DAC
Solid Tech Hybrid Standard Rack
Four shelf rack with columns filled with sand.
ATS Acoustics 2'x4' QRD Diffusers
Eight custom (slightly shortened to fit my ceiling height) QRD diffusers (6.5" deep) made from birch. Mounted to the front wall behind the speakers. Wrapped in fabric. Total of 64 sq ft.
@hifihandyman , @audphile1 , @islandmandan , @mscetal , @ervikingo - I've been negligent in responding. Thank you all for your kind words.
It's been a lot of fun building the gear and setting up this system, and I'm quite happy with the way it is sounding now. I have my home office in the back of my listening room and get to listen to my system 6-8 hours/day.
But I also really enjoy designing and building the gear. It can be frustrating at times when I spend months on a new project only to find that it doesn't sound as good as the component I've been using, but that just makes it all the more satisfying when the new build sounds really good.
I'm hoping to eventually get to the point where my entire system is DIY. I've got a few streamer and DAC projects in mind, but they are still in the early design stages. I've still got two preamp projects that I need to finish, and a couple of amp projects that I've been gathering parts for.
@panhead2 - The JC5 is a very nice amp, particularly for the money. It has tons of power and provides a detailed, smooth sound with very good imaging. I now have a pair of Pass XA60.8 monoblocks which I would say are slightly richer sounding and a bit more forgiving of bad recordings. The Pass amp has quite a bit less power, but my speakers are 93db/w efficient so provide plenty of power for me.
I prefer the Pass amps in my system, but they also are way less efficient and less powerful. Idle power on the pair of Pass amps is 4 times higher than the JC5. The JC5 produced the best sound in my system compared to my other amps (excluding the XA60.8s), but my DIY Purifi monoblocks with the Neurochrome buffers came a very close second (into my fairly easy speaker loads).
I don't currently own Magnepans, but have owned several pairs over the years. I do have a pair of GR Research servo controlled open-baffle subs which I think would work very well with Magnepans. I believe member bdp24 is using these subs with Magnepans.
@b_limo - thanks for the compliments. Your system looks pretty sweet as well. I love the image with the backlit acoustic panels.
I've been experimenting with using a VTV tube input buffer in my Purifi amps but I'm not really happy with the sound in my system. I am going to switch back to the Neurochrome input buffers for the time being, but when I get some time, I'm going to design my own input board.
I've also recently acquired a pair of Pass XA60.8 monoblocks. These sound fabulous - definitely a step up from my other maps, but I can also tell that they may warm up my room more than desired in the middle of the summer so the Purifi amps will probably get swapped in at some point.
@electroslacker - I've only had the Gaia in the system for a few days and I'm using a cheap HDMI for the i2s connection, but I've already noticed some fairly significant improvements. Primary improved clarity and detail, but also sharper imaging and the bass (particularly mid-bass) has more weight and texture. I've got a Tubulus Arguntus HDMI cable on order.
I changed my configuration a bit when I added the Gaia. Previously, it was Roon ROCK w/LPS > cat8 > EtherRegen w/LPS > cat8 > Bryston BDP-2 > DH Labs D-110 > DAC. Now it's switch - cat8 > EtherRegen w/LPS > cat8 > Roon ROCK w/LPS > AQ Diamond USB > Gaia > cheap i2s > DAC.
I am pleasantly surprised by the improvement. Can't wait for the better i2s cable.
@josh_gordon - I built the tube traps myself using fiberglass pipe insulation I bought from McMaster. If you're interested in details, send me a PM. I bought the wall panels from GIK Acoustics. The images used on the art panels are my own.
@mrvordo - I sold my turntable and 1500 records in the early 90's when I had little kids and limited space. I sort of regret doing so, but not looking back now. I'd rather invest the money in the best digital I can get for my budget.
@jason_michaels - yes, I built them. I'm thrilled with the sound, but I have an opportunity to build a pair of GR Research Line Forces, so that's next the project for this fall.
@rhodes - Yes, this is a basement room. There is an opening (about 8' wide) at the back left of this room that opens to my home theater room. At some point, I'll add some photos . The equipment in the home theater is not quite as fancy, although I do have a set of Revel F50 towers and center channel).
While it is a basement, there is a large light well behind those curtains with French doors and window lights. When it's warm enough out, I'll often have the curtains and doors open to get natural light and fresh air.
@ediaz3 - I've owned a lot of nice speakers over the years (Magneplanar Tympani IVs, Duntech Sorverigns, Revel Studios among others). I don't know if I'd call the OB speakers "game changers" compared to these other excellent speakers, but I do feel these are best overall speakers I've owned. The bass is just phenomenal and overall detail, clarity, and presentation is great. The only speakers I'm considering "upgrading" to are the GR-Research Line Forces.
