Steven's system

[SLS]

Shame your kit is hidden away Steven as it should be on show it is that nice looking.

I'n not a great one for looking at audio, and my wife certainly is not. What's more, she hates the sight of Harbeth speakers, although she likes the sound.

Most of the time it looks like this.

[Tarzan]

I'n not a great one for looking at audio, and my wife certainly is not. What's more, she hates the sight of Harbeth speakers, although she likes the sound.

Most of the time it looks like this.

That looks nice also.

[SLS]

That looks nice also.

It looks better in the dark.

The thing that surprises me is the amount of power consumed by 8 x KT88 compared to 2 x 300B-XLS. The KT88 do warm up the room. The PS Audio power unit tells you the consumption and it has gone up from about 150 to about 450.

I bought my first audio about 39 years ago, I think it a PL12D was involved. It has taken me that long to own my first standalone pre-amp, and it only happened by modifying a phono stage.

I'm not yet convinced by KT88, even in triode mode. I bought the mono blocks because the total cost was about £3,000 and they are effectively new and very high spec, so I can't imagine I'll lose out. I'll give them at least 6-12 months. They do sound good, but the Jota is a stunning amplifier (it is also a silver reference version), it just lacks a bit of power.

[SLS]

Haven't posted here for a while. Been downsizing with significant improvements.

Have recovered from a mid-life valve crisis and very happy with Quad, had 909's (bought and sold without any financial pain) and now QMP's (a nice quick little deal). They just work, don't need to warm up, loads of power and very efficient. Attached to Harbeth SHL5+ (no change there).

The Auralic Aries just works beautifully and is seamless with Qobuz. 1TB SSD attached by usb and appears as a network drive around the house.
The MDAC+ was purchased (for 50% of the proceeds of my previous DAC) as it is DSD and had multiple internal power supplies. Does it's job, no complaints.
The Hattor is my first ever pre-amp, just a switch with passive volume control (dual mono 64 step attenuators).
Should I ever play a CD, the Denon DN-500BD does the trick. Bought it mainly for playing Blu-Ray and DVD, cost £290. (replaced a £90 Sony that died.)
On top of the Denon is the new Sky Q Silver box. They now loan the boxes, don't have to pay for them, and the new system is brilliant. Optical connection to the MDAC+.
All audio now balanced, all interconnect cables £12 each from StudioSpares.
Turntable, phono and power supply unchanged.

[jandl100]

Wow - Darth Vader's hifi system.
Black is the new black.

Been downsizing with significant improvements.

Similar kind of process to me.
Cheaper but better.

[Firebottle]

Have recovered from a mid-life valve crisis ......

Didn't think it was recoverable

Great looking system

[SLS]

Wow - Darth Vader's hifi system.
Black is the new black.


Similar kind of process to me.
Cheaper but better.

Fortunately the entire system works closed up with nothing in sight. I have a remote eye on the pre-amp volume sensor and the DVD/CD machine and the new Sky Q box works by bluetooth.

So if there had been cheaper units in green I would have bought them, but not pink.

I could have saved a bit on the Aries, which is the version with the external power supply, by getting the Aries Mini with an Booster power supply, but I got the Aries ex-demo and there was not a lot of difference. I also have an Aries Mini in my office.