Martin's Long Road to Happiness

[MartinT]

My system has gone through many permutations over the years but has recently been more stable and is now topped off with my beautiful new speakers. It is now the best system I have heard to date.


System in its new home showing new main system rack (Solid Tech with sprung isolator feet) and subsidiary system rack for video components (Russ Andrews Torlyte). For scale, that's a 40" Sony Bravia LCD panel on the wall.


The Ushers in all their 150kg glory.


Main system rack with Ayre SACD/DVD-A player on Aurios bearings, venerable Strathclyde STD-305M turntable with Michell TecnoArm(A), Pass Labs preamp and its power supply, PS Audio Power Plant Premier and Chord power amp. All main interconnects are Kimber Select KS-1121 balanced and speaker cable is Kimber Select KS-3035.


Chord power amp (on an older support).

The four corners of the room have 16" round TubeTraps from ASC. One thing left to add are three PicturePanels, also from ASC, due to arrive soon.

[Marco]

Looking great, Martin. I didn't realise the Ushers were that heavy!

I bet they do scale and visceral impact rather well

Marco.

[MartinT]

I didn't realise the Ushers were that heavy!
I bet they do scale and visceral impact rather well

The speakers are about 120kg and they are filled with 30kg of lead shot. Pretty much immovable!

As for visceral impact, they can do scary very well.

[Beechwoods]

The Ushers do look lovely. Sometimes I wish I didn't live in a semi with my listening room in the loft and neighbours that moan at the slightest noise. If I didn't they're exactly what I'd want in my room

[MartinT]

The new Sound Hi-Fi Technics SL-1210 in all its glory! Wearing a Denon DL-160 (now run in), and with the Audiophile mat straight on the platter and Bruil aluminium weight, the sound is structural, detailed and very widescreen.


On my Solid Tech system rack next to the Ayre SACD player. The TimeStep PSU is on the second shelf, between the Pass Labs PSU and Gram Amp 2SE. There is a PSU1-24 upgraded power supply powering it, all from the PS Audio Power Plant Premier set to Multiwave output.

[chris@panteg]

That looks cool martin, you must be well chuffed with it.

[Marco]

Looking great, Martin!

Have you read the review of the Jelco in this month's HFW?

We should have a little mini bake-off sometime in the Spring and compare the two 1210s - that would be fun

Marco.

[MartinT]

Have you read the review of the Jelco in this month's HFW?

We should have a little mini bake-off sometime in the Spring and compare the two 1210s - that would be fun

I can't find a copy of HFW anywhere, most newsagents are useless. Will go find a Smiths tomorrow.

Comparing turntables (and CD players) sounds fun, worth a day trip methinks.

[MartinT]

I dug out the tripod in order to take some better quality photos, here they are.

[Marco]

Nice one, Martin - looking gooooood...

As an aside, on the wall socket to the left of your L/H speaker, have you got the most important component (one nearest the source music signal) plugged into the L/H side of the socket? I mention this because both sides of MK wall sockets 'sound' different due to the Earthing arrangement used

Marco.