The Italian job (well, almost)

[vouk]

Here it is:

Amazon 2 Turntable
Origin Live/Rega RB 300
Ortofon Kontrapunkt C - Benz Micro Silver
Audio Analogue Maestro 24/192 (rev 2.0)
Audio Analogue Bellini Virtual Battery
Audio Analogue Donizetti Cento (rev 2,0) in bi-amp mode
Audio Analogue Primo VT Tuner
Audio Analogue Aria
Chario Ursa Major
Siltech SQ-28 mkII XLR (three pairs)
Siltech SQ-28 mkII RCA
Crystal Cable Connect Piccolo
Fadel Art Stream DUO
Fadel Art Stream Special
BCD and Russ Andrews power cables all around
Isotek Sirius Evo III
Solidsteel H6 Rack

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j_RulmrqxmQ/TwsEHAz51bI/AAAAAAAAACQ/VVDw8_KXc7s/s640/Audio%252520System%252520012.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vGNoM6IJYlA/TwsEUOSwnVI/AAAAAAAAADA/9kkY9xpj_8A/s640/Audio%252520System%252520016.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7JDPq_4kag4/TwsEMJxrtDI/AAAAAAAAACk/4n7WnN53C5Q/s640/Audio%252520System%252520014.JPG

[morris_minor]

Very, very nice, John! Some serious kit here . . .:eyebrows:

[TBL]

Lovely looking set up, are the speakers separate units?

[vouk]

Yes they are separate units; lower unit has two down firing sub-woofers, upper houses the woofer, mid-range and tweeter (top-to bottom).

[vouk]

My next upgrade should really be a camera...

[synsei]

That's a very nice system you have there John and smart too. Don't worry too much about the camera, your kit comes shining through ;)

[Reid Malenfant]

Ah, glad to see you got some pics up John :D Lovely looking kit & from what I have experienced built incredibly well indeed, as well as being musical to listen to :)

Those speakers look kind of tasty :stalks:

[vouk]

Chario makes some really good speakers; fit and finish are every bit as good as Sonus Faber and with a sound to match. Shame really that they don't have the same rep as some of the other big names out there.

[Reid Malenfant]

Oh I don't know... If they did then I think you'd find the prices would all of a sudden be similar as well :eek:

[vouk]

Very true indeed.

[Reid Malenfant]

Just looked up your speakers, some nice design principles :) In fact the very same I intend to employ on my next DIY speaker build :eyebrows:

4 way = less intermodulation distortion & rubber mounting of the upper bass/mid, mid, treble enclosure :)

Obviously I wasn't going mad looking up what I was doing a few weeks back on ebay. At the time I was wondering if it'd be worth the hassle, looks like I'll be buying some small engine mountings :rfl:

[jason]

Very nice John...

[Reid Malenfant]

<snip> looks like I'll be buying some small engine mountings :rfl:
Make that 4 engine mounts from a Land Rover Discovery V8 :)

[vouk]

Straight swap for my Amazon - a mint Vyger Timor t/t in silver. Already scored top marks for sound and WAF (and then some). Arm is the Clearaudio OEM version of the Rega RB 300, with Clearaudio Sixstream wiring throughout.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gb0lWQSKKq0/T0j43MNhcJI/AAAAAAAAANs/VmSpAdV_5Xs/s640/017.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tB017jhu0LE/T0j5CL9IdYI/AAAAAAAAAN0/JuWtoDpb458/s640/018.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IWWEyLAfTc0/T0j4m_JWDuI/AAAAAAAAANc/G-ko-UhgT1A/s640/015.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gcYKagJ1jEY/T0j5dPTpqUI/AAAAAAAAAOM/qLCZSVGX1-8/s640/021.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KmxFaxQ4N10/T0j55M4EJhI/AAAAAAAAAOk/V0hNCK9o2AQ/s640/024.JPG

[panos_adgr]

Excellent John! This is a complete system! With attention in every aspect of it. No I see your space. Ursa Major is also to big for the room dimension but I think it's fine if you think that you don't need to go for high volumes. At least this what I guess....

Anyway yo got a serious set up there!

[vouk]

Thanks Pano,

With the volume up to 11 o'clock things work quite well, which is surprising/impressive for the size of the speakers. So far, I am really impressed with the VYGER; very musical, great soundstage and imaging - very different in every aspect from the Amazon 2 I used to own.

[vouk]

There have been quite a few changes in my system since I last posted here.
Notably, I recently upgraded my pre-amp from AA's Bellini to the Maestro Line Reference - a tad on the behemoth side of things but, so far, this one has proven to be a very, very special piece of kit. Had to part with my entire Siltech cabling loom to afford this one but I was fortunate enough to come across a complete set of Audio Analogue BCD cables at great prices - to my ears it proved to be the right move by far.
I addition, I replaced my Rega 300 with a Bluenote/Goldnote U-39 unipivot tonearm with a titanium pivot - this is a beautiful arm in every respect and must say it has totally out-performed the Rega. At its price point, I think it's an absolute bargain. A new cartridge, in the shape and form of a Bluelectric Virus, will complete the picture by next week. Very excited about that one!


https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-fht59rWl6MU/UtuaWa5st4I/AAAAAAAAAUU/Q8gE3rHAbS0/s640/P1060701.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rLZNTsPM-YI/UtuacMoiP4I/AAAAAAAAAUs/BzYKZaW6TIs/s640/P1060704.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-F1Jnkyt4zFw/UtuagOuU6JI/AAAAAAAAAU8/6ba4vRvwTdA/s640/P1060706.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O6gs6AkBW1A/Utuam7tIQtI/AAAAAAAAAVU/bpYpPQyhj38/s640/P1060709.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-prV-WpxBAXw/UtuasZXXnTI/AAAAAAAAAVs/Fnl6dcDz1Kw/s640/P1060712.JPG

[stupinder]

That's all very handsome!

[Brico]

That's a very nice system but you need a properly camera.:)

[vouk]

That's a very nice system but you need a properly camera.:)

Yep, I know!

[vouk]

Quite a few changes over the past couple of years: new power amps, in the form of the Maestro Monoblock; a new dac and tuner, the Audio Analogue Vivace and Cherubini Vacuum Tube Tuner/Dac respectively. New speakers, the Rosso Fiorentino Fiesole; while I've really enjoyed my time with them, they will only be with me for a few more days as I have upgraded to the Volterra floorstanders (next model up the Rosso Fiorentino product line). A new phono stage, the Goldnote PH-7 with accompanying PSU-7 power supply unit completes the picture. I think I'm mostly done for now- a record cleaning machine and maybe another cartridge might be coming my way before Christmas.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNqPA8i9p-uml6ojmqyWYeB5DTr_gNN8EPkZen62BXDPWWXB88hkb-QwYKwH2IWow?key=cDJvMmFiMzNwSVlEaUg0QWNqRUI3amZYU0 ZodWFn

[struth]

Pics arent showing for me and link goes nowhere

[vouk]

I posted a new link; hope that works.

[rigger67]

Link works for me :)

[struth]

Cheers... looks good. Not seen much of those before

[vouk]

Cheers... looks good. Not seen much of those before

Audio Analogue has had an on and off presence in the UK; the Puccini amp and the Paganini CD player were their best known products - mine come from their higher end Maestro series. Rosso Fiorentino are a relatively new speaker company from Florence; UKD started their distribution in the UK this year.

[struth]

I had a puccini once. it was nicely made, and I enjoyed it. I initially thought it might be the amp to let me sell my MF, but it wasnt, although it was good. I sold anyway and took me a while and many changes to become happy.