Kember
20-05-2013, 10:38
Just joined. I have been lurking for a while. This seems a very informative and friendly site and I look forward to participating.
I have spent quite a lot of time getting my kit "right" but I'm more interested in listening to the music than fettling equipment.
I'm a self-employed consultant and work from home a lot, so one or other of my systems will be on most hours of the day.
My main system:
- WTT "The Record Player" with Dynavector 10X5 cartridge - wacky design, lovely sound.
- DK Designs VS.1 Reference Mk.III integrated amplifier - hybrid valve/transistor amp - hernia territory moving it but a really underrated and seriously powerful amp. I have different valves to roll in and out of it- much cheaper than chopping and changing amps all the time! The built in phono stage is really not bad.
- Audio Research CD1 - CD player - a top quality player if a bit elderly but beautifully made.
- Modwright upgraded Perpetual Technologies P-3A Digital-to-Analog Converter and Perpetual Technologies P-1A Digital Correction with Monolithic Sound P3 Perpetual Power Plant Power Supply - I have auditioned many more modern DACs and have never been moved to "upgrade" from this combo.
- Xindak SCD 2 -SACD player - valved output - OK but not noticeably better than my Denon 2910 (below). I will probably get rid of this once I have found somebody to rip my SACDs to digital file.
- Meridian Sooloos Ensemble network player - 2TB hard disk with FLAC files (backed up to a Buffalo NAS and to removable HDDs kept off-site) - one SPDIF output and 5 stereo outputs, including radio streaming - for daytime rather than evening listening, this really is the daddy! The software in this system makes ripping and then exploring a music collection a pleasure rather than a chore - look up the flow feature, look up the extended metadata etc. This is a digital system for people who enjoy music, rather than an expensive souped up computer. Although I prefer the tactile pleasures of putting on records and handling sleeves etc, there are times when controlling music off an iPad/desktop has its pluses, not least when picking up the phone to clients...
- Sonus Faber Concerto Speakers with stone plinths - piano black beauties which sound as good as they look - these match my amp perfectly and give an excellent range, especially matched with:
- Speakercraft Tanta TS2 subwoofer - also piano black. It is a brute but I have it dialled back considerably. The neighbours thought I was launching an ICBM when I was rangefinding for the right crossover point.
- IsoTek Mini Sub Power filter conditioner
- Atacama Equinox Rack
- Mana Equipment Stands
- Homebrew interconnects and speaker cables - mainly CAT6 braided.
- Home made mains cables with Clipsal plugs
My study system:
- CEC 3300 Amp - interesting and very powerful amp
- Luxman D111 CD player - sweet sounding CD player but nothing particularly special
- Denon DVD 2910 for SACD -
- Mac Mini with J River with M2Tech HIFACE and MF V DAC - linked to Buffalo NAs above.
- RIPNAS 1TB (I rip all my music to FLAC here and then import it into the Sooloos because Meridian has a proprietary file system and I don't want to re-rip all my files if it breaks/Meridian loses interest etc - lesson learnt from owning an Imerge server in the past)
- Genexxa ribbon speakers - I really like these but not the latest word in accuracy...
- REL Quake subwooofer - I don't really notice it - which is, I suppose, what you want from a sub.
What do I listen to?
Jazz - Blue Note etc, - mainly on vinyl
Rock and Pop from 70s-present - half vinyl and half digital
Some classical - almost all digital
Looking forward to participating
I have spent quite a lot of time getting my kit "right" but I'm more interested in listening to the music than fettling equipment.
I'm a self-employed consultant and work from home a lot, so one or other of my systems will be on most hours of the day.
My main system:
- WTT "The Record Player" with Dynavector 10X5 cartridge - wacky design, lovely sound.
- DK Designs VS.1 Reference Mk.III integrated amplifier - hybrid valve/transistor amp - hernia territory moving it but a really underrated and seriously powerful amp. I have different valves to roll in and out of it- much cheaper than chopping and changing amps all the time! The built in phono stage is really not bad.
- Audio Research CD1 - CD player - a top quality player if a bit elderly but beautifully made.
- Modwright upgraded Perpetual Technologies P-3A Digital-to-Analog Converter and Perpetual Technologies P-1A Digital Correction with Monolithic Sound P3 Perpetual Power Plant Power Supply - I have auditioned many more modern DACs and have never been moved to "upgrade" from this combo.
- Xindak SCD 2 -SACD player - valved output - OK but not noticeably better than my Denon 2910 (below). I will probably get rid of this once I have found somebody to rip my SACDs to digital file.
- Meridian Sooloos Ensemble network player - 2TB hard disk with FLAC files (backed up to a Buffalo NAS and to removable HDDs kept off-site) - one SPDIF output and 5 stereo outputs, including radio streaming - for daytime rather than evening listening, this really is the daddy! The software in this system makes ripping and then exploring a music collection a pleasure rather than a chore - look up the flow feature, look up the extended metadata etc. This is a digital system for people who enjoy music, rather than an expensive souped up computer. Although I prefer the tactile pleasures of putting on records and handling sleeves etc, there are times when controlling music off an iPad/desktop has its pluses, not least when picking up the phone to clients...
- Sonus Faber Concerto Speakers with stone plinths - piano black beauties which sound as good as they look - these match my amp perfectly and give an excellent range, especially matched with:
- Speakercraft Tanta TS2 subwoofer - also piano black. It is a brute but I have it dialled back considerably. The neighbours thought I was launching an ICBM when I was rangefinding for the right crossover point.
- IsoTek Mini Sub Power filter conditioner
- Atacama Equinox Rack
- Mana Equipment Stands
- Homebrew interconnects and speaker cables - mainly CAT6 braided.
- Home made mains cables with Clipsal plugs
My study system:
- CEC 3300 Amp - interesting and very powerful amp
- Luxman D111 CD player - sweet sounding CD player but nothing particularly special
- Denon DVD 2910 for SACD -
- Mac Mini with J River with M2Tech HIFACE and MF V DAC - linked to Buffalo NAs above.
- RIPNAS 1TB (I rip all my music to FLAC here and then import it into the Sooloos because Meridian has a proprietary file system and I don't want to re-rip all my files if it breaks/Meridian loses interest etc - lesson learnt from owning an Imerge server in the past)
- Genexxa ribbon speakers - I really like these but not the latest word in accuracy...
- REL Quake subwooofer - I don't really notice it - which is, I suppose, what you want from a sub.
What do I listen to?
Jazz - Blue Note etc, - mainly on vinyl
Rock and Pop from 70s-present - half vinyl and half digital
Some classical - almost all digital
Looking forward to participating