bugredmachine's Tennessee System 2023

by bugredmachine on

Description

One saving grace for the low inventory of houses in 2022 was the pool and this room. Gave up on finding 3 garage stalls, but 10 foot ceilings in this room looked promising. 23.4 feet deep, 16.5 wide, with a 10 foot peak 5 feet wide.
I built some massive bass traps (on wheels) to reduce the giant dip shown at 160 hz. The traps are 24 wide, 35 deep, and 57 inches high. I mate a large Real Traps absorber to the front behind the Wilsons to achieve the 35 inches. The traps contain OC703 and Roxul with a 2.5" air gap inside.

I've been busy auditioning both IC's, SC's, and power cables in 2023. Here is a list of power cables I have tried out in 2023:

Acoustic Zen Silver Ref IC Stealth M5000 power cable Purist Audio Proteus Rev B PC Silversmith short Fideliums Verastarr silver foil grand illusion PC from wig Purist Proteus PC two cables Transparent Ultra IC Gen 5 Verastarr 4 foot PC Verastarr 5 foot PC LessLoss C-MARC 20 amp JPS ACX 2M power cable superdan138 Stealth Metacarbon RCA Stealth Indra IC Analysis Plus Oval 9 Spkr cables Transparent Ultra 20 ft IC Tara Labs The One PC second Anticables long PC Tara Labs The One PC first Elrod EPS3 Sig 20 amp 1M woway Kaplan  PC JPS 38 in IC JPS 78 inch PC Jade Moontails JPS 51 inch PC Elrod EPS-3 8 feet, 20 amp Silversmith long Fidelium SC Transparent 5M Gen 5 PC Masterbuilt Audio Std PC Aric Audio Motherlode 2 JPS Aluminata 8 meter Nagomi PC 1.5M 15a Hijiri Million IC Nagomi 20A 1M PC Organic RCA ebay Harmonix XDC10SM Studio Master 1M Zavfino 2 mtr XLR's Keast Harmonix X-DC Studio Master 330 1.5M Purist Museaus Praesto Rev 5M XLR Wywires Platinum 13ft PC Russ Andrews grounding Kubala Elation half meter splitter Kubala 1.5M Elation PC to Ken F&F Purist XLR Corvus 1M first Purist XLR Corvus 1M Kubala Elations to Tom 1.5 x 2 and 2.5 20 amp from TMR Clarus Aqua 8 ft SC Clarus Crimson 24 foot XLR Purist Venustas 4 Mtr XLR   Empirical Design 316 PC Elrod EPS2 Elrod EPS-2 70 inches Purist Venustas Tri wire SC Harmonix XDC2 1.5M PC Kubala Emotion from Australia Kubala 3M Expression from Larry Cox Aurender X100L Core Power 1800 Kubala 3M Emotion from Larry Cox Cardas 1.5 M Clear XLR from USAM  technut Cardas 1.5 M Cygnus PC TMR Cardas 2M Clear Beyond PC TMR Cardas 1M Clear XLR Jan Andersen BMI Whale Elite PC'sx2 brian fong Cardas 3M Clear Beyond XL PC from Tony Cardas One meter Clear Beyond XLR from Ron Cardas 1pt5 mtr Clear PC from Gary Cardas Clear 1 mtr PC from TMR Clarus Crimson 1 mtr XLR  Cerious Technologies Matrix XLR Clarus Aqua 8 ft SC  Cerious Technologies Matrix #2 xlr Cerious Technologies Matrix 5 ft power cable Cerious Technologies Matrix 6 foot speaker cables BMI Whale Elite PC'sx2  NRG 4 meter PC USAM Clarus Crimson 2 mtr XLR Oyaide Black Mamba V2

2022 and earlier:

DCCA Passion Pro XXL

Read more...

Room Details

Dimensions: 24’ × 17’  Large
Ceiling: 10’

Components Toggle details

    • Wilson Audio Alexia 1
    Fed by Cerious Matrix SC's
    • Audio Research Ref 5SE
    Replaced an Aric Audio Motherlode 2

    Fed by a BMI Whale Elite PC.
    • Bricasti Design M1 DAC
    Fed by Shunyata Sigma USB and BMI Whale Elite PC
    • Coda Technologies Continuum No. 8 amp
    Version 1: 150 Watts x 2 into 8 Ohms

    Class A ~18 Watts 

    300 Watts x 2 into 4 Ohms

    Class A ~18 Watts

    Fed by 2 NRG the Five PC's onto a BMI Whale Elite, all daisy chained from the Puritan to the amp.

    • Cerious Technologies Matrix
    Today: XLR's to the amp start as Purist Venustas Diamond Rev 4 meter then to two pairs of Cerious Technologies Matrix all daisy chained between ARC and Coda.

    Old: Cardas Clear Beyond XLR to the preamp, Cardas Clear daisy chained to Purist Venustas XLR to Coda amp.

    OLD: Presently have a KS Emotion on the Bricasti to preamp.

    For the amp run:
    I have 3 meter pair of KS Expressions connected to a 3 meter set of Emotions that then connect to a 0.5 meter pair of Elations for the run from ARC to amp. SO, yes, daisy chaining KS cables together as interconnect chain giving me the KS sound but ultimately the signature of the Elation as it is right before the amplifier. Give this a try. It was tested with PAD cables first and then I switched to KS cables. The PAD train was Venustas (4M) to Corvus. Prior to that I was using Museuas to Venustas to the amp. I kept moving up the chain and then jumped over to KS cables.
    • Cerious Matrix speaker cables Matrix
    Now using Cerious Matrix SC's

    OLD: Tri-wired set of Luminist version 81 inches long. I only needed single wiring but couldn't pass up the deal. I made a manifold to accept the 3 runs per side with a solid piece of copper which hangs on the Wilson binding posts. Incredible speaker cables.
    • BMI Whale Elite
    Now using Whale Elites on 4 components - Puritan, Arc, Bricasti, and Coda

    OLD: Two of these on the daisy chain to the amp with the Kubala Sosna Elation PC.
    • Shunyata Research Sigma USB
    All the other cables I tried smeared the music.
    • ADD-POWR Wizard
    I have 2 of these. One is placed under the DAC and one is under the DIY digital power box. I'm not getting any benefit from these and they are for sale.
    • ADD-POWR Symphony I/O
    Connects the ethernet to the music server and the server USB to the DAC
    • Aurender X100L
    Replaced my Rich Hollis designed dedicated MS-2 computer.
    • Cerious Technologies Matrix
    New: Matrix PC at wall to Core Power unit

    Old: Almost all Cardas power cables now

    Old: Moved to almost all KS power cables; Elations and one Emotion. Good stuff. Still putzing with the PC to the Aurender.

    .
    • Puritan Audio Labs PSM156 Studio Master Power Purifier
    Love this unit. The amount of noise it reduces is impressive. Tested the circuit with a noise detector before it and then in it and see how it removes 75% of line noise.  Now I have barely a tweeter his at 6 inches instead of at 12 inches.
    • Core Power Technologies Core Power Technologies Deep 1800 AC Power Line Conditioner
    Added this to the very front of all power feeding the Puritan.

Comments 40

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Owner
Well, between Dec 2022 and January 2024 I have outlaid over $24k on cables. I have gone through JPS, Cardas, Purist, Kubala, Wireworld, Clarus, BMI, Stealth, Cerious, Oyaide, Silversmith, Elrod, Harmonix, Hijiri, Wywires, Kaplan, Anticables, and Verastarr to name a "few".

I have found that the last 6 feet matters. So daisy chaining is a reasonable approach as long as you don't try and throw some junk in on the front of the chain.

Vast differences in Purist to Kubala to Cardas to Clarus to Cerious. I finally it the magic I was seeking after 14 months of buying and selling. You should see my notes on all this effort.

bugredmachine

Owner
Now using 100% KS cables on dac and preamp. Considering KS speaker cables although the PAD Venustas I am using are triple run cables for tri-wiring and do not disappoint. It's the curiosity aspect of going to KS on the speakers and how that might complement the sound. Hmmm

I'm doing something crazy by daisy chaining cables. I am doing it with power cables and IC's. It does seem the last 3 feet really do make the difference.

bugredmachine

Owner
Using KS Elation PC on the Puritan. Have used many different PC's with equal success on the input side. I don't see anything special about the Puritan cable and for that kind of money I'd look sideways to other brands based on my experience.
Carpeting isn't going to tame the long frequencies at 100 hz. It took about 20 cu ft of OC 703 each side to do that. I only have 5 feet of width at the ceiling height of 10 feet, so mathematically a panel may help, but I did not want the look since I was able to achieve it on the floor.

bugredmachine

Thanks very much for this info! Which version of the Coda Continuum amp do you have? I've heard some people say the PSM156 helps their front-end components but hurts their amps a little bit, so it's useful to hear your perspective as well!
Did you ever get to try the Puritan Ultimate cable between the PSM156 and wall? Which Kubala Sosna cable did you have most success with in this position?
PS. Great room and great results with the treatments! That 100Hz bump is often attributable to floor bounce or ceiling bounce. Did you ever try adding a panel in the middle of the ceiling? or a bit of carpet closer to the speakers?

vsrrr

Owner
Everything is plugged into the PSM156. This unit does not constrain current flow IME. I have tried it both ways and prefer the PSM noise reduction. I have done this in two houses now with similar results.

I'm using Kubala Sosna PC's from the wall to the PSM and all the devices use KS cables (Elation or Emotion) except the Aurender.

I have a KS Emotion IC coming to compare to the PAD Corvus.

bugredmachine

Hi! Great to hear your comments about the PSM156.
Out of curiosity, have you had success plugging your 400W amp into it?
I have a 300W amp, and am worried that perhaps the PSM156 might constrain it in some way.
Also - very curious to hear if you found any great power cable upgrades for connecting the PSM156 to the wall. The Puritan Ultimate cable seems like the logical first step, but by the looks of your 2023 testing, it sounds like you may have gone further!

vsrrr

Owner
They are 3 inch thick maple (butcher block) slabs. Years ago I had Salk Sound paint them black for me to tone down the look to a more modern gray-black combo. I have toted those things around to many different houses. Ridiculously heavy.
With their mass on small bumpers along the rails and then further isolating components on the heavy mass, it's an attempt to dampen what I can. Much like having double drywall hanging on hat-channel in a room construction.

bugredmachine

Hi Pete: I see you/re not using the stock Adona shelves under your front end gear. What shelves are those you replaced them with? Jeff

yoby

Owner
I don't believe I ever posted about my DIY cable risers. I made them back in about 2006 out of bowl blanks. A little router work and some lead weights on the bottoms. I wanted to organize power cables away from IS's or SC's and neaten up the systems. They have shown up in all my system postings since. I'll have to post some construction photos.
I made the triangular pieces just recently to hold up the very heavy tri-wired Venustas SC's. Quick and dirty.

bugredmachine

Is that a black seatbelt onyour chair to keep you from getting blown away?

Man it must be awesome!
Enjoy, Dan

islandmandan

Owner
Updated photos. About 99% of where I need to be on IC's. Saving my sheckles for a 3 meter Venustas. Wrapping the cabling around the left speaker is much better, ala original layout.

bugredmachine

Owner
I updated my description with a list of the power cables I have bought and auditioned in 2023. Paypal thinks I am a business now due to my volume!

bugredmachine

Owner
I am way behind taking new photos. Lots of cabling changes, added an Aurender, etc.

Everything I play sounds incredible. I played a Playlist not spun in 10 years and everything was making me smile.

And thanks to Tom Hankins for letting me audition his Kubala cables. I'm leaning toward KS power cables and PAD IC's as a great combo. I like the detail of the PAD's and the KS power cables are off the hook in the bass and "filling the soundstage".

bugredmachine

Owner
Yes. I have way behind in updating my components. LOTs of changes.

The ARC is the best sounding preamp I have ever owned. I have had several very nice pre's like the TRL Dude, which was very clean and musical. The Sachs and Aric are both superb preamps over the last few years.

I chose this model as a value-priced unit after reading every comment and review I could find. The 5SE was highly rated and if you were going for a 6, then why not the 6SE, but now the price is getting up there versus the performance the 5SE was praised for.

Sensational air and presentation by the ARC. The overall smoothness, soundstage width, depth, and delineation of instruments, is absolutely addicting.

bugredmachine

Hi Pete: Did you get the ARC 5SE yet? Jeff

yoby

Owner
I need to make some updates i.e. power cables and new ARC preamp.

bugredmachine

Owner
One night this week I put a 20 foot Transparent pc to the amp and placed the Nagomi and a Studio Master on the preamp and dac. The sound was nice but there was no bass to speak of. And the tone was not quite right w/o a Harmonix in the amp line.
Then last night I daisy chained 2 Aluminatas and a NRG The .1 into the amp. The bass was incredible, but too wooly. It was deep, but loose. The NRG was not up to the task. I digested that for about an hour.
It was getting late but I had to know if I could get some Harmonix goodness into the mix so I swapped out the NRG and Nagomi. Now with the Nagomi on the beginning of the Aluminata chain the sound was crystal clear and bass was tighter and more controlled.
For this weekend I am going to try the Nagomi on the last part of the chain connecting to the amp to see what effect there is being the last piece to touch the amp. Stay tuned.

bugredmachine

Owner
I added a third Elrod to the other two in the string arrangement and it was not good. Tubby bass and hazy top end. I'll post a pic of that if I can.
I swapped the Nagomi into the middle Elrod position and it was fantastic. I don't understand how the string of 2 Elrods and one Hijiri could take on the influence of the single Nagomi cable. We would expect the Elrods to overpower the one meter Hijiri Nagomi, but the combination was enough of a positive turn, even over the Tara labs pc, that I now know I should be moving toward Hijiri cabling where I can.

bugredmachine

Owner
More changes coming. Have another Elrod to make my daisy chain power cable 3 Elrods long.
Have the ARC Ref 5SE coming next week.
Also have an Aurender X100L coming so I can see if it is an improvement (which I expect) and at this price it is minimal risk to dip my toe into a true music server like this over my PC set-up from HAL.
I need to further evaluate the Nagomi power cable to decide if I should keep it.
I also ordered a Sablon Robusto power cable that I want to try.

bugredmachine

Owner
On Sunday I let the system run for several hours while I did some landscaping. I did not notice any changes. At that point I decided to try my experiment of daisy chaining 3 power cables together to bypass the AntiCable 28 foot power cable to see if the higher end cables would make a difference in that crazy configuration.
And it was magic! I put an 8 foot Elrod EPS 3 on the Puritan, then connected an Elrod EPS-2 at 6 feet, and then a 6 foot Tara Labs The One to the Coda amp in a 20 foot run. Wow. 
Immediately I was delivered more bass and after about 20 minutes the treble straightened out. I cannot believe the AntiCable was holding me back so much. And, of course, I was surprised that the daisy chaining would not be a total bust by inserting very inexpensive 2.5 inch adapters between cables. My theory was to use the best first and the next best cable of the Elrod brand and finish off with the Tara which I felt was the most neutral of the 3.
Anyways, it was enough of an improvement that I felt the Nagomi could now continue to do its thing and the next 2 hours were a new high at the Aural Enlightenment venue.

bugredmachine

Owner
I'm not really sure how to sensibly make an update of what transpired this weekend. I visited Gestalt Audio and was highly impressed with Colin's gear and taste of music. I walked away with a brand new loaner Hijiri Nogami C-19 power cable to try.
I also wanted to try the Elrod power cables on the dac and preamp, but that never happened due to other positive tests I ran today.

Yesterday I inserted the Nogami in place of my NRG The Five cable feeding my Puritan and it didn't suck. At first I did not hear a delta in the music I could put my finger on, but as time went on I felt the music had more body to it. One thing, for sure, was it decreased the tweeter noise even further which was quite a surprise given the NRG's heavy noise filtering employed.

So I waited for Sunday to spend more time with the Nogami.

bugredmachine

Owner
I have not gotten to them yet Jeff. I am a weekend warrior and by the time I get a break from yard work or other projects, I'm pretty beat and just fire up the system and listen for a few hours.
Saturday, I am going to have some "me" time and go visit Gestalt Audio in Nashville to check out Hijiri cables and other goodies. Hopefully Saturday night or Sunday I can insert the Elrods and give them a run.
I am on the verge of buying an ARC Ref 5SE preamp to try out as well. We'll see how it stacks up to the Motherlode II. Fun times!

bugredmachine

Hi Pete: How did the Elrods work out for you? I've never heard any of them, but many give them high praise. Jeff

yoby

Owner
Thanks Jeff. You brought me another important piece to the puzzle. Now I have Aluminata's on the DAC and preamp. I'll do some further evaluation of the Tara Labs cables before deciding if I jettison them.

bugredmachine

Hi Pete: Glad the JPS Aluminata has worked out for you. Good listening. Jeff

yoby

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