Description

This system has been evolving for the past 40 years. Within the past seven years, I have replaced the entire system. 

  I would love to hear opinions from the people who view my system.
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Components Toggle details

    • McIntosh C2500 Tube Preamp
    A great sounding all tube preamp which sounds amazing, with tone controls, built in dac, fully remote adjustable MC loading.
    • McIntosh MC 302 Power Amplifier
    300wpc of solid state, output transformers and McIntosh goodness
    • Golden Ear Triton Reference Speakers
    Golden Ear's flagship tower and rightly so. Sound is delicate, effortless and very dynamic with bass to die for.
    • Technics SL1200G Direct Drive Turntable
    Giant Killer Turntable for the 21st Century.
    • Zu Audio DL103 MC Cartridge Modified
    Low output moving coil cartridge that is fantastic on Classical and Jazz, not so much on Rock..
    • Audio Technica VM540ML/H MM Phono Cartridge
    Moving Magnet phono cartridge to play my Rock Records
    • Shure V15 Type IV MM Phono Cartridge
    45 year old moving magnet cartridge.  I love it!
    • Sony HAP-Z1ES Music Server/Player
    Music server with 1TB had drive, excellent dac abd a great all in one solution.  Has the option of using an external dac (but why would you want to) and external USB drive for more space.
    • Apple iPad Pro
    iPad Pro with 32gb of storage. Used in conjunction with Sony software app as a remote control for the Sony HAP-Z1ES Music Server.
    • Esoteric UX-3 CD/SACD/DVD Audio Player
    Plays everything but Blu-Ray.. Built like a tank and a keeper.  This player uses the Burr Brown PCM1704 r to r dac.
    • McIntosh MR88 Tuner
    FM, HD Tuner
    • Canare Cable Canare 4S11 Speaker Cable
    A 25 Foot pair of a very inexpensive speaker cables.  After break in, these cables bested a pair of $1500.00 speaker cables.  Great bass slam and silky smooth treble.
    • Acrolink 6N-D5050II Digital cable
    Digital cable to go between the Esoteric UX-3 SACD Player to the built in DAC on the McIntosh C2500 Tube Preamp
    • Acrolink 6N-DA5500 Interconnect
    This cable brought my Esoteric SACD up a couple of notches!  Bass is deeper and more refined midrange is neutral and treble has sweetened.
    • VPI Phono Cable
    I meter phono cable.  The cable is manufactured by Discovery.
    • VH Audio Custom Interconnect
    A custom interconnect 1.5 meters built by VH Audio to compliment my McIntosh preamp and amp.  This goes between them.
    • Nordost Red Dawn Interconnect
    I am using this excellent sounding cable between my FM Tuner and Preamp.
    • Accuphase AL 10 Interconnect
    1 meter audio cable
    • Acrolink 6N-P4030 Power Cord
    High end power cord connecting the Esoteric UX-3 to Hydra 4 power conditioner.
    • Shunyata Copperhead Power Cord
    Power Cord for amplifier and pre-amplifier. also two 20 amp versions for Hydra 2 and Hydra 4
    • Shunyata Diamondback Platinum Power Cord
    Power Cord.  2-15 amp cords
    • Pangea AC-9 Power Cord
    (2) Pangea 2 meter AC-9 power cords for the GE Triton References. They are plugged into the Shunyata Hydra 4 PLC.
    • Shunyata Hydra 2 Power Conditioner
    Two outlet Hydra power conditioner. This does not limit current and dramatically lowers the noise floor.
    • Shunyata Hydra 4 Power Conditioner (Black)
    Power line conditioner that does not limit current. Used specifically for the Golden Ear Triton References
    • Shunyata Hydra 4 Power Contitioner (Silver)
    Power Conditioner. All source components are plugged into this.
    • HRS Lightweight Record Weight
    The combination of this record clamp and the Oracle record mat has kicked up the sound of my Technics SL1200G turntable quite a bit.
    • SolidSteel S3-5 & S3-3 Audio Rack
    6 shelf audiophile rack.
    • Magnum Dynalab ST-2 Antenna
    Indoor fm dipole antenna.

Comments 88

Owner
Jafant,  The Acrolink power cord is a 15 amp primarily for the Esoteric SACD player.

stereo5

Excellent! Stereo5
is your Acrolink PC a 15a or 20a?

Happy Listening!

jafant

Owner
Jafant,  All 3 Acrolink cables are connected to the Esoteric player.  I have coax digital, single ended and power cord..

stereo5

I wanted to ask where you have Acrolink cables/cords placed?

Happy Listening!

jafant

A beautiful room and system.

jafant

My best compliments Stereo5! Your list is impressive both for components quantity and quality: Most of them are well known to me, a friend of mine own your loudspeakers that I auditioned several times, I can clearly say one of the best I listened with no dubt. I own your same media player, one of hifi pieces unfairly underestimated ever, maybe beacause Sony is considered too commercial? or it doesn't cost a kidney?anyway, the HAP Z1 ES is a great music machine that can beat much more expensive high end competitors.
I see big passion over there, love it.

silvanik

Owner
I just upgraded my McIntosh MC152 amp to a McIntosh MC302 amp as I felt I needed more dynamic headroom.

stereo5

Owner
Thanks guys.  There is a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into the main system.  Many nights of not being able to sleep, agonizing over it.  Everything finally came together with the McIntosh equipment and a couple of new cables.  I replaced the VPI Prime with the Technics SL1200G direct drive turntable and finally I am enjoying vinyl again.

stereo5

Love it and sure it sounds great. The McIntosh are a home run!

knollbrent

Wow. What a thoughtfully put together system! How are you liking Mcintosh? Can you describe the sound difference vs Rogue & Conrad Johnson? What caused you to change - an opportunity used or you just heard it and had to have it?

shadorne

Owner
Major Update, Replaced Rogue RP-5 Tube Preamp with a McIntosh C2500 Tube Preamp.  Replaced Conrad Johnson MF2550 Amp with a McIntosh MC152 Amp.  Replaced AVC Platform with a 4 inch Thick Maple Platform in gloss black.  Replaced Vasari Gold MM cartridge with my ZU DL103 Moving Coil cartridge.   I am waiting arrival of an Acrolink interconnect for the SACD Player.

stereo5

Owner
Thanks JA.   As I am just retired, this is probably my last hurrah with new purchases.

stereo5

Beautiful system- Bob.
very interesting mix of cables/cords- my fave subject!

Happy Listening!
-JA

jafant

Owner

MAJOR SYSTEM UPDATE:

Where do I start?  Replaced the GE Triton 1 speakers with the GE Triton Reference speakers.  Replaced the Odyssey Stratos amp with a Conrad Johnson MF2550 250wpc amplifier.  Replaced VPI Scout turntable with the new VPI Prime turntable.  Replaced the Myrtlewood Turntable platform  with one from Audio Vibration Control.


System sounds much more real now.

stereo5

Owner
The main reason(s) I replaced the Modulus 3B Pre was because I wasn't getting enough range out of the volume controls.  At 9 o clock, it was too loud and one notch down from that it was a bit too soft.  I also am getting on in years and more lazier and wanted a full remote control option.  Lastly, The new preamp has many loading options for my moving coil cartridge so I was able to eliminate the SUT and one of the VPI cables.  The system is much more simplified now and the new preamp sounds killer with the Mullard NOS 12au7 tubes I put in it.

stereo5

Curious, Stereo5, why did you decide to replace your Modulus 3B preamp?

Gary

gareneau

Owner

UPDATE:

Replaced Audible Illusions Modulus 3B preamp with a Rogue Audio RP-5 Tube preamp.  Replaced stock tubes in the Rogue with 4 NOS Mullard 12au7 tubes.  This took the preamp up to an entire new level, extremely pleased.  Removed Bob's Devices Cinemag 3440A SUT as the Rogue preamp can accomodate a low output moving coil cartridge.  Also removed one VPI Phono cable as no longer needed.

Replaced Aurender N100H with a Sony HAP-Z1ES Music Server and also removed Wyred4Sound DAC2 and 2 Wireworld Digital cables as all no longer needed.  Sold all the removed equipment to fund the new Rogue preamp.  The system is now quite simplified and sounds better than ever.  Sometimes less is more.

stereo5

Owner

System Update\Upgrade.  Replaced Asus 14 inch laptop running J Rivers 21 to an Aurender N100H Music player\streamer with 2TB internal hard drive and 128GB solid state drive.  All songs on playlist are cached into the solid state drive for  an absolute quiet machine.  This is a fanless system and very, very quiet.  You must have an iPad , iPad mini or an Android based tablet to run the Aurender.  The Conductor software is the best I have used yet for a large music collection. 

The Aurender does not have a built in dac so you will need both a tablet and dac to use this.  Sound=incredible.  

stereo5

Owner
Mjcmt.....

Thank you so very much! That is the nicest compliment I have received . I have been into this for close to 49 years and I am quite pleased with the system. I have another system listed which is my office set up and I am slowly improving it. I listen to the office system at least 6-8 hours daily.

stereo5

When I clicked on your system I was immediately overwhelmed by the huge list. When I clicked on your first photo I realized I was familiar with your electronics and looked a little deeper. Superb choice of excellent and well reviewed gear. Happy listening! I hope to be there again soon.

mjcmt

MAKAISMA

You said you used to have the ODYSSEY STRATOS and that they are a "KEEPER"..........so why did you move them? Just curious. How would you describe their tonal properties? Cool side of neutral, or warm ?
CHEERS

musicmann1

MAKAISMA

You said you used to have the ODYSSEY STRATOS and that they are a "KEEPER"..........so why did you move them? Just curious. How would you describe their tonal properties? Cool side of neutral, or warm ?
CHEERS

musicmann1

Owner
System edited: Replaced Wyred4Sound DAC 1 with a new Wyred4Sound DAC 2 DSD with Femto Clock Upgrade. Just started breaking it in. The new Wyred drivers seem very stable.

stereo5

Owner
System edited: Added another Shunyata Hydra 4 into the system which sits on a Bright Star Audio platform. 3 Pangea AC-9 power cords were also added, 2 two meter cords for GE Triton Ones and 1, one meter cord to connect to the wall outlet.

stereo5

Owner
Thanks, much appreciated.

stereo5

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