The system is designed to reproduce realistic timbre, dynamics and detail, as well as a stong sense of presence in a medium sized room. The design goals focus on achieving both a sense of intimacy and scale, and it's doing a great job of supplying both.
System edited: I'm changing all the signal cabling to TG Audio - the speaker cable is on the way. Tube rolling has brought the Canary amps to a new level - KR 300BXLS power tubes and RCA 6SN7s have added another degree of realism. The Blowtorch should be here in another month.
Yes I do have a manual around, and I think I can help you out. I have to warn you, it may not be as helpful as you're hoping :-/
I haven't heard a Blowtorch yet - I ordered one based on recommendations from various sources (some here on the 'gon), and also based on the reputations of the builders. I'm expecting delivery on a month or so, and I'll be posting an impression once it's settled in.
I also use a Audion Pre. I have the Silver Knight Premeir 2.0. Easily the best pre I have used by far. Wondering two things. Do you have a manual you can scan and e-mail by chance? Also, how does it compare to the Blowtorch? Thanks.
System edited: I've just added a pair of Canary CA-339 monoblocks to the system, and they have put it over the top in terms of overall realism. They're a perfect match for the Coincident Total Victories, as evidenced by the reactions of the two manufacturers. The people at both companies are just stunned by the synergy, as am I. My Great Amp Quest appears to be over.
System edited: The system continues to change, even though I long to be done with the gear and concentrating on the music. The sound now is exceptionally communicative - warm, intimate, detailed and dynamic. A wonderful soundstage is starting to appear. The last planned major addition is a CTC Blowtorch that should arrive in June. One planned minor addition is a pair of Bob Crump's HSR speaker cables that arrive in a month or so. I'm also investigating the Murata supertweeters as an addition to the Total Victories. Stay tuned.
System edited: I just changed out the Bent Audio NOH for an Audion Premier. Despite the theoretical advantages of a TVC the Audion outstripped it in all categories: bass, mids, highs, dynamics, articulation, tonality, soundstaging, you name it.
That should read "added the Pursang digital cable..." It's a 75-ohm RCA cable that replaced the Nirvana DC-110 AES/EBU I had before. In comparison the Nirvana isn't quite as detailed or as dynamic as the Pursang. Like all of Ric Cummins' other cables, his digital wire adds to that sense of absolute transparency and "wirelessness" that the system has taken on.
Interestingly, given Nirvana's claims of quietness, I also find the Pursang to be quieter than the Nirvana. There's a sense of a thin layer of haze being stripped away by the Pursang, leaving the background cleaner and clearer.
I've built this wonderful system in the last six months, with top-of-the-line digital source, electronics and speakers, but I seem to get most passionate about the wire. How sad is that???
System edited: I've added the Pursang cable and a pair of Pursang balanced IC's to the system. I still have two pieces of non-Argent wire in the system - the power cords to the transport and DAC. These will be swapped out for Brujo cables as soon as Ric gets them wound. The AN DAC and the amps are burning in, and every day there seems to be less between me and the musicians.
