Description

After quite a while focusing on home theater and movies I got XM radio in a new car.It caused me to get back into seriously listening to music again. I decided to do an audio upgrade and eventually decided not to use the same system for music and HT. None of the multichannel stuff I had bought impressed me so a 2-channel system was it.

During the first half of 2005 I moved out of my bedroom and setup the system you see here. Quite a bit of the gear was bought here at Audiogon. While "the hunt" was somewhat fun I'm glad it's over. It's much nicer, and less stressfull, to sit back and enjoy the music.

The room is 17x13x10 but the front ceiling starts at 7.5ft and rises to 10ft in the first 4 feet at the front of the room. The speakers are basically setup using the "rule of thirds" - they're a a little over 5 feet from the front of the room. I put up the thick curtains as a temporary measure but they are still there. :) I also have some Symposium Sveltes to go under the speakers but I haven't gotten around to ordering some low-rise speaker stands/platforms for the Sveltes.

Needless to say I'm very happy with what I hear. I never knew how good my CDs could sound.

Note: I listed the GA-Zero's but I just won them on an auction here. They will be replacing a pair of GA-2 interconnects I also bought here.
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Components Toggle details

    • Ayre Acoustics QB-9
    Asynchronous USB based D/A converter
    • Teac Esoteric DV50
    Universal disc player. I use it strictly for 2-channel audio.
    • Pass Labs X2.5
    Fully balanced linestage preamp.
    • Manley Laboratories Snapper monoblocks
    100 watts of EL34 tube power. Fully balanced. Adjustable bias.
    • Silverline Audio Sonatina III
    3-way, 92db, rear ported
    • Symposium Isis rack
    2 shelf rack, 2 amp stands
    • Symposium Ultra Platform
    isolation platform
    • Audio Metallurgy GA-Zero
    1m XLR
    • Verastarr Silver Reference
    2.5m XLR
    • Signal Cable Silver Resolution
    1m bi-wire
    • Signal Cable MagicPower
    (2) 1m cables
    • Signal Cable Silver Resolution PC
    4ft power cord
    • JPS Labs The Digital AC
    5ft power cord
    • Signal Cable Cable Riser
    4 inch acrylic
    • Echo Busters Room treatments
    4 echobusters, 2 double busters, 2 bass busters, 2 phase-4, 4 corner busters
    • ASC Tube Trap
    16" bass trap

Comments 8

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I'd save another few hundred and get a good USB converter on agon or wait until u have enough for a new one. For computer audio the USB converter and associated digital cabling are crucial (and it's difficult to do it without investing some money). Dac's become less critical if u address the digital signal and power you feed them. I had the Havana dac for a time and paired it to my offramp turbo3 converter. Mhdt makes great dacs, just wish they had built in analog preamps too.

mb9061