1978 vintage horn speaker with rebuilt drivers from Great Plains Audio and Werner Jagusch crossovers. Replaced Harbeth M-40.2 Anni's. Big sound, very dynamic and very rewarding.
Quicksilver KT Mono
New KT Mono's with KT150 tubes, generating 100 wpc. Added Telefunken ribbed plate 12AX7's for refined tone, clarity and space.
deHavilland Electric Ultraverve 3
Most enjoyable and complimentary preamp I've owned, by a large margin. Responds well to tube rolling. Currently loaded with NOS Tung Sol's in all positions. Exceptional value.
Weiss Engineering DAC 202
Replaced an outstanding Audio Aero Capitole Reference DAC/CDP/PRE. I can't say the Weiss is better than the Audio Aero, but it's more neutral, which is a better fit for the rest of my system that leans to the warm/romantic side of neutral. This DAC is a bargain on the used market.
Roon Labs Nucleus
Roon Nucleus server paired with IFi Zen Stream as a Roon end-point, connected via Black Cat Silverstar SPDIF cable to Weiss 202 DAC. Streaming Qobuz. Surprisingly nice step up in sound quality and enjoyability from my previous Aurender N10 at 1/4th the cost.
KCI Silkworm RCA Interconnect
Gold based RCA interconnect cable. Outperforms the Purist Venustas it replaced by a large margin.
Silent Running Audio VR-2 & 3 isolation platforms
I tired of messing with the various footers on the market. These are the real deal... excellent construction, visually appealing and effective.
Salamander Synergy Triple 20
Cherry Finish
GIK Room Treatments Tri Traps, 244 panels and Alpha 4 diffusion panels
This is the 2nd room I've treated with GIK products. Highly recommended, especially 244 panels.
Acoustic BBQ 12 gage Dueland speaker cables
I've had significantly more expensive speaker cables from Stealth and Auditorium, but prefer these. I also use ja pair of these in my secondary system. Great bang for the buck.
iFi Audio Zen Stream
Acting as a Roon endpoint centered between a Roon Nucleus server and my DAC.
Pdreher, I understand, it's not for everyone... (boo,hoo... sniff, sniff...) ;)
Quick, hit her with the second pair of speakers idea while she is still reeling from the shock of the Landscape suggestion! It won't seem anywhere near as radical and could win approval! :)
Now, let's talk... You have a unique opportunity before you, which lies in your Ulysses speakers! You may have seen my unusual configuration of them in my system pics - I put them sideways, which I call Landscape Orientation. Don't laugh; I prefer them that way. It's like a super-monitor experience similar to some studios. You will not beleive how the bass cleans up HUGELY when in Landscape mode. You're getting a LOT of floor bounce and blur in the bass with Portrait/vertical mode.
See my reviews of these speakers in traditional and Landscape mode at Dagogo.com. If you have questions, feel free to contact me via Dagogo's website.
One other thing, cables. Whatever speaker cables you have, double down. That's right, simply get another pair and run them parallel and in so doing mass the total gauge. You will be most pleased with what happens to the sound. I no longer run any speaker for my systems using only one set of cables; I always double them if possible. The only exception is the Legacy Whisper DSW, which takes tri-wiring and I do not have six pair of spkr cables.
BTW, the stands I obtained from Sound Anchors have been customized to accommodate the Landscape orientation and have complete 360 degree adjustment, as well as size adjustment for other center and small towers I may wish to experiment with in Landscape mode. I also ordered the built in amp stand so that I can experiment with shorter speaker cables.
So... if your other half is as gracious as mine to allow me to do whatever I wish in my man cave, then you could have a LOT of fun ahead of you! :)
Now, the other option; do not be too hasty in divesting the Ulysses, as if you tweak it the speaker has a lot of room to improve, as I have said. But you can also it seems "have it all," by keeping them and adding another pair of speakers, panels or horns, etc. That has been THE biggest gain in satisfaction for me over the years. Perhaps only the dedicated room has been as influential in bringing vast satisfaction. The availability of more technologies to bring enjoyment has been singularly satisfying. I will be happy to discuss this, too, if you wish. :)
If you are willing to put in some effort/time you have a LOT of wonderful experiences available to you!
