Description

In an effort to downsize the footprint of my system, I have spent the last two years revamping almost everything in its entirety. As many of my friends whom I've met through Audiogon and at the various shows know, I have had an extreme passion for music and the reproduction thereof starting in my teens, many, many moons ago! From Fisher to Onkyo to Luxman and the like, I have added, changed, and upgraded extensively. And the toys became bigger and more expensive along the way! I am pleased to say that my current configuration is producing the best sound quality I've experienced in my home environment yet.

I always get asked what addition has made the biggest improvement. I can honestly say that each piece has added to the puzzle in its own distinct way. To start, I've tried just about every interconnect and speaker cable available and the Tara Lab Zero and Omega Gold series cables far surpass anything I've ever heard, hands down. Expensive but worth every dime. Power conditioning with the Nordost Quantum QX4, QBase and Valhalla PC has added icing to the cake. A friend convinced me I had to try the Boulder stereo amp after owning many of the top notch mono blocks. I took the bait and I have not looked back. This is the most slamming, yet liquid amp I've owned since the Goldmund 60k monos! Unbelievable! The Dartzeel preamp modded by Reference Audio Mods with external batteries increased the already lush soundstage, extremely refined detail and dark, dark background. I can get over two weeks of listening without having to recharge. Having my entire library at my fingertips with the Sooloos makes access so much fun and listening so fulfilling! I can create my favorite compilation of music and listen for hours on end, uninterrupted. For more critical listening sessions, the latest addition to my system is the dCS Puccini which is unto a class of its own! The first words out of my mouth were OMG and then tears rolled down my cheeks. It's that good! After selling my beloved Talon Firebird Diamonds, I hit a couple of bumps along the road but finally came upon a little known but unbelievably spectacular speaker, the Raidho Ayra C-3. You simply cannot believe the soundstage, detail, pace, low end and front to back imaging this configuration of 4" drivers and ribbon tweeter can produce! My friends and I together are amazed!

I continue to enjoy home theater with the Halcro amp and processor, Denon Blu-ray, Talon speakers for center, surround and subwoofer with the Pioneer Elite Plasma.

Am I happy, yes indeedy!! Will I make changes....never so NO. But for now, I am very, very content and do not see a change in the near future. Time to sit back and enjoy the music! Yes, that's what it is all about!
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Components Toggle details

    • Boulder 1060
    Stereo Amp 300 w/channel
    • Dartzeel NHB-18NS Preamp
    Battery operated, modified by RAM with 4 external batteries
    • dCS Puccini
    CD/SACD Player
    • Meridian Sooloos Control 10 & Twinstore
    2TB - holds 2500 CD's on 1TB and backup on other 1TB
    • Meridian Media Source 600
    Interface with Sooloos Control 10, provides upsampling for enhanced audio performance and an ultra-low-jitter clocking system
    • Weiss Medea
    24 bit/ 192kHz DAC used in conjunction Meridian Sooloos system connected to MS600 via coaxial digital cable
    • Reference Audio Mods External battery system/Dartzeel
    Another amazing upgrade from Kyle Takenaga of RAM. Four high end large batteries placed in custom solid maple enclosures power the Dartzeel preamp resulting in larger soundstage and the ultimate in detail
    • Tara Labs Omega Gold Speaker Cable
    Nothing like them. Very heavy, large diameter, spades.
    • Tara Labs Zero Gold IC
    2M XLR between amp and preamp 17.9k 1M XLR between dCS and preamp 15.9k 1M RCA digital from MS600 to Weiss
    • Raidho Ayra C-3
    4

Comments 5

I sold my B&W 802N's at the beginning of 2009 after hearing the Raidho C3.0's at the 2008 RMAF. My friends and I felt the Raidho's were among the top 5 speakers we heard at that show. I purchased a demo pair of C3.0's from the previous Raidho US distributor early 2010.

I implemented the "system foundation" approach (symmetrical speaker setup, room acoustics, power conditioning, synergistic cabling, and resonance control) after attending a system setup & tuning seminar also at the 2008 RMAF.

I've owned home audio systems all my life and love listening to music as a sole source of entertainment, but didn't get into high end audio until the 1980's. And although I've used acoustic panels since the early 1990's, my listening room only became a great listening room earlier this year when I implemented a Rives Audio acoustic design plan.

In my listening room the Raidho C3.0's create a wide, deep, and articulate sound stage with great presence and dynamic range.

lwhitefl

First, congratulations, Twopippis, for your set up.

After your post, I have decided to go to the Raidho dealer listen to the C 3.0, because I'd like to change my B&W 802D.

And I suggest you to buy the Puccini U'Clock and the Paganini DAC. You will cry again with happiness.

Take care, man.

brazcole

I can relate on many fronts...over the last 3 years I've downsized from a complex HT and 2-channel setup that took alot to put together and wound up testing all my previous assumptions on high-end powercords and interconnects that I had put together. I'm extremely pleased and enjoying the system much more today. I also find I am doing alot more 'whole house' listening where I still take time to do much 'sweet spot' listening but am taking much more time just to let the music flow through the entire house as I'm really happy with what the system produces. Thanks for the feedback on the dCS one-box unit. I had not heard that much regarding the unit and like you, I have a large collection of SACD and even more XRCD, XRCD2, XRCD24, K2HD and first-rate RBCD pressings....

zephyr24069

Owner
Thanks for your comments and sorry for the delayed response. My intent really is to downsize the footprint of the system without losing the integrity of the sound quality I've been getting. Truth be told, I'm hoping this year to get rid of the tall cabinet and then custom build a low to the ground cabinet, allowing space to put a 60" plasma on the wall. I had, for over ten years, a secondary hard drive system with the Escient so was used to having my music library on that. The Sooloos was a step up and I thought might provide an alternative to the CD player setup altogether. Although it does sound great and better than the Escient, I do not believe it can replace a top notch CD player or certainly did not come close to the wonderful Esoteric separates. But in downsize mode, I had to find a really great one box player with SACD since I have a collection. I was really blown away when first hearing the dCS and not prepared for such an unbelievable musical presentation. Although I did not compare back to back with the Esoteric separates, my memory of the SQ puts them very close. Over time, I'm finding I prefer the characteristics of the dCS as it is a bit more organic while not lacking in the soundstaging, dynamics or extension as experienced with the Esoteric. I believe Meridian will continue to work on providing a higher end presentation with the Sooloos and to the average listener it is stupendous! But once you've taken a bite of the apple from the upper echelon, its difficult, if not impossible, to accept less. That is the unfortunate truth!

twopippis

Reading your older system overview and looking at this one you've been on a great journey, that much is certain! I'd be interested in knowing more about what led you from the Esoteric stack to the dcs and Meridian gear you now own and what your listening experiences are. I see you are using the Hallographs (love them and cannot do without them)!

I've used various generations of Tara cables (0.8, 0.5, etc..) and have heard the Zeros and Omegas which are beyond reality for me but do sound wonderful.....

zephyr24069

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