Description

This is a living room system with a digital source. Currently a streamer with cd transport removed. The amp is a 300B SET circuit by JC Morrison, modified and built by Blackie Pagano, with one half of a 6SN7 direct-coupled to the second half in the driver stage. There is a cap in the signal path.  Right now, I have an Audio Note silver cap in there.  My current tube compliment: Side Getter Short Bottle RCA 6SN7 GT, Takatsuki TA-300, and RCA 5R4. The amp has Tango NY15 3.5S output transformers and strong, choke-filtered power.  

The speakers are Cain & Cain IM Bens with 6.5" Fostex drivers and super tweeters.  Bass is augmented with two Cain & Cain Bailey subwoofers each powered by a Dayton plate amp.  

In 2015 I went from a dedicated, very small room, to a much larger living room.  This has its positives and negatives.  It is not always convenient finding opportunities to listen to loud music in a shared living space but the system sounds better now than it did in that tiny room.  

My source is an Emm Labs DCC2SE with a blue sound node 2i as a transport and a streamer.

When I am not listening to speakers, I listen to headphones.  When I am not listening to the large system, I also have a smaller desktop system in an office.  The speakers are very old Klipsch KM2, in need of upgrading.  I use a Moon Audio Dragon IHA-1 for headphones and as a preamp with a Peter Daniel Patek Gainclone for power.  A Cambridge Audio DacMagic output to the IHA-1.
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Room Details

Dimensions: 25’ × 30’  X large
Ceiling: 9’


Components Toggle details

    • Cain and Cain IM Ben + Bailey
    Backloaded Horn 6 inch Fostex 168E Sigma driver plus super tweeter. This is the intermediate size double horn by Cain & Cain. For bass duties, there are two Bailey Subwoofers with two Dayton SP250 plate amplifiers. The Bens are running full range through the plate amps.
    • Custom Amp 300B SET
    Dual mono custom 300B SET built by Blackie Pagano. Tango NY15 3.5S output iron, separate power and signal chassis.
    • Tubesville by Blackie Pagano Duality
    Another shot of the signal chassis
    • Tango NY15 3.5S
    Output transformer upgrade installed by Steve Berger.
    • Emm Labs DCC2 SE
    Signature Edition DAC/Preamp
    • Emm Labs CDSD SE
    Signature Edition CDSD redbook/SACD transport
    • 47 Labs Ota
    Single strand copper
    • 47 Labs Ota
    My favorite interconnect.
    • ATS Acoustics Acoustic panels and bass traps
    2' by 2' panels and bass traps. I suppose the artwork is a kind of diffusion...
    • ATS Acoustics Acoustic panels and bass traps
    2' by 2' panels and bass traps
    • Audio Note Silver/Mylar Capacitor
    %99.99 pure silver capacitor.
    • Audio Sector Patek SE
    50 WPC Gainclone built by Peter Daniel. A nice solid state backup/alternative.
    • Oppo BDP-103
    Disc player used as a transport and music streamer.
    • Moon Audio Dragon Inspire IHA-1
    This is tube preamp/headphone amp.  I really enjoy it in my desktop system.
    • Cambridge Audio Dacmagic 100
    A general purpose DAC with lots of switchable inputs.  Desktop system.  I am using three out of the four inputs, USB from Mac Mini, SPDIF from Direct TV box, and TOS from Xbox.
    • Sennheiser HD800S
    I love these headphones.  They sound great with both the Moon Audio IHA-1 or the Tubesville amp.  Paired with a Kimber Axios Copper cable.

Comments 95

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Hi tjkurita, I have idea for you if you want to give me a shout. [email protected] or 402-276-0343.

gwalt