Description

My system is both a multi-channel home theater and a dedicated 2 Channel stereo. When in two channel mode, I only use the VMPS RM40's as my speakers (no sub). In Theater mode, I use all the speakers and the sub.

I also run a music server with 7.5 terabytes of storage which houses my entire CD collection (2800+ recordsings) and my DVD collection (850+ movies and concerts) in fully uncompressed format. The flexibility of this music server allows me to archive my extensive collection of LP's sampled at 24bit/96khz. I have a wireless keyboard/mouse that allows me to select any recording I want to hear at any time. And the sound beats out even the $3000 Cary stand alone CD player!

The music server feeds into an external Lite Audio DAC-62 tube DAC which has been heavily modified and upgraded. Eventually I will work on swapping out the tube section with customer 300b based preamp tube solution.
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Components Toggle details

    • VMPS RM40
    The single best piece of equipment I've purchased to date. The sound is so good that it often brings a tear to my eye. This is audio nirvana, the goal I've been seeking for oh so many years. These replaced my PSB Stratus Silvers. Since VMPS are tweaker speakers, this particular model features the vertical ribbon tweeter (FST) and upgraded Mid-woofers.
    • Onkyo DTC 9.8
    This replaced my Krell Showcase 5.1 and while it is a slight step down in 2 channel clarity, it is a far bigger leap forward in home theater capabilities. It handles all my high end blu-ray audio formats allowing me to hear concerts in 24/96khz uncompressed audio.
    • B&K Reference 7260
    I use this amp in a bi-amp configuration to drive the woofer elements of my VMPS RM40's. I use two more channels to bi-amp my VMPS LRC speaker. I use the last two channels to drive my surround speakers. The amp has more than enough power to handle a 6 channels at once.
    • VMPS Larger Subwoofer
    This is a monster sub. Unpowered allowing me to choose a better quality amplifier to drive it. Features active 12" and 15" drivers and a passive 15" radiator. This sub will move you, the couch and even the ceiling if you overdue the volume!
    • Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB
    As of 2/2008, this is the best LCD projector available. I got a good deal on the unit and made the upgrade. Wow, what a picture. Very bright, very accurate, and very dynamic. I finally have decent black levels!
    • Denon 3910
    One of the best DVD / DVD-a / SACD players on the market. Excellent video output via HMDI to my projector. I may eventually mod this unit.
    • Outlaw Audio ICBM-1
    Integrated bass management system for the Pioneer DV-45a. Inserted between the DV-45a and the Showcase 7.1's multichannel inputs.
    • Carver TFM-24
    This brawny amp drives my VMPS Larger Subwoofer, and quite well. Carver always did have nice bass qualities and is well suited to this role.
    • VMPS LRC
    This is the upgraded Large Ribbon Center with the FSR tweeter and biamp options. Because of the timber matching with the RM40's, it nearly "disappears" in the sound stage.
    • PSB Image 3LR
    Used as my rear channel speakers.
    • Tara Labs TFA
    Upgraded from my original MIT Terminators as these are bi-amp cables. Looks like a garden hose from a distance.
    • Antec Fusion (silver)
    This is a home pc media server with my entire 2500+ recording collection ripped to lossless wave audio on 1.9 terabytes of hard drive space. The audio is sent out via coaxial digital to the Lite Audio DAC-60.
    • Audio Electronic Supply Sixpack mono blocks
    A pair of AES (Cary) Sixpack mono block tube amplifiers running EL-34's in triode configuration with NOS input and rectifier tubes. The amps have been modded with upgraded capacitors and binding posts.
    • Lite Audio DAC-60
    A tube based DAC that has been modified from the original Chinese production unit. Tubes have been replaced with NOS RCA and the capacitors have been upgraded to Black Gates. Amazing sound for a cheap price.

Comments 12

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Owner
System edited: I picked up an additional set of VMPS RM40 speakers in Piano Black. I'm keeping my other set of RM40's for a second system. For the time being, I am using them for surround speakers. That's complete and total overkill, but it makes for a heck of a visual statement.

dltf90

Owner
System edited: Switched pre-pro from Krell to Onkyo. Yes, there is a slight step back in 2 channel performance, but the Krell was becoming obsolete for HT applications and far too costly to upgrade. What I gain is lossless surround audio for my movies and concert videos. I borrowed the recent blu-ray "Within Temptation" release and was very impressed by the 5.1 24/96khz uncompress soundtrack. While that is the highest resolution blu-ray I've heard yet, most of the others are 5.1 and 24/48khz uncompressed. That is still DVD-Audio quality with full HD video. Not bad, especially for Rush's "Snakes and Arrows Tour" video.

dltf90

Owner
Oh, one other thing. The system picture is a little Photoshop trickery. I took two pictures, one with room lights on and one with room lights off. I cropped out the screen from the dark room picture and pasted it over the screen from the light room picture. Obviously with the lights on I would never get a picture that wasn't washed out. Can ya tell I like the show Mythbusters?

dltf90

Owner
System edited: I recently upgraded my front projection system to an Epson Home Cinema 1080UB (ultra black) projector. To say it is a night and day improvement over my Sony HS51 is an understatement. I can finally achieve credible black levels. Is it perfect, no. No point source lighting system ever will be. However, this is as close as I've ever been and finally I have that 120" plasma look as the Sony HS-51 was considerably dimmer than the Epson in best picture mode. Over the holidays I also added a Toshiba HD-A20 HD-DVD player for $100. Yeah, I know Blu-Ray will eventually win, but it was only $100! Strange that the best Blu-Ray player (the Playstation 3) is also $100 less than any standalone Blu-Ray player. It will be sad to see HD-DVD fail, even though it is the inferior format, because we lose competition. Nothing worse than Sony controlling prices and technology (SACD is a great example).

dltf90

Owner
System edited: Just when I think the upgrade bug has been squashed, a demo changes my mind. I heard a demo of a $15,000 DAC connected to a computer based music server and was blown away. Being a computer techy, it wasn't hard for me to build a music server. Finding a DAC that could match the Consonance Reference Linear MKII was the challenge.

Initially I settled on the Lite Audio DAC-60 and will begin modding that to the sound I want. Eventually I will create a separate tube analog section based on a pair of 300B triode tubes. After spending 5 weeks to rip all 1,600 of my cd based recordings to the music server, I'm in seventh heaven again with the ability to play anything in my collection at any time.

dltf90

Owner
System edited: My mistake, I operate the Rogue Audio Stereo 88 in triode mode, not ultra-linear mode.

dltf90

Owner
System edited: I've since consolidated amplifiers. There were just too many of them and I was running out of space in my amp racks. I replaced the Classe / Acurus / 2x B&K setup with a single multichannel B&K and a Rogue Audio tube amp. I was uncertain about tubes, but the Stereo 88 puts out 27 watts in ultra-linear mode which is more than sufficient to drive the midrange and tweeter ribbon panels of the RM40's. However, one of the tubes I bought was a dud (under warranty thankfully) and thus I was left with a half amplified channel. I discovered that 13 watts is insufficient for biamping. I would estimate you'd need 20 watts to be comfortable as I had to drive the speakers hard to get the amp to crack up with only 13 watts. I may eventually upgrade to tube mono blocks for greater flexibility. But that's a later update that I'm not compelled to make anytime soon.

dltf90

Owner
System edited: Updated pictures to show off the current configuration of my home thater / audio system.

dltf90

Owner
Yeah, I've got a lot of amps, no doubt. A lot of that has to do with the fact that I've been building my stereo for 15 years now. I'm also upgrading and improving various aspects. I started when I was 18 with just some simple equipment and an after factory modified Magnavox CD player (which in 1990 was "state of the art").

As for amp recommendations, that's up to the ears of the listener. Because I have a digital pre/pro (Krell), I prefer an amp with a warm sound. That is why I got the Classe CA-100. It helps to tame some of the high end and midrange harshness in most digital recordings. Compared to the B&K or the Acurus, it is just a much more musical amp. The Acurus is also a great amp, especially for the money. Since the bass section of the RM40's operates from 20-165hz, it needs muscle, not necessarily warmth. In that frequency range the Acurus is perfect with its bottomless 250watts.

Carver amps are not really that impressive for sound, in fact it is the worst sounding amp I have (mid / high). However, it is only driving the subwoofer from 40hz down, so musicality is unimportant to me. However, muscle is essential and the Carver provides it in spades. I picked it up for $200 and it bench marked flawlessly.

The ST-140 is for biamping the center channel and it is great in that role. To this day, it is one of the better sounding amps I've ever owned and is tough to beat for the price. The ST-1400 is used for the rear channels and is just fine for that roll since there isn't that much critical musical information going to the rear channels.

Since the system was built over time and not all at once, getting a single amp for all channels would never have been an affordable option. Besides, the piecemeal approach has allowed me to take advantage of biamping (in the case of the RM40's, that is essential) and take advantage of matching amplifiers to specific roles in my system. Yeah, I'd be happy to have an all Classe, Bryston, or Krell system. But for the amount of money I saved with my approach I got a high end projector and a 120" screen and a whole lot of music and movies!

dltf90

Owner
System edited: Just re-arranged my equipment so that it all fits below the screen. Makes for a cleaner looking room. I'm still waiting on my VMPS LRC to arrive and replace my PSB Image 2b's as my center channel speaker.

dltf90