Description

Room - 13.5' x 23.5 x 9'. Hardwood floor with oriental area rugs and minimal furniture. Plaster and lathe walls. Speakers positioned halfway down the long dimension, directly over main floor joist, about 2' in from the side walls, toed in to point at the apex of a right triangle. Electronics are located in the near corner of an adjacent room, just through a door.

Magic! Deep spacious you-are-there sound stage, deep warm bass, wide open yet delicate highs. Speaker/amp interface not optimal for super high volume due to low powered SET and moderate sensitivity. Bass could also be a little cleaner, a fault of the Gallo speakers IMO. (See speaker description)especially in combination with the SET amp. Of course, the mods on the amp improved everything including this issue tremendously. (see amp description)

Next upgrades planned are further tweeks to the turntable, replacing the Chang Lightspeed with the Walker Audio Velocitor, replacing Holco based series stepped attenuator with a nude Vishay ladder, replacing and rerouting internal wiring on woofers with Mapleshade/inSound planar, and improved bracing on the Barcelona speaker stands. I'm also considering building mono blocks similar to the modded Cary integrated I'm currently using.

I would be happy to do similar mods for anyone interested.
Read more...

Components Toggle details

    • Maplenoll Ariadne Signature
    A cut to the chase, poor man's Rockport featuring a massive 75lb. lead and corian plinth, 90lb. solid lead self flywheeling air bearing platter, integrated high pressure air bearing linear tracking arm. I modified it significantly. I made a trap for oil, positioned just after the pump, and another for condensation 10' downstream from that, followed by a 1' plenum then a 5' one. The charcoal filter comes next followed by an automotive fuel filter and then the splitter valve which I removed from the plinth. The bulk of the 500' of hose goes to the arm which is much more sensitive to air smoothing, with about 30' going to the platter. I installed a PSI gauge on the last plenum. I replaced the arm wire with 46ga. Acrotec 6N copper wire straight through to male RCAs to the phono stage which I've positioned conveniently. I firmed up all the arm joints with super glue. I removed the motor and built an outboard mount out of a cardboard mail tube and 1" thick by 3" wide hand turned cherry wood ends with a 2"x2" steel block for weight. I filled the counterweight tube with Mortite. I tweeked the fit and finish. I mounted the spikes on Marigo Bear Claw resonance discs.
    • Outboard Motor
    I removed the motor and built an outboard mount out of a cardboard mail tube and 1" thick by 3" wide hand turned cherry wood ends with a 2"x2" steel block for weight.
    • Transfiguration Orpheus
    Replaced my long time reference Cardas Heart. This revolutionary evolution of cartridge design employs a very close coil to magnet tolerance achieved by placing the coil armature inside a ring magnet allowing for a relatively high output for very few coil windings. Despite the consequently extreme low internal impedance, the unprecedented integrity of design and lack of resonance precludes the need for electrical damping through loading, allowing it to be run wide open at 47k with no hint of brightness. Improvements from the earlier Temper designs include better high permeability low saturation core material, more powerful magnet, lower resonance body, purer copper coils, refined cantilever, lower mass tip, and better damping. The result is unprecedented resolution presented in a disarmingly natural way, revealing profound artistic and emotional nuance.
    • Hagerman Technologies Trumpet Phono Stage
    This replaced the venerable VAC CPA 1 Mk II, a massive full function preamp, hardwired by me direct out from the phono stage. The Trumpet is smoother and more transparant with deeper bass but not as dynamic, which is hardly a surprise given the huge power supply of the VAC. This may also be a factor of the gain of the Trumpet being not quite high enough to accomodate the .48mV output of the Orpheus without putting the volume control of the Cary all the way up, revealing the noise floor of the Trumpet as well as the Cary. I have a pair of Sowter step up transformers on the way that should help. This is the discontinued older wood model which has been replaced with a slightly upgraded version which features upgraded key resistors and metal end plates, also discontinued. Evidently the metal ends plates were a logistical concern, not for sound. It also comes with small sorbothane feet installed and steel spikes included as an option. I didn't try the spikes but the sound definitely improved with Mapleshade Ultimate Triplepoints or the Walker Valid points installed, increasing transparancy thoughout the entire range. The Trumpet appears to be an excellent design but optimized for value, rather than a no-holds-barred assault, which the price certainly reflects. I'm sure it would benefit from upgrading the already very good parts. For the moment the drama is via delicate nuance rather than bombast. Tube rolling soon to come as well as replacing o-ring style tube dampers with homemade brass tube damper/shields reminiscent of the Mapleshade Tube Anchors. I actually did replaced the input impedence resisters with nude Vishay S102s and the output coupling caps with DynamiCaps. The result was increased refinement with a bit more textural detail. I also just installed a pair of Sowter 8055 transformers with the OCC copper option inside the Trumpet configured for true balance operation, reconfiguring the input of the Trumpet to match the fully balanced differential circuit while maintaining the RCA jack. I also installed a second pair of 47k loading resistors in order to maintain the high impedance my cartridge likes. This makes the load 100k without the transformer and about 1k with the transformer. Dynamics are now strartling and noise is a non issue. After about 100 hours of burn in of the transformers I feel there is very little downside to their addition. Photo shows Walker Resonace Control Discs with Mapleshade Ultimate Triple Points mounted on top which clean up the sound.
    • Enlightened Audio Design T-1000
    Gold faceplate, stable platter, Blackgate cap and Fairchild Stealth rectifier diode upgrade.
    • Ack! dAck! 2.0
    battery powered, non oversampling, minimilist design. I replaced the output caps with bypassed DynamiCaps; replaced batteries with Yuasa 8 amp hour ones; both big improvements.
    • Cary Audio Design CAD-300sei LX20
    This is the discontinued 20 watt big brother of the 300 SEI single ended triode integrated using KR 300BLX output tubes and 6SN7s for driver and preamp. I've been doing mods on tube equipment for over 15 years and have recently completed a full rebuild. I replaced the main rectifiers with Fairchild hyper fast super soft recovery diodes, replaced the electrolytic power supply caps with larger polypropylenes bypassed with DynamiCaps, replaced the volume pot with a stepped attenuator, created separate filament supplies for each channel and for the preamp tube using Shotkey diodes and larger better Blackgate and Nichicon Muse caps with bypasses, adding chokes for the 300Bs, replaced the coupling caps with DynamiCap pairs, and upgraded a number of the resistors. I incorporated a significant circuit change that simplifies and improves the return path of the output tube significantly improving transparency throughout the entire range. I also cleaned up the internal wiring routing making it much more direct. All this turns a beautiful little amp into one of the better amps you're likely to hear, with lower noise floor (especially useful with high efficiency speakers), sounding much more powerful, cleaner, smoother, tighter and effortlessly natural. I'm very excited about the result and would be happy to share it with anyone who might be interested.
    • Gallo Acoustics Nucleus Ref
    Rebuilt. Moved tweeter network outside to top of stand behind tweeter. Removed bypass resistor, upgraded caps to DynamiCaps with .1 bypass then upgraded them again to just a pair of 6uF Duelund VSF caps, stripped tweeter wire insulation, moved tweeter forward 2 inches and canted speaker back to align woofers, removed front of tweeter grill, stuffed ports with microphone wind screens, and braced back of stands. Highs are phenomenal, Bass could be a little cleaner. A few things that improved this last issue already were, first, putting microphone windscreens into the ports which took out some of the boom without effecting extension or dynamics, bracing the back of the stands (see pictures, soon to be improved), removing the tweeter network from inside the upper sphere, and lastly, installing the Walker Audio Reference High Definition Links.
    • Maplehade/inSound Omega Mikro Zepher Digital
    unshielded foil ribbon design with small networks spaced along it. the main difference between this and the more expensive ones in the digital line is the number of these networks. Very smooth, transparent and silent.
    • Mapleshade/inSound Omega Mikro Planar Analog VII LCX Int'cnct
    .5m from DAC, 1m from phono stage. Scary good; beautifully nuanced; wide open; no additives/no subtractions. IMHO, the truth and nothin' but the truth.
    • Maplehade/inSound Omega Mikro Planar V LCX passive Spkr Cable
    20' pair, uninsulated raw silver plated copper foil ribbon, ran under the floor, connected directly - foil to binding posts with no spades.

    a major upgrade from the Planar I or II. Uninsulated passive possibly better than the active version.
    • Maplehade/inSound Omega Mikro Planar passive Pwr Cords
    Cut up one 6 footer into 3 smaller ones. Clearer than anything else I've tried.
    • Chang Lightspeed HT 1000
    I shortened the power cable, hardwired a Coherent Systems EAU1 parallel circuit inside and added a TRT Infini cap. Very neutral and dead silent. I recently switched to plugging the Cary integrated amp straight into the wall for a big improvemnet. I still like the effect of the Chang on the other components.
    • Coherent Systems EAU 1
    parallel circuit that purportedly changes the way electrons flow from chaotic to coherent. Cleans things up leaving them deep, sweet and much more palpable.
    • Maplehade Ultimate Triple Points
    massive brass pointy things. Damned if they don't make a huge difference.
    • Magnum Dynalab FT-101a
    used with their ST-2 antenna on the roof.
    • Nakamichi 680ZX
    had to fix it a bunch but a beauty.
    • Roomtunes Clamp Rack
    homemade laquered MDF and all thread, clamps in components with cones if desired to channel out vibes; cleans up, opens up. Price is the retail on the commercial product.
    • Roomtunes Tunepak, Deluxe Roomtunes
    4 Cornertunes, 10 Echo Tunes, 4 Deluxe Roomtunes, 4 Tunestrips. homemade versions. Cleans up chaotic reflections to great effect. Price is the retail on the commercial product.
    • Alesis Masterlink
    Hard drive recorder, editing format and CD burner. Replaced caps with bypassed Blackgates. Great machine. convenient great sounding, portable for on location recording, high resolution options and can burn high rez CD Roms.
    • Tandberg 64 X
    tube reel to reel from the 60s. Ergonomics a ltittle funky but sounds nice and clean.
    • Sennheiser HD650
    Headphones - Very comfortable physically and sound wise, smooth, delicate and rich. Recently upgraded from the 600s. These are more revealing with stronger bass. The richest headphones I've tried, and very much the opposite in every respect to the Etymotic Research ER4S.
    • Etymotic Research ER4S
    Headphones - The best in ear. better isolation and sound than the Shures IMO. A little lean but clean clean clean!
    • Walker Audio Reference High Definition Links
    Placed between speaker terminals. These are the fancier and pricier of the two models made by Lloyd Walker, made with custom components. They dramatically clean up the entire range including the bass.
    • Duelund VSF Pure Foil Caps
    Very expensive but excellent caps designed for speakers. A single 6uF replaced the 6uF with .1uF bypass DynamiCaps that I had replaced the original InfiniSeti caps with. As good as the DynamiCaps are the Deulunds are way better in every parameter, even without a bypass, and they better be at the price! Their very large size might preclude some installations. Pictured installed externally on the rear of the Gallos along with the Walker Audio Signature High Definition Links.
    • Walker Audio Talisman
    Magnetically treats LPs and CDs, DVDs and SACDs. Improves transparancy across the board. Betters the Furutech at half the price as well as all other comers.
    • Walker Audio Extreme SST
    The fancier and pricier of the two models of silver bearing paste contact enhancers, made by Lloyd Walker. Dramatically improves sound across the board when applied sparingly to the contacts of any and all cables or tubes.
    • Mapleshade Ultimate Triple Points
    Seriously heavy solid brass cones with 3 point interface. Channels resonances out of components better than anything save the much more expensive but similar Walker Audio Valid Points soon to be installed.
    • Hagerman Technologies FryBaby
    Burn in signal generator. Great for thoroughly burning in anything from any type of cables to entire systems. It works!
    • Home made Platter Clip
    clips edge warped LP to platter.

Comments 33

Owner
I just realized that I hadn't updated in a while. The low output Orpheus is singing away. To my ear it is perfectly balanced; smooth and refined but not self effacing and clean clean clean from bottom to top. It's definitely a step up from the normal Orpheus, particularly in the top end refinement.

piedpiper

Owner
Applebook,

Thanks! I was referring to the added zero on the price of the Walker which is its descendant.

piedpiper

Amazing system, Piper. I am amused that you would consider your Ariadne Signature to be a "poor man's" anything though.

applebook

Owner
Still playing with VTA and VTF, settling in around 1.92 grams and very slightly up from dead even VTA. The recommended 1.8 grams left it sounding a little rough and bright on problem sibilance and a little lean in the lower midrange. The distributor Bob Clarke recommends close to 1.9. Using an accurate digital gage is essential as my Shure gage had it inadvertently at over 2 grams which is a no no for this cart due to the very close tolerance of coils to ring magnet.

The Orpheus I am using is a demo sample from the distributor while I await my own which will be the brand new lower output version, incorporating a few other refinements in addition to fewer coil windings, due in about a month.

piedpiper

Owner
System edited: I installed a pair of Sowter 8055 step up transformers with the
OCC copper option inside the Hagerman Trumpet in true balanced
configuration. I added a second pair of 47k nude Vishay load resistors in oder to
accomplish this and to keep the load impedance high as required by my
cartridge. With the transformers in line the Orpheus sees 940 ohms, high for a
typical MC but low for what the Orpheus can handle. Although the Orpheus is a
very low impedance design, the integrity of the design is such that there is no
need to tame resonances by loading it down. Dynamics, bass and noise are now
a non issue. The sound is cleaner and more refined throughout the entire range
compared to my former Cardas Heart. I'm delighted.

piedpiper

Owner
Thanks Chashmal.

piedpiper

Beautiful room and very well conieved and executed rig.

chashmal

Owner
Yes. Easily said. There are very few products that aren't compromised in deference to budget. Email me if you want to pursue it.

piedpiper

The Cary amp project is impressive. I've got a pair of Cary 2A3SE monoblocks gathering dust that I might modify. So far I've only replaced coupling caps. Do you think Cary's 2A3SE design is close to the 300B with respect to limitations in stock form & potential for modding?

dgarretson

Owner
System edited: I just installed a Transfiguration Orpheus as my reference cartridge and am very pleased. The bass isn't quite as full as the Cardas Heart that was my reference for over a decade but every parameter enjoys dramatically improved refinement, definitely in keeping with the given name of my system. Discs that heretofore had problems with sibilance that I had written off to bad recording technique are now remarkably listenable. This extends to how it handles surface and groove noise. According to the published specs, the Orpheus should have been an increase of output but it actually seems to be slightly less, underlining my need for a step up transformer (a pair of which are on their way), active step up, or higher gain phono stage, the latter of which is undoubtedly in the stars. In the mean time, I'm delighted albeit at slightly lowered ceiling on the volume and accompanied by a bit of tube rush and hum in the silences.

piedpiper

Owner
Thanks, Stltrains! Just noticed the first "t" in your moniker, and here I thought it short for "soultrains."

Personally I've never heard more revealing wire, which is a good thing as long as what it's revealing is not a problem. I'd rather go that route than add insult to injury by having gear that needs taming.

piedpiper

Hey Piedpiper i see you are a Mapleshade user also. Fine gear for isolation. I'm a believer to. I see you also use there fine wire. Super fine system.

stltrains

Owner
Thanks to both of you! If you haven't experience a reel to reel version of a recording you know the LP of, be prepared for a real ear opener.

To be honest, the amp/speaker pairing is not optimal as noted above but within its power envelope it's pretty darn satisfying.

piedpiper

Wow! Nice system. I bet it sounds great.

sburton

Looks like you have put in much thought and heart into your system. Quite nice to see, even down to the reel to reel.

glenfihi

Owner
a couple hundred hours I would guess. The Votage is rated as 100VAC, 200VDC. Cas are typically rated VDC. I kick started the burn in by rigging up an AC plug with wires across the neutral and hot with various caps in need of burn in strung across them. WIth the Duelunds I put the pair in series to double the voltage rating. I left them there for a week before installing them.

piedpiper

Yes, I noticed the new round version and it is quite a bit more expensive. I haven't contacted the manufacturer of my preamp about this Duelund cap, but he has already given me the go ahead to experiment with different caps as long as the voltage is equal or higher. The output caps in my preamp are rated at 100V, which is unusually low for a preamp, and the Duelunds are rated at 100V so it should be a good match. Fitting the cap securely in my preamp is what will be the real test. I'm curious what the normal break-in period is for this Duelund.

sherod

Owner
Evidentally, they don't recommend bypassing. And no wonder. I continue to amazed at the difference these make; like a major component upgrade. And they're just coming out with an even better (and more expensive) model as well as ones designed for elctronics as opposed to speakers.

piedpiper

Owner
"...a .47uF which would be a bit large for either of us."

as a bypass.

piedpiper

Owner
not sure about the paypal thing. Have you conversed with Deulund about using them in electronics? I'd be curious what they would say. You might consult the manufacturer of your preamp and confirm the required value of that cap. If it is possible to use a smaller value without losing bass integrity it should sound better if your not planning on bypassing. I notice the smallest Deulund copper foil cap in the Parts ConneXion catalogue is a .47uF which would be a bit large for either of us. I've got some .01uF DynamiCaps I might try as a bypass just to see.

piedpiper

I realize that these caps are designed for low voltage application( speaker crossovers), however, I have a preamp which uses output caps in a low voltage circuit design so I was going to give these square caps a try.The question is how am I going to fit them in the preamp. I'll have to be creative and build up a platform off the board and place the caps flat on this platform. I'm going to need two at a 3.9uf value, so if they sonically don't please my ears in this application, perhaps I can resell them for someone to use in their speaker cross-overs. I haven't had good results in bypassing caps in coupling positions but I've read that this might work okay in cross-overs. The other dealer besides Parts Connexion is Electrum Audio. Parts Connexion appears to have a little better pricing. Do you know if Parts Connexion takes payment with Paypal?

sherod

Owner
Thank you. I got mine from The Parts ConneXion. Is the CA dealer Michael Percy? The leads are quite long at about 3". The overall size is huge for this size cap at this voltage. I continue to be truly delighted with their performance. I'll be researching recommendations for bypass caps. For the moment, the high frequencies are not crying out for improvement.

piedpiper

I am interested in the Duelund caps. I contacted the manufacturer in Denmark and they referred me to a new dealer in Ca. I'm curious how long the leads are on these caps. You have a nice-looking system which I'm sure you're very proud of.

sherod

Owner
System edited: I just added the VERY expensive but excellent Deulund caps to the Gallos. A single 6uF replaced the 6uF with .1uF bypass DynamiCaps that I had replaced the original InfiniSeti caps with. As good as the DynamiCaps are the Deulunds are way better in every parameter, even without a bypass, and they better be at the price! Everything got cleaner, clearer and more present. Their very large size might preclude some installations. The picture loaded sidewards but shows it installed externally on the rear of the Gallos along with the Walker Audio Signature High Definition Links.

piedpiper

Owner
System edited: added more pics

piedpiper

Showing 1 - 25 of 33 posts