A quest that dates back to collage, my current sound is approaching everything I've ever dreamed of. Holographic, extended and musical, it's whole exceeds the sum of it's parts with performance well beyond it's price point.
I'll add details on set up and tweeks including accoustics when I find the time.
Amazingly open but never "digital", excels in clarity, air, and harmonic texture with analogue bloom and sound staging. I was originally turned onto this German line by the guys at Synergistic Research when looking to replace my VTL pre-amp.
T + A P 1230 R remote control
The most transparent pre-amp I've ever had in my system. Huge sound field, dead quite- black background, extended bottom to top with harmonic texture and mid-range bloom. Perfect.
T + A A 1530 170 watt stereo amp
As with the pre-amp, this amplifier holds my woofers in a vise like grip delivering unbelievable control and extension, layered mid-range and extended smooth highs with air in a cavernous soundstage.
Wilson Audio Watt+Puppy 6.0
A big improvement over my 5.1's. These speakers are easier to drive and not so room dependent. Compared to the 5.1's they are more linear especially in the upper bass to lower mid-range with a sweeter top end. Dynamic and forceful yet able to play piano and violin, these speakers can be "tuned" to suite tastes by cables and electronics. A good reference quality speaker with a big sound in a small(ish) foot print.
Synergistic Research Tesla Apex IC
My source interconnect they deliver rich harmonic texture and detail in equal measure with breathtaking sound stage and the blackest background of any interconnect I've ever heard.
Synergistic Research Tesla Precision Reference IC
Pre to Power these cables are fast, detailed and dynamic. Possessing more inner detail and articulate pinpoint imaging then the Apex they transfer the maximum amount of detail and air. Paired with Apex I find this combination offers the rarest of sonic virtues- detail, texture, pinpoint imaging, bloom, you name it. This combination does it for me.
Synergistic Research Tesla Precision Referennce SC
As with Apex and Precision Reference interconnects, the difference seems to fall between inner detail on the one hand and mid-range texture / bloom on the other. While the Apex presents more texture and bloom stressing image outlines vs. pin-point imaging, the Precision Reference is all about speed, inner detail, and nuance; much like the difference one hears when comparing the upper echelon of tube vs. solid state electronics. I choose Precision Reference as my listening room has a mid bass hump that was not complimentary to the fuller sounding Apex.
Synergistic Research Hologram D
Replaced my Shunyata Anaconda 2 to my CD player. Much- read MUCH larger sound stage with boundaries far beyound what I had previously experienced with the conda. Also smoother and more detailed with a dramatic improvement to front to back layering- WOW!
Synergistic Research Hologram A
Replaced the Anaconda 2 to my power amplifier. The same differences found between the Hologram D and the conda powering my CD player with the added benefit of improved low frequency weight and leading edge impact. This cable sounds altogether more natural on my power amplifier making the Anaconda 2 sound hi-fi(ish) by comparison and somewhat sterile and cold.
Synergistic Research T2
Replaced the Anaconda 2 I had been running to my pre-amplifier. With the T2 powering my pre and all other Tesla cables in place I have a sound stage of epic proportion that exceeds the physical size of my listening room with images that emanate in a 360 degree circle around my LISTENING CHAIR!!! When I remove the T2 and replace it with the Anaconda 2 the sound field collapses and presents what I had thought was the best sound possible- that is until I found these new power cords. One interesting note is that now my system is 100% Tesla, removing any one pair of IC's, SC's or single power cord and replacing them with something else results in a system "collapse." These cables create a major synergy when used 100% through out a system that's for sure.
Jumping in here, there was a noticeable difference in performance going from MPCs to a Quattro in my system. The system got even quieter, allowing the musical presentation to flow that much more freely. It is easier to hear subtle nuances in the presentation than before - clarity has improved noticeably, especially of background sounds, which also improves layering front to back. Just my $.02.
Hi John, Did you notice a big improvement going from MPC to Quattro? It will interesting to hear the difference from Quattro to Enigma. I have not yet decided to get either the Quattro or Enigma yet... I will wait and see what everyone thinks.
Lapierre, It's easy enough to hide the MPC's behind your rack and plug them into a line strip or two. It's impossible however to achieve the level of sonic realism active shielding provides a system through any other other means I know of. As for the Enigma, I don't have mine yet however I expect it will make the job of powering my cables easier and more convenient. And as to where to place the Enigma when I get it in my system, that's easy. It will be placed predominately at the top of my rack. The Enigma is an industrial work of art and I can't wait to show it off-the tube glow alone is the coolest I've ever seen while the case work is inspired : )
I have the Quattro with an Enigma on order. Prior to the Quattro (a nice sonic upgrade BTW) I plugged my MPC's into two inexpensive line strips. Worked like a charm. I simply plugged one line strip into the other with the first line strip plugged directly into the wall. The benefit, it required only one wall outlet for all my MPC's.
I missed one very important detail in the SR products...where to plug in multiple MPCs Mini Power Coupler. Are you using the Quattro Full System Power Supply? Or using two MPDs?
I started with the IC's and SC's at the Accelerator level first-this was before the new Tesla PC's were out. Were I you, and if I wanted to hear just one cable make a huge difference listen to a T2 PC on the 1230R pre-amp. This is an amazing combo and huge bang for the buck. Think Boulder electronics sound at an every mans price point.
Lapierre, T+A is a German company I found when talking to the guys at SR. See above posts for the importers contact info.
Yes I have invested a lot of money in cables however the total combined cost for all Tesla cables in my system are a fraction of the total cost for the cables they replaced. I was able to cover 70% of my Tesla investment by selling my old cables at USED prices if that gives you any idea how expensive my cables were prior to Tesla. The same goes for my T+A gear. Top flight electronics and cables IMO.
Cpk, I still have both as well as a few more toys (REL Subwoofer, USB DAC / computer audio, Acoustic Resonators...) I really should work on my system profile and add photos :( The truth is I've been extremely busy. Between the kids, the economy heating up (cooling down?) and so on, I have little free time for anything else.
I promise to get a few pics up in the coming months
Sammie, T+A has been a real surprise- they displaced much costlier (but paid for) components in my system. Sadly my dealer no longer carries the brand- go figure. Your best bet is to call the importer, Quartet Marketing Group. It may be tricky finding a dealer in your area but a search is well worth the effort.
Very cool system! I was surprised to read that you were using T+A stuff. It looks really cool! I'm especially interested in their active speakers. Who's your dealer?
Great system. Another recent great T+A source/resource is Steve Huntley at Great Northern Sound Company. His reputation is well known on Audiogon. www.greatnorthernsound.com
Aball, Quartet Marketing Group is the US distributor for T+A and Innovative Audio, located at 150 E 58th. St in NYC sells them. I was going to swing up to NYC to listen but I'm always too busy.
Hey Leica man Nice system. Are you in the USA? I have been interested in T+A for some time but they seem very very scarce in the USA and I actually thought they weren't even imported. Thanks
System edited: I've now gone 100% Tesla with the addition of Hologram A and D and T2 power cords. Read my cable descriptions for more on how these cables transformed my system.
Kehut, Perhaps when I can finally afford an M8 I'll post a few : )
Emailists, Take a look at my product descriptions- there you'll find concise reviews for all my components. Don't over look the T+A, it's an amazing find for state-of-the-art performance at mid-level prices.
