This is a work in progress, slow, but progressing as budget allows. The Tidal Piano's are a limited full range speaker that is extremely neutral, resolving, and very dependent on up chain electronics. The BAT vk5i is getting very dated for me at this stage. I've had it 10yrs, a big move up at the time, but now is the limiting factor for better transparency, resolution and prat. I need a better preamp for sure. The 50wt/ch Canary's are exact copies of Western Electrics' 300B tubed amps. The Piano's could definitely benefit from more wattage, but I'm not a big fan of SS amps and don't have the space or money for a big tubed amp. Though I can say, for now, I'm not wanting more.
I'm diversifying my sources with the new Nottingham Space Deck, and eventually, a Mac G5/Lynx card to Berkeley audio dac using Amarra software via Itunes. I've heard a similar music server setup and was floored by how good it compared to vinyl.
I just moved into a new old house in Chicago and my most imminent need is getting the system setup, and get a few acoustic treatments. In all, I've got a way to 'musical nirvana'...if indeed it exists at all ;)
6922 Tubed preamp. Tung Sol 5881 and Telefunken 6922's.
Canary Audio CA-339
CA-339 is a class A triode mode, push-pull parallel mono blocks power amplifier with 300B output tubes. The CA-339 has a 50 watt power rating.
Nottingham Space Deck
With upgraded Rega RB-700 arm with incognito wire upgrade,
Sony SCD-777es
Upgraded by VSE to level 6.
Argento Audio Serenity Reference 2M
Specially designed conductors on proprietary Argento requirements : extremely high purity silver conductors (99.997%) unique shape : near super elliptic with optimized surface to cross section ratio and no edges. optimized crystal structure and surface by annealing, 2-stage cryo treatment and polishing*. Exclusive proprietary designed Vibration Damping Material ( VDM® ) leading to : virtually perfect vibration damping and dielectric properties, very low background noise and a very relaxed but still super dynamic presentation
A friend let me borrow some Sunny P600 power cords for my amps and source. This was an upgrade from VHaudio's AirSine power cords. Much improved musicality, resolution, better bass and treble extension. I'm pretty impressed. Obviously I need to improve my elec. supply side of my system. Also tried a XLH preamp that was a Huge improvement over my VK5i. A bit too bright, but in all other ways, it bettered the BAT. I knew my pre was my weaker points too, just never knew how much.
Thank You Bnrlaw. Good to hear from someone else with a Canary amp. I too wonder at what these 50wts will do, I almost bought the Canary 2 box preamp earlier this yr before I realized I had to move. The manufacturer feels strongly about the combination of these pieces due to exact impedence matching. I know I haven't heard every amp/preamp out there, and there's probably better, but Canary is one heck of bang for the buck setup. I bet they sound great with your Joseph's, I've always liked their speakers. Thanks for your comments again!
The Canary is a tremendous amp. I'm running mine with a pair of Joseph Audio Rm25si mkII's which are similar size and efficiency as your Tidals and have yet to find an amp to better them. That is not to say that the Josephs also wouldn't enjoy a more powerful amp, but i have yet to find an amp that i like as much overall as the Canary's. Those are 50 really big watts and a lot of iron. Enjoy your system.
