Very nice upgrades Paraneer! I know you enjoyed your VA Bach Grands so you must really be happy with the Dynaudio Focus 260's. Was curious where you have your REL Sub crossover set to compliment your Focus 260's ?

tune_man January 30, 2017 14:15

Major upgrade and revision.  Re-took the plunge into a 2 channel system only ending a 12 year affair with the HT mistress that was always leaving me unsatisfied.  New acquisitions include Dynaudio Focus 260's, a Moon 100D DAC and an Oppo BDP-103 universal player.  I couldn't be happier with this new revision of my system.

paraneer January 10, 2017 21:52

Nice system Paraneer! I said that before on another forum as we are both former Wharfedale owners. Of course you still have some Diamond 9.2's in your system.
Hope all is well and you are enjoying the music!

tune_man July 01, 2015 15:02

System edited: My Dynavector started to get a bit long in the tooth developing some harshness in the upper midrange. It was time for a retip or to try a whole new flavor and I went in the latter direction entering the world of low output MC cartridges. Am I glad I did by acquiring a brand new but now discontinued Ortofon Rondo Blue.

The low output Ortofon Rondo Blue is a quantum leap up from the higher output DV. The soundstage has greatly expanded, but instruments remain in focus, the bass is just as deep and tight as the DV and the detail retrieval is outstanding. I have never been so impressed by a cartridge change as I am with this one.

I always thought the DV 10x5 and previous Sumiko Blue Point sounded more similar than different. This one sounds way different than either of them. I don't know why I waited so long to experience a true low output MC.

paraneer June 26, 2015 11:12

Thanks Harris. Its now a month old and sounding better everyday. I do believe I have found the right phono stage for me for quite awhile.

paraneer February 01, 2015 00:19

I had a sim audio 310, 320 phono stage and had no issues. I have a ultra expensive 810lp now and the cost does not match the increase in sound quality. Fortunately i did not pay the price it sales for, therefore for me worth the upgrade. I went from the project phono to the Sim line and have had no regrets. Good choice.

harris4crna January 30, 2015 16:34

System edited: Added a new phono stage, a Simaudio Moon 110LP
and so far, so good! I am initially impressed with the
absolute silence of this phono preamp as I cannot detect the
slightest amount of noise even with my ear pressed up against
either speaker. And while it is still breaking in, it sure
sounds wonderful right out of the box too. So I can look
forward to it sounding even better as I accrue more hours on
it. Very pleased with this new acquisition as it appears to be
bringing out new capabilities from my Dynavector 10X5.

BTW, as I just seen the above comments now, thank you Matt
for the kind words. And Happy New Year to all!

paraneer January 01, 2015 17:55

I love this sytem ..you use the Dynavector like me :-).....Beautiful stereo good job! Ill bet It sounds Awesome too!

mattmiller August 12, 2014 03:05

System edited: Most recent revision of my combination 2 Channel and HT system. As I listen to 2 channel far more than movie watching, my goal was to improve 2 channel sound quality and reduce components for a more clean, clutter free installation. I believe accomplished my goals and I couldn't be happier with the results. The Marantz PM-15S2 LE is an awesome integrated amp that I have auditioned and drooled over for some time. I finally pulled the trigger on a new unit and it has taken my Vienna Acoustic Bach Grands to new heights. The Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 I had was starting to show its age, pushing three years now, and was certainly due to be replaced. I truly liked the snappy, articulate sound of the Sumiko and did not want to depart too far from the sound this cartridge offered but wanted to try something different at the same time. The Dynavector 10x5 was on my short list and ultimately chosen. While it is still being broken in, the initial differences seem to be better bass response, a deeper but narrower soundstage and cosmetically, much better looks than the rather bland looking Blue Point No. 2. The Sumiko did seem to produce a wider, more expansive soundstage but as I said earlier, this may change as the Dynavector is still being broken in. I find the high frequency response almost identical between the two. Overall, I think I made a good choice for my system with the Dynavector. Any or all comments welcomed about these two cartridges. Happy listening!

paraneer November 17, 2013 21:26

System edited: Recently pick up an Arcam FMJ CD17 player. This is my first dedicated CD player in many, many years and I am impressed. Very smooth and highly detailed, I am picking up nuances on discs that I very familar with. As is often the case every time there is an upgrade, the improvements are subtle but its these subtleties that sure sound nice.

paraneer January 10, 2013 20:34

Agreed the Project is a great starter phonostage for the blue point or the Ortofon. I used it on both. Here is a look at my system:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1351534993

Shawn

harris4crna December 09, 2012 06:33

Thanks everyone for the kind words.
Chris, the Pro-ject Phono Box S ended up in my main system by accident. I was looking for an inexpensive phono stage for a secondary system and the "S" was actually more than I needed. But it was offered to me at such a good price that I purchased it. Only when I got it home, I noticed that it had dip switches for cartridge loading. Since this feature was not on my Parasound, I decided to play with the loading to match the Blue Point No. 2 and installed it into my main system first just to test it out. I wasn't expecting much but what I heard astounded me. I always had a bit of hiss coming through my speakers from the Parasound phone stage. The Pro-ject was silent. Then I cued a record and the real discovery began. Needless to say, it is now a permanent part of my main system. At its price, I highly recommend this small but full featured phone stage.

paraneer December 08, 2012 04:22

great system! I am currently using a Pro-Ject/Ortofon analog kit and using the built in pre-amp in my Marantz... I plan on getting a stand alone Pro-Ject pre soon. Glad to hear you enjoy it

chriswilson December 07, 2012 17:54

I understand the desire for bet worlds. I have a similar system where i have a digital side and an analog side. Not having a dedicated room or the need to travel limits the ability to spend the big bucks in a room. Great system, but when a moved from project phono preamp to the simaudio, wow, huge difference. By far one of my biggest improvements along with the Transparent cables.

harris4crna December 04, 2012 18:32