Obsessed (Again)

by mattnshilp on All Out Assault

Description

I'm now solidly middle aged and have been an enthusiast since my first system when I was 14; Kef C-80's, Carver 900 Receiver and Carver CD player with Sonic Hologram technology.

Years ago (about 10, pre-kids) I had a killer top tier system. Talon Firebirds, Tenor Audio 150hp amps, Vac Ren Sig mk II with phono, MF Trivista CD, Teres Table with Graham arm, Ricks Rack Rack. I listened almost every day and it made my soul happy and content. Then I had kids, moved, and my practice got crazy busy and I lost my free time and sold my entire system except for my table/arm combo.

It's been way too long now and I am finally building a whole new system. I have been speaking with Guido and several other great guy/audio resources to help me re-start my search. I started doing a lot of listening.

I purchased the Veritas amps and 2 pre-amps to compare; a Levinson 326s (with phono stage) and a Rowland Capri S2 with PL1 external power supply. The amps and pre-amps are sitting on my floor and on amp stands. Lonely. Not connected. Sigh.

I auditioned a number of speakers (TAD Evo 1/Ref 1, Kef 207/2, Revel Salon 2, Vienna The Muzik, Sonus Faber Ellipsa SE) and decided on The Muzik's. Guido was rather happy with that choice. Happy to add thoughts on the other speakers if anyone asks. The Muzik's are arriving Friday. Yay!!!

FYI - Stay away from European sellers. I got snubbed and lost a boatload of money on an attempted purchase of Faber Amati Futura's. Buy from Europe only through PayPal. NO wires!!! He had good feedback and solid references.

I also just purchased an Adona SR4 (4 shelf) rack with oversized top shelf for my turntable, a Teres Audio with Graham 2.2 arm and Denon MC cartridge. Currently using an Electrocompaniet ECP1 phono stage. Rack will be here in 2 weeks. Yay again!! Great people at Adona by-the-way.

Source is a PS Audio Perfectwave 2 DAC being fed by a Core Audio modified Mac Mini running iTunes and Amarra via a Wireworld Platinum Starlight USB cable.

Cables are Shunyata Z-tron Anaconda XLR from DAC to pre and pre to amps, Audience AU-24SE bi-wire 1.5m speaker cables and a Shunyata Z-tron Alpha digital power cord for the DAC and the high level stock PC's that came with the Veritas amps.

Still need a better PC for the pre-amp, and deciding on power conditioning. Currently running an old PS Audio Duet with the pre, DAC, phono and table power. It's actually a great conditioner performer for what it is.

And with ALL of that, I haven't heard it all together! Sigh. But in 2 weeks, music will flow.... Then I can start rejoicing and commenting on the gear and what, if anything, needs to be changed. But I needed to start somewhere and I think I'm starting off pretty darn nicely. :)
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Components Toggle details

    • Core Audio Modified Mac Mini
    External power supply. Running Amarra software with iTunes. Using Atomic Mac Mini isolation platform.
    • Aurender N10
    Borrowed until I decide what will stay permanently.
    • Davinci Light Harmonic 2
    This DAC does everything better then any other DAC I have ever heard, at any price.
    • Empirical Audio Over Drive SX
    Hand made
    Hynes Regs
    CUTF Coupling Caps
    • Burmester Audio 077 with internal power supply
    With built in DAC.
    Simply stunning performance and a heavenly match with the 911
    • Burmester Audio 911 mk3 monoblocks
    Factory wired monoblocks with 770 watts into 4 ohms.
    • Dynaudio Consequence Ultimate
    This is Dynaudio's true Flagship speaker. It is quite special and I have heard very little that offers its full dynamic range, tonal accuracy, palacial soundstage, subtlety and refinement. And nothing else at this size. It fills my smallish room, but doesn't overload it. 

    Just Wow!
    • Shunyata Z-Tron Anaconda XLR Interconnects
    Connects DAC to pre-amp and pre-amp.
    • Shunyata ZiTron Anaconda S XLR Interconnects
    8.5m XLR stereo run from pre-amp to monoblock amps
    • Analysis Plus Inc. Big Silver Oval
    5' run. 
    These are amazing value and mesh seamlessly with my system. 
    • Wireworld Platinum Starlight USB
    USB - the best there is
    • Shunyata Z-Tron Cobra Power Cord
    1 running to each monoblock
    • Shunyata Z-Tron Alpha Power Cord
    DAC and SACD power cord.
    • Audio Magic Oracle Power Conditioner
    Fully loaded with Audio Magic magic!
    • Shunyata Hydra AV
    Power conditioner
    • Stillpoint Ultra 5
    4 for each speaker
    • Adona SR4
    Audio rack.
    • Adona Nemisis ALGC
    Audio rack
    • Square D 125 amp 20 breaker sub-panel
    70 amp GE double breaker from the main GE commercial panel running through a 4/3 Romex to this 20 breaker sub-panel. Five dedicated 20 amp circuits all running off the same Line in the sub-panel to keep phase constant.
    • Environmental Potentials EP-2750 & EP-2050
    EP-2750 on each dedicated circuit - ground filter
    EP-2050 on first 2 breakers of dedicated panel - surge protection and waveform correction. 
    • Furutech GTX Rhodium Outlets
    Doesn't get much better then these.
    • Edison Home Model A Cylinder Phonograph : 1902
    One of the earliest model phonograph with horn output and 2 minute hand crank play time.
    • Victor Victrola VV-IX-A Talking Phono: 1918
    Hand crank Talking Phonograph Machine with analog box horn
    • RCA Radiola III : 1923
    One of the first personal radios available. Used two WD11 tubes: one for reception, one for amplification for the headphones. Battery powered.
    • Philco - Ford R-90 Cathedral AM/FM Radio : 1986
    Transistor replica of an early 30's tube radio manufactured for True Value hardware as a gift in the late '80's.
    • GE Model P977E AM/FM Radio : 1967-1973
    This was the same model as my first, ever, handheld radio. Battery or AC powered.

Comments 123

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Owner
The MM3's are too big for the room. No doubt. It was an itch I needed to scratch. The opportunity arose and I took it. I've been (quietly) searching for the perfect speaker and I have my choices narrowed down to 3 (besides the MM3). I'm still trying to hear 2 of them to make my final decision. The MM3's are sensational. I have played extensively with speaker placement, sitting position, etc. If the room were bigger I think I would have reached true nirvana. The room is 5' too narrow and 10' to short for the MM3's to explode with what they can.

I tried to push them further apart and adjust seating position. Moved the speakers and seat all over and they are at their best position where they are. I have side treatment to put up and I think that will buy me space to move them apart more. I'll keep you updated. And thanks for the advise.

Aurender and Antipodes are still my top 2 contenders....

mattnshilp

I think I have mentioned this to you before, but the Totaldac Server is truly fantastic. Best thing about it? It reclocks. You can even put your Mac Mini into the reclocker section and notice a major improvement. I have done this, but Vincent's server is worlds better than the Mini.

Vincent has also came out with new firmware that has taken it way over the top. You can change the sound from never harsh, or very focused. It is really quite insane how good it is. I want nothing more using it in my rig.

I also can no longer tell what file format is playing. FLAC, AIFF, WAV, DSD... it all sounds fantastic. It also converts DSD to PCM if you select.

paul79

FYI if you interested in the Aurender I have a friend who's a dealer, I'm sure I could get you a killer deal.. Pm me if you're interested.

erikminer

And if it was me, the Aurender W20 would be my choice.. You'd have to spend a whole lot more and I don't think you'd hear the dollar difference.. The W20 is just that good.

erikminer

I didn't realized you'd replaced the Vienna's with the evolutions. If you're hearing the speakers I wonder if it's not that they aren't a bit too big for the room? I'd suggest trying HP's rule of thirds or close to that. I'd shoot for nine feet between the speakers push them far apart. Give them five feet to the bsck wall and I'd try sitting about seven feet in front of them. In other words try a near field setup.. In any case they look like an awful lot of speaker for a medium sized room...

erikminer

Owner
Mesmerizing. But it's forcing me to push my game to the limit as far as treatments and tuning. I notice big differences with small changes.

I sit there and the performer is right there, in front of me. The orchestra is real, I'm 9th row center.

I'm fine tuning my seating position and speaker position now. Every once in a while I still get the sensation the sound is coming directly from the speaker, although it's rare. I'm almost positive it's just a byproduct of close micing the instrument in the recording but I'm not 100% positive. And I can't pull the MM3's quit far enough off of the front wall to get that limitless deep 3D soundstage I probably could if my room were longer. But it's still pretty amazing and just natural and coherent; simply real. Not musical, not accurate, not any technical term I can think of. Just real.

I have some more treatment coming this week that will help to fine tune that limitation and then it's really down to subtle tweaking.

I need a better source. I know my Mac mini isn't giving me all I could. But I'm forcing myself to wait until streamers are out another year or so. To me, the Aurender, Antipodes, Lumen and such would all be a major step up. I'm just not sure which way to go....

mattnshilp

Wonder how it all sounds??

erikminer

Wow...this room turned out beautifully! You must be very proud...I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks!!!

zephyr24069

Owner
Top 3 stupid questions I get asked when I show people my wonderful new listening room:

#3 - Wow. That must play SO loud! Can you crank AC/DC for me?

#2 - How much did this all cost?

#1 - Where's the TV?

mattnshilp

Owner
CSNG1 - pm me on that 911mk3......

mattnshilp

Hi Mattnship
Can i ask how you convert 220volt to 110Volt for the burmester 911Mk3. i see there is a sale in audiogon and i am very interested in it.
Chris

csng1

Owner
Meh.....

Lol.

New cables, new amps, new pre-amp. So everything needs mucho tiempo to burn in. But wow.

I literally hooked up the new 8.5m XLR interconnects today. So I've listened for a combined 50 minutes. Things are sounding amazing, but I need time to get used to the new environment.

I'll keep you updated.

The side first reflection points still need treatments.

mattnshilp

Well?? How does it sound?

erikminer

Happy are those who dream dreams that come true. Matt - AWESOME! Beautiful job. Enjoy that room!

cerrot

everything look's very good Matt, congrats.

audiolabyrinth

Owner
System edited: Updated photos of my new room! I'm SO excited!!!! I'm still waiting for my back ordered GIK side baffles. And I'm still waiting for my 9m xlr interconnect (also backordered). So no tunes yet. Waaahhhh!!!! But soon music will flow!

mattnshilp

Owner
Room is coming along really nicely. I'll post pictures next week..

mattnshilp

Best of luck finishing the project well in the shortest possible time,...reno and new construction will kill you with anticipation as it never seems to end; trust me, I know what you are experiencing! Then there is the perpetual dust from new drywall work that keeps on coming for a while after any sizable project!

I found out in the move to this new home and with the last one that much of the latest drywall work (even from the best of contractors) seems to be of very good quality but always seems to require a special order (Lowe's, etc...) online of 'jumbo' outlet covers. You can see this (at least around this area) in all the new custom built homes; they do this great drywall work and everything looks great but when you go to change outlet covers (want new color, etc..) or add an outlet to the room, the stock Lutron/other covers available off the shelf are a quarter inch or slightly more short in terms of covering the wall nicely. A good reliable contractor explained to me that they never go with stock and always apply the larger outlets as it is near impossible to achieve perfection around outlets and switches (particular 2gang, 3gang, etc...) given the size of the boxes that go in-wall, room needed
to get in the opening, etc...

zephyr24069

Owner
Painting is all done. Or so I thought.

I spent the day spackling the spaces between the Sheetrock and the outlets (wall and ceiling/lights). Grrrrrrrr. I planned on spending the day putting in outlets (utility and dedicated) and installing lights. But once I started putting in lights and putting on outlet plates, there were spaces still visible. I have one more layer of mud to put on, then I can sand and have the painters touch up tomorrow. Wasted day. I'm annoyed, as my contractor is usually way more anal then this. I think the double layer of sheetrock threw him off....

Once paint is done (really done) I can get the lights up and finish off the outlets. Currently using my PS Audio outlets until my funds renew for new upgraded outlets.

The ill start installing acoustic treatments. I have the Vickustics and Auralex treatments already. GIK are shipping on the 15th.

Carpet hopefully in later this week and then molding, door hardware and final touches next week. Maybe move in late next week or the week after next.

mattnshilp

Awesome progress Matt! Looks wonderful! I look forward to the next updates. Good luck with everything.

Dennis

cerrot

Owner
LOL. I love Shunyata cables (power and interconnect) and their power conditioners.

All of my power cables are their Zitron Alphas or Cobra and my conditioner is a Hydra AV. My interconnects are all Zitron Anaconda's.

My temporary 9m XLR interconnect from pre-amp to amp (a 9m run of Zitron Anaconda is a bit daunting $$$ wise) is their new Venom interconnect.

I have spoken with them about their Sigma and it will unquestionably be my power cords running to my amps and pre-amp eventually. I think I will upgrade my speakers first though...

SO many things to spend money on and so little money to spend....

mattnshilp

Well whatever you do don't audition any of the new Shunyata Sigma power cords... Hahaha (evil laugh)

And fwiw I tried a few different outlets.. Loved and bought the Oyaide R1

erikminer

Owner
Official announcement:

I have sold my beloved Rowland Criterion and will likely move along my amazing Veritas Merrill Audio amplifiers as I have replaced them with a stratospheric level of performance....

Monoblock Burmester 911mk3 amplifiers ($35k retail per amp) and a Burmester 077 preamp with built in DAC (I don't plan on using the DAC and hope to change it to an internal Phono stage, but the preamp is $50k retail and the built in DAC is $6k). I auditioned this equipment and reported about it earlier in my DAC thread and the performance was mind blowing. I couldn't go without so I found a way to make it happen.

I purchased from Europe so I am converting to 110. The amps are easy but I have not found formal Burmester instructions on how to convert the 077. I bought the proper 110V fuses (Synergistic SR no less) but don't know if anything else needs to be done to complete the conversion. Any assistance or advice would be appreciated.

I'm very excite to get everything up and running in my new room.

mattnshilp

Seeing your progress on the room brings back fond memories of building my own listening room. Kudos on the accomplishment! I'm sure you will enjoy countless hours in that special space. :)

douglas_schroeder

Owner
System edited: First coat of paint is on. Should be done by weekend. Waiting to hear from carpet guys on an install day next week. Then molding and it'l be ready to move in.

mattnshilp

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