Decision to move to basement dedicated room has been made and approved by the wife.

Working with Rives Audio
18.5' x 15' x 9' with a soffit in the ceiling edge
simple acoustic treatments to start and add as needed

Also auditioning some new amps while I'm listening to dacs.

Narrowed down to:
Burmester 911 mk3
Rowland 825 or 925
Audionet Max monoblocks
or keep my Veritas

I have the Burmester 911mk3 in my listening room right now, and am picking up a loaner Audionet Max pair monday

I'll post results, but it will be a tough comparison since they are all reference level.

fun fun fun!

mattnshilp September 21, 2014 13:26

What do you practice, will you be able to treat your room, I bet the glass is brutal
Have enjoyed your thread

abruce September 20, 2014 09:20

Nice system.

thesaint519 September 07, 2014 22:21

System edited: Still working. Never ending quest. Just added an Esoteric K-01

mattnshilp September 06, 2014 12:50

Just finished my DAC shoutout. Chose the Empirical Audio OverDrive SE. It's truly amazing.

Here is the link to the thread:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1398132150&openflup&511&4#511

mattnshilp July 13, 2014 05:35

I totally agree. A well designed and treated room with clean AC and good support makes differences that can't be compensated by better gear.
But, I don't have a dedicated room nor will I any time soon. My goal is to get the best gear I can and the best sound I can in the room I have, with the restrictions I have.

When I eventually move my gear to a dedicated room, I expect it to explode with Musicy Goodness!

mattnshilp June 09, 2014 17:29

Based on my previous experiences with VA speakers, they are titled towards the musical side of the equation (a good thing) and thus SS gear can work. A brighter more detailed speaker might be problematic.

Congrats on your new journey. For me, I have found that ancillary technologies (electrical grounding, power conditioning, mechanical grounding) and the room has trumped what lies upstream. As older philes told me when I started in earnest in this silly hobby, the room is 80+% of the equation. I now finally have a dedicated room which destroyed my previous big rig even with bestbuy level equipment....

agear June 08, 2014 12:46

In another thread, Agear asked me why I went from an all tube system to an all solid state system now. It was an excellent question. I think my answer should be reproduced in my system thread since it gives a lot of my audio history to date….

Here's my answer:
My previous reference system was very tube-centric.
Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista, Vac Ref Sig pre-amp with phono, Tenor (hydrid, tubed/SS amp). It was stunning. Musical and magical.

When I got back into it I went straight to an inexpensive tubed system I passed through on my way to tubed reference nirvana many years ago; Cary Audio SLP-98p and BAT VK60SE. It was a magic combo and gave performance way above it's cost, so I went straight to it again. Then the upgrade big bit!

I decided to try some solid state gear I had been intrigued by when I started years ago, just to avoid the tube replacement/rolling neurosis I suffered with my first go round. Krell and Levinson were very solid state sounding, I stayed with my tube gear. But I heard a well put together AR and McIntosh system and began to realize that there is SS equipment that can give me the music. I eventually found Jeff Rowland and decided to "upgrade" to a Capri S2 pre-amp. I looked for a solid state amp to try out and brought several in. I like smaller manufacturers as I think you get better quality and more reasonable prices for what you get; so I heard about and started looking into Merrill Audio's Veritas. As first I was skeptical. But the manufacturer happens to live about 10 minutes from my house and he offered me an audition that utterly blew me away. I read up on it, and that's where I found Guido's review and met him. He is a card carrying Rowland lover, and doesn't hide it. But he was as impressed as I was with the Veritas amps and confirmed that the Vertias amps would work well with a Rowland pre-amp. So the tube gear went and I went all solid state.

I don't remember when, but I picked up the PS Audio PW2 in there somewhere to tide me over until the rest of my system was set, and then I would start a crazy thread and upgrade my DAC. ;)

Eventually I decided that I liked the Rowland pre-amp and wanted to move up the line. Guido coincidentally decided to sell his Criterion reference Rowland pre-amp as he decided to run his Aeris direct to his uber expensive Rowland amps. Obviously the Aeris was impressive if he was willing to not only use it, but give up his prized Criterion...

I bought the Criterion from him.

I auditioned 5 pairs of speakers. Guido had suggested I listen to The Music but it was low on my list. I auditioned Revel Salon II's, Kef 207/2, Sonus Faber Amati Futura, TAD Evolution One and Vienna Acoustics The Music. I am happy to give details of this comparison (its a few pages worth), but I decided that the Kef 207/2 was the best value, The Amati was amazing but didn't rock, i didn't like the TAD, the Salon II's were bright and The Music's were staggeringly good in every conceivable way…

It was at that point that I learned that Guido and I have similar taste; hence our similar systems… I don't know if I would call it imprinting (although I'm not sure what, exactly, that means).

The Veritas amps are stunning. Musical and magical (like my Tenor was). and I think my Criterion is equal to, if not better, then my Vac Ren Sig II pre-amp was.

SO, I'm where I was from an emotional standpoint. My The Music speakers are better then my Talon Firebird Diamond's were. My amps and pre-amp get me to the same place, just with SS gear instead of tubes. My system is musical, and warm, and engaging as it was with tubes. I don't think that tube vs SS really excises anymore. I think there are solid state rigs that sound like they have tubes and there are tube rigs that sound like they are all solid state; the designer tubes the gear to the way he thinks it should sound…

I think thats why I'm having such a difficult time with my DAC choices. Many of you are looking at this as the tube gear versus the solid state gear, or tube and tube and solid state against solid state. I'm just listening for the best unit for my system and my ears.

mattnshilp June 07, 2014 21:08

That is what I assumed. I am in medicine as well and its becoming a harsh mistress. That being said, I have a L7 lampi on order and am looking at picking up a Triangle table.

Congrats on channeling your OCDness and stirring the digital pot on that thread of yours. Should be fun....

agear May 30, 2014 11:08

Medicine.

My phono stage is an Electrocompaniet and my cartridge is a Denon.
I haven't really compared them. My table doesn't get that much use really. The digital source is so much more convenient. When I want that tactile sensation and have the time, I pull out an LP.

mattnshilp May 30, 2014 09:04

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.

Medicine or law? I am entering that same zone. How does the Lampi compare to the table?

agear May 29, 2014 19:43

If you are willing to get one to me, then I would be happy to add it to the audition process. I will report my findings honestly and openly to the group (which seams to be growing by the minute - I'm actually getting a bit nervous about all these people counting on my opinion).

private message me and I can provide shipping details.

mattnshilp May 29, 2014 14:09

This product line is entirely designed and hand-made by me. :-)

The DSD-M is out of your price range, but the DSD-S is $8.5k intro.

Thanks,
Alex Peychev
APL Hi-Fi

aplhifi May 28, 2014 21:34

Sorry, I'm not familiar with that product line.
What is pricing on the DSD-M and DSD-S?

The other units are in the $6k to $10k price range.

mattnshilp May 28, 2014 20:53

Hi Matt, I've posted on your DAC thread but maybe you haven't seen it.

Would you consider auditioning/evaluating the DSD-S?

Best wishes,
Alex Peychev
APL Hi-Fi

aplhifi May 28, 2014 09:55

I'm loving my system more and more with each step.
The Criterion is a different reality.

Once I settle on a DAC I think I am obligated to try a good USB to spdif converter. Just need to do it!

I am also auditioning the Merrill Audio interconnects.

Need to sell the Capri S2.

Fun fun fun!!!

mattnshilp May 27, 2014 21:27

Hey Matt, I am so glad that my darling Rowland Criterion has found a loving adoptive parent... The unit you have is the very one that I had in system while I was working on my Merrill Veritas review project for PFO.

Guido

guidocorona May 26, 2014 11:44

Thanks all!

I love the synergy of the system. I could have been very happy with the Kef 207/2, the Revel's or the Faber's. The Revels would have sounded awesome with my electronics, the Kef and Faber would have needed other gear. I auditioned the Revel Salon 2's with all Levinson gear, which is a poor choice for the Salon's; they were overly bright and analytical. But Rowland gear would make the Salon's shine.

The Merrill amps are truly special. They do everything exceedingly well and satisfy every amplifier need I have. In my opinion, they provide performance on a scale far exceeding their price; it is a transcendental product.

I am unpacking the Rowland Criterion pre-amp tomorrow. I will do a comparison between my current Capri S2 and the Criterion just for kicks, and then settle down with one of the best pre-amps ever made. To me, Rowland makes the best tube sounding solid state gear out there. It gets me where I want to be. And Rowland is a magical combo with the Veritas amps and Vienna Acoustics Muzik speakers.

I found Shunyata power cords and interconnects work with my tastes and my needs. Are there others that work? I'm sure. But for the money I have not found anything that gives me a Shunyata performance. BUT, I prefer my Audience AU24SE speaker wire. It's thin, flexible and sounds amazing!

I just picked up the Shunyata Hydra AV but haven't hooked it in yet because I need a 20amp connector power cord. I've got an old PS Audio Duet conditioner I am using, and it actually sounds pretty good. But the Hydra AV is in a different level. I'm saving up to order a Shunyata 20amp Alpha High Current power cord for the Hydra AV.

My current obsession is a DAC. I'm deciding between a solid state masterpiece like the Rowland Aeris or Empirical Audio Overdrive SE (I have a PS Audio DirectStream on order with a trade up using my PerfectWave II) or a non-upsampling tube DAC like Accustic Arts Tube DAC mark II or Concert Fidelity DAC040. I'm waiting for my DirectStream to arrive in early June and trying to arrange some gear auditions then to make a direct comparison.

I live in central'ish Jersey. I would love to have some extra ears over when that shoutout happens.

And FYI to all who are reading. I have to give credit to the hardworking couple that is Adona racks! Their product is top tier and flat out cheap for what you get. They customized to my needs and the rack provided excellent isolation and convenience. And their turnaround/production time is within reason. If you need a rack, call them.

mattnshilp April 27, 2014 23:00

As an obsessed old fart myself (not that the first two descriptors pertain to you), welcome back to, as you stated, to this great hobby.

It is rewarding on so many levels, and the extent of your involvement is such a personalized one, with many multiples of avenues to reach the end result.

Congratulations on re-aquiring a great system. I'm very curious about the Hypex NCORE Merill amps, I've been curious about how they might sound.

I might suggest a NOS PS Audio Power Plant Premier, if available, very reasonably priced, mine has served me very well for several years.

Regards,
Dan

islandmandan April 26, 2014 15:22

Hobby or addiction? Either way, Im hooked as well. I enjoyed reading your story. Good luck with your endeavor.

cerrot April 26, 2014 08:04

System edited: Working on DAC now. I forgot how great this hobby is. So glad I'm back.

mattnshilp April 25, 2014 16:25

19' x 14.5' with 9 foot ceilings

just updated my photos
system has been up and running for one week. I am running an iPod on shuffle 12 hours a day through it to breack in the amps and pre-amp. I'm starting with the Levinson pre-amp. I have heard the Veritas amps need upwards of 1000 hours to really get the most out of them…

I won't even sit for any real listening until I hit 500 hours…

But what I have heard thus far sounds quit promising...

mattnshilp February 11, 2014 21:47

Congrats on the purchase of the The Music speakers. I have heard wonderful things about them. I am sure they are bringing you great joy every time you listen to them. May I ask how big is your listening room?
Thanks

apdoc2004 February 01, 2014 01:20