Ars Musicae et Magiae

by kgturner on

Description

This is my primary 2-channel system. The emphasis is on synergy and musicality. I feel I have achieved a very high level of both with this system. It excels at all genres of music from blues and classical to industrial and metal. Everything I have played on it comes across with a full range of emotion, depth, nuance, and power.

I have also integrated my 4.2.4 Dolby Atmos Home Theater into the same room as my 2-channel system. Front Left, Front Right, and LFE duties are handled by the Boulder 866 / Magico A1 / Rythmik subs. The Boulder 866 is set to Theater Mode and fed by the Anthem AVM 60 for the Front Left & Front Right Channels. The Rear Surrounds & Dolby Atmos Front & Rear Height Channels are handled by the Buckeye Amps 6 Channel Amplifier. The home theater equipment is housed in an actively vented closet with the components being controlled via a Unfolded Circle Remote Two.

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Room Details

Dimensions: 17’ × 17’  Medium
Ceiling: 10’

Components Toggle details

    • Magico A1
    Stunning monitor from Magico utilizing a 1.1" Beryllium Dome Tweeter & a 6.5" Graphene Nano-Tec Driver. They are securely fastened to custom Sound Anchors single post stands. The clarity is amazing & the bass is literally shocking for a speaker this size.

    These amazing monitors also serve double duty as the "LCR" for my 4.2.4 Atmos Home Theater. The image so well that I have no need for a dedicated center channel speaker!
    • Rythmik Audio F12SE (dual subs)
    This pair of servo subs fills in the bottom octave that the Magico A1 just can't hit with authority. They integrate cleanly and seamlessly.

    These subs also serve double duty in my 4.2.4 Atmos Home Theater set up.
    • Boulder 866
    Amazing integrated amplifier with a fabulous built-in DAC. This beast is the heartbeat & soul of my system. It drives my Magico speakers with delicate finesse and brute force! The sound is clean, clear, detailed, and driven. I utilize the 866 as a Roon endpoint for my digital playback/streaming needs. The 866 and the 508 make one of the best vinyl playback systems I have ever had in my home.
    • Boulder 508
    Diminutive phono preamplifier with a sound that is anything but! Milled from a solid block of aluminum with an in house built PCB featuring surface mounted components & fully balanced from input to output, this little beast makes my Kleos sing!
    • VPI Industries Aries 3

    I feel the VPI Aries 3 is my endpoint turntable. It has been outfitted with the Classic Platter, Periphery Ring Clamp, Center Weight, and TerraCone feet. Its performance is as breath-taking as its looks!

    • VPI Industries 10" Fatboy Gimbal

    This tonearm is super easy to setup and dial in. The on-the-fly VTA adjustments come in very handy and it mates superbly with my Lyra Kleos cartridge.

    • Lyra Kleos

    Simply amazing MC cartridge. Musical, engaging, inspiring, just so lovely.

    • Phoenix Engineering Eagle
    The Eagle is a microprocessor controlled digital regenerative AC power source used for accurate speed control of the VPI Aries 3 motor.  The Eagle uses Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) to create an extremely accurate and clean sine wave that improves motor speed stability and allows the user to precisely adjust the turntable platter rotational speed. Connected to the Roadrunner tachometer, the combo gives dead on speed control at 33.3 and 45 RPM.
    • Phoenix Engineering RoadRunner
    The RoadRunner is a microprocessor controlled digital tachometer used for monitoring the platter speed to 3 decimal places of resolution. The internal time base is a temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) accurate to 2.5 PPM (±0.00025%) with less than 1.0 PPM aging per year.

    The RoadRunner is connected directly to the Eagle Digital Power Supply in order to synchronize its output with the direct measurement of the platter speed. The Eagle in tandem with the RoadRunner make fine adjustments to the output frequency to lock the turntable speed to within ±0.005 RPM. The VPI Aries 3 remains on speed independent of the belt tension, bearing oil viscosity, drag from the needle or any other variables that would otherwise cause the speed to drift over time.
    • Pitch Music Server

    The Pitch Music Server is my own DIY computer system which acts as my Roon Core. It is based off an i9-9900K Intel Processor with 32GB of DDR4 RAM. I have installed a JCAT Net Card Femto powered by an iFi Power X 5V/3A PSU. I use it access my entire CD collection (ripped losslessly to .WAV) over my home's wired network as well as stream various titles via Qobuz. My ripped collection is stored on an internal 4TB NVMe SSD. 

    • Pitch Onyx Interconnects

    My system is wired throughout with my own DIY "brand" of cables:

    A pair of Pitch Onyx XLR connects the VPI Aries 3 to the Boulder 508.

    A pair of Pitch Onyx XLR connects the Boulder 508 the Boulder 866.

    A pair of Pitch Onyx XLR connects the Anthem AVM 60 to the Boulder 866.

    A Pitch Onyx Ethernet connects the Boulder 866 to my home network & Roon.

    • Pitch Obsidian Speaker Cables

    This is my own DIY "brand" of speakers cables. I use 11 gauge high purity copper/silver-plated copper cable terminated with gold plated copper spades.

    I use a set of Pitch Obsidian speaker cables terminated with spades between the Boulder 866 and the Magico A1.

    Another set of Pitch Obsidian speaker cables terminated with spades connects the Boulder 866 and the Rythmik F12SE subs.

    • Pitch Midnight Power Chord

    This is my own DIY "brand" of power cords. I use 13 gauge high purity copper/silver-plated copper cable terminated with IeGO 8085 connectors. 

    I use the Pitch Midnight Power Chords on the Boulder 508, the Rythmik Audio F12SE subs, and my Phoenix Engineering Eagle & Roadrunner.

    • Pitch Nocturne Power Chord

    This is my own DIY "brand" of power cords. I use 11 gauge high purity copper/silver-plated copper cable terminated with IeGO 8085 connectors. 

    I use the Pitch Nocturne Power Chord on the Boulder 866.

    • Core Audio Designs MOD 3
    • Furutech GTX-D (R)
    I use 1 Furutech GTX-D (R) outlet in my system. It supplies power to the Boulder 866.

    The outlet is housed in a Furutech GTX Outlet Frame and covered by a Furutech 104-D Carbon Fiber Outlet Cover. It is wired with 10 gauge solid copper wire on a dedicated 20A outlet.
    • Furutech GTX-D (G)
    I use 2 Furutech GTX-D (G) outlets in my system. One outlet powers my BP-3.5 Signature which in turn supplies balanced power to the Boulder 508 & Phoenix Engineering Combo powering my VPI Aries 3. One outlet powers both Rythmik F12SE subwoofers. 

    Each outlet is housed in a Furutech GTX Outlet Frame and covered by a Furutech 104-D Carbon Fiber Outlet Cover. They are wired with 10 gauge solid copper wire on a dedicated 20A outlet.
    • *** Home Theater ***
    • Samsung UN75H6350

    I use this 75" Samsung LED TV as my display for my home theater.

    • Anthem AVM 60

    I use the Anthem AVM 60 as the brains of my 4.2.4 Atmos Home Theater setup.

    • Buckeye Amps 6 Channel Amplifier
    Class D 6 channel amplifier using Hypex NC252MP modules to output 150 watts per channel into 8 ohms. This amplifier powers my Surround, Front Height, & Rear Height speakers.
    • Roku Ultra
    I use a Roku Ultra as my primary video streaming device for all my subscription services. The Ultra serves up instant access to my movie library from my DS1520+ PLEX server.
    • Panasonic DP-UB9000
    The Panasonic DP-UB9000 is used for disc playback for anything not already ripped to my Synology DS1520+ PLEX server.
    • Synology DS1520+
    I use a Synology DS1520+ as a PLEX server for my home network. All my digital media is housed on the DS1520+ outfitted with 5 Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS 18TB HDD.
    • Definitive Technology DI 6.5R
    I use three pair of Def Tech DI 6.5R in-ceiling speakers serve as my rear channel, front height channel speakers, and rear height channel speakers in a Dolby Atmos surround setup.
    • Zero Surge 2R20W
    Home theater surge protection. The Zero Surge is connected to a dedicated 20 amp outlet.

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