The European Perspective

by elberoth2 on All Out Assault

Description

I just finished building a dedicated listening room in my new apartment. It took me one year and a half to complete, but it was well worth the wait. I simply love it.

The room size is 14 x 19 x 8 feet.

The room was designed by a company that specialises in acoustic design. Not the popular Rives Audio, since I live in Europe and that would increase the costs of the Level 3 project well past $10k mark, but a reputable local company.

The room acoustics was was first designed in a digital domain and then improved upon with the real world measurements taken during all stages of construction work.

The room is soundproof and - among other things - features soundproof windows, double doors and 11" thick double walls. The measured noise level inside the room is 26dB during the day (measured during rush hours, at 16:00), so it is almost dead quiet.

The room has two dedicated lines, each rated 20A @ 230V, one for analog and one for digital gear. All cables, circuit breakers and mains outlets are of audiophile quality.

I have also added an ultra quiet (22dB) A/C.
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Components Toggle details

    • MSB DAC IV Signature Plus
    MSB DAC IV Signature with Diamond Power Base - replaced the dCS Scarlatti, which served me as my reference for the past 3 yaers.
    • MSB S200
    Fully balanced 200 Watt stereo amplifier. Class A, Zero Negative Feedback design. Fluid, palpable, a bit on the warm side of things. An amazing piece.
    • Magico S5
    New addition to the system. Replaced Wilson Sasha speakers.
    • MUSA S21T USB
    Computer based transport with SOtM PCIe USB card, SOtM sata filter, fanless PSU, fanless i5 CPU, SSD, 8GB RAM and Synology 2x2TB NAS. Running Win 7/64 with Jriver and Jplay.
    • AudioQuest WEL Signature
    Replaced Tara Labs The RS-1 interconnects.
    • AudioQuest Diamond USB
    USB cable.
    • Shunyata Anaconda Z-Tron
    A new model from Shunyata. Replaced van den Tara Labs RS-1 cable.
    • Shunyata Anaconda CX
    I have two of those, powering Dart and dCS.
    • Pure Power 2000
    Battery powered AC Regenerator.
    • Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference HD09
    Top of the range component stand from Finite Elemente, with their resonator technology (3 used). I favour those over a 4-tier Pagode rack, since they do not interfere with soundstage when placed between the speakers.
    • Finite Elemente Ceraballs
    I have two sets placed under my speaker cables. Very unussual location, I agree, but works a treat.
    • Finite Elemente Cerapuc
    I have two sets placed under my speakers. A simply stunning improvement in low-level detail retrival and microdynamics. Worth every penny !
    • HMS Energia SSDB mains outlets
    Two of those finish off my two, 230V/20A, dedicated power lines.
    • AHP Klangmodul 3+
    Audiophile circuit breakers. Gold plated, solid copper contacts. Each of the two dedicated power lines has his own breaker.
    • ACS Diffusors
    Diffusors made by german company Acoustic Control Systems. I have 3 sets of those, one on the rear wall and two on the side walls. As you can see on the pic, the whole part of the rear wall, to which the diffusor is attached, pertrudes 12" into the room.
    • Custom absorbers
    The whole room is fitted with custom absorbers, tuned to specific frequencies. The pic shows one of the six absorbers fitted to the front wall. If you look carefully, you wil notice, that there is an MDF plate with lots of small holes fitted inside, which divides the internal volume of the absorber into two smaller chambers. The sound enters the traps by the front gaps, goes to the first empty chamber and then through the holes to the next chamber, where it can dissipate in a mineral fiber (not fitted on this pic).
    • Custom diffusors
    Set of 5 custom diffusors fitted over the listener's head.
    • RT-60 curve
    This is the RT-60 curve of my room. Black trace is our target curve, blue one is base curve (empty room, no acoustic treatment, no floor), red curve shows how the room responded after ACS diffusors, wooden floor and sand stone were added. Green curve is the most recent one. It is still not perfect, but we are working on it.
    • Room Frequency Response curve
    Room Frequency response. Quite nice if you ask me :-)
    • Daikin ultra quiet A/C unit
    Daikin A/C split system replaced McQuay unit. The difference in noise levels generated by those two units is staggering. Daikin is so quiet (22dB) that you can barely hear it from the listening chair. There are CD-players that generate more noise than this ! The other outstanding feature of this unit is that it can work when outside temp drops to 10'F - so it can be used during winter too.

Comments 310

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Owner
System edited: I have sold my ARC Ref CD-7 CD player. I was listening to the player for the last time, before puting it back into the box on its way to the new owner in France, and still couldn't stop wondering, how good it sounds. Fabulous stuff. I think this is the best compliment you can make to a component on the day of sale.

Right now I have a dCS Puccini CDP on loan, together with the dedicated dCS U-Clock. It sounds really good - so far it is the best single box CDP I have heard.

Next week I should have the new ARC Ref CD-8, so we will see how it compares to the dCS. Before the CD-8 runs in, I will also try the new McIntosh MCD-500, equipped with the new ESS Sabre8 Reference DAC chipset.

So pls stay tuned.

Gerrym5 - thank you for your compliments. I have been also following your thread with great interest.

elberoth2

You certainly have thoughtfully evolved your system over time to a wonderful musical state and beautiful aesthetic level, congratulations. I really like your results and appreciate how you have sharred your experiences with us. Reading your progresive steps has been very informative and without a hint of pontificating. Thanks a lot.

gerrym5

Owner
Yes, I tried them, but there is olny slight improvement.

On the other hand, the 6550 tube from the power supply, is well worth playing with. When I replaced it with NOS TungSol Black Plate from the 50s, I could not belive, how much better the preamp actually sounded !

The only downside is that those tubes are VERY expensive - last time I checked, tube store charged $500 for a single tube !

On the positive side, you only need one tube, and the improvement is still well worth the money.

You can try sourcing them from Andy from Vintage Tube Services - I bought mine for $180 from him. Cool guy.

elberoth2

Great setup! Called Leonard at ARC inquiring about update/replacement for Ref 3 preamp. To his knowledge there is nothing to this effect in near future. I'm getting close to needing to retube my Ref 3. Did you feel the NOS 6H30 DR tubes an improvement over stock tubes? Microphonics an issue?
Thanks.
Vito

vmk

Read your comments on Michael's thread.

Check with Henry (Mtkhl567) about the DarTZeel.

You will have to spend more "duckets" to significantly improve on the AR Reference 110.

McIntosh MC2303 Tube Monos
AR Reference 210

lapierre

Owner
Yes this is true if you do not mind the hassle of constant cable changes. In my system, inserting ARC Ref 3 (with NOS 6H30-DR and NOS 6550 Tung Sol Black Plate tubes on board) is more of a side step than a net improvement. Stock Ref 3 would prolly sound worse than Puccini direct.

elberoth2

Elberoth2 long time to chat and I see very nice upgrades well done.
As for cdplayer I changed my Emmcdsa se with dCS Puccini and I am very happy since then and also driving directly my amp. But looking for a very good tube preamp to have 2 sounds.
Yes with Puccini and a tube pre you can have 2 different sonic tastes and never get bored.

kops

Owner
No. REX was not available when I was getting the Ref 3. Besides, for $20k I would rather save up and got sth like Wavac PRT1.

elberoth2

have u audition the BAT REX??

art80342

not only me but many dcs owners says same thing. DCS has received many customer complaints about transport problems in past. That's way they are using only esoteric tranport mechanisms. Plus music with old stack was like cut into pieces: hard to follow and listen. Maybe excessive long signal path was causing this.(too many powercords, interconnects, 1394 cables.....) I had meridian 808 signiture, Accuphase DP-78, and dcs full stack for comparison. I bought puccini, a friend bought meridian 808 and got rid the all DCS gear in the end. I am selling a boulder 2010 pre here, chk my ad and picture you will see the dcs full stack next to boulder 2010.

mert

Mert, could you be more specific on "the faults of the old DCS"? I heard it a few times times but never in my system.

microstrip

Owner
Did you have a chance to compare the full stack (Verdi la Scala, Verona and Elgar Plus) to Puccini in your system ?

I'm curious, since your opinion is in contrast to my friends opinion, who is the owner of said dCS trio and evaluated dCS Puccini over a period of two weeks.

elberoth2

elberoth
let me answer micro's question: Yes it is better than old dcs stuck. I repeat myself again: it doesn't have the faults of old DCS stuff. If you know the dcs sound you understood what I was trying to tell you.

mert

Owner
Microstrip - I do not think so. A friend of mine whose judgement I trust, compared Puccini to his dCS full stack (who has a dCS full stack (Verdi la Scala, Verona and Elgar Plus) and found the old stack to be superior.

I'm looking for an integrated though.

elberoth2

Elberoth2,
I have seen complete sets of used DCS Verdi la Scala, Verona and Elgar Plus going for less than a Puccini.
Do you consider that the Puccini will be better than the combo set?

microstrip

Elberoth2 can you identify any innovations in the dCS Puccini or ARC Reference CD-8?

What about the transports?

lapierre

Owner
I will be getting either the dCS Puccini or the new, upcoming ARC Reference CD-8.

I have already heard the dCS, now witing to put my hands on the CD-8.

elberoth2

Hi Elberoth2,

I noticed that you are selling your wonderful Audio Research CD-7. Any hints on what may be taking its place? An analogue front end or perhaps a computer music server linked to a Berkeley Audio Design DAC?

I would be interested in your thoughts.

Beautifully presented room and system BTW, a real source of inspiration.

Best Regards,
Aaron

drajreynolds

Hello Elberoth:
Very nice looking room/system. I saw your comments from an August '08 thread about buying @ 40 6H6P tubes as replacements for the 6H30 supertube..
I too would be interested to hear your thoughts on them.
Thanks!

Mark

classical1

Hi Elberoth, have you tried your 6N6P tubes yet? I am considering trying them in a BAT VK-51se and I am curious what you think of them.

mitch2

Elberoth2,
Actually the Pass X350.5 is the cheapest of all amps you have on hand, correct? I would be very curious to know how it paired with the Wilsons. I am expecting it to be great, especially when teamed with ARC preamp.

I currently have an X250.5 and am in the process of upgrading speakers. I was thinking of trying the Wilson Sophia. Was wondering what you think of Pas/Wilson match.

Thanks

audphile1

Owner
Drw50 - the floors are 12" (or so) concrete, so they absorb a lot of sound. On top of that, I have soundproofed both the floor and the ceiling. So far (2+ years) I have never/ever had any complains.

Audphile1 - yes, I did, but had no time to evaluate it.

Mtkhl567 - ARC CD-7 is Falvor 2 against dCS which is Flavor 1 (I hope that you are familiar with "flavors" - if not see "Reference DACs" thread), so it is a bit hard to compare, but still I think that dCS is a better player. Much more resolution and imediacy. All for $10k extra over CD-7. I will try to compare it with CDSA.

Dartzeel is also better than Ref 110 I have to say. It is more transparent, has slightly better microdynamics, is more 3D sounding and has better resolution. I'm not sure that it is worth the extra $12k or so, but it is def a step above.

elberoth2

Hello, can your neighbors above and below your residence hear your system? Or are the floors concrete and not a lot of sound seeps through? Or are your neighbors secretly plotting against you without you being aware of it?

drw50

Wondering how you rate the dCS Puccini against your ARC Ref CD-7, and the Dartzeel (Model One?) against your ARC Ref 110.

mtkhl567

Elberoth2, I am wondering if you have already received your Pass amp and tried it? If so, how was it with the Wilsons?

audphile1

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