Description

After 5 years, this is my current system. I converted the garage to the listening room with all acoustic treatment inside the wall.

The room has a bar with all the nice wines, finest cognac and the most exotic cigarrs. With more than 1000 records and around 5-600 cds, they are doing a great job taking me away from daily works and stress. It's pure heaven for me now!

Any recommendation will be greatly appreciate.

Thanks!
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Components Toggle details

    • Theta Carmen II Universal transport
    Great since I need it for both CD and DVD (only music)
    • Stax x1t
    Tube DAC, using 2 ECC83 12AX7. Have 3 power chords, 2 for the channels and 1 for main power suply. The most natural sounding DAC I'ever heard. Digital begin to sound like Analog. Serious!
    • Clearaudio Champion Level II
    With Gingko platform and dust cover.
    • Clearaudio Tangent Linear Tracking
    Just upgrade to this from Unify Pivot
    • zyx airy 2
    high output!
    • Tom Evans The Groove
    Still setup, currently dealing with hum... :(
    • Emotive Audio Sira-LE
    My favorite piece. Beautiful to look at and sound wonderful. I used the 275 Sophia output tube.
    • Mastersound Reference 845
    Single ended 40w/chanel. Italian design, sound wonderful. Two 845 tubes per side.
    • SAP J2001 MkII
    Handcraft Italian horn speakers. These are amazing for their size.
    • Nordost, Siltech & Virtual Dynamic top of the line
    all mix/match interconnect, Vahalla speaker cable.
    • Hydra 8 (original) PS Audio high current
    The room has dedicate power lines.
    • Symposium Rollerblocks
    I have these rollerblocks under my preamp and the phono pre. It does make a different. All the tube "cling" are gone. Wonderful!
    • SAP speaker stand Special for the J2001
    The speakers are floating on these wonderful stand.

Comments 34

Lovely room. Looks most conducive for relaxation and enjoying the music!

mapman

I am thinking of trying one the Emotive audio preamps. Do you still use this model?

baranyi

Wow very nice decoration....Looks very misterious (like the temple in the Indiana Jones movie). I like it very much!!!

[email protected]

I gotta tell you. Your room, equipment, aesthetics, take the cake. You have surpassed anything room/setup I've seen on Audiogon. Really, by far. You my friend, have taken this experience to another realm. . . the realm of religous experience, which is where music belongs.
The bar of my immagination looks like your room. I hope someday to have drink or 2 or 3 in a place like that.

No kidding, Vince

vagust

Nice budda, Dude. I just added one. Will report on how it sounds. :)

whart

Beautiful. I saved the pictures, hope you don't mind.

What kind of wood is lining the walls and how is it treated?

More pictures!

kublakhan

You have real style and sound! Way to go! Happy listening.

glenfihi

How about taking a pic with the lights so we can really see the set-up? I don't mind the candles and the retro-Rock-Hudson atmosphere, but let us SEE the gear!

[email protected]

That must be heaven - good wine good music and, no doubt, una bella ragazza!
Bravo Linkoping!

shadorne

Owner
System edited: The Mastersound is gone. Replaced by Art Audio Jota Mono blocks. I'm in heaven :)

linkoping

Owner
Finally, the hum is gone. I install another dedicate power line and the whole system is dead quiet now. Thanks for all the positive comments. Happy Listening!

linkoping

I'm thinking that I'd like to sit at one of your café tables, have a nice wine, maybe hope for some good eats, and simply enjoy whatever music you might throw my way. Ambience ... should be a great experience. "Bravo!" to you and your vision!

arkprof

Are you a Sade fan too? Very cool room!Good luck with the hum ,i had to play around with the grounding wire a bit to get rid of hum,does it go away when you touch anything on your TT?Peace,Ray

raytheprinter

Owner
System edited: Alright, there's been some upgrade/downgrade lately. For front end, the ML37 is gone and replaced by Theta Carmen II since I also setup a projector as well. For analog, the Unify arm was replaced by Tangent Linear Tracking arm (no ground connect???) from Clearaudio and phono was replaced by Tom Evans Groove. I currently expirience loud hum with the phono and still trying to tweak around. Any advise and recommend to fix this problem will be greatly appreciate. I'm not sure if the hum problem was caused by arm or phono preamp??...

linkoping

Owner
Hi Scott,
Thanks for the comments. It's a great place to hang out and relax after works. I see you enjoy ski as well... how about surfing?
I'm in Southern California, about 1hr drive from Los Angeles. BTW, that's not my lady, I just have ladies come to hang out sometimes.
Cheers!

linkoping

Hello Linkoping-

Again, very nice system, room and atmosphere. It just looks like a great place to enjoy listening to music. Are you located in the United States? Does your lady enjoy the music, too?

scott

skushino

Owner
Also, just added the projector from Studio Expirience. Wonderful picture quality. Great!

linkoping

Owner
System edited: I sold the VAC Renessance Signature 70 and replaced with the Mastersound Reference. This amp has better match in my system since it's a single ended design. It's a beautiful amp produce 40w/chanel using 845 tubes.

linkoping

A friend of mine sent me a pair of modified Anthony Gallo Ref 3 to listen to. I have had them for about a week now and really really amazed with them. No crossover boomyness with these and great upper and mid range. I wonder why SAP didn't choose a small woofer or better one? I am sure you and i aren't the only ones hearing it. Actually a friend said they are making some modifications to the bass but didn't know what. However he believed that i would not be able to "upgrade" mine. I would have to buy a whole new pair. Oh well.
Any changes to your system?
did you design your room because your are buddhist or do you just like the decor?

best
ivan :)

kudra

Owner
Thanks for the response, Kudra. In fact, I listened to the Quarettes at the CES 2005 and was disapointed at the sound as well. The mid and high are good, but the bass are boomy. The J2001 are much better though.
What speakers are you going to try next?

linkoping

Hello, just got your message from last year in Nov. asking about my SAP Quarettes.....sorry.
I have a love/unsure relationship with them. I have had them for almost 2 years and i think that they may be going out of my reference system. I love the highs and mids (especially) coming out of them, but the lower end is very boomy and mushy. tried different positions, different cables, etc. I think that SAP could use a different driver or crossover. i believe they are actually looking to change it if they already haven't. Regardless of that, i have enjoyed them and think they are lovely to look at.
Great picts of your room.....i'm jealous!

cheers

kudra

Owner
System edited: pictures updated [with me :)]

linkoping

Owner
Thanks for all the comments. As mentioned, the main purpose of the room is "relax". Once the mind relax, the music will sound much better.

Raytheprinter,
The speakers are handcraft in Italy. They are not very popular here in the US. These are horn hybrid, with bullet tweeter and 12" woofer.
They are "amazing". With 97db, most tube amp will drive them properly. For the sound matter, I used to own couple different speakers (Kharma 2.2, JM Lab, Merlin.. etc.) but none of them come close the SAP J2001 mkII.

linkoping

Talk about a sanctuary. A nice substitute for prozac anyway.

Rob

robm321

I love this room! Looks like the perfect place to relax for hours of listening pleasure. The plants, lamps, and walls of records lend a very comfortable atmosphere to your room. Great job!

skushino

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