Description

Well it's been a while since I updated my system description and a few things have changed. Most notably was the purchase of my new cartridge, the DV10x5 I've been looking at for about 8 months. The system is very musical and just plain ol' enjoyable especially with well produced vinyl. If anyone has any input, it's more than welcome. Keep on rockin' in the free world.

Keith
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Components Toggle details

    • Monster Power HTS2000
    Power bar with filtering.
    • Cambridge Audio D-500 SE
    Good budget CD player.
    • Black Diamond Racing Mk IV Pyramid Cones
    Carbon Fibre Anti-resonance cones
    • Bright Star Audio IsoRock 5
    Vibration damping shelf under D-500 SE
    • Aural Thrills Black Etude
    Great for the price.
    • VPI Industries HW-19 jr
    Just starting out, hoping to slowly upgrade to Mk IV
    • Dynavector DV-10x5
    Awesome upgrade to my analog front end.
    • Denon DVD-3910
    Great picture, great sound, great player.
    • Signal Cable Analogue 2
    NIce budget cables w/ bullet plugs.
    • Sim Audio Moon I-5
    Can't say enough about how much this transformed my system's sound. I love it.
    • Signal Cable Biwired
    Single run biwired cables
    • Paradigm Studio 60
    Studio 60 V2's

Comments 16

Owner
System edited: Added the much longed after I-5 about a week ago and am totally in love with it. The amount of detail I was missing was suddenly apparent and the ease with which this amp drives my speakers makes for a much cleaner, wider and more realistic soundstage.

thebeave250

Owner
Hope this bumps me :)

thebeave250

Owner
System edited: Wow, it's been a while since I've updated my system, but I finally got the Denon I'd been lusting after for a while. I love this thing. I do have a question for the SACD people out there, though. Is the high pitched "noise" from the player normal during SACD playback? I noticed a similar thing with my old Pioneer Universal player. The player doesn't make the noise on CDs or DVDs (I haven't tried DVD-A), just SACD. I'm curious, if it is normal, do you find it bothersome at all? Thanks. The next move will probably be to upgrade my amp. I'm thinking a SimAudio I-5 or a Unico hybrid. Plus some powercords to replace the cheapo ones that came with my equipment. Maybe after that I'll drop some cash on a Benchmark DAC-1. Think it'll make a difference to the Denon? Let me know... Keith

thebeave250

Owner
System edited: Just put in some new Signal Cable Analogue 2's which made the most noticeable differnence in reducing sibilance from my analog front end. Good stuff.

thebeave250

Thanks Keith, I will definitely try it out between my Music Hall CDP and the Air Mass 3.

rbc

Owner
I've got the tips in contact with the CDP. I tried them the other way and there wasn't a big difference between that and not having them at all. The tips up is definitely the way to go in this situation.

PS - I've tried Vibrapods and returned them because I didnt think they did anything. These actually have an audible effect, its cool.

thebeave250

Hi Keith, is the tip of your BDR cones facing up or down?

Thanks.

rbc

Owner
System edited: I added the BDR cones last night in between my IsoRock and the Cambridge CDP. I could not believe it! I was thinking I might hear a mild improvment, but it was like a brand new player. Now to get some more for my other components cause I'm definitely sold on these. This coming from a skeptic of these sorts of "Miracle Tweaks" that we all hear about.

thebeave250

Good luck with the Olympics and with stereo withdrawal. Thanks for the info on the highwire for the hts-2000. I'll have to check that out.

Again, good luck!

Rob

robm321

Owner
Hi from Greece! Thanks for the posts. Salesavvy I have compared the two with the Black Cube winning quite easily, the onboard Puccini stage is a little lackluster, but is still quite good considering I got this amp for $600 CDN. Sogood51, I would pull those things out but I like to have the TV there for movies and the like and I live with 3 roomates so this is the best possible room configuration that everyone is happy with. I did previously have everything out further into the room (but still with the gear in between) and I actually prefer the imaging and overall sound the way it is now. Thanks for the advice though.

Keith

thebeave250

Nice system Keith. I would pull the TV and stand out of there and place it somewere else in the room. Imaging would be much better...try it, you might like it!

Dave

sogood51

Nice system, Keith. Did you compare the phono stage of the Puccini with the Lehmann Black Cube. If so, big difference?

Hope you had a good Olympics.

salesavvy

Owner
System edited: Got my speakers back and had a great night of listening last night. I'll have only one more before I head to Athens to compete in the Olympics. I'll have to listen to a portable for a month and a half! Wish me luck...

thebeave250

Owner
Rob,
I have noticed something similar to that which has in fact manifested itself in a loss of interest in CD's, but I hadn't really thought about it until you mentioned it. However I did read somewhere on the 'gon about some great results with a product called the Highwire Power Wrap that is placed on the fixed cord coming into the HTS2000. I might check it out, cheap - $25 at amusicdirect.com. Thanks for your input on the cartridge, hopefully that'll be in my system by the end of summer. Unfortunately right now one of my tweeters is not functioning properly and the speaker is in for repair (thank goodness for warranties). I'm experiencing some withdrawl symtoms after only three days. Wish me luck!

Keith

thebeave250

It's me again. I wanted to ask about your HTS-2000 I have one and when I first put it into my system it appear to improve everything, but after awhile all my CD's sounded the same. So I did some listening tests with and without and realized that it was killing (glossing over) my detail. So I don't use it. Have you noticed any of that.

Thanks,
Rob

robm321

I've owned the dynavector DV10X5 and now the dynavector karat. They are both amazing at their respective price points. I think dynavector is one of your best bets until you get into the expensive stuff.

robm321

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