Room Size

!3.5 feet wide, 26 feet long, and about 7.5 feet tall

System Overview

My current system which I've namer SteVe’s Vs has evolved and changed over 30 years. The Legacy V speaker system is quad amplified with separate channels for subs, mid bass, mid bass, midrange and treble and is steered by a WaVelet (DSP, preamp, crossover, and DAC) designed by Bill Duddleston of Legacy Audio.

Music Preferences

I'm an eclectic listener. There is not really any music that I don't enjoy, except maybe RAP, which is ok sometimes when I hear if in the car switching from station to station. But the types below are my favorites which are not in any special order. 1. Pop/Rock Who doesn't have a favorite song or two from their teenage years, and I sure have collected my share. Anything from Styx to Madonna. 2. Jazz - Here I give the nod to the traditional flavors of New Orleans, the Ragtime of Jopin, Scott, and Lamb, and more. There is really not much Jazz I don't like, but I guess I'm attracted to the earlier styles, and not so much some of the more modern things. 3. New Age - Fresh Aire, Andreas Vollenwieder, there is some really nicely recorded stuff out there. 4. The Blues, not much I don't like! 5. Country, Big Johnny Cash, I have all the Rick Rubin stuff and a pretty good collection of all his earlier albums. 6. GWG - I'm becoming a fan thanks to the efforts of member John Doris. 7. Audiophiles Recordings - You know the stuff that really makes your system shine. 8. Classical, 9. Soundtracks, I'm an avid collector. To me, this is the place to find big orchestral sound and compositions by Hans Zimmer, James Horner and many others. 10.

Room Description

The listening room is built in my basement. The dimensions are 13.5 by 26 by 7.5 feet. After lots of research, I built the room according to the description found at the ASC site. I used double dry wall, both 1/2 inch and 5/8 to vary the resonances. The drywall hangs from strips of metal called R channel. Each strip of R channel is covered with Dynamat before attaching to the studs. Then a layer of dry wall was added covered by 2 inch squares of Dynamat so they are sandwiched in between the second layer of drywall. Before the second piece of drywall was attached acoustic caulking was applied around the edges of each piece. I'll add more latter. The result is an extremely rigid walled room that is acoustically insulated from the rest of the house that exhibits few if any resonances from the construction.

Acoustic Treatment

This has been torture. Willie Mannings and I have spent years learning the science of room treatments. It is painstaking work and done by trial and error. Today, besides the room's construction outlined above, the room has diffusors and absorbers made by Auralex (T-Fusors, Metros, and a few pyramids) and bass traps made by Real Traps and Ready Traps which are essentially 24 x 48 inch pieces of Dow Corning sandwitched together and covered with a nice cloth material.

Listening Impressions

The end result is WOW! The system now sounds pretty incredible most people think. It images like crazy, had plenty of depth, incredible bass, spatial cues, is dynamic and many think it sounds close to live event. Here I'd like to thank my friends that have helped me construct and build my system. Without theirlistening skills and labor my system could not be what it is. First a big thanks to Willie Mannings, my best friend who counsels, helps research components, and tells me when I've done something wrong. And then a big thanks to all my other audiophile buddies many who are part of the Gateway Audio Circle too. In no special order: John Doris, Chris Hoff president and owner of Balanced Power Technologies (B-P-T) (314.265.1095, Tim Malick, Wayne Munie, Jim York, Vance Hiner, Rob Naismith, and Dave Wilbanks President and owner of At Home Theater and Design (314 378 0588).

Media Storage

I use two hand built Windows based PCs. The operating system for both PCs is WSY2K16. I use dbPoweramp to do the ripping. One PS runs ROON Server. The other runs HQ Player. Both PCs have Fidelizer, AudiophileOptimizer and Process Lasso installed. I use iPads running ROON’s IOS software as the controller. I use two wireless routers in my system. One Airport Apple Extreme is directly connected to my cable modem. The other is connected via Ethernet and it is connected to an Ethernet switch that connects via Ethernet to my UltraRendu both Airport Extremes and all Ethernet switches are powered by linear power supplies built by Uptone Audio (6 LPS-1s and one LPS 1.2) HDPlex, and others. All the connections are made via CAT 7 0r 8 Ethernet or Fiber Optics Cable via FMCs.

Other Comments

Remember Audio Musicale in Belleville, Illinois? Well that is where my journey started and maybe for you too. I started building my system even before I started working at Audio Musicale. My first system was a pair of Radio Shack book shelf speakers and a Fischer Receiver. Next, I met the guys who owned Audio Musicale, Dixon Smart and Randy Meyers. My next upgrade was a pair of Dalquist DQ 10s and Hafler electronics. I soon upgraded my preamp to the ARC SP 10. Then I started working at Audio Musicale and probably met some of you. I soon traded in the Dalquists and moved up to the Acoustat Model Fours with the Acoustat TNT 200 and TNP preamp. The next stop were Magnepan MG IIIs biamped by the Acoustats TNT 120 and the TNT 200. That satisfied me for a long time. The next upgrade was brought on by my discovery of Audiogon and renewing my friendship with Willie Mannings. Since the Magnepans weren't as dynamic as I liked and suffered with the irritating slapping noise when pushed, I next purchase a pair of Revel Salons. I liked them a lot. And soon had the Levinson addiction eventually owning the entire Levinson Reference line which included the Revel Salons, a pair of JL Audio F 113 subs, the #32 Preamp, two pair of #436 monoblock amps, the #30.6 DAC, and the #31.5 transport. Then Harman INC. decapitated Mark Levinson, and I knew it was time to move on so I sold the entire system. Willie and I made a trip to Legacy Audio and I heard and fell in love with the Legacy Helix loudspeaker system. Bill Duddleston very generously made me an offer I couldn't refuse and soon all my old equipment was sold, the Helix were delivered, and I started the long journey to what you see and hear today.

Components

Digital Source

Lampizator Pacific and Legacy Audio Wavelet. USB Chain > Auralic Aries G2 > Ideon 3r Mastertime Reclocker > Lampi Pacific Dac All powered by Uptone Audio devices. The WaVelet is powered by the Uptone Audio JS2 linear power supply as well.

Analog Source

Sota Star Saphire, with Sumiko FT-3 tone arm, AudioQuest, Dynavector, and Grado Cartridges. Not played much.

Other Sources

Oppo 93 and Auralic Aries G2

Signal Processors

Legacy Audio Wavelet: DAC, Preamp, Digital Crossover, DSP.

Preamp

Tube Research Labs, The DUDE, PS Audio Nu Wav Phonostage

Power Amp

Two CODA 15.5 stereo amplifiers to vertically biamp the mid bass, midrange, and high frequencies 1 stereo amp for each V.

Speakers

Legacy Audio Vs

Subwoofer

JL Audio F 113 Mk 2 Six Pack. Three subs per channel.

Speaker Cable

DIY Western Electric 10 gauge hand twisted speaker cables Biwired

Interconnects

Belden 8402 Balanced XLRs

Power Cables

Signal Cable Magic Power, Digital and Silver, Running Springs Crown Jewel, DIY Western Electric 10 gauge hand twisted cables, Ven Haus, Tube Research Labs, Resolution Audio, Transparent

Headphones

Hervic.

Racking

Solid Steel

Power Cond

Two PurePower 3000s , PS Audio Ultimate Outlets HC, Powerbases,and Duettes.

Tuning and Tweaks

Herbie's Audio Tenderfeet, Super Sonic Stabilizers, Deluxe Superior Coupling Spikes, Maple Blocks, Aurios, etc. Aua

Other Components

Legacy Audio is located in Springfield, IL about 2 hours from St. Louis, MO. They are always ready to give tours and let you audition their speaker systems in the dedicated two channel room or in the Home Theater listening area. Both rooms sound and look incredible. Just give them a call and you can speak with Bill Duddleston, the President and Chief Designer, Doug Brown, the VP or Cathy, their awesome secretary. The number is 800 283 4644. Concerning CODA Technologies, INC. CODA was founded by Doug Dale and other members of the Threshhold engineering staff when Threshhold went out of business. Nelson Pass went on to found Pass Labs. Doug Dale and Company founded CODA. Both sonically and physically there is a family resemblance. You can purchase and audition CODA gear from Legacy Audio in Springfield, IL. Their number is 916 383 3653.