Room Size

23' x 19' x 7'5

System Overview

I came to the realization that I needed a system that requires very little maintenance. Retubing my VAC gear will be too expensive after retirement so I set about putting together a solid-state system that rivaled the VAC setup. I also ended up buying enough tubes to last for many years. This "system" page is becoming an inventory that I need to put in a spreadsheet, lol.

Music Preferences

Classical, jazz, rock/prog rock, world beat, bluegrass, and country swing. Just about anything except gangsta rap.

Room Description

My new place has a larger living room the has three walls that are more complete with a smaller opening to the dining area.

Acoustic Treatment

RealTraps Mondo & Mini traps, Acoustica Applicata DAADs. Need Diffusers.

Listening Impressions

Highly detailed but still relaxed and natural. The YBA preamp is the latest addition to my equipment harem and it blows the Audio Experience out of the water. Wide expansive soundstage. Not much in the way of depth even though center fill is good. Need those diffusers to get that depth.

Media Storage

Ikea Expedit shelving, sadly not available anymore.

Other Comments

I am primarily focused on collecting more music now and am much less concerned with the equipment. BWA HA HA HA, no I'm not, I'm a damn gear slut. Recently having come to the realization that I will not be able to afford retubing my VAC setup I focused on SS gear for my retirement (which is still ten years off but I'd rather be prepared well in advance).

Components

Digital Source

Chord Hugo TT2 Musical Paradise MP-D2 MkIII

Analog Source

Turntables: SOTA Sapphire, Galibier Serac Tonearms: SME IV, SME M2-9, Jelco 850K Cartridges: Dynavector 17D3, Sumiko Blackbird, Ortofon Cadenza Red, Wilson Benesch Hybrid, Grace F9E, Audio Technica AT-440 MLa, Lyra Lydian Beta

Other Sources

Naim NAT-05 tuner.

Preamp

YBA Signature preamp with MM phono, or Audio Experience A2 fully balanced tube line stage, or VAC CPA 1 Mk3 w/ upgrades includes MM/MC phono.

Power Amp

Pass Labs X350.5, or Mivera Audio PowerStream SE, or VAC PA-160 tube monoblock amps also upgraded by VAC.

Speakers

PMC EB1i, PMC LB1i Signature, PMC DB1 Gold, Magnepan MG-3.6r, Acoustat 2+2, VMPS RM-30M, VMPS RM-40, ATC SCM-40 V1, GR Research Super V v.1

Subwoofer

JL Audio Fathom 112, MJ Acoustic Ref 150 MkII, 2 ea. REL T7/i, VMPS

Speaker Cable

Silversmith Audio Fidelium, or Jena Labs Twin 19, or Cardas Golden Cross, or Analysis Plus Big Silver Oval.

Interconnects

Jena Labs Symphony XLR, Jena Labs Fugue RCA, or Cardas Golden Cross, or Analysis Plus Silver Oval-In, or Transparent Audio Super and Ultra XLR MM2.

Power Cables

Audio Magic Sorcerer & Silver Matrix, LAT International AC-2, Take Five Audio Neotech NEP-3002 MK III Deep Cryo Treated, and 1 6' Furutech DPS-4 with FI-50 NCF plugs. Recently added some Pangea AC14 and AC9 Signature cords, very quiet!

Headphones

Sennheiser Massdrop 58X Jubilee, Chord Mojo.

Racking

Contours and a pair of AV123 three shelf racks.

Power Cond

Puritan Audio Labs PSM 153 (Audio Magic Stealth XXX suffered an internal failure.)

Tuning and Tweaks

Herbie's Tenderfeet & Tube Dampers, Audio Magic Pulse Gen & Speaker Clarifiers, Tigernation Maple slab, Goldpoints, brass cones, etc.

Other Components

Nakamichi 1000 wiating to be refurbed.