[murphbass]

Hi, all!

I'm a long time musician (primarily an electric and upright bassist) who stopped buying vinyl in '87.  Thousands of CDs later, I abandoned that format and embraced streaming and downloaded files on my computer.  About a year ago, I decided I needed a 'real' system.  Currently, that consists of:

Magnepan .7s (my listening room is 10x13)
First Watt SIT-3
Mytek Brooklyn Bridge streaming DAC
Mobile Fidelity Ultradeck with Mastertracker Cartridge
Audioquest cabling

I read The Absolute Sound, Stereophile, Audiogon Forum, and watch Steve Guttenberg's Audiophiliac channel.  I'll read/watch anything related to Herb Reichart or Art Dudley. 

Gigs are obviously few and far between due to Covid-19, so listening takes up more of my time.  I prefer vinyl whenever possible but enjoy the endless supply of new/cheap streaming (Qobuz) finds.  Then there's the seemingly limitless supply of live Grateful Dead shows... Jazz (50s->now), Classical (bias towards chamber and string quartets, Baroque through 1960s), Rock, pre and post war blues, Folk, Funk, Electronica., etc.  Good music is good music!  And, good for the soul.

I look forward to learning more and hopefully contributing to some conversations.  I'm currently looking for a tube preamp (Audible Illusions M3B looks like the one!).  Ultimately, I'd like to have an SET based system with either horns or maybe Tektons.  And, a pair (or quad) of Quad 57s is very alluring. 

Cheers!

[JLM]

Welcome!

You should be aware that reviewers rarely measure the gear, and never do proper double blind testing.  So take their impressions with a big grain of salt.  Latching onto a handful of reviewers is the easy way to do research but realize that they're beholding to the vendors who pay for the ads. 

Your gear is coming from good sources: true in-house R&D; deep manufacturing resources with long histories.  That's what I look for.  Not the cheapest route, but insures a degree of quality and long term satisfaction.

If possible I'd work on your room (the biggest shortfall of most audiophiles who typically focus on gear).  Bigger is better.  Avoid squarish shapes.  Insulate to cut down the noise floor and add to domestic bliss.  Read Floyd Toole's "Sound Reproduction" 3rd edition that explains how speakers/subwoofers behave in-room.  Shop for speakers that measure/test well (anechoic based measurements can actually predict real world performance).  Add multiple subs to help control inherent in-room bass peaks/dips.  Test/adjust your room response using REW or Dirac.  Consider adding treatments.  I've done all that in a dedicated room to good effect. 

[Phil A]

Welcome!

[ArthurDent]

Greetings & Welcome to AC murphbass   

[Bob Stark]

Welcome MB,

The AI 3B is an excellent choice for a preamp w/ phono that will keep you happy for many years.  I had a 2D for about 18 years followed by a 3A w/ MC phono for 6-7 years when I wanted to return to a LOMC cartridge.  I loved the Ai sound with a good solid state amp--had the Mod Squad Quad 405 for 28 years, followed by the Bryston 8B for 5-6 years, and then the Edge M6 for several years after that.  Each one was better in most ways than its predecessor.  I finally went whole hog with separate preamp plugged a phono preamp and mono amps.  BIG cost increase and very noticeable performance increase.  The availability to buy used equipment on many different online sites is VERY tempting and I bite hard after awhile.  Had Von Schweikert Vortex Screens for 16 years that were VS's first speakers made.  Now have VMPS RM40 BCSE speakers that are really fine sounding--very detailed, dynamic, adjustable to your room and system, and really wonderful in all ways at the price.  I've had this pair for 7 years.  The Tekton Moab speakers are THE hottest speaker at somewhat reasonable price of $4500 new.  My friend has a super modded Tekton Double Impact that Bill Dion (grannyring) on Audiogon did extensive rewiring, crossovers, and upgraded drivers on.  They sound lively, like all the larger Tekton's do but have a really fine tone to the sound beyond normal DI's. I've heard the standard DI, along with the DI SE.  This modded DI is well beyond the SE in performance.  Not heard the Moab yet.  My amps are now Nuforce Ref 9 V3 SE monos w/ TDSS level 3 upgrades by Bob Smith.  As long as these amps keep going, they will be in my system along with the TRL DUDE preamp with many upgrades.  My system now has near top of the line power cables by LessLoss, WyWires, Aether Audio, Core Power 150, and ICs by Teo that are the Schroeder Method doubled up to each run with a couple pairs of splitters on each end, double JW Reference ICs, and Clarity Cable Organic SCs plus jumpers.  Also, have many Perfect Path products in the system.  They are outstanding in what they do for the realism of ANY system. 

If you have not tried Darwin ICs, you should give a used pair a try.  They absolutely opened up my system with no drawbacks in sound.  What I have now is better because of the doubling up of ICs and the cables are also better.  I had Audioquest cables in my system for many years prior to these. 

Bob

[Blackmore]

Welcome to AudioCircle

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome