Room Size

25' x 15' x 9'

System Overview

I value soundstage and imaging most. Especially soundstage and imaging with a strong depth/z-axis illusion. This can be tricky to make happen, but it can happen and has happened in my room.

Music Preferences

Mostly jazz/soft jazz, some rock and pop, some classical.

Room Description

The room is a bit live. Higher volumes can create some nastiness, but otherwise given the SO's decor restrictions I've been able to get good results with everything I've tried in it with some fiddling. Speakers with high off-axis dispersion can be a pain because they just throw so much energy into other parts of the room that aren't my ears. Monitors all work well. Some of the larger speakers I've used, particularly those that very tall, like the Maggie 1.6QRs, throw energy higher in the room that the smaller speakers and this can be problem to tame this energy. Speaker with strong LF performance can be tough, but taming undesired LF energy is nearly always a bigger challenge than taming undesired HF energy.

Components

Digital Source

Got a few of these. Bel Canto DAC1.1, Sonic Frontiers SFD-1 MkII, Channel Islands Audio VDA-1/VAC-1 combo, Camelot Arthur 3 MkII. Plus, a few jitter filters: Audio Alchemy DTI Pro 32 with Monolithic MPS, Sonic Frontiers Ultra Jitterbug, Camelot Dragon P

Analog Source

None.

Signal Processors

Mentioned aoove with the Digital Sources.

Preamp

CJ PV-12A. Has a phono section but I don't use it. LOADS of different 12AU7s/subs. Different tubes can DRAMATICALLY change the sonics.

Power Amp

CJ Prem 12s or two CJ MV-75s used as monoblocks which were updated by their original co-designer, the kindly Bill Thalmann of Music Technology, ex-CJ employee #3 and 20 year Engineer Director. I actually prefer the sound of the old MV-75s to the Prem 1

Speakers

Hmmm? Got a few pairs of speakers on hand at the moment. Snell Cis and C/Vs, Magnepan MMGs and 1.6QRs, Spica TC-50s, both early and later types, Green Mountain Audio Europas, Sound Dynamics RTS-3s.

Subwoofer

Don't want to go there. I have an NHT Sub Two i on hand but even't even used it. If anyone is interested in buying it just make me an offer. FOR SALE.

Speaker Cable

Kimber 4 and 8TC and Monster 2.4S biwire. I prefer the Monster 2.4S biwire.

Interconnects

Right now I'm using low-cost Canare L5-CFB and LV-77S terminated with Canare 75 ohm RCAs, which replaced some Monster M1000i Laboratory Reference interconnects. I really like the inexpensive Canare coax with everything I've tried them with.

Power Cables

Just BEEFY molded power cords. My old MV-75s use their original "lamp" cords and sound just great.

Racking

Would love to try some simple DIY filter network boxes, but haven't gotten around to building one yet.