I'm done...for now

Marbles · « **on:** 4 Dec 2003, 09:57 pm »

My two channel system is now complete (or will be soon).

I just ordered the last piece of the puzzle, and Empirical Audio modded Perp Tech P3a Dac.

This DAC is the shit....really. In the past few months I've tried many budget priced Dacs, but this premium priced one is special IMO.

My turntable setup was always better than my digital, but this modded P3a is better than my Turntable. It is scary good.

Anyway, I no longer have any desire to upgrade ANY component in my two channel system.

I do need to change the center channel speaker in my HT, but that's another story.

Anyway after many years, the 2 channel is complete and I am at peace with the world.

Final system is located in my signature.

Thanks go to many of the manufacturers here for helping me assemble this.

tkp · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 10:00 pm »

Marbles,

You need a pair of BPT 3.5 signitures for your pair of Kraft mono block

.

Marbles · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 10:02 pm »

Quote from: tkp

Marbles,

You need a pair of BPT 3.5 signitures for your pair of Kraft mono block .

TKP,

Yes..please send me yours

Did I forget to mention I am now out of disposable money?

JoshK · « **Reply #3 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 10:11 pm »

Quote from: Marbles

Did I forget to mention I am now out of disposable money?

And don't you know it is easy to do in this hobby!!

DVV · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 10:12 pm »

Quote from: Marbles

Anyway after many years, the 2 channel is complete and I am at peace with the world.
...

Oh yeah? Been to a doctor already?

How long will that last? One month? Three months? Naw, 3 months is an eternity in audio.

In 3 months, there will be hundreds of new must-have gadgets out there for the picking.

Will you resist? Will you desist? Will you persist? Or will you just get drunk?

Cheers,
Naughty DVV

Marbles · « **Reply #5 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 10:16 pm »

I will be fat, drunk, and stupid, but I will also be saving up for a new RM30 "H" for a center channel for my HT.

Then I will have to get matching surrounds.....

If I get the urge to buy something before then, it will be MUSIC

Seriously, I have NO urge to try to find anything better than what I have.

The only thing that could do it would be a pair of RM/X's, but I realize that my room, specifically my big screen TV is the limiting factor now, and not much will change with that for years to come, therefore upgrades would be pretty much meaningless.

jcoat007 · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 10:21 pm »

Marbles, I am so close to being done also.

Well at least I keep telling myself that.

Your system looks incredible!!!!

The P3A DAC from Empirical is freakin AWESOME!!!!

nathanm · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 10:21 pm »

Marbles · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 10:28 pm »

jqp · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 10:55 pm »

When you say "with my two channel system" that leaves out the whole HT system. More speakers, more amps, more cables, more interconnects, more TVs. So what have you really accomplished?

rosconey · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 11:20 pm »

good for you

Marbles · « **Reply #11 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 11:22 pm »

Quote from: jqp

When you say "with my two channel system" that leaves out the whole HT system. More speakers, more amps, more cables, more interconnects, more TVs. So what have you really accomplished?

No question my HT needs to be converted from nOrh center and surrounds to VMPS.

Also, I will get my dual mono changed to a dual stereo for the surrounds and take the Sansui out of the rack to make more room. That's it for amps.

71" HD ready TV stays for a while.
Cables are set.

I might get a nice Universal player, or hold out for Blu-Ray.

Really by the time I get new speakers it will be about this time next year I'm guessing.

I only listen to HT about once every week or two so it's not nearly as important to me as my 2 channel.

I did want to recognize that the most important thing for me is done, but I also wanted to let you guys know I had lots more to accomplish before the upgrade bug let's go of my throat (and wallet).

Except for the room, there is no component I want to upgrade or think a change would even be an upgrade. I would love to have a genie change my RPTV to a nice QUIET front projector system, but that's not going to happen anytime soon.

Juan R · « **Reply #12 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 11:30 pm »

Did you buy the DAC from av123 and sent to Emptical audio? or they sell the dac with the modification.

Marbles · « **Reply #13 on:** 4 Dec 2003, 11:44 pm »

Quote from: Juan R

Did you buy the DAC from av123 and sent to Emptical audio? or they sell the dac with the modification.

I tried a demo unit from Empirical audio. If you give them a deposit, they will let you have a 21 day demo period. You pay shipping in both directions.

I highly urge you to take advantage of this offer.

I have bought a used PerpTech P3a and am having it shipped directly to Steve Nugent at Empirical for modding.

Hantra · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Dec 2003, 01:53 am »

Marbles:

What else did you listen to on your quest?

Thanks!

B

Marbles · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Dec 2003, 02:05 am »

I will copy a post from a different thread:

In the past two weeks I have had the:

Ack!, Scott Nixon TubeDac and Empirical P3a (got the Tubedac Monday and the Empirical Wednesday)

Previously (in the last 3 months) I have had the Bolder Mensa Plus D/IO, and a Stan Warren modded Aiwa/MSB.

In order of preference for me in my system it would be:

Empirical P3a
Scott Nixon TubeDac ..... Stan Warren Aiwa/MSB tie
Bolder Mensa Plus
Ack! *

*There must have be an incompatiblity in my system with this low output dac.

The Empirical stands above the rest by a good bit in my system, but it's also MUCH more expensive.

Notes, the Tubedac only has 3 days break in on it.
the Ack! had a week break in
The rest were well broken in.
I also use an Empirical modded Sony DVP S7700 as a transport.

I could easily live with this Empirical modded P3a with Superclock (not 2) for a VERY long time.

To add to that earlier post. Normally when I listen critically to a new component it's easiest for me to pick out weakness's, then I try to pick out strengths.

With the Empirical I started out listening for weakness's, but was sucked into the music within a VERY short time, like 20-30 seconds. I stopped listening critically and just started to get into the music. I haven't found any weakness's yet.

On the original Empirical I listened to a few months ago, I thought from time to time it could have better PRaT, but this clock upgraded model fixed that (in spades)

When you know it's right, you know it's right...this is the right one for me.

I did no try any similarly priced models. They were all much less expensive than the P3a.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #16 on:** 5 Dec 2003, 02:25 am »

<< I'm Done...for now>>

Yep, I said that a preamp and two cables ago..........

warnerwh · « **Reply #17 on:** 5 Dec 2003, 02:25 am »

Anybody want to start a pool to see how long Marbles goes before he needs something new in his two channel system? Being as he's done I'll bet 36 days.

audioengr · « **Reply #18 on:** 5 Dec 2003, 02:28 am »

Rob - Save your money up next year for a speaker mod. This is the last step to audio nirvana, trust me.

I just modded my old KEF 104/2's by rewiring them and updating the crossovers with Jensen air-core copper ribbon inductors, Multicap series tweeter caps and Black Gate series midrange caps. Simply breathtaking....

Marbles · « **Reply #19 on:** 5 Dec 2003, 02:35 am »

Quote from: audioengr

Rob - Save your money up next year for a speaker mod. This is the last step to audio nirvana, trust me.

I just modded my old KEF 104/2's by rewiring them and updating the crossovers with Jensen air-core copper ribbon inductors, Multicap series tweeter caps and Black Gate series midrange caps. Simply breathtaking....

Steve, my speakers have the $1200 TRT cap upgrade. I just put Nitro cryo'd Bybee Jumpers on them too. Very nice effect

(although I know how you feel about Bybees)

I agree modding speakers is normally a very nice tweak to do.