Description

I began building this system, with some pieces demo, other pieces used, and with parts from older college/grad school systems. The tube set up did not suprise me until I began to really run the system...after having exchanged my PA-7 Nakamichi solid state amp for the Sonic Power 2. I thought that 110 tube watts could not be even nearly enough, but surprisingly enough, the system now has more guts than before, never had an experience clipping, as I had with the NAK. I do feel a little boomminess now, I suspect that the subs are resonating against the wall. Any recommendations?
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Components Toggle details

    • Mcintosh Mr-78 (1975)
    FM analogue tuner
    • Synergistic Research Alpha Silver
    1 meter, shielded, Non shield Interconne
    • XLO Toslink Digital Interconnect
    1 meter
    • Bel Canto Design DAC-2.0
    upsampling DA box (2001)
    • Forty Seven Labs 4717 Shigaraki Integrated
    3 input, separate power supply. Stainless Steel chassis with Shigaraki Ceramic bases for both boxes. Sliding volume control. With speaker output binders and tape loop output. 20 watts per channel.
    • Zhorn GARUDA
    backload horn cabinets, with Fostex 208 Sigma drivers (old style) 96.5 db efficiency. Frequency response 20Khz to 35 hz. 8" diameter.
    • Infinity Intermezzo 1.2s
    12" ceramic matrix driver. 850 watts Bash amplifier. RABOS parametric equalizer built in. 65 lbs.
    • BPT Balanced Power Technology BPT 2.5 deluxe
    Bybees, silver wire, plintron transformer in a SS case. 70LBS
    • 47 Labs OTA cable
    10 ft each. Bare stripped wire. Into the Zhorns.
    • Forty Seven Labs 4715 Shigaraki Transport
    two piece, with separate power supply. Made out of SS and Shigaraki ceramic stands. Remote. (2001)

Comments 3

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Owner
Hi Smccull, most single driver horn loaded speakers are fairly efficient, thus, even with the 20 watts I have, the speakers I have are really coming alive. Nevertheless, the Zhorn model I presently have are what Tom Zuworsky calls, "Garudas" they are not tall or big, but they fit the 8" fullrange Fostex driver, a FE 208 Sigma, which run about $170 each. So far, I have done my ear justice and have not cranked my set up beyong even 9 O'clock (on a rotary preamp scale)....my Shigaraki has a sliding volume going up and down. My room is approximatedly about 15" or more feet deep, 9" across and about 8-9 feet tall. The 4" driver set up might will still give you sufficient volume, but not the scale that you might be used to (if you are into dynamic loudspeakers+high powered amps) thus, I use a big and powerful sub. Now, it has more "scale"/body because of the extra hump in the bottom end...................................................................................................................
Fast forward to about 1 month after I wrote the original post, now, I have become intrigue with a large, heavy and more classic Klipsch La Belle speaker. Retail: -2800, can be had for about 1 or less than $1000.....Efficiency: 103 db, with a large horn loaded 15" woofer, a horn loaded midrange+ horn loaded tweeter. Can also buy a high end crossover from ALK engineering for $500, can adjust midrange or other aspect...This investment might cost about $1500, but I think this is what I will want, when I get a larger space. I am going insane with horn loading.
The problem: weight and size...about 500 lbs both.

Returning to you, a Garuda Zhorn with 8" fullrange driver will give you about 90+% of what you want. If you do not have a sub, you will not miss it much, unless you are a "basehead."

Today, I have received the Final Music 5+6 battery powered preamp and amp with just 10 watts. My hands a shivering with excitement when I connect it. If you have any questions, ask me.

PS: will be posting pics soon.

bemopti123

Owner
System edited: A totally radical departure to what I had previously. Now low power SS connected with very efficient speaker. Everything is alive now, better than it ever was before. Furthemore, the music is so much faster, dynamic. This proved to me that we do not have to carry backbreaking and extremely inefficient amplifiers and other gear in order to enjoy an inherent sense of slam and liveliness in music. Soon, set up #2 with battery powered gear. Any questions or comments would be appreciated.

bemopti123