System update. Old description was out of date by about a year. I've replaced the EMC with an Audio Aero Capitole Mark II Se, added a third Berning 270 to the system so that I am now 'biamping' with the monoblocked 270's on the bass and the stereo 270 on the highs. Everything is now plugged into a Walker Velocitor S. I currently have my Merlins up on the Stillpoints component stands, and (sorry Bobby) I must say that this makes a significant improvement. Since I'm biamping I added a second pair of Stereovox LSP speaker cables. I have also replaced some of the Stereovox IC's with Cerious Technologies Ic's. As for tweaks, I have found that I like Quicksilver Gold better than the SST, have replaced all fuses with Isocleans, and bought a NESPA Pro optic finalizer. It really works. Currently waiting on my new speakers--Peak Consult Incognito X!! Probably some more changes I'm forgetting to mention, but these are the major things.
Two ZH270's running as monoblocks, both tweaked out with all NOS tubes (power tubes cryo'd), ERS modifications, new caps, and all internal wiring replaced with cryo'd pure silver. Jumped with the same wired used in the internal wiring mod. Also added a third ZH270, with the same mods, and am now 'biamping' with the three 270's
Merlin Music Systems VSM MX
Piano Black, with single-ended battery bam.
Stillpoints Isolation
Stillpoints isolation devices under all components, some have optional risers, some don't
Stereovox SEI 600
Replaced my SEI "Mark I's" with the new SEI II.
Stereovox LSP 600
ALso replaced my Stage3 concepts with the new LSP600 speaker cables.
Blue Marble BLue Marble
Replaced my Shunyata power cords with Blue Marble on the Bernings and the Electrocompaniet
Phy HP
Put a PHY power cord on my Tron, that is the cord that the preamps designer sells.
Shakti Hallographs
Put two pairs of Shakti Hallographs in the room, one set behind the speakers, the other at the first reflection point.
Walker Audio Extreme SST
Extreme SST on everything, all IC's, power cords, tube pins, etc.
Audio Aero Capitole Mark II Se
One year old, excellent sounding, really blows away my Electrocompaniet
System update: Haven't updated for two years, aparently, so some things are different. First, I replaced the Tron Comet with the Tron Meteor, the previous top of the line Tron preamp, major improvement in drive, clarity, detail, presence, all across the board. Hopefully I'll be getting the new Berning preamp soon. Second, all components are now up on Stillpoints amp stands with Stillpoings cones and risers underneath the stands and on top of the stands (or, in other words, between the stands and the components). Believe what you read about the stands; they make a hell of a difference. Also have gone with all Elrod power cords (signatures only, can't afford the new ones). Probably something else I'm missing, but those are the major things.
I'm currently running a Steelhead/270 into an pair of B&W matrix 802 III's. I've heard great things about the Merlin/Berning combo but never had the chance to hear them personally. I value tonal accuracy and imaging highest, have the merlins hit the mark for you?
System update. About a month ago I got a pair of the new Berning Quadrature Z power amps. The 270's are gone. All I can say is that if anyone goes from a single 270 to the quadratures, you will pretty much sh-- your pants (sorry for the language, trying to summarize things as succinctly as possible). I went from multiple 270's to the quadratures, and that's pretty much what I did too :).
System edited: New speakers (Peak Consult Incognito X)have been in for about 6 weeks now, just added them to the system. Still need some break-in, so, full report should come soon.
System edited: Just realized that I forgot to include that I switched out all my fuses for Isoclean. Also have just bought a Walker Velocitor 'S' model, be here next Tuesday. Art, I didn't make all the changes at once, although I have been guilty of doing things like that in the past. First came the new Stereovox IC's and Cables, then came the MX's, then the power cords, then the Isocleans. I'd say that overall, each change added some increment of clarity, transparency, and naturalness to the system. Of course, the speaker upgrade and the cable upgrade made the biggest differences, but even the tweaks did something.
WOW. Nicely done. When you get time, do comment on the relative changes you think each component may have provided. Haivng myself made a bunch of changes at once (Berning wiring upgrade, new Verity Parsifal Encores, new Audio Aero Capitole II, SE), I know how hard that can be to do. Maybe give us a general sense for how the system sounds compared to before.
I am a HUGE fan of the stereovox, it's really amazing stuff. I also used the walker sst treatment. At first I found it a bit too agressive, and forward, but that quality faded, and i think it left things more clear and open, yet not really bright or glaring. Did u notice that at first?
I am not familiar with the EMC, but in my system, the Audio Aero Capitole SE is really special....
