This system brings lots of enjoyment. My room is 20 feet by 30 feet with 12 to 18 foot ceiling. This is a very open and live sound not much damping to the system.
Modright tube modded Oppo 105 with separate tube regulated power supply sitting on top of sound anchor mount in wall stud
Basis Audio Debut Gold mkV
Basis Debut Mark V with Vector Arm Vacuum hold down platter with ZYX Ultimate 2 Cartridge sitting on Sound Anchors Wall Mount in Stud
Valve Amplification Company Signature 2A
VAC Preamp with Separate Power Supply
Aesthetix Io Eclipse
Io Eclipse with Dual Mono Power supplies
Valve Amplification Company Phi 300.1a
VAC Phi Monoblocks
ESP Loudspeakers Harp
ESP Harp Loudspeakers with two 10 dual voice coil woofers, two 6.5 inch Kevlar Scan Speak Mid's, two 1 inch Seas Tweeters (One in front and second on side out of phase and 6db lower than front) Drivers in front D'Appolito Array
Pradeep your welcome to hear them if in the area. Thanks for the remarks. I will be posting new pictures soon on my website as I am now using the Lampizator Big 5 dac.
Lissnr, thanks no I wish I could play the piano as well. The ESP speakers are wonderful and I had them for 15 years. I changed to the Rockport Altairs and couldn't be happier. ESP has a new Concert Grand that I would love to hear as well. The VAC amps are wonderful push pull amps, but my single ended Absolare is in another league.
Hi Jeff, Your system and awesome room is stunning...I have always been intrigued with the ESP's and the Vac amps as well. Congrats on what must be a glorious venue for listening and relaxing. Do you play the piano too?(Wish I did)
I think the biggest change to my system so far was the addition of the Basis Super Arm 9. This is where the source starts and I'm telling you I never had this great of sound in my life. This tonearm is a game changer. Gone is any grain in the top octaves and in its place is a purity and beautiful tonality. I now have such a solid bass foundation that I think I'm now hearing the Rockport speakers for the first time. I just may stay up all night, which I have never done before. Of course this sound wound not come about without the Absolare amp and preamp and the Rockports. I also added a bunch more cables from Absolare's sister company. I just switched the power cords that go directly to the Richard Grays with his wire. Again a huge difference. This was not easy to do as the Gray's come with a 20 amp connector on the back. I can't wait until all this wire breaks in including the new tonearm wire in AJ's arm. The ZYX cartridge only has 20 hours on it. The Aesthetix Phono stage with their new caps have to get about 200 hours on them according to Jim White to sound its best. All I can say is I'm as happy as a pig in mud. I will report back as hours accumulate. Of course I have not even fulled around with the loading of the cartridge and the VTA of the tonearm. In do time in do time.
Sal, Wow, you described the differences between original/early pressings vs current reissues just as I hear them. Natural tone, dynamics and emotional involvement are better. The newer LPs sound closed in and veiled by comparison. I wonder why? Charles,
Salectric, yes original pressings of classical records sound way better. I'm talking about recorded music from late 60's to the 80's. I'm not talking about RCA Living Presence or Mercury records. I'm talking about Decca, London, Harmondy Mundie, Jecklin, Lyrita, Columbia 6 eye, BIS, EMI, Erato, Mylodea of Russia for example. These originals give you the tone and naturalness that your talking about.
I did a little searching on the archives and there are a number of comments on Audiogon regarding the superiority of original pressings. One of the threads I ran across is this one from 2006:
I do have to admit that a number of vinyl lovers do not agree. I think it comes down to what you are listening for---somebody who values clean, low-distortion tracking above all else may prefer reissues. Somebody who values natural tonality, lively dynamics and emotional involvement will prefer the originals.
It brings to mind the story of "The Emperor's New Clothes." I haven't bought audiophile reissue LPs for 4 or 5 years for just this reason. No matter what degree of "care" in the mastering of the reissue, or which big name engineer is in charge of the remastering, or what price or whether it is 45 or 33, I find I almost always prefer to play my older copies.
I have to add a caveat. While this definitely applies to jazz and the occasional folk/rock LP that I've bought, I don't have enough experience with classical LPs to be sure this applies to them.
Hi Sal, It's funny your mentioning the judgements of the "music critics". Jeff and I had that very same discussion and conclusion two days ago ! We have compared some of my early pressing jazz albums (various labels) to some 45 RPM reissues and the superiority of my old LPs was blatantly apparent.
Jeff's analog front end is fantastic so all is laid bare to hear. To add further insult to injury, some of our jazz CDs of 1950-60s were better than the so called "audiophile labeled" vinyl reissues(explain that one). I really don't know what the music critics are praising, we sure didn't hear it and this isn't the first time we've experienced this comparison.
Jeff, I know what you mean about the sound of original issue LPs as compared to modern reissues. It seems counter-intuitive given all the attention paid to reissues these days, but I consistently prefer originals and early reissues to the "audiophile" reissues available today. Sometimes I wonder if the reviewers who, just as consistently, go bananas over each new audiophile reissue have ever listened to an original. If they did, surely they would hear the same thing we do. Fortunately, original issue LPs (and early reissues) are still available for the music I listen to courtesy of Ebay. I have had the occasional over-rated lemon LP but the vast majority of my Ebay purchases have worked out just fine.
C1D - Thanks for the response. I have a single-ended integrated in my office and there is no denying the SET special magic. It is very interesting to me that the Altairs can resolve well enough to truly appreciate the Absolares. Fortunately, the resolving power of my currently tweaked 450's is way beyond that of the 300.1's, so I am hopeful the combination has some promise.
Jeff has been a friend for over 20 years and I listen in his home quite often. The VAC Phi 300.1 mono blocks will drive the Rockports easily. They are exceptionally good push pull amplifiers. However Jeff's Absolare Passion 845 PSET amplifiers are simply in a higher class and sound better in every meaningful way. 50 watts of stunning sonic bliss. Charles,
Impressive system! I have been told to hear the Altairs in my quest to improve my speakers. I have talked to Andy and a few dealers. Fortunately, there is a pair local that I might be hearing soon. I am curious whether my tubes will drive them well enough - as you know, I have the VAC Statement 450's, which I'm pretty sure will drive just about anything through a wall. Your experience with the 300.1's gives me pause, however. Please give me some input, if you can. Thanks.
Yes Jfrech including 45's. Charles brought over 1st and 2nd pressings of jazz pieces that I had on 45 and there was no contest. I will not buy another 45.
Jeff, Thanks for having me over yesterday. Your new Basis tonearm is a genuine improvement and played music beautifully. I'd have to think you analog front end is completely fulfilling for you at this point. Grest job! Charles,
I just installed my new Basis Super Arm 9 to replace my older Vector Tonearm. I can't believe the difference. The sound of the instruments are now much more fleshed out with tons of body. I am getting such a sense of ease and a total silent black background which is amazing. I know A.J.'s new arm is very expensive, but I hate to say that it is worth every penny. It beats my old arm and I don't even have any hours on the new tonearm cable. The Super Arm 9 has a direct connection from cartridge pins to the connectors that go to your phono stage. The old arm in comparison is thin, not as 3D and a little bright in the upper mids. I think the new arm now is so low in resonance and coloration that its like hearing my vinyl collection for the first time. I can say now with out a doubt that I'm getting the best sound I ever had. I can clearly hear that I prefer the original pressings of my Jazz records vs any new 45 reissues. The new reissues sound like one put a blanket over the soundstage. I will never spend any more money on them.
