My Room In The House

by ssglx on Ever Evolving

Description

My system has indeed evolved over the past several years. I tend to keep components and cables that I like, rather than sell them when I get an itch to make a change.

Now I run two systems side-by-side, and just swap components or cables when I want a fresh experience.

I do get a a terrific level of musical and sonic enjoyment from the system.

My room also has great acoustics. Moderately damped, but retains quite good imaging and liveliness. No room treatments other than the furniture.

I have a soft spot for Soliloquy speakers, Monarchy electronics, and Nordost and Mapleshade cabling.
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Components Toggle details

    • Soliloquy 5.0
    2003 cabinets with 2004 drivers.
    • Audio Electronics (Cary Audio) AE-3 Mk II
    Very nice. Good bass and treble extension. Very good tonal color. Outfitted with Sophia Electric tubes. Substantial difference in solidity of sound.
    • Monarchy Audio SM-70 Pro (pair)
    Zero global feedback. Class A. Only 24 watts/ch in stereo mode, but a very nice sounding amp. Currently running each amp in stereo mode, but biamping into the Soliloquy 5.3 speakers.
    • Audio Refinement Complete CD Player Alpha Version
    smooth sounding player, helped immensely by better power cords.
    • Audience Au24
    two 1-meter pairs
    • Nordost Heimdall
    A great sounding interconnect. I have two pair. Good bass, accurate and warm midrange with good tone, very sweet and resolved high end.
    • Mapleshade Golden Helix
    Most satisfying speaker cable that I've tried. It sounds like hell right after uncoiling, but mellows after that to give fantastic detail, brightly lit colors, fast and full bass, and a smooth midrange. Great clarity also.
    • Soundstring PC digital
    A good $40 cable purchased from Venus HiFi. Quite acceptable on my CD Player. Held up well in my tests of several other cords.
    • Audience Maestro Interconnect
    This is a good sounding cable. Its balance is slightly warmer than the Au24. Currently used on my tuner.
    • Dedicated Line Furutech 15a Gold Outlet
    I had a dedicated line installed, 12 gauge Romex, with a Furutech 15a Gold Plated outlet. A nice change. Not stunning, but over time I've noticed my system sounds consistently clean, where before I would get some "grime" on higher notes and voices.
    • Marantz DV 6001
    Universal Player. Quite excellent for the price. Very refined sounding, bright with good tonal color.
    • Bang & Olufsen Beogram TX
    Aquired in January 2010. It works and sounds pretty good for a 25 year old table! MMC-2 cartridge.
    • Hagerman Bugle
    Inexpensive battery powered phono pre-amp. Sounds pretty good for what it is.
    • Morrow Audio MA-2
    Two pairs. Wonderful sounding interconnect. It honestly gets me closer to the music. Extremely high resolution midrange coupled with a slightly laid back delivery. I really like it.
    • Apple TV Series 1
    160 gb version. Works great as an inexpensive music server. Outputs to a second input to my computer monitor.
    • Musical Fidelity V-dac
    A great sounding DAC and a good value. Warm and expressive.
    • Mapleshade Golden Helix Plus
    Bought a 2nd pair of these great cables for the new amp which only works with banana connectors.
    • Tortuga LDR3x Passive
    A light dependent resistor design. Remote control. Fantastic sounding preamp which I will switch in and out with my tube unit. Very good bass heft and balance which I did not find with other passives that I tried.
    • Furutech e-TP80 Conditioner
    One of the few units that did not color the sound. Using it mainly for a power strip and surge protection.
    • Musical Fidelity V-90
    Just getting to know it, but appears to be better in every way than my V-dac, which I like alot.
    • Kef 101
    Reference Series from the mid 1980's. Still sounds wonderful!
    • Monarchy Audio SM-70
    Mark II version. Purchased this model after I discovered that CC Poon was shutting down the brand. These amps are among the most transparent I have heard.

Comments 75

Showing all comments by mjcmt.

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Tim,

Thanks for your comparison of the Sat5 vs. 5.0. As I understand it they use the same drivers w/ the difference being x-over and cabinet design.

After Chris and your raves about the 5.0, I rewired the internals w/ Kimber Kable and re-dampened the inside w/ egg crate foam. The dampening opened the Sat5 up, removing the congestion and hollow sound. Replacing the existing rubber insulated heavy gauge wire with Kimber cabling added air, extension, clarity, & bass articulation. They are not the same speaker sonically. Next to redo x-over and build the larger ported cabinet. Thanks again for your comparisons.

mjcmt

Thanks. After listening now the Sat5s sound a bit hollow, thin, and bright, though airy, so I will keep them for rears (if I build up a HT system) or save for the extra drivers since they were their own design. I will keep an eye out for the 5.0s.

mjcmt

I see your a big Soliloquy fan. Can you comment on Soliloquy speakers?

I just traded some Mission monitors for the smallest Soliloquy Sat5 speakers. I hope I did good. As I understand it the Sat5s have the same drivers as your 5.0s, but in a smaller sealed non-ported box - clean tight bass to 60hz as I've read. I listen to Jazz mostly so it should be ok. I'm going to try it w/ my AE Super Amp MkII tubed power amp with a direct feed from the variable output of a vintage Yamaha CDP.

mjcmt

How you have them configured is referred to as vertical bi-amping (one amp per speaker). There is a reason it sounds better than horizontal bi-amping (one amp for lows and one amp for highs).

In all but a true dual mono amps, the single power supply of a stereo amp only has to drive one current hungry bass driver and one easy to drive tweeter. You will experience a greater ease of music flow with less chance of clipping at higher volumes.

mjcmt

Thanks, that is some good information.
That is what I liked about the Benchmark DAC. It sounded natural yet you could here deep into the recesses of a recording. A few have felt it thin in some systems. It never did for me, but I was using the AES Superamp II tube amp w/ the Benchmark DAC variable output.

mjcmt

That is very useful info. I'm thinking of the Apple TV for music and movies.

Thanks for sharing the benefit from an external DAC w/ the A-TV. You say the vDAC is smoother than the CA DAC. Is everything else equal like detail, macro and micro dynamics, distortion, soundstage, etc.? I'm looking for a budget DAC, after having the Benchmark DAC a year ago I have seen the benefits of a good DAC.

mjcmt

I like your 2 systems in one room ssglx.

Are you saying that you use the apple tv's internal hard drive to store your music or are using it to play your music form your computer through your hi-fi?
I'm confused, which dac sounds better, the apple tv or the CA?

mjcmt

Wish I had your preamp to mate w/ my Super Amp MkII. I've seen 2 sell for $600 but wasn't sure about it. The MkII amp is amazing, but I know little about the MkII pre. Please tell me your thoughts on the preamp.

(I used to have the DJH pre and 308 cdp before owning the Superamp MkII...sorry I let them go!)

mjcmt

I like your 2 different systems. Have you considered putting the AR system in a small room like a library or bedroom. Its smooth soft and emotional sound would work in a relaxing environment.

mjcmt

I believe you are correct in assuming that a passive preamp will work w/ your Manarchy amps. I have a Audio Electronics Super Amp MkII power amp with 40wpc full power at 1 volt input. I use a Luminous Audio Passive preamp w/ amazing sound. The only thing better is a straight interconnect w/ no preamp. I tried it briefly playing a cd that has lower output with just an inteconnect and it has the exact same tonality, with slightly more dynamics and layering... but only slightly. A CDP has 2 volt output and your amp has full power at .6 volt so a passive attenuator volume is all you need.

mjcmt

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