The centre piece of this system is my (J&R Audio) Essential 3160 phonolinestage preamplifier. All present and future equipment and modifications are selected to meet its ultimate fidelity without colouration. In this light, I am currently working on a potential replacement or second turntable (my Technics SP10 MK2 with a highly engineered bespoke plinth).
Apart from hoping for a change of home and larger listening room, my experimentation will continue with isolation, acoustics and cabling. Any other changes will need extensive in-system A/B testing: I am that happy with where things are at.
Mambo with Jeweltone Crystal Stabilizer on Symposium Ultra platform sat on birch wall shelf. Simply superb
Analysis Plus Silver cables
Scientifically accurate cables at unbelievably low prices. These replaced my Siltech and Kubala Sosna Emotion speaker and interconnect cables
Arm Tower AS
This is the stand alone arm tower arrangement that I currently use. It is the basic Acoustic Signature Mambo arm tower plus weights and spikes at three points. Although a case of expedience and therefore not the prettiest arrangement, its performance has been a revelation
Arm Tower AS 2
A close up to indicate the spikes arrangement on my arm towers.
Audiocraft AC 3300
Dual point oil damped tonearm with s-shaped arm wand
Audio Technica AT-20 SLa
A world beating cartridge. Although these are early days, every aspect of its performance seems perfect.
Audio Technica Pneumatic Footers
Range of three distinct sets of Audio Technica pneumatic footers. Each one is an excellent means of isolating turntables and are highly recommended.
Dynavector XV1-s
A phenomenal MC cartridge that perfectly complements the excellence of performance offered by the Nagaoka MP-50 MM. Audio doesn't get any better than this (unless, of course, the new XV1-t proves to be better and not just different)
Essential 3160 (J&R Audio)
3160 phonolinestage. Offers two MC phonestages, two MM phonostages and a comprehensive line stage in one package. Simply SOTA
Essential 3160 power supply
The dual mono power supply is part of the Essential set up
Glanz cartridges G7 & G5
The two Glanz statement cartridges were produced by Mitachi Onkyo Seisakusho factory in Japan. They need further investigation ut clearly deserve it. More as soon as...
Grace G-660P
12" gimbal pivot tonearm. This is a very rare tonearm but claimed to be an ideal match for the Dynavector XV-1s cartridge.
Ikeda IT-407 silver wired
The top of the Ikeda food-chain
Keith Monks Record Cleaning Machine
Rated as the best RCM, a joy to keep your vinyl in mint condition
Marantz CD-7
The best CDP I have heard: resolving and beautiful, similar to a good turntable. See review at http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/frr.pl?rdgtl&1112565957&read&3&4&
Marantz ST-17
A beautiful and greatly underestimated performer. It is a perfect match for my Marantz CDP and outperforms my other more expensive tuners by some distance
Mark Levinson No 23.5
This is a heavily modified model with Eichmann cable pods, top grade resistors and internal cross set to cut off at 70Hz (everything below 70Hz handled by my Velodyne DD12 subs)
Morch DP6 red point
Beautiful. The Moerch DP6 is a dual bearing radial arm with interchangeable arm tubes with either 9 or 12" effective length and various mass options. Moerch's top model, the DP6 tonearm has conventional bearings, a silicone damped high precision ball bearing for the horizontal plane, and two precision sapphire bearings for the vertical plane.
Nagaoka MP-50
An amazing MM cartridge that outperforms top end MC cartridges costing up to ten times its price. Realism
Symposium Isis Svelte stands
Apart from wall shelves, these set a bench mark in my experience of isolation and damping
Symposium Ultra
I use the Ultra, Super and Svelte platforms beneath most of my system. On a sprung wooden floor, these have proved indespensible - along with wall shelving
Talon Audio Hawk
40Hz-40Khz ceramic driver monitors on Escalante Hoodhoo stands. Operating down to 70Hz only - remainder (70Hz - 15Hz) handled by pair of Velodyne DD12 subs
Technics SP-10 mkII
Technics with new bespoke plinth. Works marvelously.
Technics SP-10 mkII
Technics with bespoke plinth sat on AT363 pneumatic footers.
Technics SP-10 mkII
I am trying the Technics with a stand-alone (AS Mambo) armboard. Will report more when certain.
Technics SP-10 mkII
Technics SP10 Mk2 turntable (naked on Audio Technica AT616 pneumatic footers). Early days but trying it out without the still-in-progress plinth following enthusiastic feedback from fellow Agoner
Various cartridges
Selection of Astatic MF100, B&O MMC2, Glanz G5, Andante P-76, Spectral MCR and Nagaoka MP50 cartridges
Velodyne DD12 (1st)
Pair of Velodyne DD12 subs used in perfect stereo with Talon Hawk monitors. Handling everything from 70Hz to 15Hz. Microprocessor controlled with Texas Instruments computer chip; Digital Drive room equalization system; Digital High Gain Servo system; Four listening presets for action adventure, movies, rock pop, jazz classical; Transformer-less Class-D digital energy recovery amplifier; Dual tandem voice coil and Kevlar-reinforced cones
Velodyne DD12 (2nd)
A pair of these used in perfect stereo with my two Talon Hawk monitors. Hearing is believing
A few new purchases including an Audio Technica AT-160 ML. Meaning I've even more to listen to in the months/years ahead!! This evaluating lark is more complex than I had originally hoped. Will get back with additional information and my preferences when certain.
System edited: Purchased a new Audio Technica AT-20 SLa cartridge with a ATN-20SS stylus and was startled by just how good this thing is. My new reference and possibly (hopefully) my last ever cartridge: replacement styli thankfully still being available.
Yes, the EAR 324 has a very good MM stage and will do great things with the Nagaoka. I appreciate the spatial issue and set up problems with the Mambo. Maybe you could think about getting a new armboard for the turntable some time in the future and then simply leave both cartridges (XV1s and MP-50) plugged in all the time and then just select the one that you wish to hear. For diffent moods and different records, this option has proven really good for me. In the meantime, you could just swap over headshells. In fact, I have no idea how the MP-50 will sound in your Dyna arm and it might be an even better option than the Audiocraft AC-3300. When you've had a chance do let me know how it works out.
About the subs. I think that if you can get hold of another Velodyne HGS 15 (maybe on the used market), this would be a fantastic way to go. Alright, the DD series is far easier to set up and boasts slight improvements but other users (including Raul) of the HGS 15's apparently achieve remarkable results. If you go down that route, Raul would prove an invaluable source in assisting you to set them up and optimise their performance. Again, whether you go for the DD series or this option, I would love to hear back what happens. Incidentally, any progress with the Jeweltone?
Thanks for sharing more about your great system. I have a Velodyne HGS 15, but I don't use it at the moment. If space allows it, I should probably look into adding two small subs in the future.
BTW, I purchased the Nagaoka MP 50 cartridge. Since my components are inside a cabinet, it's very cumbersome to connect cables, specially to the EAR 324 phono preamp, which always discourages me from having a MM cartridge.
I realized that I have an extra Dyna phono cable, so I'll try leaving both phono cables plugged in to the two inputs of the phono preamp and simply swap cables to the tonearm when listening to the Nagaoka cart. From what I've read, it seems that special attention was paid to the MM input of the EAR 324, so I should try it out since this must count for some part of the phono preamp's cost.
And thanks for your kind comments. The tonearms are really good and do offer me options for most cartridges (although, as I've said before, I think the XV1s and Nagaoka are my journey's end concerning cartridges). The Morch has been with me for around 15 years and the other two were bought in hte last few years on kind and useful advice. I've tried many others (including the SME V and others) but these three seem to do it for me and my needs.
About the subs, yes, that is one of the subs just to the right of my systems photo: with a 30k weight on top. The other one is to the left and slightly further back from the speakers: also with a 30k weight on top. In having them firing across the room at each other but also not directly in line, you cancel any standing waves. You can see all this in more detail in the excellent Agon thread that Raulireugas started on the need for subwoofers. However, I would add that it is relatively easy to set the Velodyne DD series subs up with the accompanying microphone and software. You simply place the subs in your optimum sitting position and then move the accompanying microphone until you find the two spots with the most steady signal (as displayed on your TV screen). Once you've found their positions you just have to play around with the settings for both subs. Just in case anyone is thinking of going down this route and has the same fears that I previously had about setting subs up properly.
