Description

I was underway "Re-vamping" my original "My Transporter Room" with noteworthy upgrades during the summer of 2012 but while foolishly navigating my site in its "exposed state"I managed to accidentally delete my entire system [and all the several years worth of correspondence therein...]. I had promised myself to re-enter it "soon" but have been so busy until now when ironically I am even more busy than I'd ever imagine. You see, since then I recently suffered the ravages of Hurricane Sandy here in coastal NY and while managing to save all my equipment, my poor dedicated listening room was devastated with 15" of Atlantic Ocean. Yes, that included all 17 of my Hubbel 5362 outlets as well as their 10 dedicated 20A lines feeding from their own 70A sub panel, quiet rock walls and extensive sound-proofing and room treatments but... I'm looking at it as a new opportunity to ...well, let's see...change the flooring to something a little different? And ummm...pick a different shade of wall paint after the new quiet rock is added 4' up from the floor (old rock is cut that high to expose wiring and studs) and the several hundred feet of 12/2 Romex is all replaced???

Anyway, I'm not here for pity, just to share lessons learned and announce the re-construction is beginning along with my vow to myself to bring it all back to its old glory, "and then some"...

There's a lot more equipment detail which I failed to add at this stage today but I entered the main items again, just to get back on-board...and by the way, this is how it looked right before Sandy...[and hopefully] ASAP I'll have the "After" photos to add.

Hello everyone...looking forward to our "chats" again!
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Components Toggle details

    • TRL, Inc. The Dude
    Simply the most natural piece of electronics I've ever experienced. 6SN7 based all tube marvel. Hand built, massive pwr supply...End of the pre-amp road for me
    • Sota Deluxe Sapphire sIII
    I've had this for a very long time and she's still sounding great but upgrades are on the horizon...
    • Premier FT3-A
    A good value and nice combo with the Saphire 3 but this is next in line of the uograde path
    • Harmonic Technology Magic 2
    I started with Harm Tech years ago all through the Pro-Silway series and Magic 1's... but these 2's are truly in their own league.
    • Harmonic Technology Pro 9+
    Harmonic Technology makes great cables. Very synergistic with my Apogees and tubed gear
    • Audio Research PH-3 SE
    A classic...and a fine match with the Sota
    • Lampizator Big 6
    Fitted with Duelund cast copper caps and NOS 6SN7's it is truly the most natural sounding DAC I have ever known
    • Oppo BDP 105
    Used as transport via coax output to feed my Big 6 Dac
    • Lampizator TranspOrt
    Handles digital files via hard drive and computer.
    • TRL, Inc. GT-200
    Fully tube regulated power supply utilizing 4 x KT-150's per channel delivering well over 200 Triode WPC. Enormous power and slam with all the delicacy of SET's
    • Apogee Acoustics Duetta
    TSW (True Sound Works) completely rebuilt and upgraded incl all new drivers, crossovers, frame stiffening,paint and more. Fast, powerful, delicate, NATURAL.
    • Bohlender-Graebener BGX-S12B
    Pair of these ultra fast subs, on dedicated stands and grilles...the best sub I could find to keep up with the true Apogee Bass Ribbons
    • Bohlender-Graebener BGX A2
    Dedicated solid state subwoofer amp @ 600 wpc powering S12B's. SS bass with remote volume control and amazing speed and slam!

Comments 29

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Sanders is a kool guy and his show systems always sound good to my ears and for real world $. I admit that I am a closet panel fan and chose Dale Pitcher's speakers due to their panel-like attributes in a box.

Keep me posted on the tube rolling. It takes time and you get fooled or disoriented if you evaluate too quickly as I have done. I currently have some KenRad smoked glass 6A3s in with the NU 5U4G and it is sounding good after a few days of burn in. Still want to hear the Carbons with possibly a Mullard rectifier, but I am reluctant to spend gobs of $ on tubes right row. The wife will go Jerry Springer on me....

agear

Grant, I heard you and Rob did roll the Dude in and out versus the Lampi VC in the not too distant past. Rob was struck by how much better the VC sounded. Was that your perception? I share Paul Weitzel's bias that passives rarely sound as good as an active pre. Yes, a passive provides a "you are there" starkness and transparency at the expensive of dynamic elasticity and control for lack of a better term.

Roger Sanders, a electrostatic maven (he wrote a book) does not believe in exotic sources and likes to blinded shootouts with his trusty $400 Tascam SS recorder and any exotic dac or CDP du jour via his speakers. He will bet people up to 10K and has yet to lose. Would be interesting to do that test with a Lampizator.

In my system, the Cunninghams are good but not memorable. I still have more tubes to roll including the Carbons. The National Union 5U4G is a stepup from the 274B and made more impact than the output tubes. I have tried 6A3s, Cunningham, and 101D and am honestly a little underwhelmed by them all.

agear

I have heard you now have a new output tube preference for the L7? Sophias displaced? Also, team Lampizator believes in going direct. Do you prefer the 7 direct or via the Dude?

agear

Lissnr, computer audio is far more tweaky (and honestly irritating) than running a CDP transport, so I don't fault your sentiments. That is one reason why I went with a highly modded WiFi unit. Unlike your Duet, it has a master clock that reclocks the jittery stool normally fed by a native Airport Express in addition to mechanical grounding, separately power supplies for the clock and main ps, etc, etc.

Again, congrats on the fine system. Paul is a master of his craft, and both you and Rob are doing the backstroke in all the sonic fruits thereof.

agear

Hmmm. What specific formats are you comparing? 24/96, 24/192, DSD....? Hearing clear differences in recordings is a byproduct of increased resolution and is a good thing. You don't want the sound homogenized. How much of your own music collection is actually digitized?

I found my WiFi transport (which is similar to Lukas' but is a standalone unit not needing a dac) was far better than my CDP or any modded computer. The ambient detail retrieval (due to the low noise floor??) was/is simply outstanding. So your findings are odd and intriguing. Another owner of said USB converter loves it to pieces.

agear

Lissnr, any comments on the Lampi USB converter?

agear

superb system. Congrats....

agear