It's been a while since I have updated my system. I've jumped on the computer as source bandwagon and have never been happier. Next purchase will be a higher end dac. Some slightly smaller more exotic speakers will be after that.
Floor standing, full range loud speaker, in rose nut veneer.
Musical Fidelity A3.2CR
Dual mono, choke regulated Pre-amplifier from famed British manufacturer.
PS Audio HCA-2
Output wiring modded to DH Labs Silver Sonic. Caps in signal path changed to Nichicon Muse Bi-Polar.
Compaq Armada Laptop E500
P3 laptop using external 1TB hardrive and Flac thru Foobar 2000. Operating system optimized using
TeraLink-X USB Audio Converter
Chinese made. Does the job for now.
Citypulse 7.2x DAC with TCXO upgrade
Chinese dac. With good transport, easily better than my former Rega Planet 2000.
Music Hall MMF 5.1
Suits my purpose perfectly. Unless a huge collection of vinyl falls in my lap, it's not worth further expenditure.
Sony DVP S7700 ES
Former referance player for Sony.Built like a brick outhouse. Makes a great transport.
Pioneer TX 7500
My nostagia piece from 1975. I grew up with the SX series and this tuner makes me happy.
V.T.I. VTI BL Series Audio Rack
Cherry wood finnish, black poles, stainless hardware.
D.I.Y. Absorption panels
Basic 2 X 4 panels featuring 2 of compressed fiberglass covered in thick batting and an attractive fabric. Went 1 step further and framed the box with 3 5/8 crown molding and painted same color as walls. A very effective and decorative addition to room.
System edited: We had a so called 100 year storm this summer 2009. Basement flooded by sewer backup. What a mess. Figured it was a good time to update my system since the room rebuild. Kids nagged us to get some color in the room, here is the result.
Hi Idiotec. Actually, the table you linked to is not the correct one. The Lack Sofa Tables I used had no lower level. I made the spikes out of some 10-32 bolts, I cut off the hex head and ground a point on the end of the bolts, then screwed them into the bottom of the legs.Thanks for your comments.
I am guessing the lower platform does not come connected and is simply not used? Also, it looks like you have spikes on each level, what spikes did you use?
Nicely done. Great idea in the audio rack as well. Wise in farming out the mudding and sanding, if it is not your forte. Was not mine and truely got slowed down. You really have a space to escape.
Hi, Derek. Great looking getaway. I have a humble basement retreat, with a Paradigm theater system consisting of Studio 100 v2's and Studio 60 v4's, all in rosenut. I built the room myself some years ago and unfortunately did not take the room acoustics in to consideration. How much have you found, and in what ways, that your DIY 2x4 panels have helped the acoustics? I believe that my room is definately the current weak link in my system. Regards, Steve B.
Hey Guys, sorry about the delayed response, have not been very active in the Agon community lately, I'm busy with other obssesions. Jderdock, as far as I can remember only the tables with the veneer finnish have the solid legs. Mark02131, thank you very much. Mrdude, I'm using a homemade power cable and have not tried any others. Chadnilz, Thanks for the comments. I would imagine that the angled corner would have an impact but there is not much I can do about that, my electrical service and watermain are hiding behind that door. This maybe why I am having a hard time dialing in the speaker placement, just when I think I have it, .....I think again. LOL
Man that is a nice set-up and a very inviting room, I bet all your cares can melt away while you are enjoying tunes. Having the one side angled compared to the other side with a corner, does that mess with the soundstage at all? I can only dream of my own little man cave let alone a classy space like yours, your a lucky man.
I really like that rack. I think I may try that out myself, but I think the Birch might work better in my room. I've read the forum threads on this "Lyte" design, but have not found a definitive answer to this question: Do you know which tables have the solid legs and which do not?
Thank you Nyrgrs60. The rack is made from 4 Ikea Lack sofa tables. I just cut the legs with a mitre saw to the desired length and piled them on top of each other.
I really love your audio rack (table). I also build my own speakers, speaker stands, and I have build an audio rack, but I really love your rack. I think it looks very Professional, and most inportant....room frendly.....It looks like an expensive piece of room furniture, with purpose. Do you think that you can share your building plans....Thanks a million, and once again, a really nice job...Blane
Hey guys, thanks for your comments. Linnie01, I honestly don't remember the last time I used the tape deck, probably more than a year ago. At one time, long ago, it was the pride of my system. I gave away the majority of my tapes a while back and just kept about 50 of my mixed tapes (Maxell of course). I'm kind of regretting it now because some of the stuff I had on tape I have yet to replace on vinyl or CD. I almost gave the deck away too but decided I just can't part with it yet.
How much do you use your BX-1? I used to own one - great sounding and functioning deck. Now I have a CR3A from 1988 which still works perfect. I like to use it every couple of weeks or so or whenever the mood strikes as I have lots of great music on homemade Maxell tapes.
Hey Ray, thanks again. I listen to a wide variety of music, virtually everything except country and opera. My favorites are contemporary Blues (Stevie Ray Vaughn, Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Robin Ford, Keb Mo, etc.) I also like Peter Gabriel, Dave Mathews, Jesse Cook, Led Zepellin, Collective Soul, Gypsy Kings, Talking Heads,.. I'm all over the place. I also have a fair collection of soundtracks and Classical I like pull out. By the way, the speakers are not toed in so much right now, I was experimenting when that pic was taken.
Very nice system!Very clean tastefull setup!Very good job on the room!!! I had a pair of Studio 100s V2 for a couple years with a CJ MF2500A Amp and Supratek Chardonnay preamp,,the 100s sounded better than a lot of higher priced speakers ive heard!More fun to listen too!I did not have them toed in nearly as much as yours,,they seemed to get a bit bright in my setup the more they were toed in.My room is much smaller than yours,so being much closer to the speakers may have been the culprit.What music do you enjoy?Ray
Thanks for your comments guy's. I have not been active in the forums lately, sometimes life gets in the way. Nice to come back and find such nice compliments. Cheers!
