Looking for emotion of the music has lead me to this.
Years ago I was playing with volume controls. I had tried everything and spent thousands. Active, SS, tube, passive, transformers and resistive, pots and stepped volume controls. What I found that gave the greatest emotional response was using NO volume control at all! Hmmm, so if resistors take away from the music what about ALL the resistors in the signal path. Out went the grid-stopper resistors, and Wooops, here came the RF interference. So rather than putting the resistors back in I tried ferrite beads and higher resistance wire (palladium, tin and gold) I found that with gold wire I didn't need the ferrite beads. And it is magic. Having taken the modified Welborne Terraplane DRD amps to a couple audio-fests, I always get the same jaw drop and big eyes "wow". The system is matched so that the direct coupled 6c45p phono amp drives the power amp to the perfect volume. When the volume needs to be reduced just a bit I use a PEC molded carbon potentiometer in series with a large film capacitor in 'shunt' configuration. Next up... get rid of the last coupling capacitor ;)
My favorite non modded / non DIY pieces in the system are the Zyx Airy cartridge, the RS Labs RS-A1 tonearm, the Gallo CDT tweeters, and the Terry Gesualdo THA headphone adapter.
0.24mv copper moving coil cartridge with silver base
Denon DL-103
I loved this cartridge... until I heard the Zyx Airy. The Denon has bass but the highs just sound wrong.
Grado Reference Sonata
A MM cartridge that has surprisingly good synergy with the Sonus / Mayware IV tonearm.
RS Labs / Sukuma RS-A1
Described as 'Extra-Force Free Tonearm' the RS-A1 is just about the music. The sound is stable from disk to disk... a refreshing change from other constant care tonearms I have endured in the past.
Sonus Mayware Formula IV
A low mass unipivot tonearm with great bang-for-the buck.
Clearaudio Champion Modified
All that is left of the Clearaudio Champion is the platter, bearing and motor. Will run direct drive OR belt drive. The plinth is two pieces of 3 inch Brazilian Cherry, loaded with copper coated shot.
DIY 24k Gold / 5n Silver Wire
Uninsulated 41ga 24k Gold wire for signal. 12Ga 5n Silver wire for ground. The same is used for amp / preamp hookup wire, where the use of gold wire has allowed the removal of the RF Grid-stopper resistors from the signal path. http://www.a-msystems.com/physiology/wirerod/goldtef.aspx
DIY Phono Jeremy Epstein DC 6c45p
A fantastic design that eliminates another coupling cap from the signal path. I would like to try to transformer couple this phono stage in the future.
Decware ZP3
Wow, what a musical phono stage!
Dynaco FM-1
High quality but inexpensive, tubed tuner.
Transcendent Sound 'Grounded Grid' Preamp
Ok so we all know the circuit is not really 'grounded grid' but it makes my CD's sound tolerable when I use it as a buffer stage. I don't use it for vinyl however, as it takes somthing away...
Welborne Labs Terraplane 300B Kit
Another giant killer. Wonderful 300B captivating midrange with extended bandwith from the supreme Electra-Print output transformers. TJ Meshplates and KR 842 VHD are my favorite tubes so far. (Picture before modification)
JBL 2360 Horns JBL 2445 or BMS Drivers
The crossover is where the magic is. ;) Just a resistor that is capacitor bypassed.
Gallo Acoustics Nucleus Ref
My 'reference' speaker. The tweeter is so fantastic I took it out to use with my horns. Run full range with just the Gallo impedance matching transformer in the signal path.
Decware / Jensen Imperial
The King with wings. Currently used as a BLH sub.
Sony DVP-CX777EX 400 Disk Changer
For when I can't be bothered to flip disks... and when I'm not really listening;) The only thing I love about Compact Disk is the convienience.
Terry Gesualdo THA - Headphone Adapter
The best way to drive your head phones... right from the speaker outputs of your favorite tube amp!
