Another step in my system's evolution. I have replaced my Krell KCT with an Esoteric C-03 preamp. I am also now biamping my B&W 801s with Krell FPB 350MC for highs and FPB 450 MCX for the bass.
The sound and the range is amazing. Definitely a few steps forward of where I was.
1/2 meter G3 XLR between cd player and pre/pro excellent cable, auditoned MIT, Cardas, Kimber
siltech LS-110
biwired from adcom 5503 to HTM-1 (1.8 m) movies sound awsome
Esoteric X-05
This CD player replaced my krell KAV-280cd. I auditioned this against the Krell Evolution CD player and prefered red book cd reporduction of the Esoteric. SACD playback was similar between the krell and the esoteric.
Rega RP-3
Never was able to get great sound out of my music hall 2.1. I love the Rega. It just works.
Lovely rig, jealous of all those Krell amps. Ever try window treatments, either heavyish curtains or Levelor type blinds on those windows between the speakers? Bet there is a good opportunity there. You can even temporarily hang a heavy blanket for a quick test to give you a small indicator of the potential. Cheers,
System updated. Biamp 801's with krell fpb 350mc and krell fpb 450 mcx.
Stumbled into biamping because my 350mc monoblocks needed service, and I found a pair of Krell 450mcx at a price I couldn't refuse when the 350ms's were in service.
Once the 350mc's came back from service ~ 4 months later I thought I had nothing to lose giving biamping a try. If my experiment didn't sound awesome I'd list the refreshed 350mc's for sale.
It sounds awesome. Dual monoblocks per channel are here to stay.
Check out the Chord 1200E amp... just upgraded from a KAV 250a -- w/ B&W804Ns Unreal upgrade, system is now world class. Did not have room for Krell FPB, and Chord has a nice synergy with B&Ws -- now to get the 802Ds!
Dave
ps: if you see a used a 1200C for a good price, that would be worth considering IMHO :)-
sound sweet, and got an even sweeter deal on them. swapped in a new 30 amp circut breaker, which hasn't triped yet and hopefully will be enough to handle the power these amps and everything else requires (don't have the luxury of installing a new dedicated feed). Anyways will post pics soon, they are bad ass.
I showed up to my first dorm room as a freshman with Clements 107dis and 105dis, a PSB center, and Yamaha 5.1 integrated with ho-hum sources.
By my last year of school I was in my own place, had gone back to 2-channel with the 107di's, had gone back to vinyl with an AR ES1/Linn Basik. Then my last semester I decied that a full-on high end rig was warranted, and as you can see in my virtual system, I went a little...overboard.
I hear you on our generation. I'm 23 and here I am with tubes and vinyl. Better yet, I've gotten several friends interested. Some of them have gotten some pretty good vinyl collections going and have gone to pick up TTs--I sold my AR to one of them, and another, who now designs and builds his own cables, has just sprung for a Rega TT which he plans to make a tube phono stage for. Others have grabbed used Techs and one guy turned up with a free B&O. There's hope for us young 'uns yet! I know an awful lot of 20-somethings that are perfectly happy to turn off the TV, pack a bowl, and listen to the Beatles and Zeppelin LPs they rescued from their parents' basements.
yeah I agree with your opinion of those stores, and I too do most of my business through spearit, especially because they are willing to lend equipment to demo in your own system. outside of boston there is Goodwins High End http://www.goodwinshighend.com/ which will do whatever you want from building your own private studio to demoing the top of the line wilson alexandria's. They too will let customers demo equipment.
I mostly order all of my equip through the mail. Do you know of any other audio stores in the boston area besides audiolab in cambridge, audio studio on harvard st., and spearit sound on comm ave. The first two stores mentioned aren't that great in my opinion, so I rely almost entirely on spearit.
yeah its a boltz MM 252x2. I really like the look, and it functions well (and is expandable if I had more space).
As for music I listen to a pretty eclectic assortment, everything from country to classical. Alot of '90's grunge rock, and the usual assortment of collage top 40's stuff. When listening for pure music appreciation its usually stuff like counting crows, Chicago style blues, and the new living stereo SACD's (though I do not have an SACD player) they sound awesome.
thanks for the input, and what do you think of the componant rack? I liked the flexibility of the salamander rack, but didn't want to drop a G on one, so from my muchanical engineering background I immediately noticed that salamander just sues extruded aluminum posts made by 80-20inc. and just makes nice shelves to go with it all, I called up 80-20 and had them cut and thread some posts, and got some L brackets and mdf to complete the package for less than half what salamander asks for.
Hey, I'm a student in Boston, and I had a similar progression as an undergrad (NAD, marantz, etc). I went through the paradigm lineup,tried some full-range drivers, and am now content with my tyler acoustics monitors. Check out my system if you want. Thats quite a media collection you have there. What kind of music do you listen to?
