Description

Nothing's the best.. but this is good.

I've been through a *lot* of gear in my learning process of the last four years. This system is excellent for acoustic jazz - my mainstay - but very, very good for rock too. And classical.

What I've learned about turntables: Less than other components. I haven't owned a ton of them. I did learn that I prefer the solidity of non-suspended designs. After reading so much about how good restored, vintage idler-wheel tables sound, and realizing their purported strengths lined up with my musical priorities, I took the plunge. My DIY project soon became a total cop-out buy buying a "turnkey" OMA (Oswald's Mill Audio)-restored Lenco 75, with PTP, in their slate plinth, but I could not be happier.

What I've learned about digital: I first learned that I like the sound of NOS DACs. Then I learned that the Audio Note philosophy of NOS coupled with NO filters, transformers for I/V, and valve output with transformer-coupling, produces a digital much better and must closer to analog (YES, analog IS the reference!) than I thought possible for anywhere, anywhere near the asking price. (IOW, dCS and EMM might be better, but maybe not, and at 5-20x the price.)

What I've learned about amps: I like DHSETs! Single-ended amps sound better to me than push-pull, at least in my experience, direct-heated triodes sound the best, and the 45 is about the king of them all. 2A3 is very close... but for me the rest are a ways behind. Unless you spend a great deal of money anyway. (I.E., I believe that 211s can be great - but that's a $20K amp done right.)

What I've learned about speakers: that's the toughest one. I've had & heard so many. After being into low-mid efficiency boxes like most, I got my first taste of hi-eff with single-driver horns. Some of them - like the Lamhorn and the Beauhorn, both of which I owned, are amazing. However, on some material at least, the frequency response anomalies that all wideband drivers possess do rear their heads. After trying the AN/Es, I knew I preferred them. They are perhaps slightly less transparent and slightly less dynamic but what they bring outweighs those weaknesses IMO.

I also have a pair of Tonian Labs TL-D1s - simply an amazing speaker.
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Components Toggle details

    • Anti-Cables Anti-ICs
    Why spend more?
    • Lenco/Oswald's Mill Audio 75
    Restored by Oswald's Mill Audio in OWA slate plinth. SME 3012, Denon 103R. Amazing table - these idlers have some drive.
    • Audio Note Kits DAC 2.1C Sig
    Stunning DAC - transformer I/V conversion, true valve analog out, transformer-coupled. Note the Gingko Audio acrylic cover on the DAC and L3 pre.
    • Wright Sound 200C
    Excellent phono-stage - yes, a
    • Audio Note L3
    Another Audio Note Kits product built by me (as with the DAC). Simple circuit, robust power supply, transformer-coupling for ultra-drive - I like it!
    • Korneff 45 - Integrated
    Tube-rectified, choke-filtered power supply, 6SN7 driver. The most powerful-sounding 45 SET I've heard.
    • Audio Note Kit 3 AN/E
    Jack of all trades and master of many! Superbly balanced, amazingly dynamic (on 2 watts), smooth, fluid, always musical.

Comments 11

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Paul - great system! I imagine it sounds quite lively. Considering your experience with a variety of equipment, its encouraging to see you satisfied with a system that's simple and relatively modest. I love the Lenco on slate... did OMA completely source and rebuild the L75? What else was modified besides the plinth and top plate? Also: Anti-Cable interconnect, but what speaker cable?

queg