The racks are beautiful, an extremely clean solution WOW !!! I read your post describing your dedicated circuits (double WOW WOW here!!!) and your comment on the height of the sound stage of the "small" Wilsons. I too have found myself sitting in row P or in row A of a low balcony and have come to terms with it as the Maxx's aren't in my future. You've put an impressive system together congratulations, it must excel with symphonies !!!! Hopefully you have some "Le Jazz Hot" to go with those fine Miro lithographs!!!!

samhar July 09, 2009 06:54

Just got my C-5xe back from Ayre with the MP upgrade installed. I ran it in for 24 hours, then had a listen.

The improvement in low level resolution and imaging was immediate and dramatic. Ditto for tonal textures. Separate musical instrumental lines were more clearly delineated and followed. Overall, presentation was more relaxed and the music seemed to flow more like the real thing.

cipherjuris May 23, 2009 08:29

thanks again Ed

your setup really inspired me to try the rack as well
I'm going to lend out some vr platforms so I can compare then. May upgrade to an ohio under my amp at some point - but it sounds beautiful now

all the best and thanks again for encouraging me to stretch a little for the craz rack

audiotomb February 28, 2009 13:55

Audiotomb,

I went to the Craz and the Ohio isoBASE amp stands from an old set of Sound Organization stands, so the improvement was mesmerizing.

If you do get a chance to compare with and without the vr, I'd love to hear your assessment of the difference.

I'm very happy with the SME 20/2 & Graham Phantom, but I wonder what the Galibier would sound like in the system. Tom is such a great guy, too.

We have a great room and that's where we hang out as well as entertain, so the combo works fine. I'm hooked on the sound for video concerts and movies and could never afford 3 systems at this level. If I could upgrade the Sophias to Maxxs and I'd be set.

Ed

cipherjuris February 23, 2009 22:07

ed

the changes are phenomenal
I thought I had room issues and the craz really cleaned up the presentation, great differentiation of intruments, more weight and passion to notes, tonally balanced, notes stand out very distinctly - like you say - a major component upgrade, probably my biggest

didn't compare no vr stands, but will lend one to a friend and do it then

too bad the galibier blocked the view
that's a nice proj set up and blend of audio and video you have, I finally split my video off to another room

audiotomb February 14, 2009 21:27

Audiotomb,

Thanks for your post. Looks like you bought the Craz! Great system you have! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the difference it made in your system. Also, did you listen to your system with just the Craz and compare it to Craz + VRs? I would like to know what difference the VRs make with the Craz.

Love your Galibier. Almost bought one myself but it was too tall and cast shadow on the screen so I went with the SME 20/2.

Best,

Ed

cipherjuris February 13, 2009 21:48

a killer setup
nice video additions Cipherjuris

from your comments on your craz racks and how they were your greatest sonic upgrade, I've always wanted one
I posted a wanted ad for one here
(I have VR's under everything)
within a day, a seller came forward (and only a state away)
best $6 ad I ever made
really looking forward to this

audiotomb February 02, 2009 17:21

System edited: I have updated the video part of the system with an InFocus IN83 1080p 1,600 lumen projector, DVDO iScan VP50 Pro video processor, Sony BDP-S2000ES Blu-Ray player, all connected with Honeywell Genesis Crystal 7000 Series Class C HDMI 1.3 self-correcting cable for the video; Purist Aqueous Anniversary RCA interconnect, and Purist Aqueous Anniversary power cord for the projector and Virtual Dynamics Master Series LE 2.0 power cord for the Blu-Ray player. I'm very happy with the resulting upgrade in picture quality.

cipherjuris January 31, 2009 16:19

Papajohn,

They are a matched pair of custom-sized Silent Running Audio Craz Reference isoRacks Plus. Kevin Tellekamp is the brilliant owner-designer of SRA audio isolation systems and as fine a person as you will find anywhere.

They were expensive and I understand that Kevin has been forced to increase his prices for the Craz racks to avoid discontinuing them.

I could go on and on about them, but better you should read Frank Peraino's 2006 review for Soundstage at the following link:

http://www.ultraaudio.com/equipment/sra_craz_4_reference_isorack_plus.htm

Best,

Ed

cipherjuris April 26, 2008 09:18

hi....you got a sweet system but I'm dying to know what is the name of your rack and how much......thanks

where did you happen to get it also...thanks

papajohn10 March 06, 2008 15:08

No, Mert, the Stealth Indra is connecting Io Signature phono stage to the K-1xe preamp. I may try it on the C-5xe CD player soon.

But the Transparent ICs connect the TV cable box and the Tuner to the preamp, so the Indra and the Transparent are never feeding a signal together. I have found that the Purist Dominus ferox Rev C balanced and the Virtual Dynamics Revelation 2.0 balanced, while they have some different nuances are more similar than different in sound. Which I prefer really depends on my mood.

If you are interested in discussing cables further, send me an email.

Best,

Ed

cipherjuris November 23, 2007 17:30

Cipherjuris

are using stealth indra together with Transparent ref xlr interconnects?

mert October 08, 2007 08:19

Thanks, Cello. I will do that this weekend. Just got back from a trying trip to Chicago. 4 hours on the plane instead of a little over 2 because of flying around bad weather.

Ed

cipherjuris July 19, 2007 21:19

.
Hi Ed,
.
Since my last posting to your system listing encouraging youto get an SRA stand for your Turntable, I bought a Minus K workstation to use in concert with my SRA stand for my Teres TT. The sonic improvements from the combination of the two pieces is nothing short of amazing, simply stunning.
.
The Minus K when added to the SRA vaulted my TT into a much improved level of reproduction. The SRA is sitting on top of the Minus K (http://www.minusk.com ) and the TT on top of the SRA..
.
I bought their work station version which doubles as a great stand for my turntable while affording the benefits of the Minus K isolator. If you have space, I think this is a lifetime solution for your turntable (email me offline if you want to know more about it).
.
I am also planning on getting together with Richard Byrd of Rives (we have had a couple of conversations) in the future. In the interim, a friend who attended the NY Audio Show recently came back raving about room treatments from Real Traps (www.realtraps.com). He said that every room (5) that had Real Trap treatments sounded better than any of the other rooms he visited. He thought is was too much of a coincidence and called me to tell me about his experience (he now also has a room ful of their treatments after hearing what it did for my room).
.
Ethan at Real Traps was very informative, helpful and easy to work with. Their prices are more than reasonable and they allowed me to purchase several pieces with the idea that I could return any or all of what I bought. They shipped my order within about two days, I had them 3 days latter.
.
I had a bunch of friends coming for an audio weekend and decided to take the plunge try the Real Traps to improve things for the weekend. What a great move that turned out to be. The sonic improvements were wonderful. Ethan was quite helpful in advising me what to do for the room. Again, email me offline if you have an interest. I would be more than happy to share my experience in more detail.
.
Rgds,
Larry
.

cello July 15, 2007 08:35

Ed, I'm sure that you'd reap great rewards from the investment in Rive's services. If you haven't yet done so, check out their website. They've done some amazing work integrating acoustic controls into the living space with minimal visual clues to their presence. If you wanted to take a less pricey initial trip into the realm of acoustics, ASC offers consultation/analysis for about $75-150 hr. depending on what's being done. Good luck, Will

photon46 June 27, 2007 16:12

Photon46,

I really appreciate your post and thoughts. Room acoustic treatment is next on my list, too. But I confess I have been hesitant to get into it (a) because it is such a black art and I know next to nothing about it, (b) because as you say they are hard to integrate aesthetically, and (c) they cause non-audiophiles to think you're weird.

I guess I will have to look into Rive's Audio since I would definitely feel more comfortable with some sort of a plan based on some kind of an analysis by someone who is supposed to have some expertise in this black art.

cipherjuris June 27, 2007 13:39

Ed, There were a number of internet "ezine" reviews of the Argent "Room Lenses" after they first hit the market. I really enjoy DIY aspects of our hobby and when Jon Risch published his recipe for DIY types I decided to try them out. With my previous planar speakers, they were only marginally effective, but in the new room, with the dynamic speakers, different story. Like you say, the positive aspect of modern open floor plans (impossible to find anything else here in central Fla.) is that they break up standing waves. The down side is less than stellar imaging. The Room Lenses really do help imaging, the center fill is fuller and instrument placement is more precise, etc. I was pretty gobsmacked at the positive improvement. If you Google "Argent Room Lens," there are a bunch of reviews. Every so often a trio shows up for sale here on the 'Gon.
When I saw your floor paln I wondered if you'd entered into room acoustics and corrective measures. It's probably the next thing I'm going to work on again. It's very fortuitous that you can have your seating away from the rear wall. We have to have our seating too close to the wall and I need to treat that wall to help cancel reflections. Room acoustics aren't sexy and they are hard to integrate aesthetically, but they are as important or more so than components. I've definitely thought it would be money well spent to have Rive's Audio do a basic room analysis and get their recommendations.

photon46 June 27, 2007 03:18

Thanks for the nice comments. You are the first who noticed and identified the Stackhouse. My wife and I do really enjoy the system. The Exemplar 5910 has really changed things for us because now we play our DVD video concerts because the sound is so great.

You also have a nice system and room and an eye for decor, color and arrangement. The fan's a really nice touch. Rug too. Can't identify the art from the photos.

Our rooms appear to be similar. Our walls are not symmetrical, our ceiling is cathedral and it opens into other rooms especially the kitchen. One positive though is that it breaks up standing waves. However, I'm curious about the room tunes next to your speakers. I've never seen them before.

I see others have been encouraging you to go to projection. We went with a ceiling mount and found that it's unobtrusive with a small projector. The 92" screen and great sound make going out to the movies less of a draw. We stayed with 2-channel sound and do not miss surround sound at all.

Ed

cipherjuris June 26, 2007 21:41

Classy system Cipherjuris, well chosen components. I'm sure you get much enjoyment from it. Good taste in art too. I really like that Bob Stackhouse print, one of my favorites.

photon46 June 26, 2007 15:46

System edited: I have been seeking a DVD player with sound comparable to the Ayre C-5xe universal CD player and better video than my aging Pioneer DV-47A. I more than found it with the Exemplar Statement Denon 5910 with balanced XLR audio output, Teflon V-Caps, tube output stage with NOS Amperex Pinch Waist E180CC and Sylvania 5670 tubes. This unit has a wider, deeper & taller soundstage than the Ayre. It has powerful, deep base as the Ayre, though not as tight, seems as dynamic as the Ayre but fills the room with richer, fuller, more emotional sound rather like the Aesthetix Io Signature. It does not sound digital. The video is much improved over the Pioneer and seems almost film-like. The Exmplar Denon 5910 allows us to really enjoy our DVD video concerts. We have also been experimenting with cables. The Purist 20th Anniversary PC has become our reference power cord. In our system, it has all the strenghts of the Virtual Dynamics Revelation & the Transparent PowerLink MM, but it contributes to more 3-D imaging and separation in a wider, deeper & taller soundstage and seems to contribute to a more natural sound. The Stealth Dream for preamps is cooler and more laid back than the Purist 20th Anniversary, but very transparent and detailed. The Virtual Dynamics Revelation 2.0 XLR IC has everything, a warm but dynamic sound, deep authoritative base, great tonal balance, exquisite low level detail and imaging within a wide, deep & tall soundstage -- not that it should not have all those things at its ridiculous MSRP. The Purist Dominus XLR IC is almost as good as the Revelation 2.0 in most areas but is warmer with a more liquid mid-range and is somewhat less detailed. The Stealth Indra is a single-ended RCA IC and because of that perhaps unfair to compare with the others that are balanced. I have not had this cable long enough to take its measure in my system, but it does not give up anything in imaging and soundstaging. Lastly, I have added an Integra NVS-7.7 media center, primarily for slide shows and occasionally recording a something from TV, and a new Zektor component switch, which provides a big improvement in picture quality over the old switch.

cipherjuris June 26, 2007 05:28

Hi Larry,

Thanks for the compliments on the system and the suggestions.

Alan did finally get the phono cable adapter to me. I had a struggle keeping a solid connection with the cartridge clips on the tonearm wire, but Colleen Cardas was kind enough to make an adapter for the adapter that solved the problem. And you're right cooking the tonearm wire and the phono cable helped a lot, especially because the Aqueous Anniversary seems to take about 700 hours to fully break in.

Your thought about gilding the lilly by adding an Ohio stand under the SME is intriguing. I have a space problem though. If the TT is raised even an inch it will obstruct part of the projection screen behind it. I would have to raise the screen maybe four inches which would mean that I would have to raise the projector which would be a real undertaking. When I replace the projector I will have to re-engineer the entire hanging support for the projector, so I'm going to put the Ohio/SME project on hold until I have to re-engineer the projector support anyway.

My current projects include adding an Integra media center primarily to run automated slide shows of our trips to Ireland, Italy, Australia etc. set to appropriate music; replacing my old Pioneer DVD player with an Exemplar 5910 and rolling cables.

But mostly my wife and I are really enjoying the music!

Best,

Ed

cipherjuris June 07, 2007 20:10

Hi Ed,
.
Great set up…and nicely thought out.
.
If you have not received the phono cable adapter for Alan’s Cable Cooker, do pursue him with regular emails / phone calls. It took a little over 3 months for me to get mine after having received the Cable Cooker.
.
Cooking the phono cable makes a wonderful improvement on what I thought was an already well broken in phono cable (in this case a Graham I-70).
.
Since you are already a fan of the SRA stands, you might give some thought towards getting a stand to put under your SME TT. I was quite stunned at what the standard SRA did for my Teres TT and have just ordered an Ohio class to replace the standard unit.
.
Best Regards,
Larry
.

cello June 03, 2007 07:54

Cipherjuris, The VTL pre I'm very happy with. It's very pure sounding meaning that it doesnt add too much warmth to the sound which I like, Very fast, and has a killer low end as well. Heck even cardas spkr. cable clouded up my stereo's sound as compared to the straightwire crescendo I recently installed.
Back to the preamp, I think the next move is to get a phono option for the VTL and also a vinyl rig being that I see no near future need to replace. SME's Model 10 looks enticing

velocityofhue May 21, 2007 08:03

Thanks guys (Velocityofhue & Stiltskin)!

Before the Wilson Sophias, I had Thiel 3.0s for about 16 years. Loved them. Velocityofhue, how do you like you VTL preamp?

Ed

cipherjuris May 07, 2007 20:30

Ed,.... What a system you have!.... I know what your S.M.E. table with that fantastic Dynavector and phono stage you have can do.SO ALIVE. I hope to have the S.M.E. 20/12 sometime this year. Regards Mark

stiltskin May 07, 2007 13:41