Description

I am back, folks. My system was the third most talked about system after Mike Levine's and Albert Porter's.

For some personal reasons I took a break from audio. But I am back with good news and not so thrilling news. The not so thrilling news is that the system is unchanged. And the good news is that it is so hard to improve it, regardless of the price -- I do not know what to upgrade, except may be cables -- as I hit the peak performance from my perspective. The sound thrills me still every time I listen. Still, 140plus tubes, embedded in the finest of amps and pre-amp driving a legendary speaker that can give a good run for money to speakers costing $100k plus, all making heat and magic at the same time. Wow, life is good.

Acknowledgements:

There are several people I wish to acknowledge who have helped me a great deal in building this system:

1. Charlie, who designed one of the finest preamps. Although, TRL Dude is marginally better, the Charlie X-2 will stay with me for ever and will continue to provide listening pleasures

2, Paul Weitzel of Tube Research Labs (TRL) for his helping on tuning the amps and on his feedback on many other technical aspects of the system at the micro and macro level.

3. David Royalty for building nice wooden battery casing for the TRL moded Sony CD player and also for numerous technical feedbacks.

4. Ivan Li of Hong Kong for showing me the insight into planar speaker placement.

5. Steve Dobbins of Xact audio for coming all the way from Idaho to install the tonearm and overall turntable tune up.

6. many visitors who have graced my listening room with their presence.

7. All audio friends who are not mentioned above.

8. Audiogoners who continue to post interesting and thought provoking comments here.
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Room Details

Dimensions: 27’ × 17’  Large
Ceiling: 10’


Components Toggle details

    • Apogee Acoustics Fullrange
    The Apogee Apogee
    • Sony Tube Research Labs moded DVP-S900V
    Tube Research Labs modified model DVP-900V and 535
    • Microseiki RX-1500fvg
    Micro Seiki Turntable
    • Reed tonearm 2P
    Reed 2P Tonearm being setup by Steve Dobbins
    • Ortofon A-90
    Ortofon A90
    • TRL, Inc. GTR-800
    GT-800
    • Charlie's DIY X-2
    based on Walt Jung's research paper
    • TRL, Inc. Dude
    TRL Dude
    • TRL, Inc. GT-400
    TRl GT-400
    • Pass Labs X-ONO
    X-ono phono stage
    • Denon 102R
    Denon 103R
    • Element Miscellaneous
    Miscellaneous
    • DIY speaker cables DIY
    DIY speaker cables
    • SME 3009r
    SME tonarm
    • TTWeight Audio Tip Toes
    TTWeight Audio
    • TTWeight Audio Tip Toes
    TTWeight Audio Tiptoes
    • DIY Turntable Stand
    DIY made wooden platform for the turntable
    • DIY Vibraplane support tennis balls
    My idea and it works perfectly, removed the vibration hum
    • REL Acoustics Stadium mkII
    Used only for home theater
    • TTWeight Audio Motor feet
    Motor feet
    • DIY Sound diffusor Cityline
    I made it myself
    • DIY cityline diffusor made of styrofoam
    cityline diffusor made of styrofoam
    • Chinese painting one of my favorite collections
    Oneof my favorite collections
    • Paul Weitzel Tube Research Labs
    My guest
    • Steve Dobbins Eact Audio
    As my guest
    • Albert Von Schweikert Famous spekaer design
    I am his guest and he was a very kind host
    • Apogee Acoustics Scintilla
    Previous system
    • Apogee Acoustics Centaur Major
    One of my favorite speakers
    • Apogee Acoustics Slant 8
    Slant 8 system
    • Apogee Acoustics Stage
    Apogee Stage Butterfly, my term for the attempted stacked Apogee Stages.
    • house audio room
    audio room construction

Comments 276

Showing all comments by knghifi.

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Gallant_diva, thanks for the info.

knghifi

Are the TRL GT200, GT400 and GT800 quiet? Any transformer mechanical hum or speaker HF hiss?

knghifi

Gallant_diva, how about the amps? I THINK GT400 takes 20 Duelands so 40 for GT800?

Paul said he will be visiting many TRL owners in TX. Probably easier for him to fly in than shipping the monsters back to Washington for tune-ups.

knghifi

Gallant_diva, I guess Paul is visiting TX in coming months and bringing goodies. Is your checkbook ready? Upgrading your amps and pre is big $$ LOL!

knghifi