I currently have RAAL CA-1a circumoral headphones. I will be getting the next uber RAAL phones.
All 3 systems are connected to a Schitt Yggi+ Less Is More DAC which gets the stream from Fibre Optic. ROON Core is the server, which is in another room (under a bed).
LA4 is connected to my Benchmark AHB2. I switch the speaker cables from the PeachTree GAN1 to the AHB2 for my analog sources. This happens each weekday from 9-12PM for my daily dose of KCRW radio.
Magnum Dynalab MD-108T
Have an MD ST-2 antenna hooked up outside the window in this room. It is hanging on the second story roof line. Tuner is connected to the LA4 preamp.
Schitt Yggi+ Less is More
Connected to the LA4 preamp
RAAL-Requisite CA-1a
Headphones with the upgraded Star8 silver headphone cable from Requisite
The Thiel's became black because I messed up the sanding of the veneer. However, I like this color more than the original brown.
The unit in-between the KRELL and the AMT3SE is the Magnum Dynalab MD 102 tuner which I use daily. A great unit though the signal from famous KCRW that I want to pickup is not the strongest.
I need to update this system description since I have sold some gear and bought others. Zeroing in on the final system.
I just got DRC added via CONVOLUTION file to my ROON server. I got Mitch Barnett from AccurateSound.ca (in Canada) to do the files.
All I can say is that this was the icing on the cake, just incredible how much improvement happened. I should create a new thread, "Big Speakers in a Small Room Part II", to describe the process.
Thanks. The liquor is long gone (tasty) and I also removed the second desk to clear out more clutter (last photo). In about 1 month I will have this system ready to do the final phase of my build out. Which is the Digital Room Correction using ROON with Convolution file(s). I have already started the DRC implementation but had to stop because we found out that 1 COAX speaker driver was damaged. I need to replace that first. I have ordered 2 new OEM COAX drivers and hope to have everything sorted out soon so that I can start the DRC implementation process again. I also need to break in the 2 new COAX drivers for about 200 hours.
I bought the Torus about 10 years ago because I was living on an apartment next to the beach that had awful electricity. I was scared that my gear would get fried so I spent the $2K for the RM15. My gear survived a few power glitches in the area.
Today I am in a great house for electricity and I am not sure if the Torus is needed for safety. The Torus does provide power to the amps on certain difficult passages so that is useful. I have never taken the Torus out of the system so I cannot tell you if it improves the sound.
I had a second headphone system recently and it was plugged into a Audio Magic power conditioner. It is kind of a stupid device that I bought in 2005. It sounded similar to the Torus system. So I think if you live in a good area for electricity the Torus maybe a lower priority item.
BTW - in a few months I am going to put a much bigger speaker into this room. PM me if you want to discuss how.
@gdnrbob I cannot make any alterations to the room. I was thinking that removing that 31" wall would make audio life easier but that is not in the cards.
I have not put up any blankets on the windows but that is something I will do if I need to deaden the room further. Room is rather good now without treatments for the LS50. It sounds very promising for a bigger speaker.
That second desk will not make a reappearance in the office. The improvement without it was huge. I can adjust my work tasks to be done on that one big desk.
@gdnrbob I am planning on placing the speakers in the same spot as the existing KEF LS50. Unfortunately this would mean I am hearing the music with my right hear closer to the speakers than the left ear, unfortunately that ear is on the other side of the head. Sounds OK at the moment doing this.
Now that I think I can get floor standers into this room, I do not want to get any small monitors anymore. I have had them for 10 years now from AudioEngine A2, Thiel SCS4, KEF LS50, Audience 1+1 V3. All because I moved to Southern Cal and lived in audio unfriendly places. Now that I have the best room in 10 years I want it to be floor stander or something that can approximate the audio happiness for me of a Thiel 3.7 or KEF Blade. I have yet to find a monitor that gave me that kind of sound.
The floor standers that I have demoed recently, Vandersteen Treo CT, Magico A3, Vivid Kaya 90, all had that big sound that I am looking for. The KEF Reference 1 not so much but it came real close.
I understand the sentiment towards using subs in my room but I have never liked separate subs and preferred the low freq to come from the speaker. I have some sensitive hearing that way, maybe a medical thing, but subs get to me in a bad way.
Today, I contacted a Canadian dealer on the Yamaha NS5000 speaker. Something, that sounds real exciting for a office system, super cool audio technology. I was told it would work in my room with room treatments (100% required) and guaranteed with the DSP of the Lyngdorf. If that observation is correct, that also means the other floor standers I have auditioned would also work with the treatments and DSP.
Treatments were delayed in shipment and went out today.
I am going to demo another floor-stander tomorrow, the Paradigm Person 3F. I maybe able to check out DSP via the Anthem components.
@hallock01 No sub in plans. Looking at one of Harbeth SHL5+, Magico A3, Vandersteen Treo CT driven by Lyngdorf 3400. I also have GIK treatments coming this week or next.
