Room opens into dining/kitchen on right side of listening area. Lots of glass on two walls, but many houseplants, bookshelves, rug, and absorbent furniture prevents echo. Ceiling is tall and sloping upward in direction of speakers and paneled with raw cedar -- helps reduce problematic reflections significantly.
System built since late 2019 year with mix of new and used components and tweaks. Minimal dealer assistance -- assembled from reviews/forums/recommendations/serendipity with great success, although of course many iterations and revolving components to get here. But Lucas from Lucas Audio Labs and Erik at Gig Harbor Audio have made stellar recommendations regarding front-end cables and speakers respectively.
Speakers in front of corner of room rather than long/short walls to maximize overall room comfort and space. Experience is relatively near-field, approx. 90" equilateral triangle from listening position.
Absolare Signature Integrated replaced EAR 868 and Nagra PSA/Wavestream Kinetics M100s in September 2021. So much power, such a big 3D soundstage, so much texture! Maybe the last amp I'll own. Truly another league of high-end. It's that good...
All-streaming digital-based system using Roon/Qobuz/Tidal. Lampizator Atlantic TRP is my favorite DAC so far. Custom Lucas Audio Labs music server/Roon server which sends USB out to MiniDSP SHD. Can't recommend Lucas Audio Labs highly enough...
Sold my Omega single-driver speakers + subwoofers, replaced them with Harbeth 30.2s, then Graham Audio LS 5/9s, now LS 5/5s (purchased new). Incredible transparency, natural voicing, balanced sound with astonishing soundstage.
Dedicated 30amp line with SR Orange and PS Audio plugs has been biggest non-component upgrade and dramatically improved the noise floor.
Custom Roon core/server with 1TB hard drive. Separate chassis for power supply. Running Roon for database management and streaming Tidal and Qobuz.
Lampizator Atlantic TRP
Demo purchased mid 2021; currently running with F2A driver tubes
miniDSP SHD
Using DIRAC to smooth the bass response in my room below 100hz, this has been a major improvement.
Black Cat Cable Tron Mk III
1m between Minidsp and DAC; truly incredible cable transforms sound in the whole system
Echole Cables Omnia
1m XLR between DAC and Integrated
Audio Illuminati Reference One
2m power cords on all components right now
David Laboga Sapphire
USB and Ethernet cables
David Laboga GSR
4m speaker cables
Isoacoustics Oreas
Under DAC, server.
IsoAcoustics Gaia II
Under LS 5/5 stands.
Gig Harbor Audio Custom speaker stands
High End Novum PMR Premium Mk.II x 2
Resonator in center behind speakers and another behind listening seat for improved soundstage; I really can't say they're very effective for anything musical, but they look really nice.
ASC (Acoustic Sciences Corporation) Iso Thermal Tube Trap
Two traps nestled in two corners of the listening room.
Beautiful, Man! Graham Ls 5/5's - wow, I wonder how many pairs of those are stateside? I have a pair of LS 5/8's and love them. Not many of those around, either. Best speakers no one's ever heard of, right?
I had to show my wife this one and she said, "Wow, I love it! We could live in a place like that!" And by the way, she has very good taste in not only architecture and design, but good sounding gear too.
The resonators (I have two) are subtle but noticeable. In my room, the one behind listening position has greatest effect, bringing the soundstage forward and making it more immersive. With certain music, like Tibetan Bells, the resonators appear to be working some serious magic.
Really nice system and great looking room, It looks really well thought out and love the tweaks I have an MC-0.5 myself and was very impressed at how more relaxed things sounded.
