Lots of challenges with this upstairs room - the room is extensively treated (that large black "thing" in the corner was tuned to remove an especially bad resonance), but low bass still makes the whole house shake (the speakers are flat to 25). One advantage of the Alsyvox's in a relatively narrow room is that they can be placed within 6 inches of the side walls, but of course if I could widen the room I would:-)
Love at first audition. Zero regrets: Will never exhaust their potential, but wonderful as is.
The Backert Labs Rhythm 1.3
Acquired after extensive listening (thanks Dr. Vinyl). Like the amps - see next item - these strike me as offering truly exceptional performance at anything short of stratospheric prices that I won't be able to hear in my system or afford.
New Audio Frontiers 845 SE Special Edition
This company's products should in my view be much better known. One listener found them comparable to the $80,000 (roughly) Audio Note Ongaku. I have no idea if that's true - just to say I have heard a number of fine amps in my room and this has been a keeper for a while....
Scheu Analog Das Laufwerk No.2
Another super value-for-money (I know, doesn't fit with the splurge on the Alsyvox but that's a long story!). The less expensive turntable in this line was rave-reviewed years ago in the Absolute Sound, I believe. It's as heavy as you could(n't) wish, and just presents a wonderful soundstage and detail: I replaced the belt drive with a unit from Sterling which is just better built. I am not yet settled on a long-term cartridge - will audition the Ds-audio 003.
Audio Note (UK) CD 3.1X:11
Not the quietest - no filtering, no upsampling - but creates a visceral, engaging reproduction of music which I find really appealing. I have tried to find a DAC/Streaming set-up for sub-$15,000 to match, but so far what I have heard - while smoother than the Audio Note and without moments of uncontrolled (jitter?) - has just left me under-involved.
VIVA Phono Preamp (F1?)
This is the junior version - normally a single unit, but I got a rare sample with a non-tube external power supply.
My listening room is fairly similar in size. To tame resonance and get less house shaking you need at least floor to ceiling bass traps in all 4 corners and even so your speakers can handle to be closed to the sidewalls, moving them out a couple feet away will help no matter their design. You can take a look at my system, the room is only 13'6" wide and speakers are 3 ft from sidewalls so still 7'6" apart, which is ideal, gives less bloated bass, better imaging and 3D effect. Also they seem too far from front wall, no need for more than 4ft for room this size. Just saying all that because I spent a lot of money and time figuring out my room and I see some fairly easy way for you to improve your sound ten fold. Enjoy the journey.
