Show us Your Kit!

Well, my system has settled for the most part:



CD player: Rotel RCD-991 with clock upgrade, copper plating, other improvements forthcoming.

Amp: Rotel RA-971mkII with IEC inlet mod.

Speakers: Meadowlark Kestrel Hot Rod

Mains: Omiga Audio modified Trichord Powerblock 500, Audusa Eupen cables.

Rack: Custom "Project Tonne Control". 30mm granite shelves, suspended on inner tubes, sand-filled uprights, soundcare superspikes. Total mass (without hifi) around 90kg.

Interconnect: Omiga Audio Spitfire

Speaker Cable: Tara Labs RSC Prime Biwire

Now working on amplification...

 

it was time for another update



Stereo amplifier - Plinius CD Lad Pre and 8200P Power Black Rhodium Oratorio 2 DCT Polar i/c ( Blackcurrent by Signals IEC leads)


CD player - SAT Upsampling CD Fix (Sonic Link Black Rhodium XLR fully balanced i/c :JPS: ;

Black Rhodium Supermains 25 Rhodium plated, filtered IEC lead, Nordost Pulsar Points :JOEL: )


AV Stuff
Panasonic TX28 PL1c 28" widescreen CRT.

DVD/DVD-A/SACD
Pioneer DV747a

DVDR
JVC DRM10
AV amplifier
Harman Kardon AVR4500

Centre speaker
ALR Jordan Entry centre

Rear speakers
Mordaunt Short MS903 bipoles and MS304 rear centre

Freeview box - Philips DTR1500 (Straightwire s-video lead)


Specialist PC CDRW - Yamaha CRWF1 (p4 2.8ghz HT pc)

Front speakers - Vaessen Box High end studio monitors (Townshend Isolda s/wire; Target R2 speaker stands)

Headphones - Sony MDRCD780 (Sennheiser HD565 Ovation in Study)



Digital Piano (you gotta have it) - Roland FP5

DJ Mixer - Behringer VMX100 :SCIDB:

Hifi rack - Optimum 3406

Mains block - Black Rhodium Supermains 25 (yes it does make a difference!)





Lounge system
Vincent SV236
TEAC VRDS25x
Sony STSE300 tuner
Denon DRW750
varying speakers- Pure Sat 4 as we speak!


Study system
PYE 6390 6290 pre power
Sony SSA1l
Terratec DMX 6fire sound card

In car entertainment:
Becker 7945 satnav/cd/bluetooth/mp3 headunit
US Amps 1000x component amplifier
US Amps IS2100 midbass amplifier
US Amps MD1d subwoofer amplifier
Phase Linear Aliante subwoofer with PBRs
Focal k3P Kevlar 4 way component set
Nordost Flatline Gold wiring

 

Here's mine:

Turntable: Roksan TMS with DS1.5 PSU
Arm: Roksan Artemiz
Cartridge: Dynavector Karat Nova
Phono Amp: Exposure 13

CDT: 47 Labs Shigaraki
DAC: 47 Labs Shigaraki

Pre Amp: Exposure 21
Power Amp: Exposure 4DR

Speakers: Neat Elite

Cables: Exposure cable between pre and power. 47 Labs cable for the rest

Support: Apollo Aria rack with Neuance isolation boards, Mana SB1 under speakers.

Future Plans: Miyabi/47 cartridge, outboard x-over for the elites, PSU upgrade for the dac, another pair of SB1 in that order but not in a hurry

 

TWR You gotta laugh

 

2-channel system:
Sources
Linn LP12 maple plinth/Cirkus/Trampolin/LingoI, Linn EkosI arm with T-kable, Ortofon Kontrapunkt B cartridge
Linn Linto stepup
Slimdevices Transporter network player, wireless
Control/Amps
Music First passive pre TVC (copper version)
Prima Luna Seven valve monoblocs x 2
Speakers/Display
Linn Akurate 212 (passive) speakers
Grundig Montreal TV

5-channel system:
Sources
Marantz DV9500 universal CD/DVD/SACD/DVD-A player, 720p/1080i picture
Sony PS3 Blu-Ray player
Slimdevices Squeezebox network player gen 3 wireless
Topfield TF5510PVR twin-tuner PVR for satellite
Control/Amps
Linn Kinos AV processor
Four amps comprising:
Linn 2250 stereo amp with active card driving L/R lower bass active
Linn AV5125 5ch amps times two for active L/R tweeters, super-tweeters, mid and upper bass and one rear channel
Linn Chakra C6100 amp for active centre speaker and one passive rear speaker
Speakers/Display
Linn Akurate 242 penta-amped active stereo speakers
Linn Akurate 225 penta-amped active centre
Linn Katan passive rear speakers on stands
Velodyne DD15 active subwoofer with digital room eq
Sony Pearl VW50 SXRD projector in full hi-def, 1080p
Adeo Greyvision motorized screen, 2.35m wide, 16:9

Misc
minidisc, radio, VCR, PS2, USB-to-radio transmitter
linn silver i/cs (some homemade with Eichmann bullets)
Nordost Solar Wind and Blue Heaven pentawired speaker cables for 242s
Zanash IO Silver IC for Transporter
Zanash silver cables pentawired for centre speaker
Bettercables HDMI and Supra s-video cables
Quadraspire racks in maple for sources and amps
Logitech Harmony 885 universal remote
Disco Antistat discwasher, fluid mixed at home, state-licensed technical propanol buyer
Sound-diffusing foam at first reflection points, home-built bass traps as diagnosed by DD-15 display

Spare kit
Linn LP12/Nirvana/Valhalla from 1979
Linn Ittok arm
Hafler DH101 preamp with LesW powersupply and caps from early 80s
Two Linn 2250 power amps from 2002
1 pair Linn Isobariks from late 80s (before Kustone)
1 Aktiv crossover for briks
1 Aktiv crossover for briks with Dirak power supply and Bingo board
1 Linn Sizmik 10.25 sub
Ortofon MCA76 headamp with quadraphonic button, late 70s

 

Ere it all is again...
Vinyl:
Clearaudio Revolution with SME 3009/2 and Clearaudio Aurum Beta S

Phono Stage:
EAR 834P deluxe

CD:
Advantage S1

Pre-amp:
Bow Technolgies Warlock SE (and fallback Lumley Reference Passive)

Power amps:
Bryston 14BSST (600w!!)

Speakers:
Ditton 66/2 (with very occasional Marshall Jubilee 2x300w bass head powering 2x15" EV bass cab for times when there isn't enough bass - which is virtually never unless I'm trying to shift the Cambrian Fault again...)

Support:
Finite Element Pagode (amps/cd)
2" solid maple on modded Target wall shelf (TT)

Cables:
Clearaudio Trident (TT-phono stage)
DIY maplins twin and screen with Neutrik Phonos everywhere else

Mains:
DIY star-earthed/screened thing made from tv studio bits...

TV stuff:
Denon 1910 into Panasonic AE500 projector

Can't be bothered with mains re-shaping etc.. Out here there's only about 6 houses connected to the local sub-station!

edited to add new cdp
edited again to add new power amp
edited to add new pre-amp, serious extra bling!

 

herewith my current rig....not as detailed as others but none the less i like it!

cd :
naim CDI

turntable:
linn axis, basic plus arm with K9

amps:
naim 42.5/ hicap / 110

all naim cables on a no naim support

Dave :MILD:

when can i get my own avatar?

 

When you've made at least 2 posts

Michael.

 

My humble system...

Pioneer PD-S505 Precision CD player as transport (modded a la Eikos)
Tag McLaren F3 DAC20
Densen Beat 200 Pre-amp
Audiolab 8000P Power-amp (Coherent Systems tweaked)
Humax 8000T PVR used as radio source for DAC
Meadowlark Shearwater Hotrod loudspeakers (Coherent Systems tweaked) on Platfoam/Argos granite chopping board plinths
Perreaux SXH1 headphone amp
Sony MDR CD1700 headphones

All equipment on soundstyle rack; shelves formed by 12mm think neoprene sandwiched between MDF.

Mains:

Trichord "Statement" (Coherent Systems tweaked) powering all but power amp & sub.

Cables:

Campaign Audio Design Anacreon IC (DCT treated by Frozen Solid and re-terminated with Eichmann silver bullets) (DAC-Pre)
Campaign Audio Design Anacreon IC (Pre-Power)
Orpheus Mithril speaker cable
VdH D102 MkIII (DAC-headphone amp)

2nd system:

Sony CDP XE510 CD player
Pioneer A400 integrated amp
Mission 731i speakers
Sony ST-SE 500 tuner

Kitchen:

Tivoli Model One radio

Spare (to be sold when I get round to it - feel free to make me an offer!)

AVI Pro-Nine speakers
Ruark Log-Rhythm subwoofer on Platfoam/paving slab plinth

 

thank you for Michael for your prompt reply

dave

 

So Merlin, are you going to let that lot warm up a bit before selling them?

Why didn't you stick with the Tact stuff? Thought you were happy with it.

-- Ian

 

Ian,

I was happy. Sadly, the TacT power amp was incompatible with my plans to run a turntable at some point in the near future, so this meant a substantial rejig. Still the good news is it hasn't actually cost me anything

 

Just a little thing but very important thing I need to add to my spec. Thats blu-tac.

 

replaced MS860s with Celestion Kingstons. But you knew that already, didn't you

 

Hi y'all!

My hifi:

Code:

          Meridian 507 CD player
 
                    ||
          Ecosse Reference MA-2
                    ||
                    \/
 
               ATC CA-2 preamp
 
                    ||
          AudioSource Stratos XLR
                    ||
                    \/
 
           ATC Active 10 speakers
                     +
          ATC Concept 4 subwoofer
  (w/ Behringer Feedback Destroyer for EQ)

The electronics sit on an old cheapie rack from Richer Sounds. The Active 10s sit on a pair of old (but very good) Target R6 (I believe) stands. I also have an old Denon DU-260 tuner that I don't use very often. And for late-night listening I have a pair of the superb Sennheiser HD-600 headphones.


My home cinema (integrated with my hifi):

Code:

                                   HTPC
                                     ||
                           cheapie 5m phono cable
                                     ||
                                     \/
                         Yamaha DSP-E800 processor
                                     ||
           +==================================================+
           ||                        ||                        ||
 AudioSource Stratos XLR          QED QNex              cheapie RCA-XLR
           ||                        ||                        ||
           \/                        \/                        \/
    3 x ATC Active 10         Mission 77DS surrounds   ATC Concept 4 sub
                                                        (w/ BFD for EQ)

Oh yeah, and a Sanyo PLV-Z1 projector.

I listen to all sorts of music, though I'm not very good at naming genres (whoever invented genres should be shot at dawn). Examples of favourite artists: Radiohead, Blur, Massive Attack, Prodigy, Dust Brothers, R.E.M., Tori Amos, Enya (seriously!), Dire Straits, Fiona Apple, Air, Bob Dylan, Led Zep, Caetano Veloso, Nirvana, Leonard Cohen, Pearl Jam, Ani DiFranco, Counting Crows, Bjork, Garbage, Rage Against the Machine, Pink Floyd........ I also like jazz of all sorts, though my experience and knowledge in the area is sadly lacking. I'm also a diehard John Williams fan (the film score composer). Oh, and I also love classical - Beethoven, Vivaldi, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Haydn, Holst, Chopin, and more, though like jazz I'm constantly trying to discover more.

I'm a regular at AV Forums and [more recently] AV Talk, but I'd say my interests are more heavily weighted towards hifi than home cinema. As such I'm looking forward to taking part in these most excellent fora.

Cheerio,

Dunc

P.S. - Please excuse the diagrams - I was bored. (Someone want to give me a job?)

 

Welcome aboard Duncan. I recognize your nick from AV Forums

Michael.

 

Thank you sir.

As for upgrades... Well, I recently rearranged my room by 90 degrees and though the overall sound is much better, the new arrangement has brought out a pair of nasty room modes at 47 and 78Hz. I'm hoping to get me some bass traps at some point to cure them. Not cheap, though. There also appears to be a slight edge to the treble that I'm guessing is caused by the speakers position relative to the wall. I'm hoping to get some Auralex or similar room treatment panels for the wall to maybe sort that out.

Other than that, I'd say my hifi is pretty much complete until I can afford some real heavyweights (hoping to one day own a pair of ATC Active 50s, or maybe the superb ART Expressions I heard the other day, though neither speaker can really be considered "affordable"...)

I do need to upgrade my home cinema setup, though. I desperately need a proper processor - the cheapie Yamaha really doesn't do justice to the ATCs. I'm hoping for something like a Lexican DC-2/MC-1, or maybe a Meridian 565 or 561.

I'm also hoping to upgrade the Mission surrounds to maybe ATC SCM-7s, and a decent secondhand stereo power amp to match.

Other than that, I'm pretty happy with my system as it is.

Dunc

 

Nice to see you over here Dunc... :MILD:

 

'Brigado Lowrider.

(What would your name be in Portuguese - something like "Baixoneiro"? )

Dunc

 

erm......barring a number of scattered and unconnected pieces of hifi apparatus, i am rapidly approaching a state of music maker oblivion.

Currently seeking the hifi scrapheaps for seperates of mass musical potency.

I request a further 600million dollars from the ZG management for the indefinite interim period of vain exploration for audio nirvana. I expect the full continuation of all my priviledges throught this troubling time.

Any dissent expressed towards this futile adventure will be struck down ferociously with mammoth tuners of a 1970's vintage. Amid the carnage, battered corpses will be surreptitiously removed and incarcerated for an indefinite period on a Naim infested island, wheeled around on Mana trolleys and shackled with tuning forks, blindfolded even to the simmering olive haze.