Friday night listening

[Carlos269]

 

[marty]

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That's an old one but a good one, said many ways by many people. Unfortunately, it is sometimes true

 

[Carlos269]

Made a minor configuration change to my reference system that allows me to change sources more efficiently without the need to physically swap our equipment or adjust gain as I go from one source to another.

The source routing modification gave me an opportunity to confirm their sound and the hierarchy among the sources, after the change:

1) Eden Acoustics Lyra media player



Great sounding source for internet radio and new music discovery

2) Weiss DAC202



A world class FireWire IEEE-1394 192KHz dac with Swiss precision, and measurements to back it up

3) T&A DAC8 DSD



DSD512 at its best

4) Modwright 105D





Upgraded tube set and maxed out with all of Dan’s modifications and tricks

 

[Carlos269]

5) MBL 1611F DAC



The mighty MBL 1611F gives the warmth and body of tubes while maintaining the precision in its articulation

6) One-of-a-kind LampizatOr DSD DAC



Latest DSD512 engine with a long list of customizations by Lukasz at LampizatOr

Still remains the apex predator source in my system:

Very much still enjoying the kool-aid of the LampizatOr.

 

[Carlos269]

Another wonderful listening session last night; followed by another great one this morning. Last night session started with one of my systems that features even more rare components than usual. As I mentioned previously, I like to own pieces of equipment that others do not have, and this system embodies that philosophy and mentality:



It uses my Eden Acoustique Lyra media player as the source to a Tube Research Labs Golden Triode Platinum preamplifier:



I own two of the Tube Research Labs Golden Triode Platinum preamplifiers and this particular unit is the one that the late Roy, aka “Roysen”, from Norway purchased from Winston Ma of First Impression Music “FIM”.





While similar looking to the Tube Research Labs Golden Triode Platinum preamplifier: that I use in my reference system, the tubes used in the power-supply and preamp are different and therefore sound uniquely different but equally great.



The signal is routed to a pair of custom and optimized passive two way line-level crossovers that splits the low bass and mods & high frequencies signals.



The mids & highs are powered by an ultra rare Threshold 800A amplifier. The 800A amplifier was Nelson Pass’ first amplifier that he designed and released commercially, under Threshold Audio. Many designers wait a lifetime for greatness, Nelson Pass hit it out of the park on his first at bat with the 800A. The 800A has a number of what were very advance technologies for its time such as adaptive response Class A bias, which Krell would go on to call Class A sustained plateau bias.



The low frequencies are driven by an even rarer Octave Research OR-1 Class A amplifier. They called this amplifier the “Silver Bullet”. Octave Research was the work of Andy Rappaport. While the Rappaport Amp-1 sounded great it was not reliable. Andy hit it out of the park on his way out of the Audio industry with the ultra mega rare and massive mirror polished Octave Research OR-1 amplifier.



the Threshold and Octave ReSearch Class A amplifiers biamp and power Gilles Millot’s masterpiece, the Leedh Acoustiques Aura II speakers. These were Gilles Millot’s all out design loudspeakers at the onset of his work at Focal.





These speakers are extremely rare and their sound is extremely transparent, articulate and organic as showcased on the new reference track:

 

[Alrainbow]

That's an old one but a good one, said many ways by many people. Unfortunately, it is sometimes true

Absolutely True ...

 

[cjfrbw]

I have to admit I have gotten into Carlos269's audio madness and custodianship. It makes me feel guilty all over, but I like it. Lots of interesting pieces.

 

[Carlos269]

I finished last night’s session listening in my dedicated listening room to one of my monitor systems:



The source for this system is a pair of ReQuest S-2500 servers are an even rarer version of the servers that would spawn into ReQuest “The Beast” server system.







The servers send their digital output streams, up samples to 24vit/96KHz via Z-Systems Audio Engineering reference sample rate converter, to the digital input cards in the mighty Mark Levinson No.40 Media Console:





This Mark Levinson No.40 Has the HDMI Input card and latest software and firmware. It takes the 24bit/96Khz digital input signal and processes it internally at 24-bit/384KHz before converting to analog for its outputs, which drive a pair of Lamm Audio Laboratory M1.1 Class A hybrid monoblocks, sitting on custom Critical Mass Systems’ Grand Master stands:





The Lamm M1.1 Class A monoblocks drive a pair of rare T+A Audio Criterion TAL XM monitors. These monitors are very special as they are rated down to 30Hz and offer both high-frequency and low frequency contouring controls:



This wonderful sounding system has an authoritative sound and great tonal balance, as can be heard on the new reference track:

 

[Alrainbow]

I finished last night’s session listening in my dedicated listening room to one of my monitor systems:

View attachment 66413

The source for this system is a pair of ReQuest S-2500 servers are an even rarer version the servers that would spawn into “The Beast” server system.

View attachment 66414

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The servers send their digital output streams, up samples to 24vit/96KHz via Z-Systems Audio Engineering reference sample rate converter, to the digital input cards in the mighty Mark Levinson No.40 Media Console:

View attachment 66417

View attachment 66418

This Mark Levinson No.40 Has the HDMI Input card and latest software and firmware. It takes the 24bit/96Khz digital input signal and processes it internally at 24-bit/384KHz before converting to analog for its outputs, which drive a pair of Lamm Laboratories M1.1 Class A hybrid monoblocks, sitting on custom Critical Mass Systems’ Grand Master stands:

View attachment 66420

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The Lamm M1.1 Class A monoblocks drive a pair of rare T+A Audio Criterion TAL XM monitors. These monitors are very special as they are rated down to 30Hz and offer both high-frequency and low frequency contouring controls:

View attachment 66422

This wonderful sounding system has an authoritative sound and great tonal balance, as can be heard on the new reference track:

Are those ML2 in the pic ....?

 

[Carlos269]

Are those ML2 in the pic ....?

Yes, they are and if I get a change to listen tonight, I will be listening to that pair of Mark Levinson ML-2 Class A monoblocks.

 

[Carlos269]

Today I spent most of the day playing around tuning and listening to my latest horn speaker based system. This is an all tube driven system:



On this system I’m streaming Tidal and sending the digital stream to my trusty dCS Elgar Plus dac:



The dCS dac serves as the source to my custom 01A Direct Heated Triode preamplifier with all tube rectified external power-supply:





The 01A preamp drives a pair of 3-way electronic crossovers with external DC linear power-supplies. A pair of massive 300B amplifiers drive the bass cabinets from 180Hz down:





The TAD TM-1201 mid-bass drivers are driven by a very rare Italian made AviA 2A3 DHT SET amplifier from 180Hz to 1200Hz:


The spherical horns’ use a set of custom modified B&C compression drivers and these are driven by my ultra rare and custom AD1 DHT SET amplifier from 1200Hz and above:





These custom horn speakers are a contradiction in terms of their raw Baltic Birch construction and their elegant and refined transparent sound:

 

[Tango]

Today I spent most of the day playing around tuning and listening to my latest horn speaker based system. This an all tube driven system:

View attachment 66433

On this system I’m streaming Tidal and sending the digital stream to my trusty DCS Elgar Plus dac:

View attachment 66434

The DCS dac serves as the source to my custom 01A Direct Heated Triode preamplifier with all tube rectified external power-supply:
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The 01A preamp drives a pair of 3-way electronic crossovers with external DC linear power-supplies. A pair of massive 300B amplifiers drive the bass cabinets from 180Hz down:

View attachment 66439

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The TAD TD-1201A mid-bass drivers are driven by a very rare Italian made AviA 2A3 DHT SET amplifier from 180Hz to 1200Hz:
View attachment 66441

The spherical horns’ use a set of custom modified B&C compression drivers and these are driven by my ultra rare and custom AD1 DHT SET amplifier from 1200Hz and above:

View attachment 66442

View attachment 66443

These custom horn speakers are a contradiction in terms of their raw Baltic Birch construction and their elegant and refined transparent sound:

You must be sitting like meditating on that couch.

 

[Carlos269]

I have a pair of ribbon super-tweeters on top that I was planning on driving with my new custom 46 amplifier but after fine tuning the system today, I’m not sure that they are needed and will remain unconnected, until I get curious when my new custom 46 amplifier arrives next week.

I really like the sound of this system and the direction that is moving in. I’m pretty happy with the results of today’s tuning and listening session:

 

[Carlos269]

You must be sitting like meditating on that couch.

The custom blue and white double chair is for listening to the Accuphase, Klyne, Micro-Seiki, Tannoy system on the front wall. The power cable on the chair and general arrangement of the equipment around the chair is temporary while I fine tuned the speaker crossover, selected the amplifiers for the various frequency ranges and fine tuned their gain levels. As you can see from the video above, I’m using the French farm chair to listen to this horn system. Here is a better view of the room layout:



I will post a video of listening to my Accuphase, Klyne, Micro-Seiki, Tannoy system from the custom blue and white double chair in the future. It is hard to tell from the picture perspective as all the equipment is massive but there is plenty of room for me to sit and nest comfortably, with my feet on the ground, in the double chair while I listen to the system across from it.

 

[defride]

Looks like a Muse Model 200 int, tucked off to the side, top shelf? A rare thing and no longer made(?), I had one some years ago and enjoyed it at the time.

 

[Carlos269]

Looks like a Muse Model 200 int, tucked off to the side, top shelf? A rare thing and no longer made(?), I had one some years ago and enjoyed it at the time.

Yes, it is a rare Muse model 200 integrated. It is actually on duty powering our outdoor/pool-side speakers. My wife enjoys streaming Tidal high quality high resolution music when in the pool or in the hot tub,/spa, when grilling or when we are just sitting outside by ourselves or with family and friends enjoying the cool summer nights. I also enjoy having high quality sound when cleaning the Porches and the Moto-Guzzi motorcycles. The need for high quality music reproduction extends far and wide in our family of music lovers.

 

[Carlos269]

Continued fine tuning my new Oblate Spheroidal horn based system. I increased the treble spectral content and it made a noticeable improvement. These Oblate Spheroid horns offer such a wide open presentation with large sweet spot. The AD1 tube amplifier let’s it’s magic flow with delicate details.





This is a really wonderful sound system, with an all tube amplification chain:



The improvement that the increase in high frequency energy brought about is quite evident on the new reference track:

 

[cjfrbw]

You may have mentioned it, but what is the diaphragm material of the oblate horn?

 

[Carlos269]

You may have mentioned it, but what is the diaphragm material of the oblate horn?

Diaphragm Material : Titanium

 

[Carlos269]

I think we have all been in this position, when your system is so dialed in and sounds so good that you don’t want to touch it or make any changes to it. That’s were I have been with my 4-way TAD horn based system with the massive 36” Sadurni Acoustics mid bass horns:



But, curiosity got the best of me and today I swapped the custom horns on the TAD drivers for the much larger TAD TH-4002 horns with APAXIAL dispersion pattern and AFAST tuning technologies:



I was very apprehensive of making any changes to this system as it has been optimized and sounding great, but the change to the larger TAD horns turned out to be an improvement:

This system has become a favorite of mine and currently ranks as my second favorite system after my Wisdom Audio Adrenaline Rush based reference system. This 4-way active crossovered system is gold: