Visit to Marc C.'s (SpiritOfMusic's) House in England

[spiritofmusic]

Guys, thanks for the great words of support.
Ron will tell you how stressed I was ahead of the big audio project.
I mean I already had an existing perfectly serviceable room I could have used elsewhere in the chapel.
But at 18x12x9, I knew my sound wouldn't "fly" as well as the room I now use.
Still, ploughing a small fortune and no amount of construction stress into it was a period that at the time could have gone badly the wrong way.
You cannot believe my relief and tbh total joy in not only not getting it wrong, but getting it so right that I in effect got a whole new system into the bargain, replicating all that I liked with so many plus points on top.
For those who've commented on the chapel, we really feel blessed (slight pun intended LOL).
We saved her from a period of decrepitude that would quickly have morphed into terminal decline.
It's a great place to live.
Hard to believe that the sale price plus restoration costs basically match what I sold my London apartment for (before agent fees/legal fees/taxes), we get a property 4x size, with this dedicated optimal space that even a fortune spent on acoustic treatments in London couldn't have got near audibly, a garden, carport, and creek alongside, ability to work a little from home, and go part time/semi retired as a result.
I got very very very lucky, and am totally humble as to the good hand life has dealt me here.

 

[KeithR]

Great write-up Ron, and glad to have a better idea of Marc's wonderful space.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Very, very pleased for you Marc. I know how much you care about the hobby - enjoy!

 

[spiritofmusic]

Keith, the Definitions 4 are absolutely alive here.
Sean Casey has a standing invite to hear them here, he needs to hear his babies really performing.
I'm sure you'd smile, I know how much of a fan of Zu you've been over time.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Yes Bill, many are the times I've driven you to distraction late at night w YET another epiphany alert! Sorry, my friend LOL.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Al, RBCD jump factor is right up there.
Just as I get my digital to be "just" so, streaming beckons.
I have a v special dac at a real world price I'm v interested in.
But TBH I'd rather not be spending here.
However, I can't deny the great music I now need to find on Tidal, and I'm not going to shortchange myself.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I'm pretty anxious/super curious at the prospect of my vinyl going back in.
18 months w'out my beloved lps is enough to turn a guy to digital for good.
This will be quite the moment when I get things sounding as I want them to do.
I'm throwing the kitchen sink at this one.
Peter Lederman of Soundsmith has taken my Straingauge cart to top factory spec, I've commissioned two overspecced psus, to the cart, and my rim drive motor, custom Al arm mount for my linear air tracker, and the piece de resistance, isolation on a Stacore Advanced.
Hoping for Nov splashdown.

 

[Leif S]

I enjoyed reading about the visit very much Ron and the beautiful pics. Congrats Marc on a beautiful set up and home

 

[XV-1]

Nice report Ron

Marc. Awesome house and such a great large listening room.

I look forward to finally reading about the turntable when set up again.

 

[PeterA]

Marc, you should start a virtual system page where you can wax poetic about the future changes to your system. I'm sure there would be much interest.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Peter, maybe.
I've always been in two minds about that, I always thought I would stay more anonymous.
But no doubt the radical change wrought by the room means I'm more bullish about my decisions, so maybe it'll happen.
The only caveat is that I'm more a boutique audio guy than uber fi brands.
I'm not sure how many people are that interested to hear about NAT, Zu etc.
These products are really close to my heart, and now especially the gear that is focussing my sound to a place I'd never have thought possible, namely Stacore isoln and Sablon Reserva/Elite cables.
The changes I'm getting w these last two are off the scale.

 

[twitch]

Cool house Marc ! my son has the same Zu's, nice kit !

 

[morricab]

Hey Ron, well you did threaten to write about yr visit.
I guess you're a man of your word.
Thanks for such positive comments, I guess it's been a two decade journey of getting
1- what I want from gear, ie tonal density, texture and effortless slam, from my NAT SETs and Zu high efficiency full range drivers synergy, to natural warmth from my Eera cdp, to full, fast and linear sound from my rim drive tt/air arm, and
2- allowing this to remain untouched by the new room, but expanded in all directions w the things I didn't have in London, ie proper bass extension and control, much more transparency, and soundstaging to a much greater level (although as Ked knows, I don't rate the whole precision placement thing never hearing it live).
And so now I get my beloved tone density, w more effortless spread and spooky quiet calm.
I'm glad Ron managed to get some of this, cheers my good friend .

Good stuff Marc! Of course I like the NAT gear . Two questions though: Why not NOS tubes in the Utopia? and: Why do you sit nearly 5 meters from the speakers? I have found that gives too much reverberant field and something more like 3-3.5 meters works better. Not sure if you played with where your chair sits or not but just my own experiences.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Twitch, Zu are the most derided brand in the high end, but despite needing careful setup to sound of their best, they just do the tone density thing for me better than most.
Tell your son he's a fellow of great taste and discretion.
And they directly led me to getting into SETs, a move I'm unlikely ever to undo.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Brad, what tubes would you recommend? We've gone Electro Harmonix, I'm at the will of my dealer here.
Re sitting 15' back, you can blame Blue58 for this.
We were taking in the system a couple of months back, tried it, and despite my initial misgivings, I soon came to like it.
This is all v subjective, I may go back to the 12' I used to favour.
Otoh, I'm not getting the near field trend of 9' that guys like Mike L have hit on.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Marslo, yes Citroen DS21, '68 vintage.
A lot of fun (between repairs), and a crazy hobby me and Ra both enjoy equally (she's not so into the primary audio pursuit of mine).

 

[microstrip]

Congratulations Marc - it was great to see you magnificent space, including the gardens, and learn about your system fantastic sound quality. Applying the reverse hyperbolic filter to Ron report, I have no doubt that it is a fabulous system!

 

[jazdoc]

Marc,

you have an awesome beautiful spot there, and I'm very happy for you. and thanks to Ron for his thoughtful write-up and pictures.

the Chapel is priceless, and your room looks perfect. like Ron says, sit back and enjoy. don't stress over what it's not quite, but enjoy what it absolutely is.

you have really captured something special and ought to feel very, very, good about it.

enjoy....and congrats!!!!

Mike

+1

 

[Barry2013]

Many congratulations Marc.
Clearly fitting reward for all your hard work.

 

[NorthStar]

Marc, everything is awesome, including your contagious happy smile and the two brown leather couches.