I visited audioquattr last week and, after I swore to him that I would not say a word about this amazing new system, I had to have Tinka put duct tape over my mouth because I have been bursting at the seams wanting to tell people what I heard from this system.

From the one-of-a-kind Cessaro Zeta system we all heard in Munich this year, to the Alieno amp (which I heard at Jeroen’s over a year ago), to the Grado Epoch on the absurdly complicated looking but amazing sounding Reed 5T on a brand new TechDAS AF3 Premium sitting on a Stacore platform, to the lengthened dedicated listening room, to the in-the-wall giant subwoofer drivers this is, to my ears, one of the two or three best systems I have ever heard in my life. (Jeroen also has the world’s first client copy of the brand new Alieno line stage preamplifier.)

Now that Jeroen has posted a photo of his stunning system on the AF3 thread I can finally spill the beans. This is such a unique system, with multiple presently one-of-a-kind components, I told Jeroen that, like MikeL’s system, among the systems I have heard personally, I think this is a system of real significance in the world of high-end audio.

After I visited Jeroen I did not write a coherent, comprehensive visit report like I normally do. So my observations on this thread are going to be more stream of consciousness rather than my usual coherence.

I did not even take any photos while I was there because I almost did not trust myself not to post them. I did take a cool video, but I do not know how to upload it here. Update a photo here:

aqCesZ1.jpg
 
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I wonder why Cessaro’s own SETs were not taken.

Cessaro can do great with any fast SET imo. The first time I heard them and grabbed my attention was with a simple Ayon integrated playing cd. I have heard them with three different amps. It is just a matter of taste. Cessaro amps cost even more than the Kagura. They use NOS WE 300b. Ralph probably commissioned someone to do them for him. He specializes in speaker design not amplification. At that kind of budget you could buy any amps imaginable.

Kind regards,
Tang
 
congrats on the great system! I like big Cessaro's and the Zeta's seem cool. I never had the chance to hear them. How do you like this midbass against the classic midbass the cessaro uses. This can play lower and louder but I have no idea on how it is sounding. Midbass is very prominent on setting the tone of the speaker for me, especially horns. If Tang had this midbass, he would never consider adding further bass modules :)

I could not understand the amp though, checked its web page and got even more mixed up. OTL, 2 of 300b tubes and 250watts and not hybrid? It seems clever choice of words and explanation that gets past me otherwise it would be impossible.
 
Hi yes kodomo, the good DIY horns I heard had this similar open mouthed front firing woofers. I will soon post about one that uses TAD drivers. Another used two 18 inch woofers on either speaker for that
 
congrats on the great system! I like big Cessaro's and the Zeta's seem cool. I never had the chance to hear them. How do you like this midbass against the classic midbass the cessaro uses. This can play lower and louder but I have no idea on how it is sounding. Midbass is very prominent on setting the tone of the speaker for me, especially horns. If Tang had this midbass, he would never consider adding further bass modules :)

I could not understand the amp though, checked its web page and got even more mixed up. OTL, 2 of 300b tubes and 250watts and not hybrid? It seems clever choice of words and explanation that gets past me otherwise it would be impossible.
Thank you Kodomo!
Yeh well it all is induvidual but i prefered the new midbass. You allmost need no furter bass. And for the most important soundwise part of the spectrum it is hornbased with its speed and flow and dynamics.

For the amplifier we have discussed here at wbf...
Search for Alieno pls
 
What a beautiful looking room. Congratulations on the speaker acquisition.

And thank you Ron as always for your thoughtful insight
 
Cessaro can do great with any fast SET imo. The first time I heard them and grabbed my attention was with a simple Ayon integrated playing cd. I have heard them with three different amps. It is just a matter of taste. Cessaro amps cost even more than the Kagura. They use NOS WE 300b. Ralph probably commissioned someone to do them for him. He specializes in speaker design not amplification. At that kind of budget you could buy any amps imaginable.

Kind regards,
Tang
I think Ypsilon designed and built the Cessaro amps.
 
No, i didn't like the highs. The system in munich was just finished. Now it has a new voicing with more sloped curve with 2.4dB less in de highs.
Ron also heard it overhere with the new system/voicing.
I was wondering about that. I thought it was a bit shrill in Munich...not helped by the bass being virtually turned off it seems
 
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congrats on the great system! I like big Cessaro's and the Zeta's seem cool. I never had the chance to hear them. How do you like this midbass against the classic midbass the cessaro uses. This can play lower and louder but I have no idea on how it is sounding. Midbass is very prominent on setting the tone of the speaker for me, especially horns. If Tang had this midbass, he would never consider adding further bass modules :)

I could not understand the amp though, checked its web page and got even more mixed up. OTL, 2 of 300b tubes and 250watts and not hybrid? It seems clever choice of words and explanation that gets past me otherwise it would be impossible.
It must be a hybrid
 
Beautiful set up and awesome room. Did you try the AF3 Premium with and without the Stacore platform?
 

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