Finally no more upgrades at least for this year!

So finally I have finished tonight the long process of upgrading and tuning my system.
To say the truth I will still do fine tuning for the next 1-2 months since certain parts needs still a bit of run in resp. settleling.
So what is new since one and a half years?
- new CDP (actually transporter + DAC
- complete the upgrade of several cables
- New versions of the Satellites (I have no two spare pairs)
- Service and upgrade to the newest version of the Nestorovic tube amplifiers
- New cartridge: Magic Diamond As spare I have a new MC2 Finish of Jan Allerts and my old Clearaudio Accurate
- The Valid points from Walker Audio (resonance control kit) used consequently for all components in the system.

So here is the lists of the components, updated until today:

Turntable:
AAS Gabriel, Swiss made

Arm:
Mozart 12", Yugoslavian made

Cartridge:
Magic Diamond from Macromedia (Switzerland)
Spares, Jan Allerts MC2 Finish (new) and Clearaudio Accurate (5 years old)

Phono preamplifier:
Klyne Audio Arts 7LX 3.5

CD Transporter:
Kalista from Metronome Technologie, France

DAC:
C2A from Metronome Technologie, France


Preamplifier:
Modified Sonic Frontiers SFL-2, new wireing, tubes, capacitors and other electronic parts (Canada-USA)

Amplifiers:
For less than 200Hz: Krell 300c (2 x 300W), USA
For above 200Hz: Nestorovic Labs NA-1, USA (2 x Tube monoblocks, 200W)

Electronic crossover:
Nestorovic Labs, USA. 200Hz +- 3db

Loudspeakers:
Nestorovic Labs System 16, USA. Satellites are the latest version (Dezember 2003). Subwoofers are the Reference epsilon (2000).

Cables:
Phono: Fadel Arts Coherence (France)
Digital: ??? (France)
IC: Fadel Arts Coherence (France)
LS for subs: Fadel Arts Coherence Duo (France)
LS for satellites: Fadel Arts Goldline (France)
Power cords: Fadel Arts Coherence (France) and 4 Silent Source Reference (USA)

Tuning:
Valid Points kit from Walker Audio, USA. Used for all units

And now some photos:


Part of my music room


The Krell amplifier with the Nestorovic Labs crossover


The CD player: the transporter and converter with their separated power unit.


The Kalista (transporter)


On top the turntable- Mid right the preamplifier - Mid left the phono preamplifier - bottom the power units for the preamplifiers


The AAS turntable with the arm and cartridge

For this year no more upgrades.
For next year possibly a phono preamplifier and maybe a cartridge.
So now back to enjoy listening to music :boogie: :drum:

more photos in the next message..

 

more..



The Nestorovic Labs tube amplifier


Tube Amplifier and the Goldline loudspeaker cable system


The satellites of the Nestorovic Labs system 16 mounted on the Valid Points and on self (not me though) made stands


One of the two subwoofers

 

Titian, it looks incredible.

I cant believe you have an MC2 and a clearaudio accurate sitting there doing nothing!! this is actually illegal in some parts of the UK.

 

You should join the Audiophile Club of Athens. And get some Mana, pronto!

 

Lee has my Accurate to play around with at the moment....
About the MC2 it was my inexperience. I didn't know that the klyne would have noise ratio problems with a 0.2 mV cartridge. When I get the new phono stage planned for next year (MAYBE) I might do a test again with the MC2. I had the feeling with the first tests that it could be better in the lower frequencies (under 200Hz).

 

I was in there before I came here but I quit. Not sure what to think about them.
Somehow I think people should remain with their feets on the earth...
Maybe I'm wrong.

Mana.
I prefer swiss choccolates.
But maybe next year. No, the year after: with those points I am very well served. I first have to listen to all my music and meet you all..

 

Nice one titian . Next time I'm in the land of cuckoo clocks and nice chocolate I'll have to come and have a listen :MILD:

Michael.

 

titian, how did you end up with your present tuntable/arm combo? What did you have before?

 

Michael
you are telling me that since 74 years.
Are you talking about meeting in our next life? :SWMBO:
:beer:

 

Markus
20 years ago I had a Thoerens 128 MKII (if I remember) with a SME arm and a very good AKG cartridge. When the CD players came out I sold my LPs to a friend and thrown away my TT. :chainsaw:

When I bought my house and had some money to buy gear, I asked the dealer for a TT. He had this swiss made TT which he said was better than anything else he heard. Since he was very competent (the units he was importing demonstrated this, for example Nestorovic..) I believed him.
I could make a deal with Gabriel (the maker of the TT): he got my older version of the system 16 and I got his new TT (I had to pay a small amout on it though). For me it was a very good deal. I could by the newer version of the system 16 which for me were far better than the previous ones.
From the point of the sound quality this combination seems to be really quite unbeatable. Infact there were some people who had the opportunity to tests the different arm and this one really was in front. The same also for the TT. I really don't care much if this is true. The sound is really great (could be better) and I am happy. :elephant:
I wouldn't though recommend the TT to somebody because I had problems with the constant velocity of the motor. Gabriel could really never help me in this. I had to make an upgrade for the electronics of the control unit which didn't change much. The major benefits though came from the Valid Points
This is for me Voodoo. Can't see why the motor is running much more constantly.
Well that's it.

PS: it seems that the Yogoslavian guy who makes these arms, had made a newer version. He told me in broken english (or was that half english half german?) that it doesn't sound better but it is more comfortable for the user.

 

Well, y'know, I suppose I could come round and help you out in listening to your kit. Just to do you a favour you understand Clearly your setup can't compare to mine :bs:

 

What does that large perspex(?) enclosure attached to the speaker cables aim to achieve?

All very impressive btw.

I think you should get rid of that penguin though.

 

You've tidied up a bit.

Bet it's sounding good.

-- Ian

 

I know, I know :shame: I meant to go to Zurich for a few days last summer but in the end I didn't get around to it. Will try harder this year to make the trip. How far away from Zurich are you?

Michael.

 

Don't know what that is and what it is for. Must be some selling gag. Though sounds good...
..penguin . Is my family on the photos?

Michael,
I'm about 50 minutes train from Zürich but I would pick you up.

 

Interesting. European source with American grunt, and nothing Japanese, nor British!!

what is you altitude, btw?

 

Titian

My jealousy is arroused

Remarkable looking system, and i'll bet it sound even better

 

Thats got to be the best looking system I've ever seen.

 

ditton
very interesting point, that with the nationalities. I think the fact that there is a lot of USA is because my friendship with mile nestorovic. The Sonic Frontiers he just redone it and left the chassis with the mainboard. The Klyne was in the 90' really one of the best solid state phono stages you could find. He was aware of certain weak points but over all it was the best for his system. The fact that there are no english or jananeese units is mainly to the fact that they are not concerned about theambience factor which me a mile are very much aware of. It is difficult for me to explain exactly what this ambience is. When you hear my system you will notice something strange, that it doesn't sound like a Hifi system. You are not aware of any system at all.
What do you mean with 'what is you altitude, btw'? Sorry, I don't understand the question.

PBirkett
I believe they are very many better looking sytems. Those Sonic frontiers, Klyne (as long as you don't look into it), the crossover and maybe the NA1s:
:chunder:
Also the loudspeakers are nothing special from the looking point of view.
But the system sounds very good. Of course it could sound much better...

 

Now to the important question, where is all the software titan, or do you have to go to a spacially made vault to insure the CD cases to rattle when playing music!


Whats the software to hardware cost ratio?