Show us Your Kit!

Hi HR,

I've got the Masterclass combo, although sadly I had to go for the 'cheap' option with the stereo amp rather than the monos. The best I've heard them so far was in a system with the RA Opus 21 CDP and the LV OBX-R2 speakers.

Sadly I haven't managed to hear the Chord DAC, but am about to go hunting for a decent CDP and will let you know what sounds good with the Sugden amps. Advice so far has been to look at the Advantage S1, Accuphase 67 or 75, the MSB Platinum and Wadia's. Now 'all' i need to do is find them second hand! Joy.

Nils

 

Well, Sugden kit IME tends to be on the laid-back, easy-listening side (not in a bad way, mind!), and though I've not heard the Electa Amators, Sonus Faber speakers tend to be a bit mid-forward, with a somewhat rolled-off treble, so this combination may simply be one that works well with the DAC64.

If it's still sounding good to you by the 3rd, don't hesitate in keeping it! Just because other people didn't like the DAC64 in other systems doesn't mean it won't sound good to you in your system. The combination of system synergy and personal preference is a powerful one.

Dunc

 

Thank you both, interesting comments.

I continue to enjoy the DAC despite my best efforts to see the merits of my existing Sugden CD playing combo. It simply gets me more involved. I sometimes work from home and since the Chord arrived this has been impossible - I simply stop working and start listening whilst the Sugden combo, despite it's obvious strengths, allowed me to switch off and work even though the music was still playing.

The Masterclass pre and dual monos are, as you say, slightly laid back but in the best possible way. Could it be that Sugden through Sugden was OTT on the mild and mellow front?

I have never heard the Living Voice speakers, what price and how do they compare to the Sonus Faber Cremona which is on my wish list for the future?

 

Hi HR,

Merry Christmas! Yeah, the Sugden combo is very relaxed, works really well with jazz and acoustic material, which suits me down to the ground.

Right well, good luck with new year festivities.

Nils

 

hi,just thought i'd pop in with my kit list and hopefully find the time to visit on regular basis

music
well tempered turntable
naim cdx ii cd player
cdx power supply
2 x 135 amps
82 pre amp
2 x hi caps
on a naim fraim
jmlab 915 speaker's on **** sound frames
all being supplied by dedicated spurs from a dedicated consumer unit


movies
toshiba 42" wall mounted plasma
mission 781 front speaker's
mission 71 rear speaker's
mission centre speaker
panasonic dvd recorder
panasonic svhs video
sky+
sony surround sound amp

 

I don't think I've posted here, my system currently as follows:

SME10
EAR 309 magnesium, silver wired throughout
Benz Glider L2
EAR834P Deluxe & MC3 step-up
Custom valve pre (Audio Note UK design)
Custom monoblock SET's running 6B4G (non-production Audio Innovations First Audio)
Cadence Amaya Hybrid Electrostatics
LFD phono, interconnect and speaker cables
Gutwire Basic power cables

Marantz CD63 MKII KIS
Denon TU260L MKII
Sennheiser HD600 with Cardas cable & MF X-Can V2

VPI rack with middle & lower Finnish birch ply shelves
Finnish birch ply amp platforms

KAB-EV1 record cleaner - indispensible!

Paul

 

Missed this one for a while.
I like all the pics to see what folk have / how configured.

My kit is

Son of heffa project build no compromise triode 6SN7 / KT88 Valve amp - http://heffa.ath.cx/heffa/

Copland CDA 823 CDP.

ProAc D25 response speakers.

Response metal rack. Resonance dead sand filled heavy tubing.
Interconnect. Update: Now using Ubyte cable inspired shielded pure copper.
Speaker cable Update: Now changed to the FAB all conquering Ubyte homemade cable.


Update:
Recently I put a pair of 1940's Sylvania JAN 6SN7's in the amp.
I have tried various pairings and have found I most like RCA side getters (circa 1960) as the front pairing and GEC side getters or the Sylvania's as the rear two. The Sylv's are accurate and crisp
but not quite as musical as the GEC's. The search goes on. Ratheon or Ken-Rad here we come
Update:
Now have Slyvania bottom getters (green label) in the front and Kenrads in the rear 6SN7 positions. Have tried and like NU and Raytheon, but with the my current set up the Sylv's and Kenrads sing.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/535523301vfXSDn

Glowing RCA's, Sylvania's, Tesla's

 

speedy, how do you find the 20w valve amp driving the proacs?

 

Lookin' good m8, though that plant could do with watering...

 

Yahoo,
Without input signal attenuation I used about 1/4 volume throttle max.
With attenuation the sound is better and I get to about 11 o'clock on the volume control. 12 o'clock on some quieter CD recordings. This is loud enough for me.
I have found the Tesla driver tubes better than the Svets that we originally spec'd. Deeper and more controlled bass. Bass is deep and very well controlled and enough of it to sound realistic but not boomy or bloomy.

The amp is just ticking over really. The Lundahl output transformers are so good that Son Of Heffa seems to be able to drive most things. The ProAc's are 8ohm and seem to suit fine.
Dave, the amps father, had a massive pair of Canton's - not sure how efficient or thirsty these were though.
I also drove some 4ohm speakers with it no problem.

How do I get the pics to appear automatically?

 

i upload them to my webspace m8, then copy and paste the link here

the reason i asked is i demoed some audio physic virgos, and they where ace, but look a heavy load on paper ( 88 db, 6ohm)
cheers

 

I read this article on them... sound interesting...
http://stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/147/
They quote 4 ohms and 88dB.
What did you think of the metal tweeter?


ProAc say 10-200W amplification for the D25's. 88dB and 8ohm so a little easier to drive.
http://www.proac-loudspeakers.com/d25.php

 

thought they sounded superb, very airy.
the unisis has loads of current ( and 3 huge transformers) and i had an email from someone whos uses a prima luna prologue 2 with the physics, and said it drove them no problems at all.
i think the unisis will be the same, although it says 6 ohms.
i`ve heard the response 2.5`s too, and thought they where superb also (plus you can pick them up used for as little as £700) so theres 2 different `speakers to mull over now

 

Hi,

I'm new, first post, system is nearly all Musical Fidelity, here goes -

M1 TT
M2 SME arm
Ortofon MC Rondo Bronze
A3 CDP
A3.CR Power Amp
A3.CR Pre-amp
T1 Tuner (analogue from the 80s)
Vandersteen 2CE speakers.
Isol 8 Min Sub 2

Dedicated mains feed from consumer unit

 

Hi System update..

 

nice system porn wiggy m8
is the densen new??

 

Current Kit...

Currently using the following...

Cairn-Ezo Aria amp >
Revolver Turntable with Linn arm via >
Musical Fidelity XL-P
Technics 580 CD Player via >
Musical Fidelity X10-D
Home built back loaded horns with Fostex 166E full range drivers
QED interconnects, Acoustic Research Speaker Cable.

All sitting on piece of 1" thick slate.

Horns are still to be cosmetically finished.....sometime....

 

hello folk's im new on here and think it's brill!!
here's a few piccies of my system which consists of:
Marantz CD63mk 2 K I Signature (purchased a while ago and have been very pleased with it, but it seems to be regarded as low quality around here)
2No Audiolab 8000m monoblocks
1No Audiolab 8000q pre amp
PMC IB1 studiofinish with 'meatier looking', sand filled, one off stands.
selection of audioquest ic's and audiotalk 4.1 biwire
music generally consists of hard house/techno and drum n bass with which this system really rocks.
Panasonic viera plasma screen and sony dvd
upgrades some day will be new cd player cos this one doesnt like track 7 on a few cd's and possibly 2No 8000m's
cheers neil

 

Nice! Have you tried brystons with the ib1s?

 

no, thats the stuff of dreams.
was advised that i should'nt buy more 8000m's sell mine and invest in some bryston activation but havent gone any further along this route
was thinking about Krell 300ix which are for sale secondhand at £1200 which seems quite a bargain
i've been diagnosed with first signs of upgraditis where do we stop?
neil