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The reference system, subject to (frequent) change:

Sota Cosmos Series IV Turntable with Sources: SOTA Cosmos Series IV Vacuum turntable, Tri-Planar VII tonearm
Air Tight PC-1, Benz Ebony LP, Lyra Helikon SL, some with Marigo Dots - 4mm
Tascam Pro CDRW900 CD player/recorder/transport, Parts Connexion-modified Benchmark DAC1
McIntosh MR-500 FM tuner
Phono Preamps: Manley Steelhead v1, Conrad Johnson Premier 15 Series 2 with Jensen Transformers
Preamplifiers: A highly modified Audio Reasearch LS22, Placette 4-input Passive Line Stage
Amplifiers: Manley Neo-Classic 250, Pass X250.5, Response Audio Bella EXtreme 100
Loudspeakers: Dali Euphonia RS-3 and MS-4, Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.1 with woofer tweak, a pair of "Perfect Subwoofers", Dali Mentor 5 and Spendor S5e from the HT system
Headphones: Stax Lambda Pro electrostatic headphones with SRM1/Mk.2 energizer
Cables: PS Audio Resolution Transcendent, Mogami 2534 (balanced IC), 2549 (unbalanced IC) and other analog interconnects; PS Audio Resolution Digital cable, Mogami 2964 for CD-to-DAC cable
Audience AU24 "e", and PS Audio xStream Resolution Reference speaker cables
Power: Audience PowerChord "e", Shunyata Hydra 2 & 4, PS Audio Ultimate Outlet, DIY Power Conditioner, and DIY power cords
Dedicated 20A circuits

The listening room is L shaped, 12x19x7.5, and I listen across the 12'. The walls and ceiling are double 5/8" drywall on Z channel, and the floor is carpeted concrete. There are two 2x4" decorative panels of 3" "egg crate" acoustic foam behind the speakers, one such panel at the reflection point of the speaker nearest the side wall, and two more on the wall in back of the listening seat.

The natural sandstone rack weighs over 650 pounds and comes from Lyons, Colorado.

More images due soon...

 


Here is a partial list of the music used for the reviews: (this section is currently being edited)

LPs:

"Happy Together", The Nylons, Side 1 (all)
"Stampede", Doobie Brothers, Side 1 (all)
"Clean As the Driven Snow", The Captain & Me, Doobie Brothers, WB Records BS2694
Dire Straits, ALL!
Hearts & Flowers, Joan Armatrading
"Foggy Mountain Breakdown", After Midnight, Sheffield Lab TLP-30
"Witches’ Brew", Danse Macabre, Saint-Saëns, RCA Living Stereo LP, RCA Victor LSC-2225
"Crest of a Knave", "She Said She Was a Dancer", Crest of a Knave, Jethro Tull
The Diary of Alicia Keys, Alicia Keys, Songs A2 (side A cut #2), B3, D1 & D4, J Records 82876-55712

CDs:
Thriller, Michael Jackson. Used for dialing in subwoofers.
mo', mo', mo'



 

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