Avantgarde Uno Nano speakers pic
Tom Evans Audio Design Vibe preamplifier pic
Tom Evans Audio Design Pulse power supply pic
Tom Evans Audio Design Linear A tube amplifier pic
McIntosh MC452 solid-state amp pic
McIntosh MC-240 tube amp pic
McIntosh MCD-301 sacd player pic
Kora Electronics Aries hybrid monoblocks pic
Unison Research S2 SEP integrated pic
DIY tube amp for iPhone/Macbook using 6N6P pic
NAD C422 tuner pic
Piega P-4L mkII ribbon speakers pic
Atoll IN100 integrated pic
I.C.E. Model 473-3 AC line filter
MIT Z-strip with circuit breakers
van den Hul, Blue Circle, and MIT power cords
van den Hul, Cardas, and Synergistic interconnects
Cardas speaker cables
DIY rubber eraser cable lifters Tweak
Dedicated power circuit with hospital outlets Tweak
VTI BL503 and BL404 audio racks
Listening room is 14'x13'x7.5' with 2 open doorways in back
To see the music
This stereo has been evolving for 14 years now. It is entirely dedicated to my love of music and I listen critically every day. It’s set up in the heart of our house because music is an integral part of our lives. Our 1500 CDs and SACDs and countless AAC files comprise just about every type of music you can think of. I strive for a sound that shows me the emotion and intent of the musicians, that makes me want to dance, and regularly gives me goose bumps and watery eyes. I believe that achieving highest quality sound is 90% dependent on setup execution - and not on component cost.
I've done the vinyl/turntable thing and I'm happy to be done with that. I've also done lots of testing, calculating and measuring with bass traps and room treatments and ended up realizing they are merely band-aids, at best. What’s necessary is avoiding the problems in the first place. It’s not easy, and takes some degree of luck, but ultimately it's much more rewarding in all manner of ways.
The Nanos are extremely efficient, making concerns about amplifier power irrelevant. Their directional horns and woofer controls allow for a remarkably flat in-room response that extends all the way down to 15Hz! Their sound is so clear, so musical and so right that the music entrances me for hours on end. Now that I’ve experienced their sound of life, I don’t think I could ever go back to conventional speakers.
I own a variety of amplifiers because the Nanos allow each one’s personality to shine through, and getting to know them in otherwise the same system (speaker/room/human) is great fun and highly instructive. It has given me the opportunity to expertly hone my hearing and to delight in a new sound experience every couple of months when I change amps. There is no one best amplifier anyway; just like there isn’t one best musician.
Click on the component links above for my thoughts on each one.
I live in the mountains of south-west Virginia. I recently graduated with my doctorate in electrical engineering at Virginia Tech. Go Hokies!!
I find that high value is an elegant guide to attaining my desired result. Here is a list of past equipment I've had in my little music room, in no particular order, that has led me to what I have today:
Classe Delta CA-2200
Plinius SA-50 Mk3
McIntosh MC122
Audio Aero Prima Mk2
Unison S2K
Cairn Fog v3
Kora Titan monoblocks
Wright WLA12A
Kora Flash
Cairn Fog v2
Ayre AX-7e
Kora Eclipse version A
Kora Galaxy Reference
Cairn KO2
Pass Labs Aleph 30
McIntosh C42
Kora Eclipse Version C
WAVAC MD-300B
Kora Eclipse Version B
47 Labs Shigaraki 4717
Kora Crescendo
Kora Aries monoblocks
Focal Electra 926
Reference 3A MM DeCapo i
MIT AVt 1 non-biwire
Monitor Audio RS1
Innersound i-Pre
Zu Birth
McIntosh MC202
KEF iQ10
NAD C720BEE
van den Hul Orchid XLR
Rega Apollo
NBS M/S II
MIT MI330S3 RCAs
Sony SCD-C333ES
Cayin CD-50T
QED Silver Anniversary XT
Gutwire Basic 2
Van den Hul First Ultimate mk2
QED Qunex 1
Cary SLP-98
Triangle Antal ESw
Kimber Select KS1121
B&W Nautilus 804
MIT T2 biwires
Rogue Audio Magnum 99
Kimber Kable 8TC
Belles GR8 passive
Energy Connoisseur C8
Monitor Audio Silver RS6
MIT AVT2 biwire
Primare CD31
MIT Shotgun S3
Sony SCD-XA777ES
Pro-Ject RM 6 SB, Blue Point #2
McIntosh MC7100
Cambridge Audio 640C
Audio Research LS3b
Classe CP50 (x2)
Epos ELS3
California Audio Labs Icon MkII
Omega Loudspeakers TS1
Music Hall CD25
McIntosh C712 (x2)
Sony ST-550ES
McIntosh MA6500
Consonance CD2.2
Guerrilla Hyper
DH Labs Q10
McIntosh MC2125
Jolida 302b
Conrad Johnson PV10a
Marantz SA-8260
Odyssey Stratos
Arcam CD72
Sony SCD-CE595
McIntosh MC7200 (x2)
Classe DR10
Paradigm Reference 100.2
Elac 101
Triangle Comete ES
Classe CA200
Nordost Flatline Mk2
Nordost Solar Winds
Kimber KCAG
Atlas All Cu Navigator
van den Hul Orchid RCA
Bryston 4B
Adcom GFA-545 mk2
BAT VK-3i
Jolida JD100
Yamaha TT-400U
Krell KSA100
Krell KAV250
Conrad Johnson MV55
Kora Explorer 90SI
Granite 657
Jolida 1701A
Totem Acoustic Hawks
3A Master Control
Kora Explorer 150SB
Myryad Z140
Klipsch Heresys
van den Hul The Second
van den Hul D352
van den Hul Mainsstream
NAD C740
Rotel RCD-1072
Signal Classic cables |
