Results 1 to 46 of 46
Thread: Hi from Washington DC Condo
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May 7, 2020, 05:01 PM #1
Hi from Washington DC Condo
I’ve been a big lurker and a small contributor to this forum and I’d like to introduce myself.
My wife and I moved to a high rise condo in Washington DC two years ago, after living in Raleigh, NC for 20 years. I’m a retired patent lawyer.
I’ve chronicled my stereo history in another forum. As a former intellectual property lawyer I don’t feel comfortable violating their Terms of Service by reposting here, but you can access these posts (if interested) in the What’s Best forum under the thread “Hi from Raleigh, NC”. I don’t have enough posts yet to include the link. I’ll add it when I have enough posts.
I’d like to describe the evolution of my stereo in moving from Raleigh to DC. In Raleigh, after decades of changes, I was thrilled with my stereo-Tannoy Canterbury SE speakers, Ayre electronics (C5xeMP SACD player and AX5-20 integrated amplifier) and Transparent cables. The system resided in a large lower level room. Long story in how I got to this system, but that’s in the other thread that I linked to above.
Although we are thrilled that we retired and were moving to downtown DC, there was a major challenge for the stereo- how to get the big, coherent, natural sound I loved in a small (12x13 feet) room, without visually and sonically overpowering the room. I spent a fair amount of time listening to speakers and fell in love with (and bought) the TAD ME-1 standmounts. They had a concentric midrange/tweeter that would provide coherence like the Tannoy, and had a small footprint that would not visually overpower the room. I played with placement for a long time, using the Jim Smith method of finding the best position of the couch in the room to maximize bass response (using a $5 iPhone real time analyzer app) and put in a sound absorbing panel to reduce the influence of a window alcove on the sound. The sound was smooth and coherent.
Unfortunately, over time I realized that the TADs were giving me an accurate but microscopic sound that was like looking through two small windows into the music playing inside. The size and majesty was simply not there. I also realized that the standmount speakers took up as much floor space as a floorstander might (maybe even more as the stand bases were wider than the speakers to prevent tipping). This led me to reconsider floor standing speakers after about a year.
I listened to a bunch of floor standers, none of which floated my boat. Due to the small room and the close listening distance, a typical floor stander’s sound would not integrate into coherence. Rather, you could hear separate sounds from the midrange and tweeter (and sometimes the woofer), which would shatter the illusion of music being performed in the room. Also, rear firing ports were problematic in overpowering the room.
I then found out about Fyne Audio, a new company formed by the managers of Tannoy when Tannoy threatened to move the company to Asia. On paper, they fit the bill- dual concentric speaker for coherence, the promise of the Tannoy tone, an omnidirectional bass port that would excite the room less and a deep, narrow footprint that might not look too overpowering. My dealer (Tenacious Sound) had just gotten in the line and I heard them at Capital Audio Fest 2019. With the promise of a 30 day money back return, I ordered them.
I could not be happier. First, they sound utterly coherent, and tonally vivid. Bass is full, extends to below 30 Hz, and you can feel the bass as well as hear it. They also have very high dynamic range for the times I can crank it up (and even at low volumes). Large windows into a live performance. And visually, they look less clunky and more streamlined in the room. Lesson learned for me- although standmounts may be right under some circumstances, there is nothing like a full range speaker for me. I couldn’t be happier.
What’s in the future? I wanted to try streaming and bought a Lumin T-2 a year ago while I had the TADs. I loved the organic, coherent sound and the opportunity to explore new music. Over time I found I listened to physical media less and less, so I’m now selling my SACD player. I’d love to move higher up the Lumin line and run the streamer directly into a power amp for simplicity. I’m a big fan of “less is more” and still recall fondly my older stereo that had a Wadia SACD player running direct into a Levinson amp. We’ll see what happens.
Once I have the requisite number of posts, I’ll post pictures of my Raleigh stereo, the DC stereo with the TADs and the current DC stereo with the Fyne’s.
Thanks for reading.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 7, 2020, 05:11 PM #2
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
My Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481
"We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."
Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.
https://suncoastaudio.com/
Phone: 941-932-0282
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suncoast-Au...1105178279194/
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May 7, 2020, 05:18 PM #3
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Welcome aboard, enjoy your stay
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Brian
Main System - Rotel RCD-1572 / Rega P3 > Luxman 505UX Mark II > Fyne Audio F502SPs > Synergistic Cables
Secondary - OPPO 93 > VAC CLA 1 MKII Pre > Odyssey Stratos > Dynaudio Audience 82s > Tara Labs Cables
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May 7, 2020, 06:12 PM #4
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Welcome!
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May 7, 2020, 06:14 PM #5
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Welcome to AS!
Jock
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.
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House: Naim ND555/2PS, Naim 552, Naim 500, Studer A80/Doshi V3, Magico M2s, 2 Magico Q-Sub 15s, Lumina IC/SC, Shunyata Everest and Omega PCs.
Workshop: Naim ND555/2 PS, VAC Master Pre, VAC Sig 200iQ, Border Patrol pre/power, Avant Garde Duo Mezzo XD, 2 Magico Q-Sub 15s, Shunyata IC/SC, Shunyata Typhon QR/Triton V3/Sigma PCs.
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May 7, 2020, 07:21 PM #6
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Welcome!
Main System - Lumin U2, Modwright LS36.5 DM Preamp, VTV Purifi 1ET-7040SA with tube buffer, EMM Labs DAC 2X (ver. 2), Torus RM-20, Thiel CS 3.7s, 2 Rel S/812 subs
Back-up 1 - Premium Audio mini Gan Amp, Oppo 103D, 2 Richard Gray cond, Selah SA-2s, Sumiko S5 sub, Teac UD-503 DAC, Carver (modded) C-9
Back-up 2 - Onkyo TX-NR797, Panasonic DP-UB820, Vansevers cond, B&W P6s, PowerSoundAudio S1500 sub
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May 7, 2020, 07:29 PM #7
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Thank you Mike. I really like this site. Very knowledgeable and high end, but not pretentious.
Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 7, 2020, 07:32 PM #8
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Thank you Andik, Professor and Phil. I’m not really new- I’ve made a few posts before, but wanted to formally introduce myself. Now that I have enough posts, I’ll post the link and pictures I promised.
Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 7, 2020, 07:54 PM #9
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
As promised, here is the link to my long introductory thread on another forum (if anyone is interested) and photo’s of my Raleigh Tannoy system, my DC TAD system and my current system with the Fyne F1-10’s.
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/hi-from-raleigh-nc.12393
Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 7, 2020, 09:39 PM #10
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Hi Dylan, welcome. I was born in DC, and lived in MD before moving to California. I’m not a lawyer, but a judge did tell me I should be. I reviewed the WBF terms of use, and it is okay to post the same info on multiple sites.
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/help/terms/Bud
Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD
Pass XP-22 pre, X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers, SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR for source, Denali 2000 (2) for amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson four shelf maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits.
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May 7, 2020, 10:54 PM #11
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- St. Louis, MO, USA
- Posts
- 3,066
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Hi Dylan, welcome
Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
Mark Levinson #526, 534 & JBL 4367's
Clearaudio Performance DC w/Maestro cart
Clarus Concerto & their Crimson cables
HT: Marantz AV8003, Linn 5125, JBL SAM3ha, Revel s30,
SVS PC13 Ultra
Transparent, Analysis Plus & Tributaries. PS Audio filtering
Sony XBR-75X940D & BDP
Parasound P6, MBL 8006b, Artisan speakers/subwoofer
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May 8, 2020, 08:06 AM #12
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
BlueFox, thank you for the info. When I searched the WBF site, I must have found an old Terms of Service. In any event, it doesn’t seem worth it to import all my previous posts to Audioshark. I’ll leave them at WBF, if anyone is interested.
Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 8, 2020, 08:25 AM #13
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Dylan, those Fyne F1-10’s look AWESOME! We have the F1-12’s in the store. How are you liking them?
My Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481
"We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."
Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.
https://suncoastaudio.com/
Phone: 941-932-0282
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suncoast-Au...1105178279194/
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May 8, 2020, 08:57 AM #14
- Join Date
- Apr 2020
- Location
- Washington, DC
- Posts
- 25
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Hi Dylan - your system pics look great! I'm right across the river here in Arlington - it's almost spooky how much the city has changed without traffic - interesting to see the buildings and architecture from a whole different perspective while driving around..
~DP
Loudspeaker: Harbeth 40.2 Anniversary
Amp/Pre: Luxman C900u/M900u
Digital: Luxman d-10x + Aurender N10
AQ Thunder pwr + Shunyata delta v2 signal
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May 8, 2020, 12:29 PM #15
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Hi Mike,
I love the speakers. See my long first post above for my assessment.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 8, 2020, 12:36 PM #16
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Thanks DP.
Yes, it is spooky. For exercise we have been walking the Mall and the Lincoln Memorial steps (10x up and down). Often we’re the only ones there. Here’s a picture.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 8, 2020, 03:49 PM #17
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Nice story about your adventure in Audio. I too am mostly retired. I thought that I could live with good stand mount speakers but I realized after adding sub woofers I actually had less than more and moved to full range floor standers. BTW, I love the painting. Is there a story there?
PS Audio BHK Pre, BHK 300's, Direct Stream DAC, Perfect Wave Transport, P5, WOO Audio WA5-LE, Focal Utopia Headphones, Lavricables Headphone Cable, Intel NUC with ROON Rock, Matrix, HDPlex 300W LPS, EtherRegen , Custom Ethernet Cables, Wilson Audio Sasha 1, Iconoclast and Siltech Loom for Speakers, IC’s, power. NRG Custom Cables for high current, Shunyata NR for DAC, Nordost Red Dawn for peripheral devices. California Audio Technologies CAT600.2 amp.
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May 8, 2020, 03:51 PM #18
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Welcome to AS Dylan! That is a mighty "Fyne" system! Enjoy in good health.
PS - I hope you have nice neighbors and/or great solid construction. Can't imagine having such a nice system and not be able to enjoy it because you are sharing the building with others._______________
Mike
Amplification: MBL 6010D, MBL 9008A Monos
Analog: Kuzma R, Kuzma 4Point (11”), MSL Ultra Eminent EX
Phono Pre: Pass XP-27
Digital: Esoteric N01XD Esoteric K05
Speakers: MBL 101E MKII
Subwoofers: REL Carbon Specials
Conditioner: Shunyata Triton 3
Power Cables: Shunyata Sigma 1 & 2, Alpha 2, Delta and Venom
ICs and SCs: Wireworld Platinum 8
Rack: Artesania Exoteryc
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May 8, 2020, 07:21 PM #19
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Hi Watchdog,
The painting is a reproduction of the cover of the Bob Dylan album “Self Portrait”, that was painted by Dylan. The actual cover is in blue tones, but the reproduction is in red tones. My wife is an interior designer, and I used to go to the big furniture show in High Point, NC with her. While wandering, I found this. She had to buy a bunch more from this vendor to make his minimum purchase, but you gotta do what you gotta do.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 8, 2020, 07:22 PM #20
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Hi Watchdog,
The painting is a reproduction of the cover of the Bob Dylan album “Self Portrait”, that was painted by Dylan. The actual cover is in blue tones, but the reproduction is in red tones. My wife is an interior designer, and I used to go to the big furniture show in High Point, NC with her. While wandering, I found this. She had to buy a bunch more from this vendor to make his minimum purchase, but you gotta do what you gotta do.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 8, 2020, 07:25 PM #21
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Hi Mike,
We are in a high rise condo, steel and concrete construction. It is like a bank vault. Pre-coronavirus when most people have been at work during the day I was able to crank it up, although not near the level of my big Tannoy’s in the single family house. I haven’t had any complaints yet, so fingers crossed.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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May 8, 2020, 08:31 PM #22
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
I like the painting, big and bold! I have some limited issue prints that always get a response from guests who haven’t seen them before. Always a smile and a conversation that follows.
PS Audio BHK Pre, BHK 300's, Direct Stream DAC, Perfect Wave Transport, P5, WOO Audio WA5-LE, Focal Utopia Headphones, Lavricables Headphone Cable, Intel NUC with ROON Rock, Matrix, HDPlex 300W LPS, EtherRegen , Custom Ethernet Cables, Wilson Audio Sasha 1, Iconoclast and Siltech Loom for Speakers, IC’s, power. NRG Custom Cables for high current, Shunyata NR for DAC, Nordost Red Dawn for peripheral devices. California Audio Technologies CAT600.2 amp.
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May 8, 2020, 08:32 PM #23
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
I like the painting, big and bold! I have some limited issue prints that always get a response from guests who haven’t seen them before. Always a smile and a conversation that follows.
PS Audio BHK Pre, BHK 300's, Direct Stream DAC, Perfect Wave Transport, P5, WOO Audio WA5-LE, Focal Utopia Headphones, Lavricables Headphone Cable, Intel NUC with ROON Rock, Matrix, HDPlex 300W LPS, EtherRegen , Custom Ethernet Cables, Wilson Audio Sasha 1, Iconoclast and Siltech Loom for Speakers, IC’s, power. NRG Custom Cables for high current, Shunyata NR for DAC, Nordost Red Dawn for peripheral devices. California Audio Technologies CAT600.2 amp.
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November 23, 2020, 11:51 AM #24
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
NEW ELECTRONICS- BOULDER 866
Continuing my audio saga, I was very happy with my Fyne F1-10 speakers, but I had the feeling that my Ayre integrated amp and Transparent cables were not the best match for them. But how do you find the best match in a world of fewer brick and mortar stores? How do you know which will work best with your speakers? You could read reviews, but they only reflect the reviewers opinion, in their room with their equipment. You could travel all over the country listening, but how will that aural memory translate to your system in your room? And cables- what a rabbit hole. I decided on another alternative- find a dealer who has my speakers and a lot of electronics, and is willing to stick their neck out with an unequivocal recommendation.
I had been a lurker/poster on Audioshark and knew the equipment Suncoast Audio carried, so I contacted Mike Bovaird. I knew they had my speakers and a lot of choices of electronics/cables that could go with them. After a few emails and a few phone calls describing my music tastes and priorities, my room, my budget etc, Mike recommended the Boulder 866 integrated amp/streamer and Wireworld Eclipse 8 cables. No wishy washy “It depends on what you like” - he unequivocally said “I have this combination in the store and it is fantastic. Many customers have been blown away by this combination. I know you’re going to love it”. A breath of fresh air.
The transaction was seamless and hassle free- no fuss and everything as/when promised. I got the cables first and I could tell the “jump factor” increased. When the amp came, I felt it retained the organic sound I liked but had more grunt and oomph. A great combination.
Service after the sale was also excellent- I had a number of questions setting up the server part of the Boulder and Mike was always curious to find the answer- even on a Friday night. All in all, a great experience.
It has now been several months and the Boulder/Wireworld/Fyne system has continued to make me happy. A well matched system that does everything as right as possible for me in my small room.
Am I perfectly content? No. The streamer of the Boulder is the weak point, as it relies on a third party UPNP program like Mconnect for the user interface and streaming function. This is much more clunky and glitchy than the Lumin interface I was used to. Perhaps Boulder should license Lumin like some other high end brands have done, rather than trying to develop a streamer in house using third party apps. But all in all I couldn’t be happier.
Picture of the system below. One more thing has been added- room treatments- that will be my next post.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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November 23, 2020, 11:58 AM #25
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Very nice! I am currently waiting for a pair of 502SPs to go with my Luxman.
Enjoy!-----------------
Brian
Main System - Rotel RCD-1572 / Rega P3 > Luxman 505UX Mark II > Fyne Audio F502SPs > Synergistic Cables
Secondary - OPPO 93 > VAC CLA 1 MKII Pre > Odyssey Stratos > Dynaudio Audience 82s > Tara Labs Cables
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November 23, 2020, 12:50 PM #26
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Congratulations! Nice system upgrade. Enjoy the music!
_______________
Mike
Amplification: MBL 6010D, MBL 9008A Monos
Analog: Kuzma R, Kuzma 4Point (11”), MSL Ultra Eminent EX
Phono Pre: Pass XP-27
Digital: Esoteric N01XD Esoteric K05
Speakers: MBL 101E MKII
Subwoofers: REL Carbon Specials
Conditioner: Shunyata Triton 3
Power Cables: Shunyata Sigma 1 & 2, Alpha 2, Delta and Venom
ICs and SCs: Wireworld Platinum 8
Rack: Artesania Exoteryc
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November 23, 2020, 07:00 PM #27
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Thank you Brian and Mike.
Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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November 23, 2020, 08:03 PM #28
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
My Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481
"We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."
Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.
https://suncoastaudio.com/
Phone: 941-932-0282
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suncoast-Au...1105178279194/
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November 24, 2020, 07:14 AM #29
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Hi Dylan,
It's great to hear that all is well with you & yours!
I remember when you came here to hear my Canterburys, and later RoomPlay voicing yours in N.C., not too long after your pair arrived.
I recently sold mine, which was really tough. I had thought they were keepers for life.
Interestingly, I am evaluating a pair of F-703s. I may have misplaced reactions, but I still miss the Canterburys, which were highly modified, if you recall. These days - sadly - I could not recommend that anyone purchase speakers from Tannoy, as their customer service is but the palest shadow of what they were before the Chinese buy-out.
The Fynes do have that wonderful cohesiveness and musical involvement that we appreciated in our Tannoys. I bet that your F-10s are almost magical!DPT4ME - Dynamics, Presence & Tone for Musical Engagement; MBP (3) - stripped down for music only; Shunyata Omega & Sigma USBs; ISO REGEN w/short Curious USB links; Berkeley Alpha USB; Aqua La Scala II Optologic DAC; Schiit Yggdrasil - fully updated; Ayre Codex dac - updated; Pass Labs INT-60 integrated amp; Wyred 4 Sound STP-SE-2 preamp, Quicksilver Mono 120 amps w/Tung-Sol KT150s; Quicksilver Mid Mono amps w/Gold Lion KT77s; Fyne Audio 703s; Symposium Svelte Plus & Ultra Platforms; REL S-812 subwoofers; Duelund DCA12GA speaker cables; AV Room Service EVPs, Stein Music Harmonizers, Duelund DCA16GA & 20GA ICs; Shunyata Denali 6000S/V2; Tripp Lite PCs; Wyred 4 Sound power cords; AudioDharma cable cooker; dedicated custom room; various GIK & ASC room treatments; etc.
www.getbettersound.com
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November 24, 2020, 08:31 AM #30
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Welcome !
2chl : Vincent Sp331MkII, W4S STP-SE Stage 2, Kef 201/2, KEF 140, Vapor Breeze, Lumin, Bryston CD, BHA-1, Quicksilver Headamp, HD650, HD800s, HD820's, Dan Clark 1.1, Focal Stellia, OPPO 203, 105. ( Boxed up: Pass Xa-30.5, VPI Classic, Dynavector DV-20XL, Manley Chinook, Cadenza Bronze)
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November 24, 2020, 09:04 AM #31
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Hi Jim,
So nice to hear from you. I hope you and your family are doing well.
Yes, the Canterbury’s were keepers for life, and you were instrumental in my hearing them, buying them and setting them up.
I’m very pleased with the Fyne’s. They have the coherence, tone and dynamics that I value so much. Although more transparent than the Canterbury’s, the smaller Fyne’s in the small (12’x13’) room don’t have the majesty of the big Tannoys in the big room. But that’s to be expected.
I voiced the Fyne’s in my small room using your techniques- starting with couch first, then speakers. I used an iPhone Real Time Analyzer app to help.
Take care and happy holidays,
Mitch.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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November 25, 2020, 10:18 AM #32
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
ROOM TREATMENTS
I’ve never had to use room treatments because all previous iterations of my stereo were in very large rooms. Although they may have benefited from room treatments, there was no crying need.
On the other hand, in my new small (13’x14’x9’) second bedroom listening room, it was obvious that there were bass problems. I downloaded a $5 Real Time Analyzer iPhone app and it was clear that there was a bass suckout at about 70Hz. The real time analyzer app is a great investment. Although I’m sure it isn’t the most accurate, you can clearly see differences between, for example, different couch positions or door open vs. closed. Optimizing the couch position and keeping all the doors closed gave me a relatively flat low end response, but the suckout remained.
I also became aware that the sound was bouncing around the walls, which was creating smear. The smear manifested itself by a masking of low level details, poor clarity and significant changes in the sound with minor head movements (as a result of interference or comb filtering).
After my wife agreed that we could add room treatments (I am the luckiest guy in the world), I contacted GIK Acoustics. They were amazing to work with- I sent them pictures, a floor plan, my real time analyzer measurements and my findings. We had several discussions and emails over optimal and practical solutions, and finally decided on two 2’x4’x5” bass traps for the front and three 2’x4’x3” panels for the rear corner. I have to tell you, they treated me as if I was their biggest client, even though I was only buying 5 white panels. The first batch of panels all came in defective (creases in the fabric that wouldn’t steam out) and they gladly replaced them.
The difference in the sound was profound. There was a slight reduction in the suckout- I suspect I would need many more traps to really tame it. Most profound was the big improvement in clarity and fullness of the sound, much reduced interference and much reduced changes with slight head movements.
I heartily recommend downloading an RT A phone app and getting room treatments if you experience bass problems or smearing. Although the stereo doesn’t sound as good as in my earlier huge rooms, it certainly sounds much bigger and better than you would imagine. I’m very happy with the sound and can now get back to listening to music.
Pictures below: the front of the room, the back corner and the RTA graph after treatments.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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November 25, 2020, 01:21 PM #33
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
I see a couple of issues that might be worth addressing as well.
In fact, When Robert Harley gave us (Avantgarde-USA) Best Sound at CES one year (IIRC, winter of 2003), I had - for the first time ever - given up prior to the beginning of the show on getting what I considered to be acceptable sound in the approximately square room.
As much as it pained me to do so, I had insisted that we should have a static showroom, because demonstrating bad sound was not in our best interests in any way.
Steve Bednarski at BAT (we were sharing the room with BAT, and as usual, I was the set-up guy) asked me if I would be willing to try something fairly radical for show conditions, and it definitely worked at a very high level, but also with some definite room usage limitations relating to the radical set-up.
If you are interested at all, we should probably have a phone conversation, as it is a bit complicated for posting or e-mails...
If not, no biggie, as it looks as if you have addressed most of your issues in a more than satisfactory manner!DPT4ME - Dynamics, Presence & Tone for Musical Engagement; MBP (3) - stripped down for music only; Shunyata Omega & Sigma USBs; ISO REGEN w/short Curious USB links; Berkeley Alpha USB; Aqua La Scala II Optologic DAC; Schiit Yggdrasil - fully updated; Ayre Codex dac - updated; Pass Labs INT-60 integrated amp; Wyred 4 Sound STP-SE-2 preamp, Quicksilver Mono 120 amps w/Tung-Sol KT150s; Quicksilver Mid Mono amps w/Gold Lion KT77s; Fyne Audio 703s; Symposium Svelte Plus & Ultra Platforms; REL S-812 subwoofers; Duelund DCA12GA speaker cables; AV Room Service EVPs, Stein Music Harmonizers, Duelund DCA16GA & 20GA ICs; Shunyata Denali 6000S/V2; Tripp Lite PCs; Wyred 4 Sound power cords; AudioDharma cable cooker; dedicated custom room; various GIK & ASC room treatments; etc.
www.getbettersound.com
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November 25, 2020, 08:34 PM #34
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
PM sent!
Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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April 19, 2021, 02:06 PM #35
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Another Update- I replaced the stock spikes on my Fyne F1-10 speakers with Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers. A very worthwhile improvement- lower noise floor let’s me hear more detail, expanded soundstage, increased jump factor and more defined bass. Also, presumably less sound leaking through the floor of my high rise condo. They didn’t change the essential character of the speakers, but enhanced what was already there. Spent an evening installing, leveling and positioning, and spent a couple of hours today adjusting toe-in in 1/4”increments until I got the right image size, center fill and soundstage. Heartily recommended.
Thanks to Audioshark member JohnThomas for figuring out the thread size needed and for sharing his evaluation on his F1-10’s. Also thanks to Mike for the excellent service.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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April 19, 2021, 04:06 PM #36
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Dylan,
I’m glad the Gaia’s worked out for you. Not only do they enhance the sound they look way better than the spikes.Gryphon Essence stereo amp and preamp/dac Hurricane power cords
Fyne Audio F1-10, Lumin T2, Moon 260 Transport
Shunyata Research Everest, Sigma V2 XC,
Shunyata Research Sigma USB and Ethernet
Argento Audio speaker cables and interconnects
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September 20, 2023, 12:02 PM #37
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
HEADPHONES???
Yesterday I was lamenting to my wife that one of my biggest regrets is that for the rest of my life I will never be able to listen to the music I like (electric Dylan, The Band, Allman Brothers, Dead, Stones, BS&T, Hendrix, Steely Dan, CCR, etc.) the way it is supposed to be played- loud.
A little context- six years ago we moved from our house to a high rise condo. It has taken a while, but I have now optimized the performance of my stereo in our small second bedroom, and it sounds excellent. But I simply cannot play my music loud. So I listen to jazz, soft rock, female vocals etc, but playing the music that really moves me at condo volume levels just makes me frustrated.
In her infinite wisdom she turned to me and said- “So why don’t you just get a good set of headphones so you can play your music the way you like to hear it? Just get whatever you want.”
I’m thinking about it, but the first and only pair of headphones I ever owned were Koss Pro-4AA in the early 70’s. . They were horrible, sound and comfort wise.
I’m asking the group for their collective wisdom and advice.
Thanks!Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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September 20, 2023, 12:33 PM #38
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
I would also suggest a great headphone amp. I have tried over 50 different kinds and brands and LOVE the reasonably priced Rupert Neve headphone amp (I use their commercial mixing gear in my studio).
It will make a huge difference in the quality of sound through headphones."We are all billionaires because of the huge piles sweet dough rolling in from our participation in the ongoing campaign to suck your collective brains through a stirrer-straw." - PTA Editorial Staff
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September 20, 2023, 01:12 PM #39
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Here is a link to the one I like: Access to this page has been denied.
"We are all billionaires because of the huge piles sweet dough rolling in from our participation in the ongoing campaign to suck your collective brains through a stirrer-straw." - PTA Editorial Staff
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September 20, 2023, 01:23 PM #40
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Headphones are going to provide a different experience than speakers, and I'm not sure they're the best solution for playing "loud" in the sense that oftentimes playing headphones loud is too loud and risks damage to your hearing. But if the issue is you can't even play your speakers at a decent listening volume due to the thin walls or specific times of the day / night, then headphones could be a good solution.
There are many very high-quality headphones now, with much better choices than you would have had even 10 years ago. There are also some products that can help recreate the speaker sound (i.e. crosstalk from your right ear hearing the left speaker a little later, and vice versa) like the Smyth Realizer, BACCH hardware/software, and the Weiss DAC crosstalk algorithm.Neko Audio
Authorized Dealer: AC Infinity, APC, Audeze, Bryston, Devialet, Elite HTS, Fortress Seating, JMF Audio, JVC, Kaleidescape, LG, LUMIN, Magico, Ortofon, RME, Samsung, Soulution, STAX, Trinnov, Vivid Audio, Weiss & more.
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September 20, 2023, 08:18 PM #41
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- St. Louis, MO, USA
- Posts
- 3,066
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
The best I've heard are Dan Clark headphones. I also like Audeze and Hifiman both have models in various price points. Unless something in your system has a headphone amp it is best to get one. You might also look on a site called headfi (I believe .org) Dan Clark has both electrostatic and dynamic driver styles.
If sticker shock I know Hifiman has good cans at a reasonable price that can be driven by a regular headphone jack. You might contact them to see which models.
Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
Mark Levinson #526, 534 & JBL 4367's
Clearaudio Performance DC w/Maestro cart
Clarus Concerto & their Crimson cables
HT: Marantz AV8003, Linn 5125, JBL SAM3ha, Revel s30,
SVS PC13 Ultra
Transparent, Analysis Plus & Tributaries. PS Audio filtering
Sony XBR-75X940D & BDP
Parasound P6, MBL 8006b, Artisan speakers/subwoofer
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September 25, 2023, 09:19 PM #42
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Thank you for all the responses to my headphone query. This year at Capital Audiofest I’ll visit the headphone area and try these brands and others. I’ll report back on what I found.
Thanks again,Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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September 26, 2023, 01:09 PM #43
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- St. Louis, MO, USA
- Posts
- 3,066
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
Mark Levinson #526, 534 & JBL 4367's
Clearaudio Performance DC w/Maestro cart
Clarus Concerto & their Crimson cables
HT: Marantz AV8003, Linn 5125, JBL SAM3ha, Revel s30,
SVS PC13 Ultra
Transparent, Analysis Plus & Tributaries. PS Audio filtering
Sony XBR-75X940D & BDP
Parasound P6, MBL 8006b, Artisan speakers/subwoofer
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September 26, 2023, 04:09 PM #44
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Micro Seiki SX-8000 air bearing table, SME 312s arm, SME 3012R arn, Dynavector XV-1s cartridge, Lyra Etna SL cartridge, ARC Ref 3 phono stage, Otari MX-55 2 track R2R, Ampex 350 tape repros, Roon Nucleus Plus music server, HiFi Rose 150B DAC, ARC Ref 6, ARC Ref 75 with KT-150s, Parasound JC5 amp , JBL 4345 speakers, Viero Equilibro Level 3 speaker cables, and Definitive Technology Ref subs.
Reviewer for Positive Feedback
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November 15, 2023, 12:03 PM #45
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
HEADPHONES AND CAPITAL AUDIO FEST
I went to CAF on Friday to listen to headphones per my previous post. For me, it did not work out well. I listened to headphones priced between $1K-$5K. The first thing that bothered me was the feeling that my head was in a clamp. I wanted to be able to listen for long time periods but after 1/2 hour my head was throbbing. As to the sound, the soundstage is too different from live music or speakers. On a vocal track, the singer is inside your head, and the other instruments are spaced at various distances away from your rears on the sides of your head. Very unnatural. Finally, in order to try recreate the physicality of speakers I tended to play the headphones way too loud and my ears were ringing after 1/2 hour. So, for me, headphones will not do it and I will just have to teach myself to enjoy my music at lower levels in my high rise condo.
CAF was a blast. I’ve probably gone 5-6 times since moving to DC. A few observations. These are all IMO:
1. There was a lot more diversity in the attendees and the manufacturer/dealer reps. Gives me hope that our hobby still has life in it.
2. The usual systems sounded good to me - eg, Kharma and Tidal, although I wonder if they can rock. The Estalon’s sounded good. I heard MBL’s for the first time and they were excellent, but they needed humongous amplifiers to make them sing.
3. Two big surprises for me- Legacy Audio- these speakers should not sound good- a large number of drivers and digital signal processing. Yet they sounded very coherent and organic, very small with small music and very large with large music. Would definitely be high on my list if I ever moved back to a house. Same with Joseph Audio- conventional WATT/Puppy clone but sounded surprisingly good in several rooms.
4. Systems that just don’t do it for me at all- Audio Note, Harbeth, Zu and the whole Danish speaker thing. To each his/her own but I just don’t get it.
5. I think there are just too many brands in our hobby to make it economically sustainable- far too many turntables, and how many slim floorstanders with a small midrange, small tweeter and two small woofers do we need? I guess hope springs eternal.Dylan
System: Qobuz, Lumin P1 streamer/DAC, Boulder 866 amplifier, Fyne F1-10 speakers, Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnects and speaker cables, Isoacoustics Gaia 1 footers.
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November 15, 2023, 01:03 PM #46
Re: Hi from Washington DC Condo
Dylan, thanks for the update. I came away with a similar feeling re. Joesph Audio, definitely a winner in my book !
Cheers ! …. Dave
AudioShark - The Best High End Audio Discussion forum.
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Audioshark is a community of like minded individuals. Audioshark welcomes participation from all manufacturers and owners of all brands and products. It is our belief that online forums provide a community of like minded audiophiles and music lovers to encourage the growth of this wonderful hobby.
Sincerely,
The Audioshark.org Team
AudioShark forum is a leading forum site for High End Audio Discussion, Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater System Discussion, Best Home Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater Installation Discussion etc.
The AudioShark forum was created for sharing the passion of high-end Audio. We have Audiophiles from all over the world participating and sharing their knowledge. From novice to experts, you will find a friendly environment for discussing about High End Audio, Stereo System, Home Theater System, Home Stereo System, Home Theater Installation, Amplifiers, Speakers, Subwoofers, Integrated System, Acoustic treatments & Digital Room Corrections and many more.
At AudioShark, we also have incorporated an exciting Marketplace where members can peruse terrific buys on used gear, as well as meet dealers and discuss the purchase of new gear.
We are as crazy about this hobby as you are! So come on in and join us! Audioshark.org the Friendliest Audio Forum!
Industry Participation Disclosure : The owner and administrator of Audioshark is the owner of Suncoast Audio LLC in Sarasota Florida. Suncoast Audio has a full brick and mortar presence in Sarasota with several great show rooms with many world class brands. More information can be found at http://www.suncoastaudio.com
Audioshark is a community of like minded individuals. Audioshark welcomes participation from all manufacturers and owners of all brands and products. It is our belief that online forums provide a community of like minded audiophiles and music lovers to encourage the growth of this wonderful hobby.
Sincerely,
The Audioshark.org Team
Thx for responding, bryans. My experience so far has been incredible. Beyond my expectations.
T+A PSD 3100 HV Owners Around?