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  1. #1
    Audioshark
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Sarasota, FL
    Posts
    30,044

    A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    I am wrapping up a fabulous three day visit with Mark (MDP) at his new home in Georgia. Mark lives in a wonderfully wooded peaceful location.

    Mark's system has had four major changes since I visited him in Dallas.

    First, a new room (obviously).
    Second, a new pimped out VPI Avenger TT with an Ortofon Cadenza Black.
    Third, a pair of REL subs and fourth,
    A setup from Jim Smith.

    I've never heard Salon's sound this good. The subs and professional setup from Jim has absolutely maxed out their potential and it's fantastic!

    Mark's digital sounds good, but his analog is on a whole 'nother level. It's dynamic and alive. Great PRAT. And the speakers just disappear.

    I want to thank Mark and his lovely wife Susan for some good old Southern hospitality during my visit. I can't wait to come back!





    We even found time to play a round of golf:








    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    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/

  2. #2
    Super Moderator
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    18,726

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Wow!

    Beatiful photos and awesome room Mark. I always loved the Salons. I'm sure Jim did a fabulous job. Soooooooo happy for you Mark.
    Fleetwood Deville by Oswald Mills Audio, Vienna Acoustics Haydn Jubilee, Wharfedale Linton w/ stands, Klipsch RB-75, Klipsch RP-160M.

    Job INTegrated. Luxman L-595aSE

    NAD C 658 streamer.

    First Watt SIT-3, Job 250 Monos, NuForce STA200, AkitikA GT-102 amp, ASL Wave monos, Dennis Had 45 monos. Absolute Audio Labs PCF 25 amp (improved First Watt F7 super clone)

    Topping D90, RME Audio ADI-2 DAC FS, ModWright Ultimate Sony XA-5400ES.

    Burmester 948, McIntosh MCLK12, Kimber Kable, Siltech, Cardas, Avanti Audio cables.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Naples, FL
    Posts
    614

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Stunning system and location! Sounds like it was a great trip.
    Congratulations on all of the changes Mark!
    Buddy

    Boulder 1160 Amp, 1110 Pre-Amp
    Audio Research Ref. 3 Phono-Pre
    Vivid Audio Giya G2S2 Speakers
    MSB Reference DAC
    Innuos Statement w/Next. Gen. PS
    B & W DB1D Subwoofer X2
    Audioquest Niagara 5000 Power Conditioner
    Kronos Pro Turntable w/Kronoscope RS tonearm + SCPS-1 PS + MSL Platinum Cart.
    VPI HW-40 Turntable w/ Lyra Etna cartridge
    Jay's Audio CDT3-MK3 CD Transport
    Schiit Mjolnir 2 HPA + Audeze LCD X headphones
    Adona Equipment Rack and Amp Stands
    Furutech Outlets and Plates + NCF Booster
    Shunyata Cables
    Synergistic Research Galileo SX Ground Block, FEQ 4, Ethernet Switch UEF, Black Box + Room Acoustic treatments

  4. #4
    Behavior Moderator (be nice police!)
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Lake Country, Georgia
    Posts
    4,347

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Thanks Mike!!

    It was a pleasure having you visit
    Mark


    Kharma DB9 Signature
    Pass Labs XP32......incoming
    Pass Labs X350.8
    Esoteric N-05XD
    VPI Avenger with Magnetic Drive
    Manley Chinook Phono Pre
    Ortofon Cadenza Black cartridge
    Kharma Elegance speaker cables
    Kharma Elegance interconnects
    REL Subs

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    3,381

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Mark,

    Congrats on a wonderful system in your beautiful new home! I'm sure the close proximity to the golf course has taken a few strokes off your score!

    Best,
    Ken
    "No summit worth climbing is easily attained."
    --------------------------------------------
    Source: MSB Select II DAC with Two Mono Powerbases and Femto 33 Clock; Renderer V2 Digital Input Module and Roon Nucleus Plus; MSB UMT V Signature Transport
    Amps: Vandersteen M7-HPA Mono Amps; MSB M204 Mono Amps
    Speakers: Vandersteen Model 7 Mk2
    Power: Two AudioQuest Niagara 5000’s with AudioQuest Dragon and Hurricane Power Cords

  6. #6

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    A lovely looking room & beautiful, picturesque location. What a dream for the audiophile and golfer!

  7. #7
    Behavior Moderator (be nice police!)
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Lake Country, Georgia
    Posts
    4,347

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    I've been lucky in life!
    I have an amazing wife,and an amazing life.

    I've also been blessed to have two of my best friends be my audio dealers.
    "
    First was David Baskin, as some of you know. He was an absolute gem of a friend! And he let me bring home anything I wanted to try. As my wife said, you are so spoiled. Who gets to try as many different pieces of equipment as you do? She was right.

    As many of you know, Mike and I are a great friends! And he always has my best interests at heart. I've been tempted by some of the new hot pieces of gear. He sends me stuff to try, and when I get all excited about the new stuff he says, put your piece back in place.

    And then I discover that I really prefer what I have., most of the time. Lol

    Anyway, thanks to everybody's nice comments!!!!!!

    ❤️
    Mark


    Kharma DB9 Signature
    Pass Labs XP32......incoming
    Pass Labs X350.8
    Esoteric N-05XD
    VPI Avenger with Magnetic Drive
    Manley Chinook Phono Pre
    Ortofon Cadenza Black cartridge
    Kharma Elegance speaker cables
    Kharma Elegance interconnects
    REL Subs

  8. #8

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Congrats Mark. Did you notice Mike's ball always seemed to be closer after he replaced it at the marker...

  9. #9

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Beautiful home Mark and your system looks really nice. I'm glad you guys had a good time together.
    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

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    3,837

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    I told you guys in a prior thread about my visit to Mark's and Susan in December. First, they are great friends and fantastic hosts. Second, the home is gorgeous and in a beautiful community. Third, as Mike mentions on his post, Mark's system sounds outstanding - best sounding Salon 2s I've heard (and I used to own a pair!). Lastly, Mark is a fantastic cook (his salmon on curry sauce with jasmine rice is out of this world!).

    Mike glad you had a great time. Visiting the Powers is a treat!
    _______________

    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

  11. #11

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Pressure, pressure, pressure - so many questions, every day. Do I first go golfing and then listen to my setup optimized by Jim, or the other way around? Maybe a round in between? Must be so hard. A three day visit with Mark (MDP)


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    “Life’s too short to listen to bad audio.”

    Big rig: Brinkmann Taurus DD TT + 12.1 arm + Lyra Etna Lambda SL MC + HRS M3X2/ Cardas Clear Beyond phono/ Stillpoints LPI/ Brinkmann Edison mk2 phono + RöNT II Tube PS/ Synology NAS with Roon + HD Plex linear PSU + Shunyata HD/ AQ Vodka RJ45 + Aqvox Network Switch SE + AQ Diamond RJ45 into DAC/ Brinkmann Nyquist mk2/ Audionet Humboldt/ Cardas Clear Beyond ICs/ Kharma DB9-S 1.1 LS/ Inakustik Reference LS 4004 AIR/ Audioquest Niagara 5000/ Shunyata Alpha power (HC, Analogue, Digital)/ Finite Elemente Pagode Rack/ Stillpoints Ultra SS/ Vicoustic panels + Stillpoints Aperture II.

    Small rig: Naim UnitiServe/ Curious USB/ Tidal/ Linn Klimax DS3/ Shunyata Power cable/ Pass Labs INT-60/ Acoustic Zen Silver Reference II/ HiD Diamond 8/ Harbeth 30.2 40th Anniversary/ Shunyata Venom EU7 & Venom 3 HD.

    HP rig: MacBookAir/ Tidal/ Auralic Gemini 2000/ Sbooster LPSU/ Audeze LCD-2 Classic + WyWires Red/ Shunyata HD/ Shunyata Hydra 2/ Shunyata Venom.

  12. #12
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Western NC
    Posts
    157

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Quote Originally Posted by Ritmo View Post
    I told you guys in a prior thread about my visit to Mark's and Susan in December. First, they are great friends and fantastic hosts. Second, the home is gorgeous and in a beautiful community. Third, as Mike mentions on his post, Mark's system sounds outstanding - best sounding Salon 2s I've heard (and I used to own a pair!). Lastly, Mark is a fantastic cook (his salmon on curry sauce with jasmine rice is out of this world!).

    Mike glad you had a great time. Visiting the Powers is a treat!
    Now you're talking.

    Mark, can we be friends? :Wave:

    But in all seriousness, a beautiful home in a picturesque setting.

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
    Digital: LH Labs Source (someday...) + LH Labs Geek Pulse SFi
    Analogue: Audio Technica OC9ML/ii + Technics 1200SL + Nikko Beta 40 (phono only)
    Wyred 4 Sound STP-SE
    First Watt F6
    Focal 816VW Special Edition

  13. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Lakeland, Florida
    Posts
    1,054

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Wow! The room looks very inviting! Excellent looking system. The photos are gorgeous.
    George
    -----------------------

    Aurender ACS10 Music Server > Holo Audio May KTE R2R Ladder DAC > Pass Labs XP-30 Preamp > Pass Labs XA160.5 Class A Mono Blocks > Martin Logan Renaissance ELS 15A Speakers

    Powered By 2X BPT 3.5 Signature Plus Ultra Isolators | Shunyata Research Hydra Triton + Typhon | Shunyata Hydra 2 Power Conditioner

  14. #14
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    California
    Posts
    14

    Re: A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

    Incredible system and room! Congratulations!

    Sent from my D6708 using Tapatalk

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A three day visit with Mark (MDP)

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