Mike's Systems

Mike, (WOW)
first of all this thread is awesome! its so nice to see 'a dealer" that is in to it like the rest of us... (not that im near to that scaling of room and systems!)
i know pretty much every dealer in my country and i cant think of ONE! who has something remotely close to yours... or even in relative for our level around.

thanks so much for sharing.

do you still enjoy your music room after work? or at the weekends?
most of you guys i know, just fed up from the store and buisnes, and just want (need) peace and quiet.

thanks again.
 
byrdparis said:
Mike, (WOW)
first of all this thread is awesome! its so nice to see 'a dealer" that is in to it like the rest of us... (not that im near to that scaling of room and systems!)
i know pretty much every dealer in my country and i cant think of ONE! who has something remotely close to yours... or even in relative for our level around.

thanks so much for sharing.

do you still enjoy your music room after work? or at the weekends?
most of you guys i know, just fed up from the store and buisnes, and just want (need) peace and quiet.

thanks again.
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Thank you for such kind words. I try to listen almost every night for at least an hour. It doesn't always happen as things come up with school functions for the kids and such, but usually I do. I was passionate about music and audio long before I became a dealer. Thankfully things have not changed and I like to think I pass a long a small dose of that passion with every friend and customer I speak with regarding equipment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Very nice system Mike
The room is beautiful and acoustically treated, and everything is so organized, well done.
I bet it sounds wonderful. Congratulations.
 
allforhifi said:
Very nice system Mike
The room is beautiful and acoustically treated, and everything is so organized, well done.
I bet it sounds wonderful. Congratulations.
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Thank you. Yes indeed. Here is a pic from last night:

8bf385eaf9c68803ef8becf0b210019f.jpg
 
I forgot to mention I listen mostly to Jazz and Classical music, with lots of voice and piano. I auditioned the Monitor speakers with the CDs and LPs I am familiar with: my favorite CD was 'Antiphone Blues' and Lp was Carmen Mcrae in 'Ji grandi del Jazz'. With Carmen Mcrae on the Spendor 100 SLs and the 300B SET amp, Carmen Mcrae is bigger than life and nearly sitting on your lap. I haven't tried her yet with the same Amp on the Monitors.
 
Mike said:
Main Listening Room: Avantgarde Duo Mezzo XD, Lampizator Big 7, Lumin U1, Berkeley Audio Design Alpha Reference DAC, Berkeley Audio Alpha USB, Triode Corporation of Japan TRX-M300 monos, Pass XS150 dual chassis monos, Pass XS Preamp, Pass XS Phono, Living Voice OBX-RW, Air Tight ATM-3 monos, Air Tight ATC-2 Preamp, Air Tight ATE-2 Phonostage, Air Tight ATH-2REF SUT, VAC Renaissance preamp (modified), Kronos Pro with ZYX Universe Premium Cartridge, Technics 1500 R2R (modified by Jeff Jacobs), Lumin S1 Network Music Player, T+A PDP3000HV, Aurender N10, full Siltech loom including Royal Signature Prince Speaker Cables, Phono cable and AES/EBU, Siltech Classic Series IC's and PC's.

Home Theater:Mirage Surround Speakers, Seaton Subs, Bryston 9BSST2, Marantz MM7025, Marantz 8801, Oppo 105, Sony HWS30 projector, Stewart Screen

Family Room: Avantgarde Zero XD, Aurender N100H, Focal Utopia Scala V2's, Devialet 400, VPI Classic 3 w/Ortofon Cadenza Bronze, Oppo 95, Ansuz Mainz 8, Ansuz Sparkz (2), Ansuz Darkz (12), Kimber Power Cables, Kimber Select Speaker Cables and IC's.
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WOnderful looking listening room and rigs, Mike :-)

I am listening to your advice and flying to Hanoi to do Kronos Sparta audition. The dealer carries CH Precision P1 Phono stage. I am in between Vitus SP-103 and CH now. Your advice would be greatly appreciated, as usual <3

I am into Performance / Neutral kind of sound. Also, as for phono cables what should I look into? My dealer has Ansuz but I like fast, now mellow, relaxed. Please give me few options since I might not be able to find many brands in Vietnam.

Thank you so much. One day I will bring you a bottle of fine champagne all the way to FL :-)
 
Thank you. Since Kronos will have a phonostage for the Sparta, why not go with something modest priced for a phonostage for now? Maybe just get the new entry level Pass phono (XP17) or Ayre or something?

The Ansuz phono cable is good. Furutech makes a good one for not a lot of money, as does AudioQuest (Diamond).

You're welcome to visit me when you're in Florida any time!
 
Mike said:
Thank you. Since Kronos will have a phonostage for the Sparta, why not go with something modest priced for a phonostage for now? Maybe just get the new entry level Pass phono (XP17) or Ayre or something?

The Ansuz phono cable is good. Furutech makes a good one for not a lot of money, as does AudioQuest (Diamond).

You're welcome to visit me when you're in Florida any time!
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Thank you Mike. Kronos does tube phono but I prefer SS this is why :-) Audioquest diamond I will look at then.
 
VNladyaudiophile said:
Thank you Mike. Kronos does tube phono but I prefer SS this is why :-) Audioquest diamond I will look at then.
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For solid state phono, I have the Vitus Masterpiece phonostage. I have heard the CH and it is good too. But don't think the Kronos phono is slow. It is tube with a SUT (step up transformer) and sounds fantastic. It's the Kronos of phonos!

Soulution makes an excellent phonostage, but mega bucks.

I plan on picking up the Dynamic Sound Associates phonostage myself. Not sure if it's available in Vietnam.

If I was in your shoes, I would get the iFi Phono2, Ayre, Pass, etc. for now and then the Kronos Sparta phonostage when it comes out.
 
Mike said:
For solid state phono, I have the Vitus Masterpiece phonostage. I have heard the CH and it is good too. But don't think the Kronos phono is slow. It is tube with a SUT (step up transformer) and sounds fantastic. It's the Kronos of phonos!

Soulution makes an excellent phonostage, but mega bucks.

I plan on picking up the Dynamic Sound Associates phonostage myself. Not sure if it's available in Vietnam.

If I was in your shoes, I would get the iFi Phono2, Ayre, Pass, etc. for now and then the Kronos Sparta phonostage when it comes out.
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Hmmmm I am jealous. I can't have a decent priced good phono like DSA you are about to take. No dealer in Vietnam. And I read good reviews about it. Have fun :-)
 
Mike said:
For solid state phono, I have the Vitus Masterpiece phonostage. I have heard the CH and it is good too. But don't think the Kronos phono is slow. It is tube with a SUT (step up transformer) and sounds fantastic. It's the Kronos of phonos!

Soulution makes an excellent phonostage, but mega bucks.

I plan on picking up the Dynamic Sound Associates phonostage myself. Not sure if it's available in Vietnam.

If I was in your shoes, I would get the iFi Phono2, Ayre, Pass, etc. for now and then the Kronos Sparta phonostage when it comes out.
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HI Mike, do you have an idea of price range for the upcoming Kronos phono stage? I hope it's lower than Vitus and CH.
 
VNladyaudiophile said:
HI Mike, do you have an idea of price range for the upcoming Kronos phono stage? I hope it's lower than Vitus and CH.
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No idea. It is just concept. The one for the Kronos Pro will not be inexpensive. Probably in the $40-45K range as an estimate - but nothing official yet.

Don't go nuts on a phonostage. There are a LOT of great phonostages out there without breaking the bank. And definitely don't poo-poo tube phonostages. If they are built well and quiet, they can be excellent.

The best phonostage I've ever heard? The Kronos. Second would be the Tenor. Third would be the VAC Statement. Soulution also makes a fabulous phonostage.

I was at a friends a couple of months ago and we compared the Tenor to the CH to the McIntosh to the ARC REF3. The Tenor clobbered the Mc - and so it should! The Mc phono sounded broken. I would take the Manley Steelhead over it to be honest.

What about Luxman? That's a very underrated phonostage. Even the Parasound JC3+ if you don't want to spend crazy money.

Phasemation is a nice tube phonostage. It's built proper with RIAA adjustability and it would be a keeper.

The CH is good, but very expensive.

Can you get Zesto? This one is great: http://www.zestoaudio.com/andros-tessera/

Can you get Sutherland? Ron makes a great solid state phonostage and he is one heck of a great guy.

There are lots of great phonostages. You don't have to go crazy. I would get something modest and save my pennies for they Kronos phono if it was me.
 
Mike said:
No idea. It is just concept. The one for the Kronos Pro will not be inexpensive. Probably in the $40-45K range as an estimate - but nothing official yet.

Don't go nuts on a phonostage. There are a LOT of great phonostages out there without breaking the bank. And definitely don't poo-poo tube phonostages. If they are built well and quiet, they can be excellent.

The best phonostage I've ever heard? The Kronos. Second would be the Tenor. Third would be the VAC Statement. Soulution also makes a fabulous phonostage.

What about Luxman? That's a very underrated phonostage. Even the Parasound JC3+ if you don't want to spend crazy money.

Phasemation is a nice tube phonostage. It's built proper with RIAA adjustability.

The CH is good, but very expensive.

Can you get Zesto? This one is great: http://www.zestoaudio.com/andros-tessera/

There are lots of great phonostages. You don't have to go crazy. I would be saving my pennies for they Kronos phono if it was me.
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Maybe I should come to you and carry one of them home. No kidding here :-) I am so struggling with the high price of phono stage. I don't find good / inexpensive brand in VN. Only good + expensive.
 
Can you tell me what you can get in Vietnam? Maybe that way I can take a look and see your options.
 
Mike said:
Can you tell me what you can get in Vietnam? Maybe that way I can take a look and see your options.
Click to expand...

Well, I don't like tube because I listen to electronics a lot and want to also enjoy it on vinyl. I might be wrong but so far none of the tubes I've listened to I fell in love yet when dynamic and strong bass, fast pace are in need. I can get Aesthetix lo Eclipse, Kondo M7 (at demo price). I've tested Vitus SP-103 and I am going to test CH next week. Soulution, CJ also available but I am not very into.

Luxman - there used to be dealer but i can't get a hold of him yet. So maybe he's out of biz :-(

This is all of what I've been researching so far for phono stage. Airtight stopped making phono stage which is sad because there's dealer here. Even if I go to USA to buy, I dont know how to claim at Customs in VN airport yet... Maybe people bribe the officers and get the items in. I am looking for that contact right now.
 
VNladyaudiophile said:
Well, I don't like tube because I listen to electronics a lot and want to also enjoy it on vinyl. I might be wrong but so far none of the tubes I've listened to I fell in love yet when dynamic and strong bass, fast pace are in need. I can get Aesthetix lo Eclipse, Kondo M7 (at demo price). I've tested Vitus SP-103 and I am going to test CH next week. Soulution, CJ also available but I am not very into.

Luxman - there used to be dealer but i can't get a hold of him yet. So maybe he's out of biz :-(

This is all of what I've been researching so far for phono stage. Airtight stopped making phono stage which is sad because there's dealer here. Even if I go to USA to buy, I dont know how to claim at Customs in VN airport yet... Maybe people bribe the officers and get the items in. I am looking for that contact right now.
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Air Tight debuted a beautiful new phonostage at Munich. If you look through my Munich pics, you will find it.
 
Mike

If the other gear is coming and she just wants to get the Kronos up and running how about something simple that can be an emergency back up later like the new iFi. This will give her plenty of time to test drive the higher priced models and not be out much.
 
Jack said:
Mike

If the other gear is coming and she just wants to get the Kronos up and running how about something simple that can be an emergency back up later like the new iFi. This will give her plenty of time to test drive the higher priced models and not be out much.
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Agreed. That's what I suggested above. iFi Phono2, among others.
 
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