High end audio

[ouch]

Guitars??? Drums??? Hell, you need talent to play those.

I'll take high end audio, where any slob can experience the good life from the comfort of their Barcolounger. All you need is a bit of knowledge and a bit of cash (well, okay, a little more than a "bit").

So..............What you got back home, little sister, to play your fuzzy warbles on? I bet you got, say, pitiful, portable picnic players. Come with uncle and hear all proper! Hear angels' trumpets and devils' trombones. You are invited!

 

[superfly]

haha, nice one... I have interest in "high end" audio for almost 15 years. I have made my own stuff since the beginning. Mostly tube preamps, with some ECC83's (ATX7) and solid state (mosfet) amps.

My last descent rig was the Bride of Zen mosfet preamp, design of the famous Nelson Pass, and mosfet power amp. All trough homemade cables, with CAT5 network cable. 99.9999% pure copper, and Teflon insulation. And at the end, the modest Bower and Wilkins DM 601. I'd love the Grande Utopia's, but I have too small music room

Marantz CD43 for CD player. Nowdays, I'm listening my Technics ST-S7 tuner, and my NAD C 320 BEE integrated amp. Hey, what can I say, it has remote control!

Nenad

 

[Steelforge]

Cyrus CD8x CD player.
Cyrus 8vs integrated amplifier.
Cyrus PSX-R regulated power supplies (x2), to power the CD and amp.
Cyrus tri-arbour rack.
Dynaudio Contour 1.3Mk2 standmount speakers.
Dynaudio speaker stands.
Chord Odyssey 2 speaker cable.
Chord Chameleon interconnects.
Black Spider noise supressing quad mains socket.

Sounds abolutely amazing on vocals, violin, piano and general rock.

 

[jduffy]

I'm pretty big into Decware right now. My friend built his amp and the thing is just nuts for sound.

I'm looking forward to building one for myself sometime this December. Single Ended sounds (no pun) right to me.

 

[Jim]

Great post Ouch-

I built 2 Hafler bridged mosfet single Chanel amps and a Hafler pre amp almost 20 years ago-

Still using the rig today- still sounds great I cannot even remember the names of the drivers I put in my boxes I think I have a folder with all the stuff in it- I scored some very high performance cable at work for my patch and speaker cables back then also.

 

[catatonic]

I'm a budget audiophile:

Living room:
Onix Reference 0.5 loudspeakers
StudioTech 24" speaker stands with elastomer isolation pads between the speakers and stands.
K&B Speaker cable (12ga, banana plugs)
Yamaha RX-496 Stereo Reciever (yeah it's a reciever, but IMO it's the best performing unit for it's price range)
Pioneer DV-C503 DVD changer (I figured it's a good blend of convenience and performance)
Radio Shack 8-n-1 Kameleon universal remote (a must have component, a decent universal remote)
Custom made double-shielded 75-ohm rca interconnects (I roll my own)

Computer:
SL Waber WaveTracker AC noise filter (125dB attenuation)
Creek OBH-11 headphone amp w/ OBH-2 power supply
Sennheiser HD-280 headphones
Radio shack 3.5mm to RCA adaptor
custom double-shielded 75ohm RCA interconnects (same as above)
Soundblaster Audigy 2zs soundcard (I play computer games, so a pro card is out of the question.

I love surrond sound, but I cannot get the results I want in my current apartment, so I went for a 2-channel living room setup. My computer is headphone only, since I do game at odd hours, and don't want to annoy my neighbors. Only reason I even bought the K&B cable was the price was just about what it would have cost to make my own mesh-covered cables, and theirs looked better than what I would have made! Pity K&B went under a while ago

 

[mrob]

I believe that I'm a budget audiophile:

iPod with Sony headphones
car stereo

And I'm a musician!

 

[SamKennard]

Home System
Herron Audio HL-1 solid-state line stage preamplifier with phono stage.
Herron Audio M-150 solid-state monaural amplifiers.
VPI Super Scoutmaster with Helikon cartridge and Kinetic Systems active Vibraplane.
Magnum Dynalab MD 102 FM Tuner.
Philips DVD963SA for SACD and CD.
Herron Audio interconnects.
Audio Physic Virgo II loudspeakers.
Audio Physic Luna sub-woofer.
Vibrapod Isolators and Cones.


Office
Herron Audio VTSP-2 tubed line stage preamplifier.
Herron Audio VTPH-1 tubed phono preamplifier.
Herron Audio M-150 solid-state monaural amplifiers.
VPI Aries with Accurate cartridge and Kinetic Systems active Vibraplane.
Magnum Dynalab MD101 FM Tuner.
Philips DVD963SA for SACD and CD.
Herron Audio interconnects.
Reimer Teton Loudspeakers.
Audio Physic Luna sub-woofer.
Vibrapod Isolators and Cones.
(I am the manufacturer.)

 

[jduffy]

I have yet to hear a Herron system but from what people have told me, it's very impressive.

Regarding the Herron prices, "If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it."

Nice setup you have.

 

[letterk]

I was a budding audiophile back in college. I had lots of upgrades planned, but I needed to buy a ring for my gal so my audio budget took a big hit. I never really got back into it. This rig, however, has served me well for a decade.

Marantz AV500 pre-amp
Rotel RB-980BX amp
Marantz CD-63 mkII CD player
Camber Laser 7 speakers
M&K MX-1000 subwoofer
Audioquest Topaz Cables
M&K cross-over

 

[ouch]

Home System
Herron Audio HL-1 solid-state line stage preamplifier with phono stage.
Herron Audio M-150 solid-state monaural amplifiers.
VPI Super Scoutmaster with Helikon cartridge and Kinetic Systems active Vibraplane.
Magnum Dynalab MD 102 FM Tuner.
Philips DVD963SA for SACD and CD.
Herron Audio interconnects.
Audio Physic Virgo II loudspeakers.
Audio Physic Luna sub-woofer.
Vibrapod Isolators and Cones.


Office
Herron Audio VTSP-2 tubed line stage preamplifier.
Herron Audio VTPH-1 tubed phono preamplifier.
Herron Audio M-150 solid-state monaural amplifiers.
VPI Aries with Accurate cartridge and Kinetic Systems active Vibraplane.
Magnum Dynalab MD101 FM Tuner.
Philips DVD963SA for SACD and CD.
Herron Audio interconnects.
Reimer Teton Loudspeakers.
Audio Physic Luna sub-woofer.
Vibrapod Isolators and Cones.
(I am the manufacturer.)

Magnum Dynalab? What's that? LOL

 

[jduffy]

I see you went low budget and got the 90.

Sweet!

 

[ouch]

I see you went low budget and got the 90.

Sweet!

Yeah, I don't listen to much radio these days, so I couldn't justify their top of the line models. Besides, I had to save my pennies for the important parts.

In 1975, I wandered into Lyric Hi-Fi on Lexington Avenue, and haven't been the same ever since. Products from companies such as Audio Research, Mark Levinson, Krell, Spectral, Magnepan, Balanced Audio Technology, Nelson Pass, and many others have passed through my doors. Good audio gear is one of the great pleasures of life.

 

[rikrdo]

The 2005 Honda Element EX doesn't offer too many digital luxuries. The EX trim package includes a seven-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo with MP3 playback capability and a handy auxiliary audio input, located in front of the passenger seat, for use with portable audio devices. The stereo is also XM satellite radio ready, but you'll need a subscription to the service. A healthy subwoofer helps fill the big space of the interior with sound. The stereo's controls are simple to operate, with large knobs that are all close enough to the driver.


We also enjoy our Bose 3-2-1 system
and a AIWA Boom box (w/ CD player) entertains me while I slave away in the garage

 

[SamKennard]

I have yet to hear a Herron system but from what people have told me, it's very impressive.

Regarding the Herron prices, "If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it."

Nice setup you have.

Thanks.

Keith Herron is a very good friend. Everything that I currently own was obtained through accommodation pricing as one of my companies is in the Audio Industry - The Vibrapod Company.

I have a fair amount of other gear that gets switched in and out at the company for testing purposes.

Sam Kennard

 

[ouch]

I see you went low budget and got the 90.

Sweet!

Actually, it's an FT101A.

 

[ouch]

Thanks.

Keith Herron is a very good friend. Everything that I currently own was obtained through accommodation pricing as one of my companies is in the Audio Industry - The Vibrapod Company.

I have a fair amount of other gear that gets switched in and out at the company for testing purposes.

Sam Kennard

I've had the pleasure of listening to some Herron products- absolutely top notch. Their preamp is amongst the finest available.

Whaddaya say I trade ya some blades for some Vibrapods?

 

[jfm]

My high end rig is currently represented by my Grado SR-325s and a simple Technics turntable. Once I finish my dissertation, I will probably upgrade my house to something more accommodating of a listening room.

 

[scagooch]

I used to think $25 dollars was a lot for shaving cream. Cheap in comparison to $200 interconnects.
Arcam Alpha fmj32
Arcam Alpha 8se Cd player
Castle Eden speakers
VAn Den Huul interconnects and speaker cables

 

[ouch]

One of the ironies of audio is that the more room you have, the easier things will be. For those with enough room to house a pair of Magnepans, the high end doesn't even have to be all that expensive.