System #151 (Quest Z)

[IWalker]

Name: Ian Walker

Location: Charlotte, NC

MLs Owned: Quest Z

Date Purchased: (Quest Z : 11/2006)

Mods: None thus far, planning to add a midbass array...probably won't alter the actual quests though, now that I see how great they look!

Associated Electronics:
Amps: (Quest Z - Crown XLS 602B Pro-Amp)
{AES Six Pacs, Rogue Audio M-120 or M-150, or Blue Circle BC24/BC28 planned}
Preamp: None yet.
{Placette passive linestage planned}
Sources:
1. Lossless WMA->Winamp (with firefly remote) -> M-Audio Sonica Theater Sound Card (Coax Digital Out) -> ART DI/O audio D/A Converter
2. Pioneer DV563A(Coax Digital Out-for CDs only) -> ART DI/O audio D/A Converter
3. Pioneer DV563A Analog out (SACD/DVD-A use)
{Oppo DV970-HD planned...mods potentially added}
Misc:
1. ART Cleanbox (for Balanced/Unbalanced conversion)
2. Musical Fidelity X-10v3 Tube buffer (helps with impedence matching and adds a bit of tube flavor)
Cables: Too many to list right now...I'll get back to it They're all mid-priced ($50-$150) cables...nothing crazy.

 

[amey01]

Just read your story in the other forum - WELCOME!!

 

[Joey_V]

Welcome!

I see you're looking at the Rogue M120... those are pretty good amps. I have the Rogue Metis tube preamplifier and it has taken my Summits to another level from the Rotel RC1070 pre that I had before. You wont be disappointed with the M120.

Although that AES SixPac is another giant in the amp world.

Good luck with your future audio endeavors!! :cheers:

Joey

 

[Robin]

Terrific Quest Z System...

Ian,

Your Quest Z's look really fantastic in your listening room. Very audio high-tech set-up as well. What kinda lap-top computer are you using in your current set-up? And is your computer remote controled? In addition, are you considering room treatment in the future?

Ian, Your system Rocks...

 

[MiTT]

Welcome Ian

Ian, I used to drive my ReQuests with Rogue Audio M-120's back when it was posted on the old forum. I eventually replaced the M-120's with my current BAT VK-6200 because in my old room the only configuration that worked physically had the M-120's stacked one on top of the other in my audio rack and this tended to cause a LOT of heat to build up. When I was running my home theater it was even worse because I have a very large cabinet that houses the TV and when watching a movie the door would close off the front of the amps as well. So, I went with a big solid state amp - 4 channels in a vertyical bi-amp configuration. I love the BAT, and find it the closest thing to the sound of tubes that I could find, but I do miss some of the mid-range sweetness that came through from the Rogues, althogh bass is now a bit tighter and more defined.

Someday, when I have a dedicated room, I intend to keep the VK-6200 for the bass section and add another channel to drive a center and surrounds in the multichannel setup. Then I'll add a pair of BAT VK-150 SE's for the stat panels and bask in that sweet tube midrange again (I do have lot's of other tubes in the system - BAT VK-31SE pre-amp and Aesthetix Rhea phono stage).

For what it's worth, when I bought the M-120's I spent a lot of time talking to Mark O'Brien at Rogue and he was using ReQuests to develop and voice the amps. Other than a little bit more dificult impeadence load to deal with, I believe that you find a very synergistic match. Good Luck!

 

[IWalker]

My laptop is just an e-machines that I use for everything right now. I'll eventually move it up with all the rest of the gear to solve the wire issues, once I get a tv and such to attach it to. I have a firefly remote attached to it. Pretty basic functionality...but very cool to have anyway. It looks like some of the newer remotes show you the songs you're playing, which would be cooler still....so I may consider getting something like that down the road.

I was a little unhappy with the wires set up how they were, so I made a couple of changes. I posted the update pic. I have some makeshift stands with my new (untested) line arrays on them (if I like them once I get to test them, I'll make/buy nicer stands)...and then a picture across the front, so it really cleans up the look quite a bit. I'm going to raise the CD player up so I (and the remote) can see it...and then I'll be happy with it

I ordered a new dac, cause I realized when testing some things out that my own self-modded dac gives off a high pitch noise in one channel. It was pretty cheap, as is the new one I got...but no modding for me this time

I also ordered the oppo 970HD dvd/sacd/cd player to replace my old pioneer. That's the last audio purchase for a while I think, until my paychecks start catching up to my purchases! TV, six pacs, then sub (or pro-amp to bi-amp the subs in the Quests)