Added a few pieces to my setup over the past year. Figured I'd share my path and why I made the choices.
- Audio Research REF 6SE Preamplifier
- Audio Research REF 160S Amplifier
- Shunyata Research Everest 8000T Power Distribution
- Shunyata Research Omega XC Power Cord
- Hana Umami Red MC Cartridge
- Degritter Ultrasonic Record Cleaner
- Moon by SIMAudio 280D Streaming DAC
- HRS Isolation Base (HRS SXR Rack incoming)
Now for how these purchases came about over the past year. I've been watching YouTube and reading forums for the entire Pandemic. Since the beginning and being stuck at home with nothing to do but work, read, and watch videos for 10 hours a day at my desk. What started out as demoing DAC's turned into a massive upgrade for my entire 2 channel setup.
My initial plan was to demo the dCS Bartok or the MSB Discrete DAC up against my PS Audio, Chord, Cambridge, and iFi DAC's within my room. That way I could really hear the difference on my system and not in some other room with different everything. This is when I found JS Audio in Bethesda, MD. They were a dCS vendor and I set up a demo with them to have a listen. Steve and Dave were great and let me listen for 2 hours with different setups of various High End gear on Wilson Audio Alexx V speakers. I was very impressed but asked how it would compare with my system at home. Dave was like, "well take it home and try it out." What? LOL I hadn't purchased anything from them yet and he was already letting me demo gear. Wow!
So I took the Bartok home with me and cabled it up. Started comparing it against the other options which I discussed in the DAC forum on here. In the end I was not as impressed with the Bartok in my system as I was at JS Audio. Maybe it was the synergy of my equipment but it didn't blow away the PS Audio. And definitely not for an extra $11k in price. So with one call to JS Audio they stated it could be a few things in my system but they recommended we start at the next stage of the chain in my system, the preamp. Their thought was the PS Audio BHK Pre was causing the loss of Wow we had in the store. So they said come on back and bring my PS Audio BHK with me.
This time I listened for another 2 hours between preamps like the Boulder 1110, Dan D'Agostino's Momentum and Progression Preamp, and the ARC REF 6SE. It was a huge toss up between the ARC and the Boulder and I still was on the fence that these were going to blow away my BHK just because they were so much pricier. Then Steve said; go grab your BHK and bring it inside. So I bring it in and they let me hook it up in the chain with the same wires, amp and speakers, Alexx V and Boulder 1160 Amp with Odin cables all around. I powered it up and started listening and was like WTF!! The system sounded like a thick wool blanket was put in front of the speakers and a huge giant concrete drain pipe you see under highways was added to the room. The band was sitting inside that drain pipe playing for me. Like in a 6 foot round drain. LOL Right then I knew my system sucked at home. LOL That day I purchased the ARC REF 6SE on the spot and they let me take the dCS back home again for more demo time.
Once home and connected the REF 6SE and it just blew me away. My Logan's were singing loud and proud and the sound stage was huge. Every little detail from songs I had heard several times before were now full of more detail and separation; just amazing. I was simplyt blown away as to how much I was missing. Next thing you know I'm demoing the 160S and the Boulder 1161 and 1160, along with the Dan D Progression S350. Again choosing the Audio Research gear. It just made my system so much more natural and easy to listen to without fatiguing my ears. One test I do is play Radiohead National Anthem at about 80-85db and really get in to the song for about a minute and then pause it. If my ears are ringing its fatiguing my ears. With the ARC Gear I had none of that.
Now I had found my shop in JS Audio. These guys were treating me like family and my system like it was their own.
So about a month later I purchased a few Nordost cables which I traded up from old ones I had and they asked what power conditioner I was using. In my head was like uh oh, here comes the snake oil treatment. And I was just beginning to love this shop. LOL After explaining what I had with Panamax, Furman, and Nordost QB8 they recommended Shunyata. And I was like no I don't see the point in spending that kind of money on those things and I was skeptic. Dave said I agree with you totally, so how about you take home this Denali and power cord and give it a try at home. If you don't hear a difference bring it back and that's the end of the discussion about power conditioning.
I get home and throw the Denali into the system. Power all of my 2 channel stuff off of the Denali and Nordost QB8. Pop on a record and start to listen. Instantly I notice the bass improvement. In fact its so deep and hitting so hard I was literally shocked. Next thing I know I'm turning it up a few clicks and the record player starts to have major bass reverb and I have to mute the preamp because the volume kept climbing. Now I can't even turn my system up pst 70db because of the reverb. My volume was around 36 on the REF 6SE before the Denali but now I couldn't get it to 28. Crazy how much the Bass had improved. So I wasn't able to even listen to vinyl now so I switched to streaming. Man was the streaming justs amazing! Only I still couldn't spin vinyl at listening levels because of the reverb. So I explained this to JS Audio and told them how much it improved my system and what it did to my TT. They recommended I come by and grab an HRS Platform.
HRS platform was put in under my system and the reverb went away. Now I can push the system up to 46 and 90db on my meter and it sounds terrific. That brought me to the purchase of an HRS SXR Rack which is on its way. And after two weeks of the Denali in my system I was sold and had to purchase the Everest.
Last but not least I upgraded my Cartridge and purchased the Degritter in hopes of bringing down the surface noise a little more on my records with better wet cleaning. So far I am in love with the Hana Umami and its performance. Still demoing the Boulder 508 Phono with it for now.
Here are a few photos of the additions.
Also, glad to hear that I am not the only one that has to sit on the 'loveseat hump'! We've currently got two choices... either the loveseat with the hump, or... two recliners with a narrow table in between them (we alternate them about twice a year). Neither are very comfortable for my solo two channel listening...
