I guess it's about time I updated mine as well.
Germany (Main System)This system is now file-based / streaming only.
Mains conditioningIsotek Nova for sources etc
Isotek Titan (X2) for power amplifier and sub-bass.
All mains cables are Furutech Schuko-terminated and custom-made by MCrU.
Source ComponentsRipped CDs and high resolution downloads are stored on a Fidata HFAS1 XS2AU Server (and backed up to 2 Synology NAS units).
Streaming is from Tidal Masters (supported natively for non-MQA content by the NDX) and Qobuz Sublime (via a Bubble UPnP server on the primary NAS) subscriptions.
Naim NDX with a Teddy Pardo PSU and connected to the Fidata Server using an AQVox Blaze Cat.7 cable. The server is connected to the network via an AQVox AQ-Switch SE and another AQVox Blaze Cat.7 (switch to Fidata) and Excel Cat.7 (main network switch to AQVox switch) cables
Lab12 DAC1 Reference DAC connected to the Fidata Server by an AQVox Blaze USB cable and to the NDX by an AQVox Blaze 75 Ohm co-axial cable.
NDX, Fidata Server and Lab12 DAC are supported on Townshend Isolation Platforms / Pods. The TP PSU and the AQVox switch are fitted wth Black Ravioli pads.
AmplificationPre-amplifierTownshend Audio Allegri+ (supported on another Townshend Platforms).
Power AmplifierLector VM200 supported on a pair of Townhend Speaker Bars (due its dimensions).
SpeakersRoyd Apex transmission line speakers
Shahinian Arc speakers
Townshend Supertweeters (setting 2)
Speaker Enacom SE units
Rel S/5 sub-bass.
Townshend Fractal speaker cables to main speakers and MCrU high output cable to the sub-bass from the amplifier outputs.
Both sets of speakers are on Towshend Seismic Isolation Podiums (Size 1 for the Apex speakers and Size 2 for the Arcs) and the sub-bass is on Townshend Speaker Bars (as it has a down-firing secondary driver).
Cable from the power amplifier to the speakers in use are supported on Furutech NCF Boosters
Misc.Furutech Boosters are used to support the power connectors to the DAC TP PSU and Fidata server.
Felt blocks are used to 'decouple' various cables from the floor and there are some cork discs under the feet of the Seismic platform (mainly for aesthetic reasons).
All analogue interconnects are also Townshend Fractal (RCA).
Grounding is by Black Ravioli Black Hole units.
Naim PSU and AQVox switch is supported by BR pads.
I still have the Meridian 200/263 CD transport/DAC just in case! Plus the following amplifiers:
Onix OA24 pre-ampifier and SOAP PSU and the near mythical Onix OA801 power amplifier ('cos I cannot bear to part with them!).
A Teddy Pardo PR1 pre-amplifier and a pair of Teddy Pardo MB 100 monoblock power amplifiers (these I will probably sell).
A Lab12 Pure passive pre-amplifier.
Lab12 Suono power amplifier (on a Townshend Seismic platform on top of the Lector) - this will go into service occasionally and I have a pair of KR Audio KT150 pentodes ready to try in it in place of the stock Tung Sol KT150 ones.
Germany (other systems)There is a Naim Mu-So Qb in the kitchen and a Naim Unity Atom in the living room connected to Neat Iota Alpha speakers using Townshend Isolda cables. Both are fed by wired network via Aqvox AQ-Switch SE switches and Aqvox Edge (switch to streamer) and Excel (terminal to switch) cables. Mains to the Atom and switch is via an Isotek Orion filter and Furutech-based cables from MCrU. The Atom is sitting on a Townshend Isolation Platform and the Iota Alphas are on Townshend Speaker Bars (again, they have a down-firing bass).
UKMains conditioningLab12 Gordion (X2) for sources, etc.
Isotek Titan for the power amplifier.
IsoteK Titan 1 for the sub-bass.
All mains cables are Furutech-terminated and were custom-made by MCrU.
Source ComponentsDigitalLector Digidrive III CD transport.
Ripped CDs and high res. downloads are stored on a Fidata HFAS1 XS2AU Server (and backed up to 2 Synology NAS units).
Tidal Masters and Qobuz Sublime subscriptions. The network feed to the Fidata server is through an Aqvox AQ-Switch SE from a Cat.7 wall outlet.
The streamer is a Naim NDX2 with a Teddy Pardo PSU and connected to the Fidata Server via an ethernet re-clocker. The network output of the Fidata server is fed to an Uptone Audio EtherREGEN powered by a Ferrum Audio Hypsos PSU. A Mutec Ref10 SE120 10 MHz reference master-clock is used in place of the internal oscillator on the EtherREGEN. All network cables are AQVox Blaze Cat.7 and the 75 Ohm co-axial cable (BNC to BNC) is MCrU Ultimate.
Lab12 DAC1 Reference DAC. Supplied from the Fidata server by an AQVoz Blaze USB cable and from the Naim NDX2 and Lector CDP by AQVox 75 Ohm co-axial cables (BNC to RCA).
AnalogueLate 80s Linn LP12 with a Tangerine Audio Karmen top plate and Phoenix sub-chassis and arm board plus a Tiger Paw cross brace. The Cirkus bearing is supplemented with a Tiger Paw Tranquility unit and has a Linn metal baseplate. The deck has an early heavy platter fitted with a a Funk Acromat driven (using a Origin Live belt) by a Linn DC motor controlled by the Linn Radikal PSU / controller.
The tonearm is a Funk F.X-R II arm (with an ISOKinetik underslung counter-weight) and a Dynavector DV DRT XV-1t cartridge mounted via a Funk Houdini decoupler. The arm to phono-stage cable is by Linn (sounded the best).
The phono-stage is a Lab12 Melto2 ( )
All source to analogue interconnect cables are Townshend F1 Fractal (RCA).
The LP12, re-clocker and master clock, Digidrive and Lab12 DAC all sit on Townsend Seismic Sink Platforms.
AmplificationPre-amplifierTownshend Allegri+
Power amplifiersLector VM200.
Lab12 Suono (for when I've run out of logs for the fire!).
Headphone AmplifierFerrum Audio OOR withe Hypsos PSU connected to the analogue output of the Naim NDX2.
Speakers and HeadphonesSpeakersLate 80s Rega Ela transmission line speakers (the Mk 1.25 versions with 3 point feet and Royd / Scanspeak drivers - apart from the cross-overs and feet, these are identical to Royd Apex speakers).
Townshend Supertweeters (setting 2).
Speaker Enacoms.
The cables are 'vintage' Exposure cables (amazingly these have so far these out-performed everything I've thrown at the system including the Isolda cables - I've yet to try Fractal ones in the though, but as they are routed under a concrete floor in ducts they wouldn't fit anyway and my experience in Germany suggests I will not hear an improvement anyway!). I have no idea why they perform so well. They are terminated at the amplifier end with WBT gold banana plugs and at the speakers with vintage copper plugs (changing these kills the sound-stage and dynamics).
Rel R/305 sub-bass supplied by a MCrU high output cable from the amplifier terminals.
The speakers and sub are on Townshend Podiums.
I also have a pair of Shahinian Arc speakers, but the Elas suit the room geometry better.
HeadphonesFocal Utopia
Grado PS1000e
HiFiMan HS560
MiscArtkustik gullibility detector (also know as a Schumann resonator I believe
).
I have a stack of Onix and Exposure amplification in storage plus a Meridian 201 pre-amplifier (which I confess I have never used!) and my Meridian mono-blocks. The Teddy Pardo MB-100 mono-blocks (these oscillate when used with the auto-transformer pre-amplifiers) are being used by a friend along with a Meridian 206B CD/DAC. There is also an Onix BWD-1 tuner and SOAP (retired at the moment due to the sheer convenience of the vTuner in the NDX2) and a Meridian 204 tuner (again, never used) as well as a Nakamichi DR-2 cassette deck (currently not in use, but it will be as I have a cassette player in the old car!). There are a pair of Rega Kytes lurking around as well and a second Digidrive and Digicode (sent back to Italy for service and upgrade - and still there over 4 years later so it was good that I bought a second set!). The Lector Digicode S-192 DAC is with a friend and the older Lab12 DAC1 is with another (who plans to buy it from me he says!). I'll probably sell the TP DAC and Uphorik phono stage: I have an Atwood phono stage and large PSU I should move on as well.
