System Pics 2021

[Salamander]

I have to second the above post, although I always seem to like the look of Pathos amps whenever posted.

 

[Salamander]

Budget and domestic harmony are the main challenges !

Well if one has to be sold for either of your two stated reasons, so be it, I just thought your system set-up looked so balanced with the two tt's.

 

[jimification]

I have to second the above post, although I always seem to like the look of Pathos amps whenever posted.

We have a Logos, which I absolutely love the look of but that one has a more purposeful air about it....even menacing. The red accents, blades around the valves and thin slot front window takes me back to this....

 

[RoA]

Back to Class A (Hybrid). The Technics SU-R1000 was a disaster...

Nice. A mini work of art.

VU meters are lame anyway (unless it's Nagra ... then it's a mini work of art).

 

[JTC]

VU meters are lame anyway (unless it's Nagra ... then it's a mini work of art).

Not at all. They're mesmerising to watch, even if they don't really contribute much of actual use. One of my regrets is that my amp sits behind me and to the left of my listening sofa, so I can't watch it when it does its thing :/

 

[John]

Here’s a recent picture of the analog rig in my basement. LP12, Lingo, Exposure 19, 13 and 18 on Mana and Symposium supports.

 

[geetee1972]

We have a Logos, which I absolutely love the look of but that one has a more purposeful air about it....even menacing. The red accents, blades around the valves and thin slot front window takes me back to this....

Ah Maximillian! As I recall that scene ended quite messily!

 

[Chris81]

@Tony L: Inspired by you.

Spendor S 3/5SE



Altec Lansing Super Duplex 604 E with 1500 crossover in Onken cabinets (speakers from the 1960th.!)



Preamplifier: Audreal XA 3200 MKII with EH 12AX7 Gold & Poweramplifier: Tsakiridis Achilles with PSVANE Shuguang Z 300B
DA-Converter: Sugden Masterclass DAC-4

 

[jamesd]

Wow! Do you swap between the speakers? Those cabinets are beautiful

 

[Chris81]

Thank you.
I first bought the Spendors after Harbeth SHL5+ 40th. A.E. as a interim solution but I like them but I will go for the Classic 3/5 or 4/5 or maybe a comparable size speaker because these small ones are doing things the Altec can't and vice versa. But I must say I'm totally surprised how good the tonality of the Altec is.

Looking back I can 100% agree with @Tony L that the middle sized speaker like the SHL5 can't do what both the smaller and the big one can do and that that compromise isn't as good as two different speakers each with their own big strength.

But I have to see what the long time run will bring, because the Altec was delivered today and I have to get more used to it and the valves only 100h old so they have to be broke in too.

 

[paulfromcamden]

@Tony L: Inspired by you.

Spendor S 3/5SE



Altec Lansing Super Duplex 604 E with 1500 crossover in Onken cabinets (speakers from the 1960th.!)



Preamplifier: Audreal XA 3200 MKII with EH 12AX7 Gold & Poweramplifier: Tsakiridis Achilles with PSVANE Shuguang Z 300B
DA-Converter: Sugden Masterclass DAC-4

Nice Altecs! Would love a pair of 604s.

 

[matt j]

Thank you.
I first bought the Spendors after Harbeth SHL5+ 40th. A.E. as a interim solution but I like them but I will go for the Classic 3/5 or 4/5 or maybe a comparable size speaker because these small ones are doing things the Altec can't and vice versa. But I must say I'm totally surprised how good the tonality of the Altec is.

Looking back I can 100% agree with @Tony L that the middle sized speaker like the SHL5 can't do what both the smaller and the big one can do and that that compromise isn't as good as two different speakers each with their own big strength.

But I have to see what the long time run will bring, because the Altec was delivered today and I have to get more used to it and the valves only 100h old so they have to be broke in too.

There seems to be a few of us for where either small BBC style monitors or big speakers are the ticket, and the stuff in between doesn't do anything.

 

[MUTTY1]

There seems to be a few of us for where either small BBC style monitors or big speakers are the ticket, and the stuff in between doesn't do anything.

You obviously missed the Shahinian Arcs. They may look like a peddle bin but they are discrete visually and sound like heaven

 

[Chris81]

@MUTTY1 NOTHING beats a 15" woofer.

The crazy thing is, I'm listening some Christmas music around 60dB peak at the listening position and it sounds great and I listened to some Rock at 100dB at the listening position this afternoon and it sounds great too both with the tiny 8 watt (at best) 300b valve amplifier. The Altec Super Duplex 604 E is totally nuts.

 

[MUTTY1]

I’ll have to take your word for that. The arcs have some enormous cone on their backside but, sadly, it’s not connected to anything

 

[RossB]

Another update. New EAR 868 PL preamp and Pass XA25 power amp. They replace Exposure 5010 pre and power amplifiers (which I will be keeping), and an Audio Research VSi75 integrated amp (now sold). I loved the Exposures and could happily have continued living with them, but I felt that the Nagra DAC and phono stage demanded something a bit better. I tried the Nagra Classic Preamp and Amp, and thankfully I did not much like them, since they are obscenely expensive. I much prefer the EAR/Pass combination. The ARC integrated was also good but a little too forward for my tastes and put out a bit too much heat in my small room, particularly coming into the Sydney summer.

Current system:

Nagra HD Dac (upgraded to Tube Dac)
Nagra VPS phono stage with two inputs, MC and MM. The EAR MC4 to its left is connected to the MM input.
Both Nagra units powered by the Classic PSU on the lowest shelf
EAR 868PL preamp
EAR HP4 headphone amp and Final Audio D8000 Pro headphones hanging to the right
Pass Labs XA25 power amp. It's the smallest amp they make but still a monster!
PTP Solid 9 turntable with Audio Origami PU7 arm and Ortofon Windfeld Ti cartridge. The PTP speed controller is to the right of the EAR preamp.
Rega P8 with an Ortofon Cadenza mono
Rega RB2000 re-wired with Cardas cable on a separate armpod with an Ortofon Cadenza Black
Bricasti M5 streamer on the bottom shelf, along with an etherRegen switch powered by a Sonore Signature power supply.
Also on the bottom shelf is a Lindemann Limetree Network dac/streamer powered by a Gieseler Kraftwerk II PSU, for occasions when I don't have time to wait for the Nagra DAC to warm up and background music while working.
Interconnects and speaker cables are Moon Audio Black Dragon, DH Labs AES/EBU and ethernet cables from Wireworld, DH Labs and Shunyata.

 

[Tantris]

Back to Class A (Hybrid). The Technics SU-R1000 was a disaster...

That Pathos amp looks fantastic! I'd like to hear some of their more modern equipment.

I have an old Pathos TT, one of the first amps that Pathos built. I took it back to the factory in Vicenza for a service about 11 years ago now, and it's still going strong;




Here with newly refurbished ESL63;

 

[Gervais Cote]

Another update. New EAR 868 PL preamp and Pass XA25 power amp. They replace Exposure 5010 pre and power amplifiers (which I will be keeping), and an Audio Research VSi75 integrated amp (now sold). I loved the Exposures and could happily have continued living with them, but I felt that the Nagra DAC and phono stage demanded something a bit better. I tried the Nagra Classic Preamp and Amp, and thankfully I did not much like them, since they are obscenely expensive. I much prefer the EAR/Pass combination. The ARC integrated was also good but a little too forward for my tastes and put out a bit too much heat in my small room, particularly coming into the Sydney summer.

Current system:

Nagra HD Dac (upgraded to Tube Dac)
Nagra VPS phono stage with two inputs, MC and MM. The EAR MC4 to its left is connected to the MM input.
Both Nagra units powered by the Classic PSU on the lowest shelf
EAR 868PL preamp
EAR HP4 headphone amp and Final Audio D8000 Pro headphones hanging to the right
Pass Labs XA25 power amp. It's the smallest amp they make but still a monster!
PTP Solid 9 turntable with Audio Origami PU7 arm and Ortofon Windfeld Ti cartridge. The PTP speed controller is to the right of the EAR preamp.
Rega P8 with an Ortofon Cadenza mono
Rega RB2000 re-wired with Cardas cable on a separate armpod with an Ortofon Cadenza Black
Bricasti M5 streamer on the bottom shelf, along with an etherRegen switch powered by a Sonore Signature power supply.
Also on the bottom shelf is a Lindemann Limetree Network dac/streamer powered by a Gieseler Kraftwerk II PSU, for occasions when I don't have time to wait for the Nagra DAC to warm up and background music while working.
Interconnects and speaker cables are Moon Audio Black Dragon, DH Labs AES/EBU and ethernet cables from Wireworld, DH Labs and Shunyata.

Just did a copy and paste of your listing and sent it to Santa Clause...........still waiting !

 

[Waxxy]

 

[Tigerjones]

Love the wooden ceiling.