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System Pics 2021

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evan said:
First time hifi image post... ever. My wife and work colleagues think that I'm mad.

At a transition point right now.

Just replaced my much-loved and hard-to-get Monitor Audio Studio 60s for ATC 40 actives.

Rest of system:
Bluesound Node 2i streamer
RME ADI-2 DAC
Cambridge Audio CXC CD transport
Naim NAC202 modified by Sean at Custom Hifi Cables to enable dual power supplies
Customer Hifi Cables dual CHC-CAP with Mundorf capacitor upgrades
Naim NAPSC2
Avondale Audio M130 mono blocks with NCC220 upgrade
Hifi stand from @Knipester (I never got around to sending him an earlier image... hope you like it Paul)

Also just bought a MiniDSP U-MIK 1 to attempt to improve the sound.

Lots of decisions to make in next 6 months. Will keep most of the passive kit just in case as the active isn't sounding right yet. Maybe buy an ATC CDA2 as I'm not happy with the RME ADI-2 DAC feeding directly into the ATC 40As. Maybe upgrade to ATC 50As as the 40As don't quite have that effortless volume and scale that I'm obsessed with (as I feared they wouldn't). Or maybe test some Dutch and Dutch 8cs as they seem to be the future and I'm not completely confident that I will have the brain space to learn REW/UMIK-1.

Thanks to everyone on PFM for all the experience shared over the last couple of years. I think it's a brilliant resource.

Hope these Flkr links work!

https://flic.kr/p/2koCRuN
https://flic.kr/p/2koDtSU

Update: I forgot to confess that I cleaned up all the XLR cables for the photo as they were all over the place. If I stay active I will get them under the carpets, like I have with the passive speaker cables.
Click to expand...
Definitely get a demo of a CDA2, may find it’s all you need & will free up cash for a future speaker upgrade. I may well look at ATC50s in the future but they are twice as much cash as the 40s. Nice to have a goal though.
 
Woodface said:
Definitely get a demo of a CDA2, may find it’s all you need & will free up cash for a future speaker upgrade. I may well look at ATC50s in the future but they are twice as much cash as the 40s. Nice to have a goal though.
Click to expand...

Yes, I’m sure you’re right. I need to check out the CDA2 based on your earlier recommendation, and this is part of the path to the 50As (funds permitting). I guess the 8cs could be the biggest competition right now given their ability to fix room issues.
 
@evan that’s a beautiful listening room / lounge.

I’ve never heard the 40s, but 50s are special - however, they do like to play louder than I ultimately want to live with. Whatever you do, if buying new, get extended home dems.
 
Whaleblue said:
@evan that’s a beautiful listening room / lounge.

I’ve never heard the 40s, but 50s are special - however, they do like to play louder than I ultimately want to live with. Whatever you do, if buying new, get extended home dems.
Click to expand...

Thanks @Whaleblue. I like ridiculously loud music but it needs to feel unforced. Hence my longing for the 50As. The 40As are certainly loud enough – they aren’t the problem.

I can see the sense in extended home demos but I don’t want to buy new and lose thousands as soon as I get them. But I guess there isn’t an alternative as the higher end speakers don’t turn up on the second hand market that often. I guess I’m being short-sighted.
 
evan said:
Yes, I’m sure you’re right. I need to check out the CDA2 based on your earlier recommendation, and this is part of the path to the 50As (funds permitting). I guess the 8cs could be the biggest competition right now given their ability to fix room issues.
Click to expand...
Yes, the RME Dac has some room correction capability. I am very impressed with 40s though & really like the simplicity of the CDA2, I just feel I’m listening to music rather than hi fi.
 
System has undergone quite a few changes in the last year. In january 2020 I changed my B&W 803s and bopught Quad ESL 63s. That was followed by a cartridge change to Ortofon 2M Bronze and an Arkless phonostage then added a quad 909 as an alternative to my HackerNap. Still using a B4 preamp, LP!2 with Mose Hercules, Stack Audio top plate, subchassis and armboard and Roksan Nima plus Avondale Arcam Alpha 5+ cd. Listening room for the main system has also changed. First from a room on the ground floor of the town house, which has now become a home theatre room, to the much larger lounge on the next floor, then finally much more recently to the cottage in the Blackdowns where it currently resides.
_DSC3200 (2) by Colin Bailey, on Flickr
_DSC3207 (2) by Colin Bailey, on Flickr
_DSC3205 (2) by Colin Bailey, on Flickr
_DSC3197 (2) by Colin Bailey, on Flickr
_DSC3178 (2) by Colin Bailey, on Flickr
_DSC3173 (2) by Colin Bailey, on Flickr
 
@Colinb I love my AAA 5+, having had it for 20+ years, although the tray wheel needs replacing, and I'm too nesh to open it up. How do you find yours?
 
andrews said:
PowerAmp BenchMark AHB2 (sitting on Iosacoustic Oreas) - fitted with two Synergistic Orange fuses

> Tellurium Q Silver Diamond speaker cables + Jumpers (diamond config)
Click to expand...

Benchmark recommend that the only speaker cable that can maintain the full potential of the amp is the Canare 4S11 Star Quad with the Speakon connectors.

Have you tried it ?
 
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