Audio Asylum - Inmate Systems

gnat 's April 2005 System
IP Address: 89.163.124.153	Last Update: September 19, 2008 at 15:13:38
Amplifier:	Avant Electric, custom modified Comandor model, 6F12P->6C33C. SE-IDHT, ~15W
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Custom made input selector,DACT-based (hi, Jack G:).
Speakers:	Epos ES12. 89 db, 8 Ohm. Custom made speaker stands: steel, 40 cm, lead/sand filled. REL Q50 subwoofer.
Sources:
CD Player/DAC:	Marantz CD17
Turntable/Phono Stage:	AudioNote TT1 table, Rega RB300 arm, Project 4 cart, Goldring D42 stylus. Custom made phonostage. Tubed, JAN 6072A + 6N2P. Custom made record clamp.
Other Source(s):	Sony ST-SE520EE tuner. So-so outdoor antenna. Toshiba V-E61R VCR used as audio tapedeck (rarely).
Other Accessories/Room/Misc.:
Speaker Cables/Interconnects:	Spkr: Acrotec 1050. IC: Tara Labs Prism 11, Prism 22, AudioNote AN-A, custom made AN-C based, Acrotec 2050, custom made(by Genn:) - flat/WBT connectors/copper, Nordost Blue Heaven, Nordost Black Knight, Audioquest Sidewinder.
Other (Power Conditioner, Racks etc.):	Main rack: Made from Apollo Adagio 4 component rack (metal frame, 4 mdf shelves). Original rack was simply split (cut) into two racks, 2-shelves each so that new racks are half-height of original one. Auxiliary rack: no-name generic AV rack. Wooden legs, 3 glass shelves. Record cleaning mashine: VPI H-16.5
Tweaks:	Sorbothane and blutak here and there. :) Chewing gum couples speakers to stands. Concrete slabs under spkr stands, under and on subwoofer. Granite slabs under the main rack and under TT. Decca 2+2 record brush. ES12 ports are foam-plugged. O-legs Absorber, great room treatment device made by Mothra Research. Bib Groov-Kleen Inak BOLIDE Shock absorbers (just feets under amp)
Room Size (LxWxH):	5.5m x 3.2m x 2.5m
Room Comments/Treatments:	Short wall spkrs placement, ~1.5 m between spkrs, 3-4 m to the listener Furniture placed properly. Rugs, ceiling panels, curtains etc used to tune sound reflection / difraction / absorbtion to my taste. Cork covers some strategic places to increase room soundproofing
Music Preferences and Comments:
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Almost everything, especially opera, blues, country, trad. jazz. ~1000 CDs / ~1000 LPs / few VHS cassettes (with audio records).
System Goals/Comments:	Goals: it should improve my life quality. :) Comments: rolling it back to the start: - Custom made input selector replaced custom made pre-amp previously used as, well, input selector. :) - modified AE Comandor replaced Audionote AN-P1 - Toshiba V-E61R replaced Toshiba HF-5CZ - added VPI HW 16.5 RCM - Marantz CD17 replaced Micromega Minium CD - D42 replaced 'native' stylus in Project 4 - current speaker stands replaced Atacama SE24 - Acrotec replaced Ixos 603 - ES12 replaced Castle Isis - added current main rack (noname one:) - AN-P1 replaced power section of 304 - custom made pre replaced one built in 304 - custom made phonostage replaced one built in 304 - added HF-5CZ - added turntable - Micromega Minium CD replaced JVC F5TH 5-disk changer - added subwoofer - added tuner - NAD 304 int amp replaced NAD 310 int amp - oops... here I started. F5TH->Prism22->310->603->Isis, SE24, Adagio 4. [Last Updated: April 10, 2005 at 12:23:23. After that, I pressed "pause". :)]
System Strengths:	Allows 60 hrs/week listening.
System Weaknesses:	- Volume limited: room soundproofing insufficient. - Bass limited by room size.
Video/HT System: Integrated
TV/Projector:	43'' RPTV Toshiba 43CSH9UR (it replaced 21'' TV Loewe Concept 505, which replaced 21'' Panasonic TC-21D2)
Processor/Receiver/Amplifiers:	Same as in audio setup
Speakers (Center, Surrounds, Sub):	Same as in audio setup
Sources (DVD/VCR):	DVD Toshiba SD-140E (connected to TV in progressive mode with AudioQuest UIQ-G component cable). My old pre-amp (tubed, 6N8S) is ised as input buffer VCR Toshiba V-E61R used as video deck.
Other HT Gear:	None
Comments on HT System:	Just big TV connected to 2-channel music system