Audio Asylum - Inmate Systems

Dean Barwell's Dean's System System
IP Address: 212.183.134.209	Last Update: January 14, 2009 at 09:43:53
Amplifier:	Mark Levinson 27.5 Dual Mono Power amp. 100w into 8 ohms 200w into 4ohms
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Mark levinson 26 Dual Mono pre amp (balanced version) with pls 226 psu.
Speakers:	Thiel CS 2.4 floorstanding speakers. 4ohms, 87db.
Sources:
CD Player/DAC:	Consonance Droplet 5.0 Fully balanced circuits and a valve output stage. It's a beauty.
Turntable/Phono Stage:	Michelle Gyrodek with Orbe platter upgrade. RB300 tone arm with structural and arm wire upgrades by Origin Live. Dynavector Karat 17d2 cartridge. Trichord Delphini phono stage
Other Accessories/Room/Misc.:
Speaker Cables/Interconnects:	Transparent Audio Music Wave Plus speaker cables. Kontac link 502 silver clad ofc interconnects
Other (Power Conditioner, Racks etc.):	Mains distribution block and all power leads Merlin Black Widow. System on Quadraspire Q4 racks. Turntable on target wall support.
Tweaks:	Home made teak supports under turntable and speakers. I use these natty little ceramic triangular feet under some of my equipment gleened from an engineer friend. Apparently they are used in metal polishing machines!?
Room Size (LxWxH):	18 x 15 x 12
Room Comments/Treatments:	Some chairs opposite the hifi.
Music Preferences and Comments:
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Anything from Tori Amos and Mark Cohn to Ministry and NIN. A little bit of Jazz and alot of Tom Waits. Love old Punk Rock and American Hardcore with the Dead Kennedys being my all time favorite band. Hate Opera non negotiable.
System Goals/Comments:	Want /Have, a lively open sound and musicality is the most important aspect for me. If it doesn't make me air drum keep it. Looking at the supports and cable loom as possible upgrades as love my equipment. Having said that I already am in line for a listen to the Thiel 3.7 (ooh, ooh) but still waiting for review samples to hit Britain. My mate knows I'll run those babies in for him.
System Strengths:	Musical, punchy, great timing and control and good recordings sound very realistic. Er not many good old punk rock recordings but it bangs along with great energy and seperates instruments well making this genre of music much easier to listen to / understand.
System Weaknesses:	Not the last word in detail but I think some hifi is so detail retrieval orientated that it stops making music. Can only get so much bass out of medium sized speakers but Thiel 7.2s didn't work with my amp or in my room.
Video/HT System: None
Other Interests/Hobbies/Occupation:	Photography-Mountain biking-Travel-British beer, Darkstar, Black Isle and Jennings are particular fave breweries.