Inmate Systems - Audio Asylum

Kensternberg's Listening Room System
IP Address: 69.253.188.67	Last Update: May 04, 2019 at 13:53:12
Amplifier:	Art Audio Jota (England, 2001) Single Ended Triode, Dual Mono, Class "A" amplification, a 2011 upgrade to newer & better low oxygen copper output dual bobbin transformers, 4 & 8 ohm taps ... 2018 Backert Sound Dezign Modification: Dynamic Linearity Compensation circuits, and all new caps for pwr supply & driver stage // Output tubes (Czech Republic, 2011) are Emission Labs BXL 520-V3 providing 20wpc / All the remaining tube pairs used in the circuit are NOS: 1955 Mullard CV378 for full-wave valve rectification / for signal gain: early 1960's cryo'd Telefunken E88CC/6922 dual triodes / addl. gain R.C.A. 12BH7 (first orig. version, late 1940's), early 50's!
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Art Audio DM-VPS (England, 2001) dual mono transformers, class"A" simple gain stage with cathode follower, 30dB signal gain: NOS pair of 12AX7/ECC83 Amperex Type 1, "Bugle Boys" 1950's: original & rarest first design, with long, ribbed plate, 'D' getters // Cathode follower: pair 6FQ7 RCA,"Clear*Tops" 1960
Speakers:	Peak-Consult Signature Incognito X (Denmark, 2008) 30-30,000 Hz, 91 dB sensitivity, 5 ohms, Two drivers, rear ported: 1" ScanSpeak Revelator- non-Ferro fluid hand coated silk dome tweeter & customized 7" Audio Technology (ATI) woofer- hand built, with a vented magnet system, second order Dueland crossovers @ 2,000 Hz, 159 lbs. Enclosure made of 1" Rosewood covering 1.5" HDF, leather covered steel on front & rear
Sources:
CD Player/DAC:	Hailey Audio, Ltd. Magnum CD2020 (England, 1998) and also an Oppo BDP-103 universal player (USA, 2014)
Turntable/Phono Stage:	�TW-Acustic Raven GT (Germany, 2012) black anodized aluminum plinth, 49.5 lbs. // Ars Cyprium Copper Platter - a gel filled propriety Delrin based compound. 22.5. lbs. // Black Night Feet; aluminum, ball & spring suspension // TW Platter Mat (by Yamada-san, of Zanden Audio, Japan // Two! TW Acustic Raven 10.5 Tonearms (Precision inverted, fixed gimbaled arm, eff. mass 14 grams. Captured tonearm cables -stranded 6N OFC copper, sheathed in silk, shielded in more stranded copper. Terminated with spring-loaded, retractable-element Neutrik ProFi RCA plugs // Three moving coil cartridges: 1) Miyajima Madake #00001 -African Blackwood (Mpingo) body, Impedance ~16 ohm, 0.23mV output, Tracking force 2.5g, Nude Shibata diamond stylus, attached to bamboo cantilever fitted into aluminum (Japan 2015) // 2) Van den Hul Crimson XGW -Koa wood body, VDH 1S 2 x 85 Micron stylus, 0.65mV (Holland, 2014) My cart is the very first sold in the USA // 3) For monophonic LPs: Miyajima Zero Mono "B" -African Blackwood (Mpingo) body 0.7mil conical stylus, 0.4mV (Japan, 2012). // �Tron Seven Phono Stage (England, 2012) Two input option, Reference Version- using specially chosen unique resistors & upgraded capacitors, All cabling is PTFE insulated silver over copper incl. the custom made leads. Inductively coupled to cartridges instead of resistive loading: MM gain 49dB, MC adds internal dual mono 1:10 transformers for another 20dB gain for carts 0.3mV to 0.9mV output / Fitted with single NOS Amperex PQ 7316/ECC186 D Getter (1958-59) 'select & quietest' 12AU7 variant // very rare pair of NOS12AX7 Telefunken early '60s, 'select'
Other Source(s):	McIntosh MR 77 FM Tuner
Other Accessories/Room/Misc.:
Speaker Cables/Interconnects:	Speaker cables: Audio Magic Liquid Clairvoyant speaker cables going to the lows. Highs are connected up with LessLoss C-MARC 2.5m. (I do have the option of using LessLoss C-MARC jumper cables, with banana connections, but get better speed and improved dynamics with a bi-wiring configuration). Interconnect connections consist of three LessLoss C-MARC RCAs: 1m from the Miyajima ETR-Mono SUT to phono stage,1.25m from phono stage to preamp, and 2.75m from the preamp to amp. // an Audio Magic 'The Natural' 1m from OPPO BDP-103 to preamp // and a Herron Audio 1m from tuner to pre // a Daxx R100 silver .75m to Magnum CDP
Other (Power Conditioner, Racks etc.):	Dedicated power comes through a duplex Oyaide R1 receptacle with Acoustic Revive base & Furutec Cover Plate. // A total of five LessLoss 64X Firewall Current Conditioning Units are at all available IEC connections including the Audio Magic Mini Reference Line Power Conditioner // Power cords used are: Purist Audio Design 'Limited', Praesto Rev. 2m with single point in-line power conditiioning, going from wall directly to Jota amplifier // one LessLoss Tri-axial 'Super C-MARC' - straight from wall to PLC, with two more going from the PLC to Phono preamp & motor controller // A Purist Canorus 1.5m goes from PLC to CD // Finally, a Spectron Thunderbolt Mk2 1.5m goes from the PLC to the Art Audio preamp. // Audio Horizons Platinum Reference fuses or Audio Magic fuses are used for all components. // Perfect Path Total Contact enhancer, made with graphite, has been applied to every connection
Tweaks:	Walker Audio Resonance Control System: Valid Points & Resonance Discs, Marigo Labs Tuning Dots, Herbie's Audio Lab UltraSonic Damping Instruments for vacuum tubes & interconnects, Herbie's WayExcellent LP Mat, Black Hole CD matt, and Isolating Pads /Sound Quest Isol-Pads. Hi-Fi Tuning Fuses for all electronics.
Room Size (LxWxH):	17 x 14 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	Hardwood Oak floors over cement slab with 10 foot round rug in center of room. Openings to dinning room and hall. Large front window on long wall ( less than four ft. behind speakers), ceiling high LP racks in two corners and rotating CD rack opposite, piano with bench, and two chairs.
Music Preferences and Comments:
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classic Jazz particularly smaller groups; Classical- all periods; The Blues, R&B, and of course Rock ...acoustic and live sets especially.
System Goals/Comments:	Just as I like it.
System Strengths:	Speakers, all amplification, power conditioning, all cables, Turntable and Tuner
System Weaknesses:	DAC would improve things
Video/HT System: Separate
TV/Projector:	Pioneer Kuro Elite
Processor/Receiver/Amplifiers:	JVC RX- 8V FM/AM Computer Controlled A/V Reciever
Speakers (Center, Surrounds, Sub):	Spender SP 1
Sources (DVD/VCR):	Pioneer Elite DVD Player DV - 46AV
Other HT Gear:	Vans Evers audiophile Clean Line