Inmate Systems - Audio Asylum

big muck's This is it System
IP Address: 98.168.18.122	Last Update: February 14, 2025 at 16:35:58
Amplifier:	Added on 1/16. 6C33C PSE monoblocs using boards and circuit from K&K Audio. Chassis built in my shop using 4" aluminum channel and .125" aluminum plate. Mesquite is used for the front and side panels. Soundstage is deep and wide, wood instruments have great timbre and the 35W per channel produces a dynamic sound that my 300B monoblocs couldn't match
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Added On 2/16. 12P17L linestage using circuit boards, iron and circuit design from K&K Audio. Chassis built in my shop using .125" aluminum plate and .875" mesquite. Tubing cutter used to remove aluminum shield from 12P17L tubes. Base secured to the tube body using RTV silicon. Great sounding tube and very inexpensive.
Speakers:	Purifi Be 2 way speakers designed by Troels Gravesen. Cabinets are solid hardwood. Front baffle is 1' mesquite that was harvested from a tree that I planted in 1991 & was harvested in 2010. Wood aged in my shop until used in 2024. Ribbon grained sapele, 3/4" thick was used for the remainder of the cabinet with a piece of 3/4" Baltic Birch for the center brace. Crossovers are external. I originally used the parts supplied with the kit but swapped out the magnet wire inductors for copper foil inductors.Fine silver wiring is throughout the build. Two subwoofers using 12" woofers and plate amps from Rythmik audio. Custom cabinets using 1/2" & 3/4" Baltic birch plywood for the main chassis' with 1/4" cherry veneered ply for the panels and solid Bubinga for the top and trim.
Sources:
CD Player/DAC:	Museatex CD-D transport that has been rebuilt by Steve Sank from Talking Dog Transducer.A prototype solid state DAC from K&K with my own mesquite chassis is in place as of 09/17. CD transport has new Shedua side panels and drawer cover. Audio Note DAC 1.1 that has been modified using a design from Gary Muffley.Compared it's performance with a AN DAC 5.1 and the modified 1.1 was so similar that the difference could be compared to swapping tubes. Metal front panel replaced with a Morado wood panel. Custom power cord and interconnects made from fine silver wire.
Turntable/Phono Stage:	Micro-Seiki RX-1500VG turntable with Graham 2.2 tonearm and an Aerex flywheel. Benz Ruby Z cartridge added on 12/16.Graham tonearm is by far the easist I have ever set up. Added on 4/16. K&K Maxxed-Out Phono Preamp w/custom mesquite faceplate made in my shop.
Other Source(s):	McIntosh MR-71 tuner with cap upgrade in the output stage. It may not be as good as the Marantz 10B, but it's rock solid and doesn't need to be maintained on a regular basis like the 10B. Almost no FM stations broadcast to capability of the equipment anyway.
Other Accessories/Room/Misc.:
Speaker Cables/Interconnects:	26 gauge x 3/16' fine silver bezel, insulated, along with Cardas spades for speaker cables.Using fine silver wire interconnects on the digital and phono sections. Also using silver for the power cords on the linestage and amplifers.
Other (Power Conditioner, Racks etc.):	Audio cabinet is a combination of bubinga with cherry panels. Shelves are birch veneered ply with bubinga strip across front. Design has Mission influence. Made in my home woodshop.
Tweaks:	Cables off the floor using ceramic rice bowls and chop stick holders.Components sit on homebrewed footers using aluminum, wood and ball bearings.
Room Size (LxWxH):	18' x 14' x 8'
Room Comments/Treatments:	Red brick house built in 1955 with no insulation on outer walls - plaster over the brick on the inside. Insulated and drywalled the living room wall behind the speakers with a very noticable improvement in sonics. More control in treble and bass. Replaced a picture window in the same room with double pane low E insulated glass, a 6' x 9 1/2' beastie. An improvement there as well. The new window reduces street noise and handles room resonance better than the old single pane glass in place before. A 12" X 24" rigid foam diffusser in each outside corner of the wall behind the speakers. 12" X 12" ATS panels distributed on that same wall with a 12" X 48" ATS panel above the 55" Sony Widescreen. A custom quilt covers the Sony when music is played.
Music Preferences and Comments:
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Roots based-jazz, blues, folk with some country and rock(and the American blending utilizing some or all of the above).
System Goals/Comments:	Clarity and body to the sound. The ability to listen for long periods without fatigue.
System Strengths:	Best attempt to get that live feel of the performers sharing space with me. Great body, timbre and frequency extension. System has really bloomed with the advent of building most of the components.
System Weaknesses:	Need a dedicated room to reduce noise from other parts of the house.
Video/HT System: Integrated
TV/Projector:	Sony 55" OLED - wall mounted
Sources (DVD/VCR):	SonyUDP - X800M2 Blu-ray player
Comments on HT System:	Could be better but is adequate to enjoy movies at home.
Other Interests/Hobbies/Occupation:	Woodworking, fabricating new audio components for my system, swimming and cycling. Retired motor winder at GE