Inmate Systems - Audio Asylum

Janos's Old system System
IP Address: 128.171.232.10	Last Update: September 14, 2018 at 12:44:37
Amplifier:	Double DC Darling: 1626 PSE with CV5311 drivers, 6cj3 half wave rectification. All-silver wired (including power cord), everything (except tubes and chassis, including all caps and iron) cryod. PS: 4 transformers (3 for filaments, and 1 for B+), LCLCLC filtering. Tsunami-level 400mW per channel. Second amp: Dynaco stereo 70; Third amp: 6aq5 SET (triode mode)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	type 76 DC coupled to a 7193 CF, based on Esmilla - Bergman schematics of 76 / 6SN7 pre, operating point close to Esmilla's. Power supply is CLC (47uf @ kV huge oil caps & 20H choke) followed by two 0d3 gas tubes in series. Still at breadboard stage, have not started any tweaks yet. Measured frek response drops 1db above 600kHz at 1V output. Second pre in store: Dynaco PAS2, hot-rodded (no tone controls, balance, tape loop etc), cryo'd transformer, caps (Orange Drops), all-silver wired (power cord incl), most places point to point avoiding traces.
Speakers:	Voigt pipes, based on Derek Waltons mods (and further modded), Fostex FE204 drivers. !Those who want to build them: the pipes can have real good base. You need at least 200hrs break-in, and good cabling! They are also ultra-sensitive to positioning. Even 1/2in difference can change weak base to very good base! Toy for days with their position, and if you change ANY cabling in your setup the optimal placement also changes for the pipes. They are ultra sensitive to any change in the chain, reveal minute details. I have tried them with different amps, and I have not found their inherent limitations yet.
Sources:
CD Player/DAC:	Pioneer dvd recorder.
Turntable/Phono Stage:	Rega Planar 3, DIY wooden arms from 1ft to 3ft length, Audiotechnica AT440ML, DIY 3N 30ga silver wired directly from cart pins (the wire wound around the pin, no connection used) to the RCA connectors. DIY tennis-ball based air table, platter layered with cork on the bottom, motor dampened, 14ga solid core copper power cord.
Other Source(s):	Tweaked Micromega Stage 3 (transport dampening, ERS paper on ICs, reflective mylar strips on ICs) These tweaks brought the CD to another dimension in musicality & naturality. Currently down; ruined when I was chaning it to top loading with wooden chassis.
Other Accessories/Room/Misc.:
Speaker Cables/Interconnects:	CD-pre: 30ga silver CCSWP hardwired to player's DAC board. Pre-power amp: silver CCSSWP. Tonearm wire: 30ga silver, DIY Speaker cable: 22ga 3N silver, parallel taped to 10in distance. All cabling cryo'd.
Other (Power Conditioner, Racks etc.):	TNT-audio FleXy type DIY rack CD: on the bottom shelf of the flexy rack. A piece of thin foam on the rack, covered by a marble slab, a piece of pine board on top. The player is standing on this structure, on three ebony feet. The CD player is extremely sensitive to where it stands on.
Tweaks:	The speakers stand on 60x40cm mdf sheets that are levelled & held 1/2 inch off the floorcarpet by 4 screws. Made a noticeable improvement in bass and stereospace. Other tweaks: 'll take a year to write'em down...
Room Size (LxWxH):	13ft x 13ft x 8ft
Room Comments/Treatments:	kitchen on the right, glass door on the left, opens to the bedroom on the rear = terrible acoustics, but kind neighbours:)
Music Preferences and Comments:
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	G.F.Handel, D.Buxtehude, A.Vivaldi, J.S.Bach, J.Ph.Rameau, H. Purcell, L. v. Beethoven, A. Mozart, Kalaka, G. de Machaud, Dead Can Dance, Carl Orff, Ravi Shankar, Ram Narayan, Caetano Velhoso, Joao Gilberto, Milton Nascimento, Vangelis, Spinal Tap :), Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Depeche mode, Fleetwood mac.........
System Goals/Comments:	To hear the soul, the message of the music, the harmonies. Lesser preferences: A decent & savings-friendly system with excellent dynamics (= NOT bloated, nor dwarved), presence (no artificial hi-end haze, thank you), and space. NATURAL sounding, no digital noise, no electric charge in the air. Should be enjoyable at lower volumes and without ear-strain at any volume. Deliver the emotions, the magic (if any) of the recording. Able to play every record - the weak records should also convey emotions, even when the recording errors are coming out. Absolutely not "my system can play this single record perfectly, but nothing else in the whole universe".
System Strengths:	Changes every week..... I do a lot of tweaking and mods. My goal is not a sound-ideal, but trying out different ideas. Gereal strengths I try to achieve: harmonic richess. Presentation is whole, there is no traditional 'highs', 'mids' and 'base', but the continuum, the instruments. Does not have a characteristic sound. What you get depends on the software you feed.
System Weaknesses:	Horrific room accoustics. I can't stop marveling that I get any stereospace at all.. Sensitivity to line AC grunge. At some extremely demanding materials compression of dynamics in full-size choirs. Need to tweak the preamp causing this compression. Some listeners lack midbase quantity, others lack top end quantity, from CD source.
Video/HT System: Integrated
TV/Projector:	InFocus 4800. The screen is between the Voigt pipes. Is hooked up to the DVD player and to the computer.
Processor/Receiver/Amplifiers:	VCR feeds to DVD player; that feeds to preamp in main audio setup. 2 channel only.
Speakers (Center, Surrounds, Sub):	Voigt pipes in the main rig; zenith open baffle on computer rig
Sources (DVD/VCR):	Pioneer DVD recorder. Heats like crazy, packed the top full of heat sinks, and a computer fan is blowing on it. Feeds from a line conditioner (transformer-based), through a home made awg10 copper power cord. Surprisingly good sound. The isolation transformer makes disc loading and dvd menu work much faster. (Same experience with other dvd players.)
Other HT Gear:	computer is hooked up to M-audio FastTrackPro preamp, that is hooked up (via silver ICs) to a single ended 6005(6aq5) amp (home-made design;), which is hooked through solid core cryod awg14 copper twisted cabling to zenith alnico open baffles (home made design;). The amp-OB combination kicks ass on rock and roll (King Crimson, Led Zeppelin). Excellent dynamics, very pleasant tone, nice strong midbass.
URL Link: http://none@yet
Other Interests/Hobbies/Occupation:	Researcher (cancer / multidrug resistance; molecular biology), martial arts (Tai chi; Wing Tsun), speakers/tubeamps/cable building, learning classical guitar (would like to play Bach;)