Audio Asylum - Inmate Systems

joeljoel1947's The Bat Cave pic System
IP Address: 76.234.145.91	Last Update: December 29, 2009 at 19:32:55
Amplifier:	Single Ended Golden Tube Audio SE-40 monoblock amplifiers. 80 watts/channel. Heavily modified by Soniccraft.
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Rogue 66 Magnum tube linestage
Speakers:	See link to picture below. An all out assault at serious DIY speaker building (20+ years of research). A time and phase coherent sub/sat modular system, coined "The Vader System". Employed are truncated pyramid transmission line monitors using the Hiquphon OW/4 tweeter w/mods and a Scanspeak 15M revelator midrange. The "subs" underneath use the Dayton RSS-10" and Dayton RSS-12" high fidelity reference drivers. In conjunction with this, I use Truncated pyramid Stereo 15" subwoofers as well (you can see one of them behind the right main) using the matching Dayton RSS-15 high fidelity 15" drivers. Main satellites use a 1st order series filter (I'm after time/phase coherence) between the OW/4 and Scanspeak 15M and are driven by the GTA monoblock tube amps. Each subwoofer driver (3 total per channel, the ten inch, the twelve inch and the fifteen inch) has it's own dedicated Rythmik Audio plate amp. Over 1250 watts total amplification into each speaker.
Sources:
CD Player/DAC:	Raysonic 128 vacuum tube cd/HDCD player, PS Audio power cord
Turntable/Phono Stage:	KAB Technics M5G fully loaded. Cart right now is a Ortofon 2M Black. Also have a Uwe wood body Denon DL-103, and a Zu DL-103r ready to go on headshells. Phono stage is a Project Tube Box 2 SE MM/MC.
Other Source(s):	1) Marantz VC6001 for SACD/DVD-A. 2) Otari MX-5050 BIII reel to reel (current!) 3) Otari MX-5050 Mk.3 reel to reel Console deck hardwired "direct heads out" to a Bottlehead seduction tube tape head amp (heavily modded) 4) PC Audio---Dell Laptop feeds an EMU 0404 24/192 DAC for Hi-Rez PC audio Playback (HRx nut here). 5) Magnum Dynalab FT-11 tuner 6) Sony Blu-Ray BP-550 for Blu Ray audio/video
Other Accessories/Room/Misc.:
Speaker Cables/Interconnects:	All Audioquest/Acoustic Research/Monster/Vampire Wire with a splash of Petra. Not a cable guy so much, sorry.
Other (Power Conditioner, Racks etc.):	Three Adcom ACE-515 power enhancers/sequencers. Isoblock IB2-0 AC wall surge protectors/filters on wall outlets. Behringer 1124P parametric EQ for the subwoofers to eliminate room nodes. Dedicated 20 amp lines to feed the beast.
Tweaks:	The African mahogany wood body on my 103! "Black Holes" for cd playback. Quite a few VibraPods. Not a tweak guy or a cable guy, sorry.
Room Size (LxWxH):	59 feet(!) x 16 feet x 8 feet
Room Comments/Treatments:	Carpeted concrete floors; concrete walls with drywall/insulation. Treatments are acoustical foam in various places, bass traps in rear corners. IMHO, until you hear your system on and around concrete, you have not heard your system.
Music Preferences and Comments:
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	All except rap and country. I have 2000 lp's, 700 cd's, 300 SACD's, 150 7.5 IPS pre-recorded open reels, most Tape project tapes, all HRx releases and 50 DVD-Audio discs. With a dash of Blu-Ray audio discs. Good start!
System Goals/Comments:	I'm done, goals achieved. A total of 37 inches of sealed subwoofer drivers per channel, being driven by 1250 watts of power per channel moves some air. Tubes run the treble, midrange and upper bass. Solid state runs the bass and deep bass. IMHO, this is the way to go. Finally, I can play back any music format you have outside of cassette and 8-track!
System Strengths:	Everything, I've never heard better. I attended CES/AK Fest 2005-2009 and could not wait to return home to hear how it "should" sound. Tonal balance is spot on in this system. Months and months of voicing and tweaking of the series crossovers and the parametric EQ's on the subs were involved to achieve the balance I wanted. From 18Hz to 22kHz I'm flat as can be, +/-2 dB's. Soundstage is vast and deep yet so 3-dimensional that there is a "wrap-around" surround effect (when the program material warrants it) that is uncanny. Dynamics (both micro and macro) are jaw-dropping. A local high-end dealer here in Michigan uses my speakers in his main rig, that is my biggest compliment thus far. The Vader speakers are also featured on Hiquphon's website and some more details can be seen here: http://www.hiquphon.dk/page18.html Is being able to turn on and off all the stuff listed here with 1 button a strength too? I CAN!
System Weaknesses:	Nothing I can tell.
Video/HT System: Integrated
TV/Projector:	Sony Cineza hi-def projector (720p/1080i) and 120" motorized remote controlled screen.
Processor/Receiver/Amplifiers:	Rotel RSP-1068 processor. Six channel Rotel 956AX amplifier drives the 6 PSB's (50 wattsx6).
Speakers (Center, Surrounds, Sub):	6 PSB Alpha A/V's (can be seen in the pic way up high). I can also fire up the stereo "Vader System" speakers to use with this HT system with a tap of the remote.
Sources (DVD/VCR):	Sony BDP-S550 for Blu-ray, all analog outs feed the Rotel 1068. DTS Master and Blu-Ray audio are stunning!
Other HT Gear:	Ummmm, I have one of those big old fashioned popcorn making machines. That's "other" for sure!
Comments on HT System:	Sounds great!! Best I've ever heard in 20 plus years of audiophool listening. The audio and video/home theater portions of this system can be kept totally independant. I need to stress this aspect so I can claim 6 complete systems!! ;) See my Maggie 7.4 surround system now listed as well. Yes, I have problems.
URL Link: http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg315/JoelKozlowski_2007/BatCave.jpg
Other Interests/Hobbies/Occupation:	Sports (especially running/track as I am a "medalist"), my C6 Vette, my two kids, my six separate audio systems, my movies--- and of course---music. That about sums me up.