4 minutes ago, AccMagi7s said:

Introducing the revolutionary audio-grade rug—a masterpiece crafted from years of meticulous research and development. This innovative rug evolves the very concept of audio enhancement, departing from the outdated traditions of ancient Persian designs. Instead, it incorporates cutting-edge technology, featuring woven strands of silver and gold, engineered with the expertise of NASA and bolstered by highly confidential patents from Elon Musk.

Prepare to elevate your listening experience to unparalleled heights, transcending the limits of human hearing. Priced at $250,000, this extraordinary audio rug offers an unmatched auditory journey. While similar rugs can be found at your local carpet store for $250 full price or just $100 during the end-of year sale. Nothing compares to the transformative power of this audio-grade masterpiece, hence its asking price.

 

Are you prepared to invest in the pinnacle of sound quality?

I would need to see the measurements first; one cannot trust one's eyes and ears 😆

 

1 hour ago, AccMagi7s said:

Introducing the revolutionary audio-grade rug—a masterpiece crafted from years of meticulous research and development. This innovative rug evolves the very concept of audio enhancement, departing from the outdated traditions of ancient Persian designs. Instead, it incorporates cutting-edge technology, featuring woven strands of silver and gold, engineered with the expertise of NASA and bolstered by highly confidential patents from Elon Musk.

Prepare to elevate your listening experience to unparalleled heights, transcending the limits of human hearing. Priced at $250,000, this extraordinary audio rug offers an unmatched auditory journey. While similar rugs can be found at your local carpet store for $250 full price or just $100 during the end-of year sale. Nothing compares to the transformative power of this audio-grade masterpiece, hence its asking price.

 

Are you prepared to invest in the pinnacle of sound quality?

 

A delightfully ironic and amusing post Chanh. Great to see that you appreciate the contradictions and absurdities inherent in this hobby, especially as you do so from deep within the maze.

Thanks Chanh, I was looking at the cheaper "finding Nemo" version.

But you have to keep it watered all the time.

 

Maybe not on the same level of the audio grade silver gold infused Rug , but after trying the matching prototype Hoody on during critical analysis 🧐, its ability has left me speechless. 😶 

 

13 minutes ago, La scala said:

Maybe not on the same level of the audio grade silver gold infused Rug , but after trying the matching prototype Hoody on during critical analysis 🧐, its ability has left me speechless. 😶 

 

Is it ready for today's audition, V? What time is it, and can I bring a CD? 

1 hour ago, AccMagi7s said:

Is it ready for today's audition, V? What time is it, and can I bring a CD? 

Absolutely , I’ll text you , 1045 am till noon be best or after 2.30 today 👌

I finally found some time and motivation to unpack the Wavac LCR-X2, I am absolutely blown away! The attention to detail from the Japanese is nothing short of impress. If this level of craftsmanship were found in the Western audio world, it would easily come with a price tag ten times higher!

Now, I have to admit, unpacking this Wavac phono stage felt like a mini workout—it's heavy! Seriously, why do they make these things so robust? But I digress because the moment I got my hands on it, I was so impressed. 

Every single element of its design has been meticulously crafted to ensure the purest audio signal. For example, the power transformer is housed in its own solid chassis, and the power regulation has its own hefty alumina chassis dedicated just to converting AC to DC. The main phono pre-amplification stage is a beast—designed to isolate every possible disturbance, from transformer EMF to RFI and beyond! And can we talk about aesthetics? The color matches perfectly with my Accuphase gear, which is just the cherry on top!

 

Stay tuned—I'm excited to share updates as I pair it with my current Accuphase AC5 cart for now. I’m also waiting for a pro to install my new $30k cartridge soon, so there’s plenty more to come!

As I dive into the excitement of unboxing my new toy, I can’t help but think that the experience calls for something special—a nice bottle of grape juice to elevate the moment! Now, the real dilemma begins: should I go for the exquisite Penfolds Magill 1993 or indulge in the bold flavors of Bin 707 1997? Oh, the choices we face! Sighhh… which one will it be?

2 minutes ago, AccMagi7s said:

As I dive into the excitement of unboxing my new toy, I can’t help but think that the experience calls for something special—a nice bottle of grape juice to elevate the moment! Now, the real dilemma begins: should I go for the exquisite Penfolds Magill 1993 or indulge in the bold flavors of Bin 707 1997? Oh, the choices we face! Sighhh… which one will it be?

Ha ha, If you drink that magnum of 707 you will be snoozing for the rest of the day 😆🍷

On 04/07/2025 at 11:06 PM, AccMagi7s said:

...

Who can identify what's on the rack below the MXO?

1 hour ago, AccMagi7s said:

As I dive into the excitement of unboxing my new toy, I can’t help but think that the experience calls for something special—a nice bottle of grape juice to elevate the moment! Now, the real dilemma begins: should I go for the exquisite Penfolds Magill 1993 or indulge in the bold flavors of Bin 707 1997? Oh, the choices we face! Sighhh… which one will it be?

Make sure you save some, my wife loves wine.LOL,😅

33 minutes ago, Lazz said:

Make sure you save some, my wife loves wine.LOL,😅

No shortage of grape juice here. 

3 hours ago, La scala said:

Absolutely , I’ll text you , 1045 am till noon be best or after 2.30 today 👌

I managed to book a session at V’s just before noon. It was my first time visiting Volker’s. He is a lucky man to have the flexibility of combining work and leisure in one place. However, I accidentally left my stack of silver discs at home. So, we ended up using my Qobuz app directly with his Naim gear.

In this setting, solid-state equipment is not allowed. Only single-ended tube amplification is permitted; anything else wouldn't pass the security clearance to enter. The wide-open, cozy space is very tidy, and the decor reflects a 70s-80s style. Upon entering, the first memory that came to mind was Elvis Presley. This positive engagement sets the tone even before you get to the audio setup. For those who watched the *Back to the Future* series, which was popular in the late 80s and early 90s, this place will evoke fresh memories.

We finally sat down and played some tunes. My Qobuz app streamed directly from my iPhone to his Naim server, which fed into the Conrad Johnson preamp and single-ended power amps. Here, you can truly appreciate the magic of Conrad Johnson’s equipment. 

All my well-known tracks shone in this wonderfully synergistic audio setup with the LM3 Horn Speakers, which were once mine. They sounded fantastic—relaxed and enjoyable. There were virtually no distractions from the electronics during track changes. What amazed me was the focus and depth of the soundstage, which was as good, if not better, than what I experienced in my room. The bass notes were tightly transient and effortless, performing exceptionally well in such a wide space.

I walked away with seller’s remorse, wishing I hadn’t let those speakers go! However, I’m happy to know they are loved and well cared for here under Volker’s supervision. Congrats, V! Aside from achieving a better balance between the right and left speakers, I see nothing but magic and musicality in this current setup.

 

2 hours ago, AccMagi7s said:

No shortage of grape juice here. 

Is that Dan Murphy's. 😆

8 minutes ago, Lazz said:

Is that Dan Murphy's. 😆

Chan Murphy's 😆

5 hours ago, AccMagi7s said:

...I walked away with seller’s remorse...

No you didn't.

31 minutes ago, brodricj said:

No you didn't.

He he he.. I intended to use these speakers for casual listening. They were designed to be placed within the patio enclosure, which is structured as a cafeteria-style space. This setting facilitates casual conversations with friends outdoors, away from the critical listening to M7s. It also provides an ideal location for morning coffee with my immediate family.

 

The patio enclosure has now been completed. Instead, I will place the active speakers and subwoofer. 

 

That’s come up a treat Chanh👍

36 minutes ago, mtf said:

That’s come up a treat Chanh👍

I am waiting for @rockeater to reply with the Nuforce preamps. Hopefully he can get it sorted, then we can get this casual setup online before next gtg. 

1 hour ago, AccMagi7s said:

They were designed to be placed within the patio enclosure, which is structured as a cafeteria-style space. This setting facilitates casual conversations with friends outdoors, away from the critical listening to M7s. It also provides an ideal location for morning coffee with my immediate family.

Something like this. You will see many like it in HCM City or in Tokyo. 

 

Proof - it is a genuine Magico rug.

 

https://www.monoandstereo.com/magico-m7-8/

 

10 minutes ago, Antipodean Brad said:

Proof - it is a genuine Magico rug.

 

https://www.monoandstereo.com/magico-m7-8/

 

It appears that they bear a striking resemblance to mine at home. My own M7s are also named M7s. 😁

@brodricj Have you seen this? In it, he compares a Chinese-made clock to the expensive Esoteric models.

 

I watched the video twice. "Dictates the digital signal accuracy" huh??? All I learnt from that video is he doesn't really understand what he's talking about (although I respect his subjective opinion, what he hears). And I think he pretty much declared his lack of familiarity at the beginning. Clocking only the DAC, well that doesn't work in the Esoteric universe. The purpose for clocking is syncronization of a DAC and the digital source. So yes, clocking the source and the DAC makes sense and he reported clearly hearing the benefit of doing that. However clock in/out comparison when the interface is USB doesn't make sense as the DAC controls the clock in the source. He made no comparison between the Esoteric clocks and the Chinese clock. Clock frequency accuracy isn’t important in digital audio - it matters not a hoot if the clock is a little too fast or a little too slow. What matters (quite a bit) is the phase noise of the clock - i.e. how closely each cycle looks like the previous cycles. Quoted phase noise -118dBc/Hz @ offset 1Hz for the Chinese clock is good but the best clocks today are closer to or at -121dBc/Hz. Esoteric does not publish the phase noise specs for its clocks.

Quality of power supply and of the clock are both important. Power supply upgrades come first, then the clock. But no point upgrading a clock and then use a lab grade clock cable. The quality of the clock cable is very important. Probably more so than any other cable in the system.

54 minutes ago, brodricj said:

I watched the video twice. "Dictates the digital signal accuracy" huh??? All I learnt from that video is he doesn't really understand what he's talking about (although I respect his subjective opinion, what he hears). And I think he pretty much declared his lack of familiarity at the beginning. Clocking only the DAC, well that doesn't work in the Esoteric universe. The purpose for clocking is syncronization of a DAC and the digital source. So yes, clocking the source and the DAC makes sense and he reported clearly hearing the benefit of doing that. However clock in/out comparison when the interface is USB doesn't make sense as the DAC controls the clock in the source. He made no comparison between the Esoteric clocks and the Chinese clock. Clock frequency accuracy isn’t important in digital audio - it matters not a hoot if the clock is a little too fast or a little too slow. What matters (quite a bit) is the phase noise of the clock - i.e. how closely each cycle looks like the previous cycles. Quoted phase noise -118dBc/Hz @ offset 1Hz for the Chinese clock is good but the best clocks today are closer to or at -121dBc/Hz. Esoteric does not publish the phase noise specs for its clocks.

Quality of power supply and of the clock are both important. Power supply upgrades come first, then the clock. But no point upgrading a clock and then use a lab grade clock cable. The quality of the clock cable is very important. Probably more so than any other cable in the system.

I completely respect your perspective. Having experimented with clocks, power supplies, and clock cables at a DIY level, I understand the nuances you're discussing. It's true that the proximity of the clock to its source is crucial, especially since clock cables are highly sensitive to RFI and EMI. I'm confident that Esoteric certainly knows their craft. For instance, the Wadax reference clock cable, with its staggering price tag of US$55,000 (or AU$85,000), exemplifies this principle; it’s designed to shield against various interferences while ensuring optimal signal conductivity. That’s quite an investment for just a clock cable! I remember your Esoteric clock cable is already priced at around $20,000.00 which is more than what many people pay for an average car! That said, I must admit that MSB truly excels in clock implementation, integrating it seamlessly within a DAC chassis. My preference for MSB technology knows no bounds, much like my admiration for the Magico M series speakers and the Gryphon Apex power amps. Ah, the joys of high-end audio and the ongoing financial crisis! 😭😩