My Recent Hifi Upgrade

[Paul Spencer]

The room accustics still needs some work. On one side, it has thick curtains while the other half is not, the floor is on carpet. When you click the previous link you can find the room layout, it has wide opening on one side. Any recommendation of good diffusor?

Having lots of curtains is tricky - they tend to mostly just asborb the top end while absorption panels will have a broader range. The same is true for carpet. You already have quite a lot of absorption, so I'd be very careful about adding any more than needed. Conventional wisdom would suggest the right side reflection point. Perhaps you could try toe in as well.

Bass traps ... do I see space for one in right corner front wall? I also see space behind the rack along the floor - yes you can put bass traps there too.

Diffusors are probably the most tricky treatment to place. Rear wall and ceiling could be good spots.

Where to buy? Well I'm a bit of a DIY guy so your Google search is as good as mine!

[moochy]

oh awesome system very envious. Those 802D's are my dream speakers. How do you find the capri? I have the matching power amp from JRD.

[theking]

@moochy: I find the Capri works very well with the rest of the setup. It sounds natural with very well soundstage. It is very quiet. The highs is detailed. Basically I am very happy with it. This preamp will surprise you.

When i am building this system, i did not buy the gear at once, when i auditioned amp, i was auditioning Pass XP10 as well. However XP10 is about as twice expensive as Capri. After I used up all the budget for the speakers and monoblock, i have to look for another cheaper preamp alternative.

I was so lucky on that time an used Capri is for up for sale and I quickly grab it. It turned out more than I expected. The more I listen, the more I am amazed how well it's sounds of this small size preamp. I can't say how it compared with XP10 since I have different setup with the shop. If I can remember correctly the shop used Sonus Faber Cremona speaker for the demo.

So you have the 102 Amp? It will be excellent match with Capri, If I have an opportunity in the future for further upgrade, Corus or Criterion will be on my audition list along with XP20.

oh awesome system very envious. Those 802D's are my dream speakers. How do you find the capri? I have the matching power amp from JRD.

@Paul: thx for the suggestion, you are right with the bass traps, thx for the recommendation with JCR33's screen, when I am ready, I will get in contact with him for more info.

Edited December 20, 2010 by msetjadi
Typo

[valvelover]

Nice system! How much does the Xindak go for I wonder?

[theking]

Nice system! How much does the Xindak go for I wonder?

I bought it from local ebay. They are actually available from online store here as well.

What i like about it, is so affordable, it has polarity switch and has universal socket. Somemore it does not need to use one of your rack space specially if you have limited space. You can just put it on the floor.

[caddisgeek]

Thanks for sharing, I've heard those speakers before in a Hi-Fi store in Geelong. Very impressive

[Guest Bodhisattva]

Hi Michael, please post a photo of your new JRDG Corus pre! Can't wait to hear your impressions compadre!

Cheers,

Bodhi.

[theking]

Hi Bodhi, due to my work commitment, i seldom got chance to update this page.

After i got the corus, i can hear it changes my system dramatically. More soundstage and dynamic.

Here is what my system look like.

Edited October 17, 2011 by msetjadi

[Guest JohnA]

how the hell did i miss this.

beautiful system. Nice and clean and great assortment of equipment.

Thats a room i could sit in for hours i would think

loving those racks more and more i see them.

Have you filled the posts with anything?

[Guest Muon]

I was thinking the same...

Nice room & system

[theking]

Thx guys.

JohnA, I have not thought about it honestly, may be one day will do it if I have turntable in my system.

The room turnout not that bad, specially i thought i will have problem because i have wide opening on the back right side. Ideally, i want the room like yours mate .

[Grimmie]

That is a marvellous looking system Mset, just the perfect no-clutter arrangement. I do have to say though that the sound was utterly disappointing. listening here in my study I couldn't believe how tinny and thin those enormous speakers sounded. Oh well.

[theking]

ha ha ha that was funny Grimmie, must be the distance between your screen and my speaker, somemore the sound have to travel from you tube server in US before reach WA.

[David A]

Hi Mset, this is a friend. I'm glad you're enjoying your new Corus pre Will chat to you off-forum..

Edited April 16, 2012 by Johno

[analog brother]

purist audio design cables! very nice.

[unclemack]

Serious looking system. Thanks for giving us a look...

Cheers

M

[sjay]

very nice setup, i think i have rack envy now

[theking]

I did some upgrade on couple of the component for the past 2 years and i am very happy with what is the currently setup.

This is a reasonably rush upgrade to be completed before my newly  baby girl born three weeks ago, at least now i have companion when i listen to the music in the middle of the night. (hope she sleep well when i am doing that).

 

 

Since network file player become popular lately,it took a serious consideration for me whether i should try and put some investment. Hope they perform at least close to what i enjoy listening to my Ayon CD player.

So I decided to start with NAS Synology DS213+, convert all my CDs into few different format (Apple LossLess, WAV and Flac).

 

After few weeks hunting, I finally bought Oppo BDP-105AU. But i endup selling it after 2 weeks.

It suffers some delay, it takes more than 3 seconds to start the music after i press play on the Ipad interface. It also keep crashing and i have to reboot all the time. The sounds was ok, but after using it few days, i know that i am not getting the sounds as good as my CD player.

 

The shopping back to the table, and  I managed to audition Naim ND5XS. I endup buying it including the power supply. I use the BNC connection for digital signal to feed the Aeris so it will support 192 kHz sample rates.
 

This streamer is really blowing me away. I compare multiple times between my Ayon CD Player (analog output) and the Naim (Aeris analog output), it is on par according to my ear.  It is very hard to hear the difference between the two.
At least i can say that the synergy of the gear is working.

 

So i now enjoy the convenience to control the music in the listening chair without have to get up like i used to with CD Player. My Ayon now is like a backup source.

Current gear list are

Ayon CD2s

Naim ND5XS

Naim XP5XS
Acoustic Revive RST38

Jeff Rowland Aeris
Jeff Rowland Corus
Jeff Rowland 725
B&W 802D
Purist Audio Design Dominus XLR
Purist Audio Design Corvus XLR
Purist Audio Design Corvus BiWire
Voodoo Air Dragon

Voodoo Crystal Vajra

Siltech Digital Cable Gold Ridge
Xindak XF1000S (Oh yes I like this really affordable box,can't get wrong with this)
Solid Tech ROS 3 Ref
Solid Tech ROS 3 Reg
 

 

This is what the gear/room like

 

 

 

This is the front view

 

The primary source Naim

 

 

Pictures worth a thousand word, specially behind the scenes (mess), they are the one which make it happen

 

 

 

[htm_1968]

Great system. The ND5XS is a nice bit of kit for the $. I'm particularly impressed with the cable dressing and all-round dust-free highly polished condition of your system. Mine gets a dust once a year whether it needs one or not.

[Dolphy]

That's an impressive system, you must be enjoying your music immensely. What type of music do you listen to?

[Guest JohnA]

said it before, and will say it again, one hell of a system here.

 

Love everything about it, and the room looks beautiful also.

 

What did you find putting the feet under the racks added to the system?

May look into it myself for the new place

Edited October 10, 2013 by JohnA

[theking]

That's an impressive system, you must be enjoying your music immensely. What type of music do you listen to?

 

Thanks dolphy, I mainly listen to jazz and pop but also classical occasionally.

[theking]

said it before, and will say it again, one hell of a system here.

 

Love everything about it, and the room looks beautiful also.

 

What did you find putting the feet under the racks added to the system?

May look into it myself for the new place

 

Thank you JohnA, I can hear there is a bit improvement on the soundstaging side. I keep listening using the same song and compare (hard work since you have to do/undo the feet) , I can hear the difference.

 

It was a toss for me between this cerabase or the cerabase b&w, but since I can sell this to more wider audience compared with cerabase b&w (if not doing well) , I endup with those.

[Guest JohnA]

Thank you JohnA, I can hear there is a bit improvement on the soundstaging side. I keep listening using the same song and compare (hard work since you have to do/undo the feet) , I can hear the difference.

 

It was a toss for me between this cerabase or the cerabase b&w, but since I can sell this to more wider audience compared with cerabase b&w (if not doing well) , I endup with those.

 

appreciate the reply.

Will look into it again when the new house is built and am all setup.

 

Enjoy the tunes mate, i can imagine that system always putting a big smile on your face when you sink into that chair and listen

[theking]

appreciate the reply.

Will look into it again when the new house is built and am all setup.

 

Enjoy the tunes mate, i can imagine that system always putting a big smile on your face when you sink into that chair and listen

 

 

always can't get enough listening in front of them.

 

The Eames is one of the most common listening chair John. They have few replica of this design and if you choose the good quality one, you can't get wrong with this.

 

Herman Miller's original version is very expensive, i rather buy a rack or cables