23 minutes ago, Keith_W said:

Wow, stunning! I have heard the Avantgarde Trio's once, and I was blown away by them. Well, more than once ... I have heard the same system several times. The other guy was using Kondo amps and it was sublime. I love horns! I would love to have a listen. 

People are free to drop in and listen. Just remember to bring something you can share  

In fixing bottlenecks I forgot to mention I installed an Innous PhoenixNet switch.  You attach it to an output on the router and then attach your streamers to the outputs on the PhoenixNET.  

 

You'll think it has not made any difference until you switch back to the direct router feed. What is does is remove the noise and distortion from the internet. 

 

I meationed in an earlier post how upgrading the streamer made the streaming sound equivalent to HDD files. I did a quick and dirty comparison (all my comparisons are quick and dirty).  The streamer sound is better than my HDD CD ripped tracks. However, the music files I bought from Qobuz are better than the streamer sound but not by much. 

 

The streamed sound was smoother than the downloaded SSD files on the K40 but did not have as much air or was as lively as the sound from the SSD.  Downloaded SSD files are better than the streamer. 

 

What I learned is that ripping CDs on a computer has limitations. To get as good sound as the streamer I will need to get a proper CD ripper. That's another bottleneck  

Edited June 29, 20232 yr by WorkinClassAudio

Finally upgraded the DAC. Bought a Berkley Audio Reference DAC from @Eagleeyes because I can't afford a new one.  The system sounds the same because the Berkley DAC is voiced the same as the Yggy, but a level better in every category.  Due to the Basshorns in the front I can no longer get a panoramic view of the equipment rack, so here's a working class version of the current system.   The PH8 looks lopsided because I was experimenting with footers. 

The photo is ugly but the sound is beautiful...gone up a level.  If you have a power regulator, like a P20, daisy chain a passive power conditioner and have a listen. The regulator removes anomalies but not noise. The power conditioner removes noise. I did try another power conditioner some years ago but it sounded too dry. The Everest is dry on it's own but has synergy with the P20.

I see you have been shopping with Lux Audio

1 minute ago, Keith_W said:

I see you have been shopping with Lux Audio

Yep, I heard the Everest at the last hifi show and liked the way the noise was reduced.  When noise is reduced correctly you get less smearing of tone texture. Even transients have texture.

 

The current sound improvement is without a preamp, which is being repaired. Operating through Berkley DAC volume control is not as good unfortunately. The DAC 'preamp' does not move air or gets big when the music gets big.  

It's arrived.  It must be heavy, came on a pallet.  Now the hard work begins, assembling it.  Hope it's not as hard as Ikea.

Two cardboard cartons and a wooden crate later:  

UPGRADE from SGR to HRS SXR audio rack.

 

Spent all morning disassembling my system, then assembling the new rack, then reassembling the system.  I was working on my own, so the hardest part was getting the rack into place.  At first I thought I was going to have to wait until another day to get help to lift the thing. Somehow I managed to wrestle the rack into place, and wrestle the power amps into the rack.  A day later my muscles are stiff and sore.  The improvement met my expectations, but when I put the Voodoo isopods under the power amps the sound was worse, so I removed them. The only spare footers remaining were 3 HRS fat footers.  I placed them under the preamp and wow!  There is synergy b/w the footers and the HRS shelf.  The improvement exceeded expectations.  In the photo you will notice the phonostage is offset. That is because the phonocable is not long enough and the phonostage had to be angled to reach the turnable. 

 

The SGR rack is for sale.

3 hours ago, WorkinClassAudio said:

At first I thought I was going to have to wait until another day to get help to lift the thing.

 

Just shout out for some assistance next time. The Audio Research stack looks great.

Edited December 27, 20241 yr by Steff