Really pleased with system at the moment

[atomicAdam]

http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio//500/medium/IMAG0089.jpg

(sorry crappy cellphone photo)

The system I have put together right now sounds so good. I have plans to go out to Joshua Tree with wifie and friends to go climbing, and I almost want to blow it off and stay home and spin records. It so good.

System at the moment: PMC TB2i speakers, PrimaLuna Prologue Premium Integrated Tube Amplifier, Supra Sword speaker cables, Granite Audio interconnects, Supra & Nygel power cables, Electrocompaniet PC-1 CDP, Rega P3/24, Moon LP3, Sumiko Evo III Special, VTI VSP sand filled stands.

The sound is cohesive, resolution is very high. Sustained notes last forever and bass is fast and punchy. The stage is very specific in both left/right and back/front(if that is in the recording). The mids are very clear and defined and the music as a whole sounds like a good balance, at leas to my ears, between warm and cold. So no bloated warm mid region and no cold and unemotional highs.

I think total system cost MSRP is about.$11,700.

[Ajani]

Very nice! I don't even use vinyl, but I'm jealous...

[TheHills44060]

ooooo i like those PMC's

[dakatabg]

wow Adam, for $11,700 you better love that system!

[02audionoob]

...so tell us about the science behind that speaker placement.

[Ajani]

wow Adam, for $11,700 you better love that system!

LOL... I thought the exact same thing.... The more expensive a system is, the higher your expectations of it become....

[02audionoob]

Adam referred to it as MSRP, though. It sounds like he paid less.

[Ajani]

Adam referred to it as MSRP, though. It sounds like he paid less.

Yeah, I doubt he paid that price... Hopefully now that he's a reviewer he's taking advantage of the dealer discounts available to him....

Though regardless of how much he actually paid, a system with that MSRP better sound good!!!

[recoveryone]

Be careful out there in Joshua Tree, the last guy was lost for a week or more, one hint if you do get lost just keep walking North. You will end up running into Marines, just hope they are not doing a live fire exercise. :) We tend to shoot at everything that moves until its dead.

[Feanor]

...
The system I have put together right now sounds so good. I have plans to go out to Joshua Tree with wifie and friends to go climbing, and I almost want to blow it off and stay home and spin records. It so good.

System at the moment: PMC TB2i speakers, PrimaLuna Prologue Premium Integrated Tube Amplifier, Supra Sword speaker cables, Granite Audio interconnects, Supra & Nygel power cables, Electrocompaniet PC-1 CDP, Rega P3/24, Moon LP3, Sumiko Evo III Special, VTI VSP sand filled stands.
....

I think total system cost MSRP is about.$11,700.
It's a nice system, aA. Well conceived, and well suited to a smaller room.

For my part I would forgo the vinyl equipment and, instead, include provision for playing compter files, vis. Squeezebox or dedicated computer and an external DAC.

For a person starting out to build a system in this quality range, I'd recommend starting with basic, pro-quality interconnects and speaker cable from the likes of Blue Jean Cable. But I suppose you've already been there. :22:

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Boy Adam, I sure do like your system. I love PMC entire line of speakers, as they offer excellent sound and build quality. They are not cheap, but they sure do perform.

Remember to keep a GPS on hand. That is what I use when I hike, and it has been indispensable in some situations.

I think now is the time to gather the family and head to Wrightwood. I yearn for the forest and clean air right now, and the system I have up there is to die for.

[atomicAdam]

Be careful out there in Joshua Tree, the last guy was lost for a week or more, one hint if you do get lost just keep walking North. You will end up running into Marines, just hope they are not doing a live fire exercise. :) We tend to shoot at everything that moves until its dead.


LOL - yeah - i'd like to live, that is why I'll stick to climbing instead of hiking into Marine territory.

We are just going to go sport climbing, with a large group, so not worried about getting lost out there, but thanks for the heads up. I will remember if anything goes horribly wrong.

[atomicAdam]

Ok - 1st of guys - most of this stuff is in for review. I didn't buy it. I don't make that much money.

Second, it sounds really good. Yes, I mean, there are higher end and more detailed systems. If there is a line of diminishing returns on $ spent vs. resolution gained, and giving the systems I heard at RMAF/CAS/ other peoples houses, than I would place there some where in the region of getting great returns for the money. There are a couple place where I could probably cut the system cost with different ICs and speaker cable. I mean that is like $3k right there for 2 sets of ICs and 2 speaker cables.

Anyways - I just got done listing to some Dead Can Dance. Track 4 off 'Toward the Within' had my eyes sucking in a out with the dynamic shift in her voice.

The only weakness I can really point out at this moment is lower belly mid tones and bass are not as big as I'd like. They are there, but they aren't in the same volume and feeling that the highs and mid range is. I'll play around w/ different components to see what I can come up with.

So far I like the Supra Sword speaker cables. 2 meters are $825. They offer the crisp and lively detail of the bi-wired solid copper core speaker cables I was running from PC but the crips detail feels more in balance with the rest of the highs where as with the Solid copper core the details were just a little louder in volume. Also the bass seems to have better left/right staging instead of a more centralized concentration. Resonance and sustain on drums (think Dead Can Dance type drums on live album) is much more detailed, be that the cables or amp, not sure yet.

I can't stress enough how important good ICs and Speaker cables can be. When I had the Axioms set up with the Van Alstine gear and some $30ish give or take Cables and semi no name speaker cables - the sound was fairly flat, boarding lining on boring. With the $950 Granite Audio #470 ICs and $825 Supra Sword speaker cables installed the music became much more lively, detailed, and more engaging.

After this weekend I'll put the Axioms ($600) into this set up and give them the best backing I can for that portion of the review.

And let me repeat, I'm going to JTree to go do something I love to do, but I so badly want to now stay home and play music all weekend. Van Halen's 'hot for teacher', with the drums solo and the guitar, I'm so pumped right now!

[poppachubby]

Right on man.

The problem with being a reviewer is that your own gear is not as good. You are now in some kind of Twilight Zone in which you must forever review to experience good sound.

Actually, your own system is nothing to sneeze at, but $800 IC's? Dang.

What ratio of vinyl to CD are you using? I see you are still using the weight. I miss it sometimes, I used to like watching the Hex bolt spin around.

Have fun hiking, and don't forget to pack some heat in case you meet those Marines. Listen to Adam's nine millimeter go bang!!

[thekid]

AA

Congratulations on reaching your audio nirvana!
Looks like a great system!

BTW- I took my now wife hiking before we were married. Just a little 8-mile loop day hike in Shenadoah NP. To this day she swears it was a test she had to pass before I would marry her. ( I did a fair amount of backpacking in my younger years.)

[JohnMichael]

The fact that you hate to leave the music and your system is an indicator that you have the right combination. It is probaly too late for this advice but next time tell your friends you have a little vertigo from watching all that wonderful vinyl spin while you listen to that superior format.

[LeRoy]

http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio//500/medium/IMAG0089.jpg

(sorry crappy cellphone photo)

The system I have put together right now sounds so good. I have plans to go out to Joshua Tree with wifie and friends to go climbing, and I almost want to blow it off and stay home and spin records. It so good.

System at the moment: PMC TB2i speakers, PrimaLuna Prologue Premium Integrated Tube Amplifier, Supra Sword speaker cables, Granite Audio interconnects, Supra & Nygel power cables, Electrocompaniet PC-1 CDP, Rega P3/24, Moon LP3, Sumiko Evo III Special, VTI VSP sand filled stands.

The sound is cohesive, resolution is very high. Sustained notes last forever and bass is fast and punchy. The stage is very specific in both left/right and back/front(if that is in the recording). The mids are very clear and defined and the music as a whole sounds like a good balance, at leas to my ears, between warm and cold. So no bloated warm mid region and no cold and unemotional highs.

I think total system cost MSRP is about.$11,700.

I keep staring at the system and try to imagine the synergy and SQ of the system. I've always wanted to give a listen to PMC speakers. Did you go through a long ordeal of trail and error when trying to match amplification to the speakers? I am just speculating that the tubes really keep the overall tonality balanced.

Glad to hear you are enjoying the musicality of your audio system. So, which way did it go...did you go climbing?

[budgetaudio76]

Nice system to review. if you like the mid and upp range on those, Try some Koss speakers from the 70s. Generally the CM 10*0 line. Ive got a pair of CM 1020s and the sound is just incredible for Jazz and the like! Although they have been dethroned by a pair of Tannoys with monitor golds in them...

Best part is you can get the Koss for cheap, as many people dont know about them.

Woofers and mids are made by heppner and the tweets..man i cant remember...but they are the same as the ones used by M&K s1b satellites.

The name of them are always on the tip of my tongue.

[pixelthis]

nice stuff, looking at your system makes me yearn for a simple two channel outfit again.
Sometimes everything clicks, the curtain parts, and you get a glimpse of perfection.
That is what we all live for and work for.
Congrats:1:

[Hyfi]

Looks like a really nice setup. Just pay for it on layaway.

Yeah, MSRP is always List which hopefully nobody pays since there is always haggle room on big ticket items. MSRP on what I have now would be $18k, but it cost me $300 to purchase and $300 to repair.

I like the PrimaLuna. Can it drive floorstanders adequately?

[poppachubby]

OK I was up all night. Adam not to steal your thunder, but I am in the same camp as you. My new tubes have settled in and my speakers are ridiculously gorgeous.

I want to send a shout out to my man Ralph. He got me in the early going to think about noise, AC and other anomolies. Now I have the blackest background you could ever imagine, and the most insane detail and range.

The Fostex FE126e is a revelation. The fact that it only needs to sit in a simple box is yet another. These guys have put high end audio into the hands of the listener, and who can't respect that!?!

I no longer envy anyone's set up as I am the enviable one now. Bow down biatches!!

[JohnMichael]

Bow down biatches!!


You talkin' to me. I hope?

Travel a little South and hear some good audio.

[poppachubby]

You talkin' to me. I hope?

Travel a little South and hear some good audio.

(sigh) How did I know this would move beyond PG-13? Is there no moderators on this stupid site?!?

John if I come down, aside from my ball gag I will load some gear into the trunk so we can have a good ol audio nerd time. Hopefully the border guards know what a tube amp is or I may end up with a Cuban holiday. Bueno!!

http://www.deviantart.com/download/49153587/Ponyplay_harness_by_Me_Se.jpg

[hifitommy]

i can feel that reviewing speakers might be unsatisfying if you must do a review of small speakers. i must have the low bass.

i tried a pair of fritzspeaks carbon 7 monitors once and as well as they reached into the lows, i needed the lowest octaves so i ran my hsu sub. i remember however hearing fried model Qs that didnt fall off the cliff at the bottom. those were the days when i couldnt afford a sub due to having growing children in the home. no longer the problem.

many times people feel like my speakers dont have bass until the real thing comes along. such as bela fleck's cosmic hippo. THEN they get the picture.

[atomicAdam]

Looks like a really nice setup. Just pay for it on layaway.

Yeah, MSRP is always List which hopefully nobody pays since there is always haggle room on big ticket items. MSRP on what I have now would be $18k, but it cost me $300 to purchase and $300 to repair.

I like the PrimaLuna. Can it drive floorstanders adequately?

35W/Channel -

They can drive floorstanders if they aren't too demanding

- adam

[atomicAdam]

Thanks everyone.

Well - to answer a few of the things that came up.

No - reviewing smaller speakers, or different equipment isn't a problem. It is what I am paid for. Sure it would be nice to listen to a fantastic set up all the time, but I believe that the fluctuation actually helps me appreciate the great when it is really there. Plus - I love new things. I'm totally a 'OH THATS NEW. SHINY SHINY' type of person.

As far as matching. It all came together on its own. The Electrocompaniet PC-1 CDP is very nice, but, it can add, at least IMHO, a bit of harshness to a system if it is already border lining that way. The Granite Audio ICs are pretty much just great. They open the stage and frequency range. The PrimaLuna - well - I'm learning what it does. The PMC I've had for a couple months now, and they seem to reflect what is backing them up. The Supra Sword cables ... seem to fall right into place. I'll play around w/ different power cords, maybe roll the tubes, I've got a Melody tube amp sitting on the floor which will go into the system tomorrow. I expect the sound to change, but not sure how. And the Axioms to go back in later this week. So... you know. It should be interesting.

[Raj J]

http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio//500/medium/IMAG0089.jpg

(sorry crappy cellphone photo)

The system I have put together right now sounds so good. I have plans to go out to Joshua Tree with wifie and friends to go climbing, and I almost want to blow it off and stay home and spin records. It so good.

System at the moment: PMC TB2i speakers, PrimaLuna Prologue Premium Integrated Tube Amplifier, Supra Sword speaker cables, Granite Audio interconnects, Supra & Nygel power cables, Electrocompaniet PC-1 CDP, Rega P3/24, Moon LP3, Sumiko Evo III Special, VTI VSP sand filled stands.

The sound is cohesive, resolution is very high. Sustained notes last forever and bass is fast and punchy. The stage is very specific in both left/right and back/front(if that is in the recording). The mids are very clear and defined and the music as a whole sounds like a good balance, at leas to my ears, between warm and cold. So no bloated warm mid region and no cold and unemotional highs.

I think total system cost MSRP is about.$11,700.

good day mate!
very nice system! keep it simple and you will enjoy many years of pleasureable musicality. that prima luna amp is a good one! I am using a vacuum tube cd player made by the same manufacturer that also makes Cayin - although the rest of my gear costs more than 30 grand, this simple tube cd player from cayin was under 2 grand, for the money beats the hell out of many top end cd players I have listened to & previously owned.
I am getting the new conrad johnson cd player DP2 in December, I've been using the Cayin since 2007. I've always found small highend monitors to be excellent in imaging, soundstage and musicality. true bliss to listen to. some of the top end 2-way monitors I have used with my old c-j premier 11A, were Proac tablets, Sonus Faber, and Vienna Acoustics, out of these three the Sonus Faber was the best! and driven with all tube gear from conrad johnson was absloute sweet!

good going mate and enjoy those LP's!
cheers, Raj J