Ever Evolving 2 Channel System

[Tharbamar]

Hello there! this is current state of my 2 channel system. Musical, dynamic impact, tonal accuracy was main theme and the evolution of this system.

Recently I replaced Martin Logan EM-ESL with Ascend Acoustic Sierra NrT towers and upgraded to AudioQuest Gibraltar 72DBS from Type-4 Speaker cables, with those changes and component sources and cabling are true signature of my current sonic preferences.

Room size is 12x24x8 hardwood floor with 8x10 area rug.

2 Channel for music, 2.1 for movies with Martin Logan Abyss subwoofer. I'm not using turntable at this moment.

This set up is done for now other than minor tweaks until I'm more serious about audiophile than music listening.

I would like to say AST speakers deserved separates or very good integrated amplifiers to sound it best because when you're not hearing you don't know what missing.

Feel free to share your thoughts and comments or even advices are always welcome! But please do not drag me into cable debate.


http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_1139.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1139.jpg.html)
Ascend Sierra Satin Espresso NrT Towers.


http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_0942.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_0942.jpg.html)
Marantz UD7007.


http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_1374-1.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1374-1.jpg.html)
Parasound Halo P5 & A-21.



http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_1321m.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1321m.jpg.html)
AudioQuest Gibraltar 72 DBS.


http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_1319m.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1319m.jpg.html)
Interconnects: Audioquest Diamondbacks XLR.


http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_1316.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1316.jpg.html)
Power Supply: PS Audio Perfectwave AC-12, AC-5, xStream Plus power cables with PS Audio Detect Power Center.


http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_1325m.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1325m.jpg.html)
20 Amp Dedicated AC line with Take Five Audio Cryo Treated Hubbell 5362W Outlets.


A few more random pictures.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_1144.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1144.jpg.html)

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_1227.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1227.jpg.html)

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/th_IMG_1306.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1306.jpg.html)

[markie]

Wow Tharmar, now that is one fine system in all respects! Worthy of the Sierra towers. Awesome really.

The Parasound A21 amps had a very favourable review from Andrew Robinson:

youtube.com/watch?v=Dn1iPUJ84Ig

saying they are very worth their asking price of over 2K. And the Parasound P5 preamp would mate very well with the amps.

Since this is such a high calibre system and you have keen ears to discern what you like and don't, I don't doubt that you'll be able to hear differences between wires and interconnects and such. Did you have time to swap out cables and compare and settle on what you liked?

Again, very well done! Has your family or friends commented on the sound?

Mark

[Tharbamar]

Hello Mark,

Thank you very much for very kind words.
Parasound Halo A-21 is the amp that gives me the most for my money(budget) and love the sound when I audition it, it is also award winning amp designed by legendary John Curl,
2008/2009 - The Absolute Sound "Best Solid-State Amplifier" ,
2013 The Absolute Sound Editors' Choice Award Winner etc.,

This is the set up that make my ears smile.:)

In my opinion Sierra Towers deserved more than AV receiver to reveal what they are capable of or bring out the true musical nature that designer intended.

I have 3 system, Denon AVR-3806 for multi channel, Parasound Halo set-up and Denon PMA-2000IV-R Dual-Mono Integrated.

I tried Sierra Towers with all three amps, there is so much different in Dynamic Impact, Separation, Sound Stage, Bigger the power you give better it sound, more definition, 3D like image.

When I upgraded to AQ Gibraltar speaker cables, it put already great Sierra Towers in whole new league, More Clarity, Absolutely Quiet Dark background, Electrostatic like lushness in highs and super define bass notes and vocals are like performing in the room, mid range is very impressive like listening to $8k speakers. Much much bigger sound stage, effortless smooth sound like listening to ultra Hifi set in high end audio shop controlled room.

I can listen to it all day without fatigue, listening experience is so musical and so involving.
To use car analogy, imagine a car that smoothes out every bump in the road yet corners like it's on rails and remains in full control of the road regardless of condition. Thats my experience.,

But as you know speakers are like humans because there is no perfect pair of speaker, may be until I can afford to buy TAD Reference One, who knows may be one day.

I did compare interconnects, I only believe my own ears and equipment at home because there is no such showroom is same as listening at my own place, I was comparing AQ King Cobra XLR and Diamondback XLR cables last year I settle on D'backs for my rig because I like the way they sounded.

I have 4 different type of speaker cables, Blue Jeans Cable Canare 4S11 base cables, Blue Jeans Cable Belden 5000 base cables and AudioQuest Type-4 and Gibraltar cables.
They all have different sound but AudioQuest Type-4 and Canare 4S11 cables are my most recommended cables for my friends.

I love AC cords, can't live without in my system, you might want to read this link when you have time.
http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/88538/ps-audio-perfectwave-ac-12-power-cord/p1

I will never be one of those audio enthusiasts to say that I’m 100% satisfied with current rig if there is one. I always want more and will look for improvement.

My best friend says he is so envy of the sound.

Thanks
Steve

[Kisakuku]

I tried Sierra Towers with all three amps, there is so much different in Dynamic Impact, Separation, Sound Stage, Bigger the power you give better it sound, more definition, 3D like image.


Could you comment on which amp is better at counteracting the early reflection from the right tower and results in a larger sound stage?

[markie]

Please, no dark sarcasm in the classroom. Perhaps it would be best for certain members to avoid this thread for everybody's sake.

Steve, great description of the sound qualities of the Towers when matched to great gear! Also very interesting link about the power cables and conditioning. I've heard all kinds of stories like that, even stranger.

Empirical Audio is one company that is not afraid to experiment with all kinds of components and room treatments to get the right sound. Their rooms at shows, for instance RMAF in 2013 and 2014 are consistently rated among the best sound at shows, sometimes besting even the TAD rooms.

Hey I'll be going to the TAVES show in Toronto next weekend and will keep a special eye out for the Parasound a21.

Mark

[Tharbamar]

I try to do everything properly, I know a thing or two about acoustics.
I do not have to explain, I just give the answer.

This is how is look when I'm doing critical listening. It's Lowe's special home made acoustic panel. One on each side, until I can convince my wife to let me put proper one permanently.
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/IMG_1383.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1383.jpg.html)


Hey Mark,
I've never had experience with Empirical Audio, I haven't gone to Audio shows in long time.
Enjoy the show, share your experience when you have time.

Thanks

[Kisakuku]

I try to do everything properly, I know a thing or two about acoustics.
I do not have to explain, I just give the answer.

This is how is look when I'm doing critical listening. It's Lowe's special home made acoustic panel. One on each side, until I can convince my wife to let me put proper one permanently.


Now I'm confused. You don't use the Sierra Towers for critical listening?

[markie]

I try to do everything properly, I know a thing or two about acoustics.
I do not have to explain, I just give the answer.

This is how is look when I'm doing critical listening. It's Lowe's special home made acoustic panel. One on each side, until I can convince my wife to let me put proper one permanently.
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/Tharbamar/IMG_1383.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/Tharbamar/media/IMG_1383.jpg.html)


Hey Mark,
I've never had experience with Empirical Audio, I haven't gone to Audio shows in long time.
Enjoy the show, share your experience when you have time.

Thanks

A picture speaks a lot, thanks Steve! For sure, something as simple as covering up reflective surfaces and putting a panel on a first reflection points can make a very notable difference. Kudos!

Well I attended TAVES in downtown Toronto on Sunday November 2. Great show. Better attended than last year, perhaps in part because it featured artwork and non audio tech in the hallways as well audio gear.

I had my eye out for a Parasound amp, and also for a RAAL tweeter, but alas there was none to be seen or heard! But there were all kinds of other goodies. I also had my eye out for bamboo. Early on in the show I came across a guy running a small setup in a large, open foyer - hall area. He had a pair of monitors, each featuring a single 3.5" driver. The driver was bamboo! I couldn't believe how sweetly toned and textured the sound was. I enquired about the cost. He said they would have been about $300 for the pair, but they were not for sale because they were not being made anymore. Yet the tiny CD player and tube amps beside it were for sale, about $1000 each if I recall.

Later on I saw some large tower, bamboo speakers, just newly developed. They were - get this - 8 way speakers! The crossover and amplification was in the bottom. So the signal goes into the tower, goes through the crossover, then into one of eight different amps, each which powers a driver. Even stranger, each driver was the same! Sounded very clean, if not a bit lean in the lower frequencies. I mentioned this to the designer who said there seemed to be a null in the main listening position and that there was more bass towards the walls.

My favourite rooms varied alot in terms of speaker type. Focus speakers were fantastic as they were the last few years as well. So incredibly clear and focused, yet not sterile at all, very engaging. About 15K. Then I found out that the very simple looking player and amp driving them were each around 15K as well! It only made sense - sound that good required more than just good speakers. Then there were a couple of rooms that had large single driver, open baffle speakers which surprised me at how full and rich, and yet clean they sounded. I was also surprised how fond I was of a couple of speakers that had a small horn loaded tweeter. OK, one of them had a plasma tweeter but still. :)

I uploaded some video I took at the show if anyone would like to take a peek. The first part of my trek went through lots of art and tech areas, so there is a relative dirth of actual speaker demos near the beginning of the video.

Mark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUkRMYvf9ZY

[essneff]

A picture speaks a lot, thanks Steve! For sure, something as simple as covering up reflective surfaces and putting a panel on a first reflection points can make a very notable difference. Kudos!

Well I attended TAVES in downtown Toronto on Sunday November 2. Great show. Better attended than last year, perhaps in part because it featured artwork and non audio tech in the hallways as well audio gear.

I had my eye out for a Parasound amp, and also for a RAAL tweeter, but alas there was none to be seen or heard! But there were all kinds of other goodies. I also had my eye out for bamboo. Early on in the show I came across a guy running a small setup in a large, open foyer - hall area. He had a pair of monitors, each featuring a single 3.5" driver. The driver was bamboo! I couldn't believe how sweetly toned and textured the sound was. I enquired about the cost. He said they would have been about $300 for the pair, but they were not for sale because they were not being made anymore. Yet the tiny CD player and tube amps beside it were for sale, about $1000 each if I recall.

Later on I saw some large tower, bamboo speakers, just newly developed. They were - get this - 8 way speakers! The crossover and amplification was in the bottom. So the signal goes into the tower, goes through the crossover, then into one of eight different amps, each which powers a driver. Even stranger, each driver was the same! Sounded very clean, if not a bit lean in the lower frequencies. I mentioned this to the designer who said there seemed to be a null in the main listening position and that there was more bass towards the walls.

My favourite rooms varied alot in terms of speaker type. Focus speakers were fantastic as they were the last few years as well. So incredibly clear and focused, yet not sterile at all, very engaging. About 15K. Then I found out that the very simple looking player and amp driving them were each around 15K as well! It only made sense - sound that good required more than just good speakers. Then there were a couple of rooms that had large single driver, open baffle speakers which surprised me at how full and rich, and yet clean they sounded. I was also surprised how fond I was of a couple of speakers that had a small horn loaded tweeter. OK, one of them had a plasma tweeter but still. :)

I uploaded some video I took at the show if anyone would like to take a peek. The first part of my trek went through lots of art and tech areas, so there is a relative dirth of actual speaker demos near the beginning of the video.

Mark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUkRMYvf9ZY

Hey Mark, Thanks for the video!
Pretty interesting show!