view from the listening seat (right click - show image)
My system is based around a pair of Apogee Centaurs. I've fitted these with the current KLM-5 ribbons from Graz. Honestly, the Centaurs aren't the best in the Apogee range. It's the low end that let's them down. To overcome this I've added a
MJ Acoustics Reference 100 MKII subwoofer (right click - show image)
I like that it says "hi" to meIf you can forgive it for not being planar this is a pretty good sub. Never obtrusive, it puts in anything down from 120Hz. The Centaurs could use even higher Hz, but this sub does not go higher. It's got a remote control and four pre-sets so with the push of a button the amount of bass can be adjusted to ones mood or played track.
My amplifier is this
Advance Acoustic MAP-303II (right click - show image)
It's a class A amplifier capable of 100w@8ohm and over 180w@4ohm. It can be manually set to class A, class AB or auto. For everyday use I switch it to AB to save power and reduce heat. For serious listening it goes in class A. For the money it's a good amp. Probably the Krells et all are better but this is a poor mans system and I'm sure it will beat most poor peoples audio gear.
Input comes from the MSB linkDAC D/A converter. According to Stereophile "the Link redefines entry into high-quality digital sound, as it provided excellent sound and 24-bit/96kHz conversion for the remarkably low price of $349. It is as firmly ensconced in Class C of Recommended Components"
I had it for very little money.
It is connected though with a less inexpensive Xindak FA-Gold Interlink.
Connected to the DAC is my FLAC-Station. This is a computer dedicated to playing FLACs. It looks plain but it's got a sophisticated sound card with digital outputs. I have a 750GB Sata disc in it. And a spare disc being an exact copy of the first disc. Also I got my music backed up on two external discs one of them stored
not in my home. I use ASIO For All as output for my music. It gave hiccups every now and then and I went back to Kernel Streaming but that wasn't satisfactory after ASIO For All. Then I increased the buffer size of ASIO For All to the maximum and have less hiccups but still not entirely without them, alas.
My CD player which I hardly ever use is a Marantz CD63 Special Edition. Also I got half a dozen of Digital Tape recorders. I use these e.g. to record satellite TV or radio broadcasts. I still plan on purchasing a good pair of condenser microphones and make my own first hand digital recordings to playback on my Apogee's.
View without listening seat (right click - show image)
I'm still struggling with the setup of the Centaurs. At first, I had them very wide apart. This gave me a superb stereo view with exact placement of every instrument or voice. People thought I'd had a gap in the center but I didn't.
Then I tried the speakers in front of a straight wall in my living and by advice from Graz and Christopher closer together. I liked it but got massive complaints from my neighbor downstairs. It turned out the sound was transmitted into her bedroom.
So I went back to the location as shown above. The wider setup wasn't satisfactory anymore and they are now about 2.17m on the inside edges apart and 1.38m from the rear wall. I will fine tune this but lugging these things around is terrible.
I have had other magnetostatic speakers even pretty good ones that will outclass the Centaurs in several aspects. But none had that special Apogee gift. There's something in the way the music is revealed that no other speaker I've heard can match. For me this is described best as "I've never heard it like this before". And that's why I have to do with these. And the thought of my Calipers that someday will be restored.
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 5:56 pm
