Naturephoto1's 2 channel listening room /Home Theater system

[naturephoto1]

This is my single room 2 channel listening room/Home Theater system

View of all of the Audio Components in the system. 2 Isolation Transformers are behind the component racks on the floor.

The Audio Components in the system consist of the following:

Turntable: Teres Audio Certus 450
Tonearm: Teres Audio Illius
Cartridge: Soundsmith Strain Gauge
Phono Preamp: Soundsmith Strain Gauge 410

Amplifiers: 5 upgraded Aragon Palladium 1K and 1 upgraded Krell KAV-250a/3
Preamplifier: upgraded Audio Research LS10 Line Stage
Pre/Pro: upgraded Onkyo PR-SC885

Blu-ray/CD/SACD/DVD-A/DVD playback: upgraded OPPO BDP-83SE NuForce Edition and upgraded Denon 3800 BDCI Blu-ray players
Red-book CD playback: upgraded April Music Stello CDT 100 CD Transport
DAC: upraded Lavry DA10

AM/FM: modified Sansui TU-9900

Power Conditioners: 2 upgraded Exact Power EP15A and 1 Isotek Sigmas

Cable Box: Motorola HD tuner

Speakers:

Front L & R: Oswald's Mill Audio OMA New Yorker
Center Channel: Nola LCR Reference
Side Surrounds: Nola Viper IIA
Rear L & R: Dahlquist DQ-6CI
Subwoofers: 2 Epik Conquest 18"

In the first photo you can see my Adona Signtature rack and audio component system with my Audio Components which include the 5 modified Aragon Palladium 1K amps, modified Krell KAV-250a/3 amp, modified Sansui Tu-9900 AM/FM tuner, modified Audio Research LS10 Line Stage Preamp, modified Onkyo PR-SC885 Pre/Pro, Modifed OPPO BDP-83SE NuForce Edition, modified April Music Stello CDT 100 CD transport, modified Lavry DA10 DAC, 2 modified Exact Power EP15A Power Conditioners, Isotek Sigmas Power Conditioner, Motorola HDTV cable box, Teres Audio Certus 450, Teres Audio Illius Tonearm, Soundmith Strain Gauge Cartridge, and Soundsmith Stain Gauge 410 Phono Preamp.

The 2nd photo is a closer view of my Adona Amp Rack system.

The 3rd photo is a view of my modified Audio Research LS10 Line Stage Preamp.

The 4th photo is a view of my my modified OPPO BDP-83SE NuForce Edition Blu-ray player.

The 5th photo is of my modified April Music Stello CDT 100 CD transport.

Both my modified OPPO BDP-83SE NuForce Edition and my modified April Music Stello CDT 100 transport are used for stereo CD playback using a Coax and an XLR cable respectively through my modified Lavry DA10 DAC. I can throw a toggle switch on my modified Lavry DA10 to select which source. Additionally, the OPPO BDP-83SE NuForce Edition can play SACD, DVD-A, Blu-ray, and DVD discs through either of my ARC LS10 or my Onkyo 885.

The next 4 photos are of my Teres Audio Certus 450 turntable (3rd and only 1 of three in existence), Teres Audio Illius Tonearm (1st production unit made), Soundsmith Strain Gauge Cartridge, and Soundsmith Strain Gauge 410 Phono Preamp.

The next photo is of my custom acrylic dust cover sitting over my Teres Audio Certus 450 Analog system.

The next photo is of my 50" Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD Plasma TV on its rolling cart.

The next 2 photos are of my Nola LCR Reference speaker used as my Center Channel speaker

The next 2 photos are of my Nola Viper IIA speakers that I use as my side surround speakers.

More photos are in my next posting.

Rich

 

[naturephoto1]

Here are more photos of my system.

The first photo is of my Nola Viper IIA speakers viewed from the side.

The next 2 photos are of my Nola Viper IIA speakers in their place atop the 2 Epik Conquest 18" subwoofers which are sitting on top of custom made Subtraps. These are placed in the rear corners of the room.

The last 3 photos are of my Dahlquist DQ-6C (I) speakers which are used as my rear speakers in my 7.1 system.

You will have to wait for an announcement and photos of my front Left and Right speakers (horns) which will hopefully be completed by Oswald's Mill Audio in approximately 3 weeks to a month.

Rich

 

[MylesBAstor]

Lot of work went into that system! How did I miss the DQ6s? Must be old age setting in

 

[Steve Williams]

Beautiful system Rich

 

[cjfrbw]

Gee, all your guy's systems make mine look like an audio junk yard. Maybe that's because it IS an audio junk yard.

 

[joe1515]

Hey that system looks familiar

Joe

 

[brianherlihy]

beautiful system. where did you get your custom dust cover for the TT made?

 

[naturephoto1]

beautiful system. where did you get your custom dust cover for the TT made?

Brian,

Thanks very much. The main speakers are still being prepared by Oswald's Mill Audio. Photos and comments about the speakers will be coming after I take receipt.

As to the custom dust cover, it was made by Norman Cones on Audiogon. This is a link to his dust cover that can be ordered:

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1279058342&/Clear-Acrylic--Dust-Dust-Cover

It took a month for completion, but Norman really did an outstanding job. I am quite pleased with the completed product. They are available in clear and smoked. I ordered mine in smoked.

Rich

 

[zepherman]

Hi Rich,

Cool to see some familiar people here.

System looks awesome as always. I LOVE all the cool Aragon gear! One sweet setup!


Seth

 

[naturephoto1]

Hi Seth,

Good to see you here as well. Thanks for the compliments regarding the set-up.

I just recently received the rebuilt Dahlquist DQ-6C woofers back from Regnar/Dahlquist. I reinstalled the woofers into the cabinets and placed the speakers on the speaker stands behind the seating. Here are the photos:

The second photo shows the Left Dahlquist DQ-6C speaker used as the left rear channel and the Left Nola Viper IIA used as the left side surround speaker sitting on top or the left Epik Conquest Subwoofer (wihich is on top of the custom built subtrap):

The third photo shows the right Dahlquist DQ-6C speaker used as the right rear channel and the Right Nola Viper IIA used as the right side surround speaker sitting on top of the right Epik Conquest Subwoofer (which is on top of the custom built subtrap):

The Oswald's Mill Audio OMA New Yorker speakers are presently still in production. But, I should have a meeting with Jonathan Weiss of OMA at the finishing shop shortly for the finish and color of my Prototype speakers finished in cherry. I hope to have these soon and to post about them shortly.

Rich

 

[audioguy]

VERY nice. I'm going to explore your rack system. Mine is very functional and butt ugly!

 

[naturephoto1]

I believe that my Oswald's Mill Audio OMA New Yorker Prototype speakers should now be completed. I am scheduled to audition the speakers at the Oswald's Mill Monday, August 2 at 2:00 PM. I have already auditioned their larger and more expensive speakers at the Mill and the smaller Mini speakers in my own listening room. The OMA New Yorker speakers according to Jonathan Weiss of Oswald's Mill Audio has indicated that the speakers are superior to their larger more expensive AC2 speakers. I will make my decision Monday (and I think that is almost a given) that I will keep the speakers. Once the decision is made, I think that they should be delivered perhaps at the end of next week or sometime the following week. Once I have them in hand I will post photos and I may post some comments after the audition.

Rich

 

[naturephoto1]

This is an update from yesterday. The Oswald's Mill Audio OMA New Yorker speakers were completed early and I went and auditioned them yesterday late afternoon into the evening. I spent 6+ hours. The horn castings need to be re-powder coated and they are intended to be sent back on Monday for sandblasting and to be re-coated.

Jonathan Weiss of Oswald's Mill hopes that he will be able to deliver the OMA New Yorker Prototype speakers Monday, August 9 or Tuesday, August 10. He will give me a whole day if need be to get things set-up and sounding right for both stereo and multichannel. He has also suggested that he will take the room measurements when he is there. I will adjust the speaker outputs and at least watch part of a movie when he and Doug (his technician) come.

As to the speakers. They are some of the best sounding speakers without question that I have ever heard. The speakers only had about 2 or 3 hours of play time on them when I arrived. They are a very attractive item, but you will have to wait for me to have them in hand for photos. They are beautifully finished, have somewhat of a traditional look to them, and do not look like the other OMA speakers. Jonathan has suggested that he will have the production version of these completed hopefully sometime in the next 6 to 10 weeks. Because they look nothing like the other speakers he is expecting to not post them on his website, but will rely on interest from my postings, postings of the photos here, and elsewhere on the internet.

So, again, the speakers are a one of a kind made for me Prototype of the OMA New Yorker speakers. They are large, about 38" wide, 20" deep, and 57" tall including the horns. They are exceptionally dynamic and fast with the proper sound of decay for voice and instruments and with a sensitivity of over 104 (104.5 to 105) dB per watt RMS of power. They are exceptionally detailed with great depth and width of the soundstage. Imaging is pin point and exceptional. They have exceptional clarity with an extremely open transparent sound with wonderful midrange and fast and very solid and articulate bass. The speakers give a you are there impression and are as close to a live performance from any speaker that I can recall hearing. With well recorded material the voices, instruments, etc. sound like they are right in the room.

Now the question that Jonathan has is will my Audio Research LS10 line stage Pre-amp limit the sound of my whole system. The ARC LS10 is basically only being used as a switching control center with volume control for inputs (the Soundsmith Phono Preamp, DAC, and Blu-ray players all have volume adjustment capabilities). It is possible that the piece may add to the performance, but it is a concern that the unit, because it is an extra piece, may limit the overall performance of my turntable and even my digital 2 channel system. If the ARC LS10 does lower the potential performance we will have to try to figure out what can be done; not necessarily another Pre-amp, possibly a passive system, but something that allows the best 2 channel performance that would somehow allow a Home Theater Bypass for that portion of the system. This will all be considered for sometime after delivery of the speakers.

So, yes, I will be keeping the OMA New Yorker speakers.

Rich

 

[Steve Williams]

nice but I cant imagine that your ARC linestage will limit the sound of the whole system. BTW doesnt it have a theater throughpass. When I had my Arc Ref2Mkll and Ref3 they each had a "processor" mode

 

[naturephoto1]

nice but I cant imagine that your ARC linestage will limit the sound of the whole system. BTW doesnt it have a theater throughpass. when I had my Arc Ref2Mkl and Ref3 they each had a "processor" mode

Hi Steve,

Yes the ARC LS10 does have a HT Bypass. Jonathan is just concerned that in particular the $35,000 Turntable set-up may run into a bit of Bottle neck running through a $5,000 Preamp to go to $30,000+ speakers (I still do not know the official cost of the speakers).

Rich

 

[Steve Williams]

i see absolutely no reason to be concerned. it is a line stage with a HT throughpass. whats the issue. All line stages have multiple inputs

 

[VernNeal]

Very nice indeed

 

[naturephoto1]

My Prototypes of the Oswaldsmill Audio OMA New Yorker speakers were delivered today. Below are photos of the speakers.

The first three photos are of the 2 Oswaldsmill Audio OMA New Yorker Speakers and the Nola LCR Reference Center Channel speaker along with my Pioneer Elite Plasma TV.

The forth photo is of the left OMA New Yorker Prototype speaker.

The fifth photo is of the right OMA New Yorker Prototype speaker.

The sixth photo is of the side of the horn on the left New Yorker Prototype speaker.

The OMA New Yorker speakers are a 2 way compression horn design consisting of 2 15" woofers and a horn tweeter/midrange driver. The speakers have an efficiency of approximately 105 dB/1w/1m. They are large being approximately 42" W, 23" D, and 56" H. According to Jonathan Weiss the production OMA New Yorkers will probably sell for $36,000 for the pair. For the speakers to look like my Prototype speakers which are finished for me the way that I wanted them, they will be more money, but I do not know what the price will be. My speakers are beautifully finished with a Cherry Veneer and the Black Phaser that can be seen between the 2 woofers. My horn drivers on the top of the speakers are sitting on feet. The standard Production model will not be finished in the Cherry Veneer, will have a grill (not the Phaser), and the horns should be attached to the cabinets.

The speakers sound phenomenal, much better than the rebuilt Dahlquist DQ-10 speakers that they replace. They are extraordinarily detailed and dynamic. I am going to have to fine tune their position with time. But, even as they are placed now in the room, vinyl, CDs, and Blu-ray discs are stunning. We listened to part of Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Bach on Vinyl and Jonathan Weiss felt that the sound was spectacular.

I am hearing a little hiss through the speakers probably from the amps and also from time to time I may be getting a little ground loop hum. I will have to see what I can do about this.

We also ran the test on the sound for the room and it came out actually quite good for a room without any Acoustic Treatments. We discussed some of this and will install some later. Jonathan thinks the last bit of detail will come through once we get the Acoustic Treatments in place.

Rich

 

[MylesBAstor]

Congratulations Rich on the new acquisition!

A few watts go a long way now!

 

[RBFC]

Those are some beautiful speakers! I hope you get great enjoyment from them.

Once things are settled, please write a short review for us!

Lee