Last night my girlfriend and I had the pleasure of meeting Mark and listening to his system. This was the first time my girlfriend had ever heard a high-end audio system. (My stereo has been out of commission since before I met her.)
Mark’s system is interesting and eclectic, with exotic components by low-volume designers of whom I had never heard. The amplifiers are NAT’s 75 watt SET monoblocks from Serbia. The speakers, by Zu Audio in Utah, utilize dynamic drivers which cover 40 hz to 11 khz. We listened only to digital because Mark's cartridge and phone preamp are out for upgrade.
For the first couple of minutes we listened to a CD, with the turntable directly in front of us at eye level, I literally forgot that we were lighting to digital. Mark’s all-tube system sounds inviting, warm, relaxing and pleasurable. Nothing was the slightest bit edgy or harsh or bright. It is a system which conforms very well to my personal listening prefences.
Mark is fortunate that his loft has a 13’ ceiling. While I know that a high ceiling does not factor favorably on a Golden Ratio room dimension calculator I really believe that a high ceiling helps with sound. A high ceiling, somehow, gives the sound room to “breathe.”
Mark was a gracious and delightful host and I am grateful for the listening session. I am happy to have made another friend on WBF. I look forward to hearing Mark's system again when the cartridge and phono pre-amp return.
Mark’s system is interesting and eclectic, with exotic components by low-volume designers of whom I had never heard. The amplifiers are NAT’s 75 watt SET monoblocks from Serbia. The speakers, by Zu Audio in Utah, utilize dynamic drivers which cover 40 hz to 11 khz. We listened only to digital because Mark's cartridge and phone preamp are out for upgrade.
For the first couple of minutes we listened to a CD, with the turntable directly in front of us at eye level, I literally forgot that we were lighting to digital. Mark’s all-tube system sounds inviting, warm, relaxing and pleasurable. Nothing was the slightest bit edgy or harsh or bright. It is a system which conforms very well to my personal listening prefences.
Mark is fortunate that his loft has a 13’ ceiling. While I know that a high ceiling does not factor favorably on a Golden Ratio room dimension calculator I really believe that a high ceiling helps with sound. A high ceiling, somehow, gives the sound room to “breathe.”
Mark was a gracious and delightful host and I am grateful for the listening session. I am happy to have made another friend on WBF. I look forward to hearing Mark's system again when the cartridge and phono pre-amp return.