I am still dreaming of three systems. They will hopefully still be in order of priority:
Tidal Audio La Assoluta speakers driven by six cannels of Tidal Audio La Assoluta amplification with new revolutionary Lithium battery technology as well as preamplification with integrated phono stage also with this new battery technology. Analogue playback will hopefully be through a fully stacked Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn with a Koetsu Coralstone Platinum cartridge with diamond cantilever upgrade. CD player will hopefully be Orpheus Labs Heritage transport and DAC latest version. SACD player will hopefully be CH Precision D1, CH Precision C1 and 2x CH Precision X1. DVD and Blu-Ray playback will hopefully be Constellation Audio Sirius (K am still hoping they will make it a comercial product). File based playback will hopefully be through the combination of Light Harmonic Sire The Source, Light Harmonic Sire The Streamer and Light Harmonic Sire The Dual DAC.
Rockport Technologies Arrakis II & 2x Wilson Audio Thor's Hammer driven by Goldmund Telos 5000, FM Acoustics Resolution Series 118 and Master Audio Systems Helius.
Magico Q7 & 2x Magico QSub-18 driven by darTZeel NHB-458 and Dynaudio Arbiter.
In this post I am looking for feedback on what you think about these combinations and in particular the Rockport combination. It will also consist of FM Acoustics Resolution Series 268-C linestage, FM Acoustics Resolution Series 223 phonostage, Rockport Technologies Sirius III Turntable and Tonearm with Lyra Olympos cartridge. As you can see much is relying on Rockport Technologies and FM Acoustics which I think is a great match and fantastic equipment. Additional I have brought in Wilson Audio Thor's Hammer, Master Audio Systems Helius, Goldmund Telos 5000 and Lyra Olympos, which I consider top of the line in term of performance for all of them. It remains to be seen though how the synergy will be together. Something as simple as differences in amplifier gain can turn into a real problem and when you consider the complexity of this hookup of components and cables it seems like a sure thing for causing trouble.
The FMA 268-C has two balanced analogue outputs on XLR. I am going to plug in the FMA118 amps to one of the FMA 268-C outputs using the FMA P.I.T. balanced interconnects. The FMA 118 will then drive the Arrakis tweeter, midrange and midbass by being plugged directly to the Arrakis internal passive crossover with the FMA Forcelines loudspeaker cables. Then I am going to plug a FM Acoustics P.I.T. Y-cable into the other FMA 268-C output. Into one end of the Y-cable I will plug the Arrakis II active analogue 2-way stereo crossover. Into the other end of the Y-cable I will connect a pair of Wilson Audio The Controller active analogue 2-way mono configured crossovers. Into the Arrakis crossover I will plug the Goldmund Telos 5000 amplifiers with a pair of Siltech Triple Crown interconnects to drive the Arrakis II deep bass by plugging in a pair of Transparent Audio Magnum Opus speaker cables. Into the Wilson Audio The Controller crossovers I will plug the Master Audio Systems Helius amplifiers with a pair of Siltech Triple Crown interconnects to drive the Wilson Audio Thor's Hammer subwoofers by plugging in a pair of Transparent Audio Magnum Opus speaker cables. By using two Wilson Audio The Controllers in mono configuration I want to play the Wilson Audio Thor's Hammers in stereo and avoid to sum up their outputs and play both mono. The three crossovers used can also solve any gain problems since all these crossovers can adjust its output level and by doing so have all speakers matched in level.
In the Tidal Audio system the entire system will be sold as a whole including power amplifiers, linestage, phonostage and cables. This system has first priority and will be finished first. I assume synergy will not be a problem in this system where all components are from the same manufacturer. So I am not asking so much about that. I am pretty secure in this regard.
In the third system there will be no gain problems with the subwoofers since the QSub-18 have their own internal crossover and amplifier where output level can be adjusted independantly. However to drive the Magico Q7 by bi-amplifing them with darTZeel NHB-458 and Dynaudio Arbiter might prove problematic. I hope maybe Herve Deletraz can be persuaded to adjust the gain of the darTZeel amplifiers on delivery to match the gain of the Dynaudio Arbiter. The speaker cables here will be Kimber Kable Black Pearl. Interconnects will be the new top of the line from Tara Labs or the best from Kharma.
So come on beat me, make fun of me, agree with me or what ever. Just bring your opinions forward. They are highly appriciated.
Thanks,
Roy