Seventh Heaven

[darthlaker]

Started off with Thiels, then Vandy 5A's and now the wonderful Sevens.

Words can't properly describe the enjoyment I feel whilst listening.

Prefer listening to vinyl over digital and most of my listening is analog.

Equipment:

Vandersteen Model Seven loudspeakers
dCS Puccini SACD/CD player & DAC
dCS Puccini U-Clock

Bauer dps 3/Ayre Turntable

Lyra Atlas cartridge
Ayre KX-R Twenty Pre-amp

Audio Research REF 3 Phono stage
Ayre MX-R Twenty Monoblock amps
Audioquest Niagara 5000 Power Filter
Melco N1ZH Network Streamer 

 

Cables:

Audioquest Hurricane High Power, Hurricane Source and Thunder 72V DBS power cables  
Audioquest FireBird Mythical Creatures 72V DBS speaker cables in bi-wire configuration (FireBird ZERO and FireBird BASS)
Audioquest WEL William E Low Signature Cable balanced interconnects 72V DBS
Audioquest Diamond 72V DBS USB cable
Audioquest Wild Blue Yonder 72V DBS 75 Ohm digital cable

Audioquest Eagle Eye 72V DBS BNC 75 Ohm digital cable  
 

Misc:

Solid Tech Rack of Silence equipment racks with suspension shelves

Finite Elemente Pagode turntable wall shelf
Ayre myrtle wood blocks used under all equipment and also under interconnect and power cables to ensure they are raised above floor
Silent Running Audio "Ohio Class" Audio isoBASE custom made amp stands for the Ayre MX-R Twenty Monoblock amps
Cardas XLR and RCA caps on unused inputs/outputs
Audioquest Edison 20A AC duplex power outlet connected to dedicated 20Amp circuit

Audioquest Jitterbugs

Home Theater (in addition to above):

Equipment:

Denon AVR-3312 surround sound receiver

Panasonic DMR-BW750 Blu-Ray player/recorder
XBOX ONE
JBL in ceiling surround loudspeakers
Pioneer PDP-LX509A Plasma monitor (ISF calibrated)

Cables:

Audioquest King Cobra balanced interconnects
Audioquest HDMI cables, rear speaker cable

 

[Nutznboltz]

Amazing setup 

[Sunil Merchant]

Very nice system. I wish to visit you sometime if life permits and share in the joy of what you live with. You truly have a fantastic system. 

 

[Corey Layton]

Nice setup.  Is the Denon AVR-3312 performing all of your preamp duties?

[darthlaker]

14 hours ago, Sunil Merchant said:

Very nice system. I wish to visit you sometime if life permits and share in the joy of what you live with. You truly have a fantastic system. 

 

Thanks Sunil. Welcome anytime! 🙂

10 hours ago, Corey Layton said:

Nice setup.  Is the Denon AVR-3312 performing all of your preamp duties?

Thanks Corey. I use the Ayre KXR-20 pre for stereo. The Denon is only used when I watch Blu-Ray movies.

[Eric Neff]

Gorgeous system DL! I am also having good success with the Niagara 5000. AudioQuest works great for me as well.

[darthlaker]

34 minutes ago, Eric Neff said:

Gorgeous system DL! I am also having good success with the Niagara 5000. AudioQuest works great for me as well.

Thanks Eric. Your system looks awesome as well!

LOVE my Niagara 5000 and also the AQ power cables, receptacle and speaker cables. They all allow you to hear MORE! 🙂 

[ctsooner]

Love the system.  The Ayre KXR-20 is their BEST product.  As much as I love some of the esoteric preamps that are made and feel that the top AR adn Aesthetix preamps are surreal, the KXR20 is the one I'd start my top system with if I had legit money to do so.

I've been thinking about auditioning the Niagara 5000.  I have the original 1000 and now that I finally have real power cords (Hurricane HC throughout) and the WEL interconnect and William Tell bi wired, I can think about upgrading the Niagara or the electric box, lol.  Is there a reason you went with the 5000 over the 7000?  

I know Garth is working on his interconnect line, but I'm surprised that he never upgraded the receptacle. I installed one behind each Quatro so they can direct plug on a separate power line (I have two lines behind the system.  Both Speakers are on one line and the Niagara 1000 is on the other one.  I also have my router plugged into the power box and run a separate LPS on it as well as my cable box.  Have to keep the nasties away from the sound AND picture as I can't have a dedicated room, lol...

[Eric Neff]

I have the 5000 also for the main system and the vinyl side all runs through a 1000. Good devices.

[ctsooner]

Eric, have you ever tried to switch the two to see how much more the 5000 does?  I'm just curious and I don't want to bug Garth, lol.  

[Eric Neff]

I have not. It would be a project given the room and how much I would need to move around. However, given the 5000's more robust build using it for the Mono's and the main system seems a better use.

[ctsooner]

Oh of course.  I'm just wondering how big a difference there is.  They now have a 3000 too I believe.  I was with Garth when he had the prototype 7000 and 1000 and the Dragon, Hurricane and the Tornado I believe.  They were just in clear jackets as he was still tinkering.  I was sold right then and there.  I sold my top of the line Synergistic Research for the 1000 as it's all I could afford. I got the Hurrican's for everyone else.  Blessed.

[darthlaker]

10 hours ago, ctsooner said:

Love the system.  The Ayre KXR-20 is their BEST product.  As much as I love some of the esoteric preamps that are made and feel that the top AR adn Aesthetix preamps are surreal, the KXR20 is the one I'd start my top system with if I had legit money to do so.

I've been thinking about auditioning the Niagara 5000.  I have the original 1000 and now that I finally have real power cords (Hurricane HC throughout) and the WEL interconnect and William Tell bi wired, I can think about upgrading the Niagara or the electric box, lol.  Is there a reason you went with the 5000 over the 7000?  

I know Garth is working on his interconnect line, but I'm surprised that he never upgraded the receptacle. I installed one behind each Quatro so they can direct plug on a separate power line (I have two lines behind the system.  Both Speakers are on one line and the Niagara 1000 is on the other one.  I also have my router plugged into the power box and run a separate LPS on it as well as my cable box.  Have to keep the nasties away from the sound AND picture as I can't have a dedicated room, lol...

Thanks ct.

I had the KX-R and then upgraded to the 20. Hard to believe it could be improved on but it sure was an improvement!

I did not have a chance to audition the 7000 in my system and heard that the 7000 MAY buzz a little with tubes in the system. I didn't want to take the risk and had no try before I buy option. I also read the 5000 is very close to the 7000 so just went with that.

It's an amazing unit with the new AQ power cords and also speaker cables. I am eagerly awaiting the new interconnects!

Why are you surprised Garth never upgraded the receptacle? He did design the Edison wall receptacle - is that what you meant?

 

 

 

 

[ctsooner]

That was his design? I thought they had it before they stole him from Furman???  the only outlets I've ever been able to audition side by side are the top Furetech and the top Oyide.  I was auditioning the Tidal speakers and electronics and he had both in the wall on the same circuit adn we went back and forth.  There was a subtle but real difference.  BTW, I was very skeptical about the outlets helping or deteriorating the sound.  Boy was I wrong.  Furetech was by far my favorite of the two.  It presented as more real to me.  I can't even define, sorry.  I may go get a 3000 one of these days.

[darthlaker]

18 hours ago, ctsooner said:

That was his design? I thought they had it before they stole him from Furman???  the only outlets I've ever been able to audition side by side are the top Furetech and the top Oyide.  I was auditioning the Tidal speakers and electronics and he had both in the wall on the same circuit adn we went back and forth.  There was a subtle but real difference.  BTW, I was very skeptical about the outlets helping or deteriorating the sound.  Boy was I wrong.  Furetech was by far my favorite of the two.  It presented as more real to me.  I can't even define, sorry.  I may go get a 3000 one of these days.

The Edison receptacle made by AQ was designed by Garth.

As far as I know this was not around whilst he was at Furman.

 

 

[ctsooner]

6 minutes ago, darthlaker said:

The Edison receptacle made by AQ was designed by Garth.

As far as I know this was not around whilst he was at Furman.

Thats interesting.  Glad to know and it makes sense why it's so good.

 

 

6 minutes ago, darthlaker said:

 

 

 

[Corey Layton]

I have the 7000 and I can confirm it buzzes a little with tubes.  Its tolerable and it moves some mechanical hum from DC on my electrical to the 7000 but I can still here it without music and at the wrong time of the day.

[Eric Neff]

Corey this is interesting. I have a Cary SLI-80 that transfers some hum through the speakers when plugged into the wall (It is a dedicated 20 amp circuit with PS Audio AC Receptacles). I plug it into the 5000 and things are dead quiet.

[Corey Layton]

10 minutes ago, Eric Neff said:

Corey this is interesting. I have a Cary SLI-80 that transfers some hum through the speakers when plugged into the wall (It is a dedicated 20 amp circuit with PS Audio AC Receptacles). I plug it into the 5000 and things are dead quiet.

I am referring to mechanical hum of the transformers, which you would not hear in the speakers.  Like I said its faint and with any music you cant hear it or if the room is not dead quiet.  Its the isolation transformer doing its job.

[ctsooner]

Corey, I'd personally reach out to the AQ folks. I am sure Garth would like to know this to see if he can fix it or he may know about it already.  Never know???

[Corey Layton]

2 minutes ago, ctsooner said:

Corey, I'd personally reach out to the AQ folks. I am sure Garth would like to know this to see if he can fix it or he may know about it already.  Never know???

Its not a defect its physics.  DC on your electrical will cause a transformer to hum.  I have spoke with Garth in person about this.  Its better in the 7000 then in the amp.

Also I have added some isolation to the 7000 which has helped to quiet it down some too!

 

Edited August 4, 2020 by Corey Layton

[ctsooner]

Intersting situation for sure.  You're the first one I've heard that from.  Knocking on wood, but I've only once had even a ground fault problem. I fixed that eventually.  Even in my CIEM's where most have a hum various DAP's, I haven't.  If I did, I promise I'd hear it and would be annoyed by it, lol.  Will you put it on an HRS footers or something like that?  I've seen power devices that are on spikes etc. to get them off the floor.  

[Eric Neff]

That, I do not hear from my 5000.

[Corey Layton]

19 minutes ago, ctsooner said:

Intersting situation for sure.  You're the first one I've heard that from.  Knocking on wood, but I've only once had even a ground fault problem. I fixed that eventually.  Even in my CIEM's where most have a hum various DAP's, I haven't.  If I did, I promise I'd hear it and would be annoyed by it, lol.  Will you put it on an HRS footers or something like that?  I've seen power devices that are on spikes etc. to get them off the floor.  

I have been experimenting between a complaint footer and a vibration draining one.  I do have an HRS top plate on it as well.  Until I got the Niagara every tube amp I tried would have a humming power supply transformer.  Keep in mind its not loud on the Niagara and some people cant hear it unless they get real close.

 

[ctsooner]

Gotcha.  Brad talked me into eventually getting the HRS E-1 I think it is for my Server/DAC. I"ve never used a platform other than for my old Turntable set up.  I've auditioned plenty. Some ruined the sound and some did a nice job.  Price didn't matter ironically.  I LOVE the HRS gear. I've had plenty of dealers show me the differences during the songs etc...  The plates made a large difference adn I will be getting those for the server as well as the amps.