Description

I really enjoy the simplicity and purity of SET based systems. It's been nearly ten years but I'm finally getting to a great spot with my setup. Thank you Highwater Sound.
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Room Details

Dimensions: 18’ × 12’  Medium
Ceiling: 12’


Components Toggle details

    • TW Raven AC3
    Raven AC with the new 3 motor pod and Black Night feet.
    • Horning Aristotle Ultimate Zigma
    96db efficient horn loaded speakers with the latest updated drivers.
    • TW Raven 10.5
    I just had to have this to go along with my Raven AC. Awesome arm!
    • Ortofon RMG 309
    Vintage 12" tonearm completely rebuilt and rewired with Cardas copper internal wiring
    • Fidelity Research FR 64S
    I just added a vintage FR64S tonearm to compliment my Ortofon RMG 309. This is the copper wired version and I must say it sounds quite good with the SPUs!
    • Shun Mook Record Clamp
    Ebony record clamp. Phenomenal...
    • Ortofon Windfeld
    85 hours on it now and has been a very nice upgrade from the Cadenza Black. More open, more nuanced and higher resolution while retaining ALL of the musicality of the Black.
    • Ortofon SPU Silver Meister MKII
    Faster and more detailed than the Meister GM while still retaining all of the SPU traits.
    • Ortofon SPU Meister GM
    Copper wire 1990's Meister. Full bodied with fantastic tone.
    • WSS Platin Phono
    1.5M phono cable for the Ortofon RMG 309.
    • Ebony Armboard DIY
    Made this Gaboon Ebony armboard myself using a milling machine and a armboard as the template.
    • Ebony Armboard DIY
    First attempt at an Ebony armboard (right). Shown next to another armboard. Will use this for now while I make a final polished armboard. This armboard will serve as the base for my Ortofon RMG 309 tonearm with the SPU cartridges.
    • Tron Seven Ultimate Preamp
    Full function preamp with line and phono in one box. Built to Ultimate spec with exotic resistors, silver wiring and silver transformers.
    • Border Patrol SE300B
    Great little 300B amp. It's modest 8 watt power rating does not convey its real abilities. A very nice match with the Hornings.
    • Manley Laboratories Neoclassic 300b PP/SET
    300b monoblocks switchable between SET (12wpc) and PP (24wpc). Outfitted with Sophia Carbon plate 300b tubes, VT-231 RCA or Ken Rad, NOS VT-229 RCA and NOS Tung Sol 5U4GB
    • SRA Ohio Class
    SRA custom Ohio platform for the Tron preamp
    • SRA Ohio Class
    Sits underneath the Raven AC turntable. Pretty much mandatory because I have subway trains running directly underneath my apartment building!
    • SRA Custom
    Had a set of SRAs made custom for the Manley monoblocks. Very noticable improvement.
    • Furman SPR-20i
    Regulates the voltage to a steady 120V and cleans the power. Best sounding conditioner I have used.
    • Audience Au24e
    Very clear, fast and detailed with tight and punchy bass. 1.5m
    • Audience Au24e Interconnects
    1.5m pair that runs between the preamp and the amps. Clear and detailed just like the AU24e speaker cables.
    • Stealth Audio M7000 V10
    1.5M 20A power cable with silver connectors running from the wall to my Furman conditioner. The improvement in resolution and overall musical flow was not subtle...Power cables matter folks.
    • Edensound Terrastone slabs
    I use Edensound slabs under my Border Patrol amp and power conditioner (BDR cones under the Furman). Nice sonic improvement and keeps the gear off the floor.
    • Timbernation Custom Low Bench
    Chris at Timbernation made a beautiful solid walnut low bench to my specs to hold the Raven AC and Tron. The bench is 50" wide x 24" deep by 12" high. Keeps the gear out of the soundstage and looks great.
    • TW Turntable Mat
    I really don't understand what the debate is about here on Agon. The mat is a significant improvement on the Raven AC. No A/B was necessary.
    • Garrard 301
    Just for fun. Heavy custom Baltic bitch plinth bone stock 301 with my Ortofon RMG 309 and Silver Meister MK2 SPU riding shotgun
    • Denon DL-103r Panzerholz
    The humble 103R which I added as a casual daily listening cart to spare excessive hours on my Windfeld. I removed the plastic body and installed a Panzerholz wood body. Big improvement
    • Denon DL-103r Ebony
    Ebony wood body. Great tone very enjoyable cartridge.
    • Denon 103R Green Malachite
    UWE green malachite stone body on another 103r. Paired with Ortofon LH-9000 heavy headshell on my RMG 309 for a high mass combo. Amazing organic tone but very dynamic and big soundstage. The best of my 3 bodies for 103R.
    • Pure Sound P10/T10
    Added the very good Puresound P10 MM tube phono and matching T10 MC transformer to be able to run the Garrard 301 via the Tron line stage.

Comments 116

Showing all comments by kennythekey.

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Hi Ed,

It's been some time, so hope you've settled into some good listening. I took off on a side road from getting the Tron Seven Phono, due to a move that left me with my Aristotles now being undersized for my new listening room. I spent almost two years on a sub project instead to add fill-in. This worked out well to solve my issue. Now, I'm back to saving up for the Phono Stage.

I am inspired by your experience with your Western Electric speaker cables. I wound up replacing the stock power cords that came with Thomas' 300b amps with Shun Mook power cords. At 14 feet, recommended by Bill, these are an unruly mess behind my rack, but I too was blown away by the sound. I need new speaker cables to replace my 20+ year old WireWorld cables, and it looks like you discovered a winner in sound at a bargain price. I'm trying to stay focused on the Phono Stage, so not throwing a lot of money at cables would really help me to stay on track. I'm not familiar with Jeff Day, so can you point me in the right direction?
Kenny

kennythekey

Who makes these AC Cords, what they're made from, and whatever design philosophy supports them, while interesting, does not mean anything to me. So, like Charles says, how does it sound?

kennythekey

Sorry, for my delayed reply, so thank you for your feedback. Faster, is definitely better.

Well, since my inquiry, I've had a change in heart about the Stealth cables, due to the unusual price hike to the Cloude. I'm wanting to replace all my cables with one brand, so it makes me wonder where the Stealth prices will be heading when I'm ready.

For my 300B mono blocks, I'm now seriously considering the funky and weird Shun Mook AC cords.

kennythekey

Hi Latinsamba1,

I hope you've been enjoying your well thought out system, and was hoping you could help me with your impressions of your Stealth M7000 cord? I did catch, your very positive "not subtle" comment on how it improved your sound.

I use a Cloude 99 on my Tron Seven Phono, so I thought to continue the trend for my new 300B. The problem is that there was a huge price hike of $1,000 on the Cloude, so that was that. My only other consideration was the Tel Wire HC, and I don't have experience with the M7000.

kennythekey

The finish is exceptional and for every side of both speakers, the venner matches almost perfectly. if you've got the room size, the Eufrodites would be perfect. The Chopins would be a $ jump for me that would keep me from working on my other stuff.

I heard the Border Patrols with the Voltis at the Show, but not the S10. I'm going to upgrade/tweak my front end first and still hang on to Sam's amp. When I'm done with that, I will require any other amp consideration to first be inserted into my own system before making a choice. This will finish off my main gear and then I will replace all my cables. There will only be tweaks after that. By then, I'll be old and enjoying my music. Which daughter of mine will inherit the system...hmmm?

kennythekey

Beautiful setup, and I find myself faced with like choices. I just picked up my Aristotles at the RMAF Show, so plucked them out of Jeff's room. Love them, with eyes focused on Border Patrol as well, so it's sweet when our personal choices about gear becomes mutual. Enjoy, enjoy!

kennythekey

Great choices!!!

Enjoy!

kennythekey

Tick-tok-tick-tok...You're not geting a little anxious waiting for that table?!!!

Enjoy!

kennythekey

Thanks Latinsamba1, you have helped to reinforce my conclusions about the Horning Speakers.

Good listening!
Kenny

kennythekey

Congratulations as well! I own a Tron 7 Phono and love it.

I am also very interested in the Horning Aristoteles and have a small to medium sized room. Jeff thought that these speakers would work well in my room. I have heard the Horning sound at the RMAF Show and love it. What does it most for me is the natural, open, and holographic pin-point imaging of instruments and personnel. Amazing.

My question, are you getting this from your Hornings in your room?

I also own a Raven One TT that I got from High Water Sound. Could not be happier.

kennythekey