They are a DIY-project from Ikea chopping boards and Clearaudio cones, described in post #32 on the IKEA chopping board thread.
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Very cool!
Thank you. Speakers are early Eidolon by Avalon Acoustics, a Colorado based speaker manufacturer. Very musical speaker, as are all Avalons, but would benefit from a bit more space around them. I’ve had them a long time but can’t really think of anything I would want to upgrade them to except maybe Eidolon Diamond, a later model with a diamond tweeter.
Added a listing of equipment to the post.
Time for sharing the updated system (you find a rough list of the whole system on my expanded profile). The major changes have been:
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Added an Uptone EtherRegen some months ago (connecting the Lumin U1 Mini) with good results.
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Just recently I changed the standard switched PSU of the EtherRegen to the linear PSU Farad Super3 9V. This made a very positive difference in SQ. I couldn’t help myself and ordered a second Farad Super3 today, to replace the Sbooster (9V) that is powering the Matrix SPDIF-2 (6V version this time) that connects the Lumin with the DSD via I2S. Once that’s done, I’ll report my findings in the dedicated thread.
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Integrated the sub from my home studio (Klein + Hummel O 810) into the main system (behind the right speaker). The ATCs still run full range, so it needed some tweaking with the PEQ and level/gain on the sub, as the lowpass is fixed at 80Hz. Very happy with the results, now sub-bass is present (if it’s in the music) and it feels huge. The addition of the sub required a new convolution filter (Roon DSP), so new measurements have been taken in REW.
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Changed my music server (Roon Core) from an Innuos ZENith MKII with 1 TB SSD to a fanless NUC (ROCK running on PrimeMini 4, 8i7, 16GB RAM, 2 TB SSD). New Core is now placed near and hardwired to the modem/router. Roon UI is now faster and the convolution filter doesn’t drive Roon to it’s limit. Lots of headroom, good investment. So I’m selling the Innuos now on eBay (Germany).
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I also rearranged parts of the system. Now all things analog (silver) sit on the left rack, and all things digital (black) are on the right. Makes my order mania just happy. Good time to dust things off and reorder cabling.
Overall: the system never sounded that good, also, or maybe especially, at very low levels. I can get so lost in the music in my (rare) listening sessions, when the family finally sleeps and the lights are off…
It’s amazing that changing minor things like a power supply of an ethernet router can have these subtle, but important, audible impacts… This also demonstrates that the speakers, the pre-amp, the DAC etc. still have potential… Ah, there it is, the never ending story…
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Are the objects on top of speakers sound tweaks or decorative elements - or both? Totem Acoustics sells various cones (called Claws) to be placed on top of speakers to reduce the resonances and improve the sound. I don’t see why the same effect could not be achieved by other objects as well.
Hi @Philipp_Schaefer what are those black brackets holding up the Ikea cutting board with the Lumin?
Thanks
Sorry for the loss of your Dog. We dread that day around here but our Happy is only 7 yrs. young.
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Said goodbye to the Stellar’s last week. Taking a different direction in my rig (and probably my last for many years). Through TMR, I got an excellent deal on a 20 year old BAT VK50-SE while I was actually serious on buying a BHK Preamplifier but they didn’t have one in black. My gain (pardon the pun) actually. The BAT gives me 2 pairs of XLR out’s and a “Tape Out” and 5 XLR only inputs. I need this kind of flexibility (BHK doesn’t) in my new setup since I plan on bi-amping the KEF 105/3’s with Orchard Audio BOSC (now STARKRIMSON) Amplifier Modules using Leo’s instructions on squeezing 300W@4Ω out of them ! For the Bass section, I am most likely buying a pair of 1000W@4Ω ICE Amps from Parts Express or another pair of Leo’s Amplifier Modules.
My 901’s will be set aside for now (put aside but never forgetten). While I enjoyed my time with the Stellar Amps, it made no sense just to run them as Bass Amps (the S300’s) and overkill (M700 for each of the MidWoof/Uni-Q/Midwoof sections). But they did sound pretty damn good when I did do that (Leo’s Amps seem to pair better with the Uni-Q Drivers as well s the 2 midbass units). The Bottom end was better with Darren’s Amps. The Orchard Audio Amps I auditioned were his Demo kits which are setup as 150W@4Ω with the CU 54VDC, 4.4A provided power supply.
The Audition setup :
Let the Assembly Begin (I will post more pics in the PS Audio DIY Forums)
S300 for the Cavity Coupled Woofers on the 105/3’s while the Orchard Audio Amps fed the top section of the 105/3’s.
One pair of BAT outputs will go the Orchard Amps (when completed INSIDE my KEF’s) , the 2nd pair of outputs will feed my STAX SRM-007tA Headphone Amp, and the Tape Out will feed a miniDSP also inside the KEF’s (to replicate the KUBE curve).
Lots of Toobs…so I am a Boob now !!
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That’s got to be a right pain to dust.
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That’s what my Wife says 
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They are just for decoration.
Good thing: they can adopt to season and mood.
Bad thing: low damping factor 
You can always invent them a purpose to impress random audiophiles you meet on the Internet. The organic (left) vs. angular (right) form is bound to do something to the sound if you just want hard enough to hear it 
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Hi there. Those brackets are “Connectors” from PlayWood Products that I “misused” for adding another shelve to the Line Phono Turntable Stand: https://www.playwood.it/en/ply-brackets/#Connector
Not ideal, but it works. (Ah, and I have to lower the shelve now. I was to lazy the other day…)
Interesting….thanks @Philipp_Schaefer
Upgraded my little Cambridge Audio Minx subs to a pair of REL T/5i’s.
(I’d tried a pair of SVS SB-2000, but they were waaaaay too big for this living room space.)
The RELs just arrived this morning (like promptly at 8am), so I quickly unboxed and set up, but I haven’t really had a chance to listen at anything but morning-coffee levels. Going with low-level inputs at this point, as I already had the RCA’s in place – and for the living room, I really think that connection will be just fine.
They fit perfectly behind the Magnepans and I think they look really nice in situ.
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I remember your Minx subs, because I have one, too, in my living room theater setup, along with their tiny satellites. Glad to see your RELs came in white. Helps tie the whole package together in that space.
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My “barbell system” - heavy on the ends (VPI/Wilson) and light in the middle (Schiit/Nuprime), all powered by an SP3!
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Excellent set up. I am guessing your depth of soundstage is pretty fantastic(?).
Cheers.
Sure is - I give most of the credit for that to the combination of Wilsons and the tubes in that Freya+. I’m trying to figure out some kind of DIY diffusor that I can hang over that TV tho!
It won’t look nice and tidy (and may not work with your TV mount), but I toss a throw blanket over the screen whenever I sit down by myself for some “critical listening”. It seems like it helps some to my ears.
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