Steven …why type of valves are they?
3x de Paravicini 13D16, optionally ecc83.
So far very high up on the Ted Smith Toe-Tapping Index.
EAR Phonobox. no dip switches. Opted not to have volume control. MM/MC is the only switch besides power. Very high gain and dead quiet. But then it should good, replacing a product that was in continuous production for 50 years.
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Greetings from the “Not happy leaving well enough alone” department…
I moved the Magnepan .7’s out of my living room, and put back the Harbeth P3ESR’s. Coupla reasons, mostly because the living room isn’t a dedicated “listening room.”
I just thought the maggies were too big, too intrusive, too “office space.” I know form often follows function in audio, but I just couldn’t get past the size in my living room. And though they sounded great from the center point of the couch, they were only just “good” from anywhere else. The Harbeths on my homemade stands just seem to fit the part better, and I can’t deny that they sound fabulous. I moved the REL T/5i’s farther to the sides, to keep things clean.
So, we have a TV room in the basement, that’s always been kind of a wreck. It’s where the kids would have sleepovers and they’d play video games, and it was a mess of wires and game consoles and controllers and whatnot. With my oldest now at college (for the time being, fingers crossed no covid outbreaks) and my youngest focused more on making music than playing video games (and no sleepovers happening), I moved the Maggies to that space and I think I’ll mull over what to do to make it a bonafide listening room.
For now, I’m using my Myryad 120w integrated, and just running a Macbook with Roon/HQPlayer into a TEAC UD-501 DAC. Needless to say I’ll obsess over how to upgrade it, but for now, I must say it’s a cozy little space, and the Magnepans sound great in it.
For the record, here’s an earlier pic of the magnepans in the living room:
(I know many people have said they look great in the space, but it was just too much.)
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If you think those small-ish Maggies were too big for that big room, I’d hate to see what you’d have to say about my big Martin Logan’s in my little room. LOL
i’ve seen pics of your ML’s in that space, I think… didn’t think anything of it because the rooms have different uses. Your space looks like a music space, not a main living room space.
My basement TV room is maybe 9x12, maybe. But the maggies feel fine down there. Sure, they’re relatively bigger, but it’s not a living room.
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Oddly enough, the room my system is in is in fact the one and only family/living room of the house. But that’s what happens when you have a small house. 
gotcha. I guess I meant to say that the room’s focus looked to be music/media. So i think the MartinLogans seem totally appropriate.
Here I’m trying to incorporate a high-quality music system into a room not focused on it. Balancing act, for sure.
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BAT VK50SE feeding Orchard Audio Amplifiers configured for 300Wrms@4Ω and ICE Power Amplifiers 1000W@4Ω. All stuffed inside KEF 105/3’s. Details are here:
With Ted’s DAC as my source and the Sony UBP-X1000ES as my Disc Spinner/Network Streamer. This system is resolving as I’ve ever heard with all the various setups I’ve had over the years.
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Here’s the latest, with a 22 year old Roksan Caspian powering the 22 year old Martin Logan SL3’s. Surprisingly, a fantastic combo! Also swapped in the old NOS 1930’s RCA 6F8G tubes into the preamp stage of the Freya+, keeping the stock JJ 6SN7’s in the voltage stage.
![[IMG]](https://charlest.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-10/p3981571653-5.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://charlest.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-10/p3981571750-5.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://charlest.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-10/p3981571700-5.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://charlest.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-10/p3981571701-5.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://charlest.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-10/p3981571654-5.jpg)
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Looks like the kitty is enjoying the new setup.
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Have you had to get your panels refreshed/replaced yet with the speakers being of that vintage?
Also, my wife’s cats are all over the place with their energy levels so I can’t keep them off my gear. You have any problems with that?
Cheers
Yeah, she’s a happy little girl. She’s always out here with me listening to music or watching the toob. She’s usually cuddled up against me with her face mashed into the palm of my hand. In fact, she’s here with me right now. Difficult to type with just my left hand as there’s a warm, fuzzy head stuck in my right hand. LOL
Not at all. The SL3’s are all original and still sound excellent. No loss of treble or overall output. The previous (original) owner had them in his office system since new and rarely used them. He claimed they had maybe 5000 hours on them total for the 18 years that he owned them.
As for the cats (six of them no less), they don’t mess with the system at all. Charlie (the one in the pic) is the only one that either sleeps on top of one of the subs, or on the back of one of the Martin’s. She fits back there “purr-fectly”…
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That 2nd photo is a huge optical illusion again (right speaker looks further from the camera) 
The speakers do look awesome!
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I don’t know. I don’t see it, but I can assure you, they are equal distance from the walls, both sides and front wall. On center of the panels, 28" from the side walls and 49" from the front wall.
And thank you!
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Ziggi, I’d be really careful with the volume. I think our hifi drivers might not be up for the excursion generated by uncompressed bass guitar signal. Glad it sounded good!
I love the Lake Placid Blue on your P/J. Is that DI box a Sansamp? I’ve heard really good things about its ability to emulate classic tube tones.
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Ziggi, How do you connect your bass guitar to your hifi system? My teenage son actually just asked me recently. Thanks.
I have quite a few cats and one is a true audiophile. He will only say on the room if it’s well recorded music otherwise he’ll leave. 
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I have a pair of F113’s and I agree! Best subwoofer I’ve heard or owned! Properly dialed in it adds to the sounds like nothing else in the system. My system sounds drastically different if I turn them off. The only thing I’m going to add is a JL Audio CR1 crossover to get the full potential from my speakers and subs.
You’re right. No slaps and pops when connected to the HiFi…
At first I used the headphones output from the Fender amp to hook up to the GCD. I figured if it’s good for headphones, it will be good for the GCD.
Yes, it’s a Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI V2. Good eye! Lots of options to shape the sound to your liking, and it can sound like tubes.