I have my own definition “hifi is an individual sport”
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"Photography”
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It’s alive! I took the time to make sure everything works in the sunroom system yesterday. It sounds pretty darn good considering the room is all glass.
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Nice! And a view to match!
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You have been way to quiet. Glad you have tamed the beast we all wrestle with.
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Been there, done that. Good idea though.
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Those speakers certainly have not spoiled the view. If it sounds half as good as it looks you must feel great satisfaction!
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That setup looks really nice!
Congrats!!!
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And… if Vern opens up a window… he can fish too ! 
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Most audiophiles are never satisfied, but it seems that you have hit that rare point where analysis isn’t important, but enjoying the music is. I am assuming that the new amp is to blame. I can only remember a couple of times when a component took the system to another level, revealing things that I thought were never there. Glad the wait (or should I say “weight”) was worth it.
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Congrats @Baldy
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Wait, I thought new speakers are on the horizon?
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I suggested pottery.
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Maybe you should go to several live shows every week! Oh wait, you already do that.
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The horizon is still a couple years away. I am in no hurry whatsoever for that day to come. The new amp and preamp have gotten me quite a bit closer to the MBL Extremes sound. I do not believe I am missing much sound field wise. The massive Bass yes, but that may be a good thing as my wife does not enjoy massive bass from music she is not listening to.
And speaking of MBL Extremes, they raised the price from Mark One, $240K, to $318K for the Mark Two. Now they have raised the price to $398K. I am not certain this increase will be passed on to me. If not, it puts me in a position to make a huge profit if, when they become available, I choose to let someone else grab them instead of me. Odd.
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My horizon might be including PSA FR20 speakers or Alta Audio’s Adam speakers, depending on price/sound, already knowing I like the Alta speakers.
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- Haiku
- Painting
- Home brewing
- The New York Times Cookbook. EVERY. PAGE.
- Visiting all of the Ancient and Modern wonders
- Pilots license
- Body building competitions
- Restore a Tuscan villa (it’ll need a hifi system)
- Grow competition level orchids in a purpose-built greenhouse
- Do the “Big Lap” around Australia
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Highly recommend the additional tank to accommodate separate wash and rinse cycles @RedRiver. Here is my LP cleaning station…
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My Akiko Audio power project is nearing completion. I was going to experiment on my second system but the results have been so pleasing that it’s moved into the big rig. I adore the Whisper power cable on my streamer but for the sake of this exercise I’ve placed it between the wall and Isotek Polaris power strip.
Attached to the Whisper is an E-Tuning Gold Mk2 to further suppress high frequency noise. Running out of the Isotek are two Akiko passive products, a Corelli power conditioner and a Triple AC Evolution RFI/EMI absorber. These alone have given what I consider to be real value for money improvements to soundstage (especially depth), timbre and separation, and have reduced listening fatigue to zero. I hesitate to say an “analogue” presentation has ensued because people mean different things by that, but it’s certainly warmer and more impactful with a substantial increase in detail.
I’m now in possession of five Akiko Flex HQ power cords that are about to replace Isotek Elite cables. I changed the first one over to compare on my Innuos streamer. A week with the Isotek Elite then a week with the Akiko. Well…these two cables sound so very different! The Isotek majors on clarity and a really sharply defined sound. I’ve always thought it super capable (the Whisper beats it in every way of course, at a much higher price), but I was not prepared for how much more of all the stuff that gives music life the Akiko allowed. Depth of tone and body/tonal mass are at a level the Isotek just can’t get near, and dynamically the Akiko is a real butt-kicker. On one classical track I love the Isotek gave me a dynamic range from 35dB to 80dB at the listening seat. The Akiko did 32dB to 86dB (measured on an iPhone app). WTF?!?! The soundstage is also relatively cavernous by comparison. This is super important to me when I’m listening to orchestral music, but I even noticed it wasn’t subtle on rock and pop tracks where appropriate. Drum kits further back, vocal focused and forward but not oversized, guitars and keyboards in their own space.
Naturally I then put in the Akiko cords to my M700 amps and I got more of the same improvement. They’ve been in running for an hour so I’m not sure how far it’ll go but I’m excited. I ordered one with a Furutech C7 connector for my Chord TT2 and I’ll admit to not really hearing much of a change if any at all. I suppose the on-board super caps really do make the power supply from the wall less impactful. I’ve got one left that, after I know how far the M700 treatment goes, I’ll use to replace the Whisper for a completely Akiko-ed system. The Isotek cables are getting sold…
Each Akiko has cost me AU$330 because I ordered it unterminated and bought locally a Furutech rhodium Australian mains plug to fit. Each Isotek Elite cost me AU$850 from a local retailer.
How much of this is running Akiko power products as a coherent loom? I’m not sure, but I don’t really want to bother figuring it out. Music instead.
The twist in the tail will be whether the obvious superiority of the Whisper is out-played by the full Akiko loom. If so, it will demonstrate two things: the Isoteks are holding back the Whisper big time, and that a coherent loom is a good idea. Of course, that will mean I’ll need to save for a full loom of Whispers… 
@Duncan_Taylor I’d love to hear your thoughts on full cable looms!
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Thanks for sharing and your table top looks nice! I have placed order at Music Direct for 2nd water tank yesterday.
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