My definition of optimal performance hinges primarily around accuracy. I dont want "nice" and I dont want "musical" - I want to hear EXACTLY what is on the recording. If we finally have a chance to hear the studio masters that the recording engineers hear before they get dumbed down to 16 bit/44.1Khz CD quality, why would you want to use equipment that doesn't let you hear the difference?
If your equipment cant easily discern the difference between 16 bit and 24 bit, dont bother with hi-rez files.
Similiarly, if you have a closed ideal how music should sound, and you want all recordings, good bad or whatever to sound "musical" or "nice" then hi-rez digital is wasted on you.
Accuracy is everything, if you dont know the truth, you have no base to interpret on.
Having said that, a Tannoy Gold Monitor driven by a well designed tube system can sound very nice, but for the purposes of this blog we are looking at high resolution, free of coloration.
(just to confirm I'm not an audio fundamentalist I do own a vintage pair of Tannoy Golds)
The system shown here is one of 4 systems I regularly use, but this is the one I use most for critical listening of digital files, and audio equipment , using both digital and analog sources.
This system takes no prisoners, it is ruthlessly accurate, as dynamic as any horn system, can play at near concert levels and stay clean and controlled. It is very low distortion , and easily discerns the difference in sound quality of recording mediums.
The speakers are based on Martin-Logan Request electrostatics, but with extensive modifications. The passive crossovers are removed, and line-array multi ribbon drivers take over the lower midrange duties. I think electrostatics are wonderful, accurate transducers but imo they tend to have a "plasticicy" sound as they get down to the bass ranges, whereas ribbons have an outstanding response from the upper bass regions all the way up to upper mid where they are overtaken by the electrostats for linear response.
The speakers dont sound like "ribbons" nor do they sound like "stats"- they reproduce the music with vitality, precision and accuracy.
The ribbons and stats combined have an amazingly accurate naturalness, that is very low distortion, free of any grain. The transition at the crossover points is seamless and undistinguishable . The bass driver is the stock 12" Martin-Logan in a large sealed cabinet with sub bass EQ applied via the remarkable DEQX crossover.
This is the version with optional Jensen output transformers and is completely free of any digital "sound" .
Crossovers are all 24 dB , linear phase . Power amplifiers are a Ramsa 100 watt for the bass drivers, chosen simply for it's sound. For the 4 channels of ribbon and electrostatics, a Carver Sunfire multi-channel amp is used. In a just world this amplifier would be considered as one of the greatest amplifiers ever built- it's main attribute is that it is "load invariant" - it can deliver prodigious power into virtually any load, and do it with a degree of accuracy rarely found in any other design. Capable of delivering 1000 watts into 1 ohm it is the perfect amplifier for ribbons and electrostatics. It has a neutral tone and simply amplifies the signals from the DEQX crossover ,nothing added, nothing taken away- what more could you want from an amplifier?
One of the greatest classics in amplifier design ,incredible design, incredibly reliable , my upmost respect Mr Carver. The Martin Logans are the only electrostatics that can handle the power of the Carvers to play at concert level, classical or Led Zeppelin, as loud as the real thing yet still clean and full of realism.
The DEQX is driven by one of my tube preamps, either a 6SN7 or 101D DHT version, see a previous post on why I consider a tube preamp a necessity in all systems.
Digital sources at June 2011 are :(1) windows 7, JRiver Media Centre, M2Tech Evo usb-spdif, Sabre ESS32 dac, and an exaU2I usb-I2S interface capable of 32bit/352.8 KHz that can provide direct I2S into the Sabre dac.
(2)MacMini, PureMusic,Audivana,Decibel players , Audiophilleo2 usb-spdif ,LavreyDA10 dac (24bit/96Khz)
Analog source is a Luxman PD444 direct drive turntable with Dynavector 505 arm, SPU cartridge, FR-64 arm with Denon DL-103 cartridge (both cartridges modified by Expert Stylus in UK)
Also have a Micro-Seiki RX5000 turntable but with digital files improving so quickly I dont have much time for vinyl at the present.
This system is the result of more than 30 years of audio experience, and while not suited to everyone's taste is a source of daily joy. It's only fault is that it beams , and is a one person"sweet spot" speaker .
