mdavis’s System
 

I’ve been viewing this site for years and would like to share images of my current system. I will post more once Stillpoints USS arrive for my newly acquired Pass Labs XA-60.8 monoblocks (which are stunning amps replacing my MSB S200 stereo amp).

Thanks for looking.

mdavis’s System
 

Very nice system, thanks for posting the pics!

Nice pics and system! I was thinking about one of those Audio Elegance stands myself but decided on a Timbernation stand. It looks great.

- Buck

Great looking system!

Really nicely put together. Are those GIK Bass soffits?

Nice! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Thank you all for the compliments.

@mcpaf76: Those are indeed GIK Bass Soffits. I have four (two stacked) in the two front corners of the room. They do a great job controlling bass and revealing clarity. I also have three Stillpoints Aperture panels between the Soffit traps helps to create a black hole from which the music emerges.

Thought so. I have one in each corner, and they made a huge difference, I can imagine 4 is even more substantial.

Incredible, right? This was one of the most significant upgrades I’ve made to my system.

Beautiful system, congratulations. Is that a Mapleshade isolation system? If so, where are the Stillpoints going?

Great photography of your components and beautiful system!

Many thanks.

The Mapleshade system is only supporting the Aurender, the outboard power supply for the Aurender and the isolation transformer/base for the DAC. The rack itself is not a part of the Mapleshade system. I will place the amps on the Stillpoints. I’m expecting/hoping good things from the system with the amps on the Stillpoints. Will pick them up this weekend.

Many thanks for the compliments.

Sexy!!

https://www.audioaficionado.org/atta...0&d=1529887049

:naughty:

More pics: Isolation
 

I've just placed Stillpoints Ultra SS (USS) under the amps in a triangular fashion (one under the transformer and the other two near the rear under each bank of caps). The effect has been well documented on this forum so, I have nothing new to add but to say my sound has gained a fair amount resolution as a result.
Attachment 55761
Attachment 55762

Also attached are images of the pre-amp sitting on USS:
Attachment 55763

DAC on USS
Attachment 55765

and Magico S-Pods under the speakers:
Attachment 55764

mdavis’s System
 

SONIC IMPROVEMENT NOTICE!

A while ago an audiophile buddy of mine noticed that my system wasn’t as detailed as it should be (he thought it was too vailed). It was kind of hard for me to accept, but he was right. This lead me to challenge my preconceptions and explore things out of my comfort zone. This journey was centered around getting the best sound from my Magico S3 speakers.

Fast forward to this past weekend, having had the Pass amps in my system for about a month and a half, my system is FINALLY delivering what I expected or hoped for. The final piece of the puzzle was finding synergistic speaker cables. So, I found a used pair of MIT Matrix HD38 cables and installed them on Saturday. The result was an almost overwhelming rush of additional musical information. Soundstage extends well beyond the boundary of my room (making my room sound much larger than it is); extending as far forward or behind the speakers as the music demands.

Perhaps the most important revelation is that I understand the intent and emotion of the music much better now. I would often read how someone got goosebumps when a singer sang a certain verse and now my system is finally causing me to have similar reactions to the music. I can now really sense the care that the artists employed to communicate their craft.

This discovery happened because of me trusting the ears of my friend and following many of you all on this forum and the great advice posted on these pages. So, thank you for helping me get a lot closer to where I want to be. This journey can be terribly frustrating, but when we get closer to where we want to be it all seems more than worth the effort.

Martin

Congratulations, sounds like you made some good choices and are able to realize the reward. I am envious.
Music can be magic!

Fantastic system Martin! The room looks to be well decorated and functional as well.

Very nice system. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you all for the compliments. It’s a journey.

More Pics: Speaker Cables and other goodies
 

I've been playing around with a few different lenses to photograph my equipment and thought I'd share a few more images.

MIT HD38 Speaker Cables (and S3):
Attachment 55912
Attachment 55913

WireWorld Platinum Eclipse 7 IC (SE from DAC to Pre, Balanced from Pre to Power Amp):
Attachment 55914

Couple more images of the Aurender X100 (Playing Wynton Marsalis's "Blue Interlude", which has a superbly recorded piano monologue):
Attachment 55915
Attachment 55916

Lastly, a couple more images of the MSB Analog DAC with the Stillpoints Aperture panels visible in background:
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Nice photography, is a challenge to take photos in the dark. Like how you isolate your electronics. I bet it's sounds awesome!

Nice setup!

Very nice system. I am a big fan of the Pass .8 series.

Thanks for the compliments. It is challenging to photograph using only (very limited) natural light, but I think it adds a certain mood to the images compared to adding flash, which washes out everything. Thanks for looking.

Thanks, Pyro.

mdavis’s System
 

Thanks, audiohippo. I’m very happy with the .8 amps, even with the heat these things produce. I find that they have the necessary current to properly drive the S3s (especially relative to dynamic range).

BTW, very nice changes to your room/system. Looks great.