lotus's Raven/Rega/CJ/Avalon system

[lotus340r]

Hi Guys, this is my current main system and test/demo rig. Valves pretty much everywhere including the CD player. It's a system that's very much built for acoustic, jazz & vocals. Room treatments from Gik Acoustics complete the whole picture.

Strong points include tone, texture, saturation, density, holography, soundstage, layering and smooth delicious liquid musicality. I am more than happy with it for now although inevitably I will upgrade pieces if a good deal comes my way ... a GAT, ART monos perhaps and some Eidolons diamonds or Time, they are all on the wish list somewhere. I also plan to permanently run an FR66/koetsu as a second arm, something romantic for those late evenings when the wine and beer is flowing.

The rega isis valve cd player is possibly the surprise of the lot. I have had lots of digital sources come through these walls but nothing has yet toppled the english made Isis. It will never top the tables in any particular sound quality parameter but for out and out enjoyment and involvement it is quite a staggering source. It has a distinctly un-british sound with amazing tone/texture and 3d space and the CJ/avalon really exposes what it can do. Believe it or not it took the addition of the big Allnic 3000 to get the turntable up to the same level of enjoyment in terms of a palpable dense 3d sound with that strong sense of 'here and now' presence.



TW Acustic Raven AC
Reed 3p 10.5 Cocobolla
Allnic Puritas
Rega Isis Valve
Allnic H3000V
Conrad Johnson Atc 2 series 2
Conrad Johnson Premier 350
Avalon Ascendant
Cardas interconnets
Pro Bono Audio racks/isolation plaftorm
Running Springs Elgar
Mogami cable