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System assembled; only a final decision about speakers remains

Thanks to many posters on this forum, I have nearly completed assembling an audio system.

Because I started off my questions on this forum regarding speakers, I’m posting my outcomes here. I’ve not finalized speaker choice. While I took "Speakers first" to heart and attempted to do things that way,  slow production times and the virus prompted me to research and purchase in multiple areas. I wound up getting everything but speakers first.

I am enjoying my system with some loaners at the moment (review to come), and then (if the cosmos allows) I will seek synergy between this system and speakers. My hope is that the speakers ordered (Salk SS6M) turn out to be keepers, but they'll have a 30 day trial period. No idea when I will receive them. Oh, and I need to do some additional thinking about power and wiring, etc. And furniture.

So, to the various posters who chimed in with suggestions and information (I took extensive notes and you are now part of my informal library), here’s what I assembled:

SPEAKERS
  • SALK SS 6M — these are being built (well, after the shutdown is lifted) and then I’ll TRY them for 30 days to see if they work. Others are being considered. Opinions are welcome.
  • Sub: REL 328
AMPLIFICATION
  • QS Linestage
  • QS 60 Monos amp
SOURCES
  • CD transport: Cambridge CXC
  • Streamer: Bluesound Node 2i
  • DAC IT (peachtree) — older; just to tide me over
  • DAC ORCHID — this is my keeper

CABLES

  • Toslink: for CD player
  • Coaxial digital: Analysis Plus Digital Crystal & Audioquest Forest
  • Interconnects RCA: Analysis Plus Copper Oval
  • Power for sources and amps: Pangea Audio AC 14 & 9 SE MKII
  • Speaker cables: Analysis Plus Oval 12

POWER

  • Conditioner: Panamax 1500

128x128hilde45
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
Gotcha. Will try. 
djones51
4,947 posts
 
With a power condition you are removing mains noise which will show up as a hiss or static sound. Turn your volume up with nothing playing to see if you have a problem. Panamax also sells service entry surge protection if you want to go that route. I've  been using Panamax products for 20 years. Lowering the noise floor will have more to do with your entire system, speakers will usually produce the most distortion in your case the tube amps would run a close second. Since ambient room noise runs about 30dB but I believe yours is in a basement so when any HVAC is off it might be as low as 15 - 20dB it's  possible you will hear an improvement in noise floor but unless it's something that pops out at you like acoustic and vocal recordings sounding off, strange like a guitar sounds like a digeredo and vocals slightly helium induced I wouldn't worry to much about it. Noise in a system usually is easily apparent no need to get OCD over it. 
djones51
4,947 posts
 
I moved to a patio home a couple of years ago after retiring. My room now is my living room and I'm using one of the outlets on the living room circuit. I have a newer panamax I bought when I moved in. I can detect no noise issues, the background is black, when I hit play it remains black no distortion, no noise I can hear. I moved from a house with a dedicated room , equipment on it's own circuit the whole works and I don't have any more of a problem with noise now than then. You may have a problem if you do the first thing is figure out what's causing it and go from there don't  borrow trouble is the way I view it.
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
@djones51

Don't borrow trouble — including OCD! Exactly.
Do I have problems now with noise? Not that I can tell, though some here suggested that I might easily discover an improvement by just plugging things in without the conditioner. Easy enough to test. (Like making a dish without X amount of salt; it can improve by simple subtraction. Not OCD to try that, for sure.)

My goals are simple.
  • Protect my gear. (overall value is not strataspheric: $13k or so)
  • Run reasonably clean power.
  • Not break the bank doing this. (In other words: try to keep this below $1k)
The gist of what has been recommended to me is:
1. Dedicated line.
2. Whole house surge suppressor à la Environmental Potentials EP-20503.
3. Power conditioner.

Because advice comes in bits and pieces and from different people, I do not know if 1, 2, 3 are ALL necessary. For example, if I got a whole house surge suppressor, then wouldn't I just need a multi-outlet for plugging in gear down the line?

@djones It sounds like your new listening room is fine without a dedicated; you just plug your stuff in to protect it, don't have noise — so you're good.
djones51
4,947 posts
 
Even if you use whole house surge protection you can still use a power conditioner.  There are other good ones besides panamax it's just what I have always used. I didn't  mean don't  try different things like removing the conditioner as has been mentioned. If you try it and don't notice a difference  I would still use the panamax. You can get whole house surge protection and it's not a bad idea because it protects more than your stereo. Refrigerators, washing machines, stoves, TV,  AC units a lot of household items use electronic circuits that could be damaged from a surge. 

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