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Seeking help finding the weak link(s) in my system and offering suggestions please.

Hi! I recently paid a visit to a local audio salon and listened to a system that was so good I was "moved". However, I could never afford the price of entry to realize this kind of sound reproduction. I have spent the last couple of years assembling a system I could afford, focusing on components I felt were the best bang for the buck. I'm not trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, however with your help I am hoping to find where I may have a weak link or two. My budget makes this a challenge as I have only about 1K to invest. Thank you to all those in advance for your suggestions, my system is listed below. One more item, about 90% of my listening is Qobuz streaming.

System:
Dedicated/Isolated 20Amp AC source with PS Audio outlet.
Furman AC power conditioning.
Nordost Magus Power cords for source equipment and Kimber PK10 for Amp.
Ethernet cables all CAT7.
Kimber Silver Streak both balanced and SE throughout.
Speaker cables are Blue-Jeans 10AWG White - two 15' pair.
USB cable from PC to streamer is Audio Adviser Pangea SE 2 meter.
Canare/Have digital 1.5M coax from transport to Streamer.
Krell Vanguard Integrated Amp.
Cambridge Audio AZURE 851N Streamer/DAC.
Sonus Faber Electa monitors.
Sunfire HRS series subwoofer.
Sony SCD2000ES Transport/SACD player.
Luxman T117 Tuner (Best sounding component)?

Again, I appreciate your kind assistance, I am really looking forward to responses!

GRM

grm
erik_squires
15,985 posts
 
I'll vote with eric on his advice, although the DSP would perhaps assist in setting up the traps....but that's just MHO.


That's kind of proven. ;) While the average consumer trap is wide-band and therefore has a hard time handling very deep nulls and peaks, they drain enough resonant energy out of the room to make the DSP much more effective.  The amount of improvement you can achieve with nulls for instance is pretty remarkable.  Something you can't do with DSP alone.

BTW, really recommend GIK's' soffit traps. Very effective, pretty and relatively inexpensive. I've heard a lot of ASC treated rooms and to my ears, turned the room into 1 note performers.

celtic66
1,619 posts
 
grm,

Way different direction than all others.  I’ve chased AC conditioners for years, the last one a Furman Elite 15 with some effect.  Then, a Decware ZLC conditioner which was transformational in all aspects.

Crazy improvement at all levels.  My system:  UnitiServe, Mystique 3 DAC, Manley 300B pre driving ATC 40 active floor standers.  All equipment on Quadraspire Reference X stand.  😁
paulcreed
542 posts
 
I just moved and had to reset everything up, it sounded good but something was lacking. After about a week I remembered I forgot to install the Furutech NCF outlet. I did not realize how much of an impact a snake oil outlet could make. That outlet is not a subtle change in audio performance it made a big difference for me. I have a second system I experimented with film caps in crossover and Preamp. I was scared to do in main system as I would screw something up. That was the best bang for buck I have ever seen in audio since I got into this hobby. I used Claritycaps, Jantzen Alumen Z's and Miflex in crossover and Jupiter copper foil in Preamp well under $1000. I think better impact than buying a new component.

grm OP
149 posts
 
Hello to all,
I printed this thread and shared it with my local dealer who did not dismiss any of the suggestions. He felt my system was lacking symmetry, meaning  my next step would be a good set of speaker cables. I have looked at a couple in my price range, Audioquest Rocket 44's and Kimber 8TC. My system is already populated with Kimber IC's and I like them. My question now is, do I go with Kimber or Audioquest? I have only one shot to get this right as custom 15' cables usually can't be returned, so, which cable would you choose? Maybe something completely different?

PS. To achieve that level of SQ that moved me, everything included, would cost me about 50K! Hah, I don't think so... 

Thanks again everybody! 
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
The high gain (48 db) and wide bandwidth (150 kHz) of your amp raises a bit of concern in my mind about how well the amp would react in terms of sonics to the highish capacitance of the 8TC (about 1600 pf for the 15 foot length you require, and 3200 pf if you biwire which it appears you are now doing with the Blue Jeans cable). Presumably the cable’s high capacitance is a consequence of low inductance taking priority in its design, but the 8TC’s inductance is lower than is necessary for your application given the impedance characteristics of the SF speakers.

On the other hand, Audioquest does not provide technical specs for the Rocket 44. I would contact them and ask them to tell you what its inductance and capacitance per unit length are. If they can’t or won’t tell you I would look elsewhere.

While cable specs are of course not generally useful in predicting how a cable will sound, IMO they can often be useful in identifying and ruling out candidates that have a low probability of being good matches for a particular application.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al

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