I also played 5.1 on the show. I was the only person who played Multi channel. I am a big music lover. I own more than 100 music blu rays. I also used 2 blu rays with the space shuttle. They are so impressive in sound and image. 24 bit 96 kHz sound on blu ray is also great.
I own far over 1000 cd's. These days I use the Olive 06HD. I do not use a cd player anymore. I owend the Meridian 800 for 11 years. I got in 2005 a brand new Meridian 800 DAX V4 from Meridian. I knewe a few people very well, they arranged it for me. At shows you need to use music people really like instead of bling plong music.
At the show many people asked me about titles of the music I use. Music is my biggest hobby in life. At shows music is very important to give a convincing demo.
I played with the Monitor Audio Platinum series. Pl-200 for front. The Pl-200 is superior in timing, natural sound, stage depth and wide and physical image compared to the Pl-300. This has to do with the crossovers. I owned the Pl-300 for a couple of years. The Pl-200 is in combination with the PLW-15 superior to the Pl-300 with the PLW-15. I used the Pl-100 as surround speakers. The PLW-15 has one of the fastest response and timing of subwoofers. Many people said why you do not use the PLW-15? I laughed and said: Do you think the PL-200 goes this deep? I played Kratwerk. But he said: but I do not hear a subwoofer. So I said to him; this is stealth integration. He said what.....For many people a 3 dimensional physical sound is new.
The amps I used: Pass Labs X250.5/ Primare A30.5 mk2 ( I use 2 channels for the centre speaker ( Monitor Audio PLC-150) and 2 for the surround speakers.
I used 4 Purist Audio Limited Edition powercables with Oyaide F1/P1.
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?fcabl&1393248599&openmine&zzBo1972&4&5#Bo1972
Audioquest Redwood 2013 improved version Loudspeakercable.
Pl-200 I use Bi-wire and for the PlC-150 I use Bi-amp version.
Inerconnects: Apacella pure silver XLR, Audioquest SKY rca.
Audioquest sub-3. A few Audioquest Diamond hdmi cables.
And I use a Powersource+ conditioner what is superior to conditioners of PS Audio and Shunyata.A very musical reaslistic overwhole sound, increase of drive and dynamics. You even can connect a Purist Audio Limited to it. It has a very big possitive influence on the sharpness and physical apperance of instruments and voices.
http://www.kempelektroniks.nl/FilesContent/menu/menu000201/pdf_ps_power_source_en_plus__eng__logo_scherpe_foto.pdf
The Monitor Audio Platinum can play at extreme volumes. For example the spl of the PL-200 is 118 db. With the subwoofer tha same story. Thgey can give a very wide and deep stage. I play also 2 metres beside the speakers and 4-5 metres behind the speakers. The ribbon tweeter of the Platinum series can even play in front of you. This makes the stage huge. But now comes the clu. I have created an extreme small and physical individual focus of instruments and voices in the wide and deep stage. In this part most people fail. The Purist Audio and top cables from Audioquest can give a stunning level of blacks togheter. Pass Audio is able to create a wide and deep stage. But the weakest point is the individual focus within the wide and deep stage. That is why I needed cables who can give me a small and realistic proportion of instruments and voices.
I owned the XP-20 for 2 years. It was a nice pre amp, but I missed a few things. With the Onkyo PR-SC5509 with my way of Aydyssey Pro I can smash the XP-20 in every aspect. With my way of Pro I can create more dynamic and more speed. The biggest difference between the XP-20 and 5509 with my measurement is a much sharper and physical focus of instruments and voices. Like 2nd and 3th voices become a lot more apparent and clear. And you do not have acoustic problems anymore. I even can let people hear the timbre of a voice. The same thing about the articulation of a voice. I can let people hear all the word endings like sss, ttt th, breathing of singers and moving lips during singing. With the XP-20 you can't achive this accuracy.
The extra authority in sound gets ride of the acoustic problems. I can play extrem loud asnd the low freq. ( 16Hz) playe without any acoustic problem. All other demos had a lot of acoustic problems. With Audyseey Pro I can create a united sound with all the speakers and subwoofer togheter what I never heard. It is the perfect balnce between all the loudspeakers. When I listen to surround without Audyssey Pro I get irritated very quick. I hear all the different limitations. I hate every single kind of limitation in sound. As a perfectionist there is no room for error. It is a no go!
I played about 70% stereo and 30% multi channel.
I use very expensive cables as you can see. They are essential parts to get this high level of sound.
On monday I went with my own music to listen to the other sets of the show for some hours. I was surprised about all the different flaws. But also that often the overwhole sound is incomplete.
There was one set I liked: This was with Zanden equipment and the Magico S1 with Kubala cables. But when I played a few numbers which i also used a lot on my set I noticed that I had superior articulation of voices. I had a big smile and thought mmmmmm I miss information. The physical apperance of instruments and voices of my set were a lot sharper and clear compared to the Zanden set with the Magico S1. The response in the low freq. the Pl-200 is a lot faster compared to the S1. Other Magico speakers have also a much better response.
Now more than one year later I am a lot further than I was at that time. Because I still test and keep on improving. As a perfectionist you never stop. It goes on and on. I love to test amnd compare. This makes you understand audio so much better. Without it I never could achieve the level in sound I can create now. It is all about using the right properties togheter.
