tom_hankins

Rob, My amp section is done and Mikhail is close on the PS. I will send(email) you some impressions and pics if you would like?

I screwed up the original post. lets try again. I have spent time with the 02/KGSS(dark and thin) and the 3030(Bright and edgy) system. Thought they were both bad. Whatare the good ones?

Well I never thought I would hear a stax I could live with(let alone like). But did some listening to Purks Lambda pros with his ES-1 last night and they were very nice.

Two speakers that I think are much nicer (and cheaper) than the Sophias are the Thiel 3.7 and Vandersteen Quatro and Quatro wood. Both will need a little room between you and them to sound there best.

Looks like the PS that is almost done on my new Maestro-XLR preamp. I wonder if they are the same tubes? It uses the same tubes that are on the Enigma box Mikhail made for Synergestic Research cable Co. If you dig up pictures of the RMAF this year (singlepower or SR room) your can see the tubes. They are about the size of lightbulbs. I am going to be using the 6sn7s in front 6bl7s on the amp section. Here is lionk to the rooms. http://live.audiogon.com/events/rmf2007/intr/intro.html

Be nice. I have no problem with wait times from Mikhail. My first SDS was 6-7 months. The SDS-XLR was 14 months. This amp should end up taking about 7 months. If longer.....no problem. I have been so happy with the final products, the wait is a non-issue for me.

Thanks, it makes wonderful music. My wife and I have been lucky to have a patient local dealer who doesnt mind lots of auditions. the finishing touches have been the Audioquest cables. (Sky ICs and Mont Blanc speaker cable) I cant wait for the SP preamp to get here. If sounds as nice as the one I already heard here I am in luck. Mikhail says it should be even nicer because of the better power supply!

I have heard the 2.4s and the 3.7s with the big VTL amps. They sound good, but not better. The owner of the amps was using the 450s and has now sold them because of constant fuse blowing. He is now using the Ayre V-1xe amp with his 3.7s. I have had the following amps in my system with my Thiels. All were nice but the Krell/Thiel combo is something special. Parasound JC-1 monoblocks (owned) Pass 350.5 (audition from dealer) Ayre V-1xe (owned) Krell FPB 650M monoblocks(own now) If, and when, I upgrade amps I would like to audition the Mcintosh 1201 monoblocks and the Krell 750MCX monoblocks, and the new evolution Krells. The big Mac amps are really nice. I have heard them with several systems and other Thiels. But i am pretty happy where I am I now. I have really been on a preamp quest for the last couple years.(six different ones) I am hoping the Singlepower that is being built will be the end of that. I heard the SDS-XLR in my system and it was VERY NICE. So I am having Mikhail build me a souped up Maestro-XLR with a new tubed power supply. Should be here by turkey-day.

They make me smile and giggle on a daily basis. I'm sure you can relate.

I have the CS7.2s.

You might want to check one of the used Cary 306/200 players. You can also find them with volume control. I've owned both it and the AA Prima SE DAC. I slightly prefer the AA. But could (and have) live with either. The Cary will save you a grand or more.

I would go with Dustys recommendation of the anti-cables. They are very, very, good. the price is great. I have two friends with very $$$$systems that prefer them over anything else they have tried in there systems. When you get ready to try the high dollar stuff. I have used and like the Siltechs and Audioquest. Buying Used is the way to go IMO.

I have been pushing Purk to go balanced and get into a vinyl source for a long, long, time. So far no luck. As far as the R10 goes..... I doubt he will ever be without at least one pr.

Take Purk up on the offer and try his SDS as a preamp for a couple days. Or you could do like I did and have him build you a tricked out Maestro-XLR with big outbaord power supply and still have the balanced headphone outputs for the times you may want to use them. Lots of balanced and SE inputs and outputs.

>:DOne more thing...Purk you need a vinyl source!!

Was at Purks last night and had the pleasure of an extended comparison between the two pr. of different R10s/SDS and the HEV90/HE90. Also have heard the L3000 with matching amp, and have heard it used with the SDS on several occasions. The bass on the one pr. of R10s is extremely strong. Not as much punch as the L3000, but very close. Over all better to my ears. Lots of detail and depth in the bass that the L3000 cant do. The Orpheus was IMO opinion the best phone I have heard. A little dark in comparison to the R10s. Not quite the detail in both treble and midrange to the older R10, but nicer with both (mids and highs) of these than the new R10. The new R10 were the least refined of the three phones. I cant wait until Purks ES-1 gets here to compare the two amps with the HE90s. As far as the R10 using Hirschs SDS-XLR. I would think the soundstage would be better than the SDS Purk has, but doubt it will equal the bass unless Hirsch has done serious mods to the voltage output. I sold the amp to Hirsch and dont remember it ever having the punch Purks amp has. All the statements about these phones were in comparison to each other. I dont find the HE90 too dark or the newer R10 unrefined. Just in comparison to each other. I have not heard any phones as nice as any of these three. The treble, soundstage, and midrange of the older R10 is beautiful. The same things on the newer R10 are almost as good. But the bass kills the older R10. Purk is in a very nice place to be...........R10 or R10 with the maxed out Singlepower SDS or HE90 with the HEV90 and a Singlepower ES-1 on the way. Life must be tough.