Audio System
The audio system is fairly modest. I've tried to assemble a system over the years that sounds pleasing but didn't break my limited bank account. My arms and legs are still here. These are the components:
Amplifier: Prima Luna Prologue 5 with mostly Gold Lion KT-88 tubes, but sometimes Tung Sol EL-34 tubes. The 12ax7 and the 12au7 tubes are Psvane. 36 watts per channel.
Preamplifier: Parasound Halo P5 for almost eight years. A Schiit Freya Plus arrived November 15th, 2022. It uses JJ 6SN7 tubes. Using just the solid-state mode, it already sounds superior to the Parasound. The tube mode sounds better to me. I thought the P5 had good resolution, but the Freya Plus is something else. Music also sounds more natural. Used JJ 6sn7 for two years.
DAC: Schiit Modius.
Streamer: Wiim Mini.
SACD/CD: Marantz SA-8001. The SACD won't work over the coax connection, Red Book only. I only have six SACD's, so I really don't care.
Speakers: Klipsch RP-6000F or Monitor Audio Silver 8, but the Klipsch are my favorites. I know these speakers are a "weak link", but they will have to do for now. If I could afford them, the Klipsch Heresy IV's would be here.
Subwoofers: SVS SB-2000 and Klipsch R-112SW.
Interconnects: Audioquest Diamondback XLR (DAC to Preamp) , AQ Columbia RCA (Preamp to EQ to Amp), Mogami Coax (CD player to Modius DAC), and AQ Carbon Toslink (Wiim to DAC).
Speaker cable: Micca. Audioquest Boxer (SB-2000) and SVS Sound Path (R112SW) for the Subwoofers.
Power: Audioquest Niagara 1000. Power cords are Audioquest NRG2, 4, Z3, Z2, and Y3.
Headphones: Audio Technica ATH AD-700 and Sony MDR-ZX110 (for computer audio or home theater late at night).
Headphone amp: Musical Fidelity V90-HPA (for computer audio only). Uses an AQ Diamondback RCA interconnect to an old ASUS Xonar DS sound card. Not top notch, but works for me.
Best deals for Mr. Cheap: Klipsch RP-6000F new at $744.12 for both. 10% off each speaker, and then 30% off the total. The Micca speaker cables. It's amazing how good they sound. It's also amazing how inexpensive they were. Mogami 75 Ohm coax with Canare RCA's for $45. It has better definition than my AQ Forest. I find no fault with it. I don't believe spending more would offer a noticible improvement in my system.
I use Tidal streaming service.
The Schiit Loki Plus equalizer arrived November 17th, 2022. AQ Columbia are the interconnects, preamp to Loki, Loki to amp. It is doing exactly what I wanted. Kicks the performance of the RP-6000F up a notch. The 400Hz a little up, giving better upper bass and lower mid-range. I can detect no noise from it.
The JJ 6SN7 tubes are very closely matched even though I didn't order matched tubes. I have an old tube tester I use for audio and Ham radio.
Stop the press! New tubes installed December 21, 2024.
I put matched LinLai 6sn7 tubes in the gain stage side of the Freya. Wow! What an improvement they made. I could hear it instantly. They now have about 45-60 hours on them and have become even better. I did not expect as much an improvement in sound as I got. I'll list the areas I noticed.
Clarity of vocals and instruments. Better definition between musical notes than before. Things sound more "real" than before. Decays last longer. Soundstage slightly better. Bass seems more punchy and solid. The background was always quiet, but now seems to have a "darkness" to it. The tubes were $80 a pair on Amazon. They are worth every penny to me.
I also replaced the SED 12ax7 and EH 12au7 tubes of the Prima Luna with Psvane. An improvement, maybe, but not as noticeable as the preamp tubes. The 100 bucks for all four was worth it as the older tubes had become weak and didn't match anymore. I just installed (12/30/24) two more matched LinLai 6sn7 for the preamp buffer stage. They are not anywhere near broken in, but I already hear a difference. It's not as much of one as the gain stage was. Mainly the music sound slightly fuller and has more of the sweetness of tube sound. The music also seems to flow a little more natural than before. Clarity improved just a little. It's all somewhat minor, but it's there, and it's slightly better. I can hardly wait for all the new tubes to fully break in. Roll Tide!