My little barn

[dcc]

A post which was long due...

My listening room is also my living room. This requires some compromises. It is a small barn in a tiny farmhouse from the 19th century.

The view from the sweet spot:






Details of the system:

Loudspeakers: Focus Audio Master 2
Power amps: Krell Evolution One (they were fully recapped last summer by the German distributor)
Preamp: Krell Evolution 202
Phono stage: Allnic H3000V (I did some tube rolling: Telefunken E810F for the amp tubes and a KR Audio 5U4G "Lampizator Anniversary Version" rectifier tube)
Turntable: Brinkmann Balance + tube power supply + SME V + Transfiguration Proteus + Furutech La Source head shell leads + Ikeda phono cable
Digital: TAD D600 CD/SACD player/DAC, Aurender X100L + custom made linear power supply + Bel Canto Ref Link USB interface
R2R not on the picture: Studer A80 RC MKII (currently being fully overhauled - it will take the place of the Barcelona Chair that will move to the dining room)

Interconnect: Argento Flow (3 pairs), Legato Presenza XLR (for the Studer)
Digital cables: Wireworld Platinum AES/EBU + Esprit Aura USB
Loudspeaker cables: Wireworld
Power cables: Argento Flow (power amps), Ansuz C (power distributor and phono stage), Stealth Dream V10 (TAD and preamp), Gigawatt LC2 (Aurender and Bel Canto interface), Isotek EVO3 Optimum (for the Studer)

Acoustic treatment: SMT diffusers in each corner, at the first reflexion point and behind the listening chair
Dedicated line (220 Volts - 2 X 20 A) + Ansuz D power distributor
4 Entreq Silver Minimus grounding boxes + 4 Atlantis Minimus (1 pair for each loudspeaker, 1 pair for the preamp and 1 flair or the phono stage) + 8 Everest boosters + Apollo cables

Finite Elemente Signature (2)
Symposium Super Plus platform + HRS Nimbus
Stillpoints SS (12) Ultra and Ultra mini (8)
Solid Tech Feet of Silence
Harmonix RF-909X MK2 (under loudspeakers)

VPI HW 16.5H and KL Audio KD-CLN-LP200 record cleaning machines
ORB DF 01i Record Flattener
Fururtech SK Filter LP Static Eliminator

The loudspeakers:



The racks:

:





The turntable:







The CD/SACD player and DAC:







The music server hidden behind the racks:







The power distributor connected to a dedicated line:





The listening chair and SMT diffusers:







Some essential accessories (located in my study):

[Bill Hart]

What a charming space. I'm almost at the stage of a new room/building myself, and am happy to steal ideas or shortcuts. I'll probably have some questions for you later, but at first blush it looks like an inviting space to spend time.

[Johnny Vinyl]

The Dutch word "gezellig" is considered to be an example of untranslatability. It always has a positive meaning and can be applied in a wide variety of situations. I find your room to be very cozy and this Dutch word could therefore be easily applied. Great space!

[RoadDawgWest]

Great space, and system. Look forward to an updated picture when the Studer A80 is back from overhaul.

[Gusf]

Very nice, thank you for sharing.

[dcc]

What a charming space. I'm almost at the stage of a new room/building myself, and am happy to steal ideas or shortcuts. I'll probably have some questions for you later, but at first blush it looks like an inviting space to spend time.

Many thanks for the compliment. Good luck with your relocation project.

The Dutch word "gezellig" is considered to be an example of untranslatability. It always has a positive meaning and can be applied in a wide variety of situations. I find your room to be very cozy and this Dutch word could therefore be easily applied. Great space!

Hartelijk dank... You nailed it perfectly and Dutch/Flemish happens to be my second language...

Great space, and system. Look forward to an updated picture when the Studer A80 is back from overhaul.

I hope getting the Studer back in about 2 months time. In the mean time, I am ordering tapes so I will have enough software to celebrate once it lands in my system.

Very nice, thank you for sharing.

Thanks.

[mep]

It's obvious you have invested time, money, and love into your system. If it sounds half as good as it looks, your system should rock.

[JCOConnell]

nice system

[Per Sundell]

One of the sweetest spots I've ever seen! Kudos for daring to mount a SME V in a Brinkmann Balance. I've got four Brinkmann-zealots among my friends and they would go apeshit over this. But I guess it is a good combo because your setup does not look like it is done by someone who leaves much to chance! Good work.

[JCOConnell]

what type of arm does the brinkmann usually call for Per?

[dcc]

One of the sweetest spots I've ever seen! Kudos for daring to mount a SME V in a Brinkmann Balance. I've got four Brinkmann-zealots among my friends and they would go apeshit over this. But I guess it is a good combo because your setup does not look like it is done by someone who leaves much to chance! Good work.

Thanks for the comment.

Regarding the SME V tonearm, this was actually discussed at length with both my dealer and Helmut Brinkmann.

Prior ordering the TT, my dealer organized a face to face meeting with Helmut Brinkmann so I could have a discussion on the different options.

Of course Helmut recommended to go for a full Brinkmann set up (tube power supply, Brinkmann 12 inch arm, Brinkmann cartridge and Brinkmann phono stage). He however advised me that the tube power supply should be the priority number one option. He also indicated that my TT would be one the first models fitted with the new Sinus motor but this would require some additional waiting time.

I already had the SME V from my previous TT. Helmut confirmed me that the SME V worked pretty well with the Balance but this was cartridge dependent. At the time, I had a Koetsu and it was a great combination with the SME V. As my plans were to go for a Koetsu stone body, I decided to stick with the SME V. Eventually, I shifted to a Transfiguration Proteus which happens to work very well with the SME.

I however upgraded the SME V with the best head shell leads I could find and I got rid of the VDH phono stock cable for something much better (not difficult). I tested several phono cables and finally, I opted for the Ikeda which was a good match with the whole set up.

I also tested the Brinkmann Edison phono stage but I found it quite noisy and it could not compete against the Allnic in a direct confrontation.

[Per Sundell]

A long, good answer! Agree that the RöNT is absolutely essential for all Brinkmann TTs. As I consider the SME V still being one of the best tonearms I wont argue against you or Helmut. Haven't heard the Proteus yet but it is coming in for review this spring. Good and interesting choices dcc!

[dcc]

The Entreq distributor for the Benelux is a close friend. At my request, he brought this afternoon an upgrade to my current Entreq setup: 2 Atlantis boxes that must be connected to the Silver Minimus ground boxes. We connected them to the ground boxes that are hooked to the negative binding posts of the loudspeakers. The improvement was quite substantial in terms of clarity and soundstage. I might also try these little wonders with the two grounding boxes that are connected to the preamp and the phono stage.

[Mike Lavigne]

as a fellow 'barn dweller' I salute you sir. a very beautiful and elegant space and system. bravo!

bet it sounds wonderful.

[MylesBAstor]

What a cool room and awesome system Denis!!! Love your wood burning stove!

Could you tell us a little more about how you came to select your speakers and a little bit about them. Know they are made in Canada but they don't seem to garner much press.

A question about the record flattener. Does it work on those nasty or troublesome edge warps? I don't know why but am going back to some of the earlier Acoustic Sounds and other labels reissues and am finding some with edge warps that the ring clamp won't fix and that affect cartridge tracking. Especially as I am finding with the Colibri that tracks on the light side.

[jonathanb]

We need Harry to develop a vacuum platter for those discs that are immune to correction by ring clamp as well as those very thin records that cannot be fixed in a record flattener.