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 [Updated] We revisited F&B’s heaven to fine-tune his analogue system after he clocked some 100 hours (within 4 to 5 weeks?) in record time. During this patience-testing run-in period, F&B was riding a roller coaster which was totally expected during system run-in.
F&B also took the opportunity and upgraded a few other components during this “trying” period. Smart move!
Now F&B is over the moon...
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Oyster first wrote about this audiophile from the West Coast of Singapore several months ago in his personal website www.hi-infidelity.com. This audiophile left me a deep impression because of his unusually good sounding “accidental” system; the library ladder to reach his LP collections and the just as far-out play method of never ever replaced any vacuum tubes in his playing amplifiers of over 10 years - huh?. This time, F&B (I shall call him here) took a huge leap and upgraded the long serving Lyra Helikon with the ultra-high bandwidth, high resolution Clearaudio Titanium.
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The analogue dream team - Basis Debut Gold turntable with Graham Phantom tonearm and Clearaudio Titanium. A Purist Audio Design (PAD) phono cable to complete the line-up perhaps?
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Yours may be a Continuum, Walker or Statement but this baby floats our boat. This isn’t ultra high-end but certainly many’s happy choice as last turntable. It is certainly ours.
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Initial impression after putting on the Clearaudio Titanium were - improved speed, wonderful extensions at the top and bottom, higher resolution and an excellent tracker. We have asked for F&B’s patience while he sits through the first 100 hours. In our return visit when the time comes, we expect to find F&B’s jaws on the floor...
[Updated] The crucial 100 hours is now over and we found the cartridge to settle-in very nicely with us checking the playing parameters and the sound (more importantly). The full extensions, detail, refinement and musicality are now as yummy as F&B’s not-available-in-the-stores fine red wine.
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Two of the three new kids on the block - Goldmund Telos 400 mono-block and Clearaudio Syncro Speed Controller. The new amplifiers provided the excellent speed, control and ultra quiet playback. The user-friendly, smallish, lunch box sized speed controller (with blue light) is indispensable to anyone wanting the last drop in timing, rhythm and precision in start-stop of notes in vinyl playback.
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Bird’s eye view of F&B’s new system. There is minimum room treatment in this basement hi-fi centric area. There is the airy high ceiling, solid walls that are carpeted and flanged by wood cabinets storing F&B’s thousands of treasures (LP/CD/DVD) acquired all over the world. F&B has a classic rock collection that befits a rock and roll historian.
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[Updated] The other systems comprised of T+A CD player, T+A pre-amp (with external headamp for MC phono stage), Macintosh power amplifiers (for sub-woofer) and external cross-over. Cables are a mixed breed from MIT, Siltech etc.
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Front view of the full system. This system throws a generously tall and wide soundstage and the sweet spot accommodates those even in standing position. The two huge subwoofers (with dumb-bells on top) integrate well with the tall panel speakers which excel in transparency and life-sized imaging. How all these hybrid components could work seamlessly here should not be taken for granted (and don’t try this at home without parental guidance. :-)
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This is every audiophile’s Stairway to Heaven and that’s not all - there is another wall cabinet (albeit half-height) on the opposite side. F&B is also a user of Furutech deStat device and I reckon he would have stocked up dozens of spare AA batteries to continuously power the deStat to treat all these software.
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