Tohifi's 2 channels system

[tohifi]

Nice to see turntables, and great lighting!

Thanks Jake.

[SoundGame]

tohifi, love the shots. Cool atmosphere setting for listening. Can you list off the components in your system.

I see the Classe amplifier, the Dual turntable, what type of speakers are those - can you share a breakdown.

[tohifi]

Hi SoundGame,

Sorry for the late reply, I was too busy for the outdoor activities. So here is my system:

Speakers are Duntech Opal from Australia, very well design and well made company, the other are Magnepan 2.6R, rebuilt cross over and custom made sand fill stands.

Amp is Classe CA 400, pre-amp is Sonic Frontiers Line One Special Edition.

Cd play Classe CP.5

Turntables: Dual CS5000 and ProJect Experience II, both with Denon DL160 cartridge. PS AUDIO GCPH phono stage pre-amp.


Cables: Kimber Select KS1131 balance interconnect between cd player to pre-amp and pre-amp to amp. Kimber bi-focal speaker cables. Kimber Hero between turntable and phono pre. Variable power cables.

My system has built for the last 10 years, out dated and old compare with some new technolgy out there, but so far I am happy with it and sound wonderful compare to many new expensive system.

Cheers.

[Suave]

Better late than never - thanks for sharing your component list with us tohifi! Judging by the individual components you must have a great sounding system. I like that you have a couple of speaker and turntable options too (I have doubles of some components as well).

Are there any components that you're thinking of upgrading or adding to your system in the near future? Will you be coming out to check out TAVES this year? It will be a great place to find some inspiration

[tohifi]

Thanks Suave,

I have done so many changes in the system to fit my taste of music for the past few years. I am listening from vocal, classical, jazz to pop so it is hard to have one system especially one pair of speakers. My phylosophy or the way to build a system is base on the front end down to speakers. When I have a system that is neutral it is easy to add in any pair of speakers, and if the speakers are accurate then it is easy to add in or change any front end components, cables or even a tube. The Maggies are great for big sound stage and realism of being there. The Duntech are great and so accurate for bringing me closer to music and detail, reveal all the good and bad of the records, components, cables... but at the end these speakers and the system bring the best music to my ears and sit me down for many hours to enjoy the music and forget all about the system.

My nephew Jeremy Phan has already invited me to go TAVES. Hopefully, I can be there and have a chance to meet you in person. If you have a chance to travel to Ottawa please let me know, we could meet for audition and enjoy some music.

Cheers.
HT - tohifi.

Better late than never - thanks for sharing your component list with us tohifi! Judging by the individual components you must have a great sounding system. I like that you have a couple of speaker and turntable options too (I have doubles of some components as well).

Are there any components that you're thinking of upgrading or adding to your system in the near future? Will you be coming out to check out TAVES this year? It will be a great place to find some inspiration

[Suave]

Thanks very much for explaining your system philosophy tohifi - I agree pretty much with everything that you're saying. Much like you swapping out the speakers in your system, I like to swap out the solid state Classe Audio amp for the tube-based Fatman amp in my system. Each one offers its own sonic characteristics/benefits to the system and I really enjoy that

I'm glad to hear that Jeremy is encouraging you to come to TAVES! It sounds like he will be looking after the CANADA HiFi booth this year, while at the same time posting some pics and updates 'live' from the show floor.

And thank you for the invite to visit your place - I just might take you up on the offer the next time I visit Ottawa

[Mike Osadciw]

Tohifi, I'm very curious if you've had the opportunity to compare your DunTech's to John Dunlavy's later designs. I'm a big Dunlavy fan and have many of his speakers and am finding it hard to imagine at this point converting to anything else. Did Duntech have North American distribution at one point or did you pick them up from Australia?

I'm not sure what I'll do when mine are dead. Maybe I'll design, manufacture, and distribute my own speaker line with similarities in philosophy!! (dreaming)

[tohifi]

Hi Mike,

I have not had the opportunity to compare the Duntech and later Dunlavy side by side, but had a chance to audition a pair of Dunlavy SC V in the State. They sound incredible good and sound very familiar with my Duntech but with lots more bass. Dunlavy and Duntech are both clean, clear and very natural sound, never cover up anything or add in anything to the sound. The Dunlavy SC V should compare to the Duntech Sovereign not with my small Duntech Opal. To me I just found the Duntechs are more relax and tuneful, make me forget about the system and just concentrate on music. They do need a lot of current and powerful amp or a good amp to control their drivers so they can show their best.

They both built to last with top parts and the measurement had done really tight and very strickly with John Dunlavy's standard. As I know the Duntech is still keeping records of the measurement for each pair of their speakers (drivers, caps etc.) so the replacement parts in the future would not be an issue. My pair were bought in a Toronto stereo store 7 years ago as they were a demo, were sitting and collected dust at that time. I walked in saw them and asked the sellman to hook them up. Everyone at the store at the time were surprised and could not trusted their ears when they saw and listened to a very out dated speakers that performed so well. They were bloom, sounded so clear and truthful. I was searching for a pair of Duntech for many years and my luck was on that day. Never regret.

I think you have the same feeling when you own the Dunlavy's speakers... they are very hard to let them go. Just save up money and buy a pair of Duntech when your Dunlavy's are giving up. Duntech are building the speakers by order and hand made like exotic car.

Cheers.

H.T - tohifi

Tohifi, I'm very curious if you've had the opportunity to compare your DunTech's to John Dunlavy's later designs. I'm a big Dunlavy fan and have many of his speakers and am finding it hard to imagine at this point converting to anything else. Did Duntech have North American distribution at one point or did you pick them up from Australia?

I'm not sure what I'll do when mine are dead. Maybe I'll design, manufacture, and distribute my own speaker line with similarities in philosophy!! (dreaming)

[MrAcoustat]

Thanks very much for posting these tohifi! You've got a very nice setup and I also enjoy the mood lighting... made me think about adding something similar to my setup

This is one reason why posting photos is so cool it gives members ideas on how to make your installation.

[MrAcoustat]

awesome about the 78s! I've amassed a fairly large collection of them this past summer from people ready to dump them. They are fun to listen too! Transports me back to the 20s and 30s!

Hey Mike you where around in the 20s, man that's even older than me, now i feel like a baby ( 67 )