Beautiful setup.My pursuit..half way in progress, will be adding a sub and hdmi wireless extenders as the audio is sad to grab from projector to avr, can't run cables
Echo dot, Broadlink Rm Pro IR+RF blaster
Zone2: Mackie CR5BT, Philips 24" TV + Pi2
Inlight 8x6ft motorised screen
FireStick beams to big screen
Denon AVR-X3300W, All other stuff hidden in cabinets
My LG 42" 3D
Dali Zensor 7
Showcase your audio/video setup here!......
- Thread starter Anil kumar
- Start date
naj
Active Member
HUMBLE ALL TUBE STEREO SETUP :
Hello ,
Showcasing a simple tube 2ch / stereo set up .
Cost : Under $2000. The shipping costs etc will be variables .
The setup includes :
1)Yaqin MC-13 s integrated tube amp - All tube 45 W +45 W.
2)Yaqin VK 2100 Hybrid amplifier - With Tube preamplifier stage and SS power amp. 85 W + 85 W.
3)Speakers - Tekton Mini Lore .
4)Audio rack - Sauder Palladia Technology Pier (Vintage Oak ) .
5)Cables and connectors- Noting fancy- Amazon basics . Gold plated +Maintained proper gauge for the wire .
6)Music Source - Spotify on PC - 320 kbps - Paid subscription .
This Setup is in my Kids room .
Performance and Background :
Had heard and read about the magical sound of the tubes from colleagues + articles/forums/ Vendor sites / reviews . Various words are used to describe the sound Viz warm, rounded etc .
Some suggest adding buffer stage in the signal path to experience .
The journey and tube experience started with 1)Yaqin CD 3 buffer and 2) VK 2011 - both purchased at the same time last year and with latest addition of an all tube integrated amp .
VK 2100 Hybrid amplifier : All Chinese stock tubes:
Purchased online from a Canadian vendor . No Free Shipping. The Packaging was well done by Yaqin with double boxing .
Experienced the change in sound from ordinary to excellent tube Magic sound thro the burn in process . After about 40 hours of burn-in the sound opened in a dramatic way . I could not say what warm sound is or rounded musical tones were then . But what we heard / and enjoy till date is completely magical -
We felt : Separation of instruments and vocals. We can feel each instrument - as played separately .
We felt : 3D sound stage . A feeling of layering of musical instruments and vocals.
We felt: Increased depth . The Tingles and jingles are quite distinct . Songs like MJ's Beat it and Smooth Criminal were heard in a few context . We never thought, the song had all these nuances and intricacies. New sounds were discovered.
The set up is all stereo set up does not have a sub . The Tektons handle this well .
Buffer CD3 : Rolled to Sovtek 6SN7 GT recently :
Same was connected between a DAC and Preamp in an all emotiva setup . There is a small difference in sound stage but the tuby magic of the VK -2100 is missing .
A few weeks back decided to do something about the buffer since it was lying unused . The online forums have mentioned about changing tubes. They recommended some NOS or Tung-sol tubes .
Finally rolled to Sovtek 6SN7 GT hang gain . The tubes are in burn in stage . Can find some changes after isting for 7 hours but will reserve verdict for a later stage .
MC-13 S - Integrated Tube amp :All Chinese stock tubes :
Got this a month back . Burn in was short and in about 15 hours the amp is already sounding great .
As usual the packaging was secure . The Tubes came assembled . This is a dual voltage model . The unit was purchased thro' China Hi- Fi .
The only word to describe this amp is- Will experience musical bliss , Its VK 2100 on steroids .Detailed , good Clarity, 3D , open , Magical . Trust me .
All these with Stock tubes. Mr Lee from China Audio later emailed , he has carefully tested the unit and he asked if I received the unit safe and how it sounded .
And yes now I understand why they say the sound appears rounded aka warm .
Audio Rack :
This on the Radar was some time . Thought the dimensions would be perfect but when assembled and started putting the rigs in the shelves ,there were many problems. The width/depth was a big problem . Had to make a big cut out at the back to slide the connectors and power supply protrusions past the back board to accommodate the depth . The spacing between the rack shelves had to be adjusted more for ventilation . So the guitar amp could not be placed in the pier . The Biggish drawer needs to be carefully closed to avoid damage to the tubes. Will check some isolating legs /pads for the MC 13.
Quality :
The Yaqin circuits have been inspected by various experts . They have mentioned , above average architecture and design but some say there is scope for better components . Many DIY enthusiasts have upgraded the components . Of course the performance of the stock unit is very satisfying . Long term reliability needs to be seen .
Attaching some pics.
Hello ,
Showcasing a simple tube 2ch / stereo set up .
Cost : Under $2000. The shipping costs etc will be variables .
The setup includes :
1)Yaqin MC-13 s integrated tube amp - All tube 45 W +45 W.
2)Yaqin VK 2100 Hybrid amplifier - With Tube preamplifier stage and SS power amp. 85 W + 85 W.
3)Speakers - Tekton Mini Lore .
4)Audio rack - Sauder Palladia Technology Pier (Vintage Oak ) .
5)Cables and connectors- Noting fancy- Amazon basics . Gold plated +Maintained proper gauge for the wire .
6)Music Source - Spotify on PC - 320 kbps - Paid subscription .
This Setup is in my Kids room .
Performance and Background :
Had heard and read about the magical sound of the tubes from colleagues + articles/forums/ Vendor sites / reviews . Various words are used to describe the sound Viz warm, rounded etc .
Some suggest adding buffer stage in the signal path to experience .
The journey and tube experience started with 1)Yaqin CD 3 buffer and 2) VK 2011 - both purchased at the same time last year and with latest addition of an all tube integrated amp .
VK 2100 Hybrid amplifier : All Chinese stock tubes:
Purchased online from a Canadian vendor . No Free Shipping. The Packaging was well done by Yaqin with double boxing .
Experienced the change in sound from ordinary to excellent tube Magic sound thro the burn in process . After about 40 hours of burn-in the sound opened in a dramatic way . I could not say what warm sound is or rounded musical tones were then . But what we heard / and enjoy till date is completely magical -
We felt : Separation of instruments and vocals. We can feel each instrument - as played separately .
We felt : 3D sound stage . A feeling of layering of musical instruments and vocals.
We felt: Increased depth . The Tingles and jingles are quite distinct . Songs like MJ's Beat it and Smooth Criminal were heard in a few context . We never thought, the song had all these nuances and intricacies. New sounds were discovered.
The set up is all stereo set up does not have a sub . The Tektons handle this well .
Buffer CD3 : Rolled to Sovtek 6SN7 GT recently :
Same was connected between a DAC and Preamp in an all emotiva setup . There is a small difference in sound stage but the tuby magic of the VK -2100 is missing .
A few weeks back decided to do something about the buffer since it was lying unused . The online forums have mentioned about changing tubes. They recommended some NOS or Tung-sol tubes .
Finally rolled to Sovtek 6SN7 GT hang gain . The tubes are in burn in stage . Can find some changes after isting for 7 hours but will reserve verdict for a later stage .
MC-13 S - Integrated Tube amp :All Chinese stock tubes :
Got this a month back . Burn in was short and in about 15 hours the amp is already sounding great .
As usual the packaging was secure . The Tubes came assembled . This is a dual voltage model . The unit was purchased thro' China Hi- Fi .
The only word to describe this amp is- Will experience musical bliss , Its VK 2100 on steroids .Detailed , good Clarity, 3D , open , Magical . Trust me .
All these with Stock tubes. Mr Lee from China Audio later emailed , he has carefully tested the unit and he asked if I received the unit safe and how it sounded .
And yes now I understand why they say the sound appears rounded aka warm .
Audio Rack :
This on the Radar was some time . Thought the dimensions would be perfect but when assembled and started putting the rigs in the shelves ,there were many problems. The width/depth was a big problem . Had to make a big cut out at the back to slide the connectors and power supply protrusions past the back board to accommodate the depth . The spacing between the rack shelves had to be adjusted more for ventilation . So the guitar amp could not be placed in the pier . The Biggish drawer needs to be carefully closed to avoid damage to the tubes. Will check some isolating legs /pads for the MC 13.
Quality :
The Yaqin circuits have been inspected by various experts . They have mentioned , above average architecture and design but some say there is scope for better components . Many DIY enthusiasts have upgraded the components . Of course the performance of the stock unit is very satisfying . Long term reliability needs to be seen .
Attaching some pics.
Attachments
Last edited:
docd
Active Member
My new two channel setup!
Speakers: PMC Twenty 5 24
Amp: Octave V 70SE
Dac: M2Tech Young DSD Dac
Speaker cables: Transparent Audio The Wave
Digital cable: AQ optical Forrest
ICs: AQ XLR to XLR
Source: Oppo BDP 103
Speakers: PMC Twenty 5 24
Amp: Octave V 70SE
Dac: M2Tech Young DSD Dac
Speaker cables: Transparent Audio The Wave
Digital cable: AQ optical Forrest
ICs: AQ XLR to XLR
Source: Oppo BDP 103
Excellent
blackscorpio
Active Member
very well done.
The latest iteration of my 2-channel and HT setup
2-CHANNEL:
Power Filter: Isolation transformer
Transport: ALLO USBridge running Volumio and controlled headless from mobile or laptop
Source 1: Hard disk with external power, connected to ALLO (Sparky USB port) with audioquest jitterbug
Source 2: DLINK NAS
DAC cum preamp: TEAC UD-301 connected to USBridge
Power amp: AmpCamp Class A, max 5 watt RMS per channel
Speakers: Infinity RS425 bookshelf
Sub-Woofer: Wharfedale SW150
Cable: Normal power cables, ATAAUdio USB cable for DAC, Belden Blue Jeans LC-1 for interconnects, Belden 12awg speaker cables terminated with heavy duty banana connectors (planning to use Klotz 10awg).
Speaker Stands:
Hand made with tree trunks.
Listening area:
Hall, 18ft x 12ft with speakers placed along the long side of the wall.
Speakers Position:
Speakers are 2 feet from the rear wall and 8 feet apart at the outer edges with very very minimal toe-in. Listening distance around the same.
Subwoofer in the middle of two speakers.
HT setup:
Source 1: Sony Playstation 3 for bluray, streaming apps like netflix, youtube and prime
Source 2: Laptop running PS3 Media server for other content
Source 3: Laptop with VLC media player rendered to Chromecast 2 for movies and cast transmission for other streaming content.
Speakers and Amp: Philips Fidelio Soundbar with detachable wireless surround speakers and wireless subwoofer. with Dolby digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 capability.
Display: 32 inch Philips LED TV
HDMI for both Playstation and Chromecast routed via the Soundbar with HDMi ARC going to the TV.
2-CHANNEL:
Power Filter: Isolation transformer
Transport: ALLO USBridge running Volumio and controlled headless from mobile or laptop
Source 1: Hard disk with external power, connected to ALLO (Sparky USB port) with audioquest jitterbug
Source 2: DLINK NAS
DAC cum preamp: TEAC UD-301 connected to USBridge
Power amp: AmpCamp Class A, max 5 watt RMS per channel
Speakers: Infinity RS425 bookshelf
Sub-Woofer: Wharfedale SW150
Cable: Normal power cables, ATAAUdio USB cable for DAC, Belden Blue Jeans LC-1 for interconnects, Belden 12awg speaker cables terminated with heavy duty banana connectors (planning to use Klotz 10awg).
Speaker Stands:
Hand made with tree trunks.
Listening area:
Hall, 18ft x 12ft with speakers placed along the long side of the wall.
Speakers Position:
Speakers are 2 feet from the rear wall and 8 feet apart at the outer edges with very very minimal toe-in. Listening distance around the same.
Subwoofer in the middle of two speakers.
HT setup:
Source 1: Sony Playstation 3 for bluray, streaming apps like netflix, youtube and prime
Source 2: Laptop running PS3 Media server for other content
Source 3: Laptop with VLC media player rendered to Chromecast 2 for movies and cast transmission for other streaming content.
Speakers and Amp: Philips Fidelio Soundbar with detachable wireless surround speakers and wireless subwoofer. with Dolby digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 capability.
Display: 32 inch Philips LED TV
HDMI for both Playstation and Chromecast routed via the Soundbar with HDMi ARC going to the TV.
Some of equipments I am not using, but connected just for display purpose lol
The height at which the Turntable you put is the exact height. Will be very convenient to operate the TT. Superb lighting position. This Technics speakers very well suited to Hindi classic film songs. Enjoy!
reachkalyan.kr
Well-Known Member
blackscorpio
Active Member
Congratulations!
Hi,
I see you have placed the sub inside a cabinet. Just wanted to check how the performance of the sub placed inside cabinet
pkhammu2005
Active Member
Hi its a customized cabinet with no vibrations even at reference levels,i see no deterioration in sub performance when compared to placing it outside cabinet which i checked.
Excellent (synergy) setup. Could u plz let me know the price for v70se? Where u purchase? Tks
docd
Active Member
I purchased the whole setup from The Den in Mumbai. It's run by Mr Pawan. They have excellent demo rooms with very good acoustics. Very friendly and helpful, you can take your time and demo for long as you want. They are retailers for many hi end brands. It may be possible to even mix n match. The MRP of Octave v70SE is around 5500 Euro. Black box is extra. You can contact Pawan on 9821289308. The whole purchase experience was very pleasant I must say. PM me if you need any more info.
Akshit2111
Active Member
Thank u for yr detailed reply.
Toobs, toobs and more toobs.
Careful, they may become promiscuous and reproduce.
Cheers,
Raghu
That is one heck of collection. Admire your passion.
excellent possible paint room with gray color. looks more beautiful
After buying a new TV (LG 55C8), situation warranted a rearrangement of AV rack and components.
Retired a few components (Outlaw OSB-1 Soundbar, ASUS media player, TataSky STB, Chromecast).
Added a few components (Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast Audio, Schiit SYS, Marantz AVR, Sub, Center).
TV/Movies
LG 55C8 --> Marantz NR1605 --> KEF R300 (L/R via Outlaw Audio M2200s) + B&W LCR3 (center) + Onkyo SKW320 (Sub)
LG has Netflix, Prime, Youtube, YuppTV as native apps. Netflix and Prime play 4K content while passing DD 5.1 or DD+ in audio department.
HotStar and SonyLiv (apps hosted on iPad and Android phones) is via Chromecast Ultra (dangling off TV); have not found 4K content yet, but plenty of full HD and DD5.1 in audio.
TV, AVR, CC-Ultra wired to Netgear WNR614 N300 router (3 of 4 slots occupied); fed by a 100Mbps fiber connection.
AVR is a one source input (ARC from TV); it is wired for internet radio when required; otherwise thoroughly under utilized back panel.
External HDD can be connected to TV via USB and the TV plays all popular video (AVI, MKV) and Audio (MP3, WAV, FLAC) formats, if required.
L/R speakers position in pic is for movies; AVR calibrated accordingly.
Music
Marantz PM7001 (pre amp only) --> KEF R300 (via Outlaw Audio M2200s)
Only source as of today is Chromecast Audio (analog output) connected to IA; again under utilized back panel.
CC-Audio is on wireless network of above router; stream from laptop/phone using VLC; online streaming from Amazon Music.
For music sessions, L/R speakers are pulled into the room a bit (3 feet from back wall).
Power Amp (sharing)
There is a Schiit Sys between PM7001/NR1605 pre-outs and Outlaw M2200 Amps.
What's coming (soon)
Monitor Audio Radius 45 cubes (one pair) - confirmed
Schiit Modi Multibit (most likely)
MA cubes, I will try as surrounds and check our family usage (still not convinced about wires running across to opposite wall)
If surrounds become a wiring mess, these cubes may become L/R driven directly from AVR.
Pretty happy with the de-cluttered setup as of today.
SQ of IA chain is good to my ears (anyways, if content gets boomy/screechy, I use EQ/tone in VLC or CC-Audio/IA)
SQ of AVR chain is decent enough; I can hear dialog clearly from center and some rumble from sub.
There are a couple of Belkin multi-plug units hidden at the back of TV stand (with surge protection; at least that's what they claim).
Cheers,
Raghu
Retired a few components (Outlaw OSB-1 Soundbar, ASUS media player, TataSky STB, Chromecast).
Added a few components (Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast Audio, Schiit SYS, Marantz AVR, Sub, Center).
TV/Movies
LG 55C8 --> Marantz NR1605 --> KEF R300 (L/R via Outlaw Audio M2200s) + B&W LCR3 (center) + Onkyo SKW320 (Sub)
LG has Netflix, Prime, Youtube, YuppTV as native apps. Netflix and Prime play 4K content while passing DD 5.1 or DD+ in audio department.
HotStar and SonyLiv (apps hosted on iPad and Android phones) is via Chromecast Ultra (dangling off TV); have not found 4K content yet, but plenty of full HD and DD5.1 in audio.
TV, AVR, CC-Ultra wired to Netgear WNR614 N300 router (3 of 4 slots occupied); fed by a 100Mbps fiber connection.
AVR is a one source input (ARC from TV); it is wired for internet radio when required; otherwise thoroughly under utilized back panel.
External HDD can be connected to TV via USB and the TV plays all popular video (AVI, MKV) and Audio (MP3, WAV, FLAC) formats, if required.
L/R speakers position in pic is for movies; AVR calibrated accordingly.
Music
Marantz PM7001 (pre amp only) --> KEF R300 (via Outlaw Audio M2200s)
Only source as of today is Chromecast Audio (analog output) connected to IA; again under utilized back panel.
CC-Audio is on wireless network of above router; stream from laptop/phone using VLC; online streaming from Amazon Music.
For music sessions, L/R speakers are pulled into the room a bit (3 feet from back wall).
Power Amp (sharing)
There is a Schiit Sys between PM7001/NR1605 pre-outs and Outlaw M2200 Amps.
What's coming (soon)
Monitor Audio Radius 45 cubes (one pair) - confirmed
Schiit Modi Multibit (most likely)
MA cubes, I will try as surrounds and check our family usage (still not convinced about wires running across to opposite wall)
If surrounds become a wiring mess, these cubes may become L/R driven directly from AVR.
Pretty happy with the de-cluttered setup as of today.
SQ of IA chain is good to my ears (anyways, if content gets boomy/screechy, I use EQ/tone in VLC or CC-Audio/IA)
SQ of AVR chain is decent enough; I can hear dialog clearly from center and some rumble from sub.
There are a couple of Belkin multi-plug units hidden at the back of TV stand (with surge protection; at least that's what they claim).
Cheers,
Raghu
Wharfedale Linton Heritage Speakers in Walnut finish at a Special Offer Price. BUY now before the price increase.
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