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Old 05-24-2023, 12:02 PM
Charles Charles is online now
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,230
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I'm really appreciative of this thread. I went and read the Mono & Stereo review of the Peak Dragon Legend (PDL) speaker. It received a great review. It is highly efficient with an easy impedance. I ordered the Wilson Audiophile recording "Music for Discovery and Christmas" from eBay and Sondra Bratland's "Rosa Fra Betlehem" from Discogs. I'm looking forward to receiving these CD's.

I thought it was interesting that the preferred amps were a MC3500 or a MC2KW with the MC3500 winning out. I have found that my MC3500 is the best amp that I have had in my system or heard. When my 1.2KW's are driving my Chronosonics I find a slight discontinuity between them and my Thor also driven by a 1.25KW. There is simply no question that the 3500 has a fatter bass than my 1.25KW's and the blend therefore between my Chronosonics and Thor is perfect, when I use the 3500 for the XVX and the 1.25KW with my Thor. My Thor has a slightly less damped bass than my XVX.

Regarding the million dollar system for me personally I have some questions concerning it. Look as I might I did not see the ARC DAC or a CD transport. The gear between and behind the PDL's is at floor level. This includes the Tape Deck. As one who has personally threaded and played numerous analog tapes for practicality, doing this at floor level is quite impractical. Look as I might I could not find the CD transport at waist level near his turntable. Again, if it was between his Dragons, it was at floor level and therefore quite inconvenient.

I'm not into vinyl. For me the lack of SACD capability is significant. I have many SACD's. The McIntosh chairs were odd. I would have preferred a stack of Rel no. 32's with their 15" long throw woofers. The Carbons don't go as deep as the PDL's and I wonder if the Carbons can keep up with the PDL's. For a paltry 33.6K more you could have the Rel reference 32 subwoofers. The PDL's are roughly 200K/speaker.

Best

Charles
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Charles Updated System: Wilson McIntosh Audioquest
New gear on order: MC2.1KW Anniversary power amplifier; C12000 An preamplifier; MCD12000 An SACD/CD player; AQ 1 meter Dragon balanced IC; 2 meter AQ Hurricane HC power cord; 3 meter AQ Hurricane Source power cord; unspecified 3 meter AQ digital coaxial IC and power cord for my backup MVP851 DVD player given as a surprise gift to me by my dealer
Most recent updates: Latest is the last one posted: AQ Diamond USB replaces AQ Coffee; Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx replaced by Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; new subwoofer crossover; new Galaxy Grey Thors Hammer; Wilson Pedestals; heating and cooling completely reworked and reinsulated resulting in a much quieter, cooler, and more efficient room (cost about 10,000.00). McIntosh MCT 500 SACD/CD transport; Wilson Audio Acoustic Diode for XVX Chronosonic; WEL Signature digital Coaxial cable for MVP 881/D1100 digital connection replacing the optical connection; New plinth for Thor subwoofer made of X material with the Wilson Acoustic Diodes; Thor is now off my floor; MC3500MKII mono block amps (2) and two custom granite slabs; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover; new 75-ohm multi-directional FM antenna for tuner; total of eight additional Wilson Audio Heavy (red) pedestals placed under the MC3500MKII mono blocks; JRiver Media Center 31
Amps: McIntosh MC3500MKII mono blocks (2), McIntosh MC1.25KW’s (3). All amps set on floor on custom made granite slabs
Preamp and DAC: McIntosh D1100
Sources: McIntosh MCT500 SACD/CD Transport, MVP881 BR player, MVP851 DVD player, MR87 tuner, Marantz 510LV Laser Disc player, ASUS laptop USB (JRiver Media Center 31)
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; custom made Wilson Acoustic Diodes
Sub-woofer: Wilson Audio Specialties Thor’s Hammer (1) horizontal lie; custom plinth of X material with Wilson Acoustic Diode feet; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover
Cables main system: Audioquest WEL Signature speaker cables and balanced IC (preamp to amps); WEL Signature AES/EBU balanced digital IC for CD playback; WEL Signature digital coaxial cable for MVP 881/D1100 digital connection; Audioquest Diamond optical (1) for tuner, (1) for MVP 851 DVD player, and (1) for LD player for total of (3); Audioquest Diamond USB cable; McIntosh MCT cable for SACD playback; Dragon power cords (5 HC cords and 3 source cords for total of 8); Thunder HC power cord for MR87 tuner
Cables subwoofer system: Audioquest Redwood speaker cable (1); Wolf balanced subwoofer IC from ActivXO crossover to amp; Wind balanced IC from preamp to ActivXO; Hurricane HC (2) and Dragon HC (1) power cords
Power conditioners: Audioquest Niagara 7000 (1) and Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines with no. 10 wire straight out of fuse box
Isolation: Wilson Pedestals for D1100; MVP881 BR player; MCT500 transport; Wilson Audio ActivXO electronic subwoofer crossover; plinth for Thor subwoofer made of X material with the Wilson Acoustic Diodes; eight Wilson Audio Heavy (red) Pedestals placed under the MC3500MKII mono blocks (four placed under the rails of each amp)
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD) solid walnut cabinet on large casters; holds all sources and preamp; also, Niagara 7000; 11 feet minimum distance from speakers
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes
AC: Dedicated to this room only, an ultra-high efficiency and quiet recently installed Ruud split system 3-ton heat pump.

Last edited by Charles; 05-24-2023 at 05:08 PM.
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