I have finally, and I mean it this time, finished the stereo in the living room. I know, you've seen and heard it before. Frankly, there's nothing else to do with it but enjoy the phenomenal sound!
So, you may be thinking what's different since the last post? I purchased the final Liberty Z-500 THX Certified (blue) audio cables. So, every critical inter-connection is via the top-of-the-line audio cables. I replaced the red component video ones with the blue audio ones here: SACD player to Pre-Amp, to and from the equalizer, and from the turntable to the Pre-Amp.
How did I do the last one? Yes, the Denon turntable came with it's own soldered on at the factory RCA cables. They were, thin, gray things. I bought some excellent quality gold plated
RCA jacks and installed them, thus enabling me to use the blue Liberty cables.
Pretty neat job, eh? The main differences between the red component video and blue audio cables, aside from the latter being larger and having more shielding, is that the capacitance is about half of the video cables. With normal line level signals, i.e., CD or tuner, this is not a problem. With the very low signal of a turntable cartridge it makes a huge difference. The blue ones have only 9.9 pico-farads per foot. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but My research showed me that it matters. The other difference is the blue audio cables are directional. They are marked with a label and arrows showing the signal direction.
When I first hooked up the new cables to the turntable, there was no signal to the right channel. Crap! So, I took it apart and checked the continuity and all seemed fine. Then, I noticed the arrow was present only on the left cable. I'd hooked the right one up backwards. Once I swapped it, it was fine.
Then, editing the photos for this post, I saw that I'd hooked up the cables from the Pre-Amp to the Power Amp backwards too! It's been like that for weeks. When I turned them around, the difference was significant and obvious!
I also replaced the factory AC power cords with top-quality ones that I made from Belden shielded three conductor cable. I replaced the wall outlet with a cryrogenicly treated hospital grade unit.
Here is a photo of the final set-up front and back:
As you can see, there are far more blue cables than red. Also, you can see two sets of black cables. I sold all the Radio Shack Audiophile cables (for a lot more than I spent on the Liberty ones) on eBay. They too were directional.
The remaining red cables are for the less important circuits: Tuner to Pre-Amp, Pre-Amp to CD recorder, cassette to Pre-Amp, and Pre-Amp to headphone amp.
These two black pairs are used for the record inputs for the cassette deck and the playback for the CD recorder as can be see below:
Remember, click on any image in my blog and it will open full size on a new page. Next, we see an image of the back of the CD and SACD players and their cables. Note the directional arrows. The single cable on the lower unit is a green digital coax cable. It still uses RCA connections but sends the signal directly digitally. Therefore, if I'm making a CD from another CD, it is all digital and doesn't have to go through the CD players DAC and then be reconverted to digital in the CD-R ADC.
Next is an overhead view of the direct-from-China tube/hybrid headphone amplifier. Why a separate headphone amp, and why tube? The headphone amp in most components are usually marginal at best. And believe-it-or-not, there is still a large interest in Tube stereo equipment. Plus, it's really cute and sounds terrific!
Next is a picture of one of the fantastic DCM KX-12 loudspeakers with the grille off:
Next, is a detail shot of the top shelf and the shelf on the wall above it. Note, the LED watt-meter and speaker switches are on top each other, rather than the way they were before. Behind them, but unseen, is the Indeed amp. Denon turntable on the left, Sony SACD changer on top of the Denon CD changer on the right.
Above is the shelf holding the vintage Discwasher record cleaner system, next is the fantastic Audio Technica headphone, extension cable for same, then the remotes for the disc players and HD radio tuner.
Next is the lower shelves with all the rest of the electronica. Note, the KLH Transient Noise Eliminator is missing. I decided to sell it. I got a lot more than I paid for it too.
Also note that I put the walnut end plates back on the MXR equalizer. So, top to bottom on the above image, left side is: HD radio tuner atop the Adcom Pre-Amp. Then below that is the Kenwood THX Certified power amplifier. Bottom shelf holds the Denon 3-head cassette deck.
Right side holds the following: Pioneer CD recorder, then the MXR equalizer, with the pair of Adcom AC power conditioners on the bottom shelf.
So, that is truly it. I will be setting up my friend Doug's vintage Pioneer stereo for him when they move into a larger place.
So long for now!
As you can see, there are far more blue cables than red. Also, you can see two sets of black cables. I sold all the Radio Shack Audiophile cables (for a lot more than I spent on the Liberty ones) on eBay. They too were directional.The remaining red cables are for the less important circuits: Tuner to Pre-Amp, Pre-Amp to CD recorder, cassette to Pre-Amp, and Pre-Amp to headphone amp.
These two black pairs are used for the record inputs for the cassette deck and the playback for the CD recorder as can be see below:
Remember, click on any image in my blog and it will open full size on a new page. Next, we see an image of the back of the CD and SACD players and their cables. Note the directional arrows. The single cable on the lower unit is a green digital coax cable. It still uses RCA connections but sends the signal directly digitally. Therefore, if I'm making a CD from another CD, it is all digital and doesn't have to go through the CD players DAC and then be reconverted to digital in the CD-R ADC.
Next is an overhead view of the direct-from-China tube/hybrid headphone amplifier. Why a separate headphone amp, and why tube? The headphone amp in most components are usually marginal at best. And believe-it-or-not, there is still a large interest in Tube stereo equipment. Plus, it's really cute and sounds terrific!
Next is a picture of one of the fantastic DCM KX-12 loudspeakers with the grille off:
Next, is a detail shot of the top shelf and the shelf on the wall above it. Note, the LED watt-meter and speaker switches are on top each other, rather than the way they were before. Behind them, but unseen, is the Indeed amp. Denon turntable on the left, Sony SACD changer on top of the Denon CD changer on the right.Above is the shelf holding the vintage Discwasher record cleaner system, next is the fantastic Audio Technica headphone, extension cable for same, then the remotes for the disc players and HD radio tuner.
Next is the lower shelves with all the rest of the electronica. Note, the KLH Transient Noise Eliminator is missing. I decided to sell it. I got a lot more than I paid for it too.
Also note that I put the walnut end plates back on the MXR equalizer. So, top to bottom on the above image, left side is: HD radio tuner atop the Adcom Pre-Amp. Then below that is the Kenwood THX Certified power amplifier. Bottom shelf holds the Denon 3-head cassette deck.Right side holds the following: Pioneer CD recorder, then the MXR equalizer, with the pair of Adcom AC power conditioners on the bottom shelf.
So, that is truly it. I will be setting up my friend Doug's vintage Pioneer stereo for him when they move into a larger place.
So long for now!
