Gentle reader,
I have done it again! Yes, what was a solution a week ago wasn't what I wanted after all! It all began (again!) a couple of weeks ago when my second purchase of a PROTON AI-3000 II arrived unscathed and working flawlessly. I wrote about it here:
Well, not two days later, I decided to make it two PROTON systems on one rack. I wrote about that here: Complete Redo of the Stereo System! What, again! But, I didn't do my usual posting of the link in my Facebook stereo/audio group pages. Perhaps I knew then, it wasn't the answer.
Here's the thing, I have a lot of favorite components. One of which was the LUXMAN PD-264 turntable. As I wrote, when played through the "3000", unless I turned the bass all the way down, I was getting acoustic feedback. You know, if you can see the woofers moving in and out at such a low frequency that no music exists. It's hard on the woofers.
Also, as I wrote, one of those favorite components is the Nakamichi CD changer which is an awesome player. Nothing like putting in five CDs in and having HOURS of music without changing a disc. Also, I missed the Dynaco's 200 watts and the PROTON 1100 preamplifier's versatility and it's infrasonic (rumble) filter.
So, I tore it all apart again. For the first time, I chose not to put the Dynaco ST-200 power amp on the top shelf and also removed the speaker switch from use as well. Not only that, I decided to move the 3000 into this room. I'd had a stack of components or two occupying the topmost shelf of the steel and glass computer desk in prior years.
What's there now? Starting on the top is the LUXMAN turntable on the left and Denon turntable on the right. The latter being my main one with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge on it, direct drive and fully automatic. The Luxman has an Audio-Technica AT12XE cartridge. I was able to find a NOS new A-T stylus for it. Great little vintage cartridge that gives the Red a run for it's money. Plus, since I installed a Q-UP on it, no more possible wear by having the stylus in the end groove going round and round.
Next shelf down and for the first time, not (physically) on top, is the super rare Panor-era Dynaco Stereo 200 power amplifier. To the right is the PROTON 1100 preamplifier which is one of the finest of the many that I have owned. Don't think that I'll ever snap the matching PROTON power amp, though.
Next shelf down is the TDK CD recorder with the OPPO universal player ensconced atop of it. To the right of that is my beloved Nakamichi CD changer.
Bottom shelf has the two Adcom ACE-515 power conditioners stacked. No shortage of AC plugs full of clean power! And finally, my JVC 3-head cassette deck.
Notice anything missing? The "umbilical cord" as my wife refers to it, pair of speaker cables that snaked up the left corner to the terminal plate in the ceiling. Since I was moving the 3000 into my home office, no sense in sending the music from the listening room into this room. The 3000 has built-in a superb tuner, CD player and excellent auto-reverse cassette deck. Plus, although I don't like it when others place their turntable on top of their receiver, I could move the LUXMAN in here. The classic rock/pop and soundtrack LPs are in this room after all.
When I have posted pictures of the back of my rack, people freak out. Why? I simply modified the shelf/rack with heavy duty casters. Makes it SO much easier to pull the whole shebang out and work on it, or in my case, redo everything! Than any other possible method of getting back there.
Light blue cables are all I have left of the plethora of Liberty Cables Z-500 units I once employed. Darker blue ones are Monster Cable models, but I don't recall which ones. Thick black ones are another brand, I can't recall which. They are the "Tape 2" in and out connections to the TDK CD recorder. And for the cassette is two pairs of "cheap" cables I had to buy to use the Dynaco PAT-5 since they made it with all the RCA terminals so close together. The two that are looped are a digital coaxial and toslink optical cables from the OPPO to the TDK recorder. I know that I don't need both, but I had them, so why not plug them both in.
Thick power cables are PANGEA brand AC-14s. The blue one to the Dynaco is their standard one and the grey-ish one to the OPPO is an AC-14SE model. While it looks like the speaker cables are Velcro-tied to the power amps AC cable, they are not. It is what I term "An optical delusion".
I am very strict about keeping AC cabling separated from signal cabling. Makes a difference and this double-sided Velcro stuff is terrific for organizing everything.
Should you choose to take a closer look at the setup, below are both halves for your further inspection. OH, one thing, since the 1100 preamp has only one PHONO input, I keep the LUXMAN's RCA cables unplugged. Should I wish to use it, I simply unplug the blue ones and plug in the thin ones. The PD264 actually ADDS the 60Hz hum if I attach the ground wire to the preamp! Weird, right? But true.
And below, is a closer view of the front. Note my complete vintage Discwasher record cleaning kit plus the two additional pads for rinse and dry. I only use them for dirty records. If they are just dusty, the Swiffer 360 does the trick in removing all the dust.
The thick black speaker cables are Monster Cable Z-Series and go to the Klipsch KG4 speakers. The braided blue and white are BLE Design units that go to the Dynaco A25XL speakers. I have removed the now-unused gold-tone hooks (visible in topmost photo) from the chair rail since they are no longer needed.
Whether there is anything to it or not, I choose to keep the speaker cables off the floor. I don't go into the snake-oil "cable elevators" or whatever they call the silly things that keep cables off the carpet, though! 
Above, we have the PROTON AI-3000 II all-in-one receiver occupying the top shelf next to the CPU that once held my EPSON scanner. It now rests atop the HP printer. I prefer a separate scanner and printer because stand-alone units tend to do a much better job than all-in-one scanner/printers.
I put a steel dipole FM antenna on a mast that rises above the peak of the roof. I have an inline signal amplifier that between the two really pull in distant FM stations. Plus, it is a good enough antenna for a small digital TV my wife has in HER home office down the hall. Great HD picture!
Speaking of a great picture, my wife is seen below the painting in the photo below to the left of my oldest daughter. She is also partially seen in a photo on the right side too.
Finally, the last photo shows the BOSE 301 Series V speakers my wife bought for me several years ago. I added three-way binding/banana terminals to them and mounted them with flat screen monitor-type brackets. This allows them to be adjusted in many directions. Being up high, they really sound great.
Not seen are the large Cerwin-Vega! LS-12 floor standing speakers. I am using the umbilical cord cables from the 3000 to the speaker switch and from there to the BOSE are the pink (Why pink?) Monster Cable speaker cables. To the C-Vs are the smaller BLE Design braided cables.
One last thing, is the SONY HD Radio that I removed to make way for the changes in here. I was an early adopter of HD Radio. I bought car stereos (remember when you could replace your car stereo with a better one?) equipped with HD Radio and a home stereo tuner with HD Radio. The side channels, similar to the side TV channels one can get over the air, are wonderful. I haven't decided what to do with the SONY yet.
Whew! That was a lot of work yesterday. But I am super pleased. Having the 3000 right next to me allows me to reach and turn down the volume should the phone ring. Plus, it encourages me to use these speakers more that I used to.
Thanks for looking,
Scott
November 11, 2017
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