$4944
Mains Conditioner $500
Your system HAS to start with a mains conditioner that will strip the electrical hash out of your music. This isn’t optional.
If you don’t filter the noise out of your system you’ll be listening through it. It’s similar to when we watched analog TV with snow invading in the picture.
Running an Isotek Polaris in your system will allow you to hear fine details like the picks/plucks and squeaks from a guitar. All of these sounds are dulled without Polaris.
I don’t care how big and expensive your system is. This is step number one. I would rather have this $5k system with the Polaris conditioner, than a $100K system without it. The expensive system may blast your brains out, be it will be encumbered with a murky fog that IS AVOIDABLE.
Isotek Polaris Mains Conditioner $500
Regular price on Polaris is $700. A new model is imminent that will be $900. While we always like new gear, snare this puppy at $500 while you can!
Isotek is an English company that makes its gear in Slovenia.
Music Streamer $600
The best STREAMER value in all of audio is the NAD built, Bluesound Node. Node runs $600 and will stream most of the music services you would be interested in. Node has analog and digital outs, so you’re good with a variety of integrateds or preamps. Node plays at full bandwidth. If you sign up for a great service like Tidal you can enjoy your music at CD quality or even MQA Hi-Res for many albums!
Integrated Amp $1700
Please consider the new Rogue Sphinx V3 integrated amp, made right here in the USA. Sphinx is a full analog integrated with tubes in the preamp. It has a superb MM/MC phono section as well. The latest Sphinx is even quieter than its prior brothers!
Sphinx has 100×2 of horse power. That’s plenty of juice for the vast majority of speakers we carry. Sphinx uses the tubes- not just as a preamp input handshake, but also to drive the power amp section within the unit. Hence V3 is the most lush sounding of all Sphinx iterations. Sphinx also has pre outs so you can add a sub, or choose to upgrade to a GONZO power amp some day.
Sphinx runs $1700 and includes its remote. The remote has vol up/down and mute. It won’t run your lights, drapes and alarm system.
Speakers $1920 Per Pair
Assuming you’re not after ferocious volume levels, please consider the Amphion Argon 1 speakers. Made in Finland with linear-piston Aluminum bass/mid and Titanium tweeter within a gibbon wave guide, you’ll find goose bumps you never knew you had. The intimate vocal character can bring you to tears.
Amphion peels the grill cloth off the sound compared to what you’ve heard from other speakers. There’s no squawking or cabinet color ADDED. There’s no obfuscating mud in the road.
Hear the singers and musicians without constricting artifacts.
Amphion Argon 1 $1920 Per Pair in black or white, $2040 in Walnuts
Speaker Kable $224
Speaker cable (KABLE since it is Kimber Kable) does indeed make a difference in the resolution of what you hear. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to sell you jewelry.
Running a couple of ten foot lengths of refined Kimber 4 Pair (4 PR) cable will make sure you don’t lose information at a vital link in the chain. Kimber makes its cable in Utah. It doesn’t buy from China and badge it. Kimber uses VS (Variable Strand) technology and installs its exquisite banana plugs at all ends. You can buy it in any length. I’m quoting 10’ here since it’s the most popular length.
We’ve put together a gorgeous system for under $5k with only the streamer made in China. Experience TLC that mass production simply cannot deliver!