My Personal Reference

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Associated Reference Equipment

Digital Sources: Bricasti Design M1 Special Edition MDx DAC w/Optional Network Card / Roon Endpoint Player  D/A Converter, Network Music Player; Antipodes S40 Music Server with v5.2H board (K30 music player engine) and Antipodes S60 External Switched/Linear Power Supply (HSL50-based Hybrid Power Supply // Network Music Server; iPad Air running Roon 1.8, Remote; UpTone Audio EitherREGEN‘s (2);  Network Audio Switch, Network Re-Clocker ; AfterDark PROJECT CLAYX GIESEMANN OCXO 10 MHz Emperor Double Crown Master Clocks (2), 75ohm, SinWave w/Mini Circuit BLP 10.7+ BNC; Low Pass Filter, Master Clocks

Power Supplies : Uptone Audio JS-2 (2-rails), AfterDark Modernize LPS x 2 (2-rails), Wyred 4 Sound PS-1 (4-rails), Antipodes S60 HSL-50 Hybrid Power Supply (2-rails) Breeze Audio LPS (1-rail) iFi iPower DC Power Supply,  

Amplifier / Preamplifier:  Ypsilon Phaethon Integrated Amplifier:  Is a hybrid tube-transistor line-stage and amplifier in one reference level component that features a pair of Aelius solid state mono-blocks and the PST 100mk2 tube preamp with its amazing transformer based volume control. It employs only 3-active gain-stages, two of them with 6H30 DR NOS low-noise valves operating in pure class a for the input and driver stages. It’s output stage is a very unique and ingenious bridged, single-ended design. Its actually (2) separate amps per channel (4-total discrete amplifiers for 2-channels) running single ended but paired up with each amplifier running opposite (one + and one -) of each other to create a push pull amplifier that provides the SET sound with power of push pull. Its pure genius and nothing else sounds like it.  Tube sound, with solid state slam and precision. The component features 11 separate, discrete hand wound transformers and 5 separate, discrete power supplies. It’s an incredibly over engineered, transparent component that I have never heard matched under $50k. 

Michael Fremer from Stereophile described the preamp in this integrated as the most perfect audio device he has EVER heard with a level of transparency that is unmatched. 

Loudspeakers: Focal Sopra 2 Loudspeakers in Walnut / Mat Black; These were chosen over the 3’s, Scala Evo’s and Magico S5 MKII for their exceptional ability to play most like a mini-monitor yet still offering close to full range reference performance. 

Cables: Digital: Cardas Clear RJ/E, Linear Soulution RJ/E, Audioquest Vodka/Cinnamon/Forest RJ/E Cables, (Ethernet); Black Cat Silver Star 75, DH Labs Silver Sonic D-75, Tara Labs Prism 100-dx-1, MIT Terminator-3, (S/DPIF); Audioquest Chocolate 1.0M / Forrest 3.0M, (HDMI); AfterDark Eva Reference BNC 0.5M (Clock Cable); Apogee Electronics Wyde-Eye BNC 6”(Clock Cable), AfterDark Base BNC .05M (Clock Cable) (BNC) Interconnects: Nordost Frey 2 XLR 1.0M, Nordost Baldor XLR 1.0M (Balanced); Darwin Ascension 2.5’ RCA. Canare 1.0M (2),(RCA), (Single Ended); Speaker Cables: Nordost Frey 2 (4-Meters), AudioQuest Type-4/6 (3-meters), (Power AC Cables): Audience AU24SE HP 1.0M; Tara Labs The One 1.5M (5); Zu Audio Event MKI 1.5M (3); Echole Obsession 1.0M; DC Cables: Ghent Audio 0.5M (4), Uptone Audio 1.0M, AfterDark Black River 0.5M,

Accessories: Equipment: Solid Tech ROS Model4 Reference Audio Rack, (Isolation Platforms): SRA: Silent Running Audio: Ohio Class XL+ Isolation Platform, Synergistic Research Tranquility Basik SR20 w/Silver Tuning Bullet, Solid Tech Small TT Isolation Platforms, (Sundries): Red Dragon Audio Ceramic Cable Platforms, (Room Treatments): Synergistic Research Acoustic Field Generator - Atmosphere Mini Tower with Synergistic Research Atmosphere ATM Red Tuning Bullet and (15) Synergistic Research HTF‘s; (Footers, Weights and Vibration Clamps): Synergistic Research MiG 2.0 Couplers, IsoAcoustics Iso-Pucks (12), Aluminati Stainless 2.75 pound weights, Eden Sound Solid Brass weights, (AC Power Distribution and Protection): Furutech GTX-R Outlet, Oyaide R-1 Beryllium Outlets (2), PS Audio Noise Harvesters (6), Blue Circle Yalu-Balula Spike Protection (4), (Filterless Power Distribution): Synergistic Research Tesla QLS-6, PS Audio Juice Bar MK II and AudioQuest IEC-3, (Filters: Low Pass and Network) Mini Circuits BLP 10.7+ 75Ohm BNC Filter, Merlin Audio Zobel Network Filters 

- Fsmithjack