John Mah
The current lineup is:
Amps: Korneff 45 SET, Wright Mono 3.5s 2A3 SET, Wright AU-15 Push-Pull 2A3
Line Stage: Bent Audio TAP-X, Wright WLA-12
DAC: M2Tech Young w/ custom PSU
Music Server: Mac Mini
Integrated/Headphone Amp: Fostex A8C, LTA MZ2-S
Headphones: Fostex TH-900, Fostex TH-X00 Ebony, Fostex TH-X00 Purpleheart
Tuner: Sansui TU-7900
Phono Stage: Wright AG Phono, Lounge Audio LCR mk III, Intact Audio
custom-wound 1:20 silver MC stepup transformers, K&K 1931 MC stepups
Turntables: Rega RP-10, Rega RP-40, VPI TNT 4 w/ JMW 12.6 Valhalla armwands
Cartridges: Lyra Delos, Lyra Helikon Mono, Koetsu Rosewood, Koetsu
Black, Kiseki Blue, Rega Apheta 2
Speakers: Lowther DX-4 in All Fun Horn cabinets
Cable: DIY silver and Western Electric NOS copper cables
Power: Nordost QB8 and QX4
Isolation: Stillpoints, Vibrapods, Immedia Noiseblocks
Introduction:
Having played the violin since the age of 5, I grew up listening to and
playing classical music. But I loved music that a typical teenager
growing up in the 80s and 90s would too: The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Joy
Division, and New Order; Beastie Boys, Rage Against The Machine,
Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. Listening to late night CBC FM radio, I
discovered Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Thelonius Monk and fell in
love with jazz from the 50-60s. That kicked off the record collecting
bug as I searched for sidemen and hidden gems not readily available and
resulted in a serious Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside, Impulse, and
Atlantic habit. Eventually, that turned into collecting albums from the
Decca, EMI, Mercury and RCA catalogs as well.
My system has primarily been focused on analog playback and flea-watt
amplification for many years. (I tend to move amps and line stages in
and out of the system every once in a while to mix things up) The system
does tend to focus on doing some things very well at the expense of others.