Stand Loudspeaker Reviews

Digital Sources: Ayre C-5xe universal player; dCS P8i SACD player; Mark Levinson No.31.5 CD transport; Olive Symphony, Slim Devices Squeezebox 3 media servers; Mark Levinson No.30.6, Benchmark DAC 1, Grace m902 D/A processors; Alesis MasterLink hard-drive recorder.
Preamplifiers: Mark Levinson No.380S, No.326S, No.32 Reference; NHT Passive Volume Control.
Power Amplifiers: Mark Levinson No.33H monoblocks, Musical Fidelity kW750.
Cables: Digital: Kimber Illuminations Orchid AES/EBU, AudioQuest SVD-4 S/PDIF, OptiLink 5 TosLink. Interconnect: AudioQuest Cheetah, Madrigal CZ Gel-1, Ayre Signature Series, Crystalconnect, Canare (balanced); DiMarzio, Canare (unbalanced). Speaker: AudioQuest Kilimanjaro. AC: PS Audio Lab, Shunyata Anaconda Helix Alpha, manufacturers' own.
Accessories: Celestion Si speaker stands, Target TT-5 equipment racks, Ayre Myrtle Wood Blocks; ASC Tube Traps, RPG Abffusor panels; PS Audio Power Plant 300 at 90Hz (preamps, disc players only), Audio Power Industries 116 Mk.II & PE-1 AC line conditioners (not power amps); AC power comes from two dedicated 20A circuits, each just 6' from the breaker box, a Mark Levinson No.33H plugged into each.—John Atkinson