The setup stands as a testament to the owner's dedication to the art of sound, a carefully composed arrangement that marries form with function within the intimate confines of a new residence. Center stage is taken by a meticulously placed turntable, its position atop a dedicated wooden platform speaking to a knowledge of the intricacies involved in audiophile-grade music reproduction. This turntable is the linchpin of the analog experience, flanked by towering speakers whose silhouettes suggest a heritage of audio excellence. These speakers serve not only as instruments of sound but also as pillars of an aesthetic philosophy that values the auditory journey as much as the destination.

Below this analog centerpiece lies a piece of modernity, an amplifier or receiver with a clear digital display, discreetly nestled within an ornately carved console. The console's distressed blue finish and elaborate carvings contribute a historical texture to the modernity of the audio components it houses, crafting a visual and tactile narrative that echoes the eclectic tastes of its curator. This audio sanctuary is a blend of the time-honored and the contemporary, an audio-visual storybook where each chapter is told through waves of sound and the distinctive ambiance of the space it occupies.

by saltmonkey27

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A Study in Acoustic Alchemy

Avid Ingenium

Decware Zen Triode

Sumiko Blue Point No. 2

Wharfedale Lintons

The Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 integrates seamlessly into any home with its compact design, yet it doesn't compromise on power or performance, thanks to its sophisticated digital amplification technology. It features the patented RoomPerfect™ room correction system, ensuring the best sound quality regardless of the room layout. This system adapts the audio output to the acoustics of the room, delivering perfect sound no matter where the speakers are placed.

Extending its functionality, the TDAI-1120 can easily be connected to a television via the HDMI (ARC) with support for CEC and eARC, allowing the unit to communicate with future televisions efficiently. This setup ensures that users can control the system's power and volume directly through their TV remote, simplifying the user experience significantly. 

For audio enthusiasts who prioritize versatility in media consumption, the TDAI-1120 offers abundant streaming capabilities. It supports a wide array of integrated streaming services like Chromecast, Spotify® Connect, TIDAL Connect with MQA decoding, Roon Ready, AirPlay2, Bluetooth connectivity, and Internet Radio through vTuner and airable. It also provides options for network or local file playbacks via DLNA/UPnP, all manageable through user-friendly controls available on smart devices such as smartphones, tablets, or computers.

The comprehensive approach to connectivity and media integration ensures that the TDAI-1120 not only stands out as an advanced media player but also caters to the needs of the modern audiophile, offering unparalleled convenience and quality in one compact unit.

TDAI-1120

Old school McIntosh and Bozak system Bi-amped Bozak B-4000 Symphony speakers with Mac 2205 and Mac 2105 controlled through Mac C-28 pre-amp. Mac MI-3 and Mac MR-77 FM tuner. Grace streaming radio and Fire 10 Spotify streamer. Dedicated 30 amp circuit and Monster HTS-3500 to turn equipment on/off. 

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Living room system

The McIntosh MC2205 is a solid-state amplifier that offers a power output of 200 watts per channel. It features an iconic chrome chassis designed by Ron Evans. The amplifier includes Power Guard technology, which prevents over-driving the speakers and ensures long-lasting performance. The device comes equipped with illuminated power meters, allowing users to monitor the output visually. The MC2205 was first introduced in the mid-1970s and has since been appreciated for its quality sound and build. Condition grades for the amplifier vary, with options ranging from excellent to fair condition, reflecting its age. Restoration services are often recommended to maintain its performance and aesthetic appeal. Users have praised its smooth and detailed audio reproduction, reminiscent of vintage sound characteristics, often describing it as non-fatiguing and natural with a hint of warmth typical of older amplifiers. The MC2205 is compatible with various audio systems and continues to hold a special place in the hearts of audio enthusiasts, thanks to its robust engineering and sound quality.

MC2205

The McIntosh MC2105 is a classic solid state power amplifier that delivers a power output of 105 watts per channel into 8 ohms in stereo mode. Its frequency response ranges from 10Hz to 100kHz, which ensures deep bass and clear highs, contributing to an overall balanced sound profile. The total harmonic distortion (THD) is specified at 0.25%, allowing for high fidelity audio playback with minimal distortion. The MC2105 employs a damping factor of 13, which enhances its ability to control speaker movements, especially in bass-heavy music. With an input sensitivity of 0.5V and a signal-to-noise ratio of 90 dB, this amplifier provides a robust and clear audio signal. The MC2105 is designed to handle speaker loads ranging from 4 ohms to 16 ohms, making it versatile for various speaker setups. It consists of 34 transistors and 18 rectifiers and diodes, indicating a solid build and reliability. Its physical dimensions are 16 x 7.1 x 14.5 inches, and it weighs approximately 65 lbs. This amplifier is often appreciated for its rich sound signature, characterized by deep, powerful bass, detailed highs, and smooth mids, making it a sought-after option for audio enthusiasts.

MC2105

The McIntosh C28 is a solid-state preamplifier that was manufactured between 1970 and 1978, with approximately 22,000 units produced. Its design is celebrated for its black and glass façade, featuring green back-lit control stenciling that has influenced audio design for decades. The C28 has been a popular choice for pairing with both solid-state amplifiers like the MC2505 and MC2105, as well as tube amplifiers such as the MC225 and MC240. It is equipped with several input options including two phono inputs, a tape head input, a microphone input, as well as high-level inputs for aux, tuner, and dual tape sources. The preamp also features a dedicated 20W headphone amplifier, multiple line and tape output options, and functionality for controlling two sets of speakers via the SCR-2 controller. The unit is designed for optimal usability with its top-mounted controls, making adjustments straightforward. Its craftsmanship and industrial design are considered exemplary in vintage audio components, often leading to admiration from both users and onlookers. Listening tests reveal its ability to convey complex soundscapes across various genres, cementing the C28's place as a historical piece with notable musicality and technical versatility. Its performance is characterized by defined spatial imaging and rich tonal qualities, making it suitable for music lovers seeking a vintage audio experience.

The McIntosh MR77 is a vintage stereo FM/AM tuner that is part of McIntosh's line-up from the 1970s. It features a distinctive design, characteristic of the McIntosh aesthetic, with blue meters and a glass front panel. The MR77 is known for its excellent reception capabilities and build quality. It employs advanced FM circuitry to provide clean and clear sound reproduction, making it desirable among audio enthusiasts. It includes features such as multiplex stereo demodulation, a multipath indicator to assist in tuning, and various mode selections for mono or stereo listening. The unit is generally appreciated for its ease of use and reliability, with many owners maintaining and repairing them over the years. In terms of specifications, the MR77 typically has signal-to-noise ratios that meet high standards for performance, offering a good blend of functionality and vintage charm. Users often customize their MR77s, such as replacing bulbs for the tuning indicators and other lights, leading to typical discussions on forums related to maintenance and troubleshooting specific issues like light functionality.

MR77


The setup stands as a testament to the harmonious fusion of high-fidelity audio with modern living space aesthetics. Anchoring the space are the Dynaudio Special 40 speakers, their wood veneer finish presenting a touch of organic warmth against the crisp, contemporary lines of the white media console. The speakers are flanked by the Simaudio Moon Neo Ace, an all-in-one amplifier that promises a sound as pure as its design suggests, and the Technics 1210 Mk5, a turntable revered for its precision and durability, ready to spin vinyl into audible gold.

Positioned meticulously within the room, each component is not only chosen for its technical prowess but also for its contribution to the room's visual symmetry. The artwork, "The Moon" from the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, acts as a backdrop, adding depth and context to the setup. It creates an environment where the blend of sound and space invites a full sensory appreciation. The carefully selected vinyl on display hints at a broad musical palette, while the ambient lighting ensures that the room's atmosphere is as meticulously crafted as the audio that fills it.

by: ShogunzBlazin

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Sound and Aesthetics — A Study in Harmony

simaudio is a Canadian audio brand that specializes in high-end audio products.

Simaudio

The ACE is acclaimed for its intuitive and user-friendly design, being Spotify Connect compatible and Roon Ready. It supports all major audio file formats, including DSD and MQA, accessible through local files or TIDAL Master files. As an all-in-one music system, the ACE has won awards for its ability to connect simply to a pair of speakers and the internet, enabling seamless music enjoyment. What sets the ACE apart is its fidelity to the renowned MOON sonic signature, characterized by visceral tight bass, transparent midrange, precise natural highs, and lifelike sound, ensuring a memorable listening experience every time. Additionally, vinyl enthusiasts can utilize the built-in moving magnet phono stage, making the ACE a versatile system that enhances the audio quality of any vinyl record.

Dynaudio is a brand known for producing high-quality audio equipment, including speakers and headphones.

Dynaudio

Laurels aren’t for resting on.

We still surprise ourselves. Some people might be content to sit back and be complacent about their successes after 40 years of constant innovation. We aren’t. In fact, we only get hungrier for new techniques and technologies.

That’s why we developed the Special Forty: we wanted to revisit those innovations and see what we’d do differently this time. What you won’t find here is anything revolutionary. Instead, you’ll discover a look at our past – along with some special sneak-previews of the future. The Special Forty is classic Dynaudio: all the craftsmanship, attention to detail and total love of authentic sound you’ve come to expect. It’s the connoisseur’s choice – a simple pair of passive hi-fi speakers. But it isn’t about looking back, misty-eyed, at past glories and leaving it at that. It’s about using those glories as a platform from which to launch our next set of breakthroughs.

Greatest hits… reimagined.

We do compact speakers really well. We always have. So, as a nod back to classics including the Special One, the Special Twenty-Five, the Crafft and the Contour 1.3SE, we kept the Special Forty pure – if incredibly advanced. Of course, it wouldn’t be an anniversary speaker if it didn’t include some of our greatest hits. But we haven’t just got the old band back together to trot out the same old stuff, unchanged. We’ve remixed, remastered and rearranged things to bring those old favourites into 2017 – and beyond. That’s why it has one of our classic first-order crossover designs, incorporating our unique Phase Alignment and Impedance Alignment technologies. The crossover expertly marshals the input signal between the woofer and the tweeter – so each driver gets only the frequencies it’s supposed to, and can perform at its very best. Its specially selected components handle the impedance optimisation and, because both drivers have extended frequency ranges for even better overlap and integration, that performance borders on the mesmerising.

The song remains the same.

The Special Forty uses our proprietary MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) material for its main driver. MSP delivers precisely the right combination of rigidity, damping and stability for the most faithful sound reproduction. And, unlike other cone materials, it doesn’t change over time – so your Special Forty speakers will still be singing just as sweetly come our next anniversary. The cone itself uses a painstakingly developed symmetrical excursion for even better midrange performance. Behind it sits our asymmetrical spider – our passive harmonic rectifier. It minimises upper harmonics to further tighten the performance and make it possible not only to pick out individual parts in a piece of music, but even individual instruments in an orchestra. (So now, finally, the Third Violin section can have its day in the sun.) And, like all our other MSP cones, it’s a one-piece design (you can tell by the special balance ribs around the central dust-cap). This gives it an incredibly solid connection to the voice-coil, as well as stabilising its form – which is crucial when you decide to turn it up to 11. It all sits in our special AirFlow Basket – the bit that holds the whole driver motor securely in place in the cabinet. Its development was one of those ‘Eureka!’ moments our engineers seem to get a few times a week in Dynaudio Labs (you can often hear them cheering from across the road in our factory). We asked them to reduce internal reflections and increase air movement without compromising the basket’s stiffness or stability, and this genius design is what they came up with.

Airflow is king.

The new Esotar Forty tweeter takes air-movement to another level. It moves the air in typically sweet fashion in front of the DSR (Dynaudio Secret Recipe) precision-coated soft-dome, of course, but there’s a lot of engineering going on behind it as well. Take the new pressure conduit. It’s a shaped vent in the back of the hybrid magnet system that allows more space in the rear chamber. That space lets us pack in more damping material and reduces back-pressure, while the shape itself optimises airflow coming backwards from the rear of the dome. Then there’s the outlet; the aero-coupled pressure-release system. It sits underneath the voice-coil and reduces unwanted pressure build-up that could affect its movement. Stopping those pockets of air from forming reduces resonance – and less resonance equals even greater potential for detail.

Flux optimisation and beam control.

We love playing with the laws of physics. Physics wins in the end, of course (usually), but we almost always manage to bend it to our will along the way. Just like we have with our magnet systems. The magnet turns electrical energy that flows from your amplifier into the voice-coil, into the physical back-and-forth movement of the driver diaphragm. These movements are very small and very fast (especially in the tweeter), so they need a lot of finesse if you want to hear all that luscious detail and emotion in your music.

Behind the woofer.

In the woofer, we’ve achieved that finesse in two ways: by placing the magnet inside the voice-coil, and by playing with magnetic energy itself. Other manufacturers typically put it around the outside edge, leaving the voice-coil hollow. Putting the magnet inside keeps the magnetic energy (or flux) in the optimum position for getting itself wrapped around the voice-coil – where it should be. That means we can use more of its power for a given weight. It also reduces internal reflections because there’s less material for sound to bounce off inside the driver. Second, we use a hybrid magnet for even greater control over the flux and voice-coil movement. An incredibly powerful neodymium rare-earth magnet provides the muscle and flings flux around with abandon, while a ferrite magnet tempers that enthusiasm by gently moving the flux back to exactly where it’s needed most. The result? Symmetrical excursion, a reduction in second-harmonics, and an even more accurate, authentic sound.

2020 finish update.

Dynaudio’s award-winning anniversary speaker, Special Forty, has been given a makeover with two stunning new finishes. Black Vine is a striking contrast of dark veneer shot through with vivid orange, while Ebony Wave is a captivatingly sinuous take on the classic hardwood. Both veneers are man-made to Dynaudio’s specs, ensuring total consistency between pairs of speakers. And the level of finish possible is simply astonishing – they look as smooth as glass, and as lustrous as a piece of luxury antique furniture. Just as you’d expect from a nation of design-fanatics.

Special Forty

Technics is a brand name of the Panasonic Corporation, a Japanese multinational consumer electronics company.

Technics

The Technics SL-1210MK5 is a high-performance direct-drive DJ turntable that operates at selectable speeds of 33 1/3 and 45 RPM. It features a quartz direct-drive system powered by a brushless DC motor, ensuring stable rotation and precise control. The die-cast aluminum platter provides excellent stability and reduces unwanted resonance. Additionally, it includes instant pitch reset and a no-click pitch control feature, allowing for seamless speed adjustments. The design incorporates a recessed power switch to prevent accidental shutdowns. Users can customize the braking settings, enabling precise control over how the turntable stops. This model is recognized for its durable construction and reliability, making it a preferred choice for DJs.

Sound and Aesthetics — A Study in Harmony

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A Study in Acoustic Alchemy

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