The Future Is Now!

The Future Is Now! High end digital done right, for best sounding results.

Ladies & gentleman, this is the high end media server, a.k.a. "computer audio" based system that changed the perception of many high end audiophiles, mine included, about the sound quality possible with the latest digital hifi gear available today.

Doc, as the system owner here is fondly called is a fore runner and very much an advocate of computer audio. He's also helpful to newbies and very approach able too! My journey with him in the last two years or so has being a steep learning curve on all things lifestyle and hifi.
An Apple iPad for remote interface to access the stored music library on iTunes.

During those two years, Doc was never quite happy with his hifi system, but one day, he decided to go all out and start a fresh, the result is the system you see here, set up in the main lounge area of his stylish abode. For this system, Doc uses a Mac Mini computer stored with ripped 16bit resolution files as music source. The Mac Mini runs iTunes music library interface, which is controlled via an iPad and quite about the best I've seen to date(pardon my minimal exposure to computer audio).
Still the best known music library interface available today, the Apple iTunes.

The Mac Mini sends digital signals to a Weiss DAC202 via the use of fire wire connection. There's an LCD screen to view/access the music library and album cover arts. The Weiss DAC then outputs the analog signal via it's balanced(XLR) analog outputs to a Mark Levinson No.326S pre amp. The signal is then sent to a pair of matching Mark Levinson No.531H mono block power amps rated at 300W RMS per chanel. An interesting feature about the class A/B biased ML power amps is that they run on Switch Mode Power Supply modules.
The Apple Mac Mini is a fine sounding source component.

Doc chose to use a pair of Revel Ultima Salon 2 loud speakers, also from Harman International stables. These are impressive looking speakers, and their sonic capabilities are certainly top class as demonstrated here. The good Doc, is a fan of Wireworld cables actually, so he uses the 5-2 Silver Eclipse interconnects. The Doc also has a plethora of Wireworld and Shunyata power cords in used with a Furutech e-TP60 distributor. Speaker cables are Siltech Classic Anniversary 330L(a bit of my influence here perhaps?). An FE Spider rack to isolate the DAC and ML pre amp rounds up the accessories list.
Apple, Weiss and Mark Levinson. In good company!

By the way, this system also plays a support role in an impressive HT instal by the good folks at AV Designs, which needless to say has some of the best picture quality presented here via the use of JVC D-ILA projector and panamorphic lens combo. A Denon surround AVR processor with 5.1 chanels rounds things up on the AV side of things.
A 300W mono block of the Mark Levinson No.531H.

Now we just wanna feature on the most important thing here, which is the sound. On immediate firing up the system, I could say that this is one of those dark, broody, and extremely quiet systems, a sonic signature of the ML amps, I guess? Despite the use of only 16bit resolution files, the level of transparency of this system is way up there amongst the best of CD/SACD based systems can offer. The tonality is a shade dark, but highs are naturally rendered, airy, and highly refined. The mids are solid, with elements of throaty male vocals rendered "like kopi O kau-kau" kind of sensation. Mid range purity and texture is all there for one to enjoy in delight. While I expected the bass to be more extended on the lower end, it offers a tightly focus and tuneful foundation for the musical contents.
Revel Ultima Salon 2 speaker.

The sound stage is wide but depth perception could be further improved. The good Doc is still experimenting with his speaker position. There's an overall liveliness in the sound that makes this system highly enjoyable, ever so missing on most other computer audio based system. Just an observation, for a speaker design utilising all those metal drivers, I never noticed any form of glare, hardness nor ringing which are common in more budget offerings. But then, this is a top of the line Revel we are talking about, a flagship design!
Furutech e-TP60 power distributor.

FE Spider(original) rack, with Weiss DA202 and Mark Levinson No.326S pre amp.

If there's an award to be given to the category of "The Most Improved System Of The Year", this system is certain a very deserving candidate. The good Doc, being one who does not rest on his laurels has more up grade plans in the works.
Another look at the Revel speaker.

A legendary high end brand called Mark Levinson.

The Doc looks forward to the enormous processing power of a new Mac Pro Tower computer with SSD(Solid State Drive) to replace the existing Mac Mini. That will allow the tunes to be loaded from hardisk to the solid state drive, before playing, which is technically the superior way, but he's not sure if the final result is better sounding. Next, Doc also has plans for a pair of Siltech Classic Anniversary 770L speaker cables too!

Is that the making of a totally killer system or what?

Keep up the good work Doc!