My Current HiFi System 2025
Audio has been in my life since I was a kid. I started listening to my mom’s records at age 9 on a portable all in one crappy turntable. I bought my first “system” at 15-16 and every week I would buy a new album. I would listen to that album all week until it was time for the next purchase or sometimes wear out the grooves! I still own some of those original albums today though they do not get played anymore. These days I am 100% into digital streaming as this brings millions of tracks right to our fingertips and the sound can be unreal with the right setup.
I get emails from time to time asking me what the state of my system is. It has changed often, usually every few months in the past as I get new pieces in that I fall for. I am a HiFi addict after all, lol. Just because I change a piece doesn’t mean what I had before is bad or no longer loved, I just like to keep things fresh for the videos and to experience as much as I can. I do this to learn, to compare and to understand what makes some gear cost as much as it does.
Anyway, my system is below!
Lucky for me my wife is into this as well. While I listen daily, she sits with me on the weekends and we both enjoy it. Here we are on our weekend “date” at a local brewery. After this we went home to listen to some music. Fun Fact, my wife and I met in kindergarten and went to grade school together. Now in our upper 50’s we enjoy the simple things in life above all else.
This is my current system:
Speakers
Icon 12 Speakers from O Audio.
From the moment I heard the Icon 12 and saw them in the flesh I knew that they would be right up my alley. These are majestic. End game for those who love a bit of warmth, big body, big bass, solidity and a sweet wide open treble that is just a bit airy and holographic but at the same time, very refined. No sub needed or desired in my 13X18 space and I feel these could fill a fairly large space but for those with huge rooms, O Audio offers this model.
These are spectacular with any music and can do rock as well as I have heard so far. They do Jazz as if you are sitting in a club listening live but with zero harshness or hollowness. Ambient stuff is insanely room filling and the soundstage has an ethereal vibe going on. It’s wide, tall and deep. These are big, powerful and rich in sound, some warmth yet a silky transparency. Not a lit up top end, but a sweeter kind of vibe.I also say these speakers sound majestically cinematic. Anytime I switch these back in I say “AHHH! There it is, the sound I crave”!
What I love most is that they sound great with just about all kinds of music and magical with well done recordings. Not bright, not dark, just right. Bass down into the upper 20’s. These are also easy to drive so no big power needed but they do love quality power. These have a heart touching soulful vibe about them. After 10 months with these they have become my favorite speakers of all time and if I had to sell them to free up funds I would be pretty sad about it as for me, no other speaker I have heard delivers what these do.
See my follow up after seven months with the Icon 12 HERE.
Pure Audio Project Duet 15
I own two version of the Duet 15, the Horn 1 and the Voxactiv 1.6 version. One with green baffles, one with black. The Horn is a touch more open and airy, the Voxactiv is more dense and punchy. Both are stunners and for the money, I do not feel you can beat these. These are around $13k+ less expensive than my Icon 12’s but they are a different vibe. Voices on the Duet 15 are gorgeous, full throated and in the room. These do the holographic soundstage and all of the audiophile tricks as well. I may slightly prefer the Voxactiv version but there are days I prefer the horn version. Superb with ambient, Jazz and classical. The Voxactiv are better with Rock/Metal, the Horn better with vocals and strings. Both are incredible and there will be no wrong choice between the two.
See my review of the Duet 15 Voxactive
See my review of the Duet 15 HORN
Amplification
The CAYIN SOUL 170i Integrated Amp
I have been on a tube amp kick lately as I have been trying out a few here and there in hopes I could find a reference model, you know…”the best I have heard in the tube integrated world, ever”. This was a tall task but I stumbled upon the Cayin and it is indeed, without question, the finest all tube analog integrated amp I have ever heard. It has all of the tube pros I love and none of the negs. It has big power with 75 WPC in triode mode or 130 WPC in Ultralinear mode. This is a beast but one of the most beautiful and refined all tube beasts I have had the pleasure of experiencing. This amp is just flat out gorgeous in all ways from looks, build, parts quality and sound. It’s insanely good and now I own it. Crazy secret but I enjoy teh Cayin more than I did the Nagra HD Pre and Classic AMP which was over $100k retail. This one is under $7k. Not as holographic as the Astra amp below but this brings the tube sound 100%. THIS sounds like tubes, not “tubes solid state”!
The Devialet Astra
From France the Devialet Astra is a modern day integrated amp all in one masterpiece. It will cost you as this one is priced between $20 and $25k depending on the finish you choose (gold leaf or bronze). It has a streamer, a preamp, a high power amp, a DAC and the best remote ever created. This will drive any speaker with authority, grace and energy. It will delight, it will excite, it will connect with you and the music. If you are tired of many boxes, many cables then yes, this can replace big money separates. The Astra has it all and is quite unique and special, which is right up my alley. This is the best solid state integrated I have ever experienced and is pure class and simplicity but with a WOW factor in sound and performance. Not as warm as the tube amps but more energy, sparkle and holographic soundstage.
See my review of the Astra HERE
Galion A75 Power Amp with P75 Preamp
This setup was just too damn good to send back and so affordable when comparing to what is out there in the separates realm. The amp and pre have a retail cost of under $3400 USD and sounds like a more pricey setup to these ears. They are here and will be used for review purposes as this setup sounds so good with every speaker I have paired it with. I have some new upgraded tubes on the way from RayTubes as well! While not as refined as the amps above this gets you into seperates with an amp that can power almost any speaker for well under $4k.
SEE more information at Galion HERE
The FEZZ Equinox DAC
I did it again. I added this DAC to my stable because it sounds so damn good. This is from Fezz, made in Poland and designed by the head honcho at Lampizator. This is the lowest cost Lampizator designed DAC you can get but it gets even better. FEZZ makes their own custom transformers through their “Toroidy” brand and they are dead silent and exceptional. This is a TUBE DAC and uses one tube which is easily replaced or swapped via a slide out window on the top. Genius design. I now own this DAC and it’s awesome. I couldn’t afford the big Lampizator pieces and this will bring a heck of lot of that sound for so much less. To be honest this DAC reminds me most of the Nagra Tube DAC in sound. That is saying ALOT.
EVERSOLO T8 Streaming Transport
This is a dedicated streamer from Eversolo and it’s fantastic. There is no DAC here, just the streamer. The response time, the sound quality, the size, the features …and well, everything about this box is wonderful. At under $1400 it’s several thousand less in cost than say the HiFi Rose RS130 which is one of my all time fave streamers. The Rose is built to a higher standard and is larger, heavier and looks like a true high end piece. The Eversolo T8 doesn’t look or feel like a high end piece but it sure sounds like one. The sound, features and speed is what really matters is it not? This is now my fave product from Eversolo simply because it’s the best way to go to an external DAC for ultimate sound quality. This is now my #1 recommend streamer under $2500. BTW, this one will play it all from Spotify to Tidal to Qobuz to Apple to using an SSD drive with your own tunes. With the FEZZ Equinox DAC above this makes for a killer streamer. This pairing to me, with my Icon 12 speakers sounds a lot like the Nagra Tube DAC did with the Nagra Streamer (for like $45k less cash). Yea, the Eversolo and Fezz sound that good.
Other Gear I will have on hand and sometimes swap out for a change or use for review comparisons.
Vinshine Audio TaiHang Power Conditioner – Finest I have tested to date for DC removal, and the most affordable as well. The fact that it also works to protect gear is icing on the cake. This is in system 24/7 and always on. Proves we do not need to spend thousands for a power conditioner that works. BTW, I preferred this to a $6k power conditioner.
Buchardt E50 Speakers – Love having these here for companions as well. Beautiful speakers that are superb in sound and build.
Nordost Valhalla Speaker Cables (The OG) – These 14 year old cables are still my #1!