The Equipment
Video:
Standard Definition: Ayre DX-7 DVD Player (US)
High Definition: Sony PS3 Blu-ray Player
Video Processor: Pixel Magic Crystalio II VPS-3100 (HK)
Audio Processor Preamplifier: Integra DTC 9.8
Projector: JVC RS1 1080p DILA
Screen: 104 inch diagonal.
Goo CRT White Video Paint on Syntra.
Audio:
Standard Definition: Ayre DX-7 DVD Player (US)
Audio Note DAC1 (UK)
Amati Dual Monaural Preamplifer (Canada)
Audio Note Baransu 300B Mono Amplifiers (UK)
Audio Note AN-E SE/Signature Speakers (UK)
Audio Note AN-Vx & Zx interconnect and speaker wire
Audio Note AN-K speakers (surrounds)
Phono:
Voyd 3-Motor Reference Turntable
TriPlanar Tonearm
Audio Note Io-Gold Moving Coil Phonograph Cartridge
Audio Note Custom Moving Coil Step-Up Transformer
Notes:
The Ayre DX-7 DVD Player does not upscale. Therefore all the scaling and processing following a interlaced image is performed by the Crystalio video processor which scales any input, pixel-to-pixel, to the projector. In this configuration, the Ayre permits a 480i output via Component/RGB, allowing the Crystalio to perform deinterlacing as well as as scaling. All reviews of SD material is done with the Ayre since both picture and sound are better than can be obtained with the Sony PS3 in that format. The Crystalio also scales the 1080p output of the PS3.
Reviews dated prior to June, 2008 were auditioned with my Audio Note 2-channel stereo, which realizes a high degree of clarity, though it cannot recreate the intention of a DTS or Dolby Surround mix. In June of 2008, I added the Integra DTC 9.8, configuring it in such a way as to fully incorporate the Audio Note front end. I feel I now have the best of both worlds, having retained the clarity and dynamics of my present 2-channel music playback system while adding surround.
Leonard Norwitz
LensViews
July 11, 2008
