JE Labs Man Cave 2024

This is the side of the man cave where I spend a lot of time listening and evaluating new projects.

In the coming months, I will be talking about phono preamps, autoformer volume control, revisit the transformer coupled line stage topology, SE amps, etc. I will also continue my classic Japanese idler-driven turntable series, feature a couple of SE-DHT amp-friendly drivers + more.

Most of the audio components listed below are hyperlinked if you mouse over the text. Those that are not will be linked once the article is uploaded.

I like to taste new sonic flavors that are within the DIY realm😊

JEL man cave tour

man cave 2021

 

From mid September until mid November, the man cave was out of commission so I set up a temporary system in our living room. 

Flooding in the lower level had been a major issue since we moved to this house. Tish and I finally bit the bullet and had a French drain + sump pump system installed.

Knowing that jackhammers would create a big mess, we packed up all of our books, LPs, CDs, etc.

I had to repaint/reseal the floor because it was badly scratched by contractor traffic.

Listening lounge chair

At least 12 square feet of floor space was gained from the removal of a built-in bench. We reclaimed a small window that had been blocked off, which most likely had an a/c in the past. 

Monaural hifi view

Stereo + Monaural Hi-Fi

Still working on the main hifi system and filing my LPs...😉

I'm really liking the less cluttered look, which means I have to reduce my audio collection. So keep your eyes peeled for goodies at the JE Labs Flea Market after the New Year. 😄 

JE Labs Man Cave 2020

CV21mm f4

The JE Labs man cave was originally planned as an annual feature. But due to a flood mitigation procedure in the fall of 2019, I blogged about the near-field system instead. 

Fortunately, a new drywall was installed and painted by the tail end of winter. I was at the final stage of arranging my library, cameras, LPs and miscellaneous items when lockdown commenced.  

Typically, I'd be on photo explorations in my spare time during spring. But due to the pandemic, I'm trying to be a responsible citizen practicing social distancing. Since I'm confined indoors, here's a virtual tour of the man cave viewed through my Leitz and Cosina-Voigtlander lenses mounted on a Sony A7II camera.

Leitz Summicron 35mm f2 V1

Main System

Turntables: Garrard 301, Garrard 401, Thorens TD124 and Mk II in DIY plinth

Tonearms: Ortofon RMG309, Alfred Bokrand AB309, SME 3012

Phono Cartridges: Ortofon SPU GME Classic, SPU #1s, Supex SD900 MkIV,  Denon DL103R, DL103CI, DL103S, DL103, "Capped" DL103, GAS "Sleeping Beauty" and Fidelity Research FR1 MKII

MC Step Up Transformers: Altec/Peerless 4722 + Tamura TKS83 

Streaming Device:  Raspberry Pi 3b+/Allo DigiOne SPdif/Anker Power Bank/Volumio 

CD Player: Magnavox CDB650 and Sony CDP505esD  

DAC: nos TDA1541 tube DAC

Line Transformer: Western Electric WE111C repeat coil

FM Tuner: Yamaha T-2

Antenna: Winegard HD6010 mounted in the garage attic

CV28mm f1.9

Preamp: JEL Octal + 76 

Amps: JEL SE2A3dx, JEL Simple 45, JEL Simple 46, JEL SE71A

Speakers: Altec 753C, an homage to the Western Electric WE753C and the definitive evolution of my Altec 2-way project

Cables:  DIY Mogami/Neglex 2534 for phono, Kimber KCAG and DIY PBJ, KS24194/Telco Flex III 14 AWG speaker cable 

CV21mm f4

LPs + audio equipment and miscellaneous

CV21mm f4

 

Cameras + Library

CV21mm f4

Workshop

Leitz Summicron 35mm f2 V1

Workbench

SE10 mono integrated amp (under construction)

Test equipment: Hitachi V650F 60 MHz dual channel scope, Kenwood AG-203 sine/square wave oscillator, Fluke 87 and Triplett 9045 True RMS DVMs, Proster LCR meter, Weller WTCPS soldering station and a General Radio W5MT3A Variac

Summicron 50mm f2 Rigid

Near-field System

Turntables: Thorens TD124 and Mk II, Sony TTS 2500, Shield MO-19 and Rek O Kut B12GH

Tonearms: SME 3012, Audio Technica AT1501 Mk II, Denon DA305, Fidelity Research FR64fx, FR24 FR54, Grace G565 and G540L, Stax UA3NL, Syntec S220

MM Phono Cartridges: Audio Technica AT110E, Nagaoka MP10, MP11, Pickering 380, V15 DAT2, V15 Phase IV and XV15, Shure M3D, M7D, M44G, SC39B 

Digital Sources: Raspberry Pi 3b+/Volumio + Musical Fidelity V-Link, JVC XL-Z411 CD transport, Magnavox CDB465

DAC: NOS'ed Arcam Delta Black Box or tube buffered NOS TDA1543 

Line Transformer: UTC A20

Preamp: JEL Loctal or Realistic 32-1100A mixer + 42-2109 phono 

Amps:  JEL SE300B mono blocks, Radiotron SE2A3,  Nobsound NS-02g/JLH 1969 Class A

Speakers: Altec 755A in Dr. Bae/Silbatone Cabs or Altec 755C in 618 Cabs

Headphones

Koss Porta-Pro, Grado SR80 or AKG K72 driven by the Darling amp, JE Labs Style

Mono Hi-Fi 

Turntable: Gates CB77 + Gray 108B + GE RPX or Neat P58H + Calrad SV16 or Velvet Touch + DL102 or GE RPX

Digital Sources: Raspberry Pi 3b/Volumio and JVC XL-Z444 CD Player

DAC: Audio GD R2R-11

Tuner: Sansui T-60 or Sherwood S-3000 II

Amp: JEL mono integrated SE2A3 + Altec 15356 stereo to mono mixer  

Speaker: Altec 756B + Altec 32B + Altec 802 

CV21mm f4

Stay Safe and Happy Listening!

JE Labs Hi-Fi Man Cave 2018

  From Attic Hi-Fi to Hi-Fi Man Cave

Components

Turntables: Garrard 301, Thorens TD124 Mk I and Mk II + Sony TTS 2500 in DIY plinth

Tonearms: Ortofon RMG309, SME 3012 (x2), Audio Technica AT1501 Mk II, Stax UA3NL, Fidelity Research FR64fx, Grace G540L

Cartridges: Ortofon SPU GME Classic, SPU #1s, Denon DL103R, DL103CI, DL103S, DL103, GAS "Sleeping Beauty"and Fidelity Research MC44

MC Step Up: Tamura TKS83 and Peerless/Altec 4722 transformers

Digital Sources: Sony DVP NS755V, Raspberry Pi 3b+/Moode Audio 4.1 and iPad mini

DACs: Topping D30 + Audioquest Dragonfly Black

Line Transformer: Western Electric WE111C, UTC A20, Altec 15356

Preamp: JEL Octal + 76 and JEL Loctal

Amps: JEL SE300B mono blocks, JEL SE2A3dx, JEL Simple 45, JEL Simple 46, JEL SE71A

Speakers: Altec 2-Way - 414A in 614 cabinet + Altec 802 compression driver + Altec 32 horn + JEL crossover

Altec 755A in Open Baffle 

Cables:  DIY Mogami/Neglex 2534 for phono, Kimber KCAG and DIY PBJ, Telco Flex III 14 AWG speaker cable retired the Kimber 4TC

Right Side

LPs and other components 

Left Side

Books, magazines and cameras 

It's not always neat... 

pulled out the Altec 755A and OB 

when my bud Ben C visited 🍻

Living Room 

Mono Hi-Fi

Speakers: repurposed Heath AS10 + Altec 802 driver + Altec 32A horn 

Turntable: Neat P58H + Calrad SV16 (or Velvet Touch) + DL102 or GE RPX
Amp: JEL mono integrated SE2A3 + Western Electric WE111a repeat coil stereo to mono mixer
Tuner: Sherwood S-3000 II
Digital Source: Lenovo laptop
DAC: XtremPro X1 USB DAC

Listening Room - JE Labs

Hi-Fi Lounge, late 2008

I started this blog in 2011 and overlooked the fact that I haven't posted details of my systems. Visitors who remember the defunct site will be familiar with most of the components apart from a change in venue.

Stereophonic Hi-Fi

Garrrard 301 

Ortofon RMG309 + SPU GME

SME 3012 + Denon DL103S

Thorens TD124

SME 3012 + Denon DL103R

Audio Technica ATP12T + Denon DL 103

MC step-up transformers
Altec 4722 + Tamura TKS83

Sony DVP NS500V
Dyna FM3 MPX
Scott LT110B FM tuner is out of commission ;(

JEL Preamp DX 

JEL SE300B monoblocks
Tamura F7002 OPTs

JEL SE2A3dx
Tango NY15S OPTs

Radiotron SE2A3
Tango U808 OPTs

JEL Simple 45
Tamura F745 OPTs

JEL SE171A
Tango H5S OPTs

Altec 2-way
JEL/N1600C crossover

Open Baffle, Altec 755As, 755Cs and Altec 755Es are
currently in storage at an undisclosed high security facility ;)

Monophonic Hi-Fi

JEL Mono Playback

Rek O Kut B12H
Tonearms:
Right - Velvet Touch Viscous Damped
Left - Pickering 190 + GE RPX 78rpm stylus
Back - Argonne AR600 + GE VRII Triple Play

GE RPX + Denon DL102

iPod Nano doing double duty as a digital music server and FM receiver
until I find time to fix my other Dyna FM3 tuner
that served in this system for the past 7 years

Tamura line level stereo > mono mixer

+
signal processor ;)

JEL Mono preamp with variable EQ
6SL7 phono + 6F8G line stage

Mono Amps
Left--->Right
JEL SE71A 
Hammond 125ESE OPT
JEL SE10dx
Tamura F7004 OPT
JEL SE2A3dx
James 6123HS OPT

Altec 605B Duplex

Mondrian inspired OB + RCA 501S1

After almost 20 years, both systems have traveled half way across the globe with no significant changes apart from a couple of tweaks ;)