Hey guys. Been reading fervently for awhile now and would like to thank all of you for the knowledge you’ve shared on the forum. I’ve always enjoyed music and have had a “good” stereo, Rotel amp and pre amp, B&W speaker and a Velodyne sub, for 25 years. Then I heard my buddies Decware MK3 amp and Zu Soul Superflies a couple of years ago and it started me thinking!
Fast forward to today and I’ve placed several orders. Due to the long waiting period, I quickly ordered to get myself on the list which grows significantly every day. As a result, I’ve checked a few boxes that I’m not quite sure I needed to. So, I figured I’d ask people with experience and knowledge far beyond my own.
I first ordered the Zen Torii Jr and changed that to the MK5 after some research. I opted for the Level 2 mods.
Wanting headphone capability, I then ordered the CSP3. This is where I’m lost. I checked the 1/4 inch jacks, stereo and mono output jacks and copper bypass mod. Not sure about these choices. I’ve read about the copper upgrades but not sure if I need it and if I should add $200 and get the copper w/tube regulation.
I’m looking to add headphones that will pair well with this system but have no idea what to look for and what plug it will have on the end. Any suggestions as to where to start would be greatly appreciated.
Finally, the amp and pre amp will be paired with Zu Soul Supremes which have just been ordered. Decided I wanted the last of the old design and not the new design. The room is 19x15, tiled floor on cement and I will be able to pull place the speakers off walls and sit in front of them unobstructed. There is a couch to one side and a tv stand on the other. Also, any connector and speaker wire advice would also be appreciated.
Thanks in advance and I apologize if this post is too vague or “beginnerish”.

Yeah I agree that Earthbound's system will sound fantastic.

For the CSP3 I recommend also adding the 25th-A mod [copper cap power supply bypass} for $600. Not sure of the tube VR for $200 more is nearly as critical. But the Cu cap signal caps at $275 + the Anniversary mod will put you on par with your Torii MK 5 with the level 2 Anniversary mods at $600. Believe me, you'll not need to look back.

I had the CSP325 [Anniversary Edition] and will say that its a light year better than the non-modded CSP3, or even just the Cu signal cap upgrade. Transparency, weight, definition -- all went way up the scale, and the power supply bypass mod IMO made the biggest difference and it ain't close to subtle. This was very apparent even with the Taboo MK 4-25th amp that I once had, which wasn't even designed for speakers first in mind.

Another note on the CSP3....I also recommend that one of the headphone jacks be ordered with one of the XLR jack options [3 or 4 pin]

Welcome!  if you can swing a ZRock2, go for it.  Well worth it!
Bob

Great idea. I did look at the zrock Kulafi. I will probably wait until the speakers and system have played awhile and then decide zrock or sub. I’m not familiar with the zrock, except for a couple of reviews I’ve read. Would love to get a bass boost considering the Zu’s are not bass heavy. I think it’s the woofer size and a sound range limitation. So, will a zrock be able to help?

Thanks dancingsea. Succinct. I guess another piece of equipment will be ordered. I would like to wait but with the waitlist I may as well order now. At that cost, will be worth it to give it a try as opposed to buying a sub woofer.

Earthbound,

I have spades on the other end of my speaker cables as I believe they make a tighter connection than bananas and I don't disconnect them very often. The standard Zu spades fit great with the binding posts on the Torii.

David

Welcome to the forum Earthbound. Yes Decware gear offers a lot of flexibility in terms of adjustment of gain and such, but it is still at its core very basic, straightforward, pure audio gear. Like a lot of forum member, we've been through a stack of gear only to find out it really wasn't making music. In my opinion, Steve's designs are just letting the signal flow without any negative impact. If you read through his design notes about various pieces, you'll see a lot of rabbit holes he travels down only to back up and regroup. It's a lot like cooking, the best dish is keep it simple with the best components you can get. Happy listening, Chris.

Btw hdrider, it was hard to sell my Road King Special a couple of months ago. Was a great bike but I needed to ride something a bit easier to maneuver and wind protection. They are truly works of art!

DancingSea,

You running the stock rectifier in your CSP3?

Great move, Earth. You will be set. You’ve got serious stuff on hand, and incoming. Prepare for a portal to the journey to the center of your mind.

BTW, what genres of music do you listen to?

Brad

I listen to rock and jazz mostly piezoman. Metal as well but mostly at the gym and not at home. Really looking forward to some Cannonball and Nina. Im going to order Qobuz, on Steve’s recommendation and hopefully they have a large selection. How about yourself?

Great to hear armstdav. Thanks for sharing. It’s going to be my go to source for a bit. My CD player sucks and I’d rather invest in a phonograph and vinyl next. I was recommended the Cambridge unit. I would love to hear peoples imput and perhaps other suggestions.

Earth, I too love jazz….jazz fusion in particular. I find straight jazz to be too uninteresting, smooth jazz to be cheap cheesy and almost pathetic.

I really LOVE classical, most particularly the Baroque and Classical eras by far. Stunning, eternally fascinating, utterly gorgeous, dynamic, brilliantly devised. The earlier Romantic era somewhat. I find the later Romantic era a bit disturbing, which led right into the very worst ever: most everything in the 20th century absolutely revolting to the point of being physically vile (a big huge fat blank you goes to President Wilson, little Willy boy as I refer to him, and his severely depressive culture).

Also:
- Acoustic guitar, solo in particular.
- Blues
- Electric Blues-Rock (not the ridiculous and child-like hard rock-blues in many cases because the lyrics are terrible and the guitar too much like the vile and repulsive idiot man’s band AC-DC (notice I say blues rock vs. rock-blues).
- Female Jazz Vocals
- Progressive Rock, 70’s most particularly.
- Americana, the less twang the better.
- Hard Rock, though far much less than when I was in my teens, 20’s-early 40’s.

I’d say the listening breakdown over the past year or so  would be:
Classical - 75%
Jazz Fusion - 20%
Everything else - 5%

Classical and Jazz Fusion has slowly been increasing in my listening profile over the past few years, with all the rest slowly shrinking.

I hope I didn’t bore you to death. I’m usually not very wordy, and I like it that way.

Brad

Never boring to hear what people are listening to Brad. Funny that you mention cheesy jazz. I put on a little Chet Baker this morning, which is fine when I have company but was reminded why I haven’t listened to it in awhile. Not judging! I had to follow it up with Cannonball Adderley’s Them Dirty Blues to be reminded why I love jazz.
What sort of jazz fusion? I’m always looking for some new listening choices.

Quote:


Why did you change your post from “I was bored of jazz fusion since eighties”?

Quote:


Sure! A partial list:

CAB
Bill Bruford
Exil
Return To Forever
Modry Efekt
John Scofield
Brecker Brothers
Jukka Tolonen
Brand X
Niacin
Al DiMeola
Michel Urbaniek
Vertu
Speed Limit
Colosseum (I and II)
Dixie Dregs
Etna
Brother Ape

On reflection it more accurately reflected how I feel about the genre; it hasn't engaged me since my first decade listening to it. After the 'eighties I've moved further from rock and more towards jazz. I like world musics and classical as well.

Thanks Brad, didn't mean to cut into the middle of your conversation.

Is Motown it's own genre?

There is actually quite a bit of good rock in the 80’s and beyond but you have to search for it. My current favorite is Purple Mountain. Only one album. Give it a try.

Listened to a bit of it on YouTube. It's alright. Not really my cup of tea. We all like different things. Thanks for the rec.

We're all different. In general I get an immediate reaction to music that doesn't change. I'm either intrigued. . . or not involved. There was a gradual shift from my twenties into my thirties as far as major genre shifting--from liking rock and jazz and then fusion to not really feeling the rock and fusion any longer and getting deep deep into jazz with its 100 plus years of history and how it was woven into the 20th century history and culture--so much to learn both musically and information wise. (This shift was also catalyzed by playing out in clubs with two bands and becoming disillusioned by the scene and so many of the other musicians who were. . . not fun to be around, bullying egos and drunken behaviors are not my style; when I stopped performing music I needed a different sort of listening experience).  I'm still discovering and learning jazz music. And I have over 25,000 cds and records here in my home and another 10,000 or so in storage so I have so much to listen to ALREADY and need to begin serious downsizing (I've downsized about as much as I've increased the collections over the last few years, which is not making an impact; need to do better).

I'm closer to 70 than 60 and the themes of rock and the way that it is performed and recorded just doesn't "speak" to me as much as a piano trio or a small jazz ensemble or an orchestra or solo piano or a cello or string quartet or a Bossa nova group or. . . .I wish there were more time in the day to listen and hope I have another decade or so.

Music is such an amazing and vast thing. . . music listeners can understand differing tastes and fields of pursuit unless they're just "trying to be cool" (believe me, I've encountered those).