Tier M · Intimate (listening philosophy, open architecture)

Costs appear only as signed percentages against each tier’s (unpublished) baseline; absolute prices are not shown.

Forward (source-first)

SlotComponent
CartridgeEtsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue MC
Step-up transformerAudio Note AN-S3
TonearmAudio Origami PU7 GTS Titanium 9"
TurntableAVID Volvere SP (no arm)
Phono stageEAR Yoshino PhonoBox MM/MC
Integrated amplifierAudiolab 6000A MkII
LoudspeakersWharfedale Diamond 12.1
Chain cost vs tier baseline+0.8%
69.9
node quality
1.72
edge synergy (raw 1.72, 5 edges)
0.00
drive delta (n/a-integrated)
integrated
architecture

Feasible; no blockers.

Architecture competition

ArchitectureQualitySynergyCost vs baselineFeasibleWon
integrated69.91.72+0.8%yes
power68.91.87−0.3%yes
mono68.22.13+0.6%yes

Costs appear only as signed percentages against each tier’s (unpublished) baseline; absolute prices are not shown.

Aft (speaker-first)

SlotComponent
LoudspeakersFalcon LS3/5a Gold Badge
Power amplifierEAR Yoshino 890
PreamplifierEAR Yoshino 868PL (Line + Phono)
Phono stageRega Aria Mk3 MM/MC
CartridgeSumiko Songbird Low MC
TonearmProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO)
TurntablePro-Ject Debut Pro (with cart)
Chain cost vs tier baseline0.0%
69.0
node quality
7.02
edge synergy (raw 7.02, 6 edges)
0.00
drive delta (drive 18.23x)
power
architecture

Feasible; no blockers.

Architecture competition

ArchitectureQualitySynergyCost vs baselineFeasibleWon
integrated68.83.89−2.2%yes
power69.07.020.0%yes
mono68.34.86+0.7%yes