Reviewer's Bio

Matthew Clott
Music Lover And Gearhead

  I started my Audiophile path when I was 14 when my uncle introduced me to his Acoustic Research separates and a Linn LP12 turntable and B&W 802 speakers. He helped me pick out a Carver 900 receiver, Carver Sonic Hologram CD player and a pair of KEF C60 bookshelf speakers which I quickly upgraded to the C80 floorstanders. That was purchased from Harvey Electronics in Paramus, NJ. I read all the magazines and found every excuse to go to stores. In High School, I worked at a high end store in Pearl River for a few months and then for a job installing car stereos, which I did for the following six summers.

Between then and now, I went to Vassar College, Hahnemann Medical School and completed residencies and fellowships in General Surgery, Burn Surgery & Critical Care, and Plastic/Hand/Micro & Reconstructive Surgery. During my time in my Fellowship, I started a High End Audio and Custom Home Theater company. I spent six years in the industry selling gear and custom theaters, making friends and slowly watching Audiogon change the way enthusiasts auditioned and bought gear.

My practice became busy enough and I sold the store and re-entered the audiophile works as an enthusiast. I built a stereo system consisting of Talon Audio speakers, a VAC Renaissance Amp and preamp and a Metronome CD player. Eventually I transitioned to a Tenor Audio hybrid stereo amp. It was then that I had children and took an eight year hiatus from Audio. I sold everything and worked, and was a dad, and worked some more.

Around 13 years ago I got the bug again. I acquired a pair of Vienna Acoustics Der Muzik speakers and trusted my friend Guido Corona on a suggestion for a Rowland preamp and a pair of new Class D Merrill Veritas amps. Merrill and I became fast friend (especially since he, coincidentally, lived three miles from my home). It was then that I started to learn and look for the world's best red book DAC.

I started a thread on the Forums at Audiogon documenting my journey through dozens and dozens of DACs. I also posted a review of over 63 headphones on Head-Fi that I conducted on my own. Over the years my dedicated room was built and my system morphed into what it is now.

My DAC thread now has over 1.3 million views, and I started a YouTube channel to share my passion and all that I have learned. Merrill asked me to help him design the aesthetics of the outer enclosure for his new 116 and 118 amplifiers; which was an honor and super fun to be involved in. I have many friends in the industry and have come to enjoy my audio social gatherings as much as the actual listening and passion for the gear.

I enjoy classical, classic rock, jazz, blues, pop, movie soundtracks and showtunes. I also enjoy pretty much anything anyone introduces me to. I am not a huge fan of R&B nor Rap. I don't really do much analog. I love it, but haven't embraced it... yet.

I am a music lover. I am a gearhead. I am an 
Audiophile!

-- Matt Clott

Home Audio Systems

Home Room description:
15' 1" x 18' 5" x 9' 2"
Soffit 7'8" high and 5' deep

Burmester 911mk3 monoblocks and Burmester 077 preamp
Light Harmonic Davinci 2 DAC with
matching LH Lightspeed 20G USB
LauferTeknic Memory Player (loaded)
Dynaudio Consequence Ultimate speakers set up with a Master Set
Crystal Cable Absolute Dream XLR interconnect between DAC and preamp 
Crystal Cable Absolute Dream speaker wire between amps and speakers
Shunyata Anaconda S 8.5m XLR run between preamp and amps 
All Shunyata Sigma NR power cords except for the Enklein David running to the preamp
Shunyata D6000 for rack. Amps straight into wall
Adona SR4 and Nemesis rack components 
DAC sits on a Symposium Ultra platform and double Rollerblocks. 
Server sits on HRD Nimbus isolation
Amps use IsoAcoustics Gaia 2
Preamp sits on Shun Mook Giant Diamond Resonators 

Every single component, cable, treatment and accessory has been tested, compared, researched, repacked, improved upon, tested and auditioned (by myself and a panel of friends).

Room is custom built and custom designed by three acoustic engineers. Properly double Sheetrock staggered, glued and screwed with insulation in staggered studs. Electrical is all 10-gauge braided copper running to a dedicated Square D panel with 20 and 30 Ampere breakers; every run is identical length to avoid ground loop issues. Outlets are all Cooked Furutech GTX-D-NCF Rhodium; some with plates and covers. The sub panel has EP-2750 ground filters (x4) and an EP-2050 room surge/waveform correction module. 

Room features:
1902 Edison Cylinder Phonograph 
1918 Victor XX-IV-A Victrola Talking Phonograph Machine 
1923 RCA/Westinghouse Radiola III
Old tubes for decor 

Room is acoustically treated with a combination of GIK, Vicoustics, Auralex and Acoustic Wings.

Office system description:
Office System (12x16):

Musical Fidelity Trivista 300 Integrated 
Chord Hugo 2 DAC
Currently using my Desktop PC with Roon as a server source
Torus RM20BAL
Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOne

Wireworld Platinum Starlight USB
Analysis Plus Big Silver Oval 5' w/BSS pair
IsoAcousics Orea Bourdeaux isolation

Office has custom run 10ga braided copper running two 20 amp circuits bringing a balanced 40 amps to the RM20BAL which then gives 20 Amperes of balanced power with no restriction in current. I have a pair of Porzilli Linear Array Speakers on the way to hear. Not sure where I'm going to bring them, home or office.