Big Shiny Knobs

[greg]

As far as I can see a video iPod is one of the most cost effective portable storage devices on the market and I cant see why it wont be allowed as a business expense and reclaimable against VAT. The fact it has other features doesnt detract from its functional purpose

 

[TonyL]

I agree with the comments saying that vintage valve amplifiers often hid the valves away behind closed doors, and that having them on display does indeed make people worry who have kids (uneccessarily so IMHO, kids don't touch red hot things like radiators, coal fires etc - they're not daft!).

Mine came with a hat:

I've never used it.

Capital Allowance deduction allows, from memory, 40% in the 1st year, and then 20% per year for the following 2 years.

Surely that is 20% for the following 3 years. I thought you depreciated kit to zero over time but then had to declare any resale value if you later sold it. The only stuff I'm currently doing this with is my IT equipment (iBook, router, backup Mac Mini, backup firewire drive etc).

Tony.

 

[bottleneck]

Tony, I know that it depends on the value with IT equipment.

I have forgotten the amount, but for smaller value purchases such as a hard drive you don't need to claim it as deppreciating capital, just claim it like any other company expense.

I believe with I.T. equipment, that 'point' where you DO have to claim it as deppreciating capital is £250 or over. Your accountant can probably tell you.

When I recently bought a computer (just the tower case, no monitor/keyboard, O/software or Mouse - it came to less than £250 so I did not have to claim it as a deppreciating asset.

Obviously I was loathe to deliberately claim it as a dep. asset anyway, as it is less tax advantageous.

 

[indolent]

Tony, I know that it depends on the value with IT equipment.

Not sure for this tax year cos i havent done mine yet but last few years computer equipment is 100% first year written down allowance. Ie for tax you can write off the cost in 1 year.

Depends on your tax position as to whether this is beneficial - did you still make a profit this year with the full 100%

but its normal depreciation for other items such as phono cartridges etc.

 

[greg]

Surely that is 20% for the following 3 years. I thought you depreciated kit to zero over time but then had to declare any resale value if you later sold it. The only stuff I'm currently doing this with is my IT equipment (iBook, router, backup Mac Mini, backup firewire drive etc).

Tony.

It all depends whether you classify a cartridge as renewals and maintenance which is quite ok to do so (thus appearing as a pure expense and not as an asset), or if you wish a cartridge to be considered as an asset. Most of the IT equipment we buy we classify as R&M.

 

[Knotty]

The Revenue would want some element of personal use restriction of the capital allownaces as this is not purely for business purposes. They can not however say that you could do the same job with a cheaper item and disallow it altogether.

Would have to take the expenses you were incurring in context of the profits you were declaring aswell.

 

[bottleneck]

Ultrasonic, why not look at the belcanto in the classifieds?

Its well cheap if you want a digital amp.

 

[Bradders]

I would advise a 62/140.

Oh look! There's a nice example of this classic amp in the private ads section!

 

[Ultrasonic]

What a friendly bunch aye? No matter, i can take criticism as long as its constructive...in which case alot of these comments aren't.I wasn't looking for wow look at that amp replies-replies i did get were too strongly opinionated and should have a few IMO on the end at least...its replies like these that drive members away. I find there is a poor balance on this forum, far too high brow-on the forum i regular on-yes there are anti MF and anti naim-cable threads etc but debates have the element of humour to it which makes them worth taking part in and everyone has fun at the end of the day...

I rather like the looks of it, viewd from the listening position it doesn't look quite as bling in the pic. Agree that the latest range of MF looks ugly as sin and the OTT marketing plus constant release of new products is ridiculous.

The amp is now sounding fabulous-I found out its was a showroom unit at the MF HQ and never used. It is now running in nicely and easily the best amp i have ever heard. With 350wpc it doesn't even hint at straining-something that valve amps do when music gets demanding. Being a high powered amp, one might think that the subtle shadings and details of the music would be drowned out but this amp can deliver the most delicate of naunces with stunning resolution.

It easily matches the textured mids and musical delivery that my friends 300b valve amp offers with the added bonus of better bass grip and the ability to drive demanding speakers. Thwack is very impressive and with some music-menacing.

It is sounding better each day and i have no plans on changing it for a long time. Old MF gear is much better than the new-just take a look at the insides of the new A3.5 series, utterly disgraceful-the old A3 is far more substantial and packed ith quality parts-where as the a3.5 stuff is practically empty.

I recently bought the original X-ray as a stop gap player while i search for a high end bargain and it sounds the dogs danglies, put your prejudices aside and this is one of the best cdp's MF have ever made-back in the day when they still gave a damm


Ultra

 

[bottleneck]

Ultrasonic, don't take all this too seriously! If you turn out to like the amp ignore us lot and enjoy the music!

This was good advice, even if I wrote it myself lol

Glad the amp is working out mate, as long as it helps you enjoy the music, that is the most important thing.

 

[Joe]

What a friendly bunch aye? No matter, i can take criticism as long as its constructive...in which case alot of these comments aren't.I wasn't looking for wow look at that amp replies-replies i did get were too strongly opinionated and should have a few IMO on the end at least...its replies like these that drive members away. I find there is a poor balance on this forum, far too high brow-on the forum i regular on-yes there are anti MF and anti naim-cable threads etc but debates have the element of humour to it which makes them worth taking part in and everyone has fun at the end of the day...

Well ... IMO (!) you led with your chin to an extent by saying (I paraphrase here) 'I like the way it plays audiophile discs but it makes a lot of stuff sound crap'. To my mind that's exactly the opposite of a desired result, because it ends up narrowing one's music tastes and leaving great wodges of unplayed stuff on the shelf. If it now 'works' for you, that's great. And FWIW I have no problems with the apperance of the MF stuff.

 

[Bradders]

Ultrasonic,

I had an MF amp for a couple of years, it was great at most things & I learned to live with everyone slating it all the time.

The trick is to not give a monkey's what anyone else says, as even if they've heard your amp, they haven't heard your system in your room.

MF stuff has a very bad reputation as its early stuff was built badly & blew up, then they changed tack & started building tanks that couldn't really compete (on sound quality alone) with their nearest priced competitors (too much budget in the build & looks dpeartment). If you got a good deal on this amp (sounds like you did) then I'm sure you are laughing.

Cheers,


Bradders.

 

[anon_bb]

If I was you I would change the speakers if some recordings sound good and others very bad. Can you be more specific?

 

[ditton]

Well the new amp finally got here yesterday

<lots of photos>

Shocker is, im not sure if its staying...its abit too honest for my liking and there is no colouration to the sound at all! With audiophile discs it sound absolutely stunning
With less than perfect cd's though, it sounds awful...
The bass is awesome though, no overhang at all and endless reserves of power :JPS:

What do i do??

Cheers
Ultra

as just noted, you did express a view that indicated some reservations. others have views of MF stuff too, and shared that.

If you were happy with the sounds, on a wide variety of recordings, as well as the 'knobs', then those views might have been less forthcoming as we know that we do not all like the same things.

so, am glad that you are now happy ..

 

[Knotty]

I used to own an X-Ray CD player and found it very enjoyable when partnered with similar grade products, just found it got very bright and edgy when you stepped up a league with the partnering products.

Now run Audio Aero Prima CD and that is much more up to the task of fighting above its weight with the rest of the system, mainly listen to vinyl so didn't want to spend alot more.

Try another player and it may make a lot more of your "non audiophile" discs more acceptable

Just my experience of the player FWIW.