Show us Your Kit!

[Gaffer74]

Small update here.
Have just bought a MF X-Cans SET valve head amp (pristine condition for the princely sum of only £60 ). Here is a wide shot including my Sennheiser HD575 headphones (I'm not sure what the title of these are...?Symphony):

and here's a close up of the headamp:
.

As an aside, I didn't recieve anything with the amp ("sold as seen", no box or instructions). Does anyone know what valves it uses? I also assume the original purchae date would've been about 5 years ago? In which case, when would I need to go about replacing them roughly?

Thanx for any info.

 

[bottleneck]

- could be another five years, all depends on hours of useage.

dont worry, the sound will become so drastically poor you will know when a valve is about to pop.

 

[Gaffer74]

Thanx bottleneck.
Usage is actually low because my EL34 powering the Quads sounds better at low volume, than using the xcans powering sennheisers.
I think a headphone change may tame the treble somewhat...

 

[muffinman]

source:
michell gorb
arm OL silver 250
cart denon dl304
hr psu
dino+

tuner denon tu260lmk2

power:
WAD kit6550

speakers:
AE309 aesprit

support:
attacama equinox

 

[GAZZ]

Source
Arcam 7se as transport
Tag dac 20

Amp
Nad s300

Speakers
Pmc FB1+

 

[bottleneck]

Thanx bottleneck.
Usage is actually low because my EL34 powering the Quads sounds better at low volume, than using the xcans powering sennheisers.
I think a headphone change may tame the treble somewhat...

Im suprised you're having treble problems with Seinheissers.
To my ears, they have a more relaxed treble sound and are more bassy than Grado's for example. You maybe want to start a new thread on headphones?

 

[Anex]

Yes the only thing I've never had problems with on Seinheissers is treble, its always the bass I've had problems with, difficult damping factor perhaps.

 

[PBirkett]

Thanx bottleneck.
Usage is actually low because my EL34 powering the Quads sounds better at low volume, than using the xcans powering sennheisers.
I think a headphone change may tame the treble somewhat...

Thats because the X-Can is a bright amp.

 

[Philip King]

OK update and pictures

Source Wadia 20 Transport
DAC/Pre Wadia 25
Amp Bel Canto Evo 200.2
Speakers Roksan Ojan 3X
Cable loom and mains by Omiga Audio

 

[rsand]

Philip, love the Wadia kit if only I had the spare ££'s I used to have the original Ojan 3's (your look like the upgraded version) which were a fabulous speaker but too big at the time for my room, a very big sound surprising it wasn't more popular

Will have to post some pics of my current set-up although apparently I need to move my car off the drive first

 

[Philip King]

Luckily the Wadia stuff sounds ok as well as looking quite good ;-)

The Roksans have a different bass/mid driver then the basic model, it was a £400 upgrade, the driver is a Danish one and has a brass? diffuser cone to help imaging. The tweeter and crossover are the same. They were not a popular speaker, but they do present a big and bass rich sound. The sloping top and paddle style tweeter make it some what of a talking piece. You could buy a passive sub for the speaker that sat underneath it and raised it up by another foot or so, only ever saw one that the Roksan factory in west London but love to try one out.

 

[rsand]

Putting a sub with those is just oscene

 

[lordsummit]

Right because I can!

My kit with pictures.
Sources

Pro-ject Perspective TT with Shure V15 MXVR cart

Sansui TU-717 Tuner

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/lordsuumit/Sansui.jpg

Rotel RCD 991 CD player

Amplifier: Ming-Da MC-34A in gold, the only known one in the Western world!
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/lordsuumit/Ming-da.jpg

Graham Slee Gram amp 2

Then a whole load of cheap TV and AV stuff, because I hardly ever use it

 

[rsand]

Nice looking TT Richard shame the townshend went t1ts up

 

[Gaffer74]

Thats because the X-Can is a bright amp.

It's definitely a combo of both. The x-cans may improve with a re-valve. The Sennies have been very very very VERY bright/splashy since I bought them (I didn't notice the "optimised for classical/Jazz" on the front). Long before I bought the X-cans, I'd stopped using the Sennies 'cos I didn't want my ears to bleed .
I've tried quite a few Sennie's and find that either they get the sound spot on or they fall off the other end of the spectrum and install oversized treble units instead.....eg:
HD575 = ears bleeding
HD480 mkII = spot on
PX100 = spot on
HD570 = spot on re trble, but average midrange cf HD575
mx550 = there goes my circulating blood volume out of my eardrums again etc etc....

 

[chrissyman]

mine until very recently

voyd .5 reference/sme310/music maker mk2
concordant excelsior pre/upgraded.
2nd audio monoblocks/2a3 triode/15watt/with 2 border patrol psu
marantz cd67 ose
snell type j11 speakers
living voice interconects
hitachi speaker cable/excellent stuff.
living voice mains cables

 

[TubeMan]

Hi everyone

My kit comprises

Roksan Radius 5 Acrylic Turntable/Stanton 890SA

Sony CDP930XB CD Player going through an Arcam Delta Black Box 3 DAC

Icon Audio Stereo 40SE valve integrated amp with EL34s (fantastic!)

Arcam Alpha Tuner

KEF KMS 2002 sub sat speaker system

Monster speaker cables and Interlink 400 interconnects

 

[TOFFEEMAN1878]

 

[monotone]

Finally, all the gear are back together for a family pic!

Updated May 2005

Amp:
Marantz PS-17SA
Marantz SM-17 x 2 (power amps for centre & surround speakers)

Speakers:
B&W Matrix 803 Series 2 (Left Right)
B&W Matrix HTM (Centre)
B&W Matrix 805 (Surround Left Right)
REL Storm Subwoofer

Components:
Chord DAC 64
Project 6.1 Turntable with Sumiko Blue Point Special
Musical Fidelity XLPS Phono Stage
Marantz SA12-S1 SACD & DVD Player
Marantz SA17-S1 SACD & CD Player
Topfield TF5000PVRt 80G HDD
DGTec 2000A Digital Television Receiver

Television:
Marantz PD-5040D 50" High Definition Widecreen Plasma Display

Interconnects & Cables:
Audioquest Gibraltar Bi-Wire (Front L/R + Center)
Audioquest CV-4 Bi-Wire (Rear Channels)
Audioquest Jaguar (Amp+DAC)
Audioquest Viper (Amp + Power Amp + 6 CH input)
Audioquest Diamondback (Amp + Phono Stage + TT)
Audioquest Optical
QED Qunex P75 Coax (Amp + DVD)
Neotech S-Video/Component

Apple Airport Express (Airtunes)

 

[dunkyboy]

Monotone, system looks great but can I presume to make a suggestion, based on recent experience? Ditch the X-LPS. IMO you're letting down a most excellent deck and cart with the MF phono stage. Try the Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 - 125 quid and much better than the MF in pretty much every way (unless you really like a particularly recessed sound). Stick the MF on eBay and you'll probably get 100 quid for it so the Graham Slee will cost you peanuts!

Dunc