Show us Your Kit!

They glow beautifully Steve. Can you make my KT88s do that? .

 

My Kit

Hi Terry,

I'm not used to forums at all and so only God knows why I picked a name that is too long and confusing for anyone to remember. I'll try later to fix that.

Anyway, I'm really interested in seventies Kef speakers. Among various items I've got in my Kit a pair of Concertos, A pair of Corellis, a pair of C55s and a pair of Ref 107/2. Some of them I inherritrd and some of them were purchased in due time (the 55s in 93/4 and the references 107/2, secondhand, in 1998). My other Kit consists of a much too big list to enter here and has been accumulated in time. I bought my first system in 1976 and never stoped buying separates and upgrading the existing kit untill today (I've been listening to a ASR exclusiv phono preamp at home for the last two weeks and never thought that such a fantastic phonostage could ever be developed. It absolutely fulfilled my dreams). It's far, far better than my ayre P5xe and far far better than an Icon Audio PS1 i've been testing last month)

I never sold a single one of my items (though I've given some to my children, brothers and friends). Thanks God I can still store my kit away from sight.

I'm a Kef/SME/Dynavector/Koetsu/ASR addict but I've also been a NAD/Technics/AT/Cambridge Audio/Marantz addict in the past.

Hope I'm not too boring

 

Howdy from the Foothills of the Rockies

Thank you for allowing me to visit this Forum. Here is my system which has taken over the Family Room and my time.

Sources:
Cambridge Audio Azur 640C CD-player
Technics SL1200 MkII turntable (stock except for KAB tonearm damping). I will soon be changing the cartridge from a Nagaoka MP-110 to a Dynavector 10X5.

Pre-amp:
Parasound 2100
Amp:
Parasound 2250
These were initially chosen because they integrate very well with my AV system and "by-pass" that signal to the amp and speakers while still allowing excellent independent stereo listening. They have turned out to be wonderful stereo components with superb performance - plus a very good phono stage - at a budget price.

Interconnects:
Kimber Kable Timbre and Nordost Dreamcaster.

Speakers:
Mission 762 on locally-made sturdy speaker stands.
Paradigm DSP-3100 sub-woofer sitting on Herbie's spikes.

Speaker Cables:
XLO Electric Ultra 6.
Blue Jeans Cable to subwoofer.

These sit on a Cambre Timbre audio stand. For vibration control I'm using a few vibrapods/cones plus some 2" graphite rods with ceramic balls that I made myself using the Boston Audio design as a guide. Graphite by its nature dissipates vibration.

The room seems to have good acoustics (furniture, carpet, etc.) but I will be adding some absorption (2' x 4' rockwool panels) where I've been told I could have some unwanted reflections.

 

The Fortress of Solitude

My gear. These photos are out of date by 1 pair of full range speakers, 5 amps, 4 pre-amps, 2 tuners and 1 turntable.

 

Time for an update as I've now just about finished the Great Big Amplifier Building Project.

Sources:
Pioneer PD-S703 (much modded inc Tentlabs XO clock)/custom Monarchy M22C dac (no volume control, 'piggyback' dac chips)
Thorens TD160/Origin Live DC motor/Rega RB250/OL Counter-weight/Goldring 1022/Cambridge Audio 640p

Pre/TVC:
Bent Audio NOH (mk. 3)

Active X-over:
Linkwitz Labs ASP

Power amps:
2 x 5-channel DIY Chipamps (LM3886/4780 based)

Speakers:
DIY Linkwitz Orion

Cables: various DIY

I'll post some pics shortly when I've put some proper cases on the amps. (My daughter recently said they look like "something from Robot Wars")

Next thing I'm planning to do is add a USB input to the dac and start ripping cd's to the PC (assuming it sounds good enough).

 

As at Sept 2009

Since Tenson was over recently with his flash new camera here are some of his shots of my system:

Rega P9/Tecnoweight/AT33PTG
Quad 34
Quad 306
Quad FM4
Quad ESL
Audiosmile DEQ24/96 (DAC/ADC - music streamed from Macbook Pro)
Audiosmile diffusors and bass traps.
Revox B77
79 strand speaker cable and Klotz patch cables.

 

Great looking system Rob, I love the design of the retro Quad kit...

 

Hi Rob - stunning set...how did you do the covering on the ESLs?

 

Cheers folks.

The ESL covering was done by One Thing Audio during the rebuild.

 

Sweet.

I used to run a 34/FM4/306/ESL system myself.

Sold the electronics to the newly-hired CEO of our start-up
when I needed cash for a DIY project.
Still miss them...

 

Hello all!

My system is mostly DIY/kit built:

Amp: World Audio 300B PP clone



Speakers: IPL S5TL golds

Sources: DIY implementation of a Philips CDPro2 mech using ally and wine bottle stoppers!



Squeezebox Receiver rudely stripped bare and implanted in DIY TDA1541A DAC! (With more wine bottle stoppers)



Linux music server with currently 27,411 tracks!

Cheers,
Tony

 

very cool ! love the diy parts

 

Tony - how do you get your amp to float like that?

On the plus side, no need for expensive vibration-damping or isolation boards

 

i think he uses the force !

 

:force:

Special anti-gravity output transformers, made from the finest neuphromahermagen. :MILD:

Thanks for the comments. Yeah, it took some effort making a case for the CDpro mechanism that wouldn't look too DIY. I _hope_ I succeeded!

Cheers,
Tony

 

Rob - the rig's looking fabulous

And I still covet your turntable - IMO it's probably the most beautiful record player around these days, and a refreshing change from the behemoths of bling which seem to populate the market these days.

 

Cheers Richard.

It just all 'works' and on anything thrown at it.

You aren't far from me - pop in for a listen and a natter

regards,

 

nice...

mine's a simple setup with just an amp, cdp and speakers...got a sub - but don't need it with my new speaks...









more here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/weardaleone/sets/72157594510990401/

 

In preparation for me moving into somewhat space-limited accommodation, my music centre has gone on a (rather drastic) diet - still, it doesn't sound too shabby through the little Royd Merlins.



The Nait 2 arrived today and I can't believe my luck - it's absolutely spotless (the seller under-described it if anything) with not a single blemish nor scratch on it.

 

Very cute system Richard.

Does the Nait have the phono stage - I can't imagine you being without the vinyl for long!