Community Stories

For the Hi-Fi enthusiasts among us...

JwRosenthal
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
What model is your Victrola? I have a VV-IX made in 1917. It's a hoot to play and handy when the power goes out.
65D26360-EBA5-4FC4-B60E-F6490A8176FA.jpeg E5AD5021-80FD-46A3-A309-EFEE85E68BEF.jpeg 3EF58263-CC9E-4950-BA11-44781BF82504.jpeg


We had a hurricane blow through about 15 years ago that took out our power for almost a week. On the third day, I brought all my 78’s (not the 40’s jazz- don’t worry, the correct ones for steel needles) and piled them up on the dining room table next to the Victrola and started cranking away.
When my wife got home from work, I was sitting on the front porch smoking a cigarette and she asked if we were the only ones on the block that gotten our power back becuase the whole house was lit up (candles) and she could hear the music from the street.
 
Waltesefalcon
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
65D26360-EBA5-4FC4-B60E-F6490A8176FA.jpeg E5AD5021-80FD-46A3-A309-EFEE85E68BEF.jpeg 3EF58263-CC9E-4950-BA11-44781BF82504.jpeg


We had a hurricane blow through about 15 years ago that took out our power for almost a week. On the third day, I brought all my 78’s (not the 40’s jazz- don’t worry, the correct ones for steel needles) and piled them up on the dining room table next to the Victrola and started cranking away.
When my wife got home from work, I was sitting on the front porch smoking a cigarette and she asked if we were the only ones on the block that gotten our power back becuase the whole house was lit up (candles) and she could hear the music from the street.

I live in a town that tends to lose power for about a week each winter when storms blow through and between kerosene lamps, a fire place, a gas stove, and the Victrola, I hardly even notice. Currently my Victrola is down, it broke a spring awhile back and I had to do a bit of a search to find new ones until I ran across them on Ebay of all places.
 
JwRosenthal
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
I live in a town that tends to lose power for about a week each winter when storms blow through and between kerosene lamps, a fire place, a gas stove, and the Victrola, I hardly even notice. Currently my Victrola is down, it broke a spring awhile back and I had to do a bit of a search to find new ones until I ran across them on Ebay of all places.
I also have a few of the portable models- those are great fun for sitting in the patio- but after 1/2 dozen records- you just want to enjoy your cocktail and not work for it.
 
Engee
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So this is my system after a few upgrades.

Linn LP12 (1981/2 vintage)
Musical Fidelity AC3 CD player
Croft Vitale pre-amp
Trio (Kenwood to those of you outside the U.K.) L-05 monoblocks
B&W wall speakers

Plus a couple of new accessories - origin live platter mat and and an MS-1080P power supply block.



Music is sounding very sweet today.
 
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Larry S
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Engee Engee
So this is my system after a few upgrades.

Linn LP12 (1981/2 vintage)
Musical Fidelity AC3 CD player
Croft Vitale pre-amp
Trio (Kenwood to those of you outside the U.K.) L-05 monoblocks
B&W wall speakers

Plus a couple of new accessories - origin live platter mat and and an MS-1080P power supply block.



Music is sounding very sweet today.
Looks great but that turntable’s perch looks rather precarious to my eye.
 
Wryfox
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I feel very old today. I was reading y'alls posts above and thinking 'hey I'll post my 'Modern' unit to share(it's from 1993), and as I am focusing on it with my camera I really took notice of all the input knobs:
CD
Laser
Phono
Tape
VCR

Holy Cow! All obsolete!
(phono coming back,...sorta)

Even AM radio is hard to find around here. Only thing left is the 'TV/Au' input.

Good Grief!

At the time I got this I thought it was sexy cool.👎

Runs like a champ though, all day every day in my office.

20220121_090227.jpg
 
Larry S
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Wryfox Wryfox
I feel very old today. I was reading y'alls posts above and thinking 'hey I'll post my 'Modern' unit to share(it's from 1993), and as I am focusing on it with my camera I really took notice of all the input knobs:
CD
Laser
Phono
Tape
VCR

Holy Cow! All obsolete!
(phono coming back,...sorta)

Even AM radio is hard to find around here. Only thing left is the 'TV/Au' input.

Good Grief!

At the time I got this I thought it was sexy cool.👎

Runs like a champ though, all day every day in my office.

20220121_090227.jpg
Ah yes, sexy/cool has given way to “ some old boomer”. I’d push back on CD as obsolete having just added a mid range deck to compliment my Yamaha carousel. Still a vintage Mc…Get all that crap off the top of it though. That’s keeping heat in.
 
Engee
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Larry S Larry S
Looks great but that turntable’s perch looks rather precarious to my eye.
Yes, I'm not too happy with it but it's pretty secure. All the feet are half on and half off. It's a part of an Ikea box shelf unit that was recommended to me as a good stage for glass hifi stands. Nice thick piece of chipboard under veneer. It makes a difference,I only wish it was an inch or two wider.
 
JwRosenthal
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Engee Engee
Yes, I'm not too happy with it but it's pretty secure. All the feet are half on and half off. It's a part of an Ikea box shelf unit that was recommended to me as a good stage for glass hifi stands. Nice thick piece of chipboard under veneer. It makes a difference,I only wish it was an inch or two wider.
Have you tried a wood cutting board?
 
JwRosenthal
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This guy came home with me yesterday.
2F2B7131-EC75-49C1-88B2-C952C1B604F5.jpeg


I need another tube amp like a hole in the head but It was $100. It’s out on one channel and Had been hacked on, but should be a nice amp when it’s sorted out.
 
JwRosenthal
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Engee Engee
Do you mean a food chopping board?
Yes. Solid maple. I have used them for speaker stands on carpet (with spikes under them) and as turntable bases using sorbothane pucks underneath.

And they come in a variety of sizes. The one I used for my Linn for a while was about 14x17
 
SkunkPrince
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
Yes. Solid maple. I have used them for speaker stands on carpet (with spikes under them) and as turntable bases using sorbothane pucks underneath.

And they come in a variety of sizes. The one I used for my Linn for a while was about 14x17
If you're going to get a piece of hardwood for this purpose, I suggest hickory, if you can find it. As hardwoods go, it is pretty dense and doesn't transmit vibration all that easily. This property as well as being very strong is why hickory is used for axe handles.

And, if I were you, I would get some Sorbothane feet to put between board and glass. That stuff sucks vibration like a black hole sucks light (and everything else). Audioquest also made (still makes?) a Sorbothane mat for the turntable platter. Also a good choice.
 
BlackTalon
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Wryfox Wryfox
I feel very old today. I was reading y'alls posts above and thinking 'hey I'll post my 'Modern' unit to share(it's from 1993), and as I am focusing on it with my camera I really took notice of all the input knobs:
CD
Laser
Phono
Tape
VCR

Holy Cow! All obsolete!
(phono coming back,...sorta)

Even AM radio is hard to find around here. Only thing left is the 'TV/Au' input.

Good Grief!

At the time I got this I thought it was sexy cool.👎

Runs like a champ though, all day every day in my office.
I see you eschew mpingo discs for desktop computers and cordless phones. Shouldn't you have a trio of devices on top of the receiver? Did you at least experiment with rotating the computer and phone base to find the orientation that gives the clearest sound??? 😁
 
bombaywalla
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444
Tony C. Tony C.
"It’s basically my Dad’s fault" lol!

I'd venture to guess that I am a wee bit older than you, as my interest in audio began in the 1970s. I grew up in Evanston, IL, just north of Chicago, and was lucky enough to have access to a really good, and then rather uncommon Hi-Fi store called Audio Consultants. I loved to hang around and listen to the components, even though it would be a few years before I could afford anything remotely high-end. I learned plenty from the salesmen during that time, and a passion was born.

Some of the notable early components that I once owned were an Apt-Holman pre-amp, Dalquist DQ10 speakers, an early Bryston 4B amp, Magnepan Tympani speakers, Nakamichi 600 cassette deck, Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000 (vertical tracking) turntable, and the list goes on.

In recent years I developed a fit for purpose system that suited my smaller space in Lisbon, including a vintage, re-capped Accuphase E-303x integrated amp, matching T-103 tuner, Electrocompaniet EMC-1IP CD player, and Harbeth P3ESR speakers.

StSys2.jpg
I went to Northwestern so I know exactly where Evanston is...!!! 👍👍
 
bombaywalla
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444
i've been an equally long hi-end audio enthusiast as I have been a WIS. I also really like spinning vinyl....
This is a not-so-well-know Bellavista Signature TT from Goldnote out of Florence, Italy with a Basis Vector 3 tonearm & a Benz micro LP low output (0.4mV) MC cartridge. Very good sonics indeed. it's on a suspended platform so that footfalls wont affect the stylus when playing a LP....
 
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GadgetGuy88
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bombaywalla bombaywalla
I went to Northwestern so I know exactly where Evanston is...!!! 👍👍
I used to shop at Pacific Stereo there, where a friend of mine used to work. Got a Kenwood amp and a Technics SL-5 there, and maybe a BIC T-1. Or did I get the BIC at Playback? Ahhh the good 'ole days.
 
bombaywalla
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444
GadgetGuy88 Jakemeister1000
I used to shop at Pacific Stereo there, where a friend of mine used to work. Got a Kenwood amp and a Technics SL-5 there, and maybe a BIC T-1. Or did I get the BIC at Playback? Ahhh the good 'ole days.
Like Tony-C i have hung out at Audio Consultants in downtown Evanston many times oggling at the gear there. Also listened there several times...
 
bombaywalla
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like the OP fell for planar speakers -- this time Apogee Scintilla 1-ohm version. A brute of a speaker -- an amp killer!! needed an amp with 1000W/ch into 1 ohm to drive this beast. But did it sound good or what...............
 
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Larry S
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bombaywalla bombaywalla
Like Tony-C i have hung out at Audio Consultants in downtown Evanston many times oggling at the gear there. Also listened there several times...
AC brought me back into the fold. I miss them. My turntable and CM10 speakers came from there. Very happy that ABT has stepped up. My other B&W, Rotel gear and CD players came from them. Crutchfield in a pinch. There is however no replacement for their (Audio Consultants) listening rooms or their great trade up program. I also mourn the loss of Needle Doctor, another retirement.
 
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