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What do you listen to your music on?

  1. paulw Oct 30, 2018

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    Well I don't do the digital download thing, I like physical media. Also I have several thousand LP's and probably the same number of CD's (even still have a cassette player on the go) so the musical journey starts off with a turntable which currently is fitted with three arms, two kitted out with moving coil cartridges going into a Bottlehead Kit phonostage via a multi-input step-up transformer, the other feeds my Quad 44's moving magnet input, although the cartridge is a Decca London Export Grey, though it has been rebuilt with a Super gold tip. So I run two system, one all valve or tube (as they say in the US) and the other solid state or transistor, the valve amps are newer than the solid state amps and have all been sourced from Bottlehead a US based kit amp supplier. The solid state amps date back to the 70's and are all from the golden age of Quad - though my 405 power amp was actually totally rebuilt by them in 2014 so really only retains the case and mains transformer from the 70's this is fed by the afore mentioned Quad 44 pre-amplifier and FM3 tuner.
    A few photographs, the turntable has had many iterations over the years and has been fitted with up to four 'arms' including one which used mercury baths in place of cables to reduce friction at the bearing!
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    I haven't mentioned speakers, but that's for another day, but the above power amps only pump out 3½ watts so they are perhaps not what you would consider mainstream! More photos and discussion to follow :)
     
    Edited Oct 30, 2018
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  2. BlackTalon This Space for Rent Oct 30, 2018

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    35-year old B&O turntable, going thorough a new $200 phono preamp. New OPPO disc player for the CDs (AudioNote player died earlier this year). Handmade tube preamp from a builder in Canada this past year (replaced my 30-year-old Audible Illusions 2B). 25+-year-old Bryston amp rebuilt to 4BST2 level last year. 22-year-old Von Scheiwkert speakers. 25+-year-old Soundstream tuner.
     
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  3. paulw Oct 30, 2018

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    Certainly some quality kit there, "...25+-year-old Bryston amp rebuilt to 4BST2 level last year..." do you get their current 20 year warranty on that? How about some details on that tube preamp?
    Paul
     
  4. BlackTalon This Space for Rent Oct 30, 2018

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    Bryston amp rebuild came with a 5 year warranty if I remember correctly; they basically fixed an issue with the amp and then made the upgrades.

    Preamp is a Don Sachs Model 2 line stage preamp with 6sn7 tubes. It has some wiring, capacitor and tube 'upgrades'. Don was great to deal with, and makes a very nice preamp.
     
  5. M'Bob Oct 30, 2018

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    Crack.
     
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  6. nonuffinkbloke #1 Nigel Mansell Fan Oct 30, 2018

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    I listen to my music on these... but first I have to make it using these bits of "physical media".
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  7. oddboy Zero to Grail+2998 In Six Months Oct 30, 2018

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  8. Vercingetorix Spam Risk Oct 30, 2018

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  9. verithingeoff Oct 31, 2018

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    My iMac[​IMG]
     
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  10. jaguar11 Oct 31, 2018

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    A 1972 Phillips record player. Works just as well now as it did back then....
     
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  11. bonerp Oct 31, 2018

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    Sennheiser pxc550 headphones and pamu scroll wireless earphones off my note 9. The technics and vinyl isn't very mobile.
    At home, technic 1210's (originals!) with Sony amp for when I want to flip some vinyl (remains of being a DJ).
    Various Sonos wireless speakers and sub
     
    Edited Oct 31, 2018
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  12. Aussie Jim Oct 31, 2018

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    Damn! You have set the bar high and esoteric!

    A touch more mainstream:
    Analog: = Rega RP 8 with Rega Ania Cartridge feeding a Rega IOS phono amp into Primaluna Dialogue Premium.
    Digital: = NAS with FLAC and WAV files via Wyred for Sound Modified Sonos Connect into Mytek Brooklyn DAC and then Primaluna amp, or Oppo 203 via DAC
    Headphones: Focal Clear
    Speakers: Focal Be 1008

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  13. voere pawn brokers are all about $$$ Oct 31, 2018

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    Nice audio gear posted.
    Most of the time I listen to net radio or cd’s. The receivers 7 channel is from yamaha and carver tuner with def tech speakers. If I want to spin some vinyl the turntable is a nakamichi dragon ct with audio technica at33ml cartridge Klipsch belle speakers powered by nakamichi amps. Works for me.
     
    Edited Oct 31, 2018
  14. bonerp Oct 31, 2018

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    3 or 4 arms???!? Why
     
  15. Larry S Color Commentator for the Hyperbole. Oct 31, 2018

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    I too believe in Physical Media: Those CD files are mostly thin PVC Sleeves, no jewel boxes. Very dense.
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    Edited Oct 31, 2018
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  16. Larry S Color Commentator for the Hyperbole. Oct 31, 2018

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    Rotel 1562 Surround Receiver plus Yamaha CD Changer and Sony Cassette deck. 56AFFFCC-C036-4023-B754-240C406A8781.jpeg

    Project X Pression 3 with Ortophon bronze, Cambridge pre amp and Project Speed box.
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    B&W CM 5 / CM center / Old but still great sounding Cambridge SoundWorks 1000w sub and rear surround. 4E6218CC-4C57-47C6-82CC-42A05AA55D8D.jpeg 4B1A2617-DDE7-4400-92F7-4C70B2B00E7F.jpeg 872D49CF-E17F-4510-8489-66B050807673.jpeg 86156015-36F8-407F-81D3-C2E2B03FA407.jpeg
    Zone 2 Rotel 1582 MK 2 amp and B&W CM10
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    And I own three IPod Classics
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    Edited Oct 31, 2018
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  17. Wivac Terribly special Oct 31, 2018

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    Current 'system' and constant travel companion.
     
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  18. Larry S Color Commentator for the Hyperbole. Oct 31, 2018

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    How do you like those? I’m thinking about getting a pair once I hook a preamp to my Reciever. Did you audition before you bought them?
     
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  19. paulw Oct 31, 2018

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    Each is fitted with a cartridge designed to provide a differing musical presentation. At the back is a Roksan NIMA fitted with a Decca London Export from the 70's (utilising a design probably from the late 50's) it has a very fast and edge of the seat presentation which is unlike anything other cartridges can provide. Trouble is the way the cartridge works it only clears the record surface by a millimetre, so like nice flat records it is also dreadful at letting you know if your record is worn - some of my records are 50 years old and started out being played on portables that never had their 'needles' changed. So a second arm (the Jelco 12 inch at the front) is fitted with an Ortofon SPU, these give a meaty musical midband and allow to concentrate on this and ignore those less than pristine pressings. Lastly to the left in the 'normal' position we have an SME M2-12, this is fitted with a Godring Excel GS from the early 90's, this is to my mind an exceptional cartridge and get so much detail out of the groove, but again this is essentially its strength and weakness, one of my favourite records on either of the other two set-up I find unlistenable on this as you can clearly hear where the guitar solo for instance is actually created from several tracks! All three of these cartridges require being sent away for a rebuild when the tip becomes worn - no slide on stylus's here. I have a list of perhaps another 10 obscure tonearms I'd like to try should I ever find them at a reasonable price, the last one I ticked of the list was the Keith Monks M9BA Laboratory arm, which used mercury baths at the main pivot, to replace the cables. Picture of the NOS arm I found and me filling the mercury reservoirs:
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    Paul
     
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  20. w154 Oct 31, 2018

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    Very mainstream here. Bought straight after university when I got my first real job and still good enough for my requirements.

    Marantz CS63 MkII KI signature CD player
    Audiolab 8000T tuner which I bought used
    Cyrus 3 integrated amp
    Mission 751 speakers
     
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