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 phonos
tage 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!
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
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