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System Pics 2020

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The Study tape system - the R2R machines I can carry upstairs i.e. that only weigh 60-80 lbs

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These are used for my archiving and duplicating of old family tapes and 15 IPS production masters, which come my way.
 
Faux said:
Thank you.
That depends what you mean by grunt. I don’t play music at high volume (family and neighbours) so it works really well at reasonable levels, after that it just looses control a little. I never need any more than they give so it’s not really an issue. I used to have my NaimUniti as my main amp and the Nait works better IMO.
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that maked senss. Im a bit 'I like it loud' and dont have neighbours. enjoy the music . m
 
awl said:
How does the new Metheny album sound on vinyl Theo?.. about to add it to my shopping basket!

I love the looks of the Technics R2R btw.
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Thank you :)

It’s ok - not the quietest vinyl but it’s fine.
 
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It's been a long time since I posted to one of these threads. Main system following a re-org yesterday:

49846947271_0ec7e31ae5_c.jpg

"Nice Rack". Nikon D4s + Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8 AF, 1/50 sec @ f4, ISO800. Image hosted on Flickr, all rights reserved.

May 2020 lineup: NDX+XPS (vice-Captain), 252+SC2, 250-2, NAT-02, Dingo.
Not pictured: LP12 (Captain) & SBLs.

For the past nine months I've been running a streaming proof of concept with an Naim ND5XS and ripped CDs and some HD on a NAS. I committed fully, ripping discs and boxing them up for storage. After a month, I hijacked the XPS from my CDS3; partly to improve the ND5XS, and partly to give streaming a 'proper try'. I swiped the HiLine from the CDS3 as well, streaming was showing promise, though it was still a long way from a CDS3. Today I've ~100 CDs to go (~1300 now banished from the lounge and in storage), and I've decided I can live with the compromise that is an NDX+XPS, until I can get something that bests a CDS3. So I've deep-cleaned the oil rig, restored NAT-02 and Lingo to their rightful places, and the NDX has taken the CDS3 place atop the stack (beneath the LP12).

It occurs to me I've had the Mana gear for about twenty years (November 2000 delivery?), and the bulk of the Naim electronics since upgrading from Olive CDS2/XPS+82/SC+250 in '03.
 
very kind, @Cereal Killer - the electronics are well overdue for servicing/DR upgrades (they're all as-purchased new), and I may send the Lingo to Darran for a refresh when the world settles down again post-COV-19. I have a full sevice kit for the LP12 waiting to go in, it could use a fettle. The NAT-02 went back to Salisbury in [correction] 2011 for a full fettle and line-up. It's going to be difficult to give up the CDS3.
 
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Some recent changes to my system include the addition of a separate pre-amp (well processor) and going back to a PureSound P10 phono.

I was using the pre in the Audiolab CDQ for years, but always wondered if I could do better. I had heard good things about the Bryston BP-25 pre and alike, but they were a bit out of reach. However, I discovered that the processors of the time had the same 2 channel circuity that bypasses all the HT gumpf, plus you get a free DAC and the most over engineered remote ever!

Switching it on from cold it sounded exactly the same as the Audiolab, which was dissapointing. However, over the course of the day, a much more full bodied and layered sound came about leaving the Audiolab sounding thin and 2 dimensional. Never before had I heard a component improve after warming up (apparently it hadn't been turned on in about 3 months). Anyway, brilliant, you don't need to twist up the wick now to try and achieve a fuller sound which you were never really getting with the Audiolab anyway. When you do though, bloody hell, fab. Amazing what you can live with for literally years and then as soon as you hear something better you can't go back. Always thought it was the weak spot.

Then, after deciding I was probably never gonna go back to expensive MC carts again, I thought I may as well move on my Trichord and try and all MM stage. I had a P10 when they came out over 10 years ago, but ran it with a Denon 160 HOMC, it didn't really do anything for me tbh. So when one came up on the Wam I thought I would give it another go, this time with the AT 100E I have been pretty happy with for a good few years now. Tbh, it still doesn't seem to be much if any better than Dino so far which I always thought even with the standard PSU was a good bargain 2nd hand. It's not that the P10 is bad, its just that it's not giving much more than the Dino at the moment, but perhaps I need to give it more time, its only been a couple of days.

Here are the pics:







It lights up as well

- Thorens TD-321 w SME 3009 S2 Imp and AT 100E
- PureSound P10
- Audiolab 8200 CDQ
- Bryston SP-1 Processor
- MC2 Audio MC650
- JBL 250ti
 
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Rico said:
It's been a long time since I posted to one of these threads. Main system following a re-org yesterday:

49846947271_0ec7e31ae5_c.jpg

"Nice Rack". Nikon D4s + Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8 AF, 1/50 sec @ f4, ISO800. Image hosted on Flickr, all rights reserved.

Very tidy indeed.
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Rico said:
very kind, @Cereal Killer - the electronics are well overdue for servicing/DR upgrades (they're all as-purchased new), and I may send the Lingo to Darran for a refresh when the world settles down again post-COV-19. I have a full sevice kit for the LP12 waiting to go in, it could use a fettle. The NAT-02 went back to Salisbury in [correction] 2011 for a full fettle and line-up. It's going to be difficult to give up the CDS3.
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My streaming rig, Auralic Aries and Vega G2 betters my previously owned CD555 by a country mile. Recommended, if you have opportunity to hear it.
 
It is surprising how JBL have practically no profile in the UK and yet are huge in the States. I guess they're a bit like Seiko watches, if you really know your watches then once you get past the really cheap stuff they do, they make some cracking watches for really good prices.

I guess if your home market is that big then JBL don't have to bother :)
 
2ManyBoxes said:
It is surprising how JBL have practically no profile in the UK and yet are huge in the States.
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Yes agreed. I think the problem is:
a) they are not considered an audiophile brand by a lot of the HiFi press. I think this is the case even in the States, where Stereophile didn't even particularly rave about my model despite many thinking it being a fabulous example of what JBL can do.
b) many of those that are good (and there aren't a huge amount, many are just fun and can't necessarily be considered good) are generally huge or of low WAF.

No matter how happily married you are, in general, a pair of JBL 43xx's are not going to be acceptable next to the TV in the lounge. Even the smaller UK sized monitors are not that pretty.

Luckily, the 250ti (Designed especially for the home market) are a brilliant and well engineered model and can pass as furniture in a large enough room. Therefore, most days I get away with it ;-)
 
Yes, thanks, that's the review I was thinking of.

I have had them just over 3 years, purchased them from another PFM JBL fan believe it or not. I am in Ireland and these were in N. Ireland, so a pretty small market. He had bought them in from the UK, originally owned by a guy in the US Airforce I think, who had them out in the Middle East. I can't recall if there were any other owners in between.

The 14" drivers has been replaced with a more robust Greg Timbers approved JBL equivalent, but other than that I believe they are original. Crossover's look good and I have a little insurance in way of re-coning kits for little 4" mid's. The Ti drivers are in great nick.
 
halvis said:
Yes agreed. I think the problem is:
a) they are not considered an audiophile brand by a lot of the HiFi press. I think this is the case even in the States, where Stereophile didn't even particularly rave about my model despite many thinking it being a fabulous example of what JBL can do.
b) many of those that are good (and there aren't a huge amount, many are just fun and can't necessarily be considered good) are generally huge or of low WAF.

No matter how happily married you are, in general, a pair of JBL 43xx's are not going to be acceptable next to the TV in the lounge. Even the smaller UK sized monitors are not that pretty.

Luckily, the 250ti (Designed especially for the home market) are a brilliant and well engineered model and can pass as furniture in a large enough room. Therefore, most days I get away with it ;-)
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I don't see what you're talking about ;-)…. here is my bedroom system with the drivers out in preparation for a refoaming/reconing... Very effective at waking you up in the morning!

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halvis said:
That's mad Ted! If JBL made alarm clocks!
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Sure beats a Bose Wave clock radio :D (and that's before I mention the two amps hidden by the duvet cover and which can deliver 2x150 and 2x200 watts under 8 ohms, respectively)

Gear visible on the bedroom shot includes a pair of JBL 4343, a Harman Kardon Citation 16 preamp, a Revox B260 tuner, a Microseiki DQX1000 with a SAEC 308N arm (and AT160ML cartridge), plus a Raspberry Pi3+ with display running PiCorePlayer with an IQaudIO PiDACzero for digital duties. Amplification is usually via a Citation 17s, but a Rotel RB1080 is currently in use
 
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