How far would you go?
- Thread starter wainwj
- Start date
I first read that as "St Helens" . I'm thinking "Blimey, where does he live if it takes 2 months to get to Merseyside?" .
A mate of mine sold a pair of tall thin Tannoys. The buyer got the train to Leeds, then the bus, turned up with 2 golf trolleys. Loaded up, one in each hand, and was all set to walk to the bus stop. My pal took pity on him and drove him to the station.
RustyB
Registered Ginga
Impulse buy?
Derek Wright
pfm Member
Not carrying hifi , but was once charged with getting some piece of exotic PC kit from La Hulpe (nr Brussels) to Disneyland near Paris. Only I was starting a few miles north of Portsmouth, then had to collect a work colleague from near Basingstoke Hospital, then to the Channel Tunnel and on to La Hulpe to collect the computer then to Disney Land. According to Google it was about 510 miles. A week later the trip was the reverse direction. Pleasant weather, pleasant car , only problem the PC prevented me bringing some leftover hospitality beer back home due to lack of space.
Rob998
Scimmia Nordoccidentale
Small beer compared to some of the journeys here, but I once bought a pair of Triangle floorstanders off eBay, collection only. I may have been slightly refreshed because I could have sworn they were in Eccles, which is half an hour away in Salford.
They were actually in Beccles, East Suffolk, 5 hours away. I had to borrow SWMBOs S Max and she made sure that I paid for the diesel out of my slush fund, not the current account...
They were actually in Beccles, East Suffolk, 5 hours away. I had to borrow SWMBOs S Max and she made sure that I paid for the diesel out of my slush fund, not the current account...
Simon Dawson
Angry, Ill & Ugly
About 1500 km to collect a pair of Magneplanar MGIIIas. Drove to the airport, flight to Auckland and drove back home to drop the speakers off, return hire car then drive home. Cheap hire car and flight so probably cost less (and way less angst) than a courier.
yuckyamson
pfm Member
To the op what were the pair of speakers for the 1200 mile trip?
Took a punt and drove to Inverness for the one off Avalon beasties that @andyzeg had in the classifieds on here.
Crated up they filled the back of a van, likely weighing in excess of 300kg. Hence avoiding a courier.
A complete gamble going that far having not seen, heard or even been able to read up on them.
However, having had them plumbed in for a week now, I am certain that they were well worth every mile, minute and £. And then some
I had expected them to perhaps provide a little more precision over my much loved big Tannoys, but they have really surprised me. The accuton drivers have no sharpness at all. So much so that my initial concern was for them perhaps being too laid back up top. This was soon cast aside though once I realised just how well balanced they are.
Highlights are the power and impact that they give to bass guitar and drums (upper bass/lower mids?). Also, that they are properly full range. Mostly though, how the separate strands of the music hang in space between the speakers.
I’m guessing this is down to the high quality drivers coupled to the inert nature of the ott construction. I had expected them to be a downsize from my 250 litre Tannoys. In the flesh though they are even bigger. Another, less welcome, surprise.
I’ve tried all sorts of setups in the last few years. Including active and open baffle systems.
They are mostly comparable to these, other top of the line box speakers, that I have been lucky enough to have in the same system. including:
Focal Utopia (liked, but hyper detailed)
KEF Blade (not for me due to lack of driver integration)
Large Audio Physic (great speakers)
B&W 800 Diamond (beautifully built but my biggest disappointment in hi fi yet, easily bested in my room by speakers at 1/10-1/20th the cost.
Big Tannoys based on current Canterbury’s but theoretically significantly improved (Amazing speakers, my firm favourite by far. Until.....)
These new speakers have slotted straight in at number 1. Easily out performing all but the Tannoys, for me. The power and fullness of their lower midrange and palpable wholeness of delivery makes them addictive and therefore likely to be the keepers that I genuinely had believed the Tannoys to be.
Only time will tell on that one I guess.
Andy was a complete gent to meet as well at the end of my long journey.
So a big thanks to him.
SteveG
pfm Member
The furthest I've travelled to get a bit of hi-fi kit was to Stirling (from Edinburgh) - so not very far. That was for a LP12 that the chap had advertised on Ebay and didn't want to post. I ended up paying £250 for it, which wasn't bad as it's a very early one (within first 1000 or so serial numbers) still with the original arm (SME 3009) and cartridge - and in great condition and with all the paperwork.
I'd originally intended to upgrade it (and even bought some of the bits) but in the end I've just kept it original is it sounds great.
I'd originally intended to upgrade it (and even bought some of the bits) but in the end I've just kept it original is it sounds great.
andyzeg
Active Member
Took a punt and drove to Inverness for the one off Avalon beasties that @andyzeg had in the classifieds on here.
Crated up they filled the back of a van, likely weighing in excess of 300kg. Hence avoiding a courier.
A complete gamble going that far having not seen, heard or even been able to read up on them.
However, having had them plumbed in for a week now, I am certain that they were well worth every mile, minute and £. And then some
I had expected them to perhaps provide a little more precision over my much loved big Tannoys, but they have really surprised me. The accuton drivers have no sharpness at all. So much so that my initial concern was for them perhaps being too laid back up top. This was soon cast aside though once I realised just how well balanced they are.
Highlights are the power and impact that they give to bass guitar and drums (upper bass/lower mids?). Also, that they are properly full range. Mostly though, how the separate strands of the music hang in space between the speakers.
I’m guessing this is down to the high quality drivers coupled to the inert nature of the ott construction. I had expected them to be a downsize from my 250 litre Tannoys. In the flesh though they are even bigger. Another, less welcome, surprise.
I’ve tried all sorts of setups in the last few years. Including active and open baffle systems.
They are mostly comparable to these, other top of the line box speakers, that I have been lucky enough to have in the same system. including:
Focal Utopia (liked, but hyper detailed)
KEF Blade (not for me due to lack of driver integration)
Large Audio Physic (great speakers)
B&W 800 Diamond (beautifully built but my biggest disappointment in hi fi yet, easily bested in my room by speakers at 1/10-1/20th the cost.
Big Tannoys based on current Canterbury’s but theoretically significantly improved (Amazing speakers, my firm favourite by far. Until.....)
These new speakers have slotted straight in at number 1. Easily out performing all but the Tannoys, for me. The power and fullness of their lower midrange and palpable wholeness of delivery makes them addictive and therefore likely to be the keepers that I genuinely had believed the Tannoys to be.
Only time will tell on that one I guess.
Andy was a complete gent to meet as well at the end of my long journey.
So a big thanks to him.
Thank you wainwj for your detailed write up of the Avalon Remade Speakers. I of course already knew how magnificent they were! You were brave to take a risk with them...however, I took a similar risk when I bought them from Highend Broker in The Netherlands...I was never disappointed, quite the opposite! They were...are...Stunning!
I am delighted that you bought them as I can see that you truly appreciate them... and it makes me happy that you are happy! It was a pleasure to meet you and I can honestly say that you are a gent also, and I thoroughly recommend wainwj to any other members who may deal with him in the future.
Kind Regards
Andrew
