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2011 upgrade dreams

I'm interested in a Soulution 750 phono stage and of course the
Spectral SDR5000 processor should it appear in 2011.
 
Completing a set of HackerNAP amps (which would first require starting...). Also completing a Neil's Motherboard Preamp transplant into a NAC42 box.*




*Don't worry Gaius, it's not your 42.5, which I promised to leave un-bodged.
 
Deciding on a turntable, a digital set-up, an amp and some speakers. So nothing much, really.

My audio life is on hold while we are looking for a new apartment. So being able to make a decision on audio would mean we have found something that we want and can afford. That would really be an upgrade.
 
Gonna try a couple of DACs - I have an Audiosector Premium NOS DAC winging its over the pond to me as we speak. I plan to compare it to the new M2Tech Young DAC and see which I plan to stick with.

If funds permit i'd love to upgrade my cartridge to the Audio Note IO Gold. Of course this would also mean a higher ratio (1:100) MC step-up too. Doh!
 
Getting my external crossovers built for my Living voice horns, my 211 driving them and vinyl jazz back in my life

Plus replacing my JVC 100 with an X7 in the Cine room plus finalising cd play in the cine room with a Tron DAC and possibly a DVD5 as a transport :D
 
Yank said:
Completing a set of HackerNAP amps (which would first require starting...).
Click to expand...
Oh yes, of course. I have six of these to build plus Jiim's starfish. I've made a start by getting my grubby mitts on the boards.

James
 
Nearly done now, with the arrival of the FACT8's
Klimax DS !! .... (or perhaps more realistic the new Akurate version ...)
Radikal...maybe.....
Oh swap KCT for Solo's !!! :eek:
 
Orbe, when I get round to a demo, but I may listen to a Radikal comparison just to be on the sure side. I'm pretty happy with the digital side (akutate ds) but may have a listen to a Klimax just to see how much difference there is.
 
2010 was big for me. I bought a Jeff Rowland Continuum 500 integrated and a pair of Harbeth Compact 7ES3's. I just bought an Ittok LVIII for my LP12. I also put together a vintage system for the bedroom consisting of a Marantz 2270 receiver, a pair of JBL L-112's and an SL-1200 Mk5 with upgraded bearing and tonearm rewire. I'm pretty much set for the year. There is one thing I would love, but don't think I have budget for - a Studer A-810 half track tape deck. Maybe I'll get lucky.
 
Cartridge will probably need replacing - probably with a VDH Frog.

Will probably add a pair of ESL63s to the Quad collection.
 
Probably a iTouch charging dock with audio out is it, so it somewhere to sit up with decent posture whilst being fed, and the ability to hear the podcasts there.

DS
 
Really not sure where I'm going to go in 2011 - my system's not really giving my much satisfaction at the moment, and this makes me all the more sad as we're now living in a decent sized house with no close neighbours and am therefore really lucky to be able to listen at whatever volume I like (Mrs Gromit permitting of course - although she's also a muso so doesn't mind the wick being turned up). :)

Biggest mistakes I made in 2010...

Selling the PL71
Selling the Decca SG
Selling the NVA Phono1

Basically, I had a storming front end and thought that flogging it to raise every last £ for the house purchase would be good idea. It was a bad idea - very bad.

Having heard one or 2 friends' rigs over the last 12 months I noticed a certain balance, something missing from my own. Probably the best front end I heard was Lefty's LP12/Lingo2/Nima/AT33 - quite 'LP12-ish' (be it good and bad) but oh so satisfying and musically convincing. I loved it.

Where to go from here though? I really don't know. The P7 has been a very interesting exercise - fun & frustrating really. It's a superb turntable, no question, and being ex-Lefty it may as well be brand new it's in such lovely nick. Thing is, what makes it so good at some stuff - rock/jazz/electronic makes it (or seems to) poor at classical/orchestral. I've been slightly spoilt by really good DD and the sense of solidity, the grounding it gives music, but ultimately the P7, great though it can be, it's just not 'me'.

The chances of scoring myself another decent PL71 are clearly very small, although I will keep looking. Go for a Garrard? Always a possibility although getting a really good one will cost £££. I could always re-plinth/re-arm the little TD150 which would be fun, but I may as well just get myself a decent LP12 and be done with it.

Amp-wise, I'm very happy with the Claymore. I'm not going to kid myself in saying it's better than the XXI/XVIII mono's - of course it isn't - but it's released funds to throw at a better turntable, whatever that me be.

Digital-wise I'm chuffed to bits with the Dacmagic - like its more lofty brother the 840C (which I owned a while ago) it just gets on with the job of polishing up what it's fed and turning it into a very satisfyingly musical whole. I'm a fan, so much so that I'm preferring the digital side of my system to the analogue. No great plans - may look at getting a decent CD transport although the Pioneer DVD player I'm using for such duties is just fine for now.

So...the one thing I really want - need - to get right this year is the turntable. Just need to sort out which direction I have to go to get that done. Still, it'll be fun whatever. :)
 
Finish the HackerNAP currently forming on my kitchen table
Apply Jiim's starfish mod when it is ready
Think about building a pair of speakers. I am so tempted by Troels Gravesen's DTQWT (anyone here heard a pair ?) , but will have to accumulate a pile of wonga first. I would be very tempted by the Buffalo DAC too.
 
Upgrade from NAS AceSpace to Orbe SE around January. If work etc remains OK then upgrade from DV20XH to Lyra Delos (will get rid of the Puresound P10 and use the Luxman's on board phono MC input). I reckon they are worthwhile upgrades for the price (which includes trade-in).
 
Get power amp serviced, and, err, that's it due to imminent dismissal/medical retirement (will know mid-late January)! Whatever happens, I'm keeping my turntable and Rega Elas :)
 
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