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Kit that, irrationally, you’ve always just wanted…

ff1d1l said:
ML2 amplifiers
Urei 815C
Gale 401A
Urei 6500 amplifier
Yamaha 101M (5002M)
JBL 4350
EMT 927

And the requisite space to deploy all to the greatest advantage.
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+1 for EMT turntables. Was privileged to have had a few of these through my hands. I am aware of a 928 (mki) available. Hmm... Should I?
 
I really like EMT decks, to be honest view the 930 as the only realistic ‘upgrade’ from the idlers I’ve owned, but I’m put off by the extraordinary price for a genuinely nice one, and the fact it is an integrated system (deck, arm, cartridge). I do love the ease of switching and wide range of options available for my 124.

PS I have heard a 930 in my system. Not the best condition or best plinthed example, but the pitch stability was just spot on, as was that idler rock-solidity, ‘drive’ and ‘push’ to the music. I’ve upgraded my own deck a lot since then, so likely closed the gap, but it certainly left an impression.
 
CJ14 said:
I have a new M40, all others long gone.
Oh I forgot the Quatra (inca tech, stolen by Lescon), Oberon ( design again stolen and bodged by Relph), Sabre. Many pre-amps ID1P ,etc A design I did for AR stolen and made into the Magnum A Class and well a truly s Bodged up with cheap crap, many caught on fire. A speaker design for a company Mr. Kaufman owned. Inca Teck Dirk, and my fingers went into a few for others companies that they paid for nice companies
There is also a few 20W SECA amps built from kits by DIY audio/music lovers. And 1 50W SECA made by my friend James (RIP) I miss him, now owned by Mr. Charles C. James also whilst in hospital made a few cables I designed for him to hand make in his hospital bed.

The reason my designs got stolen is the same company that design the PCB layouts worked for me and the thieves and they sold them on see greed strikes again.
Now days I have my own CAD/CAM software and take great care on layout not to make it look like art but sound right. taking great care on track location, screening, mass of Cu, so not like the pretty box designs you see often.

So you inventors out there beware of people offering to help with money/marketing and other form of help, some are crooks, never trust a person who "say's you can trust me".
I was a fool I did trust them, never share 50% of you great ideas, listen to them wanting to be MD (beware) never allow them to add there friends to the directors list, never sale share to there friends, then hear a soft sob story later they need the money back but like a fool you allow them there 10% to keep. I did all this you must not.
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This advice came too late for me unfortunately… three years of the most challenging work I’ve ever done were just taken from me, and I ended up tens of thousands out of pocket. I no longer have any interest in the electronics industry at all. I have a comfortable service based job, can’t see myself ever going back.
 
A big eff-off Japanese stack system with a graphic EQ and lots and lots of knobs. Totally OTT.

A pair of Ditton 66s (or the new Alchris version if I won the lottery)

An SME III arm on a Transcriptors/Michel Hydraulic Reference TT.

An Oracle Delphi

A restored pair of Quad II mono blocks

A pair of Zingali floorstanders

Not too OTT I guess...
 
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Esoteric K-01 XD.

Here's another one that I'd love to have but can't possibly even begin to consider given its price.
 
Finally picked up recently, something I've lusted after since reading about it in 2014. A Marantz PM4, and it's everything I thought it would be and more.
Really pretty in the flesh to my eyes, and sounds superb in my vintage 80s system feeding a pair of Arcam Two Plus via 80s Monster Cable SCs.
Enjoying it so much I've stopped using my Cambridge Audio C50/A50 combo that I bought new in 1988.
And YES, that is a 2nd pair of Two Plus on the floor in the bay.

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I honestly struggle to think of any kit I irrationally want but in 40 years of systems and rooms I have never assessed the room and treated it and I’m determined to. I have worked out I want to build some (smaller versions) of the panels in the video below and anything else domestically realistic so far example large bass traps are not.

I thought Inwould start downloading and learning about REW alas I glaze at it all very quickly. So perseverance and a breakthrough in getting going with it needed.

The DIY-approach to panels I like

Other than that, I’m happy with the kit I’m fortunate enough to have, with a proper RCM to clean vinyl and most importantly I’m happy with the collection of vinyl, digital and these days streaming too.
 
Stuff that's been on my want list for a long time for no real reason:

Tannoy Dover and/or Caernarvon with the '2558' driver as used in the SRM10B but in nice compact cabinets. Never found a pair of either for sale in the years I've been looking for them.

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One of the 'entry' Accuphase amps (E-2## range), as above, never happened to find one within a reasonable timescale and moved onto something else.

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ATC SCM20ASLT or SCM50ASL (Classic) - missed the boat on the SCM50A when they were 'affordable' 10+ years ago. I have really enjoyed the SCM50A (not sure if SL) when heard a couple at the early Scalford shows.

ATC-SCM20A.1-Home-Media.png


For a long time, I'd always fancied an ATC CA2 (mk1) preamp for no real reason but managed to find one at a bargain price, just needed some switch cleaner to deal with a dodgy standby button and volume pot 'rustle'.


System by Robert Seymour, on Flickr

Another is the SME 309, no real reason only it was the more 'affordable' model and when I first saw one thought it looked so cool. Not had a TT that would use it since my Gyrodec almost 10-years ago. I did manage to get a M2-9 for a while when they certainly were affordable (<£500) which was great until I changed from the Gyrodec to a P9.

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Gyrodec by Robert Seymour, on Flickr
 
I’d love to return to my teens back in 1988 and reacquaint myself with a Sony Walkman WM-DC2 , mine fell out of my pocket as I was cycling up the hill to my girlfriends house and exploded into a shower of screws, springs, hinges and ultimately my tears.

Not a hope in hell seeing the price a working model goes for these days, although the tiny Panasonic Walkmans that I owned/used throughout the 90’s such as this Panasonic RQ-S1 was just as good if not better than the Sony in use, and a damn site more pocketable, I doubt many have survived in working order to this day as being so small & light they were incredibly fragile…….or perhaps that was just my experience.
 
Another one that's probably been mentioned before - the Micromega Duo or Trio CD player. They just look so cool, but why would I need something that's probably going to die on me and be very difficult to repair??

There have of course been kit that I don't need but wanted (not 'irrationally') like the Nait 2 or Technics 1200mk2, which I've since gone and acquired. I have no regrets...
 
I’d love to get hold of a mint Pioneer RT-707 (with heads that still have plenty of life in ‘em!). Tried once before but ended up with a dud from a seller who either wasn’t too honest, or hadn’t a clue about reel to reel decks and condition.

Still on my ‘itch to scratch’ list… prefer its compact looks to the RT-909.


Pioneer-RT-707-tape-recorder.jpg
 
Having owned the cheapest Kondo integrated amplifier, I’d love to own The Ongaku, their most expensive integrated. It’s only irrational because, I can’t afford one!
 
Revox B77
Linn Sondeck
Nakamichi 3 head cassette deck
Leak Stereo 20
Cambridge Transmission line speakers
 
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