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System Pics 2020

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i liked rothko...especially in the dukes of hazzard

Your mixing up Roscoe P. Coltrane (If you read the back story to the Dukes of Hazard you'll find that Roscoe's uncle is John Coltrane).

Has anybody been to the Rothko Chapel? I think it's been shut for a while while they redecorate, let's hope they've taken the paintings down first!

I know we're going a bit off topic here, what do you see when you look at the Rothko's in the Tate?

 
The current state of play:

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In the unit there is a new-to-me Naim CD3.5/Flatcap combo that my kids found in the local Cash Converters. This sounds great for the money. I last owned a CDP in 2008 which was the same Naim kit.

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Speakers, monos and passive subwoofer setup:

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Can't see much changing here now....:confused:
 
Same as it ever was:

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No real changes this year, just some tweaking of the TD-124 (reground the idler, trying different oil etc) and a bit of tube-rolling (very nice ’59 long-plate Mullard in P1 of the phono stage). Its sounding really good. Main visual difference from last year is the Akai 4000DB is in shot!

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TD-124/II, SME 3009, Nagaoka MP-500, Rega Apollo-R/Deltec PDM3, Akai 4000DB, JC Verdier Control B, Quad 303, 15” Tannoy Monitor Golds in late-50s/early-60s Lockwood studio cabs. Cables a mix of vdH, Gotham and Mogami, old-school MusicWorks switched mains block (I turn most stuff on/off here).

I’ll maybe take a fresh pic of the upstairs Leak/149 system at some point, but it is unchanged.
 
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Your mixing up Roscoe P. Coltrane (If you read the back story to the Dukes of Hazard you'll find that Roscoe's uncle is John Coltrane).

Has anybody been to the Rothko Chapel? I think it's been shut for a while while they redecorate, let's hope they've taken the paintings down first!

I know we're going a bit off topic here, what do you see when you look at the Rothko's in the Tate?

err my keyboard had a lisp...it was meant as a joke :)
 
Is that a Bridget Riley piece on the wall Tony?

Your gaff is soo Hipster :)

Its a poster for a Bridget Riley exhibition at the Serpentine I attended in the late ‘90s. I really like her work.

Hipsters are stealing my cool aesthetic! I’ve been doing it since before they were born!
 
Shitty photo but new for 2020 (well almost as they arrived today)

Omega CAM speakers, hemp driver with alnico driver.

Rest of the kit is nearly the same:

Omega CAM speakers
Border Patrol SE300B amp
Kondo M7 phono preamp (in for work so currently using an SJS Arcadia Model 7)
Thorens TD124 mk2
Fidelity Research FR64s
Audio Note Io Gold
Audio Note AN-S8 step up
Audio Note 2.1x Signature DAC
Intel NUC running ROON ROCK > USB > Audiophilleo converter.

IMG_0161 by The Biglebowski, on Flickr
 
Same as it ever was:

49306139111_daefd20d18_b.jpg


No real changes this year, just some tweaking of the TD-124 (different oil, reground the idler, trying different oil etc) and a bit of tube-rolling (very nice ’59 long-plate Mullard in P1 of the phono stage). Its sounding really good. Main visual difference from last year is the Akai 4000DB is in shot!

49305645003_27f3c7b38b_b.jpg


TD-124/II, SME 3009, Nagaoka MP-500, Rega Apollo-R/Deltec PDM3, Akai 4000DB, JC Verdier Control B, Quad 303, 15” Tannoy Monitor Golds in late-50s/early-60s Lockwood studio cabs. Cables a mix of vdH, Gotham and Mogami, old-school MusicWorks switched mains block (I turn most stuff on/off here).

I’ll maybe take a fresh pic of the upstairs Leak/149 system at some point, but it is unchanged.

I have to admit seeing your 124 was what turned my mind towards getting one.

Since then I’ve also acquired an @Arkless Electronics head amp to feed my ‘EAR834P’ - also fettled by Jez.

I’m assuming you’re referring to bearing oil. What have you been trying?
 
I’m assuming you’re referring to bearing oil. What have you been trying?

Motor oil. I’d previously been using new AudioSilente sintered bronze bushings and Shopper oil, but was rather alarmed to find the top bearing had run pretty much dry in a year or so despite the felt washers being loaded with as much as they could hold. I’ve since pressure-loaded the bushings and re-saturated the washers with a slightly heavier oil I got when refurbishing my Akai open reel. Its designed for sintered bearings, but I can’t offhand remember what it is. Hopefully it will stay around a bit longer. It is definitely a bit thicker, which is an advantage here as I’m in a high-voltage area so needed a lot of eddy-brake with the very lightweight Schopper stuff.

The FR64s is fantastic with a TD124, put that on your birthday list.

Its certainly an arm I like a lot, and it looks very presentable on a 124 (most modern arms just look wrong!), but I’m very happy indeed with the Nag MP-500 and the FR64 would be too high-mass for it.

The “problem” with both my systems, basically I’ve got to the stage I like everything, it all works synergistically, and any change would involve removing something I really like, but wouldn’t be prepared to sell! If I went in that direction I’d likely go to a larger plinth and two arms, e.g. run the 3009/Nag and an FR64(or 66)/SPU, but its a lot of hassle/expense when it sounds as good as it does as-is.

PS Are you using the light-weight alloy sub-platter or an iron one? I’m guessing the alloy given the MC cart. If so I’d look at upgrading that as the iron ones sound much better IMHO. If the ferrous attraction is an issue think of one of the third-party ones, it looks like Swissonor have now addressed the issue (rough idler track) that resulted in my asking for a refund for mine. As I use MM I’m perfectly happy with an original Thorens one. They just bring more muscle, better pitch, more gravitas. Just better.
 
My two rooms as they stand. Between curious little kids hands and needing to save a for a down payment for a new house, I don't see anything changing in 2020.

Room 1: Pro-Ject S2 Digital DAC/Pre > Rotel RB-981 amp > Vienna Acoustics Bach Grands. Source is whatever is coming out of the TV's optical output and a Raspberry Pi Roon endpoint.

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Room 2:
MBP Running Roon, Rega RP6/Exact/Fono MM > Yamaha A-S801 > Snell J's on Skylan stands

sbvgcjo.jpg


When the kids are old enough, I'd like to get a tube integrated back into the mix with the Snells. I also have an itch to try the newest Klipsch Cornwalls, but that won't be happening in this house.
 
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When the kids are old enough, I'd like to get a tube integrated back into the mix with the Snells. I also have an itch to try the newest Klipsch Cornwalls, but that won't be happening in this house.

There's some Klipsch Forte on ebay that I'm trying hard to resist at the moment, think those would sound good.
 
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