This years systems

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Ant
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#1 This years systems

Post by Ant »

Through the course of this absolute car crash of a year, ive gained an appreciation of my system that i think id taken for granted for a long time.
Its provided me with some solace from all the goings on and stress of an unprecedented state of affairs.

It has remained stable and unchanged for a number of years, and was kind of relegated to being a testbed for stuff id built for other people.

Being stuck inside and unable to partake in other forms of entertainment that required going somewhere, its taken a more central role in the household than it had before.

Ive paid it more mind, and actually altered some bits and pieces for the first time in years.
The cornerstones have remained, the big 15" fane sealed box speakers with their underappreciated drivers, and the pass f5 power amp, built by nick for our paul, passed on to our ali, and then on to me. Still a fabulous amp, i still have no desire whatsoever to change it for something else.

Since march, i have built 3 turntables for me and 2 for others. The 3 for me, were built to stop me going bonkers being stuck inside. The big lenco, the dual and the smaller lenco.
The big lenco is sat, armless, doing nothing. The dual motor packed up. But thats ok, the smaller lenco, now with the linear arm on it is fab.

I was also able to try out a pass b1 thanks to our ed, and liked it so much i bought it.

This was fundamental system change number 1. Ive had passive pres for the last 15 years, that b1 is the first alternative that ive though 'ive got to have it' about in years. Ive also got one of rays aunt corey buffers to have a play with when i get round to it (when people stop asking me to build turntables for them...) which i want to build into a proper case with a load of inputs on. It will get done. Eventually.

The second fundamental change is 'that' arm.
As you lot know, im a terrible bore and pedant when it comes to vinyl. I have very specific ideas of what i want from vinyl, and for the first time, ive got the sound i have had in my head for years. I knew it was possible.
The airprodigy arm was a punt, i had no idea what it would sound like, it could have been awful. But its not.
Andy, the builder of it, without any bullshit gave all the right answers to my endless pedantic questions, so, i parted with my cash. And i am very glad i did.

I have built alot of stuff for people this year, more turntables than usual, and have sold off some stuff that i haven't used for a long time but couldnt bear to part with, so i have actually had abit of money to spend for the first time in years.

I wanted some new carts so i bought the dv20x2, then the eroica and a graham slee phono stage, so i could run both the turntables without constantly unplugging them and swapping over. Then promptly broke the eroica.... so ive sold the graham slee which was mc only. I bought a mofi studiophono to replace the graham slee, which is switchable.

I also sold off my type 2 lenco, the audiomods classic arm, the acos arm, the at1100 arm, the soundsmith cart, the denon dl301, the dv20a2, and some other bits and pieces to rationalise what i have. None of the above were being used.
I still have the big lenco which i will sell on, and the jbe which i just cant bear to part with. I wont sell it. It means alot to me.

What surprises me is how much i took the system for granted.

I have also bought some other bits and pieces, and am in the process of buying others. Ive agreed to buy a technics sl1200mk2 and a cosmetically challenged systemdek iix electronic with a linn basik plus (the horror!) on it because i want something to restore, the sl1200 has a nasty white nextel paint job on it but is otherwise fully functional. And believe it or not, i have never had a 1200.

I settled on a cart, an at33sa

And an arcam delta 170.3 cd transport. Because i always wanted another after the first one went to great tandys in the sky.

I also sent the cole lcr phono stage up to nick to have a look at, much better to have someone who knows what they are doing, and unlike me isnt completely out of practice, and cack handed, and clueless do the mending.

So the system now is as follows.
From the top, type 3 lenco with linear arm and dv20x2h (his)
Jvc qly5f with at440mlb. (Hers)
Benedict audio hothead and mofi studiophono
Cd371 cd player
Pass b1 with an input switching box plugged into it
Pass f5 power amp
Big 15" fane sealed boxes.

To come
Sl1200
Systemdek iix
Delta 170.3 transport
At33sa

Still nothing hugely expensive in there, but sysnergy matters.
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Cressy Snr
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#2 Re: This years systems

Post by Cressy Snr »

Ant wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:56 pm
...The cornerstones have remained, the big 15" fane sealed box speakers with their underappreciated drivers,
Glad someone else appreciates, how under appreciated the Fane 12 and 15in tri-cone drivers really are. Now mine are fully run in, after nearly two years, I wouldn’t use anything else...they are that good.
Sgt. Baker started talkin’ with a Bullhorn in his hand.
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Ali Tait
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#3 Re: This years systems

Post by Ali Tait »

Sometimes still miss that F5 Ant, it’s a great amp.

Mind you, not complaining about the lovely Lenco I got in place of it. :D

Going to be moving soon, so I’ll finally be able to get all the vinyl and decks out of storage. :bounce:
Ant
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#4 Re: This years systems

Post by Ant »

Youll need a couple of vans for that lot ali!

That f5 was another fundamental change when i got my hands on it, it was very good with the big metronomes i had at the time, but its blummin perfect for the big fanes because of the 101db sensitivity, and the fact that it seems to just gel with them.
I dont know why more people dont look at the big fane drivers

The b1 and the f5 were both 'i have to have it' moments.
The only other things ive had that with are the broken cole and the benedict audio phono stages.
Nigel left the benedict with me, i plugged it in, and went abit waynes world....

It will be mine
Oh yes
It will be mine.

When we heard the cole, the phono 2, and the decware with simon and nigel it was the same. I didnt think id get it, or that it would blow up for that matter, but it was another one of those times.
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simon
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#5 Re: This years systems

Post by simon »

I'd still like to find the full circuit for the Cole. That was quite a listening session...
Ant
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#6 Re: This years systems

Post by Ant »

Also starring Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln

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Ray P
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#7 Re: This years systems

Post by Ray P »

Did you ever try the Aunt Cory BUF-03 buffer Ant?

Ray
Sorry, I couldn't resist!
Ant
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#8 Re: This years systems

Post by Ant »

i havent got round to it yet ray, i didnt want a breadboard powered up while the kids were off school
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Ali Tait
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#9 Re: This years systems

Post by Ali Tait »

Aye it’ll be a few trips in a big van to get all the gear across. Several large boxes of vinyl that can only be moved with a sack truck. Not to mention a few valve amps, reel to reel kit and all the other shite I seem to have accumulated. :D

And then the Acorn statics and my old OB’s etc etc..
Ant
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#10 Re: This years systems

Post by Ant »

Ali Tait wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 8:39 pm and all the other shite I seem to have accumulated. :D
Y'sound like me :D
Except i have room fulls instead of van loads
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JohnG
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#11 Re: This years systems

Post by JohnG »

Ali
Them Old OB's once enchanted me, they will be a treat once dusted off and singing again.
simon
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#12 Re: This years systems

Post by simon »

Ant wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 7:13 pm http://store.diyhifisupply.com/cole-lcr ... s_cole.htm

Second schematic down
Hmmm, thanks Ant. I need to reacquaint myself, IIRC the issue was understanding how much current is through the two triodes. I think I even emailed Brian Cherry but never got a response.
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Nick
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#13 Re: This years systems

Post by Nick »

I would guess 15ma or so for the first valve and may 18ma for the second. I would assume you adjust the CCS's to give the marked voltage on the anodes.
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#14 Re: This years systems

Post by simon »

Seems reasonable Nick. I guess it's not too critical.

Can't help thinking a regulated supply might be better. Passing 66mA through the 5 sections of 600R drops 198V, so an HT of c130V. Not a lot in the scheme of things.
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Nick
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#15 Re: This years systems

Post by Nick »

But with 65v on the anodes and CCS loads, more than enough for a phono.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
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