Vintage HiFi Audio Forum
Audio Discussion => List your system => Topic started by: tinpan on December 29, 2014, 10:40:02 AM
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Been a while since I updated my systems, so here’s an update
(http://images57.fotki.com/v1418/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2116-vi.jpg)
This is the main AV/listening room. I’ve been searching for 2 or 3 La Scalas finished in the raw birch lacquer finish to replace the 2 black ones and the white one. The white one doesn’t bother me aesthetically but the black ones did. Hence the trip to Morgantown.
(http://images16.fotki.com/v258/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2119-vi.jpg)
Most of the control comes from here. On the right side of the rack is an Oppo 93, Sunfire TGIV and a Sunfire 5 x 400. The Oppo has an HDMI cable running to the TV and all the audio cables feed the sunfire. Another new toy is the Technics SL1200, I had forgotten how nice vinyl sounds on the La Scalas when played through a Sunfire. The Sunfire Signature 5 x 400 drives the La Scalas for LCR and a pair of Cornwalls for surround. There is also Rythmik 15 inch sub to the left and a Klipsch SW 12 ( I think it is) on the right. I can listen to 2.1 stereo, 2 channel or 5.1 SACD or 5.1 Dolby Digital movies.
On the right is a Dual CS5000 turntable an Oppo 981 with an HDMI cable running to the TV and the audio going to the AN L2. For power we have an Audio Note L2 preamp/phonostage and an Audio Note L2 DAC. I’m using longer than I like rca cables to run to a pair of Audio Note Interstage Mono Blocks. These feed the Azura horn system which is comprised of a pair of Electro Voice Sentry IV bass bins, Lowther PM4a drives and Digital Pete crossovers. I cross this system over at 250 Hz. It’s kind of nice to play the Comboy Junkies Trinity Revisted on this system and watch the video going to the Sony screen and having the audio going 2 channel through the tube system.
The Audio Note preamp/phono stage and Dac give me lots of options for rolling tubes. I upgraded the power tubes with Bendix 6X5’s and there is a nice assortment of 12AX7 and 12AU7 tubes to roll.
With this set up I run a Sonos connect to provide the main staple of audio to both systems
(http://images57.fotki.com/v1356/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2144-vi.jpg)
Here’s a close up of the L2 Phono stage and DAC. You can see the tubes glowing softly through the top of the DAC.
(http://images46.fotki.com/v275/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_0977-vi.jpg)
Here’s a shot of the L2 Phono stage / preamp. It uses dual 12AU7’s for the line stage and a 12AX7 that feeds a 12AU7 for the phono stage.
My goal here was to have an inexpensive alternative for the Sunfire Tube Preamp and to keep it priced around $1,500 bucks. I kept the tin covered Audio Note caps instead of upgrading to the copper foil and adding Black Gates. One thing I learned is that you really have to have clean sounding tubes in the phono stage. You hear everything. I also like the single tube feeding both channels in the phono stage. It makes it easier to roll tubes. The L3 uses 3 12AY7’s and they have to match perfectly.
(http://images51.fotki.com/v102/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_0688-vi.jpg)
Here’s a shot under the hood of the L2 DAC. It features a pair of 6922/6DJ8 tubes and the M2 power supply, like all the AN Kits dacs and line stages/preamps. Again I used the tin covered AN caps to keep the cost below $1,500.
(http://images15.fotki.com/v1624/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2145-vi.jpg)
Here’s the Sunfire set up
(http://images41.fotki.com/v209/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2127_2-vi.jpg)
An one of the Audio Note Interstage mono blocks. It takes an hour for these to warm up to playing temperature.
(http://images61.fotki.com/v666/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2187-vi.jpg)
Here’s a shot under the hood of the Interstage Mono Blocks. This photo is from the first set Pete built. It turns out I was the guinea pig for these. I had Pete use Black gate caps and 1.5 watt Tantalum resistors for this one. After everyone heard this one, Pete built one for himself and another buddy built one with Black Gates a 2 watt Tantelum resistors. I later acquired that one as well. Anyway, nice and clean under the hood. The key to these is the Interstage Transformers. These are running 300b tubes in a Parallel Single Ended config (PSE) and they deliver 20 WPC.
(http://images57.fotki.com/v1418/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2141-vi.jpg)
Here’s a close up of the Dual. I have a Grado Gold cartridge for both of these tables but recently I also ordered a pair of Audio Technica AT440MLa cartridges and I have to say I am kind of liking them a lot.
(http://images41.fotki.com/v195/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2142-vi.jpg)
And the Technics sporting a brand new dustcover. This table sounds amazing on the Sunfire set up and the La Scalas
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(http://images41.fotki.com/v209/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2129-vi.jpg)
I was hoping these La Scalas would have been lighter stained to match my furniture. Still though it is an improvement over the black ones
(http://images51.fotki.com/v102/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2126_2-vi.jpg)
You can see the 47 Labs speaker wire I like to use and the crossover here
(http://images57.fotki.com/v1418/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2140-vi.jpg)
Here’s a close up of the crossover
(http://images41.fotki.com/v195/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2136-vi.jpg)
Here’’s the back of the Lowther PM4a driver. It features a 30 LB Alnico magnet
(http://images15.fotki.com/v1626/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2120-vi.jpg)
I was really trying to get the La Scalas to match the furniture I like. They are a little darker than I like.
(http://images46.fotki.com/v275/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2132_2-vi.jpg)
Still though, they are very nice
(http://images15.fotki.com/v792/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2088-vi.jpg)
Here is probably the best sounding system in the house. It just does everything right. It features a pair of Altec Lansing A5 speakers and all Audio Note power. I have the original Interstage Mono Blocks as well as an L3 signature line stage, L3 signature DAC and L3 signature Phono stage. It just does everything right. I also use a Sonos for this system and a Sota Comet turntable with a Grado Gold cartridge. I think I may be trying some new cartridges in the future
(http://images41.fotki.com/v209/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2137-vi.jpg)
It is really hard to beat these Altec 288 drivers. This is an old one featuring an 30 lb Alnico magnet and It’s mounted on 803 horns. That means 8 cells crossed over at 300Hz, though I am crossing this over at 500Hz
(http://images34.fotki.com/v1623/photos/6/111916/12628482/photolarge-vi.jpg)
I won’t go into each of these but here is the inside of the Dac 3.1 signature version. See if you can spot the differences. The sound is amazing.
(http://images51.fotki.com/v102/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2192-vi.jpg)
I also started making custom length inter connects so i don’t have cables hanging all over the place. I’m using 47 labs for speaker cables here as well.
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(http://images41.fotki.com/v195/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2103-vi.jpg)
Since I have 3 systems here, I wanted to find furniture that would match the stereo gear and not soak up all the sound. It was important to me to have seats and couches with low backs so it doesn’t interfere withe sound. I can also position it so the sweet spot is centered to the sofa or the chairs. The moved the bar behind the sofa but I don’t like it there so I will be moving it back out. This sofa is perfectly centered for the Altec VOTT system
(http://images34.fotki.com/v1623/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2091-vi.jpg)
Whilst the chairs are perfectly centered fore Azura Horns and the Sunfire set up. See the Cornwalls lurking in the background? They provide the surround for movies and 5.1 SACD listening.
(http://images53.fotki.com/v715/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2104-vi.jpg)
(http://images51.fotki.com/v102/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2148-vi.jpg)
In the bedroom I have an Audio Note Kit 1 300b tube amp with a AN Dac 2.1. These are a pair of JBL bass bins with Altec N501 crossovers, a pair of 288 drivers and Jabo Horns, It’s hard to beat the sound of a 1 inch compression driver
(http://images15.fotki.com/v1626/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2153-vi.jpg)
A little dusty but here’s the Kit 1
(http://images34.fotki.com/v1623/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2179-vi.jpg)
In the fan room, we have the Khorns on display. I did a lot of ABing gear here and the best sounding amp on this set up was the Carver Baby Black Beauty or the Carver Cherry 260’s
(http://images51.fotki.com/v102/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2181-vi.jpg)
I’m using a Sonos here and a home brew Line stage. You can roll the caps on this line stage. I was built using the line card from and AN L2 line stage.
(http://images51.fotki.com/v102/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2185-vi.jpg)
I believe these are 1954 vintage.
Anyway, that’s it a tour of the house.
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Wow, Tinpan, I'm left speechless!
I love the white horns aethetically, betcha they sound amazing....
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Looks beautiful! ;D
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30 lb ALNICO!?!
So, where did the black LaScalas end up?
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Same here - amazing setups, true audio porn :-*. The photography is excellent too -are you using a DSLR?
OBG
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such beautiful horns.
question though, the jabo horns. how do you find those things? apparently they're german, but the internet doesn't have a whole lot of info that i have found, and i can't find a website anywhere.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT0kJfit_oU&list=UUN3lqZczgXHO2Ox9qjA2BhA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT0kJfit_oU&list=UUN3lqZczgXHO2Ox9qjA2BhA)
I had a chance to re-introduce my son to vinyl with a song he is familiar with
Thank you for the compliments on the photography, I am using a DLSR. It took me a while to keep remembering to set my white points before shooting.
(http://images41.fotki.com/v195/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2593-vi.jpg)
The black Lascalas are in the garage awaiting the Phase Linear return.
(http://images51.fotki.com/v102/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2595-vi.jpg)
They seem to have caused some disarray in my garage. They have messed up the seating area
(http://images41.fotki.com/v195/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_2398-vi.jpg)
For these
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Awesome Tinpin! I need to take a road trip down your way sometime.
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That is a "BIG BOY" playground if I ever saw one!
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Holy moly! Are you looking to adopt??? I'm potty trained.
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God damn! That's quite a collection.
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I'm potty trained.
as far as we know, this statement is just hearsay >:D
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I like all the Heywood wakefield furniture, and that audio stuff isn't bad.
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Those big white horns are beautiful. They remind me of the Sousaphones from high school and college marching band.
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I played Sousaphone in high school marching band.
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Exceptional looking systems. Lot's of nice looking and great sounding equipment there. The photography is also superb!
Is that a Packard in the garage?
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And my wife thinks I got a lot of audio stuff!! ;D
Nice set-ups.
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BJ, yes those are Jabo horns from Germany. He sells them on ebay. He also sells the machined metal adapter ring pictured below:
(http://images51.fotki.com/v282/photos/6/111916/12628482/IMG_1535-vi.jpg)
In essence these are baby VOTTS. It uses the Altec 288 driver. This is the ferrite magnet version which also weighes 30 lbs. The ferrite magnet version is rated at 15 wpc and the alnico version is rated at 40 WPC. The ferrite version plays a little higher in frequency but everyone goes for the Alnico ones.
These horns really throw the sound forward so you either have to be way back to get the right imaging or very specific when lining these speakers up. The sweet spot is about a foot wide at 15 feet and it's very nice, almost like giant headphones but it's a bitch to line them up.
Gary Gill in Baltimore makes the Sousa Horn, as he calls it.It's based on the Azura horn and uses a Le Cleche curve. This one actually images better than any speaker I have.
While the Altec drivers incredibly detailed, the Lowthers are vary warm sounding. I can sit for hours completely mesmerized by Miles Davis's Lonely fire on the baby VOTT system. It just ticks away and plucks the ears, very intimate and up close
The Lowther system gently wraps it's arms around you and hugs you warmly with songs like Gene Harris's This Masqurade or Charile Rouses's When Sunny gets the blues.
The multi cells on the A5 system also images very well, not what I was expecting. It images far better than the 511b.
I like the Heywood wakefield furniture too, it just seemed to fit in with the Klipsch La Scalas in the raw birch finish. I am still trying to pick up a couple more of the end tables to use for amp stands. As you can see the tops of those come off. The Cornwalls are actually closer in color to what I want but I am sure the right La scales will come along one day. I was very close to picking up a pair of Belles but the seller backed out.
Rev, you or anyone else is welcome to stop by. I do have a spare bedroom and we can set up cots in the garage if needed, lol.
Schwarcw, Yes that is a Packard and a couple of others, I seem to have an affinity for them:
(http://images53.fotki.com/v1500/photos/6/111916/10950405/IMG_0360-vi.jpg)
I spent my whole life growing up around my father's Packard waiting for him to restore it and get it on the road. I bought this place and over the years have acquired Packards in the hopes it would motivate him to fix his up. The plan was for him and mom to move in here, she's 90 and he's 94. Mom could watch the kids play in the pool and dad and I could hang out in the garage, but it's looking like that will never happen, he is rather stubborn. Ah well... I can only provide the opportunity which I have.
Anyway, the garage really was planned for just cars but it's kind of turning into a dual use facility. The trick is moving the cars around the audio systems.
What can I say...all of this stuff just followed me home...piece by piece.
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And my wife thinks I got a lot of audio stuff!! ;D
I actually showed this thread to my wife to convince her to re-evaluate my equipment. It didn't work :'(
What can I say...all of this stuff just followed me home...piece by piece.
The puppy too?
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Nice collection of Packards!
My dad had two Packards as we were growing up. He sold both before 1962 so I don't remember a lot about them. One was a yellow convertable that he didn't have very long. The other was a blue/green color with power windows. He was fond of both of those cars. He sold automobile parts and was a novice mechanic. He taught me a lot about car mechanics. Most of which I forgot as I grew older LOL!
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It's been a while, tinpan; I need to get back over to your place soon! It's a shame we live only a few miles apart & don't visit very often--my fault!
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Come on over, I'll be in and out today but I'll be hanging out all day tomorrow. The Sunfire seems to be working and I've been enjoying it. I promise I won't besiege you with the SET stuff.
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Forget the SS, beseige him with SET glory until he submits! Offer no quarter!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G_0DDZs5gc&list=UUN3lqZczgXHO2Ox9qjA2BhA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G_0DDZs5gc&list=UUN3lqZczgXHO2Ox9qjA2BhA)
Rabbit did come over and he as always helped me set the levels on my subs correctly. He does know that TGIV
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Video won't play and the caption reads "this video is private"
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Worked fine for me.
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Works for me, too~
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Worked this morning...strange.
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yeah kinda short.