Hi from Chichester

Well the instructions say introduce myself before I can post anything so here goes.

Real name is John and I am a born again audiophile.
I say born again as I originally caught this expensive desease in the mid 80s, after hearing a Rega 3, A&R Cambridge A60 and Warfedale Diamonds at a neighbours. I then ended up going out a few months later and buying a Manticore Mantra with A&R P77mg, Rotel RA810A, Celestion DL6 Target stands & 3 tier rack and 2.5 T&E mains wire as SC.
I did manage a couple of upgrades in the intervening years. Cambridge C50 + A50 & QED original SC (1988). Added a Technics1440 CDP in 94 and then KEF Cresta3, RB300 & Rega Elys (2001).
Following an inheritance last year I allowed myself to be dragged back under the influence of audiophilia, though this time round it has been far more expensive.
The only items remaining from my original September 2016 purchases are a Cambridge CXC, a heavily modified DacMagic Plus and a Bluesound Node2.
Everything else has been swapped out and sold on, a 4 month old pair of B&W 683 S2 made way for my current Usher Dancer Mini 2 DMDs. Gone also are a Cambridge 551P, Nagoaka MP500, Icon Audio LA4 & PS1.2SE and I'm in the process of trying to shift 2 pairs of Tag Maclaren 125M Monoblocs.
My current (and hopefully very long-term) system is:
Origin Live Aurora Gold MK2/Encounter 3C/Hana SL, Icon Audio PS3.SE, MasterSound PHL5 v1 pre & Icon Audio MB845 SE Monoblocs, Usher Dancer Mini 2 DMDs
+ CXC, Node2 & DacMagic Plus.

As for musical taste well its pretty eclectic, prior to getting into Internet radio, in particular Radio Paradise, I basically owned various mainstream CDs and lps, Simply Red, ELO, Ray Lamontagne soul and some classical etc. But thanks to RP this has now extended to country, rock, progrock, jazz and everything in between.

I still have my Manticore Mantra but it doesn't get used, I guess I should move it on so it can be loved and used again, but having had it 30 years I can't just stick it on flea bay and hope for the best. As daft as it sounds I want to know it's gone to a good home.

Hi John,
We venture down to Chichester every couple of months. Shame that Chichester Audio disappeared like many others. It still has a second hand vinyl and CD shop. Have you seen Jess Lewis busking. She is a great young talent, especially the way she plays jazz.

Your current system looks tasty.

Welcome.

Hi Rob, thanks for the welcome.
Yeah I remember Chichester hifi, a small place in a basement in little London, sold Linn, Rega and Naim. There are 2 secondhand record shops I know of in Chichester, 1 on either side of the road near the market.
Your more than welcome to pop in for a brew and a listen next time your down, Im only a 10 minute walk from the record shops.

Hello John. Welcome to AOS.

Yes. Hi-Fi can be an "expensive disease" :). However, if the cost is spread over time, it need not be too painful.

Tell us what future plans you may have for your system if any. We like to hear what folk are doing.

Nice turntable the Mantra, I'm sure if you offered it on the Private Exhibitions sales section here, it would find a happy new owner.

Anyway, take a look around, there's plenty going on and feel free to join in the chat.


Enjoy the forum,
Geoff.




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Welcome on board John
Like minded folk here. Contribute and enjoy fella
BTW very well done for owning up to having a 'Simply Red' CD, that took admirable courage :lol:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by walpurgis

Tell us what future plans you may have for your system if any. We like to hear what folk are doing.

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For the moment at least I am going to give my wallet a chance to cool down and let things settle, the MB845s only went in 3 weeks ago. So I would imagine this will be the rig I will drag up to Scalford in March for the WAM do.

Hopefully sometime next year I will have the funds to move up the cartridge food chain. Not sure how far up, but I think anywhere beyond a cadenza black would make my 3rd eye blink very rapidly.
With any luck a bargain will turn up in one of the many classifieds or eBay.
Not saying there's owt wrong with my Hana SL, it's a stonking cart for the money. I just feel that the rest of my analogue kit has moved beyond it, and is capable of realising the abilities of something better. I quite like (from reviews) the idea of a Benz Micro Glider SL or maybe a koetsu of some description.

Welcome to AoS John.

Nice introduction. Apropos a change of cartridge, well obviously try to listen to both the Benz and the Koetsu before you buy and if you can, have a listen to some Ortofon MC designs.

Regards
Barry