Rather late to this thread, folks! Been quite busy catching up with a few things since returning from Scotland, so not much time for posting
I'd just like to say thanks to Gaz for hosting a great little get together, and it was nice meeting you at long last! You've got a superb sounding system, mate, which (as good as the Mini T's are) is only destined to get better with the arrival of Nick's 300B box of thermionic lurveliness.... Can't wait to find out how that one goes!
Your Gyrodec is undoubtedly one of the best I've heard (no doubt in part due to having been set up by Johnny), and also one of the best belt-drive T/T's I've had the pleasure of listening to. All the respective 'bits' you've assembled simply serve to demonstrate synergy in action, so if you have plans to further upgrade your T/T, make sure not to disturb that synergy.
If I were you, I'd forget all about an SME V, and fit a PU7. Trust me, sonically, it will blow the SME into the weeds and in turn offer greater SPPV, so only entertain an SME V if you're seduced by the badge!
It was also a pleasure meeting Brian again, who's always great to chat to, and of course meeting Tony (wee tee cee) for the first time, who's a total hoot and makes my dirty mind (and scatological sense of humour) seem like that of a choir boy's in comparison!!
It was also superb visiting Tony separately and hearing his own (very different system from Gaz's), and meeting his good lady, Louise. Tony's system is the epitome of K.I.S.S, powered by battery instead of the mains, which gives it a totally effortless, clean, grain-free sound - and one, which very importantly for me, gets right to the heart of the music, conveying all of its emotion in true goose bump-rendering fashion!
I could've honestly sat a listened to choons on it all day, as its essential musical character, cohesion, and style of music-making (scale and bass heft aside) reminded me very much of my own system at home. As such, I feel that Tony should be praised for his efforts, considering how little he's spent on his system, but what he's spent has been spent very wisely indeed. Clearly, ma man, there's fuck all wrang wi yer lugs!
Anyway, thanks again to you guys for hosting a couple of daftees (Snapper and I), and I look forward to another sesh next time I pop up to Scotland, when hopefully wicrackpot and Ali will be able to attend. Cheers lads, nice one! This is what AoS is all about
Marco.