Hello from London

[Lawrence001]

Hi all I thought I ought to introduce myself after buying a Croft pre on here and asking for some advice.

I've been into music and hifi for years and have got through probably 50 pairs of speakers in the last 10 years since ebay and gumtree got popular. Rather than go through them all here I should say what I have right now. In theory I am trying to settle down with one system and a few bits for the occasional tweak and change of sound. However given a recent arrival of a second child and a temporary change in domestic circumstances (ie a move from a house to a flat while we continue our search to buy a house in the ridiculous London market), there might be one or two more tweaks to come... [update I wrote all this while using the Kefs but the BKS have now arrived (O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!) so hopefully no more tweaks!

My main system is currently:

•Cambridge audio CD500SE (rack space in flat now shared with Bt box and DVD player thus preventing me using my usual HHB CDR-800 - basically a rebadged and upgraded pioneer elite stable platter CDR - feeding digital signals to a Trichord Research Pulsar Dac with the outboard PSU upgrade)
•Cambridge Audio 840A v2 "class XD" integrated amplifier
•BKS 107 mkII Ribbon hybrid speakers (the model used by hifi world as their reference speakers about 12-15 years ago with granite sides).

Other highlights not currently in use include:
•Kef Reference model 3
•NHT 2.5i plus matching rears and centre
•Restek Challenger integrated
•Pair of hand-made KT88 based valve monoblocs
•Croft basic micro pre (just bought on here for use with either of the above.
•Opera Consonance M100SE EL34 based integrated
•Sony NS900V SACD/DVD player
•Ariston RD11 (early LP12 some would say but please don't get into a heated debate on this thread you Linn fans know who you are!)

ps while I don't have a car and have 2 young children I'm definitely interested in meeting fellow members in (accessible) north london and hereabouts at least and hearing different systems and discovering new music. And a lift to Scalford / other shows would be great!!

Oh and music wise I love dark indie (being an ex goth in the dim and distant path!) and shoegaze, jazz (Mingus, Davies etc), rock prog and metal (deep purple to 80s thrash via King Crimson and iron maiden), some blues and folky stuff, classical especially authentic baroque and classical and later English music (Tallis to Vaughan Williams via Purcell and Handel) with a bit of interesting not too atonal modern and contemporary music like Arvo Part.

Best wishes, Lawrence

[Macca]

Great intro Lawrence, welcome to the forum.

When you have time I think we would all be interested to hear your thoughts on the various speakers you have tried. NHT have always interested me but I've never heard any.

Re Scalford a lot of people go up from London so stick up a thread and see if you can arrange something. It is worth the trip.

[walpurgis]

Hi Lawrence. You seem to have been enjoying the forum. Didn't realise you'd not had an intro. Anyway welcome.

[Lawrence001]

Thanks Martin and Geoff.

I will certainly try and put together something about my thoughts on my speaker history but it might be a bit of a ramble. And it would be great to get a lift to some meets.

My bad I didn't introduce myself earlier but I my defence I was busy with the arrival of a little boy in November.

I forgot to mention my X10v3 tube buffer modded by rock grotto with the little pinkie PSU and my tisbury passive. I noticed he's now making them with dip switches I wonder if this has any noticeable affect on the transparency.

Lawrence

[jollyfix]

Hi Lawrence, welcome to AOS, enjoy the forum.

[Audio Al]

Hello from another Londener

[Puffin]

Did you buy your own speakers back?

[update I wrote all this while using the Kefs but the BKS have now arrived (O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281641693390

[Lawrence001]

Good spot I owned a pair a while ago but much as I loved their clarity and transparency I just missed the full range bass in the through double reception room, so I decided the Kefs were the way forward. Ironically they went to a guy going the other way, he wanted to replace a pair of the larger Utopias that were just too big for his room (they went for a fraction of my optimistic initial ebay listing price, sometimes I use a high price on the bay as an "interest check"). When I moved into the flat it was clear the Kefs wouldn't work and when I fortuitously got the chance to get another pair of the BKS I didn't hesitate! I thought I might not see another pair going for years.