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Thread: Industry skeptic

  1. #1
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: Montseny National Park, Catalonia

    Posts: 3,254
    I'm John.

    Default Industry skeptic

    Hello people.
    I’ve been looking for a British based Hi Fi site (am I allowed to say that
    Ex engineer in avionic acoustics, recovering audiophile with 35 years of big shiny box experience generally impoverished (not necessarily due to audiophilia). Lotsa big hammers and welding kit
    Recently moved from Vinyl with a bit of CD to computer based audio.
    Game playing, music loving, grandad
    Single spur balanced Mains. Self built music server with 3 seperate linear PSU, Intel i5, 16 GB RAM no hard drive (various Linux OS). Benchmark Dac2 HGC, single ended XLR interconnects/Belkin cable. Exposure 21RC Pre, Super 18 Power (recap & modified). Modded World Audio HD83 HP amp. Hand built Monitors with external crossovers , Volt 250 bass & ABR, Scanspeak 13M8621 Mid & Scanspeak D2905/9300 Hi. HD595 & Beyer 880 (600 ohm) cans.

    The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.
    -Bertrand Russel

    John.

  2. #2
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

    Default

    Welcome

    Hopefully we can read more of your DIY exploits
    Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
    Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me

  3. #3
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: Sunny (occasionally) Devon

    Posts: 1,716
    I'm Shane.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Welder View Post
    Ex engineer in avionic acoustics
    Wossat den?
    Time flies like an arrow.
    Fruit flies like a banana.

  4. #4
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Bristol, UK

    Posts: 9,962
    I'm Nick.

    Default Industry skeptic

    Welcome Welder, from Bristol too! What's your real name and what kind of music are you into?

    Enjoy the forum and thanks for saying hello!
    Nick
    My system...


    Follow AOS on Twitter: @AoS_Forum

  5. #5
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: Montseny National Park, Catalonia

    Posts: 3,254
    I'm John.

    Default Thanks

    DSJR.
    Hi. Prolly best not to encourage me. My doctor says I should give it up; still trying to get my hair to stand down after the last charged cap belt, not to mention the structural damage from flying driver cones. Course, what with everything getting smaller I’m having a lot of trouble tapering the flame of the old oxy acetylene small enough to weld the component legs to that dodgy silver stuff they spread all over those green boards these days. Not to worry though, nothing a decent clout with a lump hammer won’t cure

    Shane.
    Dat is one of dem geezers wot does the R&D for talking to those noisy flying things wiv de flames shooting out the back; aircraft communications

    Beechwoods.
    My real name is John. Is Bristol a popular spot for AoS contributors then?
    Music; well erm, I don’t prefer a particular genre. At the moment I’m having a bit of a trip hop phase mixed with gospel, got some old Public enemy and Gangstar in my last play list. Just bought Bach’s mass in B minor (again!) and some more Natalie Merchant; thinking about getting some more Ray Charles and Marcus Millar. Basically I’ll give anything a listen. I find one gets to like a lot more music this way.

    I’ve had a brief look around the forum and read the subjectivist riot act. I’m afraid I’m fairly well entrenched in the opposite camp, measurement rather than faith etc, but I try to maintain a sense of humour when the subjectivists say something really silly

    I tend to build my own stuff rather than buy and support the audiophile industry but I have lots of time for the honest manufacturer who makes decent quality kit.
    What else can I add; oh yeah, I’m a HRT Music Streamer and Volt Loudspeaker fan boy. I can still hear 17 KHz and like musicality in preference to detail and resolution
    Single spur balanced Mains. Self built music server with 3 seperate linear PSU, Intel i5, 16 GB RAM no hard drive (various Linux OS). Benchmark Dac2 HGC, single ended XLR interconnects/Belkin cable. Exposure 21RC Pre, Super 18 Power (recap & modified). Modded World Audio HD83 HP amp. Hand built Monitors with external crossovers , Volt 250 bass & ABR, Scanspeak 13M8621 Mid & Scanspeak D2905/9300 Hi. HD595 & Beyer 880 (600 ohm) cans.

    The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.
    -Bertrand Russel

    John.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Hi John,

    Welcome to AOS - hope you enjoy it here

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  7. #7
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

    Default

    John, if you're careful you can get a great measuring and stable product that ozzes music. It's just that many "audiophool" products have an unbalanced design and place one aspect above all others - best known is the prat factor, sorry, pr@t factor..
    Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
    Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jun 2010

    Location: Southampton

    Posts: 1,620
    I'm drunk.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Welder View Post
    I’m a Volt Loudspeaker fan boy. I can still hear 17 KHz and like musicality in preference to detail and resolution
    Welcome John. Glad to see another Volt fan here.
    I agree with your preferences too. I like my music to sound good and make me smile.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: Montseny National Park, Catalonia

    Posts: 3,254
    I'm John.

    Default

    Thanks for the welcome all.
    Techno Commander.
    You’re the first person I’ve come across on a Hi Fi forum that has mentioned knowing of Volt Loudspeakers.
    I started out with a pair of Volt Boxers built by David Lyth to demonstrate his drive units. I heard them at Unilet Hi Hi in London when I was looking for some Threshold Amps. I made such a nuisance of myself Unilet eventually agreed to sell me the demo pair. I’ve had a number of Volt drive units since then. Just re built my current B250’s, cone, suspension, etc.
    I realize Volt drivers are quite expensive for Bass drivers these days but for sealed enclosures I just haven’t found anything I prefer.
    Single spur balanced Mains. Self built music server with 3 seperate linear PSU, Intel i5, 16 GB RAM no hard drive (various Linux OS). Benchmark Dac2 HGC, single ended XLR interconnects/Belkin cable. Exposure 21RC Pre, Super 18 Power (recap & modified). Modded World Audio HD83 HP amp. Hand built Monitors with external crossovers , Volt 250 bass & ABR, Scanspeak 13M8621 Mid & Scanspeak D2905/9300 Hi. HD595 & Beyer 880 (600 ohm) cans.

    The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.
    -Bertrand Russel

    John.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Jun 2010

    Location: Southampton

    Posts: 1,620
    I'm drunk.

    Default

    Volts do cost more than moth other drivers, but they are also far in excess of most other driver when compared for build quality and sound. Their dynamics and grip are legendary.



    Most commercial speakers using Volts are in the £2K and upwards band so using them for home build speakers makes them an unparalleled success.

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