Hi, I'm Andy & no longer a hi-fi nut

[greendriver]

Hmmmmm...title may seem controversial, but I can no longer afford the best(?) equipment, but my musical appreciation will never die! After all, isn't this what it is all about?

Gone are the days when I had a Gyrodec Export (the gold/brass one), Meridian preamp, Quad 405-2 amp (good pairing) and Rogers ls7 speakers... I know, not the very best, but a good basis for MUSIC (sorry to shout).

Alas I may even have to sell my black Rogers LS3/5A's soon...

never mind. There are far more important things in the world..

Andy

[DSJR]

Andy, this is where some careful ebaying or car-booting will really come to the fore :) You'll have to put some work in on all vintage turntables, but an old Lenco (all need work and are getting pricey now though), Thorens or Technics SL1500 or similar (both my 1500 tonearms have needed bearing adjustment for some reason but are perfect once done), will sing sweet sounds to you once properly fettled and sited - amazingly so I assure you...

Amp wise? Well, older NAD's can be seriously good with smaller speakers. the 3020 series is still usable these days and a non-knackered one will be superb, the 3020A mc input isn't a slouch either, as setting up a Linn LP12 was perfectly audible through one of these..

Speakers? Again, some of the vintage KEF and B&W models are still good and I believe still obtainable for under a ton. I doubt LS7's go for very much more tbh but I could be wrong.

I shall be interested to hear Alex(UK)'s £100 system once he's sorted it. A Pro-ject Debut II with OMB5e for £30 or possibly less, a NAD 3020 or older Leak Stereo 70 for £40 or so (the Leak will need looking at certainly) and some vintage budget speakers from KEF and B&W will give you a great taste of what you've lost and older bigger Celestion and Goodmans models correctly taken off the floor should entertain hugely for only a few tens of £'s.

[Tarzan]

Andy, hi and welcome to the forum, l have been in the position you describe, but l bounced back especially on the analogue side(reading this forum) and for less money, got better sound and more importantly l got my music back- sometimes the Hi-End is overhyped imho, have fun:)

[John]

Welcome
Yes it about enjoying the music, so tell us what do you like to listen too

[greendriver]

I've just collected a mint pair of KEF Corelli's for £50, as I like this vintage of speakers. My Tangent RS4's use similar drive units (T27) and are a little more airy with a more powerful bottom end.

Someone will hate me for this but I believe I have a boxed GL75 in my shed underneath a B&O 3000 tuner amp...

I also have about 17 decent pairs of headphones (did I say I was mad?)

[John]

Well get that Lenco out place it a nice plinth and enjoy

[greendriver]

Andy, hi and welcome to the forum, l have been in the position you describe, but l bounced back especially on the analogue side(reading this forum) and for less money, got better sound and more importantly l got my music back- sometimes the Hi-End is overhyped imho, have fun:)

Thanks, Tarzan.

I found that the higher I got and the more money I spent, the further away my dream became.

One day I woke up and realised that my listening area acoustics did not justify any further outlay and started getting into decent headphones.

I dare say a further thread about acoustics could go on forever, but, in the end I decided to chase the music, not the sound.

[Rare Bird]

Hi Andrew
Welcome bud, i totally refuse to spend money on Hi-Fi...

[Marco]

Hi Andy,

Welcome to AoS :)

Nice introduction, mate, but where is 'Green'? I think we need a little more info on your location.... ;)

Marco.

[greendriver]

Welcome
Yes it about enjoying the music, so tell us what do you like to listen too

I like to listen to: Flower Kings (swedish), Symphony X, Steely Dan, Rush, Martinu, Faure, practically any symphony (Beethoven, Saint Saens, Sibelius), Yes, Porcupine Tree, Aquaplanege, J Tull etc.

[greendriver]

Hi Andy,

Welcome to AoS :)

Nice introduction, mate, but where is 'Green'? I think we need a little more info on your location.... ;)

Marco.

Adjusted. Must have been the excitement at making new friends......someone's got to live in Croydon....

[spendorman]

I've just collected a mint pair of KEF Corelli's for £50, as I like this vintage of speakers. My Tangent RS4's use similar drive units (T27) and are a little more airy with a more powerful bottom end.

Someone will hate me for this but I believe I have a boxed GL75 in my shed underneath a B&O 3000 tuner amp...

I also have about 17 decent pairs of headphones (did I say I was mad?)

Corellis are not bad, the RS4's have the Audax Bextrene bass/ mids. I prefer these to the B200's in the Corellis. I have both Corellis and RS4's, also RS2's.

Watch out for burnt components in the Corelli crossover. I have come across this.

The Corelli's were worth the £50 if only for the tweeters.

[greendriver]

Corellis are not bad, the RS4's have the Audax Bextrene bass/ mids. I prefer these to the B200's in the Corellis. I have both Corellis and RS4's, also RS2's.

Watch out for burnt components in the Corelli crossover. I have come across this.

The Corelli's were worth the £50 if only for the tweeters.

I think the gentleman who sold me the Corelli's suspected I was going to cannibalise them for the drivers:steam:....they are in superb condition and he was not a happy bunny.

...my ls3/5a's do need another tweeter, though:eyebrows:

[spendorman]

I think the gentleman who sold me the Corelli's suspected I was going to cannibalise them for the drivers:steam:....they are in superb condition and he was not a happy bunny.

...my ls3/5a's do need another tweeter, though:eyebrows:

Perhaps try Audax soft dome tweeter in the Corelli, there are some new cheap, but quite nice Peerless soft domes on e bay.

[John]

I like to listen to: Flower Kings (swedish), Symphony X, Steely Dan, Rush, Martinu, Faure, practically any symphony (Beethoven, Saint Saens, Sibelius), Yes, Porcupine Tree, Aquaplanege, J Tull etc.

Good wide taste in music I have a few Flower Kings albums my fav being Stardust We Are and the live album, big Rush lover too

[greendriver]

Good wide taste in music I have a few Flower Kings albums my fav being Stardust We Are and the live album, big Rush lover too

After about 3 listens, Adam and Eve has become my fave Flower Kings album...I think I have them all. The dvd's have been well recorded, too.

I also love Roine Stolt's side project, Transatlantic....epic stuff

[DSJR]

I've just collected a mint pair of KEF Corelli's for £50, as I like this vintage of speakers. My Tangent RS4's use similar drive units (T27) and are a little more airy with a more powerful bottom end.

Someone will hate me for this but I believe I have a boxed GL75 in my shed underneath a B&O 3000 tuner amp...

I also have about 17 decent pairs of headphones (did I say I was mad?)

The Beomaster 3000 used crap capacitors and apparently, when re-capped throughout and re set, can give good results (I prefer the more powerful 'Master 4000 though and the final 4400 was sublime as I recall.

The RS4's are NOT neutral in balance, with a honked-up low bass, no baffle-step (so there's an exaggerated mid loss) and slightly funny things happening at the crossover point. the end result was tons better than the sum of the parts and we sold hundreds of pairs (thanks Jimmy for playing them to me long before Mr frankland got hold of 'em:)). The Corelli's were superb shelf-mounters, apparently using the drivers and crossover topology from the 104ab version. A touch "tubby" if the shelf wasn't right, but I bet they sing with modern wires and stands. The previous Chorale used the earlier crossover as I remember.

Don't forget the Celeste and Concorde III and IV, which had trumpet stands and body-stockings. Lovely to listen to if not quite as refined..

[greendriver]

I had some concorde 4's at one time too, very lively sound, I used them for parties....

I'm quite fond of the RS4, very forgiving of less than perfect amplifiers.

I've often thought about upgrading my old Sony CDP502es2 circuitry, but at the moment it has a sticky drawer

My old Quad 405-2 had a warmish sound, but paired up nicely with a boothroyd stuart pre-amp, which was a little sterile

[Alex_UK]

Hi Andy, and welcome to AoS. First off, you'll find no "badge-fi" snobbery here - quite the opposite, in fact - I think we are mainly a bunch of tight-@rses who never want to pay out for shiny boxes, and "Sound Per Pound Value" is an attribute often quoted by Marco and others, myself included - there's a great sense of satisfaction in getting a great sound without just walking into a boutique hifi shop and throwing them your Gold card - not that I have one, anyhow! :lol:

For me, the most fun I've had since joining here is trying out vintage kit I always coveted, "cottage industry" hifi (no offence, Stan or Mark Grant!) and some judicious tweaking - but mainly in discovering new music - which, as you say, is what it is all about.

Good luck with your system - synergy and careful setting up will I am sure give you a system worth far more than the sum of its parts. :)

Enjoy the forum, and look forward to more of your posts.