Hi I'm Chris

[ChrisB]

Hi Guys,

My name is Chris and I am a web designer/developer, living on the Scottish Riviera in Dundee. I first got into hi-fi with a Muscial Fidelity E600 CD Player / MF E20 amp combo about 18 years ago. The E20 is still going strong, and is nearly burned in now.

I have been into computer audio for about 10 years now, starting with 320kbps rips in winamp then progressing to FLAC through Foobar about 6 years ago. I have ~1500 albums all ripped in FLAC format ripped with Exact Audio Copy. I am a bit of a minimalist so love not having hundreds of CDs lying about the place.

I do most of my listening in the office with cans which helps me block out the din of an open-plan office and hold onto my sanity. I built my own floorstanding loudspeakers a few years back but wouldn't describe myself as a really confident modder, as I'm probably more confident with a block of sandpaper in hand rather than a soldering iron. The veneer is peeling off the speakers now so I'm planning on doing a bit of work on them over the next wee while.

I heard about Beresford DACs in 2008 when I purchased a 7510, then subsequently a 7520 a year later. I'm looking to upgrade my office system DAC and headphones soon, probably with a Gatorised Caiman and pair of Denon D2000s. The upgrade itch is what brought me to the forum. I have been watching this forum with interest in a creepy stalkerish way for a while, but decided to take the plunge and join recently.

Kit:
Office: Foobar (ASIOed) -> 7520(LM4562NAs) via USB -> Senny HD212
Study: Foobar (ASIOed) -> M-Audio Revo -> 7510 -> Van Den Hul Phonos -> Musical Fidelity E20 -> DIY speaks

Music:
http://www.last.fm/user/euro_child

[Tarzan]

Hi Chris!:)

[Barry]

Welcome to AoS Chris.

Good introduction and congratulations on 'coming out' and joining us. You have successfully avoided the attentions of the 'Welcome police'!

I see you are heavily into computer audio. What sort of music do you have on those 1500 stored albums? We're a bit of a nosey bunch here!

Welcome again and enjoy the forum.

Regards

[Alex_UK]

Hi from me too Chris, welcome to AoS.

As Barry has said, we're a nosey bunch so would be good to learn what sort of music you like, and some piccies of your system, peeling veneer or not, would be very welcome. Just make sure you include the curtains - I've got a bit of a curtain fetish! ;)

All the best, enjoy the forum.

[ChrisB]

What sort of music do you have on those 1500 stored albums?

Regards

Here's my last.fm profile for the music I'm into. Pretty much anything except Country Music!

http://www.last.fm/user/euro_child

[ChrisB]

and some piccies of your system, peeling veneer or not, would be very welcome. Just make sure you include the curtains - I've got a bit of a curtain fetish! ;)



Hi Alex, I shall include some system shots soon I promise. As you can see the equipment isn't high end or anything so nothing to get excited about. My curtains on the other hand are pretty exciting!

[Barry]

Here's my last.fm profile for the music I'm into. Pretty much anything except Country Music!

http://www.last.fm/user/euro_child

Had a quick look at the first 10 pages. Quite a few of the artists are new to me, but of those that I know: Kronos Quartet; PJ Harvey, Arcade Fire; Sigur Rós; Rameau; Vivaldi and of course The Beatles - excellent choices all.

Always nice to welcome someone with a taste for a broad range of music . Funnily enough, I don't like Country Music either (with the exception of some Appalachian music)!

Regards

[Ali Tait]

Hi Chris,
Nice to see some more local members, I'm not too far away. Can you give some more details on your speakers? I run DIY speakers too.

[ChrisB]

Hi Chris,
Nice to see some more local members, I'm not too far away. Can you give some more details on your speakers? I run DIY speakers too.

Yeah we're virtually neighbours Ali. I notice that there are quite a few Scotsmen posting here which is good to see. Perfect weather for listening to hi-fi up here obviously.

The loudspeakers are built from a World Designs kit (Hi-Fi World) and are full range floorstanders. The kit was purchase about 12 years ago and I can't even remember the name of the drivers. I'll post up photos tomorrow. I'm sure someone will know!

I am quite happy with them even though my veneering skills are such that it started peeling off soon after it was applied. There's definitely something very satisfying about building your own kit and being able to enjoy it for years. I was thinking about stripping the veneer off an spraying them instead.

Were yours in kit or did you design them yourself? I can't see any photos against your profile.

[Ali Tait]

KLS 3 by any chance? I've not had any of their speakers but have had a few of their amps in the past-300b PSE, original Tim De P designed 300b PP, KEL 84, 5881 PP and I still have and use a tweaked WAD Pre 2.

The speakers are open baffles built by another member here, for which I swapped my pair of MLTL's using Fostex Fe167e. Here's a pic-

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/5532/imag0143u.jpg (http://img135.imageshack.us/i/imag0143u.jpg/)

They are currently driven actively with a Behringer DCX2496, using a pair of Bantam Audio Golds.

[Ali Tait]

Forgot to say, the drivers are a Visaton B200 and a pair of Eminence Alpha 15 inch per side. The Visatons have Planet10 phase plugs fitted.

[ChrisB]

KLS 3 by any chance?

It is the KLS9s that I have actually. Impressive recall though! I can see that you know your DIY audio.

http://www.cadaudio.dk/kls9.htm

I like your room treatment. I'm assuming that's the WAD Pre2 on your photo, bottom right?

[Ali Tait]

Yes correct, though that's not room treatment, but a pair of ER Audio Acorn electrostatic speakers, which are a kit from Australia. A friend is currently building me a pair of direct coupled amps using GM70's to drive them. These will then be used for music listening while the OB's will be used for AV.

[Ali Tait]

BTW, were you ever on the WAD/WD forum?

[ChrisB]

Yes correct, though that's not room treatment, but a pair of ER Audio Acorn electrostatic speakers, which are a kit from Australia. A friend is currently building me a pair of direct coupled amps using GM70's to drive them. These will then be used for music listening while the OB's will be used for AV.

Oh OK I thought they were bass traps! I was partly talking about them, but also the book case/and the diffusers on the left of the photo. I assume that's what they are?

No, I was never on the WAD/WD forum, but I was a bit fan of Hi-Fi World. I would love to build my own amp in the future though when the funds free up!

[Ali Tait]

Nah, that's just the window blind. :)

[Ali Tait]

The good thing about OB's is that they seem to be more immune to room effects than conventional speakers, so they sound good in most places.

[Ali Tait]

Physical size is the downside though.

[ChrisB]

D'oh, sorry Ali. That'll be an inauspicious start on the forum for me then.

Anyway congrats on a great system and items in your room looking (and potentially functioning like) room treatments.

I assume your dog isn't bothered about hi-fi or he would have chosen a more central position in the room for his bed. :lol:

[Ali Tait]

Cheers. If you fancy a listen sometime, let me know.

Yes, Jake's not too bothered about the music, but he does get interested in any animal sounds on Discovery documentaries etc!

[ChrisB]

Cheers for the offer Ali.

My mother-in-law is not too far away in Stirling, so that would be great. I enjoy listening to hi-fi is almost as much as shopping, going to coffee shops, changing nappies, etc!

[Ali Tait]

Welcome, just let me know.

[ChrisB]

Okay so you guys are officially a bad influence on me. I've only been a member for a week and already I've Gatorised my 7520. Ordered on Friday afternoon, delivered on Monday morning. Stan does it again! It was even easier to fit than I thought it would be.

[Reid Malenfant]

Okay so you guys are officially a bad influence on me. I've only been a member for a week and already I've Gatorised my 7520.
Hi Chris, welcome from me to :) Looks like you have gotten of pretty lightly so far fella :D

Just want to say cheers for changing your avatar, it was kind of disturbing in certain respects, the size of it didn't help matters either :eyebrows: No matter where you went the eyes followed you, kind of like the Kitchener poster that most people know 4037

It was the serious look in the eyes that got to me though, apologies if you don't quite get where i'm coming from as it's difficult to explain :scratch:

All the best anyway, i hope you enjoy your stay :wave:

[ChrisB]

Don't worry, I'm not finished Mark, not by a long way! I'm definitely getting a headphone upgrade very soon - probably Denon D2000s, as they're for use in an open plan office they need to be closed back. The 7520 may suffice for the next few months, especially with the Gator in it. I think I may wait for the next generation of Caiman before I buy a new DAC though. I thought I read in a post somewhere that Stan said he was working on it. I may be mistaken though as I think I've read every post on AoS re:the Caiman in the past fortnight and I'm a bit confused about some things.

The picture is my little boy. I thought he looked kind of sad and cute. I may be a bit biased though.

[Reid Malenfant]

The picture is my little boy. I thought he looked kind of sad and cute. I may be a bit biased though.
Good looking kid, congratulations! He looks inquisitive to me as well :) It was that the picture looked like he was looking at me :lol: As i say, inquisitive because he was looking at the camera thinking what's that :eyebrows: