My style free listening space

[Greg2010]

I did not post any photographs when I first joined the forum (some while ago), having just acquired a simple camera (apologies for the picture quality) this is an attempt to atone for my misdemeanour.

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/002.jpg

The Beresford caiman is modified, murata regs, 16v regulated supply and silmic II caps, fed from an m-audio ap192 or the meridian 506.
Preamp is the Croft basic with a compliment of 3 5751's, the best reasonably priced valves I've tried so far.

The 300b's are my first foray into valve power amps (26w), I still have a number of solid state amps about but they are in a very definite second place to the present combination. Someone once told me valves don't do bass, ask my neighbours if they like Finley Quaye :eek:

This lot sits on an old marble hearth, I don't know how much it weighs but it doesn't vibrate much :eyebrows:

TT duty fulfilled by the AOS standard, technics, with oversized farnell linear supply, dl110, AR jelco arm, and cork-nitrile mat, wall mounted.

Wires courtesy of Mark Grant, belkin and belden. Mains is a separate ring on it's own consumer unit.


http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/009.jpg

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/010.jpg

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/006.jpg

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/horns.jpg


The goodmans horns were built by Dave Hewitt, to original 1950's design drawings, they have the original wooden goodmans crossovers with new caps fitted, for vocals and acoustic works they are a joy.

The OB's are a recent experiment, audio nirvana 8" cast frame full range with eminence beta 15a bass and simple second order crossovers, clarity, broad sound stage and air are the order of the day with these. Although when new the audio nirvana's make an awful sound, after some 200 hrs they lose that teeth-grating edge giving a fuller sound.

Regards to all,
Greg

[Macca]

Good stuff Greg - I have a hankering to try the 12'' Audio Nirvana drivers in an open baffle but after buying an RCM I promised myself no more hi-fi spending for a bit:)

One question - how do you get the volume on your Croft pre so high? If I turned mine up that much even with vinyl I think the house would fall down!:lol:

[Greg2010]

I had been playing from the PC so the volume was controlled through foobar, otherwise as you say the foundations would be at risk:eek: The 5751's do have a bit less gain than the ecc83's, if you want to drop the gain it's just a matter of changing a couple of resistors. I altered mine but went back to the original spec when I was driving some other speakers and never changed it again.

Greg

[Macca]

I had been playing from the PC so the volume was controlled through foobar, otherwise as you say the foundations would be at risk:eek: The 5751's do have a bit less gain than the ecc83's, if you want to drop the gain it's just a matter of changing a couple of resistors. I altered mine but went back to the original spec when I was driving some other speakers and never changed it again.

Greg

I didn't realise you had swapped the valves. Did it make any other difference?

I do think about the resistor mod but I would not attempt it myself (not soldered in over 10 years) and it would mean being without the Croft for a week or too which would be too traumatic to contemplate:)

[Ali Tait]

Hi Greg, some nice sounding kit there by the looks. WAD 300b PP is it?

[Greg2010]

I didn't realise you had swapped the valves. Did it make any other difference?

Macca,
Yes, I find the 5751's reduced a perceived graininess and give a more open presentation across the whole range. I tried cv4004, some 7025's some mullard ecc83 and the JJ's that were installed originally all slightly different in character.

Ali, yes they are wad pp with a few choice caps rather nice they are too :) although the transformers do get a touch warm after a heavy session.

Greg.

[Ali Tait]

I used to have the pse's. If you like the way that sounds, look out for an original stereo chassis amp. They are rather good.

[Greg2010]

Thanks Ali, I'll keep an eye out. :thumbsup:

[Greg2010]

I thought I'd give the camera another outing :)

Sure TK2050 Class-D

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/018.jpg

GB300D

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/013.jpg

Moth RCM

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/008-1.jpg

Various ss stuff

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/009-1.jpg

tt
http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/001.jpg

Myrad cd audiolab 8000s

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/014.jpg

Part of the vinyl repository.

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/007-1.jpg

[RochaCullen]

The OB's are a recent experiment, audio nirvana 8" cast frame full range with eminence beta 15a bass and simple second order crossovers, clarity, broad sound stage and air are the order of the day with these. Although when new the audio nirvana's make an awful sound, after some 200 hrs they lose that teeth-grating edge giving a fuller sound.

Regards to all,
Greg

Hi Greg,

I have been looking into getting myself a set of 10" or 12" audio nirvana alnico drivers, can you give us a bit more detail on how you are getting on with your 8" set.

Nathan

[Butuz]

How thats some passive mod. It looks as if there are two types of caps wired in paralell??

Butuz

[Greg2010]

Originally posted by Nathan
I have been looking into getting myself a set of 10" or 12" audio nirvana alnico drivers, can you give us a bit more detail on how you are getting on with your 8" set.

I really like the detail they're producing now they have some hours on them.If I got it right they should roll off around 400hz (I'm no expert). I would have gone for the bigger units you're talking about getting if I'd a bit more funding available. The combination with the 15" eminence beta works very well, the bass available from a small 8" in an OB didn't give me the bass I wanted. I have also had to attenuate the AN's to get a good balance and this alters the character a little depending on the resistors used. Unfortunately I'm not able to give you a flowery description of their capabilities :rolleyes: I am aware that they sound more "rounded" being driven by valves than ss and they are by far the most revealing speakers I have even at low volume. If you've got the cash spare and enjoy tinkering I'd certainly give them a try.
It's a pity your so far away you'd have been welcome to come over and have a listen.

Were you thinking of OB's or cabinets?

Regards
Greg

[Greg2010]

Hi Butuz,
I tried a lot of different caps and this combination sounded best ( to my somewhat jaded hearing) just a trial and error event really :) that ended happily. They are some sic-safco 10uf paralleled with a 220nf clarity cap so 10.22uf in total, not that the overall value seems to be critical within a few uf.

Greg

[RochaCullen]

I really like the detail they're producing now they have some hours on them.If I got it right they should roll off around 400hz (I'm no expert). I would have gone for the bigger units you're talking about getting if I'd a bit more funding available. The combination with the 15" eminence beta works very well, the bass available from a small 8" in an OB didn't give me the bass I wanted. I have also had to attenuate the AN's to get a good balance and this alters the character a little depending on the resistors used. Unfortunately I'm not able to give you a flowery description of their capabilities :rolleyes: I am aware that they sound more "rounded" being driven by valves than ss and they are by far the most revealing speakers I have even at low volume. If you've got the cash spare and enjoy tinkering I'd certainly give them a try.
It's a pity your so far away you'd have been welcome to come over and have a listen.

Were you thinking of OB's or cabinets?

Regards
Greg

Most of the builds I've read about seem to be focusing more on cabinets than on OB. Plus given the fact that I have a little person in the house now, a cabinet might be a better idea.

Nathan

N

[Greg2010]

Hi Nathan,

I think the alnico magnets are specially designed to attract little fingers :lol:

I would certainly vouch for the build quality, the cast frames are rigid and well finished.

If you're going to be using cabs have you considered the 15" coax that they have ? If you're not limited for space maybe you could build a tannoy like large enclosure

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12023 or something like Marco's lockwoods.

I've found recently with the goodmans horns (which have 15" bass wharfdales)

and the OB's there's no substitute for the ability to move large quantities of air.

I think whichever you finally choose you'll not be disappointed unless of

course you're comparing them to some multi thousand pound commercial product.

Keep us posted of your progress of course.

Regards
Greg

[jandl100]

Just spotted the Myryad CDP. Which model is that?

I've recently picked up a MCD600, a refurb the manufacturer auctioned on fleaBay with a new laser ... I have to admit that it is disturbingly close in performance to some seriously high end kit! :eek:

[Greg2010]

Hi Jerry
It's an MC 100. I'm ashamed to say....I've never listened to it :rolleyes: I bought it for a second system, then my daughter moved in :lol: and because I don't watch TV I rarely go in the room it's in. Suppose I should rescue it sometime soon and have a listen.

Regards
Greg