View Full Version : anthonyTD's system pics
Steve Toy
06-01-2009, 14:37
System components - Soul Mate pre, Soul Monoblocks, Big Copper amp, Eikos and Shanling CD players.
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/6351/anthony1fu9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Soul Stereo power amp
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/5568/anthony2nn1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Big Copper amp
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/7659/anthony3vc7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A Soul Monoblock. (You need two ;))
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/205/anthony4iy3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Here's the other one
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1079/anthony5mq1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Soul Mate pre
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3589/anthony6kw6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Soul Stereo power amp
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/7198/anthony7ga0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
System including Spendor SP1s
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/5258/anthony8bi5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Cranfield Rock turntable
http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/4516/anthonyttus5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
muffinman
06-01-2009, 14:38
my that's pretty.
i bet that radiator comes in handy :lolsign:
LOL! Observe the bigger brother of my Copper amp - four KT88s per channel, 60W P/P pure Class A... {Drool} :eek:
One day it shall be mine ;)
Marco.
Cynical old me noticed the Spendor SP1's first. Boring to some, but I still love 'em..... Those amps do look good. How do they sound compared with things I'd know like EAR or Croft?
I wish I'd bought the EAR509's back in the day. The Tube Technology Genesis mono's ate their EL34's in ten months, around 600 hours (100W from 4xEL34's should have told me) and it rather put me off valve power amps for life.
Dave,
Anthony's SP1s are great - like mini versions of my SP100s :)
Which amps are you talking about the big Copper chappie or the Soul babies?
Marco.
P.S Did you see my stuff in the other thread? :smoking:
anthonyTD
06-01-2009, 15:47
Cynical old me noticed the Spendor SP1's first. Boring to some, but I still love 'em..... Those amps do look good. How do they sound compared with things I'd know like EAR or Croft?
I wish I'd bought the EAR509's back in the day. The Tube Technology Genesis mono's ate their EL34's in ten months, around 600 hours (100W from 4xEL34's should have told me) and it rather put me off valve power amps for life.
hi Dave,
i know what you mean about the tube technology amps, i have had them in for repair, very over-complicated bias circuitry, and quite hard on valves, aparently the guy who designed them wants nothing to do with them these days, but i think that may be partly to do with personal circumstances, if anyone knows more, let us know.
regards,anthony,TD...
PS, glad you noticed and share my pasion for the SP1's.
Wow relly lovelly looking I bet it sounds as goo s it looks
hi Dave,
i know what you mean about the tube technology amps, i have had them in for repair, very over-complicated bias circuitry, and quite hard on valves, aparently the guy who designed them wants nothing to do with them these days, but i think that may be partly to do with personal circumstances, if anyone knows more, let us know.
regards,anthony,TD...
PS, glad you noticed and share my pasion for the SP1's.
Marco sir, please point me in the direction of the thread you referred to in your post..
Mr TD (tech design or Tangerine Dream?), my amps were originally known as TT "Speed 100's" and by comparison with the EAR509's were incredibly "fast" and dynamic. I had them at home driving Epos ES14's for a few months and they were then recalled for update. They came back with "Genesis" badges and new input valves and sounded rather less "tense." It was only when the EL34's expired that Zia recommended Groove Tubes. I bought some, rebiassed one amp (turned it down) and it sounded lovely. The other, sadly, had the wrong resistors on top of the board (which were very difficult for the likes of me to get to) and wouldn't bias low enough. I got them fixed and sold them, replacing them with a Croft un-regulated OTL, the saga of which I've catalogued on the OTL thread. A shame it mis-behaved because it was so simple internally and beautifully put together.
I heard that Zia lost his wife and just lost interest in audio. I hope that's right and that I'm not mis-informing anyone. At least many valve designs can be sericed easily and it must be possible to reduce the bias (or cathode current?) on the amps to extend valve life (or use a different valve more able to give the required power perhaps).
Dave,
Marco sir, please point me in the direction of the thread you referred to in your post..
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1754
:)
Marco.
P.S "TD" = 'Tube Distinctions' - Anthony's valve amp company featuring his own designs.
Thanks fella's.
Now, a job to pay for the audio deams I have once again... Three hours a week ain't going to pay for set of headshell leads, let alone a Jelco arm (I reckon the cheaper one looks too dear to me, as it's too much like the cheapy arms that came with, say, the AR EB101 and/or legend way back when, but the one you use Marco looks sublime and isn't silly money when compared to the SME M2 etc, let alone the Ortofon arms).
aquapiranha
06-01-2009, 18:23
I am speechless, they look fantastic. If they sound half as good as they look then they must be fab!
Spectral Morn
06-01-2009, 18:51
Hi Guys and DSJR
Yes Zia did in deed loose his wife a few years ago ( a truly awful thing to have happened. She was lovely). I have known Zia for many years and a nicer, kinder and fun guy (are rare ). But he was hit very hard by his wifes death. We once spent an afternoon talking in the shop about it on the phone, and he was as you would imagine in a bit of a mess. After the death of my Mum three years ago, it took me about 2 years to bounce back( not that you ever fully get over the Grief, it just becomes a bit less sharp), and the help of many friends and a group based in my Church called Grief Share. I can assure you guys I was never the kind of guy who would ever have imagined himself in a group sharing type situation. However this helped a lot and I would recommend Grief Share( it is Christian. But non-denominational and also non pushy(No evangelism). Thanks to Sam and Maureen for their help.
I hope that Zia gets his interest back. He moved Tube Technology to Wales shortly before his Wife died and found this a bit hard.
Frankly I like the TT amps sound having owned the Unisis. But I would have to agree the output power levels are high and thus valve life was shorter than other similar designs. He used to distribute Gold Areo valves and then Groove Tubes (former good, later not so good if you got the wrong distortion rating).
Anyway I wish ZIA all the best and hope he comes back into the trade at some time. His CDP and DAC was/were very good and his amps if you didn't mind changing valves often. I should point out his amps were and are not the only designs that push the envelop a bit on rated valve power.
Regards D S D L--- Neil :)
PS sorry, Anthony TD very nice set up. Did your amps ever get a review in HI-Fi +? Just they look familiar (Good review if I remember correctly).
anthonyTD
06-01-2009, 20:38
Hi Guys and DSJR
Yes Zia did in deed loose his wife a few years ago ( a truly awful thing to have happened. She was lovely). I have known Zia for many years and a nicer, kinder and fun guy (are rare ). But he was hit very hard by his wifes death. We once spent an afternoon talking in the shop about it on the phone, and he was as you would imagine in a bit of a mess. After the death of my Mum three years ago, it took me about 2 years to bounce back( not that you ever fully get over the Grief, it just becomes a bit less sharp), and the help of many friends and a group based in my Church called Grief Share. I can assure you guys I was never the kind of guy who would ever have imagined himself in a group sharing type situation. However this helped a lot and I would recommend Grief Share( it is Christian. But non-denominational and also non pushy(No evangelism). Thanks to Sam and Maureen for their help.
I hope that Zia gets his interest back. He moved Tube Technology to Wales shortly before his Wife died and found this a bit hard.
Frankly I like the TT amps sound having owned the Unisis. But I would have to agree the output power levels are high and thus valve life was shorter than other similar designs. He used to distribute Gold Areo valves and then Groove Tubes (former good, later not so good if you got the wrong distortion rating).
Anyway I wish ZIA all the best and hope he comes back into the trade at some time. His CDP and DAC was/were very good and his amps if you didn't mind changing valves often. I should point out his amps were and are not the only designs that push the envelop a bit on rated valve power.
Regards D S D L--- Neil :)
PS sorry, Anthony TD very nice set up. Did your amps ever get a review in HI-Fi +? Just they look familiar (Good review if I remember correctly).
hi neil,
i was hoping someone would come along and give us a bit more insight on what happend to ZIA, i wasnt absolutely sure about why he gave up on audio, but i guessed it was pretty serious ,hence my comment, as stated i do get some of the tube technology amps in for repair from time to time, and therefore can only comment on those models... time is a great healer they say, so there is always hope...
and yes, the soul amplifiers were originaly reviewed in H FI plus in 2003 front cover review, production models were black, the three red ones were built specialy for the high end show in heathrow 2004, at the time, six moons gave the room they were in "best sound at the show"
seems like a life time ago now...
regards,anthony,TD...
Anthony, as an aside, have you heard that DPA (Deltec) are back in business?
http://www.deltecprecisionaudio.com/
The website isn't developed yet, but they're definitely back making equipment. Hurrah for Wales! :)
Marco.
anthonyTD
06-01-2009, 21:09
Anthony, as an aside, have you heard that DPA (Deltec) are back in business?
http://www.deltecprecisionaudio.com/
The website isn't developed yet, but they're definitely back making equipment. Hurrah for Wales! :)
Marco.
thats good news indeed!
very talented guy!!!
i used to own one of their two box DAC's...
anthony...
So did I. If I still used solid-state gear I'd be first in the queue to hear their new gear! It's liable to be affordable and seriously good - definitely potential 'giant-killing' stuff if their old designs are anything to go by...
Marco.
Spectral Morn
06-01-2009, 21:43
Hi guys
I like the cables but not so much the kit. The bitstream Dacs were a bit soft and lacking in dynamics say compared to a multi bit TDA 1541 which were extant at the time, though getting rare.
You can apparently buy the raw cable stock still so it would be possible to bring that back. Yes sorry but Deltec did not make their cables. The guy who told me that is a fan of the cable sound, but I could never persuade him to bring it back ( would have clashed with his cables TCI ). I still have and use some Black Slink cables rca and Xlr and white Slink cables.
I wish them all the best but is now a good time ? I suppose its been in the planning for a year or so. I feel sorry for those with well laid plans, that bad timing (credit crunch )will now hurt.
Pricing is about £2500 for pre and £2500 per each mono block amp.
Regards D S D L---- Neil :)
The bitstream Dacs were a bit soft and lacking in dynamics say compared to a multi bit TDA 1541 which were extant at the time...
Not the ones I heard, Neil - it must have been the system you were using them in! ;)
I hope they can survive because I suspect that the amps will be special.
Marco.
Spectral Morn
06-01-2009, 22:24
Marantz CDP 94 mk2 (as a transport. Deltec were using a less up market Marantz as the basis of their player. I had done some structural mods to the player to remove what I saw as some cost related weaknesses in that area) on a Mana ref stand, with EC Audio mains filter. Deltec Black Slink rca to rca , Audio Innovations S 500 amp (el 34 valves), Pro-ac super tablet speakers on heavy 4 column stands, XLO type 6 speaker cable, Kimber mains cables and Xlo digital cable for hooking up the Deltec Dacs. They all (Big Bit, little Bit etc as well as Micromega duo, Meridian 203 all single bit) all fully run in and isolated + mains cables etc sounded as I described them. Soft, warm, slow, overly sweet, compared to the dynamics and reality of the TDA 1541 Dac in my Marantz CDP 94 mk 2 and similar. Yes the upper treble could be a bit grainy ( an issue with most multi bit players/less so with the good TDA 1541 Dacs, but I though that was a more acceptable compromise that single bit ( Ken Ishatwata of Marantz would, I think agree hence the Marantz CD 7 project ).
I gave single bit at the time every chance and it failed to deliever IMHO.
Sony R1 (multi bit brilliant, single bit version poor) ,Micromega Trio (multi bit brilliant, single Bit version poor ), Marantz cd 11 ( ooops what happened poor),Meridian 207 (brilliant multi bit ) Meridian 200 transport+203 (single bit ooops poor )I could go on but I think you get my point.
We shall have to agree to differ Marco.
I was constantly looking to improve on my Marantz and by 1995 when I last lost my job in audio, I had failed, though the Tricord Pulsar dac came close.
Regards D S D L ---- Neil :)
I still have all of the top system, I never get rid of stuff.
We shall have to agree to differ Marco.
Sure :)
None of that anyway has any bearing on their new range of gear.
Marco.
Spectral Morn
06-01-2009, 22:38
Fair point Marco, but I was just sharing with you why I said what I did, and the system I came to these conclusions with. Just so you might understand ?
Regards D S D L----- Neil :)
Yes that's absolutely fine, Neil :)
Marco.
anthonyTD
07-01-2009, 16:41
thanks for all your commens guys, i was a bit aprehensive to be honest, thus the reason i have held back from putting my system on here, but i neednt have worried, even though i am classed as trade, i am here mainly to offer my help from experience gained from over 25 years in hi end valve audio to anyone on here who needs it...:)
regards,anthony,TD...
Steve Toy
07-01-2009, 16:52
The Soul amps have got to be the best I've heard and they are something that I'll never afford. However, what I have is close enough. :)
anthonyTD
07-01-2009, 17:36
my that's pretty.
i bet that radiator comes in handy :lolsign:
yes, especialy in this weather, mind you, the amps give off almost as much heat.:lolsign::)
May I be boring and go back to vintage Deltec for a brief minute?
I had a PDM 1 mk2 for a good while and with a mains filter (to help counteract noise from the internal regulator I understand) it sounded very good. Mine was on 24/7 and it was a lively, "invigorating" kind of presentation. I used Furukawa interconnects with it and they worked well with it.
I'm going to try to put my CD94 based player as an avatar for a while.
anthonyTD
07-01-2009, 18:50
May I be boring and go back to vintage Deltec for a brief minute?
I had a PDM 1 mk2 for a good while and with a mains filter (to help counteract noise from the internal regulator I understand) it sounded very good. Mine was on 24/7 and it was a lively, "invigorating" kind of presentation. I used Furukawa interconnects with it and they worked well with it.
I'm going to try to put my CD94 based player as an avatar for a while.
hi dave,
i know what you mean, i got a very similar presentation in my system when i used to use them. :)
anthony,TD...
Primalsea
07-01-2009, 19:16
Oh Thank God!
Tube Distinctions, not tone deaf:lol:
anthonyTD
07-01-2009, 19:30
Oh Thank God!
Tube Distinctions, not tone deaf:lol:
:lol::lol::lol::lolsign:
Ali Tait
07-01-2009, 21:18
Someone had a rare three-box DPA DAC (Forget the model) at a previous Owsten.Sounded very good.
hi dave,
i know what you mean, i got a very similar presentation in my system when i used to use them. :)
anthony,TD...
Me too! Neil's just deaf and likes more expensive 'badges' ;) ;)
[Double wink smiley used just to reinforce the 'tongue-in-cheekness' of the comment'].
Someone had a rare three-box DPA DAC (Forget the model) at a previous Owsten.Sounded very good.
Indeed Ali! I was there for that one, too, and the DPA was excellent. Do you remember what bit of gear 'won' that particular demonstration, though... :eyebrows:
Marco.
Ali Tait
08-01-2009, 20:31
Well yes,but as I've said before,so it bloody should given how much you've spent on it! :ner:
Ali, it's called 'selective investing': knowing what and where to spend money on in a system in order to get the maximum return in sound quality, but you D.I.Y guys are better at that than me! ;)
Marco.
Ali Tait
10-01-2009, 19:44
Aye but a whole system could be built for what you've spent on that DAC!
Primalsea
10-01-2009, 21:11
I've heard that the more expensive Nagra DAC outperforms the DAS-R1 though;);):);):):);):):lolsign::lolsign::lolsign:: lolsign::lolsign::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
That was a joke if you didn't get that from all the smilies.
'Course it does, Paul. It weighs a whole 4kg and is choc-a-block full of, erm, 'things', don't you know :eyebrows:
Marco.
oscarboyy
18-01-2009, 20:57
Do most of you guys work for NASA ????
oscarboyy (David)
Marco sir, please point me in the direction of the thread you referred to in your post..
Mr TD (tech design or Tangerine Dream?), my amps were originally known as TT "Speed 100's" and by comparison with the EAR509's were incredibly "fast" and dynamic. I had them at home driving Epos ES14's for a few months and they were then recalled for update. They came back with "Genesis" badges and new input valves and sounded rather less "tense." It was only when the EL34's expired that Zia recommended Groove Tubes. I bought some, rebiassed one amp (turned it down) and it sounded lovely. The other, sadly, had the wrong resistors on top of the board (which were very difficult for the likes of me to get to) and wouldn't bias low enough. I got them fixed and sold them, replacing them with a Croft un-regulated OTL, the saga of which I've catalogued on the OTL thread. A shame it mis-behaved because it was so simple internally and beautifully put together.
I heard that Zia lost his wife and just lost interest in audio. I hope that's right and that I'm not mis-informing anyone. At least many valve designs can be sericed easily and it must be possible to reduce the bias (or cathode current?) on the amps to extend valve life (or use a different valve more able to give the required power perhaps).
Yes you're correct Zia did loose his wife, she was the heart of the company and they worked quite closely, so understandably he can't do the audio thing without her in his life.
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