Greetings from across the Pond!

[Stateside]

Hello, all. Name's Mike, from northeastern Pennsylvania. I'm very pleased to have found Art of Sound, having just acquired a Technics deck and an OL Silver Mk 2 arm. Couldn't think of a better group to chat with about next steps.:)

[MartinT]

Hi Michael and welcome to AoS. Can't say I know much about your area although I know New York state fairly well.

Tell us more about what you like to listen to and the rest of your system.

[Stateside]

Hi Martin,

I'm very fond of Levon Helm and The Band, other music that folks here are now calling Americana (everything from Guy Clark, Marcia Ball and Nancy Griffith down Texas way, to Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Emmy Lou Harris, The Decemberists, etc.); piano jazz of all stripes, straight-ahead jazz, swing, Peter Gabriel to Pink Floyd, electric blues (EC, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Buddy Guy), New Orleans jazz/funk/rock like Trombone Shorty, Yo Yo Ma's collaborations with Edgar Meyer, Chris Thiele and others, Bela Fleck, and the list goes on . . .

My system for the moment is an SL-1210 with stock arm and Shure M97xe and Herbie's Way Excellent mat (just took delivery yesterday of an Origin Live Silver Mk2 arm and Auditorium 23 Stand step-up transformer - waiting impatiently to decide on a stock Denon DL-103 or Zu DL-103 (the latter my clear preference, but more than twice the cost); Rega Brio-R integrated, Oppo BDP-93 player; Mach2Music server running Pure Music with 40GB SSD, 4 GB RAM and 2TB Firewire HD, coupled with Halide DAC HD; Magnepan MMG speakers, Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference interconnect; Acoustic Zen Satori speaker cable, REL T2 sub on an Auralex Gramma base. This stuff currently sits on a Solidsteel 3.5 with shot and sand in the uprights. I also have an RP1 with Audio Technica 120E and will be transplanting the AT cart to the Technics until I get the new arm and cartridge situation straightened out.

Thanks for asking!

[camtwister]

I was watching Heartworn Highways last night. I've always enjoyed Guy Clark in that movie, and also his contribution to the Townes Van Zandt flm Be Here To Love Me.
Gillian Welch's The Harrow & The Harvest was my favourite contemporary release of 2011.
So, hello from Cardiff!

[Stateside]

Did my professional schooling in Austin, Texas, where you could grab a beer and listen to Texas swing. I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Gillian and David at one of Levon Helm's fabulous Midnight Rambles in Woodstock, New York. Great stuff!

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hi Michael,
Here's a warm AoS welcome from me.

Cheers

[Eagle owl]

Hello and welcome Mike.

Geoff. :)

[MartinT]

I don't think you'll be disappointed by either version of the 103, Mike, which makes a very organic and exciting sound. How do the Maggies and REL work together?

[Stateside]

Still working out the kinks, Martin. Can't say I've nearly got it right yet. Of course, the hifi is in an odd spot, stuffed in less than half of our bedroom with no room to experiment with subwoofer placement. I'll have to finish the basement for my 13 year-old and move the master bedroom into his room before I'll have the full 15 x 17 space to experiment with.

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum from me as well :) Bit late I know, but better late than never :D

Hope you have a great weekend!