Temporary system before iminent move.

[phoenixpete]

Just thought maybe some of you wouldn't mind seeing what I cobbled together to get me bye as I have packed away most of the main system for the impending move to sunny Dorset. :)

I just got one of the Amptastic Mini-T amps that will be used in a second system at the new home and decided to set it up roughly as it will be when we move. Speakers are Epos M12 with X10D (upgraded) TC7520 Just acquired from hi/fi guy (upgraded) and sony XB930E.

Been running this little lot all day and can't believe how great it all sounds, the Mini-T is fantastic, never heard my Epos M12s sound so good, plenty of power, running at around 12o'clock on the dial.

Couldn't resist posting a pic of the quads in their boxes, they look like they could walk away.:mental:

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P8290255.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P8290251.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P8290252.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P8290253.jpg

[dantheman91]

Where in dorset are you moving to.

[phoenixpete]

Where in dorset are you moving to.

Not exchanged contracts yet but it is now 5 weeks since our buyer agreed and we have hopefully bought a lovely old cottage in Okeford Fitzpaine not far from Blandford Forum. going to knock a wall down to make one room 18' x 9'8" for the hi/fi :D
Can't wait to get moved in, if it goes pear shaped now I don't think I will cope very well :steam:

[dantheman91]

Not exchanged contracts yet but it is now 5 weeks since our buyer agreed and we have hopefully bought a lovely old cottage in Okeford Fitzpaine not far from Blandford Forum. going to knock a wall down to make one room 18' x 9'8" for the hi/fi :D
Can't wait to get moved in, if it goes pear shaped now I don't think I will cope very well :steam:


Hi

Dorset is lovely. you lucky bugger 18 x 9'8" i wish

[wiicrackpot]

Whats that hulking big amp with the shiny transformers.

[jason]

Nice set up Pete....


Jason

[phoenixpete]

Whats that hulking big amp with the shiny transformers.


Hi Andy.

That is my main amp, it is on the floor because thats as far as it got after hoisting all 47.8kgs of it off the table :) (while it was there I weighed it).

It was made by a good friend of mine and is supposedly based on the Ongaku amps??
It is called a Transcription audio 211, I just wish my mate had made it as Monoblocks, would have been easier to move.

The picture looks a little over exposed and the 211 valves are now GE not the chinese ones in the picture. Copper nuts on the front have also been changed for something better looking. It also has the small 5687 valves and U19s too.(in the cage as they have over 1200volts at them with a top wire connection.)
Second picture is a bit more up to date. :)
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/PA070005.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P6150108.jpg

[phoenixpete]

Nice set up Pete....


Jason

:cool: Jason.

[wiicrackpot]

Hi Andy.

That is my main amp, it is on the floor because thats as far as it got after hoisting all 47.8kgs of it off the table :) (while it was there I weighed it).

It was made by a good friend of mine and is supposedly based on the Ongaku amps??
It is called a Transcription audio 211, I just wish my mate had made it as Monoblocks, would have been easier to move.

The picture looks a little over exposed and the 211 valves are now GE not the chinese ones in the picture. Copper nuts on the front have also been changed for something better looking. It also has the small 5687 valves and U19s too.(in the cage as they have over 1200volts at them with a top wire connection.)
Oh my word Pete, thats insane !!:eek: i knew it was something special when i saw it in your pic sans valves,i just love it when the big boys come out to play.

I love your friends attention to detail in sourcing Copper nuts for the front, many a projects i've seen where i've been impressed with and thought those screws/nuts look outta place.

If you decide to go mono, could you leave that behind in Bradford with a friend of something, makes it easier for me to pick up than Dorset.:cool:

[phoenixpete]

Oh my word Pete, thats insane !!:eek: i knew it was something special when i saw it in your pic sans valves,i just love it when the big boys come out to play.

I love your friends attention to detail in sourcing Copper nuts for the front, many a projects i've seen where i've been impressed with and thought those screws/nuts look outta place.

If you decide to go mono, could you leave that behind in Bradford with a friend of something, makes it easier for me to pick up than Dorset.:cool:

Thanks Andy.
I don't think I will ever part with it as it sounds so good,would love the mono's but I am more than happy with it how it is. You should see inside:stalks: it is wired throughout with teflon covered solid silver wire and has the biggest capacitor I have ever seen, it is paper in oil I think encased in an aluminium canister around 12" long x 3" x 3"
He now does similar to these but with the driver stage in its own enclosure with mono's or a stereo. He also does similar amps but using a much easier to get power valve, looks like a bigger KT88 but I can't remember what it is. :doh:

[wiicrackpot]

Pete, i find myself keep coming back in for another look at this beaut, absolutely glorious, :)
it's a wonder that rack held up and i don't envy you lifting it, especially such things are a dead weight and rear end heavy, thanks for sharing.

[phoenixpete]

Hi Andy.
I am not going to use that glass rack when we move as the glass was so bent in the middle it was resting on the steel frame under it:doh:

Adrian at Audioflair sells my mate Simons amps and open baffle speaker designs,there is an old picture of my amp on his site without the cage on the back and before Simon added the massive capacitor, if you want a look. :)

Simons battery amps are on there as well. These are really nice too and with the battery amps I think it just depends on how many or what power the batteries are as to how much power you get.

Take a look if you like.
I hope Adrian doesn't mind me linking to his website.

http://www.audioflair.co.uk/the-selection-hifi-brands/transcription-audio/

[wiicrackpot]

Hi Andy.
I am not going to use that glass rack when we move as the glass was so bent in the middle it was resting on the steel frame under it:doh:

Adrian at Audioflair sells my mate Simons amps and open baffle speaker designs,there is an old picture of my amp on his site without the cage on the back and before Simon added the massive capacitor, if you want a look. :)

Simons battery amps are on there as well. These are really nice too and with the battery amps I think it just depends on how many or what power the batteries are as to how much power you get.

Take a look if you like.
I hope Adrian doesn't mind me linking to his website.

http://www.audioflair.co.uk/the-selection-hifi-brands/transcription-audio/
Pete,

Good idea, about something substantial underneath that velvet gloved monsta.:cool::D

Will certainly look in the site liked, open baffles speakers interest me though i am leaning towards big Altec's, JBL's and others of that ilk when i recover from my financial meltdown.

Cheers!
Andy.

[jason]

My word Pete that's a beast very nice.

[phoenixpete]

Just thought I would take a couple of pictures of how the system looks while we still wait for the move to Dorset to happen. ( Long story, lots of muppets involved ):mental:

I unpacked the quads and set them up again but had to substitute the 211 amp for my Mini-T as one of the U19 rectifiers went bang/flash. All fixed now but I thought I may aswell pack that away and leave the Mini-T in place.
So bare bones system just to keep me sane untill we move.

Really surprised, the little Mini-T seems to have no problem driving the quads and sounds very good indeed,a little brighter presentation, and not fully there in the bass department, just lacking that special extra that the 211 amp gives.

If I only had the Mini-T I would be hard pushed to fault it really.

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P2080291_zpsd615e6fa.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P2080292_zps0f0b0fcd.jpg

[DSJR]

What the fugg have you done to the X-10D? Does it really need the holes in the top or is this for tube-rollong purposes? Mine sounds just fine in Rock-Grotto'd form and barely gets warm :)

By the way, that Sony 930 CD player may not need an external DAC and maybe not the X-10D either? The Amptastic interconnects (good screened cables & nice plugs with ferrites each end) *may* be all you need to keep things simple....

Please s'cuse the comments. Those valve power amps look fascinating :)

[phoenixpete]

What the fugg have you done to the X-10D? Does it really need the holes in the top or is this for tube-rollong purposes? Mine sounds just fine in Rock-Grotto'd form and barely gets warm :)

By the way, that Sony 930 CD player may not need an external DAC and maybe not the X-10D either? The Amptastic interconnects (good screened cables & nice plugs with ferrites each end) *may* be all you need to keep things simple....

Please s'cuse the comments. Those valve power amps look fascinating :)


Hi Dave.

I like your "what the fugg" :D
I don't mind what you say, I can take it. (especially as it is true ):D
At least it got your attention.

My poor old X10-D ;) In a moment of madness I decided to cut the holes in the top not for anything other than being able to see the lovely russian valves :mental:. (Fully rock grotto'd )
If I had my way all my hi/fi would be in totally clear perspex or glass, so I could see all the gubbins.:eek:

As I said this is just untill we get moved, so not permenant in any way.

Interesting you mention the Sony cd. You could well be right, but I just like to have loads of stuff.

I have the Marantz/Heart CD player doing duties with this setup and that definately needs no external Dac and probably no X10D either, but the table would look very bare with just the Mini-T and a CD player :D