Oxford has landed on TAoS [Archive] - The Art of Sound Forum

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pulsestudio

12-02-2009, 12:14

Hi All, some of you may already know me from a n other popular forum, I am registered with just one other hi-fi forum.
OK so why am I here, hmmmmm well to hopefully share some of my many years experience of the Hi-Fi market place, an ex IMF Electronics employee in the late 70's, and Harman Audio (Tascam, JBL etc ) in the mid 80's, and a keen DIY/Bodger since conception, I have both electronics knowlegde and many years experience of both ends of the music industry, currently employed at the front end, pro-audio studio equipment.
I had a home based recording studio up until a year or so ago, not enough time to devote to it so it lies in boxes in the vocal booth, I have vast experience in old skool analogue technology, vintage synths, vintage mics, tape machines, etc, I am a keen guitar valve amp collector and restorer, and currently own around 16 vintage guitar amps from a 1964 Vox AC30 to 1983 Marshall JCM800 combo, I paly guitar and can get my way around a keyboard.

I have built many Hi-Fi amps, speakers, TT's, pre-amps, power supplies, etc, etc over the years and still have a keen interest in mods and the like.
Do I indicate here what my current systems are, or should this be posted elsewhere??

Anyway I hope to become an active member of this forum, it has raised its head on several occassions when I have Google'd for info on certain older product info, so maybe I can learn some secrets here too from the established members on this site.

Paul ;)

Marco

12-02-2009, 12:25

Hi Paul,

A very warm welcome to AOS :)

It'll certainly be an asset having someone of your considerable knowledge and experience to contribute to discussions, so please don't hesitate - get stuck in!

What's your system at the moment and do you have some pics of any of your creations which you could post in our Gallery?

Marco.

Filterlab

12-02-2009, 13:32

Hello and welcome to The Art of Sound!

pulsestudio

12-02-2009, 14:21

I have just finished building a few Hi-Fi projects, 2x power amps based around Naim NAP250 and an Avondale NCC200, I have also built an MC phono stage, twin LP12 power supply switchable Geddon and Valhalla, bookshelf speakers based around Kef B110 and T27 ala Kef Ref 101, at present swapping out all the electroltics on my Albarry DMP1 pre-amp, and building another amp based around the Albarry M-408 mono blocks.
I will post some pics of the finished projects later tonight.

Beechwoods

12-02-2009, 20:12

old skool analogue technology, vintage synths, vintage mics, tape machines, etc

Yum! Welcome to AOS. I'll be interested to read your thoughts about the older kit :) Glad you decided to join!

pulsestudio

12-02-2009, 22:14

I have a few R 2 R's too, Akai GX635D mint, Tascam 34 in need of a service but otherwise mint, Tandberg Series 64X mint, full of Telefunken tubes, and my prized possession Technics RS1500 also mint, I have owned a fair number of vintage analogue synths too, only one remaining is a Sequential Circuits Pro One, but have had Moogs, ARP's, Oberheims, Roland, Korg etc, etc, still have a Waldorf Pulse, Waldorf Q and Access Virus.

I am currently uploading some pics of my completed projects into PhotoBucket so maybe tomorrow night before they appear, how do I list my current systems at the foot of the post like all else appear to do, can anyone please advise the newbie :confused:
cheers
paul

Marco

12-02-2009, 22:19

Hi Paul,

It's on the 'Edit Signature' bit of your profile :)

Marco.

Beechwoods

12-02-2009, 22:30

I have a few R 2 R's too

Jeez, at this rate my set of reel players is going to be the poor relation, considering yours and Lodgesounds' collections ;) I'll need to edit my title to 'Reel Boy' if I'm not careful :lol: Can't wait to see some pictures, Paul.

pulsestudio

12-02-2009, 22:42

Nick and to think I was just reading a post you made earleir suggesting, and I quote:
and there's no willy waving here :flasher: too bloody cold to even find it in this weather let alone wave the damn thing :o I never ever want to be seen as a willy waver I enjoy my hobby of collecting vinatge gear of all musical genres, and refurbishing them is all a great part of the enjoyment, pucked up a 1983 Marshall JCM800 combo at the AudioJumble fair in Tonbridge on sunday, and that is a Hi-Fi fair, it is bloody amazing what you find in the most unexected places

pulsestudio

12-02-2009, 22:46

Oh here ya go Nick, just for you for now

http://s202.photobucket.com/albums/aa59/pulsestudio/R-2-R/?action=view&current=STA60033.jpg

n-joy

Paul

Beechwoods

12-02-2009, 22:48

:lol: It's just nice to have a couple of new members who share the passion I do for old open reel kit! Absolutely no willy waving, but mucho respect :eyebrows: :smoking:

EDIT: Just checked out your pictures... very nice... does the RS1500 auto-thread the tape? It's a fantastic looking machine. Ditto the Akai. I must admit my focus has been on smaller machines, but the larger 10" machines do look amazing...

Do you have many tapes, or use them primarily for recording your own stuff?

I started a thread (which I need to update with some recent acquisitions) about official factory-made reel to reel releases here (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1929). If you have anything to add, please do!

pulsestudio

12-02-2009, 23:12

No auto thread on the RS1500, I picked up 150 tapes from the guy who sold me the Akai machine, I tend to use them for playing eating music, sad I know but it saves keep having to leave the table when guests round for dinner and drinks, I will check out your link in a tick Nick, not a tik tak, I have posted some of mmy DIY fumblings onto the gallery if you are interested, will do some more tomorrow, good to know there are guys like you on this forum, some forums can be very heavily biased toward certain brands, my interest covers many areas and this forum appears to fulfill this, great, glad I took the trip to sign up.
Paul

pulsestudio

13-02-2009, 15:58

:doh: Have just read the rules and should have posted my system, music likes, first name and location, sorry Forum Administrators, so here goes:
Name: Paul
Location: Oxfordshire
Music: Peter Gabriel; Blue Nile; David Sylvian; Elbow; RadioHead; Muse; Rush; Pink Floyd; Japan; Dep Mode etc, etc various classical but no Jazz.

System 1

Power Amp: Avondale NCC200 mono blocks
Analogue: Linn LP12/Ekos/Cirkus/DIY Geddon/Valhalla/Denon DL-304
Phono amp: Naim 323 MC phono boards powered by 4x 12V 7/Ahr lead acid batteries
Pre-amp: Naim NAC112x again powered by the same lead acid batteries
CDP: Marantz CD80
Cable: Naim NACA5
Speakers; Stirling LS3/5a's
Stands: Target Audio R1 lead shot filled weighing 37Kg each

System 2

Power amp: Naim NAP250 fitted NCC200 amp modules
Pre-amp: Naim NAC32.5 powered buy DIY Hi-Cap
Analogue: Michell Mycro/RB300/Grado Prestige Gold
CDP: Arcam Alpha 5 Avondale modified
Cable: QED 79 strand 99.7% OFC
Speakers: Rogers LS3/5a
Stands: Solid Cherry wood single column sand filled

System 3
Power amp: Naim NAP160
Pre-amp: Naim NAC42
CDP: Rega Planet 2000
Speakers: Audiomaster MLS1
Cable: QED 79 strand 99.7% OFC

I do have other stuff but either not in use right now or being refurbished or modified.
that's it

Hi !! :wave:

Beechwoods

13-02-2009, 16:19

Cor! That was thorough, Paul ;) The 'rules' aren't really rules, they're just guidelines that hopefully ensure we get to know our new members a bit. It look me three months to acknowledge the fact that I had a first name!

pulsestudio

13-02-2009, 19:00

Sorry Nick :( just delete the lot and replace it with "Alba Radiogram" :laugh:

Beechwoods

13-02-2009, 19:17

Good choice :) I've gotta say that the Seven-o-Seven has a certain je ne sais quoi ;)

http://aestheticdesign.info/page13/files/Alba2.html

pulsestudio

13-02-2009, 19:23

OK Nick you win :ner: I guess I should start posting some sensible threads here soon.

Paul

Beechwoods

13-02-2009, 19:33

Ha ha ha! Nowt wrong with your posts so far mate :)

promachos

13-02-2009, 19:40

pulsestudio

13-02-2009, 22:15

Apparently i need to introduce myself.
I'm Colin and i work in electronics (to do with defence-say no more) and have been an avid hi-fi fan since my youth.
I have several valve amps and like a bit of DIY to help improve my system and keep costs down.
Forums are new to me so forgive me if i take a while to settle down,and i like to call a spade a spade !
Colin.

Hi Colin

Is this your first thread mate?? if so welcome aboard :) I am a newbie too, joined a couple of days ago, good bunch of guys on this forum.
Colin if this is your first post then you should really start your own thread to inroduce yourself and tell us a bit about yourself and your gear etc, etc.
Just go to the " entrance hall " page then selesct " Welcome " and click on " New Thread " then others here will see that you have just joined the clan, if you have only posted here then some may not see your post and not even know you exist.

let us all know what your set-up is, and how many Rockets you have designed :laugh:

Mike

14-02-2009, 00:33

I'll do the honours. ;)

Mike

14-02-2009, 00:39

DSJR

14-02-2009, 12:32

All those reel to reel machines.

I find the Revox's boring today as I owned and sold so many of them... I like that old Tandberg though, but don't know how it performs in comparison with later models (the TD20A didn't like winding tapes with spliced edits as I remember).

The Ferrograph Logic 7 always looked good to me and now that idlers are being manufactured...

I owned a Sony TC366 and 377 and neither are as good as a typical Nakamichi IMO. The 366 has a weird, non-standard playback eq as well.

I never felt the Akai's to be quite as good as the best Sony's and Revox's, but never heard a properly calibrated example.

Anyone here used an Elcassette machine. The EL7's we had on dem were truly awsome and the tapes took many playings with no obvious excessive wear to tapes or transport - even a well contaminated pressure wheel didn't chew tapes as happens on thrashed video machines for example.

Beechwoods

15-02-2009, 08:48

On the subject of Elcaset there's some pictures of my EL-7 here: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1128&page=5. I also did a little roundup of Elcaset basics a while back here: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=875. Very shortly after getting hold of my EL-7 I was offered a Technics RS7500 (http://www.audioscope.net/technics-rs-7500-elcaset-p-1329.html) but had to pass it up because of lack of space, and cost - they wanted 400€ IIRC. To much on the back of the EL-7.

Elcaset was a brilliant format. Soundwise it has the dynamics and punch of reel to reel, despite the lower tape speed. With the exception of a Sony Demonstration tape, there were no pre-recorded Elcaset releases. I've got one of these demo tapes and it's great - the lounge jazz interpretation of Also Sprach Zarathustra is a killer :)

Recording wise it sounds just as good as my reel to reels running at 7½ ips. I have a bunch of NOS Type II (Ferrochrome) tapes which sound better than the Type I (Ferric) tapes, and show the advantage of chrome tape formulations - reel to reel never moved on from Ferric tape. There was a definite advantage to these tape formulations as the tape speed reduced.

Both Technics and Sony prepared Type III (Metal) tape for the Elcaset but they never made it into the wild. Pictures exist in promotional material, but otherwise nada. The EL-7 comes with a 'Type III' Bias / EQ position, so the machines were ready for it. The lack of commercial success obviously put the kaibosh on full tape production.

Anyway, it's nice to be able to play with a slice of analogue history. The best failed audio format :)

Beechwoods

15-02-2009, 08:54

I owned a Sony TC366 and 377 and neither are as good as a typical Nakamichi IMO. The 366 has a weird, non-standard playback eq as well.

I've a 377 and it was definitely an entry-level machine. I think that playback was it's weak point though. Things that I've recorded on the 377 and played back on my other machines sound excellent. Pre-rec reels played back on the 377 sound OK. All my machines have been professionally serviced and lined up so I'm pretty happy I'm getting the performance that Sony intended... but my other machines definitely have the edge when it comes to resolving the best playback from old tapes, and at lower speeds. But it was a 377 that got me into reel to reel so I have a soft spot for it, I'll admit :)