The Count's compact speaker system...

[The Count]

As promised on my welcome thread here are a few pics:

These are my 'little' Snell A-II speakers:

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x320/drphil_album/Hifi/SnellA2_zpsfdb44b10.jpg

Here is my TT - another 1980s throwback - a JVC QL-Y3F with a Dynavector 10X5 cartridge and an Ortofon LH-8000 headshell. I have carefully packed (stuffed) the inside of the deck with about 4kg of plastercine which really helped reduce resonance but took weeks to get out from under my fingernails :doh:

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x320/drphil_album/Hifi/TT2_zps0828706c.jpg

Phono stage is the 2 box Ming Da 2006. Currently valve rolling in this. At the moment the chinese unbranded valves are out and a TJ Full Music 12AU7 and a quad of Siemens Halske E88CCs are in there.

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x320/drphil_album/Hifi/Phono_zpsd0068d30.jpg

Up until Sunday I was running the speakers off an Audio Note Oto SE. That was until Jerry finally agreed to let the beloved Viv move into a new home.

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x320/drphil_album/Hifi/Viva1_zpscf12076c.jpg

The Viva 300p is an awesome match with the A-IIs. The best I've heard these speakers by some way. Jerry has rolled some great tubes into this amp, which saves me from that madness for at least a little while.

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x320/drphil_album/Hifi/Viva2_zps17b78bee.jpg

Oh, and just as a bit of gratuitous hifi filth, here is how my lounge looked on Sunday during a little bake-off :drool:

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x320/drphil_album/Hifi/Bake20_zpsd5e5cdbd.jpg

Hope you like :)

[dantheman91]

Hi

:stalks:

Excellent looking system i bet i sounds just as good well done

:cool:

[Thing Fish]

Beautiful set up Phil...:)

[losenotaminute]

Amazing setup.

I have to say that those speakers are a bit ugly - even if they sound outstanding I'm not sure I could live with them. Just a few curves or soft edges would make all the difference. What do they weigh?

[Alex_UK]

:wow: - nice!

[Jonboy]

Very nice Snells Phil and in great condition, if you really can't live with their ugliness any more give me a shout :D

[loo]

fiendishly nice setup
any chance that if I pop round with some garlic I could persuade you to part with the Viva. You must have used your hypnotic powers to get that beauty.
:eyebrows::D

[synsei]

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x320/drphil_album/Hifi/Viva1_zpscf12076c.jpg

Not being familiar with the Viva at all (other than the Monza Red example that my Dad used to drive us around in when I were a kid ;)) I gave this photo a cursory glance thinking the amp looked kinda cute, and then the remaining photos alerted me to the total lack of scale evident in this piccy. It's bloody humongous!!! :eek: I likee... :D

I think the Snells look fabulous in a 2001: A Space Odyssey sort of way. "My God, it's full of stars..." :cool:

[The Count]

fiendishly nice setup
any chance that if I pop round with some garlic I could persuade you to part with the Viva. You must have used your hypnotic powers to get that beauty.
:eyebrows::D

6 pints of O positive and a garlic pizza and it's yours :eek:

Or just distract me with some basic arithmetic :lol:

[The Count]

Not being familiar with the Viva at all (other than the Monza Red example that my Dad used to drive us around in when I were a kid ;)) I gave this photo a cursory glance thinking the amp looked kinda cute, and then the remaining photos alerted me to the total lack of scale evident in this piccy. It's bloody humongous!!! :eek: I likee... :D

I think the Snells look fabulous in a 2001: A Space Odyssey sort of way. "My God, it's full of stars..." :cool:

She is a big girl :)

I like the look of the As - 1980s 'vintage' gear is just so 'on trend' my fashion guru advises me :lol: The wife is not so keen...

Funnily enough I was blasting out Also Sprach Zarathustra at the weekend with the famous opening used in the film :youtheman:

[synsei]

She is a big girl :)

I like the look of the As - 1980s 'vintage' gear is just so 'on trend' my fashion guru advises me :lol: The wife is not so keen...

Funnily enough I was blasting out Also Sprach Zarathustra at the weekend with the famous opening used in the film :youtheman:

Nice ;) I didn't mention it before but I very much appreciate the thought that you have put into assembling your system Phil, I'm rather fond of 80's gear myself.


I have carefully packed (stuffed) the inside of the deck with about 4kg of plasticine

My better half would like to ask you if there is a particular colour of Plasticine that performs better than t'others? :D

[The Count]

My better half would like to ask you if there is a particular colour of Plasticine that performs better than t'others? :D

Well, I have seen it debated... There is even a published research study (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02327644) on the resonant properties of plasticine for the uber geeky :hmm:

I just packed in a load of different colours cos it looked the coooolest - wish I'd took a photo now :lol: But the blue was definitely the hardest to get out from under my fingernails :scratch:

[jandl100]

Up until Sunday I was running the speakers off an Audio Note Oto SE. That was until Jerry finally agreed to let the beloved Viv move into a new home.

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x320/drphil_album/Hifi/Viva1_zpscf12076c.jpg

:doh: What have I done? :doh:

Yup, she's a buxom lass and a fabulous amp - but after hearing her power Phil's Snells a month or so ago there was an unstoppable inevitability to her jilting me and moving in with Phil permanently. It finally happened 2 days ago.

The Snell / Viva pairing is absolutely awesome. A match truly made in heaven! :thumbsup: