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Ripley's Cat
21-08-2013, 16:37
£50 Starter System - Amp/CD/Tuner/Speakers/Cables

Hi All -

As a long-time lurker and low-frequency poster, (never quite seem to have anything of merit to state), I find myself in the position of owning a few too many shiny boxes.

I moved to Lincolnshire two years ago, and in that time have had great fun assembling a couple of systems for both my dining room and living room. A couple of dead-ends and changes of heart/mind means that I have a complete 'extra' system in need of a new home.

First things first, 'tis very much a starter system and as such, I'm fairly sure, will find no place in the homes of regular contributors of this forum. Nevertheless, you may well be in a position of knowing someone about to start out on this mad-cap game and appropriately, this system may be an ideal starting point.

So, specs as follows:

Amp: Cambridge Audio A1 (1995) - surprisingly decent, this first itineration of the A1 was designed by Mike Creek (Can't be true, I hear you cry! But yes, his initials are stamped in various places upon the PCBs.) Bonus time, is that it contains the optional phono module - also a Creek design, so is ready for the ubiquitous Pro-ject Debut . . . Condition is excellent for age.

CD: Sony CDP-XE700E (1995) Not a lot to say: condition is very good and features Sony's fixed pick-up mechanism. Some seem to rate these as decent transports and at one point, this was my intention. Still, as a budget player it seems to work very nicely, indeed. Remote included, as is original box and instruction manual. The AMS feature was always good fun.

Tuner: Sony ST-S261 (1995) More features than you can shake a stick at and being a mid-nineties Sony, can pick up a stereo signal through a pair of moist Y-fronts. A Troughline, it ain't, but sounds pleasant enough. Condition is good, with a few tiny scratches to the top - difficult to see more than a couple of feet away.

Speakers: Mission 760i (1993) I like these - a lot (and more importantly, both bass units and HF units are in full-working order - no perishing or deterioration). Many rated them over the replacement 731 models. Condition is good and the grills still stay on. (If you've owned a pair, you'll know what I mean.)

Spaghetti: 2 pairs of QED Qunex and 2 x 2 meters(ish) of QED copper £2.50-per-metre stuff. Can't quite remember the name, but it states 'balanced design concept', so it must be . . .well, . . . balanced! Basic stuff, but a clear step up from bell-wire and freebie interconnects.

Apart from the CD player, I have no boxes - so it really is collection only (Washingborough, Lincolnshire). I'm hoping that the price is reasonable enough for someone to feel that an hour in the car and a few bob for fuel may well be worth spending. Still, a week and onto t'Bay it goes . . . The point is, it all works well together and I don't have the emotional energy to start finding boxes and selling separately although if you really are after one of the bits - well, negotiating is always fun., isn't it?

Peace,
Matt


1037910380

dantheman91
21-08-2013, 17:07
Hi

If only you were still local...

Ripley's Cat
21-08-2013, 17:47
Hey, Dan -

Good to hear from you, fella. Yes - the distance of this one could be problematic - Bournemouth to Lincoln is a heckuvva commute, especially on a push-bike! Anyway, your profile suggests you've more than enough shiny boxes for one house . . . surely you've no space for anymore!?

Matt

Ripley's Cat
22-08-2013, 19:49
Dear Sirs (and Madams),

Have had a wee bit of interest regarding posting this system. Just to clarify - and I realise that perhaps my first post was not explicit enough - there are no appropriate boxes in the Ripley's Cat household. So, it really is collection only. Eek. Lincolnshire. They eat people, y'know. (But only when we run out of potatoes, cabbages and rapeseed.)

Matt

synsei
22-08-2013, 20:09
They eat people, y'know. (But only when we run out of potatoes, cabbages and rapeseed.)

:lol:

Ripley's Cat
23-08-2013, 05:46
A quick 'bump', before it goes onto the Bay of greed and despair over the weekend . . .

Mrs Ripley's Cat wishes to reclaim her carpet real estate in the spare room, so needs must.

(Once listed, I shall be more than happy to end the listing early and deal through pm within this good site, if you feel the need to explore the relatively-recently dualled A46 from Newark within your quest to collect this system.)

Potato Pete

Soulman
23-08-2013, 07:27
This would be perfect for my eldest sons bedroom. I'm in Sheffield and would normally have no problem collecting, my car though has just failed big time whilst on holiday. I will be back home early next week and can then see where we stand, if there is any way if getting over to you I will gladly pay the princely sum of £50 for it all.

synsei
23-08-2013, 07:50
This would be perfect for my eldest sons bedroom. I'm in Sheffield and would normally have no problem collecting, my car though has just failed big time whilst on holiday. I will be back home early next week and can then see where we stand, if there is any way if getting over to you I will gladly pay the princely sum of £50 for it all.

T'is an excellent deal and aesthetically the components sit well together too. Good luck with this Des, I'm sure your eldest will be stoked ;)

Ripley's Cat
23-08-2013, 09:06
Hi Des -

Great to hear from you, fella. Mrs. Ripley's Cat has agreed to let me hog the carpet space in the spare room in your honour - so consider it provisionally sold to your good self.

If you could let me know one way or another by say, close of Monday - but I appreciate the car issues - we've all been there.


So, provisionally sold to Des - unless motor issues forces my system back up for sale.

Regards,
Matt

p.s. Thanks, Synsei - it does seem to visually match. All pretty much from the same era, I guess. (I did try and envisage the conversation that would convince Mrs Ripley's Cat that a mid-90s hifi was just what the downstairs loo needed . . . . could never visualise her saying 'yes', though.)

dantheman91
23-08-2013, 09:30
Hi Matt

Is the Quad still going.

Have you still got the audiolab Pre & Power stuff big mistake letting them go :doh:

greenhomeelectronics
23-08-2013, 10:46
Hi Matt, I will take that little lot off your hands and cross your palm with silver. I note there is other interest but would like to buy it if I can. I can come and collect at pretty much any time.
Best,
Dave.

Ripley's Cat
23-08-2013, 10:55
Hi Dave -

Thanks for expressing your interest. Obviously, it's provisionally sold to Del - but in case of car trouble on his part means he can't make the journey - you have the 'second-in-line' position!

All the best,
Matt

Ripley's Cat
02-09-2013, 18:55
NOW SOLD

Thanks, Des - it was lovely meeting you. Hope your eldest enjoys it - let me know how he gets on!

Regards,

Matt

Soulman
02-09-2013, 22:14
We'll get it setup tomorrow and let him lose on the lenco! Many thanks Matt it's a great little starter setup....

Soulman
08-09-2013, 15:16
Matt the amp sounds great, the CD player us fine and I haven't tried the tuner. Biggest surprise is how good it sounds with the 40 year old lenco turntable plugged into it, it seems to have better synergy than it does with my Sony and Quad setup!

Gonna be a little annoying if the Cambridge and linn Sara setup works better with the turntable I'm fixing for myself than it does with my system :-(

The Sony drives my quads better than the Naim, it has a better control of the bass and doesn't get muddled on more complex music. It also has huge reserves for dynamic changes and sounds far better at lower volume

Ripley's Cat
08-09-2013, 15:45
Hi Des -

Lovely to hear that the system is working out great for your eldest. Yes - sometimes some of this budget kit can hold a few surprises, though. Found an interesting link from diyaudio where the designer of the phono stage in the Cambridge Audio series of amps reveals that it is the same design & circuit as used in the stand alone Creek OBH-8 phono stage:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/122378-cambridge-audio-a3i-repairs-mods-7.html

From what I understand, the first version of the C.A. A1 was a bit of steal whereas later versions cut corners (and improved profit margins?), using I.C.s instead of discrete components. I'm fairly certain that only the first version of the amp was designed by Mike Creek.

I found a 'nudie' pic of your amp (on the left - complete with toroid) compared to one of the later A1s on the right. If you look closely towards the back of the amp, you can see where the optional phono board should sit (currently unoccupied on the picture).

I'm gonna have to come over to Sheffield I guess, to hear this love of vinyl on this system.

Hey - great also to hear that the Sony ES monster has arrived and is driving your ESLs to perfection.

Keep in touch,

Matt
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