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Adrian B

21-06-2009, 12:53

Spectral Morn

21-06-2009, 13:05

I've just joined after hearing about the Beresford DAC on another site (the world designs forum, mainly for vinyl and valve DIYers). Have recently moved house - I'm in N London UK - and haven't listened to my system for some 2 months due to builders, dust, etc. But today may just be the day!

System is a Garrard 401 in DIY concrete plinth
Origin Live all mods to a Rega 250 (but I have a Fidelity Research unipivot waiting)
Denon DL103 (and a Benz Micro Glider waiting to be fitted)
A highly modded (by Thorsten Loesch) Pioneer DVD Player as digital source
World Audio Design Pre II/PSU/Phono II (all highly modded)
World Audio Design KEL 84 (highly modded)
Chinese Sound Luster KT88 (highly modded)
Adire 10 speakers (with upgraded compenents)
Magnepan SMGc

Is that too much informations?

Adrian

Hi Adrian

Welcome to AOS.

To answer your question No. We like plenty of info on this forum, it allows us to get to know how and where you are coming from and thus understand your views/experiences. This helps make AOS what it is, a great friendly place to learn from each other.

Wow I am sure your" highly modded (by Thorsten Loesch) Pioneer DVD Player" is amazing. I have a lot of time for him and own an AMR CD77 which is one of his designs.

The rest of your set up is very good too. Maybe you might like to post some photos of your sewt up in the Gallery section of the forum.

What kind of music do you like?

Regards D S D L

Adrian B

21-06-2009, 13:21

Thanks Neil

I'll post some photos when I set the system up in the next day or so. Yes, the Thorsten modded DVD/CDP sounds excellent - as analogue as any digital source I've ever heard. It does have some problems though, probably to due with the laser and maybe the power supply. It's so long since I heard it, however, that I can't be more precise at the moment. I'll try to locate a list of the mods Thorsten carrie out

Best wishes

Adrian

Adrian B

21-06-2009, 13:23

John

21-06-2009, 14:15

Hi Adrian welome to AOS nice system

Beechwoods

22-06-2009, 06:46

Oh, as for music, there's not much I don't listen to. Classical, a little opera, jazz sometimes, but mainly americana/alt.country. Female voice in a simple acoustic arrangment is aparticular favourite.

I like the sound of your system Adrian. It'll be interesting to see your pics, especially that plinth.

I'm a big bluegrass / flatpickin' country fan, plus some of the seventies country rock stuff, as folks here may be aware :) The Byrds and all their offshoots especially Clarence White and Chris Hillman's stuff... Emmylou, Ronstadt et all. It'll be interesting to see some of what you're listening to as time goes on.

Welcome to the forum, glad you've decided to drop by!

Adrian B

22-06-2009, 16:03

Beechwood - my cup of tea exactly. Byrds would be on my desert island. One thing missing from your list - Gram P. And king of them all in my view is Steve Earle.

Pictures postponed for a while as there's onl;y so many boxes a man can unpack on a weekend.

Won't be long though

John, thanks for the welcome

Adrian

Marco

22-06-2009, 16:09

Hi Adrian,

Welcome to da mad house - enjoy :eyebrows:

You seem to be settling in rather well!

Marco.

Beechwoods

22-06-2009, 18:37

Beechwood - my cup of tea exactly. Byrds would be on my desert island. One thing missing from your list - Gram P. And king of them all in my view is Steve Earle.

Top quality mate! I must admit that while I like Gram's live stuff his solo records don't cut it with me for some reason! Not sure why and maybe I should give him another chance. I like his stuff with the Burritos (maybe that's Chris Hillman's positive influence though!). I've thought for a long time that Gram was overrated and Chris and Clarence White were more worthy of the accolades that came GP's way ;)

A discussion for another thread perhaps!

:sofa: :lol:

Oh, and Steve Earle? I'm not too familiar with his stuff - only got the 'Copperhead Road' album, but saw him at Glasto last year and he was great. Stopped his set and remonstrated with a fan who had wrapped themself in the Confederate flag 'I hope that flag's not for my benefit, because it represents everything that I stand against'. Quite a moment in the old acoustic tent!

Adrian B

22-06-2009, 21:45

Beechwoods

great Steve Earle story. He's touring shortly - check out if he's coming your way. You've got an excellent intro to his work in Copperhead Rd, but he's a man of many parts and some of his later work is better in my view (although it's hard to beat his Pogues collaboration on Copp Rd). Try the Mountain with the Del McCoury Band and for a rockier feel El Corazon is very good. Although I like his politics, I feel that he loses something when he is overtly political. The more subtle messages are somehow more powerful than rants (not that he rants exactly but I can't find another word) as on Jerusalem and the Revolution Starts Now (from this century). Bob Harris used to call him America's greatest song-writer, but the subtle dialectical approach seems to have eluded him lately. Maybe spreading himself too thinly - short stories, a play, acting in the Wire, producing etc. On the short stories, Doghouse Roses is an excellent collection and good summer hols reading.

Best

Adrian

Beechwoods

24-06-2009, 07:24

Thank you for the pointers Adrian. I'll check out some of his other stuff on Spotify (http://www.spotify.com/en/) and see what sticks. In terms of other musicians you may be interested in, check out Norman Blake (bluegrass revival granddaddy), Beppe Gambetta (an Italian flatpicking genius who seems to be channeling ghosts of the early Appalachians!) and from the old days, Earl Scruggs and Tut Taylor.

Adrian B

24-06-2009, 08:44

Thanks for that. Your ref to Blake reminds me of another stunning Earle album, which features Blake and Peter Rowan. It's called Train a comin'. One of his very best.

See the blurb here, http://www.steamiron.com/twangin/r-earle.html

This conversation is making me really pine for the system - which remians in boxes in the cellar. Work just gets in the way!

Adrian

The Grand Wazoo

24-06-2009, 09:04

Hi Adrian,
All this talk of Steve Earle got me thinking (and playing 'The Hard Way'). I like this album & have a few others, but I have to admit to liking the idea of listening to him more than the actual listening, when it comes down to it!

Havig said that, 'Billy Austin' from 'The Hard Way', played on a good system at just the right volume, has to be one of the most compelling lump in the throat songs ever.

Cheers

Adrian B

25-06-2009, 15:14

Completely agree about Billy Austin - a cracking song. One of the beauties of Steve Earle's anti-death penalty songs is that he doesn't go for the easy option. The subjects of his songs are invariably guilty.

Thgere are other good songs on teh Hrad Way, but he was at that stage descending into heroin hell and the overall LP is not one of his best in my view (although 'The Other Kind' is superb).

When I dig out all my albums I'll compile a list of the very best IMHO Earle songs

Best

Adrian

Adrian B

09-07-2009, 21:56

Pictures of my system - now happily out of removal boxes but not yet connected to speakers - will gradually be uploaded in the next 24 hrs (assuming they are not too large)

1st up is my Garrard 401 with OL Rega 250 and Denon DL103R. Set in concrete and 1inch chip-board, it's covered in black perspex. Sounds fantastic with real authority. We'll see whether the house move has allowed dust etc into the bearings

Adrian

Adrian B

09-07-2009, 21:57

For simpliciy's sake next up is a NAK 600.

Adrian B

09-07-2009, 22:02

3rd up is my Pioneer DV-505 with an interesting provenance. It was heavily modded by Thorsten Loesch who then sold it to one of the ferquenters of the World Designs forum. I bought it off him last autumn.

Truth is it is very temperamental and I may well flog it soon. But when it plays fine it is the most analogue sounding digital player I've ever heard (not that I've heard that many). This I suspect is noting to do woth the amethyst crystals and Chinese chequers liberally sprinkled around the innards.

Adrian B

09-07-2009, 22:05

Next up a Chinese KT88 amp (the Sound Luster). I've replaced most resistors with Kiwames and a good number of caps with Obbligatos from DIY Hi-Fi Supply in HK. Fabulous weight and authority with this amp, which is better than my (other) heavily modded WAD KEL84 through most speakers. But through my Maggies the KEL84 just wins it. So, there are no absolutes (bastard isn't it?)

Adrian

Beechwoods

09-07-2009, 22:08

Nice kit there Adrian, the 401 and that lovely Nakamichi 600 console machine in particular :) The Nak 600's are very regarded machines. I hope yours gets some use now and then!

Adrian B

09-07-2009, 22:12

You'll all maybe know what a KEL84 looks like from the outside, so I'm posting a picture of its modded innards. Jensen PIOs, Black Gates, Kiwames, etc. I think every possible mod mentioned on the WD forum has been done to this.

Adrian

Adrian B

11-07-2009, 16:50

Hi Beechwoods

the NAK gets very little use I'm afraid & I'm considering selling it after copying my tapes to PC. The sound is excellent though.

One last pic - my heavily modded WAD Pre II, PSU II and Phone II. You should be able to see Cinemag step=ups, loads of fancy caps and resistors (Black Gates, Kiwame, etc).

One of these days I may stop taking photos of the kit and actually connect it all up.

SPS

12-07-2009, 21:03

Nice to see you on here Adrian..

I still have some caps in my px25 amp with your name on..

cheers
Steve S

Adrian B

13-07-2009, 14:58

Hi Steve

how nice to hear from you. Oddly enough I was thinking about you barely 2 mins ago, as I posted a Q over on WD Forum. Thought it was about time I came to another Fest and wondered when the next one may be. From my point of view it's a shame that Witham seems to have come to an end. Do you ever hear from Martin?

WHat do you think of the Beresford DAC by the way? I'm mulling over making some changes in theat direction

All the best

Adrian

SPS

13-07-2009, 16:04

Hi Adrian, the next one is mid september up in doncaster, not heard from martin in a long time..

most folks now use nick's audio-talk site, the thread is there somewhere

i'm quite pleased with the beresford, its a nice ( and cheapish) improvement over the dvd player on its own.

although i should do the diy route really...