montesquieu
12-09-2014, 09:08
Following both a (rather expensive/exhausting) house move and a recent fairly serious illness, I thought it time to clear down my stash of stuff, in conjunction with a bit of a down-size in my system. I listed some of this stuff separately previously but as quite a few items have sold, I'm putting the remainder under one post. Couple of new items as well.
Audiosector DAC
This is the bare bones (no enclosure) version of the acclaimed Audiosector non-oversampling DAC, premium version (with Black Gate caps etc). Needs no introduction to its fans. I bought this for a study project that never came off, so releasing it back into the wild. Offered at £150, plus £11 RMSD in UK.
Pic to follow.
Two Audio Note silver interconnects, one standard IC, one arm cable
Audio Note UK: Tonearm cable - 90cm stereo Audio Note AN-Vx 27 strand (later/current type) with very high-end Furutech FP DIN-L Rhodium silver-plated connector (supplied and professionally fitted by Reference Fidelity Audio), AN-P plugs on other end and earth wire fitted, REDUCED by £50 to £375, plus £7 RMSD in UK. This is an absolute cracker of an arm cable - a metre of this cable without the fancy arm plug currently retails at over £700. NOW SOLD
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/anvx-arm_zps3ddb2de3.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/anvx-arm_zps3ddb2de3.jpg.html)
Audio Note UK: Interconnect 1m stereo early AN-Vx 20-strand with AN-P silver plated plugs, REDUCED to £325 plus £7 RMSD in UK.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/an-vx_zps7800c723.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/an-vx_zps7800c723.jpg.html)
Oyaide HS-CF carbon fibre headshell
Oyaide HS-CF carbon fibre headshell, fantastic heavyweight (12g) with heavy silver cartridge leads, retails at £230, used briefly with my AN-Io, which is now sold. This is a truly superb headshell which makes an audible difference, perfect for lower compliance cartridges. Comes boxed. REDUCED to £120, + £7 RMSD in UK For details see here: http://www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/analogue-lp-s/58-oyaide-hs-cf-headshell-505240865043.html
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/oyade_zps0bba2d0f.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/oyade_zps0bba2d0f.jpg.html)
Soundsmith modified Denon 103R Mono MC cartridge
103R Mono: this is a standard 103R that Soundsmith modify the coils on (turning through 90 degrees) to give true mono output, ie unlike a standard stereo cartridge which picks up signal in both vertical and lateral planes, this only picks up lateral signal as a true mono cartridge should. Retails at $829 - something over £500 - add international shipping and 20% VAT to that and price into the UK is well over £600. Details here: http://www.sound-smith.com/denon/ I've fitted it with the 8g brass Isokinetik stabiliser, which for my money does a better job of making 103's sound more refined than a wood or metal rebody (and it's a lot safer as well not having to 'nude' the cartridge for a rebody, while the threaded screws on top make fitting it to a tonearm or cartridge a doddle compared to the original with its open sides). The Soundsmith 103R mono easily rivals or even betters any other mono cartridge I've used in recent times including the Ortofon Mono and Lyra Dorian Mono. Tip examined under magnification and still in great shape. REDUCED to £225, plus £11 RMSD in UK.
(Pics show both the 103R mono and a 103R stereo which is now sold)
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/103Rx2_zps9cfe4d38.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/103Rx2_zps9cfe4d38.jpg.html)
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/103box_zpsce15598d.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/103box_zpsce15598d.jpg.html)
Two rare Fidelity Research FR-1 moving coil cartridges, Mk1 and Mk3
Two two rare gems, different models of Fidelity Research FR-1. FR-1 Mk1 is a stunning cartridge in time-warp condition, in theory it has a very low output (of 0.14mV) though in practice it's only a shade lower than the 0.2mv of some vintage Ortofon SPUs and it works beautifully into my vintage Jurgen Schou Ortofon STA6600L step-up, and also on the high impedance setting of the Audio Note AN-S2L SUT I'm selling separately - my view is that essentially any SUT suitable for an SPU should make this sing. It's lush and sweet and detailed, quite lovely. I'd put it in the Koetsu bracket for quality (it's certainly way above the Supexes etc of the era). I think myasking price is a total steal: REDUCED to £175, plus £11 RMSD in UK.
I also have an FR 1 Mk3 (that's the black one), this was very innovative in its day and is essentially the same cartridge with silver coils. I found it very similar to the Mk1 but a shade less lush and rather more detailed, rather more neutral and 'modern' in sound than the Mk1. As a born-again SPU nut I **just** preferred the Mk1, but I do certainly understand why the Mk3 has a cult following. A poor man's Io? The similarities don't stop at the silver coils. REDUCED to £280, plus £11 RMSD in UK.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/fr1-1_zps85347f3b.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/fr1-1_zps85347f3b.jpg.html)
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/fr1-3_zpse1f447a9.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/fr1-3_zpse1f447a9.jpg.html)
Audiosector DAC
This is the bare bones (no enclosure) version of the acclaimed Audiosector non-oversampling DAC, premium version (with Black Gate caps etc). Needs no introduction to its fans. I bought this for a study project that never came off, so releasing it back into the wild. Offered at £150, plus £11 RMSD in UK.
Pic to follow.
Two Audio Note silver interconnects, one standard IC, one arm cable
Audio Note UK: Tonearm cable - 90cm stereo Audio Note AN-Vx 27 strand (later/current type) with very high-end Furutech FP DIN-L Rhodium silver-plated connector (supplied and professionally fitted by Reference Fidelity Audio), AN-P plugs on other end and earth wire fitted, REDUCED by £50 to £375, plus £7 RMSD in UK. This is an absolute cracker of an arm cable - a metre of this cable without the fancy arm plug currently retails at over £700. NOW SOLD
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/anvx-arm_zps3ddb2de3.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/anvx-arm_zps3ddb2de3.jpg.html)
Audio Note UK: Interconnect 1m stereo early AN-Vx 20-strand with AN-P silver plated plugs, REDUCED to £325 plus £7 RMSD in UK.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/an-vx_zps7800c723.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/an-vx_zps7800c723.jpg.html)
Oyaide HS-CF carbon fibre headshell
Oyaide HS-CF carbon fibre headshell, fantastic heavyweight (12g) with heavy silver cartridge leads, retails at £230, used briefly with my AN-Io, which is now sold. This is a truly superb headshell which makes an audible difference, perfect for lower compliance cartridges. Comes boxed. REDUCED to £120, + £7 RMSD in UK For details see here: http://www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/analogue-lp-s/58-oyaide-hs-cf-headshell-505240865043.html
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/oyade_zps0bba2d0f.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/oyade_zps0bba2d0f.jpg.html)
Soundsmith modified Denon 103R Mono MC cartridge
103R Mono: this is a standard 103R that Soundsmith modify the coils on (turning through 90 degrees) to give true mono output, ie unlike a standard stereo cartridge which picks up signal in both vertical and lateral planes, this only picks up lateral signal as a true mono cartridge should. Retails at $829 - something over £500 - add international shipping and 20% VAT to that and price into the UK is well over £600. Details here: http://www.sound-smith.com/denon/ I've fitted it with the 8g brass Isokinetik stabiliser, which for my money does a better job of making 103's sound more refined than a wood or metal rebody (and it's a lot safer as well not having to 'nude' the cartridge for a rebody, while the threaded screws on top make fitting it to a tonearm or cartridge a doddle compared to the original with its open sides). The Soundsmith 103R mono easily rivals or even betters any other mono cartridge I've used in recent times including the Ortofon Mono and Lyra Dorian Mono. Tip examined under magnification and still in great shape. REDUCED to £225, plus £11 RMSD in UK.
(Pics show both the 103R mono and a 103R stereo which is now sold)
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/103Rx2_zps9cfe4d38.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/103Rx2_zps9cfe4d38.jpg.html)
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/103box_zpsce15598d.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/103box_zpsce15598d.jpg.html)
Two rare Fidelity Research FR-1 moving coil cartridges, Mk1 and Mk3
Two two rare gems, different models of Fidelity Research FR-1. FR-1 Mk1 is a stunning cartridge in time-warp condition, in theory it has a very low output (of 0.14mV) though in practice it's only a shade lower than the 0.2mv of some vintage Ortofon SPUs and it works beautifully into my vintage Jurgen Schou Ortofon STA6600L step-up, and also on the high impedance setting of the Audio Note AN-S2L SUT I'm selling separately - my view is that essentially any SUT suitable for an SPU should make this sing. It's lush and sweet and detailed, quite lovely. I'd put it in the Koetsu bracket for quality (it's certainly way above the Supexes etc of the era). I think myasking price is a total steal: REDUCED to £175, plus £11 RMSD in UK.
I also have an FR 1 Mk3 (that's the black one), this was very innovative in its day and is essentially the same cartridge with silver coils. I found it very similar to the Mk1 but a shade less lush and rather more detailed, rather more neutral and 'modern' in sound than the Mk1. As a born-again SPU nut I **just** preferred the Mk1, but I do certainly understand why the Mk3 has a cult following. A poor man's Io? The similarities don't stop at the silver coils. REDUCED to £280, plus £11 RMSD in UK.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/fr1-1_zps85347f3b.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/fr1-1_zps85347f3b.jpg.html)
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/fr1-3_zpse1f447a9.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/fr1-3_zpse1f447a9.jpg.html)