...well hello all ;¬>

[mikmas]

My name is Mike and I live in the East Midlands (UK)
I am relatively old and rather retired - a viral infection some years ago ravaged my right ear and age has robbed me of a lot of high frequencies
I am not a hifi fanatic but like my music sounding sweet. I am severely challenged when it comes to physics and still regard electronics as a process governed by pixies sprinkling faerie dust in their wake. That said, since the mid '70s I have built a whole raft of gizmos including:
- a Macintosh kit amp
- an ILP based pre and power amp
- a 'noise box' based on a arcade games machine VCO chip sourced from Tandy :lol:
- several sequencers
- a couple of CMoy pocket amps
- a lot of other stuff

Since the world went digital I have some experience replacing surface mounted components in iPods and such - a process which makes me tremble with fear at the very mention.
I recently replaced all the elcos in my current Quad 33/303 combination which forced me to the realisation that the 3.5mm feed from my Mac Mini just didn't cut it and I would need to get a DAC.

....and that's how I ended up here - reading all the fascinating insights the fine people who post here have produced :)

[Haselsh1]

Mike, welcome and enjoy. Here's hoping you have an excellent Christmas.

[Firebottle]

Hi Mike,

Save some of that fairy dust for me :D

Welcome, it seems you like to keep yourself busy. If you've a digital camera we like pictures of stuff on here :stalks:

:cool: Alan

[mikmas]

Thanks for the (rapid) warm welcome Shaun - I see you're from my neck of the woods too ;)

Must say I have thoroughly enjoyed lurking the threads for the past week or so and the info here is mindbogglingly amazing - I'm afraid my input will be minimal compared to the genius exhibited by so many posters, but I will try my best...

[mikmas]

Thanks to you too Alan...
Photography is my main hobby - particularly macro (including microscopy - not that that would be much use here....)

[walpurgis]

Hi Mike. Welcome to AOS from me too.

That makes two of us then. I'm "relatively old and rather retired" too and also partly deaf in my right ear. I enjoy the occasional bit of photography as well.

Give us a proper outline of your main system. We'd appreciate some photos for the 'Gallery' section and tell us what music you listen to.


Enjoy the forum,
Geoff.

[struth]

welcome to AoS Mike. I hope you have an enjoyable stay with us and get involved in discussions... For someone who thinks gizmos work with fairy dust you seem to do very well.... think I need some of that too

[Puffin]

Hi Mike, you have a good "balanced" name for an enthusiast:D

You may suffer my chronic humour from time to time if you stick around. SMD components.....yes:lol: I have to revert to high strength reading glasses and one of those visor type things that have interchangeable lenses and an LED torch attached to see well enough. Trouble is that the solder head looks like a Kaber under such magnification.

Please get some pictures of your stuff up - we won't laugh......honest:D

[mikmas]

Not sure how to post pictures here .. I have one I snapped a few moments ago of my desk and bits and bobs and will post when I found out how.
Basically:

Quad 33
Quad 303
Denon Mission bookshelf thingies (shame on me, I know...)
Mac Mini 2010 for source delivery through a Beresford 7520 I sourced last week - £80 off the auction site and in perfect nick
Braun deck (Dieter Rams design) with very old Shure cartridge ... last used about 5 years ago to transfer vinyl to Mac

I have a Teac AH-300 as back up amp and a rather nice set of B&W speakers from the 80s stashed in the loft - too big for my space

[mikmas]

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7578/15355807153_de6dcc651a_c.jpg

[mikmas]

or lack of it.... :lol:
- too long to list but this snapshot gives some indication - the 'recently added' are current favourites I have been resampling to iTunes as Apple lossless files:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8625/15950338566_7e52c87a44_b.jpg

- after completing this mammoth task next up will be resuscitating the turntable to transfer my favourite vinyl.

[Eagle owl]

Hello and welcome Mike.

Geoff. :wave:

[Barry]

or lack of it.... :lol:
- too long to list but this snapshot gives some indication - the 'recently added' are current favourites I have been resampling to iTunes as Apple lossless files:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8625/15950338566_7e52c87a44_b.jpg

- after completing this mammoth task next up will be resuscitating the turntable to transfer my favourite vinyl.

Welcome to AoS Mike,

Thanks for the photo of your system - and for going to the trouble of listing your current favourite music titles. There's some good stuff there - clearly you are a bit of a David Bowie fan!

Good luck with the TT restoration. Let us know how you get on.

Enjoy the Forum

Regards
Barry