Kia Ora from New Zealand.

[macky]

Kia Ora,

My name is Baldev and I live in New Zealand. To translate, "Kia Ora" is the Maori word for Hello.

I've always had a passion for music, but my interest in HiFi began 20 years ago. I have an eclectic mix in my CD collection.

My HiFi system currently consists of

Meridian 204 Tuner
Resolution Audio CD55 CD Player
DBX 150x noise reduction unit
Stereo Coffee Passive Preamp (enclosed in a Quad 33 chassis)
Dulci DPA15 EL84 valve monoblock amplifiers
Quad 303 power amplifier
Quad ESL57 speakers
Cables- various.

[walpurgis]

Hello Baldev. Welcome to AOS.

You have some interesting gear, I doubt many of the members here would know the name Dulci (a good old British make). I bet a pair of the EL84 units sounds very nice.

I must admit I'm not familiar with the resolution Audio CD player.

Please feel free to add some equipment photos to our Gallery section. They are always appreciated.

Tell us what music you like playing.


Enjoy the forum,
Geoff.

[macky]

Thanks,Geoff,for the welcome

The 53 year old Dulci's are great little amplifiers.They are based on the Mullard 5-10 design. I've had them restored,and also modified slightly, with the EF86 input valve triode connected, and a choke added. They are a wonderful match with the ESL57's; as is the Quad 303 power amplifier. It's nice to be able to have the luxury to choose between a valve and a solid state amplifier, according to the mood I'm in.

The Resolution Audio CD player was designed and manufactured in USA by Jeff Kalt, who is highly regarded in the digital audio world.

I'm a '60's child, so my favourite music is from the 60's through to the 90's period. It's not say I don't listen to current music, it's just that listening to songs from that period trigger very special memories. Dire Straits, Beatles, Supertramp, Cat Stevens, Don McClean, Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac are just some of the musician's and band's I like to listen to, as well as a lot of the local music from amazingly talented musical artists here in New Zealand that seems to go unnoticed beyond it's shores.

I'll post some images of my system soon.

Regards,
Baldev.

[Eagle owl]

Hello and welcome Baldev.

Geoff. :wave:

[Anthony K]

High Macky
I am very fond of Electric Wire Hustle from NZ but know little else
Kia ora was the name given to an orange soft drink here in the UK in the 80's

[drrdf]

Hi baldev and welcome. You certainly have a few rare items there in your set-up. Many many years ago I constructed a Mullard 5-10 amplifier; and it was pretty good in those days, though lacking in rms power by modern standards.

[macky]

Hi Anthony,
I saw Electric Wire Hustle play 12 months ago at a local festival and they were simply amazing, and they weren't even the main attraction. That title belonged to a group called Trinity Roots; worth checking out if you get the chance.

Hi Ronald,
Yes, the Mullard 5-10 is a low powered amplifier at about 14 watts per channel, but is sufficient to drive the Quad ESL57's with ease. They do seem to work well together.

[Barry]

Welcome to AoS Baldev,

Dulci amps - now there's a name from the past. My first stereo system consisted of a pair of Mullard 5-10 amplifiers. Nice to read you are using them to power Quad ESLs. When I bought my Quad ESLs I had moved on to Class A solid state amplification, so never knew what they would have sounded like with valve amplification. (I do now, as I also have a 15w/channel valve amp.)

Thanks for explaining 'Kia Ora' is the Maori for 'hello' - I remember Kia Ora as being an orange drink advertised and sold in cinemas here in the '50s (yes I am that old!) :lol:

What are some of your eclectic tastes in music? We love eclectic! :)

Welcome again and enjoy the Forum

Regards
Barry

[Robprog]

Hi Macky. I discovered Fat Freddys Drop at WOMAD this year. Fantastic!

[macky]

Hi Robert,

Yes, Fat Freddy's Drop are great. They hail from my neck of the woods here in NZ, in fact just down the road.

[Andrei]

Hi Robert,

Yes, Fat Freddy's Drop are great. They hail from my neck of the woods here in NZ, in fact just down the road.

Hi Baldev, Just bought Blackbird - you don't come from Hastings do you?

[macky]

No Andrei, I live in Lower Hutt, near Wellington. Fat Freddy's Drop members come from this city and their talent has been recognised internationally.

[Andrei]

My Brother-in-Law just put me onto Fat Freddy's Drop over Xmas so this last weekend I bought the LP of Blackbird - Pretty darn interesting I must say. I asked about your location because by co-incidence I am doing work for a client who is selling a property in Hastings to someone called Baldev.