Some more (and better!) pictures

[Macca]

Hi All

IMHO not enough new 'hi-fi pornography' on here of late, so now that I have sort of got the hang of this digital camera business I have posted some improved pics of my kit with a bit more of a commentary.

Yes, I know - it's more Razzle than Penthouse, but hey!...

Turntable: This is a Systemdek IIXe that they totally rebuilt for me years ago. Note the original '33/45' selector knob has been replaced with a rocker switch. Although it still says 33/45 on the plinth next to it this is now just an on/off switch - the TT will only do 33 1/3 speed - they reckoned this would improve quality and since I have very few singles - no big deal.

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/DSCF0009.jpg



http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/DSCF0007.jpg

Next up Cambridge Azur 840 CDP and LinnLK100 pre - I think the build quality of the Linn amps is outstanding - up to pro standard IMO. Way off the pace now, of course.

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/DSCF0008.jpg


'Speakers are Celestion A2 - 2 and 1/2 way configuration, lower driver handles bass only. The drivers, I understand, are a combination of Mica and polypropylene - developed in house at Celestion - they then designed a range of speakers to suit them. Tweeter is a high power handling Titanium job - not the best but still pretty smooth sounding compared to some metal types.

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/DSCF0011.jpg

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/DSCF0012.jpg

'Made in England' - don't see that much nowadays, mores the pity!

Next up the sub from my Home Cinema set up (this is a totally independant set up from the hi-fi - fires across the width of the room whilst the other system fires down the length - no, I don't use both at the same time:)
This a Yamaha YST-SW120 twin cone active servo job - goes up to 140 hz so I have it wound all the way up and set the main speakers to 'small' - its adeqate for film soundtracks - I wouldn't bother to put music through it though - very soft and 'lazy' sounding.
sub
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/DSCF0013.jpg

Finally some JBL Control Ones for front left and right - these are a great little speaker, very heavy for the size - very tuneful and lively with rock music - if I had to go back to a 'bedsit' system I could live with these 'speakers for music, no problem.
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/DSCF0014.jpg

That's all! Hope you enjoyed! Hopefully I've redeemed myself a little with all of the serious photographers here on the site;)

Martin

[The Grand Wazoo]

Very nice!

Beware though, because some people on the AoS will say that your Systemdek is trying to tell you something with it's schizophrenic platter mat (but not me!)

[Macca]

Very nice!

Beware though, because some people on the AoS will say that your Systemdek is trying to tell you something with it's schizophrenic platter mat (but not me!)

Thanks Chris! - Last time I took the deck in for a service the dealer held up the old and very raggedy mat ( using finger and thumb only and at arms length) saying 'you really need a new mat.' The Technics mat was the only thing he had in that was suitable.

I'd love an SL1210 - I have always thought they were outstanding for the money even with the 'DJ' set up - In fact since joining I have already costed up the fully modded version that one of the contributors here offers - about £1400 to get the full monty (including the new deck - I don't want one off e-bay that some DJ has ragged to death). Very tempted. It would be hard to part with the Systaemdek, though - after 16 years!

Regards

Martin

[DSJR]

The Systemdek is a good example of the type though and above a 1990's Planar 3 in overall involvement and finesse. The thinner p3 mat should be better than what you have, or a NAS Spacemat even better..

seriously, please try to find an old croft preamp, even the noisy old Micro in the two-tone "Radio Spares" box will out-perform the over-complicated Linn preamp on ALL counts except noise (been there and done it two decades ago :)). I appreciate the LK1 is beautifully made (circuit boards possibly by IBM in Glasgow), but the thing was over-done, the volume control circuit inferior to a decent Alps motor-pot and the gain of all the line inputs had to be "adjusted" early on. The replacement of the internal 4700uF caps with (the then new) 10,000uF ones of the same size did help, but even with the Dirak, the kairn blew it away (and the 5130 line stage blew the kairn away, let alone a current Crofty pre - new baby one on sale for £350 or thereabouts right now :)

[Macca]

Thanks Dave

There used to be a lot of old Croft Micros around for sale - it's a pre I've cosidered in the past - but the supply seems to have pretty much dried up.

I have already taken a look at the Croft site - nearest dealer seems to be in Blackburn so not that convenient - still under consideration though:)

My Linn is a one careful owner example, box, manual, the lot in pretty much factory condition - it has probably had more use from me in the last 2 years than it had in the previous 20! But it was only ever a stopgap - bought it blind because I figured it would be a good match for the LK100.

Deck sounds a little raggedy nowadays - not serviced in years and the only dealer left in these parts is Richer Sounds - such a shame.

Martin

[DSJR]

A drop or three of EP80 in the main bearing is needed and possibly a fresh belt, as this can be a cause of the sound going off. As long as the suspension "floats" in all planes and the exit cable is carefully dressed and not pulling the suspension about (and is firmly anchord as it leaves the plinth) you should be ok.

The arm can be carefully serviced too, the main thing being to check for firmness in the tightening of the base onto the arm-board and the arm-board to the sub-chassis. If the arm pillar nut can be slackened off and the exit cable unplugged (some were locked in place by dedicated dealers using the little Allen bolt supplied), then a #0 "Supadrive" screwdriver could be carefully put to use on the headshell-to-pipe and pipe-to-bearing screws underneath and the Allen keys (metric) on the pillar bolts (don't overtighten). Some care is needed and these screws and bolts were locked originally with "stud-loc," but will almost certainly need a little tweaking by now.

Never over-tighten the arm pillar in the base, as these arms use a form of "engineer's clamp" affair to lock the pillar in place - one side point (the fixing bolt) and two fixed vertical-edge points on the other. The Ittok is the same, but not the Akito (I can't remember on the Ekos), as it uses a very slightly over-large hole in the base instead and no extra depth to the base casting (cheaper to fabricate I suspect).

Hope this helps you and possibly others with these arms. I was talked through this procedure by Alan Gibb when he worked for Linn and we "did" their demo Ittok this way...

[Macca]

Yes it is a little squeaky so the belt may be an issue (about 10 years old) but I listen a lot to CD nowadays so it has not been used a massive amount (5 hrs a month or so). Bearing must need oiling I agree.

Like a lot of people I have a number of relics that are left from more impecunious days gone by and I have not had the time until recently to seriously consider upgrading them - now I am listening to maybe 15-20 hrs music a week it starts be a realistic cost/benefit ratio. Not that the system sounds bad and it will go very loud without losing composure or breaking up and starting to sound harsh - don't play loud generally but occasionally like to take it 'out on the track' with something like ZZ top 'Eliminator' or Phys Graff:)

Thanks for the advice which is always much appreciated - a lot of invaluable experience on this site it seems.

Martin