View Full Version : My uber low-rent system - updated, with pics
Idlewithnodrive
27-07-2015, 14:28
Still kicking back and enjoying the tchoons :)
Just as enjoyable as ever, but now cleaner, tidier and with new speaks and my old CDP installed :)
http://i894.photobucket.com/albums/ac143/TheMJMan/CIMG5163_zpslf0hk16h.jpg
http://i894.photobucket.com/albums/ac143/TheMJMan/CIMG5165_zpsomqv9kgk.jpg
http://i894.photobucket.com/albums/ac143/TheMJMan/CIMG5168_zpstdsktoqd.jpg
http://i894.photobucket.com/albums/ac143/TheMJMan/CIMG5172_zpsvo6jp2y6.jpg
I think this'll do me nicely :cool:
dantheman91
27-07-2015, 14:37
Low Rent?
I would not call it that mike its higher end of the scale then that.
Kendal II's eh? What are they like in comparison to the conway's? I have the Durham MK1 Lovely little things they are must give them a run.
HMM QUAD.......LOVELY MY SON RUN MY 3 Series last week the magic is still their something i will NEVER let go thats a fact. I also have a 405 MK1 with MK2 Boards sounding excellent aswell classic power amps for sure. Have you got the Ken Kessler "Quad The Closest approach book its a fabulous read one to keep a look out for.
Very tidy & nice turntable ;) but wasn't keen on the phono stage in the 34.
Idlewithnodrive
27-07-2015, 14:45
Hiya Dan,
The Kendals are a touch clearer than the Conways but with a bit less bass; probably a bit better suited to my small room than the Conways tbh.
My 405 has the 405-2 boards fitted and I must admit it has really surprised me.
By low rent I meant cost as opposed to SQ. Other than the TT and the cart none of the other components worried £100 :)
Idlewithnodrive
27-07-2015, 14:48
Very tidy & nice turntable ;) but wasn't keen on the phono stage in the 34.
Quite rate the MM phono stage Roy. Not as good as some I have / have owned but in context, absolutely fine.
dantheman91
27-07-2015, 14:53
Hiya Dan,
The Kendals are a touch clearer than the Conways but with a bit less bass; probably a bit better suited to my small room than the Conways tbh.
My 405 has the 405-2 boards fitted and I must admit it has really surprised me.
By low rent I meant cost as opposed to SQ. Other than the TT and the cart none of the other components worried £100 :)
Fair on the kendall's the Durhams are really quite tight in the bass department to be honest but always tuneful
Watching the penny's you could do a a lot worse you know i'm waiting for my Quantum Electronics to arrive this week exciting times......
Well done you for costs :)
The 34 can have its op-amps looked at and there's a reliability check necessary on the supply caps too, which can leak all over the main board. If you haven't already, do please look at the Dada website as their update kits are not expensive and do really update without losing touch, if you see what I mean. I believe an op-amp change may be all that's needed...
southall-1998
27-07-2015, 20:29
That is a nice looking system, Mike.
Those Talk 3 cables have a good reputation.
S.
Idlewithnodrive
27-07-2015, 20:55
Well done you for costs :)
The 34 can have its op-amps looked at and there's a reliability check necessary on the supply caps too, which can leak all over the main board. If you haven't already, do please look at the Dada website as their update kits are not expensive and do really update without losing touch, if you see what I mean. I believe an op-amp change may be all that's needed...
Thanks Dave,
The PSU caps 'look' to be in good order and there are no audible signs otherwise. On the subject of to upgrade or not, I think I fall into the camp of leave as is, as the SQ is perfectly respectable and I would prefer to own an original spec classic as far as possible.
I am, however, certainly thinking of changing input sensitivity as it can be a pain in practical use. Just not too sure how easy this is to do properly.
Idlewithnodrive
27-07-2015, 20:59
That is a nice looking system, Mike.
Those Talk 3 cables have a good reputation.
S.
Hi Shane,
Thanks for your kind comments; I love the utilitarian looks of the old Quad gear :)
Ahh, the cables, I am not a believer in foo cables. The Talk 3 stuff is as good as anything else I have tried and is very good value for money.
diy audio have some mods for sensitivity changes to 34's
Still kicking back and enjoying the tchoons :)
Just as enjoyable as ever, but now cleaner, tidier and with new speaks and my old CDP installed :)
I think this'll do me nicely :cool:
Excellent, Mike! To my way of thinking, this is a very good 'real world' system, delivering high sound quality for very reasonable cost.
It never ceases to amaze me how little one can spend and yet still end up with a system which can really sing. A lovely setup you have there Mike, and one which very much appeals to my philosophy when sourcing components. It's good to see the Atacama's supporting such august speakers too ;)
Welcome back, Dave! :hifive:
Hope you are well :)
Marco.
You can thank Geoff for that, if you want to discuss this further I'd suggest we do so on my blog out of respect for Mike.
Nice one. If I drop in on your Gallery thread it'll be to discuss hi-fi. Onwards and upwards, as they say! :)
Marco.
Idlewithnodrive
29-07-2015, 07:31
Excellent, Mike! To my way of thinking, this is a very good 'real world' system, delivering high sound quality for very reasonable cost.
Thanks Peter. I'm certainly pleased with it. Sound for pound, I don't think I could have achieved better.
Idlewithnodrive
29-07-2015, 07:34
It never ceases to amaze me how little one can spend and yet still end up with a system which can really sing. A lovely setup you have there Mike, and one which very much appeals to my philosophy when sourcing components. It's good to see the Atacama's supporting such august speakers too ;)
That's the truth Dave. I've certainly enjoyed putting this one together and I've learnt a lot about component matching / interaction etc. The stands are a godsend tbh. Just do a sterling job and look good too :)
wiicrackpot
29-07-2015, 08:22
That's the truth Dave. I've certainly enjoyed putting this one together and I've learnt a lot about component matching / interaction etc. The stands are a godsend tbh. Just do a sterling job and look good too :)
Hi Mike,
Lovely simplicity of your system, is it my imagination your system is in the loft?,
it looks like you have to crouch to operate it due to the steep ceiling height,
if so wouldn't it have diffraction problems with the speakers positioning?.
p.s. i use Severns for TV duties and love them.
Idlewithnodrive
29-07-2015, 08:46
Hi Mike,
Lovely simplicity of your system, is it my imagination your system is in the loft?,
it looks like you have to crouch to operate it due to the steep ceiling height,
if so wouldn't it have diffraction problems with the speakers positioning?.
p.s. i use Severns for TV duties and love them.
Hi, Yep, it is in the loft. The ceiling isn't as steep as it looks, so I don't have to bend down too much to use it. A bit but not too much.
I am sure the pitch of the ceiling doesn't help with speaker interaction but by careful positioning I have managed to pretty much eliminate any nasties.
Idlewithnodrive
11-08-2015, 21:18
Another wonderful evening spent just enjoying music :)
No system worries, no hyper critical listening, just total immersion in music.
Absolute nirvana; I love this rig.
Idlewithnodrive
28-09-2015, 20:58
Had this entire set-up two months now, without ANY changes.
Just seem to be listening to (and buying) more and more music instead.
Can't be bad :)
Another wonderful evening spent just enjoying music :)
No system worries, no hyper critical listening, just total immersion in music.
Absolute nirvana; I love this rig.
Isn't this what it is all about? I can't get over how much I have enjoyed listening to vinyl over the past few months! I have a few tweaks in mind for the future, just wondering when I'll find the time to get around to them...
Quite rate the MM phono stage Roy. Not as good as some I have / have owned but in context, absolutely fine.
Hi, looking at your sig, how do you find the Reson Reca compared to the AN IQ carts?
Idlewithnodrive
02-10-2015, 14:36
Hi, looking at your sig, how do you find the Reson Reca compared to the AN IQ carts?
Hi Neil,
Tonally, the Reca is a touch better, bass they are very similar, again the Reca being just that bit more textured, but in just about every other aspect the IQ's are better, particularly open-ness and definition of the soundstage.
Hope that helps, as I'm not very good at describing what I hear :)
Hi Neil,
Tonally, the Reca is a touch better, bass they are very similar, again the Reca being just that bit more textured, but in just about every other aspect the IQ's are better, particularly open-ness and definition of the soundstage.
Hope that helps, as I'm not very good at describing what I hear :)
...interesting comments, thanks! I suspect the IQ3 stylus is better too, wonder if it can be filed down to fit on a Reca.
Idlewithnodrive
03-10-2015, 12:32
The IQ3 stylus is very very good, a bit better than the IQ2 and significantly better than the Reca.
I believe they can be made to fit.
Idlewithnodrive
04-11-2015, 15:01
Just plumbed in a Battery Bugle phono and a Bottlehead quickie and very impressed indeed.
http://i894.photobucket.com/albums/ac143/TheMJMan/IMG_03951_zpsmhc6rosx.jpg
It rings like a bell if you touch it (as these do) but is fine if you leave it alone.
Cracking sounds on a budget :)
Please excuse the poor phone photo but funnily enough my camera's not great for making telephone calls either :)
Those bugles were well rated. I nearly got one maysel not that long ago.
Idlewithnodrive
04-11-2015, 22:44
Those bugles were well rated. I nearly got one maysel not that long ago.
Indeed. Surprising, in fact very surprising for the few quid it cost Grant.
Idlewithnodrive
15-12-2015, 19:36
Quickie and Bugle moved on. Great experiment but still not a patch on the 34.
Still loving every Album I play. This hi-fi lark is easy :)
A very nice uncomplicated setup you have there Mike.
It is great when you get it right finally after faffing about for years.
Idlewithnodrive
15-12-2015, 20:21
Thanks Andrew.
I have quite a long history of box swapping - expensive boxes when I have the money, cheap boxes when I don't and no set-up has lasted a third of the time this one has.
It's a very trite, oft used expression but this rig just plays the music, no fuss, no drama, doesn't draw attention to itself. Just plays lovely, believable, totally enjoyable music.
Je t'aime :)
jandl100
17-12-2015, 08:42
Yup, I've been finding the same - for no reason other than idle curiosity I've been playing with some cheap gear recently (amp and now DAC).
The damn system is sounding it's best ever! :confused::scratch:
Lets see who cracks first and breaks up a working system.
jandl100
17-12-2015, 09:01
... well ... if I win the auction for that John Wood amp ... :D
What people haven't picked up on is that Doge 6 CDP.
In my honest opinion it is f&*^ing superb for the money. Even new. Given a decent set out output valves that is.
Idlewithnodrive
17-12-2015, 22:11
What people haven't picked up on is that Doge 6 CDP.
In my honest opinion it is f&*^ing superb for the money. Even new. Given a decent set out output valves that is.
............... and then some Justin.
Nothing short of stunning :)
jandl100
18-12-2015, 08:30
Ah, yep - I thought I recognised those square corners!
Excellent rep, although not heard one myself. :)
Idlewithnodrive
18-12-2015, 15:40
What people haven't picked up on is that Doge 6 CDP.
In my honest opinion it is f&*^ing superb for the money. Even new. Given a decent set out output valves that is.
Sorry, it might help if I actually say what tubes I use -
Gain stage is 4 x JAN GE 5751
Output tubes are 2 x the big getter JAN GE 12AT7WC
Bigman80
22-12-2015, 17:35
I love your PS-6750. Been looking for one for some time now but usually either too late or it's too much peso's
🤑
Bigman80
22-12-2015, 17:37
Also if you ever consider selling it keep me in mind 😃
Idlewithnodrive
22-12-2015, 22:30
I love your PS-6750. Been looking for one for some time now but usually either too late or it's too much peso's
��
Thanks Oliver.
Yes, they are excellent for the money and seem to be going up in price. I guess it's because they rarely come up for sale.
Bigman80
24-12-2015, 23:07
Definite rarity now. Enjoy it. I'm envious lol.
Merry Christmas
Idlewithnodrive
08-01-2016, 13:12
http://i894.photobucket.com/albums/ac143/TheMJMan/225f9fc8-c734-4521-89cb-d133d1b2f8d7_zpswpgqt14s.jpg
Still here :)
Bigman80
08-01-2016, 14:06
Yep still jealous. Lol
Bigman80
10-01-2016, 23:37
The guy removed it from eBay. Said he'd had a change of heart [emoji20]
walpurgis
10-01-2016, 23:53
As an alternative, take a look at the Toshiba SR-370. They are superb and appear for sale occasionally. A pretty hefty turntable. Weighs half as much again as a Techie!
http://i68.tinypic.com/2a75qb4.jpg
A picture I nicked off the net. Although it happens to be of mine, so they nicked it from me :). It comes without an arm as standard and has an SME mount. That's a Mission 774 I've put on it with a ZYX R100 cartridge.
Or.
A Sansui SR-525.
http://i68.tinypic.com/21mvkts.jpg
Not quite as hefty as the Toshiba, but well built and very nice sounding and it has an excellent arm on it. Nobody has caught onto these yet. They are a little appreciated goodie.
Bigman80
11-01-2016, 09:32
As an alternative, take a look at the Toshiba SR-370. They are superb and appear for sale occasionally. A pretty hefty turntable. Weighs half as much again as a Techie!
http://i68.tinypic.com/2a75qb4.jpg
A picture I nicked off the net. Although it happens to be of mine, so they nicked it from me :). It comes without an arm as standard and has an SME mount. That's a Mission 774 I've put on it with a ZYX R100 cartridge.
Or.
A Sansui SR-525.
http://i68.tinypic.com/21mvkts.jpg
Not quite as hefty as the Toshiba, but well built and very nice sounding and it has an excellent arm on it. Nobody has caught onto these yet. They are a little appreciated goodie.
I have considered both of these table previously. Quite like the toshiba.
Wakefield Turntables
11-01-2016, 09:52
I missed out on a Sansui 929, I think the end price was nearly a grand :eek:. Yep, a Sansui deck is something is something everybody should try at least once. I dont like the chipboard base however.
Bigman80
11-01-2016, 13:20
Ok, so I've found a toshiba near me at pennies really so what arm shoul I go for. Maximum £200.
Idlewithnodrive
11-01-2016, 20:12
The guy removed it from eBay. Said he'd had a change of heart [emoji20]
Sorry to hear that Oliver
Idlewithnodrive
16-03-2016, 16:03
Bit of an upgrade going on and what an upgrade.
http://i894.photobucket.com/albums/ac143/TheMJMan/c5cebf0f-44a1-4421-87d9-845557c36ecc_zpsfywqap3a.jpg
Replaced the stereo 405-2 with a pair of heavily modified 405-2 monoblocks and the improvement is not subtle.
Very nice..thought they would be good uns...:)
Idlewithnodrive
16-03-2016, 22:12
Very nice..thought they would be good uns...:)
.............. and it seems like you were right Grant. Can't see me ever needing much more of an amp.
They'd be even better, Mike, if you got them up off of the floor and onto dedicated stands, trust me! ;)
Marco.
Idlewithnodrive
23-03-2016, 09:31
They'd be even better, Mike, if you got them up off of the floor and onto dedicated stands, trust me! ;)
Marco.
Hi Marco. Unfortunately, they (and I) won't get the opportunity. Great though they were, in pretty much every area, they were just too much for my tiny listening room :(
So, back to a single stereo 405-2 for me :)
No worries, Mike. Whatever works. I presume that the stereo amp is not sat on the floor, then? ;)
Marco.
Not so good Mike. Thought you'd have them for life
Idlewithnodrive
23-03-2016, 19:27
No worries, Mike. Whatever works. I presume that the stereo amp is not sat on the floor, then? ;)
Marco.
No Marco; this one is safely installed in my rack.
Idlewithnodrive
23-03-2016, 19:29
Not so good Mike. Thought you'd have them for life
I was hoping so too Grant. Just a bit much really and if I'm super honest a bit too analytical for me. I prefer a bit more soul / emotion in the music. Music more than hi-Fi for me every time :)
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