Hi all - new member intro stuff

[Miles]

Hi I am Miles
I am down near the end of Cornwall, not a bad place to be it must be said.
I have built and acquired and bought (mostly bought) a very nice system based around a pair of Julius Hyde horn speakers (JH of Aspara and Impulse) which are extraordinary, lighting fast and efficient, tell you everything, good and bad. My thinking was to start at that end so I could hear what I was feeding them.
My first folly was an iPod, very convenient, but sonically limited, so I put it on a Wadia transport and output it into an Audionote DAC1 signature.
I then borrowed a cd player and had to buy one, so I got an Audionote CD2.1, which I modified a bit. It got me into making cables and experimenting with vibration reduction. I got it sounding very good, I thought it was awesome, which it was until a friend brought his turntable round.
I then went and bought a Michell Gyro with a Funk FX2 arm and Ortofon Cadenza Black moving coil cartridge - lovely. So I started modifying that too. My wife liked the look of it, so it is allowed pride of place (mind you after the speakers which are as tall as her and bigger in every other direction, I guess she must be quite sympathetic). This runs through a Graham Slee Elevator and Puresound P10 preamp.
The cables I assembled from Mundorff siler/gold wire in cotton/PTFE with Eichman silver plugs. All components sit on my Solidair Audio magnetic levitation feet and granite shelving. I am very pleased with my magnetic feet, so I have started selling them to try and recoup some of the development costs and spread the benefits to fellow hifi nuts.
I look forward to talking to likeminded hifi enthusiasts.

[Barry]

Hello Miles and welcome to AoS.

Nice introduction. You seem to be someone who likes to fiddle, fettle and modify anything you lay your hands on! If you would like to elaborate, we have various sections in the Forum (such as Analogue Art, or The Drawing Board) where you can do so.

We would love to see some photographs of your gear if you can manage that. :)

What are your tastes in music?

Enjoy the Forum

Regards
Barry

[walpurgis]

Hi Miles. Welcome to AOS.

That's an interesting system you have. Sounds like you're having fun. Some photos for the Gallery section would be most welcome.

Are your Julius Hyde speakers from the Aspara range or bespoke jobs? I'm sure we'd like to hear more about those.

Every aspect of Hi-Fi is covered here, so I'm sure you'll find plenty to interest you.

The far end of Cornwall is a nice place. I have family there. Which bit are you in?


Enjoy the forum,
Geoff.

[Miles]

I am in Helston - The legendary Blue Anchor is my local!
Alas Aspara has disbanded. The speakers made by Julius are similar to the reference Aspara horns, but nothing is quite the same design wise. He reckons they are the best speakers he has ever made, we have worked on them and developed them a bit further, but I think we have gone as far as we can with them. They far outstrip any of the other kit I have. Julius lives in Falmouth, only 10miles away, so it has been great working on them with his immense wealth of experience and ear with my background as a mechanical engineer and product designer. He has plans for the next set with even bigger base drivers, you'll need a big room for those!

[Miles]

I am currently listening to Ed Sheeran, before that, Nigel Kennedy (winter), Genesis (a blast from the past), Hysteria by Muse, and probably my favourite album at the moment "Push the sky away" by Nick Cave. Started the evening with the Pulp Fiction sound track. My girls are now debating between Ben Howard's first album and Royal Blood. An odd mix.....It sounds like Ben has won the day.

[walpurgis]

Ah. I know the Blue Anchor. Can't say I've been in there. I buy my ciggies from the tobacconist three doors up though when I'm in town and walk the dog by the stream behind LIDL next to the Porthleven road. If I fancy lunch with a beer, I either pop down to Gweek or up to the Lion & Lamb in Ashton (nice pub). My mother had a cottage in The Lizard village and my brother is over in Gillan on the east side.

There's a decent Hi-Fi dealer not far off in Penrith, Big Ears Audio. I've had a chat with Chris Birchley who runs the place a couple of times about potential purchases, but not actually bought from him yet though. He stocks some interesting vintage gear.

I'd really like to see a photo of your Julius Hyde horn speakers.

[Tarzan]

Hello Miles and welcome to the forum and Gyro/Cadenza Black club, could you tell us a little about the modifications of the vinyl side of your system.:)

[Miles]

My Gyrodec has a funk fx2 arm with cadenza black mc cartridge and Solidairaudio gyro magnetic feet, (which I developed and sell on eBay- thought I'd better come clean with that). It has the power supply upgrade too. I am trying to get hold of a Puresound tenuto platter next (I borrowed one, it sounds fab). The Graham Slee elevator is nice, much quieter than the transformer stage I had. The Puresound P10 has had a valve upgrade and Solidairaudio feet, both well worth while. It does sound very good, but it cost enough, so it ought to.
I was thinking of making a new record clamp, does your orb one make much difference?
I'll see if I can work out how to put some pictures up.

[Eagle owl]

Hello and welcome Miles.

Geoff. :wave:

[Qwin]

Hello Miles, welcome aboard.

Ah the Blue Anchor, brings back some fond memories.

[petrat]

Hi Miles .... nice system! .... but I guess you knew that already :D

[jollyfix]

Hi Miles, welcome to AOS.

[Miles]

Thank you
It is something of a passion
I picked up "fly like an eagle" by the Steve Miller band yesterday, new vinyl, at a record fair, it is absolutely brilliant.

[struth]

My Gyrodec has a funk fx2 arm with cadenza black mc cartridge and Solidairaudio gyro magnetic feet, (which I developed and sell on eBay- thought I'd better come clean with that). It has the power supply upgrade too. I am trying to get hold of a Puresound tenuto platter next (I borrowed one, it sounds fab). The Graham Slee elevator is nice, much quieter than the transformer stage I had. The Puresound P10 has had a valve upgrade and Solidairaudio feet, both well worth while. It does sound very good, but it cost enough, so it ought to.
I was thinking of making a new record clamp, does your orb one make much difference?
I'll see if I can work out how to put some pictures up.

Ive got a set of their/your feet on my deck. Got them second hand on the bay. cost a bomb:D nice things though

[Miles]

Hi Grant
They were new feet, I have updated the box and packaging now, so it all looks a bit slicker, but I will always be thankful to you, my very first customer!
They are starting to sell quite well, especially the kit I do for the Michel Gyrodec, another year and I should break even!

[struth]

Hi Grant
They were new feet, I have updated the box and packaging now, so it all looks a bit slicker, but I will always be thankful to you, my very first customer!
They are starting to sell quite well, especially the kit I do for the Michel Gyrodec, another year and I should break even!

OK Miles(didnt realise I got them from you) and I didnt realise that they were new; they did look perfect mind :doh:. Yes I would say they were, although not cheap for me, one of my best buys and would recommend them. they are also very pretty so a bonus there too

[Miles]

Thank you, I'm glad they are working well for you. I think they are are better than anything else on the market for isolation, much better than spikes, they have really made a big difference to my system. I first developed them to go under CD players, but no one has bought them for that purpose. I guess they are a bit of an unknown quantity, so it takes a brave person to take a chance on them. They are expensive to make, so price is difficult to reduce. They do work curiously well under my preamp too, but I confess I don't understand why that should be!