Hello from Sheffield

[SimontY]

Hi all, I've stumbled across this forum a couple of times so thought it was about time I actually joined. My regular hang-out is DIY Audio (same user-name).

My main interests are in CD player modification and DIY speakers, but I am obsessed with all things hi-fi apart from valves and vinyl, which I'm just too young to have been exposed to!

At present I'm listening to a heavily modified Marantz CD63, whilst I rebuild my Philips CD650 with Pass D1 output stage (and many, many other mods) onto a plywood board for more room for power supplies (I worship the TDA1541 sound), a DIY preamp using Pedja Rogic's discrete buffer, modified Marantz MA-500 monoblocks and a set of DIY 3-way open baffle speakers.

I've done DIY cables, racks, diffusion, mains filters, other speakers and modified a few things here and there.

Always interested in meeting like-minded people in the area to share listening and chat with.

My main project right now is a set of 3 way open baffles using a compression tweeter in a home-made plywood waveguide, Eminence Beta 8A midrange and 2 x 12" plastic woofers aided by a transformer bass boost circuit (Graham Maynard's idea). All running open baffle and drivers to receive some high level tweakery.

Simon

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Simon

Welcome to AOS.

What kind of music do you like ? We really would all love to see photos of your set up. Are the Marantz amplifiers Music/Link Reference ones ? If so those are fantastic imho though I haven't heard any in 20 years.

Regards D S D L

[Rare Bird]

Welcome Simon..Another neighbour i see.

[SimontY]

Hi Neil, thanks for the welcome.

For testing I like anything on the Linn record label, Eric Clapton Unplugged and Diana Krall - The Girl in the Other Room, but those choices are only partly representative of my wider tastes, which are... wide! I like female vocalists (Diana Krall, Eleanor McEvoy, Kate Bush, Norah Jones, Carol Kidd, Barb Jungr, Joni Mitchell etc.) and I like quite a lot of rock and the odd bit of folk and (less so) jazz. When the volume goes up I often quite like a bit of Dire Straits, Yes, Eels, Stereophonics or Super Tramp - whatever really. Also quite like the odd bit of electronica, dance, trip-hop and hip-hop, but not too much. Loving Aero by Jean Michel Jarre right now :-)

Sadly my Marantz amps are just some thin home cinema jobs, nothing special really. They are a nineties design with a healthy 180W / 4ohms output. They sound considerably smoother with the internal wiring maze reduced, better power cabling, Mundorf Supreme coupling caps, silver on copper CMC sockets, renewed smoothing caps and new bias trim pots / increased bias.

Simon

[SimontY]

Welcome Simon..Another neighbour i see.

Hi there, whereabouts are you then?

Simon

[SPS]

Hi Simon, i think we both attended the 'diy audio' meet a couple of years ago in sheffield...
i had the lowther open baffles and a two watt valve amp on a breadboard..

nice to see you've taken the open baffle route..
and welcome..

steve

[SimontY]

Hi Steve, I think I remember you and I'm pretty sure I remember your crazy system. I hope you don't mind mind the term crazy, which I use affectionately. I liked the exhilarating dynamics you'd achieved there. I am going for something a bit mellower sounding but was absolutely inspired by yours and others' speakers and amps there.

Simon

[Rare Bird]

Hi there, whereabouts are you then?

Simon

Hi Simon Rotherham..

[SimontY]

Cool, I'm in south Sheffield. Good to know other madmen are about.

[Rowemeister]

Hello Simon, I too have joined today!

Brent

Doncaster

[SimontY]

Ey up, didn't know you were here too Brent, good stuff.

[Marco]

Hi Simon,

Welcome to AOS - enjoy! :)

Hi Brent,

Welcome to AOS - would you like a trade account opened up for you to represent Audio Upgrades? :cool:

Marco.

[chrism]

Hi Simon,

I am in Fulwood, Sheffield so another one nearby.

Regards

Chris

[DSJR]

Welcome all.. :)

[SimontY]

Hi Chris, Dave and Marco, thanks a lot for all the welcoming.

Fulwood is a very nice area, lucky you :)

Simon

[SimontY]

I was going to post some pics till I saw the file size restrictions :lolsign:

I will upload some to some server space first then and hot-link em in...

[SimontY]

At present I listen in my bedroom so it's a very small listening space I'm afraid.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4303594181_ec8700c694.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4304337514_95b8572238.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4303593949_0718a6087f.jpg

For bigger pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40426697@N04/sets/72157623157686179/

The speakers with 6 drivers are my current cheap open baffles. The one to the right is a work in progress 3 way open baffle on birch ply with 8" waveguide.

Simon

[technobear]

Hi Simon, welcome! :)

Interesting to see you've enABL'd the drivers and the baffle. Did you listen before and after? What sort of change did it bring about?

[SimontY]

Hi Chris,

I didn't find doing the baffles changed much, perhaps let the speakers disappear in the soundstage a touch better. I have been told doing baffles with tape may be more effective.

EnABLing the mid drivers was pretty beneficial, making the sound more natural and smooth. It seemed the make the drivers sound less peaky. Those 4" plastic Audax mids do have a coloured sound and this reduced that issue. The effect was hard to gauge on the woofers but I recall it having some slight benefits. I've not gone very far, though, and only done one pattern per driver, and quite badly in places.

On my new project the Eminence mids will be getting the full works!

Simon

[Rare Bird]

Cool, I'm in south Sheffield. Good to know other madmen are about.

Aye only the best looking blokes are from Yorkshire :eyebrows:

[SimontY]

Obviously.

[Rare Bird]

:lolsign:

[Rowemeister]

South Yorkshire to be exact :lol:

[Rowemeister]

Hi Simon,

Welcome to AOS - enjoy! :)

Hi Brent,

Welcome to AOS - would you like a trade account opened up for you to represent Audio Upgrades? :cool:

Marco.

Cheers Marco. I see no reason why a trade account should not be opened. Don't want to get into the 'only after sales' debate.

[Alex_UK]

WELCOME!

[SimontY]

Thanks :)

[Rare Bird]

South Yorkshire to be exact :lol:

Brent

Aye that's were all the Sex gods reside, even marco will vouch for that :lol:

[DSJR]

Oh good grief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rare Bird]

:lol:

[The Grand Wazoo]

I moved away from that part of the world cos I thought my looks would show you lot up - & I'm a proper ugly bastard.

[DSJR]

Doesn't Alan Titchmarsh come from Yorkshire? Perhaps it's the wrong part.......

[Rare Bird]

Doesn't Alan Titchmarsh come from Yorkshire? Perhaps it's the wrong part.......

Aye West Yorks..You always get one tho Dave :)

[Jonboy]

Hello Simon:wave:

[SimontY]

Hey! :)

[Marco]

Cheers Marco. I see no reason why a trade account should not be opened. Don't want to get into the 'only after sales' debate.

Done :)

Check out the Trade Inspirations section of the forum where you are free to advertise your current products or any new introductions, sale items, etc.

You'll also be featured in our Creative Collections section, where we recommend products from selected dealers and manufacturers.

Enjoy AOS!

Marco.

[The Black Adder]

Sheffy bloke ere too! - Good ta meet ya!

TDA1541A Rocks!

:)

[SimontY]

Hi Joe, nice to meet you. The TDA1541A is mega :)

[YNWaN]

I live near the city centre of Sheffield (I wasn't born there though ;)).

[Themis]

A bit late, awfully late even, BUT : Welcome to AoS Simon. :)