Hi from Dublin, Ireland...

[dowser]

Been a member for a while, started posting more recently, but don't think I ever posted in here. Given the current kerfuffle in the sales section, I thought I should say Hi ;)

I'm an ex electronics technician who got into modifying audio equipment after repairing it for ages, but ultimately never saw money in it so got into IT in the mid-90s and am now a technology manager in financial services.

My kit is mostly vintage, or cheap :) Main system is a '77 LP12 with Sole subchassis, rewired RB250 and DL110, feeding into a Croft Micro II ('89, a recent 2nd hand purchase - me happy!), feeding into an Mark Levinson No. 29 (late 80s too?) driver early (biwireable, and biwired) Sonus Faber Concertinos. I also have a Naim CDI as a source.

I have a long list of other kit I really must re-use and/or clear out one day; DIY push-pull valve power amp, DIY SE hybrid valve/mosfet mono blocks, heavily modified Marantz 7 Chinese valve pre clone, Yaqin MS-12B, A&R A60, old Yamaha CDP with DIY ouput stage straight from DAC (zero filtering :)), heavily modified NAC62 with overkill DIY dual PSU plus various other bits of crap.

Oh, and a pair of ESL57s I will be rebuilding EHT units on and cosmetically refurbing once it gets warmer in the garage!

I'm a regular contributor on PFM and a long term member (but less posting) on the Wam, plus a few others. I use the same handle everywhere.

Richard

[Alex_UK]

Hi Richard, thanks for the post, I can't say welcome as you were here first! ;)

[Jonboy]

Hi Richard, nothing wrong with vintage or cheap kit, thats the best source of SPPV;)

[Themis]

Thank you for your introduction Richard. I'm glad to see I'm not the only Sonus Faber fan. ;)

[UV101]

Hi Richard, this is my 1st response to a post in the welcome area as I'm fairly new here myself!

Welcome!!!!!!

Its great to meet another avid modder! Your background looks fairly similar to mine. Electronic engineer in the late 80s/ early 90s turned IT pro cos the work dried up. Now I mod anything that's not moving!!!:lol:

Will be nice to exchange some ideas too!

:cool:

[dowser]

Cheers All, LOL @ Alex - can't even remember when I initially joined!

Jon - agreed, the kit I own is there because of how it sounds.

Dimitri - I just have the baby's of the range, but they fulfil my needs and have been with me for over 10 years now. The ESLs will usurp them I suspect (but god their footprint is awful!), but I'll never sell them. Best sound I ever heard was high end SFs driven by the valve hybrid monos I own and really must put back into service now the kids are a little older and I have a dedicated listening room(anyone know how to calculate a Zoebel network for between amps and speakers?!).

Ian - I have 18 month and 3 year old daughters that have curtailed a lot of my modding/refurbing for a while now. Outstanding are the ESL refurb, a Tentlabs clock (with PFM Flea powered independently) for the CDI and a recap for the A60. Oh, and the mono-blocks...ho-hum :)

Richard

[Spectral Morn]

Cheers All, LOL @ Alex - can't even remember when I initially joined!

Jon - agreed, the kit I own is there because of how it sounds.

Dimitri - I just have the baby's of the range, but they fulfil my needs and have been with me for over 10 years now. The ESLs will usurp them I suspect (but god their footprint is awful!), but I'll never sell them. Best sound I ever heard was high end SFs driven by the valve hybrid monos I own and really must put back into service now the kids are a little older and I have a dedicated listening room(anyone know how to calculate a Zoebel network for between amps and speakers?!).

Ian - I have 18 month and 3 year old daughters that have curtailed a lot of my modding/refurbing for a while now. Outstanding are the ESL refurb, a Tentlabs clock (with PFM Flea powered independently) for the CDI and a recap for the A60. Oh, and the mono-blocks...ho-hum :)

Richard

Hi Dowser

May 2009, is the date you joined....and only saying hello now tut, tut, tut;):):lolsign:

Anyway glad you're saying hello now...Welcome to AoS :champagne:

Enjoy the forum and have fun. Some photos of your system would be nice for the Gallery section of the forum. What kind of music do you like?

Regards D S D L

[dowser]

Hi Dowser

May 2009, is the date you joined....and only saying hello now tut, tut, tut;):):lolsign:

Anyway glad you're saying hello now...Welcome to AoS:champagne:

Enjoy the forum and have fun. Some photos of your system would be nice for the Gallery section of the forum. What kind of music do you like?

Regards D S D L

Ooops ;)

I get some photos posted in due course, been meaning to for a while since getting everything on wall shelves.

Music - pretty much anything except heavy metal. I also never liked opera, but my wife has turned me around. My music choices are basically dictated by the vinyl I can buy 2nd hand. Lots of 70s/80s stuff currently.

Richard

[Spectral Morn]

Ooops ;)

I get some photos posted in due course, been meaning to for a while since getting everything on wall shelves.

Music - pretty much anything except heavy metal. I also never liked opera, but my wife has turned me around. My music choices are basically dictated by the vinyl I can buy 2nd hand. Lots of 70s/80s stuff currently.

Richard


I like most things myself, but a can't get on with Country (especially Irish Country music), Death speed/dark,Black Metal. If it has melody, and a tune, there is a fair chance I will like it. Opera, not sure...something I need to explore, though I find high pitched female opera singers a bit off putting.

Dublins nice, been there quite a few times over the years.

Regards D S D L

[dowser]

Re. Dublin - I grew up in England, moved to Oz in mid-90s, then to Switzerland until 2006 and have been here since then. I like the City (10 minute commute to office on my push-bike) and country, cuisine and weather could be a little better (spoiled by Swissieland!) :)

Richard

[Spectral Morn]

Re. Dublin - I grew up in England, moved to Oz in mid-90s, then to Switzerland until 2006 and have been here since then. I like the City (10 minute commute to office on my push-bike) and country, cuisine and weather could be a little better (spoiled by Swissieland!) :)

Richard

The high cost of living in Ireland/Dublin must be similar to Switzerland ? Though Tax rates are better in Switzerland.


Regards D S D L

[dowser]

Indeed - cost of living is a little more here, and tax is (much) higher too - Switzerland has the best standard of living of anywhere I have been, and I will return one day (have passport, as do my kids :)).

Richard

[Barry]

Welcome to AoS Richard.

Quad 57s and Mark Levinson amplifiers - yummy! We need a few more '57 fans; there are far too many 'Tannoy-istas' here. :eyebrows:


(anyone know how to calculate a Zoebel network for between amps and speakers?!).

Have you tried the web?

Enjoy the forum; but then if you joined in May 2009, I guess you already do! :lol:

Regards

[dowser]

Re. the Zoebel - I kind of know, but it is rusty knowledge and requires test equipment and a lot of time to complete. My mentor/guru buddy suggests throwing a 10 Ohm resistor across the output, as 9 times out of 10 it is close enough!

Richard

[Barry]

Richard,

Try: http://sound.westhost.com/lr-passive.htm

Regards

[dowser]

Thanks Barry - everything I always wanted to know...but was afraid to ask ;)

Richard