MIKE REED's SYSTEM update after a decade or more

[Mike Reed]

When I put my avatar on here I had (almost) an entirely different system based around then almost top Naim amplification and s/s sources plus Orbe/Five.Lyra vinyl. Courtesy of Photobucket coming back into the real world, let's see if I can publish some pic's

Quad 2905 ESLs plus cat.

http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/Yungiloo/SNOW%20%20ALL%20NEW%20PICs%20of%20HIFILIVING%20ROO M%20033_zpshes04nx4.jpg (http://s719.photobucket.com/user/Yungiloo/media/SNOW%20%20ALL%20NEW%20PICs%20of%20HIFILIVING%20ROO M%20033_zpshes04nx4.jpg.html)

Top shelf L-R LECTOR transport; 2 x E.A.R. 509 amps. Middle shelf L-R LECTOR valved DAC; Naim 01 tuner; E.A.R. 912 pre. Bottom shelf tuner and 2 x CDP p/supplies; MYRYAD h/ph amp cum pre. On table N.A. Dais with 12" ACE ANNA & 12" PU7 with eithr T. Proteus, K Urushi Vermillion or Ortofon VMS20E mk 2. UNDER deck, M. Bastin p/s for deck & Denon cassette deck.

http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/Yungiloo/HIFI%20Part%201%20EQUIPMENT%20JUNE%202018%20005_zp szyqfyual.jpg (http://s719.photobucket.com/user/Yungiloo/media/HIFI%20Part%201%20EQUIPMENT%20JUNE%202018%20005_zp szyqfyual.jpg.html)

LOOKING BACK (as it were)
http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/Yungiloo/SNOW%20%20ALL%20NEW%20PICs%20of%20HIFILIVING%20ROO M%20011_zpss0qtmvsv.jpg (http://s719.photobucket.com/user/Yungiloo/media/SNOW%20%20ALL%20NEW%20PICs%20of%20HIFILIVING%20ROO M%20011_zpss0qtmvsv.jpg.html)

http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/Yungiloo/AUG.%2016%20MORE%20AUDITORIUMHIFI%20shots%20004_zp suygjswxl.jpg (http://s719.photobucket.com/user/Yungiloo/media/AUG.%2016%20MORE%20AUDITORIUMHIFI%20shots%20004_zp suygjswxl.jpg.html)

[Sherwood]

Has the cat been changed too?

[Mike Reed]

Has the cat been changed too?

Nope, though a decade or so ago we had a stereo pair of black cats; father and son. The son figures in both avatar and pic's above. The first (speaker pic.)was taken 18 months ago but is more or less the same now.

[Macca]

Same cat but it has received a firmware update...

I like the way you have your racks set up so you can easily get behind them.

[eu_73]

I love your system, in particular the Ear amplification (there was a hard-fought round when I changed my amplification and at the end it won on points the Burmester couple) and the italian cd player.
The only small note is about the intricate jungle of cables behind the electronics.

[tapid]

Watch out you might be on thin ice with Marco where that tv s placed !

[Mike Reed]

I like the way you have your racks set up so you can easily get behind them.

Only one rack (a.k.a. table) plus the semi free-standing shelf unit I made in order to get rid of a fair number of Target wall shelves and gain access to the rear of my kit.

[Mike Reed]

The only small note is about the intricate jungle of cables behind the electronics.. Wouldn't know how you'd do away with them. There are 8 mains leads there as well as I/Cs, so there's bound to be a cable jungle. Not noticeable from the front, however.

[Mike Reed]

Watch out; you might be on thin ice with Marco where that tv' s placed !

Doesn't matter a jot with ESLs. Dynamic speakers, maybe, though modern TVs are so thin, I doubt there's be a sonic deterioration even then.

[Spectral Morn]

Same cat but it has received a firmware update...

I like the way you have your racks set up so you can easily get behind them.

+ 1

I dream of being able to do that, no more leaning over, thrusting arm deep into the rack, turning gear round etc.

Nice set up Mike :cool:

[Pigmy Pony]

Nope, though a decade or so ago we had a stereo pair of black cats; father and son. The son figures in both avatar and pic's above. The first (speaker pic.)was taken 18 months ago but is more or less the same now.

The cat's pretending to have no interest in those two giant scratching posts

[Mike Reed]

The cat's pretending to have no interest in those two giant scratching posts

They're covered in sheets when not in use and the moggie was banished to the kitchen overnight when I found him sleeping on my (covered) CD transport 18 moths ago.

[Firebottle]

.................. 18 moths ago.

He eats moths as well? :lol:

[Mike Reed]

He eats moths as well? :lol:

Ha ha !. He has been known...!

[Sherwood]

They're covered in sheets when not in use and the moggie was banished to the kitchen overnight when I found him sleeping on my (covered) CD transport 18 moths ago.

Those sheets won't last long with all those moths!

[JohnJo]

Great looking system and set-up Mike. I like the way you’ve reversed the normal use of the room, not focusing around the fireplace. Appears to work very well.

[tapid]

Looks a nice system. How far apart are the speakers ?

[Barry]

Very nice system Mike.

Like you I use Quad ESLs, and have them firing down the length of the room. Their proximity to the TV won't make any difference, apart from squeezing past the telly to get to the patio windows. (Actually looking again that's not a problem)

Admire the record storage arrangement - a bit like a record shop. :)

[tapid]

Got a picture of yours anywhere on site Barry ?. I m referring to speakers of course !

[Mike Reed]

Those sheets won't last long with all those moths!

It's okay, as I've stopped playing Chrysalis records.:)

[Mike Reed]

Thanks for comments, Neil, John, Brian and Barry. I don't think I've had a system firing across a room since the seventies, and ESLs have to fire down because of rear space, as you know.

Brian, there's only about 5 to 6 feet between (can't get them wider, unfortunately, but soundstage is wide) but the speakers are each 27" wide.

Barry, I can no longer strain my neck looking at spines, whether CDs or records, and as I rarely know what to play, browsing is the answer. Despite alpha order, LPs still get mislaid ! Am limited to marginally less than 1000 records on shelves, though, so still have to stack on floor and upstairs for the odds 'n' sods.

[Macca]

It's a perfect room for a dipole speaker, no question.

[hornucopia]

You'll have to discover HDD/iMac? Use the CDs as 'hard copy'?

Thanks for comments, Neil, John, Brian and Barry. I don't think I've had a system firing across a room since the seventies, and ESLs have to fire down because of rear space, as you know.

Brian, there's only about 5 to 6 feet between (can't get them wider, unfortunately, but soundstage is wide) but the speakers are each 27" wide.

Barry, I can no longer strain my neck looking at spines, whether CDs or records, and as I rarely know what to play, browsing is the answer. Despite alpha order, LPs still get mislaid ! Am limited to marginally less than 1000 records on shelves, though, so still have to stack on floor and upstairs for the odds 'n' sods.

[Mike Reed]

You'll have to discover HDD/iMac? Use the CDs as 'hard copy'?

Not sure what you mean by that, but I've gone as far as I want in digital (and possibly everything else, too)

[Sherwood]

It's a perfect room for a dipole speaker, no question.

Not so sure. Yes, it's good to have plenty of space behind a dipole, but this room is very narrow. An extra metre of width and it would be much better.

Geoff

[Macca]

Fair point, what I meant was it gives a chance for the return wave to dissipate. You don't often see ESLs with that much space behind them. People say they work fine a few feet from a rear wall. They work, but nothing like optimally.

[Barry]

Fair point, what I meant was it gives a chance for the return wave to dissipate. You don't often see ESLs with that much space behind them. People say they work fine a few feet from a rear wall. They work, but nothing like optimally.

A couple of metres is fine. Quads don't really need to be situated far from side walls: mine are almost touching them.

[Macca]

A couple of metres is fine. Quads don't really need to be situated far from side walls: mine are almost touching them.

My understanding is that the originals benefit from being close to the side walls, but they work on a different principle to the 63 and the later designs, which don't.

[Mike Reed]

Not so sure. Yes, it's good to have plenty of space behind a dipole, but this room is very narrow. An extra metre of width and it would be much better.

Geoff

Agreed, but I just ran out of walls to knock down. If I could turn everything round by 180 degrees and listen from where the speakers are I'd get that extra metre. Kit and electrics now set in stone, unfortunately.

[Mike Reed]

My understanding is that the originals benefit from being close to the side walls, but they work on a different principle to the 63 and the later designs, which don't.

Think the principle still holds, Martin. There's no dissipation of energy from the side panels, so being close to a wall has no sonic downside, I'm led to believe.

[tapid]

Just noticed the record rack in the alcoves. Looks unusual to me and nice.

[Barry]

Your listening room is a similar shape to mine.

Mine is 33' long, 11' wide at my listening position (and where the equipment is) with the speakers placed 6' forward of the narrow (9') end of the room (and like yours, where the patio windows are).

I really couldn't locate the speakers anywhere else. So optimal or not, that's where they're staying.

[Sherwood]

Think the principle still holds, Martin. There's no dissipation of energy from the side panels, so being close to a wall has no sonic downside, I'm led to believe.

Up to a point. I use Maggie 1.7s which are also dipoles and need to be at least 3 feet away from rear walls. In fact, I have heard that some users reverse the panels so that the speaker connection side faces forwards. However, even with Maggies, it is important to have them a little away from the side walls, at least 1ft.

Additionally, I have the panels so that the treble side is furthest away from the side walls.

Geoff

[cuddles]

Just noticed the record rack in the alcoves. Looks unusual to me and nice.

Yeah - I like the browser idea. It's like having a record shop in your own home :) I might go this way - it's much easier to find records than in a crowded shelf.