Hello from Strasbourg

[Frog-n-Oatcakes]

The day is mine!

Greetings from Strasbourg.

:eyebrows:

[Marco]

Hi Ritchie,

Welcome to AoS :)

Short and sweet, eh! What system have you got and what music do you like to listen to? :cool:

Marco.

[Frog-n-Oatcakes]

I am a vintage fanatic.

It began 20 years ago whilst I ate oatcakes and listened to my fathers tricked out Wharfedale system. He fuelled the mania that was about to ensue.

Now I have my own system...I have a strong preference towards vintage and broadcast equipment, especially Japanese equipment. I have owned almost all of the large Japanese direct drives, EMT's and Micro Seiki turntables, except the Onkyo PX-100. I had Thorens Reference serial number 2 for a while, then serial number 65. I currently have a Pioneer P3 and a few other beauties...and always searching for more.

From a digital point of view I am currently demoing an Accuphase DP-700, although it still cannot beat my japanese YAL YFD-18 18bit dac. Over the years I have owned most of the Accuphase cd players, CEC and a Philips LHH2000. My quest finally ended recently as I purchased the first broadcast cd player ever produced by Sony, only a handful exist. It has a console and seperate computer system and was sold to me by the president of the national recording and tv production company in Tokyo, like the guy behind Silbatone, he is a fanatic about vintage.

Amplification, I have tried most. I feel that I could and should do more to explore the DIY side and build my own. I have had big Accuphase monos, Berning OTL, Jadis, Leben, Shindo and McIntosh. I am venturing more into Vfet and SIT based amplifiers...on that note I acquired a Technics SE-A1, Yamaha C-1, B-1 and B-2. I believe that the early Yamaha Vfet designs, if slightly modified, could be very promising and blast away a Berning with ease.

Speakers...I leapfrogged many speakers to go for gold early on. I started with big Infinity speakers, Dynaudio Confidence 5 (I bought 3 pairs of these wonders), then Proac, Merlin VSM, all the Yamaha NS series...then TAD 2402. The TAD speakers emboddied most of what I wanted in a speaker. I now plan to make a DIY active speaker, probably a horn design.

Personally I am involved with audio on a professional level, along with agriculture, engineering and even bee keeping. I just develop passions and they become business. Engineer originally by profession, I worked for the EU as a kid developing robotics systems.

Err...thats it.

Edit...no it isn't. Music, I love all types of music, electronica, classical, jazz and rock. I am a rocker at heart I guess although I am moving into classical and big band.

[Rare Bird]

Hi Richie
Welcome. Good English btw :)

[Frog-n-Oatcakes]

Thats because I am from Stoke on Trent originally.

;)


Hi Richie
Welcome. Good English btw :)

[Rare Bird]

:lol: I knew it :lolsign:

[Marco]

Stoke on Trent....Strasbourg..... Much of a muchness, really (if you're drunk).

I think there was also a clue in the name "Ritchie"! ;)

Marco.

P.S Lovely part of France, btw.

[Rare Bird]

Tis.

Alsatian

[Frog-n-Oatcakes]

Ooop-laaaa (Alsatian) :eyebrows:

Thanks for the warm welcome. How did my cunning disguise fail me?

:scratch: :)

[Marco]

Hehehe... So what do you prefer, Richie, Les vins d'Alsace or Kronenbourg? ;)

Marco.

[Frog-n-Oatcakes]

Vins d'Alsace over Kro but it depends on the time of day...in the morning I tend to drink a light red wine with my cornflakes.

Alsace does produce some fine micro-brews. Brasserie Uberach is one name, Licorne is another.

http://vlafon.free.fr/Biere/biere_nom.php3?id=720

http://www.soif-de-biere.com/top-des-ventes/Details/101/28/bieres/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=62&Itemid=11&TreeId=14

[Marco]

Nice one. I wonder if Brasserie Uberach would sell to the UK? If so, I'd order some of the beers on their website, because the unusual stuff from the micro breweries is what I like best! :)

I adore Alsatian white wine, and have a few tucked away for Christmas. I particularly enjoy it with Gravadlax, which is what we normally have as a starter on Christmas day before the Goose.

The light red wine thing in France for breakfast is very common. I've noticed that when I've been there. I suppose you'd get used to it, however normally I wouldn't touch alcohol until at least after midday.

So with living in Strasbourg, what do you embrace most - the French or the German influences? :cool:

Marco.

[Frog-n-Oatcakes]

I am sure they would sell well in the UK. They are really nice beers! Reminds me, I need to stock up for christmas. Right now there is the Christmas market here, its huge.

We have both french and german friends here. I would say Alsacian culture is more germanic than french. The region is quite difficult to settle in however, but once you are on the scene as it were people are very friendly.

We are actually considering a move to Brittany next year.

R

[Jonboy]

Hello Richie and welcome, we spend a fair bit of time in France down in the Vendee' , lovely country

[Frog-n-Oatcakes]

Thanks, we have been living in Strasbourg for 4.5yrs and it has been a really good experience. Time for a change though and perhaps some children. :doh:

[Alex_UK]

Thanks, we have been living in Strasbourg for 4.5yrs and it has been a really good experience. Time for a change though and perhaps some children. :doh:

Trust me, from a late dad, who is perhaps the most selfish person I know, it will be the best thing that ever happens to you! Puts everything else into perspective, and you did say it was time for a change - and boy will it be a change! ;)

[Rare Bird]

Trust me, from a late dad, who is perhaps the most selfish person I know, it will be the best thing that ever happens to you! Puts everything else into perspective, and you did say it was time for a change - and boy will it be a change! ;)


:lolsign: too right been there done that twice

[Frog-n-Oatcakes]

Trust me, from a late dad, who is perhaps the most selfish person I know, it will be the best thing that ever happens to you! Puts everything else into perspective, and you did say it was time for a change - and boy will it be a change! ;)

Thanks Alex. Yes I will have to have a locked studio really, this will hopefully be in a new place yet to be built.

I'm not the one that needs to be convinced, its my wife! :)