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Do you have any plans for your kit in the relatively near future? Or, have you found your current rig pushes all the right buttons?
I'm not so sure at the moment - I could do with a much better room for starters but know that won't get remedied for the next few years. As to the kit...I'm not sure. ;)
The last thing on my list is to change my power amp for something future proof (for a long while).
Top three:
AVI S21ma V2.0 (heard, amazing!)
NuForce Ref 9s (heard, mind-blowing, very pricey - £1800 each)
Marco's ECS EA-1s (not heard, but I will - and I'm assured they're amazing)
My source is sorted - does absolutely everything I love and nothing I don't. I know I'd have to spend a fortune to better it and even then it'd be debatable whether I'd gain any real improvement.
As for my speakers, I've not heard anything that does what I want better, they really are that amazing. When I move house I may need to go for something larger depending on my listening room size, but if that is necessary I'll go for the larger Revels.
Interesting thread. Now that I've come full circle and recreated the same system I had 2 years ago (!) I'm reluctant to change anything! Saying that, I have been entertaining thoughts of a speaker change. Trouble is, I really can't think of anything I would rather have for sensible money (sub 1.5k) than the GB1's. I think there's a certain amount if sentimentality involved too, as I bought the PMC's new and have owned them for around 2 years now (has to be a record for me!)
Lefty
Hi All
My future plans have now been completed, my now stable system will finally be complete when the TT arrives - hopefully on Friday. Which is a Dr Feickert Twin with the Heavy Platter, I have the tonearm an Audiocraft AC3000 so will spend the weekend in plastic heaven, Vinyl LP type plastic only that is.
Will post a pic or 2 of the TT when setup and running.
The intention is that will be it for a long time, with the exception of buying more LP & CD's.
Really looking forward to the weekend, I have only to get through my night shifts and I'm there. :)
Andy - SDDW
Yes excellent thread, Richard.
I could quite easily stop where I am right now as my system sounds superb - indeed I wouldn't even be messing around with valve amps had Ian (Walker) not let me hear the Yaqin and some other stuff with glass bottles :eyebrows:
Yes, I think you'll like the ECS EA1s, Rob. Trust me, your Revels will wonder what's hit them ;)
Ok, future plans...
1) Upgrade my Croft Charisma-X with a larger VU-rated and better transformer, and upgrade some other areas of the PSU. Re-work the heater circuits from series to parallel and splitting the heater circuit so that the line level stage valves have their own heater circuit, and the phono section has its own. Upgrade the volume pot to something more exotic, perhaps adding remote control.
2) Complete second stage of mods to Yaqin by having the control circuitry ripped out (it was originally built as an integrated) and all circuit boards removed and replaced with point-to-point wiring, upgrade output and mains transformers with those from Sowter. Remove ultralinear/triode mode switching circuitry and fix unit as permanently ultralinear. Replace existing Russian KT88s and 6SN7s with NOS G.E.C KT88s and ECC32 Mullards. Look into S.E.Ts and single-driver high efficiency speakers to see if I'm missing anything ;)
3) Arrange final set of mods to be carried out on Sony DAS-R1 by Mark at Audiocom, including cryogenically treating all internal circuitry.
4) Purchase EMT XSD-15 MC cartridge for SL-1210 and another set of Transparent Ultra interconnects to go from my preamp to power amp.
5) Have custom-made granite or slate plinth made for my SL-1210 by Darren of Slatedeck.
6) Have my Spendor SP100s upgraded to 'R' specification.
7) Install some kind of high-end computer audio and AV set-up with a media player, screen and projector - the latter with the help of our resident AV guru Chris Frost.
That's it!! I plan to have most of this completed by the end of the year, but the last bit might sneak into next year :smoking:
Marco.
One major change planned for the end of the year for my personal system only.
For the interim pc audio front, a new server/dac set up we have been working on.
Plus the ever evolving signal transfer devices. Most importantly more music :-)
near future, well that depends on how much money HM customs and revenue let me keep from my earnings, but I hope to add a P7 or 9 to my list of Rega in the not too dim and distant.
Colin,
Having heard and used most of Rega's T/Ts, funds permitting, I'd go for the 9. The 7 is somewhat in no man's land between the 5 and the 9, and IMO doesn't offer the same sound-per-pound value as either of the other decks. The 9 is in a different league from any other Rega T/T due to the quality of the PSU and the RB1000 tonearm.
My advice would be if, after tax deductions, you can only afford a 7, save up some more and get the 9. Trust me you won't regret it and it'll save you money in the long run.
Marco.
I have actually had the opportunity to play with both, and would say the 7 gives 90 ish % of the 9 for 50% of the price. The bizarre bit is if you take a 7, and very carefully pop the scalloped platter to one side, replacing it with a nice acrylic one, you have a superb deck, well for me. When you do the same thing to a 5 as well it lets you hear the differences that improved drive system on the 7 brings along, without the ceramic platter influencing the changes. If rega marketed such as beast, say P6, as in the 7 with a glass platter, I would buy one tomorrow, put the glass to one side and add a nice acrylic platter. This would apply now you can get the 7 with a wood trim, as I am not keen on the aesthetics of the aluminium double glazing trim sported by the standard 5 and 7, and is probably why my 25 has survived this long. Having said all that, I think its to convince myself that the back up plan is acceptable. I want a 9. :wah:
I am thinking of trying to improve my home built transmission lines. I think I may try some different tweeters in there. Nothing particularly wrong with them as they are but I would just like to see if I can make them a little bit better. I started building them 3 years ago, they will be finished the day I snuff it:-)
Dave.